Dolakha sans snowfall this winter

By Sujan Kafle,Charikot, Jan. 21: Snowfall in mountains is a natural phenomenon. Dolakha, a Himalayan district in Bagmati Province, used to receive snowfall every year, sometimes heavy and at other times light.

Last year, the district received heavy snowfall three times, from November to January, but this year it has not received snow at all.In the past, the hotels in Dolakha used to be fully occupied in late winter as it used to snow.  But this year, there is no snowfall  and not much excitement among the hoteliers as the movement of tourists has not increased in the main tourist areas of the district.

Hotelier Hari Oli said that the number of visitors has decreased even in the Kalinchok area this winter due to lack of snow. Hundreds of domestic and foreign tourists used to throng Dolakha to see and play in the snow.

Kalinchok, Jiri, Shailung and Kharidhunga, which are known as the main tourist spots in the district, used to be covered with snow like silver at this time every year. Now when the winter is about to end, there is no snowfall.

One local, Puskar Adhikari, recalled how heavy snowfall used to cover the area in the month of January. He said that all the settlements like Kalinchok and Shailung used to be blanketed with snow. “Since there is no snow this winter, black rocks are now visible in the high areas which used to be covered by the snow in the past,” he said. Kalinchok, and Gaurishankar regions have become devoid of beauty this time, he added. 

Chandra Kumar Lama, another hotelier in Kalinchok, said that in lack of snowfall this year, the number of domestic and foreign tourists visiting the area has significantly shrunk. 

“Many of the tourists used arrive in Kalinchok, a religious and tourist destination, to enjoy the snow. Tourists from India also used to come to Kalinchok to play in the snow,” he added.

Mira Subedi, a farmer of Bhimeshwar-7, said that lack of snow has affected the agriculture and tourism sectors. 

“Snow comes as a gift to farmers here because snowfall keeps the inner layer of the ground cold and helps to grow the crops,” she said. But this year it has not snowed yet, she added. 

Snow helps crops such as wheat, barley, potato, banana, and cauliflower to grow and prevents outbreak of various diseases in fruit and vegetable. 

“Even if it snows now, the fruits and crops will not benefit as the summer is approaching closer,” Subedi added.