TAAN apprises forest minister of the problems in protected areas

KATHMANDU, Dec 11: A delegation of Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) on Friday met with Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Agni Sapkota and appraised him of the problems that trekking agencies have been facing while handling groups in national parks and wildlife conservation areas.

Issuing a statement, TAAN said the delegation requested Sapkota to allow TAAN to open Trekker's Information Manangement System (TIMS) counters near the counters of Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), among others, in order to make it easier for trekkers to complete formalities at the same place. It also reminded Sapkota that DNPWC and ACAP officials have been putting pressure on TAAN to remove its TIMS counters time and again.

Stating that the decision to slap permit fee of Gaurishankar Conservation Area on trekkers heading to Everest Base Camp via Jiri and Ananpuarna Conservation Area on trekkers returning from Manaslu Conservation Area was impractical, the delegation led by TAAN President Chandra Prasad Rijal requested Sapkota to look into the issue and take needful decision.

The delegation also requested Sapkota to take initiative for allocating separate budget to national parks and conservation areas for identification and promotion of new tourism destinations, said the statement. Similarly, TAAN also requested the ministry to take necessary initiative for rehabilitation of quake-damaged bridges and trekking trails in protected areas.

TAAN also demanded that DPNWC lower permit fee of national parks and conservation areas for a certain time to help in recovery of tourism which has been hit hard by the April earthquake and the ongoing blockade.

Responding to the delegation, Minister Sapkota said he would study the demands placed by TAAN and take necessary action.

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