How a Rudderless Congress Became an Ally in Communist Regime's Folly
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WI THOUT F EAR O R F A V O U R Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 277 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 28.5 C -2.6 C Saturday, December 05, 2020 | 20-08-2077 Biratnagar Jumla COMMENTARY How a rudderless Congress became an ally in communist regime’s folly When the Oli administration continued to work against the system, the opposition failed to rise to the occasion and remained a mute spectator, observers and leaders say. ANIL GIRI KATHMANDU, DEC 4 Ask any Nepali Congress politician— from among the seasoned lot to the “next generation” ones or the young crop of leaders—about the party, their answer will, nine out of ten times, start from “BP [Koirala] had this vision”. The two things that Congress leaders are never tired of talking about are the party’s motto “national- POST ILLUSTRATION ism, democracy and socialism” and “BP’s vision.” to ‘cry’,” is what Congress President But when the country went to his- Sher Bahadur repeated as he toured toric elections in 2017—the polls were various parts of the country while historic because they were being held canvassing. POST PHOTO: MANOJ POUDEL for the first under the new constitu- But people gave their mandate to Boats afloat on Jagdishpur Lake at Niglihawa, Kapilvastu. Recreational boat service operated during the day on the site listed among the Wetlands of International Importance under the Ramsar tion that guaranteed Nepal as a feder- the left alliance. The Nepali Congress Convention has disturbed the natural habitat of migratory birds in the winter months. al democratic republic, the party was faced a drubbing like never before. out on the hustings with a new-found Almost three years after the elec- slogan—that the communists are bad tions, the party is still licking its for the country. The Congress party wounds. And on Monday, something campaigned with the warning that if happened. Senior Congress leader the communists, an alliance of the Ram Chandra Poudel was detained for Buddha Air plans to fly to remote areas could be CPN-UML and the CPN (Maoist three hours in Tanahun for defying Centre), were voted to power, they prohibitory orders. Congress leaders would ruin the system, curtail peo- seem to have been shaken to the core ple’s rights and shrink civic space. and they have suddenly woken up a game changer in domestic aviation, experts say “If the communist alliance forms from their deep slumber. the government, we won’t be even able >> Continued on page 2 Despite the high risks, short take-off and landing flights to remote mountain airfields across the country are an untapped market with more people flying as incomes rise. cal changes of 2006, used to fly a dozen of de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter, a 19-passenger STOL aircraft, covering almost all remote and moun- tain airfields. But the entry of the private sector in the aviation industry with the economic liberalisation in the early 1990s started to erode the market of Nepal Airlines. Nepal Airlines had first acquired a Twin Otter in 1971. Of the 12 Twin Otters it once owned, only three are airworthy today and one of them has been leased to Yeti Airlines. The value of STOL aircraft in a mountainous country like Nepal is tremendous for connectivity as they can land on airfields that are just over 300 metres long, in contrast to at least 1,200 metres long in the plains, and flights from the larger airfields to them are less than 30 minutes long. However, the high cost of operation and flying in the harsh geographical SHUTTERSTOCK terrain where weather frequently and Rara Airport, also known as Talcha Airport, serves Rara National Park in Karnali Province. suddenly changes making visibility poor have made the mountain air- SANGAM PRASAIN of Buddha Air, told the Post. fields a least attractive sector for pri- KATHMANDU, DEC 4 The company plans to start opera- vate operators even though the compe- tions with these aircraft in September tition is fierce in other routes. There are 49 airports in Nepal and six next year. According to the civil aviation regu- more are being built. Of the existing Observers say this could be a game lator’s recent aviation safety report, airports, 20 are not even in operation, changer. during the last ten years (2009-2019), not because of the poor condition of “The remote or mountain airfields aircraft operating in the STOL sector the airports but largely because the are an unexplored market,” said Tri have suffered comparatively more nine domestic airlines do not want to Ratna Manandhar, former director accidents than aircraft operating in fly there. general of the Civil Aviation Authority the trunk sector, which has flights of They have their reasons. of Nepal. “People’s incomes have more than 30 minutes and are in high “Due to risk factors and high oper- grown significantly in the mountain demand. ating costs, private airlines cut down regions and as a result demand for air Out of 20 accidents that occurred flights to the remote sector and the air transport has also grown.” during the period, 17 occurred in the connectivity with remote mountain At present only four domestic air- STOL sector. regions started to get cut off [from the lines serve the remote airfields, “It’s understandable how much risk country’s air network],” said DR excluding Lukla, the gateway to is involved in STOL operation. A Niraula, a retired captain who flew to Everest, in the mountains of Nepal. crash may damage reputation and the remote airfields of Nepal for more These include Nepal Airlines, Tara ruin the company financially. So suc- than 12 years with Nepal Airlines. Air, a subsidiary of Yeti Airlines, cess is not easy in remote sectors,” But now with Buddha Air, which Summit Air and Sita Air. said Niraula. has 60 percent of the domestic Industry insiders said that Buddha While aircraft can land in the plains market, deciding to add short take off Air’s entry into the STOL operation even during heavy rains, poor visibili- and landing, or STOL, aircraft to its would revitalise the aviation service, ty during even light rain in the moun- fleet with a view to flying to the remote giving a much-needed boost to the tains often forces aircraft carrying airfields, the scenario may change connectivity in the mountain and passengers to turn back incurring and there may be more airlines flying remote sector. losses for the airlines companies. to them. “It’s difficult to expand the wings in “Obviously, there are some risk fac- “We have already started the pro- the remote sector. But given the brand tors but there are opportunities equal- cess to select the appropriate aircraft value of Buddha Air, its investment in ly as well,” said Manandhar. “The for our STOL operation,” Birendra safety and its management efficiency, commercial flights on the mountain Bahadur Basnet, managing director it can become successful in the remote airfields will also increase the tourism sector as well,” said Niraula. prospects.” Buddha Air has been aspiring For example, the Karnali region has to fly in the remote sector for a vast potential for adventure and reli- long time. According to gious tourism but travelling there is Manandhar, nearly one and a very expensive. half decades ago, it had applied Another case in point for the impor- for the operation of the sin- tance of STOL airfields is the Manthali gle-engine aircraft but the plan airport in Ramechhap, a five-hour fell apart as the government’s drive from Kathmandu, which served policy was against operating the as the departure point for Lukla single-engine planes. flights last year when the Tribhuvan During its heydays, Nepal International Airport was partially Airlines, or Royal Nepal Airlines closed for renovation. as it was called before the politi- >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K SATURDAY, DECEMBER 05, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL Sudurpaschim schools are reopening after a long hiatus Health officials warn reopening of schools is fraught with coronavirus risk. BHAWANI BHATTA students into several groups are some lines,” said Mahadev Joshi, chief at KANCHANPUR, DEC 4 of the options proposed by the the Education Section of Dhangadhi Ministry of Education in order to reo- Sub-metropolitan City. The majority of schools in pen the schools. Schools at Godabari Municipality Sudurpaschim Province have resumed However, health officials say the and Ghodaghodi Municipality in classes following a long Covid-19 hia- reopening of schools while the corona- Kailali have also reopened, the local tus. virus cases are still surging is fraught government officials confirmed. Earlier last month, the federal gov- with danger, even if they adopt health In Achham, both government and ernment endorsed a set of guidelines safety measures. private schools have started conduct- for schools to resume their classes. As A school at Dashrath Chand ing physical classes since last week. per the guidelines, schools can reopen Municipality in Baitadi reopened last “We have resumed classes in two in coordination with and consent of week only to be shut down two days shifts. We have made face masks man- the concerned local government. later when 19 individuals tested posi- datory and also told students to main- “In Kanchanpur district, most of tive for the coronavirus. On Saturday, tain social distancing,” said Devendra the schools have reopened from this the municipal government imposed a Dubbe, a school headmaster. week. Some of the schools resumed 10-day lockdown to contain the out- Schools in all nine local units of their classes from Wednesday,” said break.