Prolonged strike leaves Ilam’s tourist areas deserted

By Prem Adhikari,Pashupatinagar (Ilam), Feb. 4: Tourist hotspots like Antu and Kanyam in Ilam, usually bustling with domestic tourists, have become deserted due to a week-long strike. 

The strike was called following disputes over constructing a cable car at the Pathibhara (Mukkumlung) Temple in Taplejung. This dispute severely affected key tourist sites in Ilam, including Antu and Kanyam.

With transportation along the Mechi Highway at a standstill, tourists have stopped visiting, leaving popular destinations deserted. Areas such as Kanyam and Antu in Suryodaya Municipality, the small Pathibhara Temple in Rong Rural Municipality, Sandakpur Hill in Sandakpur Rural Municipality, Panitar in Deumai Municipality and the Ilam Bazaar area in Ilam Municipality are all affected.

Tekraj Giri, a tourism entrepreneur from Kanyam, said that Kanyam, typically crowded with domestic tourists, has become empty since the strike began. He explained that those involved in horse riding services, traditional costume rentals, souvenir shops and hotel businesses have been directly impacted by the strike.

“Tourists travelling via Jhapa have been stopped and due to rumours about the strike, not a single Indian tourist has arrived,” Giri said. 

Prem Gyawak, a horse-riding operator, said that daily wage earners are struggling to make ends meet due to the ongoing strike.

Antu, another destination that usually sees tourists year-round, is facing a similar fate. Rudra Ghimire, President of the Antu Tourism Entrepreneurs' Association, said that homestays, cottages and hotels in Antu have come to a complete halt due to the absence of tourists. Other tourist sites in the district, such as Sandakpur and the Panitar tea gardens, are also empty.

As the strike continues, nearly all businesses have been severely affected. The Ilam Chamber of Commerce and Industry has called on the government and the strike organisers to create an environment for dialogue and restore normalcy. The Chamber's President, Krishna Paudel, said that both sides should peacefully resolve the issue and suspend the strike.

He further said that businesses are collapsing due to the continuous shutdown, leaving entrepreneurs unable to pay bank interest and instalments. The tourism sector has been hit the hardest. 

Devi Paudel, President of the Hotel Entrepreneurs' Association, Ilam, said that the hotel industry has suffered losses worth millions due to the week-long strike.