SAURAHA: Saying that the closure of seven hotels and resorts inside Chitwan National Park (CNP) three weeks ago left them jobless, the hotel employees have begun agitation.

The hotel employees, their dependents and family members, demanding to open the closed hotels and resorts, carried out a demonstration in Sauraha area of Chitwan today.

The agitating workers also demanded to implement Labour Act.

The protest rally, after making a round of Sauraha bazaar, converged into a corner meet at Thamel Chowk. President of Nepal Free Workers’ Union Chitwan, Bharat Ranabhat , claimed nearly 1,500 workers’ future had been pushed to doom and gloom due to the closure of the hotels. “Directly and indirectly, more than 7, 000 people have been affected after the employees have been rendered jobless.”

Bijaya, wife of Badri Misra — an employee of Gainda Wildlife Camp inside the CNP — said, “Our family has been chagrined after our sole breadwinner has lost the job.” She also expressed anger at the authorities’ apathy to their plight.

“Who will be responsible if my husband remained unemployed?” she asked, “Nobody has spoken for the working employees of the hotels.”

Senior cook of Gainda Wildlife, Bir Bahadur Rana Magar, said he has been worried ever since he lost his employment. “Problem is sure to arise to manage a food for the family if we aren’t reinstated to our jobs.” “The hotels have been closed but I’ve been frequenting there just to find nobody expect for the closed buildings,” he said.

Nature guide of the hotel Dukhiram Chaudhary said he was worried as he could not support his family. Ever since the 15-year long contract for running the hotels expired on July 15, the seven hotels and resorts have put down their shutters.