Experts on Yeti have raised questions on the claims made by Japanese mountaineer Makato Nebuka that the "Yeti" was nothing more than "Meti", a Himalayan Brown Bear. But Prof. Ram Kumar Panday, an expert on the Himalayan Yeti and a linguist who keeps tab on reports concerning the "Abominable Snowman", has suggested a thorough research before reaching any conclusion. He also argued that conclusions based on linguistic analysis, as has been done by Nebuka, would not only be inadequate but also misleading. "It is tough to come up with proof but it is too early to say that it does not exist at all.

No one should draw conclusions based on linguistic coincidences," Prof. Panday emphasised. Nebuka had, among others, argued that the Yeti and Meti referred to the selfsame supernatural creature in the region but was nothing more than the Himalayan brown bear. He arrived at the conclusion at the end of his 12-year stint in Nepalese, Tibetan and Bhutanese mountains doubling up as a researcher. In addition, Prof. Panday also said that serious research was underway both in China and Russia and the result thereof would take time to materialized.

Meanwhile, the controversial claim that the Yeti per se was a myth should be weighed in the light of the claims going back to 1951. In fact, Eric Shipton, an earlier expeditioner, had photographed large footprints in the snow and published the pictures in London newspapers. Another expert on the issue, Tirtha Bahadur Pradhananga, Director General of the Department of Survey also said, "The issue certainly needs investigation in the light of the tantalising revelation. We cannot just deny that Yeti does not exist."

Citing the books written by Prof. Panday and others, Pradhananga said that the word "Yeti" means "rock animal" in Sherpa lingo and, like the Loch Ness Monster of Scotland, Yeti is indeed a mysterious creature. He has also claimed in a paper that the father of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa also had seen Yeti but could not photograph it. Members of the British special mission, too, had sighted Yeti but failed to take any photo. Pradhananga had presented a paper on the issue in Australia.

Incidentally, the fact that the Japanese mountaineer-turned-researcher missed the whole story becomes evident from the fact that the literature about Yeti defines it as "resembling man while the origin may lie in bear." "As far as Nebuka has said that the Yeti is a Himalayan brown bear, he is right since the books on Yeti say its origin goes back to the bear family," Prof. Panday said, pointing at the fallacy in the argument. Yet another evidence suggesting the presence of Yetis lies in the fact that there is a Nepali Himalayan mountain range called Maha Langur, which means "Snow Peaks of the Great Monkey".

Pradhananga, who has had access to vast literature on the subject, cites one claim put up by Dr John Allen of the Royal Air Force who was on a Himalayan expedition prior to 1960. He had sighted large footprints and heard loud feminine screech.. But like others before and after him, he could not capture the creature on film. Again, an unidentified Scottish magistrate in 1960 and some members of the British expedition of 1970 also had seen Yeti but failed to photograph it. "Such being the mysteries behind the creature, it is too premature to dismiss the claim that the Yeti does exists," Prof. Panday emphasised.

OTHER NEWS

• TAAN holds 25th AGM: Riddhi Baba Pradhan, Secretary at Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation today said that the government's decision of allowing 30 per cent of income generated from tourism industry would help in the promotion of pro-poor tourism. Pradhan was addressing 25th Annual General Meeting of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) held in the capital today. She further added that the government has been serious in promoting Nepal's tourism industry, and thus several decisions had been decided in this regard. Suman Pandey, president of TAAN, on the occasion, informed several activities held by the TAAN during the last fiscal year. Stating that the tourism industry has suffered a lot during the past two years, he added the focus should now be on regional tourism.
  
  
• 'Bikini killer' Sobhraj arrested: A team of police officers headed by Deputy Superintendent of Police Deg Bahadur GC arrested the notorious criminal Charles Sobhraj on immigration charges today. He was arrested this morning at four from the Casino Royale at Durbar Marg. He was staying in Room No 203 of Garden Hotel in Sohrakhutte. Sobhraj, 59, formerly a top name featuring in the 'Most Wanted List' in many countries around the globe, came to Nepal in 1975 with Dutch Passport #S428929 bearing the name of Bintanja Henricus. On September 1, 2003, he arrived in Kathmandu from Dubai with French Passport #02Y18667 under the name of Charles Sobhraj Gurmukh."He has been arrested for arriving in Nepal on two separate occasions with two different passports," Deputy Inspector General of Police Keshav Baral said, adding, "He was arrested under the Immigration Law, and was presented to the immigration department today.
  He could also be tried for the murders of two foreigners in 1975." Sobhraj is believed to have committed the murders of Laurant Armant Carierr of Canada on December 21, 1975 and that of Conijo Broniz of the United States on December 23, 1975. Residing then at the Soaltee Hotel, Sobhraj managed to flee Nepal under a fake identity. In 1976, the murder cases were filed at the Kathmandu District Court. Ever since, Nepal Police has had been looking for the 'bikini killer'. However, convicting him for the murders could be an uphill task as the court documents are missing. Ever since his release from Tihar Jail of India in 1997, Sobhraj had been leading an apparently clean and quiet life in Paris.
  
  
• Additional army barrack for Shuklaphanta Reserve: Government is to install an additional barrack in the newly extended Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (RSWR). The headquarters of the new barrack shall be installed in Arjuni area, the extended portion of the reserve, according to a concerned source. The government agreed to launch a new barrack as RSWR authorities faced security threats following its expansion. Presently, RSWR covers 305 square kilometres, according to sources.
  
  
• Narayani Hotel to close down: After failing to cope up with survival threats posed to Nepali tourism industry by domestic violence since the past couple of years, Nepal's first four-star hotel - Narayani Hotel is all set to close down from October 1st. Officials of the hotel said that were forced to take such a decision after they incurred heavy losses and the total loss accumulated to an unrecoverable level. The hotel was incurring an operational loss of Rs 1.3 million each month. "We are looking for a fair close down of the hotel and have thus requested the Ministry of Labour for the settlement of employees," said Chandra Sekhar Gyawali, Chairman of the Narayani Group.