KATHMANDU, Oct 5: The owners of three-wheeler gas tempos have launched an agitation against the government´s decision to phase out the vehicles from the capital. [break]
Nepal National Transportation Entrepreneurs´ Supreme Federation (NNTESF), which claims affiliation of more than 95 percent of the tempo owners, here staged a rally that flaunted hundreds of tempos on downtown street from the morning to till late afternoon on Monday. Traffic throughout the city was disturbed during the demonstration.
The government had decided on September 9 to phase out the vehicles, which had replaced the diesel-run ´Bikram´ tempos by providing customs exemption to purchase the gas tempos 10 years ago, without any compensation. If the decision is implemented, over 450 gas tempos will have to be sold at scrap value.
Director General of the Department of Transportation Sharad Chandra Paudel said the decision was made upon request and full consent of several transportation associations including the Nepal National Transportation Entrepreneurs´ Federation (NNTEF) led by Dinesh Bhandari.
Paudel said the phase out of the vehicles, which are deemed less safe for travel, would help manage the traffic and curtail pollution. "Actually, the ministry had tabled a proposal with compensation and alternative provision for the owners but the budget did not address the issues. Yet the entrepreneurs kept pressuring for taking the decision," he said.
NNTESF president Bishnu Shiwakoti alleged that the decision was motivated by ´financial gains´ for some government officials as the vehicles were never a problem over the last 10 years. "If the vehicles are to be removed, we only give them two best options -- compensation with scientific evaluation or 99 percent customs exemption to buy new vehicles as well as new routes outside the valley to operate them," he said, adding, "Or else, we will come up with stronger protests."
Meanwhile, NNTEF central committee member Bharat Nepal said his organization lobbied for the decision and alleged the protesters to have been politically guided.
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