Sauraha hoteliers man elephants as mahouts strike

CHANDNI HAMAL

CHITWAN, Dec 18: Hotel owners in Sauraha, Chitwan have taken up the work of mahouts (elephant drivers), who have been on strike to press different demands including better pay.

 

More than half a dozen hotel operators have themselves started arranging jungle safaris for tourists due to the strike announced by the mahouts.

 

Chetnarayan Kadel of Tiger Residency Resort, Shreelal Pariyar of Hotel Parkside, Balram Dahal of Sunset View Restaurant and many other hotel operators have themselves started conducting elephant safaris for tourists.

According to Shankar Sainju, president of Regional Hotel Association Suraha, the prolonged strike announced by mahouts on the eve of Nepal Tourism Year 2011 has had an adverse effect on tourism.

Mahouts have announced their protest demanding better salary and perks as per an agreement reached last year with hotel mangements. The mahouts, who had earlier announced the protest from 24th November, completely halted elephant safaris from Thursday.

“The protest is adversely affecting elephant safaris and might create problems for tourists.The protest is also likely to affect the elephant festival slated to be organized from 27th December,” said Damodar Regmi, a member of the festival organising committee.

The dispute between mahouts and hotel owners reached a peak after the mahouts proposed an increase in salary and other facilities to Rs 7,500 per month. Mahouts have been receiving Rs 4,600 per month.The owners have been proposing Rs 5,200 per month.Acording to Rishi Ram Tiwari, dialogue coordinator, the protest has become prolonged.

He further said that the owners have agreed to provide 10 percent service fee to the mahouts along with meeting their other demands. “The mahouts have, however, expressed their commitment not to disrupt the elephant festival,” Tiwari told Republica.

Sukbahadur Kumal, coordinator of the protest, said they have been compelled to bring safaris to a standstill. “The protest will not end until the demands are fulfilled and the decision (on better pay and perks) made effective,” Kumal said.

SOURCE : http://www.myrepublica.com