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Nepali christians celebrating Christmas festival
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THE MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR MELAMCHI Drinking Water Project is facing a series of disruptions and anarchy because it lacks political support at both the local and central level, according to the House of Representatives Environment Conservation Committee. Following the field inspection of the project, the MPs of the committee have concluded that due to weak political leadership at the local level, local people were raising obstacles everyday by coming up with newer demands. Narendra Bahadur Bam, president of the committee, said, "At the local level there is no political leadership, there is only anarchy." In fact the local people had even tried to manhandle the MPs on Tuesday by making demands such as job for each household, construction of temple, crematorium, hospital etc. Bam said the committee will try to coordinate political understanding at the central and local level in order to make the project successful.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO IMPOUND the passports and stop transactions of properties of black-listed defaulters. The cabinet meeting on Monday (December 18) decided that they would be denied other state facilities as well. The cabinet has decided that such defaulters would not be appointed in public positions and their credit and debit cards would be confiscated. They will not be able to become members of any board of any company. Likewise, they will not be able to open new company as well. They will not be allowed to sell their properties except to pay the loans. Likewise, they can sell bonds also only if the money will be used to pay back the loans.
THE JOINT TECHNICAL LEVEL Nepal-India Boundary Committee has decided to recommend the extension of its mandate by six months till June 2007 to complete the remaining tasks. Claiming that the JTC has successfully completed more than 98 percent of mapping work, the meeting appreciated "the progress made in respect of mandated boundary tasks including fair mapping of boundary of strip sheets." The JTC has also directed the concerned officials 'to complete the office work and field work with vigour and with the same spirit of mutual cooperation.' The 28 th meeting of the JTC was held in Kathmandu on 21-22 December 2006. Prior to the JTC, a preparatory Survey Officials Meeting of both countries was held in Kathmandu on 18-20 December 2006. At the JTC meeting, the Indian side was led by Major General M. Gopal Rao, Surveyor General of India and the Nepalese side was led by Mr. Toya Nath Baral, Director General of Survey Department. The next JTC Meeting will be held at New Delhi in March 2007.
INDIAN COMMERCE SECRETARY Gopal K Pillai, on Tuesday (December 19), said India is ready to hold talks on renewing the Indo-Nepal Trade Treaty on Nepal 's terms. There is a provision in the treaty – signed first in 1996 for a five-year term – that allows for a renewal after its expiry on March 5, 2007 . Nepal has been doing homework to fix its priorities for the renewal of the treaty, sources said. Pillai said India does not want any major change in the treaty. "Any change in the treaty would be guided by what Nepal wants," he said.
THE GOVERNMENT HAS ASSURED THAT THE Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) will resume regular supplies of petrol to the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC). On Friday, officials of Nepal government held talks with Indian officials where the latter agreed to "resume regular supply for the time being," according to Kantipur daily. Hridayesh Tripathy, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies informed that the Indian officials have agreed to resume regular supplies. Likewise, Indian Embassy spokesperson Gopal Bagley also issued a statement saying Indian would ensure regular supplies of petroleum products to Nepal . Earlier, following reports that IOC had cut down 60 percent of petrol supplies to NOC to press the latter to pay back outstanding dues worth Rs 9.04 billion, there have been acute scarcity of the fuel in the country.
THE NUMBER OF WORKERS LEAVING for Malaysia –which is the number one destination of overseas workers – declined by 25 percent in the last five months compared to the same period previous year. Likewise, those going to Qatar – the second favorite destination – also declined by 20 percent in the same period. According to the Department for Labor and Employment Promotion, 30,513 Nepalis left for Malaysia during the period compared to 41,468 the previous year. The number of workers going to Qatar decreased from 22,094 to 17,505. "Apart from these two countries, the numbers of workers going to other countries have not declined," said an official at the department. In totality, the number of overseas workers leaving the country declined by 5.53 percent during this period. Overseas employment agents claim that imposition of service tax and other taxes by the government has caused this decline. The officials, on the other hand, claim that due to restoration of peace and prospects for growth in the country, the number of people going overseas has come down.
