Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 31:
Apprehensive as they are about their jobs, staff of the Hotel Imphal have sought details from the authority concerned regarding its initiative to lease out Hotel Imphal to a private firm/individual.
They asked whether it is for lack of profit, incompetent service or because of powerful lobby from prospective private owners that the State Government is planning to lease out the Hotel which is currently under the Tourism Department.
They observed that the Tourism Dept has become defunct except for organising tourism festival and publication of calendar.
Speaking to a team of reporters who visited the Hotel in the wake of the recent Cabinet decision to privatise the Hotel, its senior manager Khongbantabam Netrajit asserted that the Hotel is earning profits at present.
Out of the total amount of Rs 53 lakhs earned by Hotel Imphal in the last financial year, Rs 24 lakhs came as profit after deducting Rs 29 lakhs for expenditure.
From April to August this year, Hotel Imphal earned Rs 40 lakhs of which Rs 22 lakhs came as profit, informed Netrajit.
Concerning incompetent service, proposals for increasing room rent and appointment of some more staff and installation of intercom facility were made but the authority rejected the proposal, he said.
Further, the Hotel is being run by the income it generated without a single rupee from the State budget, he noted while observing that it was natural to compromise on service quality after staff down-sizing.
To privatise Hotel Imphal which is a profit earning State enterprise naturally involves the question of State prestige, said another staff who refused to be named.
Even though Hotel Imphal was renovated last year under the watchful eyes of Chief Minister O Ibobi, out of 70 rooms of the Hotel, 33 cannot be used.
At present, different State Departments owe about Rs 10 lakhs to the Hotel, he said.
Except for organising tourism festival and publication of annual calendar, the Tourism Dept has no other function.
The State Govt which has been unable to expel security forces occupying tourist homes seemed to be scheming to bring a natural death of Hotel Imphal, he alleged.