Kathmandu, Jan.23:One month after the Indian Airlines flight 814 was hijacked, Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) today said that the hotel industry in the country has incurred the loss of more than Rupees 100 million and has suffered above 40 per cent booking cancellations in the hijack aftermath.
“Even though the high voltage hijacking drama seems to have been resolved, it has entailed a number of unforeseen problems in the tourism industry,” read a press release distributed at a press-meet here this evening.
The New Delhi bound Indian Airline’s Airbus was hijacked on December 24 in the Indian aerospace some 40 minutes after it took off from Kathmandu. The hijackers made the aircraft hop to several airports in the region and the Middle East before holding the 155 hostages for eight days in Kandahar, Afghanistan where they finally freed them in exchange of three militants’ liberty from Indian jails.
Commenting on the Indian media reports, particularly the Zee News Channel, on the hijack episode, the press statement said that the one-sided malicious news have tarnished the image of Nepal in the international scenario.
The major chunk of the loss, according to hoteliers who interacted with reporters at the press meet today, are due to the declined arrivals of Indian visitors and third country tourists arriving here via Indian cities. “As a result, hotels are having occupancy between 30 and 35 per cent while this is the time we normally have 85 per cent of our rooms occupied,” said Ribhu Chaterjee, General Manager of Soaltee Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, who is also the Executive Member of HAN.
Besides highlighting its losses after the hijack, HAN also came heavily upon Nepal Tourism Board alleging it for its non-performance on damage control after the hijack. “NTB seems to have not taken any measure to control the damage caused by the Indian media,” read the press release. “The board could have brought familiarisation trip of Indian journalists and tour operators to show them that Nepal is a safe destination. Or, it could counter attack the false allegations and reports through Indian as well as foreign media like CNN, BBC and Star News.”
Since NTB did not come out with a plan for the damage control, said Narendra Bajracharya, Second Vice President of HAN, the association of hoteliers itself is planning to bring in Indian journalists and tour operators to show that everything is okay here.
Pradeep Raj Pandey, Chief Executive Officer of NTB, however, said that the board had discussed on the issue with different tourism related organisations. “We are waiting for the government’s investigation report before we could invite the Indian journalists because none of the government officials are ready to deal with pressmen regarding the hijack of the Indian Airliner.”
The report of the high level committee is expected to be submitted to the government tomorrow.
HAN, said Bjracharya, has formed a high level committee to address the major issues triggered by Under the campaign 2.5 million children under the age of five were administered the polio drops.
The campaign was aided by the office bearers of the DDC, municipal corporation, sub metropolises, municipalities local social workers, employees of hmg and the corporations, ngos, teachers, the Nepal Police and the Royal Nepal Army.
Meanwhile, a child born to Mrs. Mitthu Nepali, wife of Yam Bahadur Nepali, a resident of Rajar VDC ward No 1 of Nawalparasi was administered the polio drop within one minute of its birth at the Dumkauli Primary Health Centre.
Similarly, in Nepalgunj, Minister for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Tarini Datta Chataut initiated the anti-polio drops administration special programme for children under five at Nepalgunj Health-Post.
Former speaker Ram Chandra Paudel, chief district officer Shyam Kumar Mainali, head of Bheri Zonal Hospital Dr. Arun Koirala and president of Rotary Club Ratna Kumar Tandan also administered polio drops to the children on the occasion.
Polio drops are being administered to about 72,000 children below the age of five years at 46 village development committees (VDCs) and Nepalgunj municipality adjoining India, it is learnt from the District Public Health Officer.
About 1,120 volunteers and 265 health workers are working to administer polio drops under the special polio immunisation programme in Banke district. Provisions of 180 immunisation centres have been made while women volunteers are also active in the programme in the district.
Provisions of ten follow-up and mobile centres have also been made to make the special polio immunisation programme more planned and effective.
Door-to-door immunisation programme will be carried out tomorrow so that not even a single child is deprived of immunisation against polio.
Cooperation were received in the task today from social and political activists, police, guardians, students and journalists, it is learnt.
Meanwhile, in Nepalgunj, Minister for Law and Justice, and Parliamentary Affairs Tarini Datta Chataut visited Birendra Police Hospital today to enquire about the conditions of the police personnel admitted there for teartment of injuries they sustained in an attack by Maoist terrorists.
Ex-speaker Ramchandra Poudel and various mps were also present on the occasion.
Similarly, in Janakpurdham, administration of anti-polio drops started at 8 A.M. today at 101 VDCs and one town in Dhanusha district.
As Manyu as 120,701 children under five are to be administered the anti-polio drop through 547 service centres under a special immunisation programme.
Meanwhile, door-to-door servicing is also going on eradicate the poliomyelitis from the district, according to the district public health office.