SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 15 - An aircraft owned by Tara air has gone missing after it took off from Lamidanda airport in Khotang district on Wednesday.
The 9N-AFX Twin-Otter plane with 22 people onboard—three crew members, 19 passengers—left the airport for the Capital at 3.10 this afternoon, Khotang district DSP Tek Bahadur Tamang informed. One of the passengers is a foreigner.
Most of the passengers were returning from a pilgrimage to famous Hindu shrine of Halesimahadev—temple of lord shiva.
Captain AR Shakya, his assistant Satindra Shrestha, and airhostess AS Gurung, were among the crew members.
The missing passengers have been identified as Ji Sherpa, Ke Sherpa, S Tamang, A Tamang, RT Tamang, TG Lama, KW Lama, P Tamang, KN Lama, ZD Sherpa, LW Sherpa, SB Lama, T Sherpa, Miss TY Sherpa, PW Tamang, TB Tamang, TW Sherpa and a foreigner, whose nationality has not been ascertained yet.
The aircraft lost contact with the air traffic control tower, five minutes after the take-off. DSP Tamang said efforts are underway to locate the missing plane.
According to TIA officials, a flight from Lamidanda to Kathmandu takes around 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, Nepal Army (NA) spokesperson Ramindra Chhetri though a NA plane is ready to take off for the rescue, it has not left due to unfavourable weather.
“A night-vision aircraft is all ready but it has not taken off owing to low visibility,” said Chhetri.
Famous for its rugged and mountainous terrain, Nepal has dubious safety record when it comes to internal aviation.
Less than two months ago, a chopper bound for Mt. Amadablam crashed at the base camp of the mountain in Solukhumbu district. And five months ago, an Agni Air Dornier en route to the Everest region from the capital crashed in Makawanpur, killing everyone onboard.
Thursday, December 16, 2010
Aircraft missing with 22 on board
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 15 -
A Twin Otter aircraft belonging to Tara Air went missing on Wednesday with 22 people on board. The Rescue Coordination Centre at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) suspected that the aircraft crashed in Kunta Devi Village Development Committee in Okhaldhunga district.
Spokesperson at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Laxman Prasad Bhattarai said they are yet to confirm if the aircraft that took off from Lamidanda in Khotang district to Kathmandu crashed. According to him, helicopters have been sent to look for the missing aircraft. However, the search mission was cancelled late in the evening due to heavy clouds.
According to the Post’s Khotang correspondent, Deputy Superintendent of Police Tek Bahadur Tamang said the plane did not land in any airport nearby.
The aircraft took off at 03: 08 p.m. and was scheduled to land in Kathmandu at 8: 40 p.m.
Along with Captain Anup Raj Shakya, Co-pilot Sachindra Shrestha and Air Hostess Sudiksha Gurung, there were 18 Bhutanese and one foreigner in the flight, the airline said. The Bhutanese were in Nepal to take part in the SAARC Trade Fair in Kathmandu.
Locals of Okhaldhunga said they heard a loud sound across Musunga Khola. “Police and Army personnel have been sent to comb the area,” chief of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the TIA, Kamlesh Lal Karna, quoted the CDO of Okhaldhunga as saying.
ATC officer at the Kathmandu airport, Bhes Raj Adhikari, said the pilot had contacted the tower at around 03: 13 pm as part of its regular reporting and no technical difficulties had been reported then. While the weather in the sector was fair, the ATC declared an emergency when the flight failed to establish contact for almost 30 minutes.
General Manager at the TIA Dinesh Shrestha said the search mission will continue on Thursday morning.
KATHMANDU, DEC 15 -
A Twin Otter aircraft belonging to Tara Air went missing on Wednesday with 22 people on board. The Rescue Coordination Centre at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) suspected that the aircraft crashed in Kunta Devi Village Development Committee in Okhaldhunga district.
Spokesperson at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Laxman Prasad Bhattarai said they are yet to confirm if the aircraft that took off from Lamidanda in Khotang district to Kathmandu crashed. According to him, helicopters have been sent to look for the missing aircraft. However, the search mission was cancelled late in the evening due to heavy clouds.
According to the Post’s Khotang correspondent, Deputy Superintendent of Police Tek Bahadur Tamang said the plane did not land in any airport nearby.
The aircraft took off at 03: 08 p.m. and was scheduled to land in Kathmandu at 8: 40 p.m.
Along with Captain Anup Raj Shakya, Co-pilot Sachindra Shrestha and Air Hostess Sudiksha Gurung, there were 18 Bhutanese and one foreigner in the flight, the airline said. The Bhutanese were in Nepal to take part in the SAARC Trade Fair in Kathmandu.
Locals of Okhaldhunga said they heard a loud sound across Musunga Khola. “Police and Army personnel have been sent to comb the area,” chief of the Air Traffic Control (ATC) at the TIA, Kamlesh Lal Karna, quoted the CDO of Okhaldhunga as saying.
ATC officer at the Kathmandu airport, Bhes Raj Adhikari, said the pilot had contacted the tower at around 03: 13 pm as part of its regular reporting and no technical difficulties had been reported then. While the weather in the sector was fair, the ATC declared an emergency when the flight failed to establish contact for almost 30 minutes.
General Manager at the TIA Dinesh Shrestha said the search mission will continue on Thursday morning.
Lawmakers demand transparency in NOC
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 17 -
Lawmakers on Thursday said the government’s subsidy policy on LP gas was not in favour of consumers and is only benefiting industries.
The government refunds the Value Added Tax (VAT) levied on LP gas purchased for industrial purpose only. Lawmakers said that the consumers, who use a maximum of two-three cylinders per month, should not be compelled to
bear the burden for the facility given to industries.
The government collects Rs 207 per cylinder as tax, of which Rs 149 is collected as VAT. The government had included LP gas in the list of daily essential items.
“VAT levied on LP gas purchased for industrial purpose is refundable, but the government’s opposite tax policy is burdening poor consumers,” said CPN-UML lawmaker Rabindra Adhikari, while discussing the price hike on petroleum products at the Parliament’s Public Account Committee (PAC).
The PAC had summoned Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra and officials from Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to justify the recent gasoline price hike.
Minister Mahato also admitted that the government subsidy policy was opposite. “The government should introduce subsidy on LP gas for the consumers as in India,” said Mahato.
He added that the ministry is holding discussions with the finance ministry on the issue. The waiver in VAT will drop the gas price by at least Rs 40 per cylinder, he said. Of the total imported gas, 30 percent is consumed by industries. The country consumes one million gas cylinders every month.
Amid pressure from the
political parties, student
unions and consumer rights activists to revise the petroleum
products price hike, Mahato said the price revision is possible only if the government excuses the tax levied under the head of road maintenance and upgrading or scrap the VAT.
Petroleum products are the government’s largest revenue generating commodities. Last fiscal year, NOC paid Rs 12.41 billion revenue. The country consumes gasoline worth Rs 60 billion every year.
During the meeting, lawmakers said corruption, commissions and irregularities were the reasons behind NOC’s ballooning losses every year. “Rampant irregularities in NOC have compelled consumers to suffer from price hike,” said Adhikari.
Dhan Raj Gurung, lawmaker of Nepali Congress, stressed on the need for forming a separate independent board that would make the fuel prices more transparent and discuss all the alternative measures for price revision and adjustment. “Although, the state-owned oil monopoly is being cash-strapped every passing years, its officials are found to be well-off,” said Keshav Nepal, the UCPN-Maoist lawmaker.
Nepal added that an immediate measure should be introduced to make the corporation more transparent and punish the officials involved in corruption and commissions.
Purushottam Ojha, secretary at the ministry of supplies and the chairman of the NOC, said the government should end the monopoly of NOC in fuel distribution and involve the private sector in this business.
Ojha added that NOC is in the process of developing oil pipeline that will end the rampant fuel adulteration and high transportation cost. Although the oil pipeline project was initiated long time ago, change in its modality has frequently delayed the construction.
“NOC delegations to finalise the oil pipeline modality are departing to India in January,” Ojha said.
What makes petroleum products high in Nepal
Petrol Diesel Kerosene LP gas
Price Rs 52.13 Rs 54.48 Rs 52.49 Rs1077.39
Tax Rs 29.87 Rs 12.42 Rs 2.04 Rs 207
Interest Rs 0.63 Rs 0.52 Rs 0.43 Rs 9.25
Transportation Rs 1.80 Rs 1.80 Rs 1.80 Rs 7.10
Technical loss Rs 1.25 Rs 0.93 Rs 0.85 ------
Dealers commis Rs 3.23 Rs 2.39 Rs 2.75 Rs 213.07
KATHMANDU, DEC 17 -
Lawmakers on Thursday said the government’s subsidy policy on LP gas was not in favour of consumers and is only benefiting industries.
The government refunds the Value Added Tax (VAT) levied on LP gas purchased for industrial purpose only. Lawmakers said that the consumers, who use a maximum of two-three cylinders per month, should not be compelled to
bear the burden for the facility given to industries.
The government collects Rs 207 per cylinder as tax, of which Rs 149 is collected as VAT. The government had included LP gas in the list of daily essential items.
“VAT levied on LP gas purchased for industrial purpose is refundable, but the government’s opposite tax policy is burdening poor consumers,” said CPN-UML lawmaker Rabindra Adhikari, while discussing the price hike on petroleum products at the Parliament’s Public Account Committee (PAC).
The PAC had summoned Minister for Commerce and Supplies Rajendra and officials from Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to justify the recent gasoline price hike.
Minister Mahato also admitted that the government subsidy policy was opposite. “The government should introduce subsidy on LP gas for the consumers as in India,” said Mahato.
He added that the ministry is holding discussions with the finance ministry on the issue. The waiver in VAT will drop the gas price by at least Rs 40 per cylinder, he said. Of the total imported gas, 30 percent is consumed by industries. The country consumes one million gas cylinders every month.
Amid pressure from the
political parties, student
unions and consumer rights activists to revise the petroleum
products price hike, Mahato said the price revision is possible only if the government excuses the tax levied under the head of road maintenance and upgrading or scrap the VAT.
Petroleum products are the government’s largest revenue generating commodities. Last fiscal year, NOC paid Rs 12.41 billion revenue. The country consumes gasoline worth Rs 60 billion every year.
During the meeting, lawmakers said corruption, commissions and irregularities were the reasons behind NOC’s ballooning losses every year. “Rampant irregularities in NOC have compelled consumers to suffer from price hike,” said Adhikari.
Dhan Raj Gurung, lawmaker of Nepali Congress, stressed on the need for forming a separate independent board that would make the fuel prices more transparent and discuss all the alternative measures for price revision and adjustment. “Although, the state-owned oil monopoly is being cash-strapped every passing years, its officials are found to be well-off,” said Keshav Nepal, the UCPN-Maoist lawmaker.
Nepal added that an immediate measure should be introduced to make the corporation more transparent and punish the officials involved in corruption and commissions.
Purushottam Ojha, secretary at the ministry of supplies and the chairman of the NOC, said the government should end the monopoly of NOC in fuel distribution and involve the private sector in this business.
Ojha added that NOC is in the process of developing oil pipeline that will end the rampant fuel adulteration and high transportation cost. Although the oil pipeline project was initiated long time ago, change in its modality has frequently delayed the construction.
“NOC delegations to finalise the oil pipeline modality are departing to India in January,” Ojha said.
What makes petroleum products high in Nepal
Petrol Diesel Kerosene LP gas
Price Rs 52.13 Rs 54.48 Rs 52.49 Rs1077.39
Tax Rs 29.87 Rs 12.42 Rs 2.04 Rs 207
Interest Rs 0.63 Rs 0.52 Rs 0.43 Rs 9.25
Transportation Rs 1.80 Rs 1.80 Rs 1.80 Rs 7.10
Technical loss Rs 1.25 Rs 0.93 Rs 0.85 ------
Dealers commis Rs 3.23 Rs 2.39 Rs 2.75 Rs 213.07
17 Bhutanese out of 22 dead
Tickets booked under Nepali names to ‘evade tax’
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 17 -
Out of 19 deceased passengers on board the ill-fated Tara Air aircraft, 17 are Bhutanese citizens.
According to Thamel-based Potala Guest House in the Capital, 14 of the deceased Bhutanese were living in the guest house since Dec. 11 and the remaining in Boudha.
One of the passengers was of Tibetan-origin holding US passport. However, identity of one passenger has not been established yet. In the group of 18 Bhutanese, who had planned a pilgrim trip to Khotang’s Halesi, Kin Lay Namghyel cancelled his trip at the
last moment. The victims had booked air tickets from Travel Lights Agency in Putalisadak. Kamala Gurung, managing director of the travel agency, said that a Nepali man came to her office and booked 18 tickets.
“I knew about the tragedy when a Bhutanese came to my office and inquired about the missing aircraft,” Gurung said adding that she then immediately informed Tara Air about
their identities. Gurung said that Nepali travelers do not need any document and they get their ticket booked by Nepali names. Police on Thursday took Gurung under control for an inquiry. Ramesh Kharel, Chief of Hanumandhoka Metropolitan Police Range, said the issue will be discussed with lawyers. “If it is a case of tax evasion action will be taken as per the law,” he said.
Kishore Thapa, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), said the issue has become serious. MoTCA is forming a committee to probe the duplication of nationality and the tragedy on Friday, he said. “The bodies of deceased Bhutanese will be sent to Bhutan on Friday.” Meanwhile, Binod Giri, aviation safety chief at Civil Aviation Authority, said that authorities have not established the exact reason of the crash. However, government officials in the accident site said the incident occurred after the plane’s right wing clipped the edge of a mountain.
Deceased Bhutanese
Tshewang Rinzin
Dema
Karma
Sandrup
Sangay
Thinley Rinchen
Phub Gyalmo
Kezang Wangmo
Phub Pem
Kuenzang Dorji
Lhazin Wangmo
Sangay Bida
Kelzang
Thering Yanki
Pema Wangmo
Tshering Wangmo
Dorji Bidha
SANGAM PRASAIN
KATHMANDU, DEC 17 -
Out of 19 deceased passengers on board the ill-fated Tara Air aircraft, 17 are Bhutanese citizens.
According to Thamel-based Potala Guest House in the Capital, 14 of the deceased Bhutanese were living in the guest house since Dec. 11 and the remaining in Boudha.
One of the passengers was of Tibetan-origin holding US passport. However, identity of one passenger has not been established yet. In the group of 18 Bhutanese, who had planned a pilgrim trip to Khotang’s Halesi, Kin Lay Namghyel cancelled his trip at the
last moment. The victims had booked air tickets from Travel Lights Agency in Putalisadak. Kamala Gurung, managing director of the travel agency, said that a Nepali man came to her office and booked 18 tickets.
“I knew about the tragedy when a Bhutanese came to my office and inquired about the missing aircraft,” Gurung said adding that she then immediately informed Tara Air about
their identities. Gurung said that Nepali travelers do not need any document and they get their ticket booked by Nepali names. Police on Thursday took Gurung under control for an inquiry. Ramesh Kharel, Chief of Hanumandhoka Metropolitan Police Range, said the issue will be discussed with lawyers. “If it is a case of tax evasion action will be taken as per the law,” he said.
Kishore Thapa, Secretary of the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA), said the issue has become serious. MoTCA is forming a committee to probe the duplication of nationality and the tragedy on Friday, he said. “The bodies of deceased Bhutanese will be sent to Bhutan on Friday.” Meanwhile, Binod Giri, aviation safety chief at Civil Aviation Authority, said that authorities have not established the exact reason of the crash. However, government officials in the accident site said the incident occurred after the plane’s right wing clipped the edge of a mountain.
Deceased Bhutanese
Tshewang Rinzin
Dema
Karma
Sandrup
Sangay
Thinley Rinchen
Phub Gyalmo
Kezang Wangmo
Phub Pem
Kuenzang Dorji
Lhazin Wangmo
Sangay Bida
Kelzang
Thering Yanki
Pema Wangmo
Tshering Wangmo
Dorji Bidha
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