Kathmandu, Feb 12: Nepal has suspended the licence of a mountainous resort for three months due to poor security management and managerial weakness at the hotel where eight Indian tourists, including four minors, died of possible asphyxiation, according to media reports.
Kathmandu: Nepal has suspended the licence of a mountainous resort for three months due to poor security management and managerial weakness at the hotel where eight Indian tourists, including four minors, died of possible asphyxiation, according to media reports.
Tragedy struck a group of 15 tourists from Kerala when eight of them died on January 21 due to possible asphyxiation after they fell unconscious probably due to a gas leak from a heater in their room at a mountainous resort in Makwanpur district.
The tourists were airlifted to HAMS hospital here where they were pronounced dead on arrival. Makwanpur police said the victims might have fallen unconscious due to asphyxiation.
The Department of Tourism on Sunday imposed a ban on the operation of Daman-based Everest Panorama Resort for three months based on the report submitted by a probe committee formed to investigate the death of the Indian tourists from Kerala, the Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday.
The department decided to shut down the resort as the report submitted by a probe committee pointed out poor security management and managerial weakness at the resort for the incident, it said.
The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation had formed the probe committee under Surendra Thapa, the director of the Department of Tourism. After a field inspection, the committee had submitted its report a few days ago, pointing to the shortcomings of the resort.
During the investigation, the committee found the resort had not been following the recommended safety measures and was providing substandard services to its guests, The Himalayan Times reported.
Moreover, the committee discovered that the resort had not fulfilled the criteria set by DoT to be categorised a 'resort', it said.
Mira Acharya, director of DoT was quoted as saying by the report that the resort's operations have been halted as per Section 15 of Tourism Act-1979.
"If the resort owner wishes to resume services after three months of suspension, the resort should be upgraded as per the Hotel, Lodge, Restaurant, Bar and Tourist Guide Rules-1981 and also meet the criteria mentioned in a notice published in the Nepal Gazette under the title 'Hotel Classification and Criteria'," Acharya said.
She added that the resort would also have to undergo the Environment Impact Assessment to get the permission from DoT to resume operation.
Meanwhile, the resort management has said that they will work towards meeting the standards fixed by the department and run the resort efficiently.
"We will work towards meeting the standards fixed by the department and run the resort efficiently. We are saddened by the tragic incident. We will ensure that such incidents don't occur in the future,” said Sudesh Gautam, the operator of the resort was quoted as saying by the Kathmandu Post.
The group, after travelling to Pokhara -- a popular mountainous tourist destination -- was on their way back home and stayed at Everest Panorama Resort in Daman.
Those who were killed were Praveen Krishnan Nair, his wife Saranya Sasi and their three children and Ranjith Kumar Adatholath Punathil, his wife Indu Lakshmi Peethambaran Ragalatha and their son.
Everest Panorama Resort was established 28 years ago in Daman Simbhajyang area, a tourist destination in Bagmati Province. The tourist numbers, according to Thaha Hotel Association, have plunged after the tragic accident of January 27.
Police have launched a hunt for Mohammed Shahnawaz, a student of Milagres Collge, who went absconding after thrashing Rev Fr Michael Santumayar, the principal of the same college, near his chamber on Thursday for denying him hall ticket on grounds of attendance shortage.
Comments
he should be hanged ,
This boy who assaulted the Principal should be given the severest punishment - a lesson to all not to think of such crime in their dream also. However, some BORN dirty filthy generation of people brought religion here. These scums forgot what their religion is - Who raped Tulsmi Mata, who kidnapped Rukmini, Who killed Sambhuka, why they push the widow to burning fire, one girl is married to one brother - the rest of male start sharing her why??? Why wife's sister is half wife and husband's brother is half-husband to you - Why do you force Dalit women pray naked? Are you animals or worse than them??
action is to be condemned , but sensible people will not bring religion into this. This Boy will be put in jail shortly and punished as per IPC.
It is in his blood...so what else we can expect....they don't give respect for women ...for them women means property....even don't teach sanskar ...just they train how to steal, stab and cheat ...once they reach adulthood they get him bike and hanky panky shirts and pants. One apple iPhone ...next day these guys will be on jihad in front of colleges with sole aim of increasing population. ..why this community never produces quality world class scientists .this is the main reason .
@Sangeet
completely agree with your thoughts. I pray Almighty Allah to guide you to adopt the teachings of the religion of peace.
Ladies n gentlemen... don't bring religion for individuals action... shame on u ppl for vomiting venom on a particular religion whenever u get opportunity.... anyway these kinds of ur negative propoganda never let down Islam rather its spreading rapidly.
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