Boat entrepreneur of Begnas disappointed due to lack of tourists during Dashain

POKHARA, Oct 11: It has been 20 years since he started sailing. At that time, a fee of two rupees per hour was charged from the boatman. Now that fee has increased to Rs 700.

Baburam Koirala, a 55-year-old boat entrepreneur who has been operating a boat at Begnas Lake in Lekhnath, Pokhara for two decades, said, "Without tourists for the past three years, the business has slowed down, the cost has exceeded the limit, and it has become difficult to survive." Only 200 boatmen are affiliated to Begnas tal.

Until three years ago, boatman who were earning Rs 20/25 thousand per month by driving a boat, now their monthly income is barely Rs 3 thousand. "It is not enough to feed even one person. How can we support the family, how long will this situation last in the country", Koirala said, "We were expecting tourists to come in this year's Dashain with the end of the coronavirus, but the continuous rain stopped it."

The boatmen, who were hoping that tourists would come during Dashain and earn money during Dashain, were disappointed this time. "Koirala celebrated Dashain by taking loans", said Raviraj Kandel, Acting President of the Begnas Lake Boat Traders Committee. According to him, compared to three years ago, there are only five percent of tourists now. He said that the businessmen involved in the lake have to wait for their turn to operate the boat in the lake.

"There are only two days of the month. In such a situation, there is no situation for businessmen. Some boatmen have left their profession and gone abroad, while some have changed their business," said acting president Kandel.

Although all the tourists coming to Phewa Lake would come to Begnas Lake, there would be some relief. Only 30 percent of the tourists who come to Pokhara visit Begnas Lake. "Most of the tourists who come to Begnas are natives, even if some foreign tourists come, they return to Pokhara to spend the night", Acting President Kandel said, "If we create an environment for domestic and foreign tourists to stay in Begnas for one night, not only tourism will flourish, but the boat business here will flourish." was."

Bishwanath Kandel, another boat businessman, said that there is hope that tourists will come now. Kandel informed that the people of Begnas, Majthana, Saimrang, Bhachok, Mijure danda and Passion of Lamjung in Talparo used to travel to Pokhara market by stone.

Tourists boating in Begnas Lake, spread over an area of 373 hectares, can see the Annapurna Snow Range, Begnas Village, Varaha Than near the lake, Sundari Danda, Majthana, Kalika, Majhi Kuna, Lake Dam and the forest around the lake.

The Begnas Lake Stone Business Committee has put two motors and four paddle boats into operation to meet its expenses. Tourists have to pay 400 rupees per hour for boating in a motor boat.