Protest looms over lease extension bid at CNP

CHITWAN, July 12: The owners of the hotels outside the Chitwan National Park (CNP) have decided to exert pressure against the government bid to extend the lease contract of the hotels operating inside the CNP, on Thursday.



Demanding that the government not extend the contract, they have also formed a struggle committee to launch protest if the government goes ahead with the plan against its earlier commitment. [break]



The lease contract of the hotels inside CNP is expiring on July 15.



Bowing down to pressure from tourism entrepreneurs, the government is preparing to extend the lease term of resorts operating inside CNP.



Though the lease contract of the hotels inside CNP expired in July 2009, the hoteliers and the government had reached an agreement on relocating the hotels by mid-July, 2012 keeping in view the Nepal Tourism Year (NTY) 2011.



With the deadline for relocation approaching, hoteliers have lobbying power centers to mount pressure on the government to extend their lease term.



The hotel owners and Chitwan Chambers Commerce had also met Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai recently demanding the extension of the lease contract.



A total of six  hotels have been operating inside CNP.  They are Tiger Tops,Safari Narayani, Chitwan Jungle Lodge, Machan Wildlife Resort, Island Jungle Resort and Temple Tigers.

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