National
Businessmen cash in on I/NGO ‘spending spree’
In the aftermath of the devastating earthquake, several businesses are looking to earn quick buck by renting out their office buildings and vehicles to NGOs and INGOs.Sudip Kaini
The Gorkha Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) has shifted from its own building to rent out the space to CRS, an NGO. The chamber generates Rs 200,000 in monthly rent while paying just Rs 30,000 for its new office building.
Chairman of the GCCI Shrawan Kumar Joshi said that the CRS and Caritas Nepal have agreed to lease their building for a year. Joshi has also rented out his private vehicle for a hefty sum.
At a time when the cost of vehicle rentals and leasing of hotels and rooms has sky rocketed, several businessmen in the district are also looking to cash in on the opportunity.
The seminar hall of Gorkha Inn Village Hotel, decorated lavishly, sells expensive liquors along with a variety of dishes to representatives of INGOs and NGOs. “The seminar hall is a UN hub now,” claimed a hotel staff. Representatives have gone as far as paying for a room with three beds for a single person.
Several luxurious hotels in the Capital are also booked
for months on. INGO representatives at the HImalayan Hotel are said to be spending upto Rs 20,000 a day only
for breakfast meals. Similarly, Save the Children has
booked the Crown Hotel for a few months.
With prices escalating, for some up to five times, locals in Gorkha are having difficulties in affording rooms. “The house owner told us to leave the room as a NGO agreed to provide more in rent,” said a local shopkeeper, adding that the owner now earns double of what he was paying.
Likewise, several INGOs and NGOs have leased out numerous vehicles in the district for upto three months. “Businessmen have brought around 150 new vehicles in the district to rent them out,” said a member of the transport entrepreneur committee.
However, Chief District Officer Uddhav Timalsina said no complaints have been registered against the high market cost. “At the moment, we have no time to monitor the market,” said Timalsina, asserting that they would act accordingly on any filed complaints. We have also asked the INGOs and NGOs to submit details of their programmes and expenditures, he added.