Speakers at an interaction on "Illegal Operators in Trekking Industry" organized by Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) agreed that unlawful operations had hampered not only the certified agents, but also the image of trekking business in Nepal. "The porters and guides employed by unauthorized organizations are not insured and are unprofessional thus the quality of service they provide is below the expectation of trekkers," said Phurba G. Sherpa, General Secretary of TAAN. Sherpa said that the hoteliers along the Everest and Langtang trekking routes had reported that more than 40 per cent of the trekking guides were illegal.

"Tourists are lured by the rock bottom rates offered by the illegal operators, but they are not satisfied with the service and paint bad image of the country," said Tika Ram Sapkota, President of TAAN's Pokhara Regional Chapter. He said that these people could afford to operate on such low rates as they do not take permit from the authorities and hence do not have to pay any tax to the government. Sapkota also revealed the names of hotels, agencies, 'tea houses' and other institutions operating without licence in the Pokhara and Annapurna region and said that some legal operators had also been found to be involved in providing documents to the illegal ones.

General Secretary Sherpa said, "Such operators evade revenue to the government and push us out of business. We have been demanding for laws to curb such malpractice, but nothing has been done to this effect so far". "A process to curb illegally operated hotels, restaurants and bars is already in the pipelines. Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is the regulating and monitoring agency of this sector. We have recently held an aid crash course with around 60 participants who are involved in tourism and trekking activities," said Director of NTB Subhash Niraula. Assistant Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Ravi Bhakta Shrestha assured that the government would take action to solve the problem.

"This government, which believes in the government-private partnership approach, will be looking forward to any suggestion to develop necessary mechanism," he said. The speakers also cited various cases in which such illegal operators had stranded and looted guests and got people including themselves killed and other types of accidents due to lack of professionalism.

OTHER NEWS

• Climbers waiting for fair weather at Everest: Strong winds and blizzards sweeping the central and eastern parts of the country have affected Everest region as well, and the dozens of climbers preparing to make it to the top of the world have buried the idea - at least for the time being. The climbers and supporting staff of the 22 expedition teams that are eyeing Everest have retreated to Everest Base Camp from higher camps. They were forced to do so due to the weather conditions that started to deteriorate earlier this week. And the weather is showing no signs of improving any time soon.
  
  
• Tourism for poverty alleviation: With an objective of providing an opportunity to the backward Chepang community to actively participate in the development activities, Tourism for Poverty Alleviation Programme will be organized in four village development committees (VDCs) of the district, namely Korak, Kaule, Siddi and Shaktikhor. The programme is being carried out under the joint auspices of Tourism for Rural Poverty Alleviation Programme (TRPAP) of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and District Development Committee, Chitwan.
  
  
• Scientists to focus on water quality and river pollution: Altogether 15 scientists from Hindu-Kush Himalayan Region are gathering here from May 10 to 14 to participate at a training workshop aimed at capacity building for monitoring water quality in the region. The programme is being organised by Hindu-Kush Himalayan Flow Regimes from the International Experimental and Network Data Project.
  
  
• Lakeside declared band restricted area: In a boldest step against frequently occurring general strike, band, and chakkajam, a complete vehicular stand off, the local tourism entrepreneurs of Pokhara, one of the most famous tourist destinations of the country, have declared Lake Side city as band restricted area.
  
  
• Hundreds flock monastery for rare cataract surgery camp: A sudden outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in China has started to show its effect on trade through Tatopani customs office, an entry point to China. The gradual decline in the business activities through the northern customs point of the country since last two weeks largely due to SARS has not only forced the traders to leave the place, but has also resulted in low revenue collection.
  
  
  By Hari Shrestha, Resident Representative in Kathmandu