MYAGDI: The District Coordination Committee (DCC) Myagdi has asked the Province and Federal Governments to enlist Myagdi district in the mountainous region.

A meeting of the DCC on Monday decided to write to both the governments to declare Myagdi as the Himalayan district.

DCC Chief Devendra Bahadur KC said that the decision was taken keeping in view the geographical remoteness of the district and the number of tall peaks in its territory. Demands were raised seeking the identity of mountainous district for Myagdi as the people residing near the mountains in the district are still deprived of the facilities being provided by the government.

Mudi, Gurja and Malkawang of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, Kuyinemangale and Chimkhola of Raghuganga Rural Municipality, and Narchyang and Shikha of Annapurna Rural Municipality are adjoined to the Himalayan region in the district. Dhaulagiri I, Annapurna I, Gurja, Churen, Nilgiri and some other peaks lie in the district.

KC said, "Initiative was taken to enlist Myagdi in the Himalayan region as almost half the area of the district falls within that region."

He added that budget allocation and tourism promotion acts were directly affected as the district is enlisted as a hilly district despite its location in the Himalayan range.

Likewise, the royalty collected from tourism is also nominal due to 'suppressed' identity of the district, even though many peaks are located in the area. According to the DCC, around 1.7 million rupees in royalty from tourism was collected.