Karma Sherpa, the newly elected Senior Vice President of the Trekking Agencies Association of Nepal (TAAN), has called for immediate attention from Defense Minister Manvir Rai regarding the reconstruction of Thame village in Solukhumbu, which has been severely impacted by recent floods. On Thursday, Sherpa met with Minister Rai at his office, presenting a plea to expedite the reconstruction efforts for the flood-damaged tourist destination.
Accompanied by former TAAN President Nilhari Bastola and a team, Sherpa expressed gratitude to Minister Rai and his team for visiting the flood-affected areas. They emphasized that delays in rebuilding and relocating the damaged homes could tarnish Nepal’s tourism image in the international community. Additionally, the tourist trekking route through the area has been closed due to the floods, further urging for timely reconstruction assistance.
Sherpa highlighted that tourism is a critical pillar of Nepal’s economy, and any negative impact on its image could adversely affect the country’s overall economic health. Therefore, TAAN has requested a swift decision on whether to reconstruct the village on-site or relocate it, and to commence the necessary arrangements promptly.
In response, Minister Rai assured that work on relocating and reconstructing the village would begin as soon as the monsoon season ends. He committed to deploying a team of experts to assess whether the village should be rebuilt in its original location or relocated. Minister Rai also contacted the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality Chairman to gather current information about the situation in Thame.
Sherpa, while campaigning for TAAN’s election, had pledged to take steps for the reconstruction of the flood-affected area. True to his commitment, he and his team visited the Ministry just three days after his election. Minister Rai extended congratulations to the newly elected Senior Vice President Sherpa and wished him success in his tenure.
