Nepal has requested China to permit the Nepali airlines companies to operate their flights over Kailash Manasarovar, one of the popular religious tourist destinations of Hindus, located in the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. Also, the government further requested China to allow Nepali airliners to operate direct flights to Lahasa, citing that the direct flights that would largely cater the tourists would help promote the tourism industry in both the countries. Such requests from the Nepali side were made during a daylong meeting of Nepal-China Joint Coordination Committee for Tourism Promotion held in the Capital on Sunday. "We have lodged a formal request to the visiting Chinese officials to allow Nepali helicopters and planes to operate flights up over Mansorabor to facilitate the tourists visiting the area," a participant of the meeting told the Post. He further informed that the Chinese officials have responded to the positively and assured the Nepali counterparts that it would forward the proposal to the higher level for the final decision. "Likewise, the Chinese delegations also committed that they will give a positive response on direct flights to Kathmandu-Lhasha by the end of this year when the construction works of the Lahasa International Airport will be completed," the source stated.

Lhasha is among the popular destinations of tourists across the globe and if Nepal could operate direct flights in the route, it is expected boost tourism inflow in the country. The response from the Chinese side on the matter, however, is no different than what they stated over the Nepal's earlier proposal to sign a Nepal-China air agreement. They had said that the agreement could be signed once construction of Lhasha International Airport is completed. Sources further said that the Nepali side has also urged China to initiate steps to open the mountains like Cho Oyu, ascent to which requires passing through territories of both the countries. "If China agreed to open its territory for the purpose, it will ease Nepal to open these peaks for mountaineering," said the source. Neither Nepal nor China has currently opened their territories in such mountains and these have been closed for climbing. "Both sides have agreed to carry out necessary homework in this regard," the source added. China, in the meantime, agreed to allow Nepali tourist vehicles to ply up to Jhangbo, a Tibetan town located some eight kilometers from Tatopani border point, where its Immigration Office is present. Talking to the Post, Shankar Prasad Pandey, Joint Secretary of the Tourism Division, Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation and the leader of Nepali delegation, expressed satisfaction over the meeting. "It was a fruitful meeting, the outcome of which will help tourism promotion in both the countries," he said. Bhadro, Director General of Tibet Tourism Bureau, had led the 16-member Chinese delegation that had arrived in the capital on Saturday for the meeting. The committee was constituted last year with a view to strengthen bilateral tourism promotion efforts.

OTHER NEWS

• ADB eyes tourism sector for investment: Foreseeing futile results from investments in agriculture sector and to diversify its investments, the Agriculture Development Bank (ADB) has begun investing in the tourism sector. For this purpose, the bank has been lending loans to hotel entrepreneurs to further their business more effectively and fruitfully. The ADB has already invested Rs 12.67 million on tourism promotion during this year alone.
  
  
• Child labor still rampant: Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, director of the International Labor Organization (ILO), said that broader part of the community needed to be involved in eliminating child labor from domestic activities in Nepal. She was speaking at a program organized to mark the third International Child Labor Day here recently. "The main problem is that most child laborers don't have access to education, health care, legal protection and identity," she added. She also appealed to everyone to get involved in Red Card Campaign to reduce the number of laborers under the age of 14. This campaign is an attempt to put an end to child labor by using a red card having a football - the most mobilizing sports in the world. The participants of the program pointed out that about 260,000 children in Nepal were involved in minor form of child labor and about 127,000 of them were the victims of intense exploitation.
  
  
• Nepal source of girl trafficking: US report: Nepal is a source country for girl trafficking to India and some Gulf and East Asian countries. Yet, the government of Nepal has not fully complied with the "minimum standards" for the elimination of trafficking, says a US report released Monday. Additionally, internal trafficking for forced labor and sexual exploitation is rampant, says the fourth annual Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report, released by Secretary of State Colin L Powell. The report is the most comprehensive documentation on the efforts of the governments of 141 countries to combat trafficking, according to a press release issued today by the US Embassy. "Nepal is a source country for trafficking of girls to India, Saudi Arabia, Malaysia, the UAE and other Gulf countries, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region," the report says.
  
  
• WWF Nepal presents conservation awards: World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal Program recently honored seven institutions and three individuals with this year's Abraham Conservation Award for their contribution to nature conservation.The awardees are Satyalung Mother Group from Taplejung district, Phortse Village of Solukhumbu district, Royal Chitwan National Park and Purano Gorakh Gan of Royal Nepal Army, Youth in Anti-poaching Operation Awareness Campaign, Nawalparasi district and Gauri Mahila.
  
  
  

By Hari Shrestha, Resident Representative in Kathmandu