Pokhara—Santati Rai who is the spouse of trekking worker Ashok Rai, 32, who lost his life during a trekking in Nepal’s Annapurna Region, received Rs 1 million compensation in Pokhara on Friday.
Rai family which was originally from Dhankuta district, got that amount of money as life insurance payout from Sagarmatha Insurance Company Limited. Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) Western Regional Association Pokhara played a key role to make this compensation happen.
Ashok Rai suffered high altitude sickness as he along with his three colleagues and four South Korean trekkers, reached Throng High Camp (4925m), Manang on January 21, 2018 and took a way back in the next morning to reach Yak Kharkha where he was found unconscious by a group of local people and gave him a shelter. Next day on January 23, he was rescued and airlifted in a helicopter managed by TAAN WRA Pokhara.
But unfortunately Rai was pronounced dead by a team of doctors after treatment of few hours at Western Regional Hospital Pokhara. Rai was in trekking on behalf of Pokhara base Essence Tours & Travel (ETT)/Treks and Expeditions. Following his death, ETT Managing Director Ram Chandra Adhikari had urged national and international community to support Rai family.
According to TAAN WRA Pokhara Chairman Deepak Raj Adhikari, the case of compensation to a porter could be a first of its kind in the sector of trekking in Nepal. He also asked all the concerns not to trek without guide and the Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) card that is for the safety of the trekkers. Pokhara Tourism Council Chairman Kedar Nath Sharma urged the government to manage proper information and communication system in trekking areas so that the trekkers loss no life during their journey to the high Himalayan areas.
TAAN WRA Pokhara former Chairman and advisor Som Bahadur Thapa, Union of Trekking Travels Rafting Workers Nepal General Secretary Tulsi Prasad Subedi, Sagarmath Insurance Company Limited Pokhara branch manager Kabi Raj Paudel and TAAN WRA Pokhara Secretary Sushil Raj Poudel also put their views during the program that saw a minute silence to mourn the death of Ashok Rai.
Pictures: Rup Narayan Dhakal
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