POKHARA, NOV 17 - Agitating locals of Pokhara called off their indefinite relay-hunger strike on Saturday, but decided to intensify the agitation to pressure the government for the construction of a regional international airport in Pokhara.
According to the Airport Construction Stakeholders’ Committee, it was compelled to announce the second round of ‘stern protests’ as the government ignored the peaceful public pressure for the last eight months.
“The government underestimated the peaceful public pressure,” said Krishna Mohan Shrestha, coordinator of the committee. “We have decided to change the nature of the protest. It will be a decisive protest now.” 
The locals had been organising the hunger strike since August 23, which was also continued during Dashain and Tihar festivals. Som Thapa, immediate past president of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal, said more than 2,402 people participated in the hunger strike. The ongoing public pressure has been backed by almost all political parties.
The committee said it would announce the schedule and nature of the protest soon. “As opposition parties are also planning protests against the government, we will decide our schedule in a few days so that the two programmes do not coincide,” said Anand Raj Mulmi, coordinator of the sub-committee. “The locals are firm to continue demonstration and strikes unless the government decides to construct the airport,” Mulmi added.
Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) Post Bahadur Bogati had pledged to construct the airport during their visit to the city.
Even a government delegation led by MoCTCA Secretary Yajna Prasad Gautam visited Beijing in September to settle the issue. “Despite repeated assurance from the government and leaders, nothing has been done so far,” Mulmi said.
The airport project ran into controversy after the lowest bid for its construction was much higher than the government’s estimated cost. The government had estimated the project to cost $180 million, but the lowest bid it received quoted $305 million.
The government has planned to obtain soft loans of around $145 million from the Export-Import Bank of China (Exim Bank) to fund the project. On February 9, 2012, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal had invited bid for the execution of the project under the EPC model, and extended the deadline twice following the intervention by the Commission for Invest-igation of Abuse of Authority.
 
Posted on: 2012-11-18 09:09