Toilets in Pashupati: Few and filthy
Tourists in a fix
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KATHMANDU, JUN 23 -
Despite charging visitors for entry to the Pashupatinath temple premises, a Unesco world heritage site, the body overseeing the management of the shrine has not made available to them basic facilities like toilet in the required number.
The four public toilets in the area for thousands of pilgrims lack maintenance. The Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) collects Rs 500 from a tourist from outside South Asia visiting the country’s most popular Hindu shrine.
According to Sushil Nahata, PADT member secretary, 110,000 non-South Asian tourists visit Pashupati area every year. It means PADT collects Rs 55 million from the tourists as entry fee.
Patricia Kong, a tourist from Hong Kong, questions, “What’s the point in collecting such a hefty amount as entry fee if they cannot make even toilets available to us?”
Manoj Kattel, a tourist guide, said it really becomes difficult to satisfy his guests when it comes to using the facility. There is no toilet especially meant for tourists while other available are dirty. Tourists usually complain of filth and lack of water in toilets.
PADT Treasurer Narottam Vaidya said one toilet at Ram Ghat, near Tilganga, is being maintained keeping in view foreign tourists. “We have asked the government to help construct more toilets in the Pashupati area. It has not provided us with any help,” Vaidya said.
The official added the PADT has decided to construct a tourist information centre at Tilganga, which will have toilets especially for the foreigners. The Trust will use its own resources for the construction.
Posted on: 2011-06-23 08:44
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