The youngsters who have abandoned their classes for the yarsagumba quest are mostly above the age of 12. [break]
School officials said classes will resume after three weeks when the picking season is over and the students return home. They also said that the decision to postpone regular classes was taken in coordination with the parents of the children.
This time of year, locals ascend Sisne Himal and Putha Himal in droves and even reach the neighboring district of Dolpa in their search for the coveted herb. Not only children but people of all ages, including the physically disabled, rush to join the picking, as it is most lucrative for them.
“Since these herbs pay for their tuition fees for a year and cover most other expenses also, everyone goes for the pickings,” said a local, adding, “Even locals from other districts join in the search”.
Meanwhile, Rolpa District Education Office (DEO) has informed that schools in the district have closed without informing it. “They must have closed the schools through a central level decision but we never received any official notification regarding the decision. We have only heard that the schools have been closed for the yarsagumba picking season,” said Tilak Gautam, DEO inspector.
Gautam said that the DEO will most probably make up for lost school days during the coming winter holidays.
Rukum District Forest Office says the locals have been earning ample amounts every year, with transactions amounting to millions, but collection of tax on this commercial activity has been nil. “The law requires tax payment on the lucrative business, but no collection of such tax has occured at this office,” said a DFO official.
The official said that the locals and businessmen should pay Rs 10,000 in tax per kilo of yarshagumba.
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