01 April 2008

New road "ruining Nepal"

KATHMANDU - One of NepalÃ¢â¬â¢s best-known trekking routes is being ruined by road-building, according to an adventure holiday specialist.

Himalayan Kingdoms has altered the route it takes around the Annapurna Circuit to avoid a gravelled track used by 4WDs and motorbikes.

The UK Sunday Times reported that the new road runs along the Kali Gandaki gorge Ã¢â¬' the worldÃ¢â¬â¢s deepest Ã¢â¬' bringing motorised traffic to an area of pristine mountain scenery enjoyed by about 10,000 walkers a year.

The circular trek currently takes about 19 days, but plans to extend the road all the way from Pokhara to the Hindu shrine at Muktinath would slash the time it takes walkers to reach the 17,770ft Thorong La pass.

Steve Berry, of Himalayan Kingdoms, said: Ã¢â¬ÅâœOur new route affects about seven days of the trip and involves a couple of hours of extra walking a day, but itÃ¢â¬â¢s worth it to get away from the road and into unspoilt areas. We now pass through some lovely villages that have seen very few tourists.Ã¢â¬~

Meanwhile, the BBC reports that a controversy has resurfaced in Nepal over one of the country's major nature conservation trusts.

An investigation has concluded that Nepal's royal family misused funds belonging to the charity.

The investigation committee said the royals spent large amounts of the trust's money on themselves, over a period of several years.

The report was written by Maoist former rebels, who are now in government, and who now control the trust.

The National Trust for Nature Conservation was until last year named in honour of a former king, Mahendra, and was chaired by Crown Prince Paras with his father, King Gyanendra, as patron.

An investigative committee has now concluded that the royals spent huge amounts of trust money on travels abroad, lavish parties, and health check-ups for Queen Komal in British clinics.

Its report said the royals were still using computers and cars that rightfully belonged to the trust.

In one notorious royal trip, the prince visited Austria and donated a pair of one-horned rhinos, an endangered species in Nepal, to a zoo.