#64 12 - 18 October 2001 20 pages Rs 20 JAZZ 19 STUDY 10,11,12 BINOD BHATTARAI ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ ust a few years ago Nepali domestic J aviation was a model of successful deregulation. New airlines were popping up every week, services were getting better, and even the price of tickets had started going down. Mayday, Mayday Today it is all in shambles. Buffeted by a tourism slump that started with the Indian Airlines hijack in December 1999 and carried on to the post-11 September The government had given air operator worldwide downturn, Nepals domestic certificates to 31 airlines by 2000. Nepals domestic airlines are on the verge of collapse. airlines are struggling to stay aloft. To be sure, most of the aircraft in the ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ The impact of the policy of opening up domestic field are second-hand, safety LAXMAN UPRETI the skies was there for all to see: standards have not been up to mark with a The number of Nepalis flying internally series of tragic crashes. But tourists and jumped almost five times from about Nepali passengers have benefited. There are 350,000 in 1992/93 to 1.8 million last year. now more than 20 flights a day between Domestic airlines hauled a million Kathmandu and Pokhara, about 15 a day to tonnes of cargo last year, compared to half Lukla. There are no waits for flights to that amount in 1992. Jomsom or Bhairahawa. However, airlines Last year there were 19 private airlines have not made much of an impact in flying, compared to only Royal Nepal remote, non-profitable sectors like Jumla, Airlines ten years ago. Bajhang or Taplejung. Private airlines that do venture out to these routes are known to charge double, sometimes triple, the Royal Weekly Internet Poll #4 Nepal Airlines rate on the sly. Q:Should the government lift restrictions on Nepali There were already serious problems women going to the Gulf to work? with undercutting and unhealthy competi- tion for passengers and the domestic airline industry was getting ready for a shakeout. There were talks of mergers and acquisi- tions. Also, as the airline industry generates had pinned their hopes on the autumn Necons losses over the past few years When Pragyan S. Rana of Mountain Air quick revenue that is where fly-by-night season. But the cancellations after 11 have ranged between Rs 100-120 million was asked why the airlines were still flying. investors would want to be. Anyone with September and the strikes against and revenues are now sliding even faster. We have no choice, he shot back. We just enough money to buy/lease two aircraft Afghanistan have spooked all except the According to Pun, Necons monthly have to get as close to break even hoping can join and these would be the first to most determined tourists. earnings average around Rs 40 million, that things will improve. leave when the downturn begins. We just dont have enough people while the operation cost is to the tune of Necon has been trying to cut costs by But the crisis in tourism has made flying, said Lt Col (retd) Narayan Singh Pun, Rs70 million. taking on a smaller partnerin a marketing matters much worse and much faster than who took over as Chairman and Managing No business can run with such statistics alliancebut the process remains caught Selected responses on p. 8 Total votes: 958 anyone imagined. Now, the challenge is Director of Necon Air last month. Necon has but industry analysts suspect the situation up in employee resistance and other staving off bankruptcy. A tourism slump big problems, almost close to shutting down if is similar for others in the business, but procedural hold-ups. The worlds most reliable had hit nearly all private airlines and they things dont improve. they do not disclose their numbers as easily. See p. 9 ð UPS for PCs Recommended by Microsoft, IBM, NEC and Novell Cinema can highlight the plight of those without lobbies MIN BAJRACHARYA For the film aficionado Shyam Benegal needs no introduction. One of the major personalities of the new cinema in India, at last count he had made 21 feature films, 45 documentaries, including the epic 53-hour Bharat Ek Khoj (Discovery of India), and over 1000 commercial film-lets. Such a wide-ranging oeuvre aside, he can also be Back-UPS 500 credited for providing the first real breaks to such artistes as the late Smita Patil, Shabana Azmi, Girish Karnad, Om Puri and Amrish Puri. He has received several • Compact design with surge protected national and international awards for his films, apart from the top Indian civilian outlet for Laser printers • Three battery back-up outlets awards, the Padma Shree and the Padma Bhusan. • Lightning and surge suppression During the film directors recent visit to Kathmandu to chair the Jury at Film South • EMI/RFI filters for noise filtration Asia 01 held 4-7 October, Nihal Rodrigo met him over coffee, cappuccino and (many) • Communication interface port (auto shutdown for all major desktop OS) cigarettes and asked about his vision of the cinema, the responses his films have • Quickswap™ battery replacement evoked, and the relationship between film and literature. • Quick Recharge after power outages • Save battery power with user adjustable option switches Your first film, Ankur, looked at social and gender The cinema or individual films are not capable of really change. This must be preceded by a change in • Industry approval (safe & reliable) discrimination in a feudalistic society in rural India. effecting huge political and social changes in India or perception. It won’t happen with one film. It is a ® Two years later, in 1976, you came up with Manthan, anywhere else. But the film is a powerful medium for process. Legendary ReliabilitySM dealing with social mobilisation and empowerment of bringing to the fore, subjects which otherwise would I have sought to reach out to audiences beyond Authorized Distributor rural dairy farmers and their struggle against be lost to public discourse. Cinema can give social those already conscious and aware – people of the exploitation. Latter films too deal with social issues urgency and highlight the need to deal with the plight same feather. Film must be engaging, engrossing to a Computerland Building, New Plaza, Ramshahpath, Kathmandu that have largely been ignored by other filmmakers. of groups who have no lobbies. That is the primary very large number of people. Films must entertain. Tel: 430858, 430859, 431199, 431746 Fax: 430641 E-mail: [email protected] To what extent do you believe can films bring about thing the (politically and socially conscious) cinema Popular acceptance and appeal is essential. The Total Solutions Company social and economic change in real life? can do. You have to work towards an attitudinal See p. 17 ð 2 NEPALI TIMES INTERVIEW NEPALI TIMES 3 EDITORIAL 12 - 18 OCTOBER 2001 12 - 18 OCTOBER 2001 Nepali Times is published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd, Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Editor: Anagha Neelakantan STATE OF THE STATE by CK LAL Design: Swosti Rajbhandari, Kiran Maharjan [email protected], www.nepalitimes.com There is willingness at the top, and at the Advertising: Sunaina Shah, Anup Adhikary [email protected] Subscription: Anil Karki [email protected] Nothing to do in Tikapur Sales: Sudan Bista [email protected] grassroots something in between doesnt work Sanchaya Kosh Building, Block A-4th Floor, Lalitpur GPO Box 7251, Kathmandu, Nepal If you have nothing to do, you from Chisapani in the east. In the middle of Achhami settlers from the hills (with their Tel: 01-543333-7, Fax: 01-521013 Printed at Jagadamba Press: 01-521393 TIKAPUR Its been two and a half years since can do all that to your hearts content here it all, Tikapur flickers in splendid isola- other-worldly miniature cows) can provide Norway opened its embassy in Norwegian ambassador to Nepal, INGRID OFSTAD speaks to Nepali Times on the slow JUST PEACE in the middle of nowhere. With no tionan urban dream of a royal loyal sufficient stimulation to even the most Nepal. How have things gone? pace of development, Norwegian investments in Nepal and on the peace talks. mountains to gaze at and no monuments to conceived as a statement of supreme jaded culture-vulture. Tikapur could What is special about Nepal-Norway An insurgency does not have a clear beginning or a neat end. Like explore, there are no pressures of anticipa- sycophancy. become a tourism destination if talent, time cooperation is that it started with people- ○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○○ tion in this town set amidst a forest. Towns As long as the town establishment had and money were to be intelligently invested monsoon floods, it arrives, it devastates, and departs, leaving destruction to-people collaboration, between NGOs and strong move towards decentralisation, the BPCs (Butwal Power Com- only in hydropower. Security may be an programme going in the next 5-10 often evolve around a central function hardwood sal trees left to fell and sell, it in its promotion. in its wake. But just as floods teach people how to cope with another one continued as private sector partnership like which I think is the key. But what is pany) hold any lessons? issue for other industries. years? administration, trade, industry, or even didnt lack the revenue to finance its follies. But its to the lonelyand the lost next time round, there are lessons to be learnt from insurgencies too. the Khimti hydropower plant. All this missing is the local ownership of schools, It is very tragic it has taken such a long Nepal will probably remain a priority entertainment. But this town is different.