Sick one denied plane ticket to reach better health facility

SIMIKOT: OCT. 26 – A sick person from Kharpunath Rural Municipality-1 of Humla district has been denied a plane ticket to fly to a better health facility.

As a result, 60-year-old Birjit Shahi reached at the airport in a stretcher was left at Simikot. Although he got the ticket for Tara Air on Monday, his attendant was denied the ticket. So, he could not fly alone, leaving his attendant in the district.

Shahi has been suffering from a chronic disease. The District Hospital, Humla had referred him to the better hospital.

Shahi’s son Dirgha said, “How can we send ailing father alone? He needs much care every time.”

Similarly, the students and others with their jobs outside the district have complained that they were also denied plane tickets despite prodding the offices of air service for weeks.

The private airlines conducting flight to Nepalgunj and Surkhet from Simikot airport are Sita Air, Tara Air and Summit Air has not been providing service regularly these days.

The plane tickets are provided under the influence of bigwigs and personal contacts in the district during the festival. It has resulted in the sheer hassle to the commoners. The airlines conducting nearly 10 flights a day has reduced the service to one.

Meanwhile, State-owned Nepal Airlines has not provided service in Himla on a regular basis. It stopped conducting flights in May early this year.

The students studying in different cities including Kathmandu, Nepalgunj, Surkhet and Pokhara have been hit hard by the inconvenience.

Dipendra Bohara from Simikot Rural Municipality-2 complained that common people were denied plane tickets although they visited the air service office several times. The private Tara and Summit Airlines are selling the tickets secretly, he added.

-RSS