Pokhara Regional International Airport: Locals demand political-level talks

POKHARA, AUG 24 -

Pokhara locals have refused to sit for dialogue with the government talk team comprising of top-level bureaucrats and have demanded a political-level negotiation to take ahead the stalled process of the proposed Regional International Airport.

On Wednesday, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation formed a five-member team under the leadership of joint-secretary of the ministry.

The panel includes under secretaries from the Finance Ministry and National Planning Commission, deputy director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and director of Nepal Tourism Board.

The agitating locals of Pokhara have demanded for a minister-level talk as issue was not on the hand of the bureaucracy. “The high-level government panel cannot address our demand,” the locals said.  

Krishna Mohan Shrestha, coordinator of the Airport Construction Stakeholders Committee, who is spearheading the protest, said there was no point sitting for talks with the government team as it did not have the decision-making power.  

“We want the talks to be decisive and only the top-level political dialogue could address our demand, which is not possible with the team represented by bureaucrats.”

“Today’s protest is just a symbolic one. If our demand is not met by August 31, we will be compelled to shut the Pokhara Airport for indefinite period,” said Shrestha.

Meanwhile, the agitating Pokharelis piled pressure on the government, halting all flights to and from Pokhara on Thursday. They also launched a relay-hunger strike at the entrance of the Pokhara Airport.

Ananda Raj Mulmi, former president of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries, said they were staging the hunger strike to protest the government’s apathy in creating conducive environment for talks on the development of the airport project.

Source: The Kathmandu Post