KATHMANDU: Two parliamentary committees are at loggerheads over the operation of hotels inside the Chitwan National Park (CNP). The parliamentary Natural Resources and Means Committee (NRMC) today revoked the September 12 decision of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that allowed seven hotels, lodges and resorts to continue operation inside the CNP till July 15, 2012. The PAC had come up with the decision keeping in view the upcoming Nepal Tourism Year 2011. The NRMC, however, said that it revoked the decision as the issue of natural resources management fell under its jurisdiction as per the parliamentary regulations. The committee has directed the council of ministers, a Finance Minister-led panel studying the issue and the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation not to take any action regarding resumption of the tourism facilities inside the CNP until its further instruction. “Our decision will overrule the PAC’s move,” said Shanta Chaudhary, chairperson, NRMC. The hotels affected by the decision are Island Jungle Hotel, Temple Tigers, Tiger Tops, Safari Narayani, Chitwan Jungle Lodge Pvt Ltd, Machan Wildlife Resort and Gaida Wildlife Camp. These facilities’ were closed after their 15-year permit expired on July 15. The hotel workers, meanwhile, have been on agitation demanding the hotels be reopened and their jobs be guaranteed. A 12-member PAC sub-committee, headed by NC lawmaker Ramesh Rijal, in its finding, stated that these facilities had not paid their taxes to the government. “Hence, the contract of these facilities cannot be renewed going by the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, 2029 BS, and the associated regulations 2030 BS. These hotels were allowed to operate inside the park for the past 45 years on an ad hoc basis,” stated the sub-committee report. The sub-committee also cited a report prepared by the then Natural Resources, Means and Environment Committee (NRMEC) of the House of Representatives, 2052 BS, which also recommended their relocation from the park, which is famous for one-horned rhino and Royal Bengal Tiger. Then, NRMEC had stated that these facilities should be encouraged to shift from the park as they caused negative impact on the jungle, wildlife and their habitat as well. “If it’s difficult to relocate them from inside the CNP due to the contract, new law should be made to shift them from there,” the report of the NRMEC had said. Yuvaraj Bhusal, secretary, Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, conceded that these tourism facilities were allowed to operate inside the CNP on a contract basis, which was against the legal provision. The ministry responsible for taking care of CNP should have taken an appropriate decision last year before the expiry of the contract period of these seven hotels and resorts, Bhusal said. According to Bhusal, the PAC’s earlier decision to let the hotels operate till 2012 had confused the ministry.

Curtains for Chitwan facilities?

• Island Jungle Hotel • Temple Tigers • Tiger Tops • Safari Narayani • Chitwan Jungle Lodge Pvt Ltd • Machan Wildlife Resort • Gaida Wildlife Camp