कोरोना संकटमा यातायात व्यावसायीको अपेक्षा

                                  

        चीनको वुहानमा डिसेम्बर अन्तिममा देखिएको कोरोना (कोविड–१९) भाइरसको महामारी भुसको आगो जसरी फैलिइरहेको छ । यो भाइरसले २१ औं शताब्दीको विज्ञानलाई पनि जित्न दिएको छैन ।

औषधि पत्ता लगाउने वैज्ञानिकहरूको निरन्तरको प्रयासलाई सफल हुन दिएको छैन ।

नेपाल लगायत विभिन्न देशहरूले लकडाउनलाई कोरोनाबाट बच्ने अचुक अस्त्रको रुपमा प्रयोग गरिरहेका छन् । कोरोना रोकथाम तथा नियन्त्रणका लागि गरिएको लकडाउनले विभिन्न क्षेत्रमा पारेको असर भने चानचुने छैन ।

उद्योग, कलकारखाना, व्यावसायदेखि सबै क्षेत्र ठप्प छ । लकडाउनको सबैभन्दा बढी असर नेपाल जस्ता विकासशील देशहरूमा बढी देखिन्छ ।

न्यून आर्थिक आय भएका, दैनिक ज्यालादारी गरेर जीवन निर्वाह गर्नेहरू भोकभोकै बस्नु पर्ने अवस्था आएको छ । धन्न उनीहरूलाई प्रदेश र स्थानिय सरकारहरू र केही संघसंस्थाको सहयोगले राहत पुगेको छ । यद्यपि राहत हात्तीको मुखमा जिरा भने जस्तो भइरहेको छ । सामाजिक दुरी कायम गर्नुपर्ने बाध्यताले गर्दा सहयोग गर्न चाहनेहरू पनि खुलेर बाहिर आउन सकिरहेका छैनन् ।

एउटा बिन्दुमा पुगेपछि कोरोना कहर त अन्त्य होला तर यसले आउने दिनमा संसारको अर्थव्यवस्थामा ठूलो असर पार्ने अर्थविदहरूले बताईसकेका छन् । कोरोनाका कारण धेरै उधोगहरू बन्द हुने र बेरोजगारी बढ्ने देखिन्छ । यसले गरिबी बढ्ने निश्चित छ ।

      नेपालको यातायात क्षेत्रमा पनि यसको प्रभाव नपर्ने कुरै छैन । हाम्रो सार्वजनिक यातायात निजी क्षेत्रकै भरमा टिकेको छ । यातायात क्षेत्रमा व्यावसायीहरूको अर्बौंको लगानी छ । यसले लाखौं युवालाई स्वदेशमै रोजगारीको अवसर पनि दिएको छ । विदेशमा काम गर्न जानेहरूका लागि पनि यातायात क्षेत्रमा सिकेको सीप, अनुभव उपयोगी भएको छ । जस्तो अनुभवी चालकहरूले विदेशमा पनि राम्रो आम्दानी गर्न सफल भएका छन् ।

विगतमा भएका बन्द, हड्ताल, चक्कजामको सबैभन्दा बढी मार परेको क्षेत्रमा पर्छ, यातायात व्यावसाय । आफ्ना माग पुरा गराउन सडकमा उत्रने गर्दा त्यसको प्रत्यक्ष असर यातायात उद्योगमा परेको थियो । सवारी साधन नजलाएको वा तोडफोड नभएको त बन्द हड्ताल नै थिएन भन्दा पनि फरक नपर्ला । व्यक्तिले खाईनखाई जम्मा गरेको, बैंकबाट ऋण लिएर किनिएका सवारी साधन जले पनि सबैले क्षतिपुर्ति पाएनन् । न त पहल गर्दिनु पर्नेले नै पर्याप्त पहल गरिदिए । सडक दुर्घटनाले गर्दा पनि सार्वजनिक यातायात उधोगलाई बारम्बार क्षति व्योहोर्नु परेको छ । विमाबाट उपचार खर्च तीन लाख दाबी गर्न सरकारले व्यवस्था गरेको छ । तर घाईतेलाई ठूला र महँगा अस्पतालमा उपचार गर्दाको आर्थिक क्षतितर्फ कसैको ध्यान गएको छैन ।

           यातायात क्षेत्रले यस्ता समस्या विगतदेखि नै झेल्दै आएको हो । लकडाउन भएको तीन हप्ता भएको छ । यो अझै लम्बिने सरकारले संकेत गरिसकेको छ । सार्वजनिक यातायात उद्योगमा अर्बौको लगानी छ । लाखौ व्यवसायी र मजदूर र उनीहरूका परिवारको रोजीरोटीका लागि चक्का गुड्नुपर्छ । चक्काजाम भएर बसनु भनेको यात्रु गन्तव्यमा पुग्न नपाउनु मात्रै होइन व्यावसायी र मजदुरको रोजीरोटी खोसिनु पनि हो । लामो समय लगातार सवारी साधन ग्यारेजमा राख्नु परेको यो पहिलो पल्ट हो । त्यसले पार्ने आर्थिक प्रभावबारे सरकारले बेलैमा ध्यान दिनु जरुरी छ ।

         यातायात उद्योग धारासयी हुनु भनेको एक हिसाबले मुलककै अर्थतन्त्र धारासायी हुनु हो । यहाँको भौगोलिक विषमताले गर्दा सडक यातायात नै सबैभन्दा बढी प्रभावकारी रहेको यथार्थ हामीले बिर्सिनु हुदैन । कोभिड १९ नियन्त्रणमा आएपछि लकडाउन सकिए पनि यो उधोग धरासायी हुनु भनेको देश अर्को लकडाउनु जाने निश्चित प्राय छ । यसैले सरकारले सार्वजनिक यातायात उधोगलाई बचाउन नयाँ योजना र राहत दिन जरूरी छ । सरकारले चैत्रको किस्ता र व्याज तिर्ने म्याद केही दिन थपेको छ । तर त्यो सार्वजनिक यातायात उधोगलाई बचाउन पर्याप्त छैन । ऋणको व्याज बढ्दै जाँदा व्यावसायीहरू पनि आर्थिक संकटमा पर्दै जान्छन् ।

        अहिले पनि धेरै यसक्षेत्रका लाखौं मजदूरहरू व्यवसायीहरूले नै संरक्षण र  सहयोग गरेका छन् । जसका कारण सरकारले लागू गरेको लकडाउनको निर्णय पालना गरेर घरमै बसेका छन् । लकडाउन अझ लम्बिदै गएमा ती लाखौं मजदूरहरूलाई पनि व्यवसायीहरूले सहयोग गर्न नसक्ने अवस्था आउन सक्दछ । त्यतिबेला लाखौ मजदूरहरू विगतका आन्दोलनमा जस्तै भोकविरुद्ध लकडाउन तोड्न अग्रपंक्तिमा नआउलान् भन्न सकिदैन । सार्वजनिक यातायात व्यवसायीहरूको ऋणको भार थपिदै जादा व्यवसायी आफै मर्कामा परेर मजदुरलाई सहयोग गर्न नसक्ने अवस्था आउनसक्दछ ।  भविष्यमा धेरै लगानी कर्ता व्यवसायी ऋणको मारले थिचिएर व्यवसायीबाटै बाहिरिन बाध्य हुने अवस्था आउन सक्दछ । त्यसो हुनु भनेको मजदुरहरूको रोजगारी पनि गुम्नु हो । अर्कोतिर कोरोना प्रभावकै कारण विश्वभरीका नेपाली युवाहरू स्वदेश फर्किसकेका छन् ।

उनीहरू पनि जुन देशमा रोजगारमा थिए ती देशका रोजगारदाताले आर्थिकमंदीको कारण पुन काममा नलिन सक्दछ । त्यसको विकल्प भनेको स्वदेशमै रोजगारी हो । त्यसका लागि पनि सार्वजनिक यातायात उधोगलाई बचाउन समयमै पहल गर्नु जरुरी छ ।

       पर्यटनलाई पनि हामीले आर्थिक मेरुदण्ड भनिरहेका छौं । तर यसका लागि पनि सार्वजनिक यातायात अपरिहार्य छ । यो विना पर्यटन क्षेत्र पनि फस्टाउन सक्दैन । यो उधोगमा लागेका व्यवसायी र मजदूरहरूले विभिन्न कठिनाईका बावजूद सरकारसंग कुनै प्रकार आश नगरी निरन्तर आफ्नो सेवा दिईरहेका छन् । विगतमा पनि देशलाई परेको हरेक संकटमा सहयोग र साथ दिँदै आएको हो । अहिले पनि यो कोरोनाको महामारीमा पनि आफ्नो सामाजिक उत्तरदायित्व सम्झेर विभिन्न प्रकारले सहयोग गरिरहेको छ । हाम्रो दैनिक जीवनसंग जोडिएको यो सार्वजनिक यातायात उधोगलाई सरकारले मात्र होईन सबैले हेर्ने दृष्टिकोण फरक पार्नै पर्दछ ।

                

     Expect a transportation professional in the Corona crisis

        The epidemic of the Corona (Covid-19) virus, which was last seen in Wuhan, China, is spreading like flame. This virus has not even allowed 21st-century science to prevail.

The constant efforts of scientists to detect the drug have not succeeded.

Various countries, including Nepal, are using lock-down as a precautionary measure to avoid corona. The impact of the lock-down on Corona prevention and control will not be shocking.

Industry, factories, businesses, all sectors are stagnant. The biggest impact of the lock down is seen in developing countries such as Nepal.

Those with low economic income, those who earn a living by daily wages, have to live in hunger. Thankfully they are relieved with the help of the state and local governments and some organizations. However, relief seems to be in the mouth of the elephant. Due to the constraints on social distance, those who want to help are not able to come out in the open.

At one point, Corona's wrath may end, but economists have said that it will have a big impact on the world's economy in the coming days. Due to Corona, many industries appear to be closed and unemployment will increase. It is sure to increase poverty.

      There is little to no effect on Nepal's transport sector. Our public transport is dependent on the private sector. There are billions of investments in the transport sector. It has also given employment opportunities to millions of youths at home. The skills learned in the field of transportation have also been helpful for those working abroad. As experienced drivers have been able to earn good income abroad.

In the past, the strike, the strike, the most hit areas of Chakjam, are the transport business. The transportation industry had a direct impact on the road as it met its demands. No matter if the vehicle was not burned or vandalized, there was no closed strike. Not everyone was compensated for the food they had accumulated and the vehicles they had bought from the bank. Neither did the initiator take enough initiative. The public transport industry has also suffered repeated losses due to road accidents. The government has made arrangements to claim three lakh from the insurance treatment expenses. But no one has paid any heed to the financial loss of treating the injured in large and expensive hospitals.

           The transport sector has been facing such problems since the past. It's been three weeks since the lockdown. It is yet to be pointed out by the government. Billions are invested in the public transport industry. Millions of businessmen and laborers and their families have to roll the wheels for bread. Staying chakjam means not only getting passengers to the destination but also taking away the bread of businessmen and laborers. This is the first time a long time vehicle has been kept in the garage. The government must pay close attention to the financial impact it has.

 Being a transportation industry stream means that the economy of a country is in a state of flux. We should not forget that road traffic is the most effective because of its geographical heterogeneity. Although Covid 19 was under control, it was almost certain that the country would be paralyzed, even though this industry was haunted. Therefore, it is imperative for the government to provide new plans and relief to the public transport industry. The government has added a few days to pay Chaitra's installments and interest. But that is not enough to save the public transport industry. As debt interest rates rise, businesses also face financial crisis.

        Even today, millions of laborers in many areas are protected and assisted by the businessmen. Due to the lock-down decision implemented by the government, they are staying at home. With the lock-down even longer, those millions of workers may not even be able to help the businessmen. It cannot be said that millions of workers at that time did not come to the front line to break the barrier against hunger like in the past. With the burden of public transport entrepreneurs being burdened, there may be situations where entrepreneurs are unable to support the workers themselves. In the future, many investor entrepreneurs may be forced to quit business after being hit by debt. That means losing jobs for workers. On the other hand, Nepalese youths around the world have returned home due to the corona influence.

Employers in the countries in which they were employed may not be able to go back to work because of the economic slowdown. The alternative is employment in the country. For this, timely initiatives need to be taken to protect the public transport industry.

       We also call tourism the economic backbone. But public transport is also essential for this. Without it, the tourism sector cannot flourish. The entrepreneurs and laborers in this industry continue to give their services without any hope to the government despite various difficulties. He has been assisting and assisting in every crisis in the country. Even today, it is contributing in various ways to the Corona epidemic, remembering its social responsibility. This public transport industry, which is linked to our daily lives, must be different, not just by the government.