"Some hotels have are already been closed down, rest are struggling to survive. If the Indian blockade does not end soon, no wonder, they too will meet the same fate," said Samundra Prasad Joshi, president of Association of Hotel Entrepreneurs.According to the owner of Hotel Blossoms, Narayan Rai, matter would be different if there was shortage of only LPG. "There is shortage of several other essential things as well. If you talk about food sector, there is scarcity of even rice, meat, edible oil and vegetables," he said. "It is better to close business than say sorry to costumers," he added.
Ranjendra Layalu, Khotang branch of FNCCI stated that big hotels are normally bearing loss of Rs 500,000 per day these days. Joshi said that all the hotels in the district are in verge of closure.
Steep firewood prices
A bundle of firewood that would cost Rs 300 in Diktel market normally cannot be bought for less than Rs 600 now. As the Indian economic blockade on Nepal continues demand for firewood is expected to go higher in the days ahead and with it the price. The fear has gripped small as well as big hoteliers in the district who have switched to firewood for cooking.
"A bundle of firewood that in normal circumstances cost Rs 300 now costs between Rs 600 to 800," said Junu Kala Rai, operator of Sapang Hotel in Diktel market. "What to do, we have no choice other than to purchase them to serve food to our guests. But, how long can we afford to run hotel this way," she added.
Nir Kumar Shretha of 'Manish Hotel' who has used firewood for cooking in the hotel since the last two months stated that the situation is indeed very worrisome. He said that firewood is not as efficient and quick as LPG. "Cooking in firewood is not an easy job and there are only few dishes that can be cooked on it. And on top of that growing demand of firewood is making it more and more expensive by the day," Shrestha said.
All the eateries in the market are now mostly cooked on firewood. Though some hotels had firewood oven before the blockade, those who did not had have built recently. The Association of Hotel Entrepreneurs informed that there are 150 small and big hotels in operation in Khotang district and claimed that many of them have stopped providing service to guests of late.
"Demand for cooking gas is all time high. There is absolute scarcity of it in the market due to the blockade. Some hoteliers have been serving their guests by cooking on firewood but that cannot be a feasible means to sustain the business forever," said the president Joshi calling concerned authorities to take measures to resolve the issue at the earliest.
A customized concise blockade menu
Every hotel's quest is to provide maximum number of dishes to its guests. However, following the shortage of cooking gas in the market, hotels have curtailed their menu and have now placed a customized and concise menu that has gained currency as 'blockade menu". Most of the hotels in the district, big or small, now serve dishes that consume little or no fuel. Beaten rice with something spicy is most popular these days. "Our regular menu has now become impossible to serve. It is not possible to serve those nowadays," said Joshi adding that hotels and restaurants are now facing the challenge to curtail their dishes in the best possible way.
He further said that condition is so worse that even offering tea to the costumers is something difficult for hotels and restaurants now. "The price of sugar has also gone up. LPG is not available. And coming now it is even getting difficult to serve tea," said Joshi.
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