Request to reconsider the decision to operate night business in Pokhara

A case was filed against two bouncers for indecent behavior including verbal abuse, slapping and beating. On June 27, a complaint was filed against DSP Rajendra Shrestha of Ward Police Office Baidam on behalf of "tourism businessmen of Pokhara".

It was alleged in the petition that DSP Shrestha collected money from the businessmen of Lakeside and caused trouble to those who did not pay the money. DSP Shrestha was transferred from Baidam within a week of filing the complaint. According to Police Regulations-2071, the police officers who are in charge should be transferred in one year, but they were transferred within 9 months .

He was absent in October 2080 . On July 3, the bouncer of Club Sixteen was released on bail. Shrestha was transferred to Nepal Police Headquarters, Highway Safety and Traffic Management Division Naxal on July 4. Meanwhile, Pokhara Tourism Council, the umbrella organization of tourism businessmen, issued a press release on Monday and said that they have not filed any complaint against Shrestha.

15 tourism-related organizations operating in Pokhara issued a joint statement and said that the matter of receiving an application on behalf of the tourism businessmen has become serious.

'We would like to make it clear that no complaint has been made by the Pokhara Tourism Council or any of its related organizations or businessmen regarding this type of irregularity,' the statement said, 'When a person takes action on the basis of an application made on the basis of intangible sources for their own interests. We should all be careful not to demoralize people who work with integrity in the future.'

The businessman submitted the memorandum of the incident to Kaski Chief District Officer Bharatmani Pandey, Gandaki Province Police Chief DIG Durga Singh and Kaski Police Chief SP Mohan Kumar Thapa. A police officer of the District Police Office Kaski claimed that Ramesh Karki, the owner of the private club Sandher Club Sixteen, had lodged a complaint with the authority.

'There was a lot of commotion there because of the club, there were fights day after day, tourists, locals and other businessmen were also disturbed,' he said. On March 4, when Pokhara was declared the capital of tourism, it was also announced that the lakeside would be open 24 hours.

It was said that businessmen who operate business at night must follow the 42 point conditions . Even though Pokhara is open 24 hours, the environment is not peaceful, said tourism professionals. Businessmen say that when dance bars, discos, clubs and other acoustic businesses are open all night long without standards, the peace and security of Lakeside has been disturbed.

Businessmen are of the opinion that the decision to open 24 hours should be reconsidered to improve the noisy situation. 14 organizations of tourism professionals have demanded necessary changes in the opening hours of night businesses to maintain peace and security in the lakeside.

Chairman of the Council, Pomnarayan Shrestha, has demanded to allow the restaurant to be opened quietly without interfering with anyone to arrange meals for tourists, but the businessmen say that there is no demand to open the business all night to disturb the environment . 'The situation could not be disciplined as we thought,' he said, 'by playing different types of music all night, tourists and local citizens cannot sleep, rest, read and stay safely in their own residence.' In point 8(c) it is mentioned that the equipment used in live music, pub, dance bar, disco, dohori etc. should be 'soundproof' (sound resistant) and arrangements should be made to prevent noise pollution and commotion.

Understanding the memorandum, Chief District Officer Bharatmani Pandey said that the night business conducted without meeting the standards will be monitored . "It is the administration's responsibility to create a calm and safe environment and facilitate all kinds of business operations," he said, "We are serious about this matter."