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VOL. 27, NO. 25, February 29, 2007 (Falgun 17 2064 B.S.)
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EXPRESSING CONCERN OVER THE USE of children in violent protests in Nepal, the United Nations has urged parents and political parties to ensure that the youngsters are not harmed. In a joint statement, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal said they have received confirmed reports of children's involvement, especially in the Terai region, in violent activities. Earlier this month in Nepalgunj, "a considerable number of children," aged between seven and 15, some carrying sticks, were seen supporting the enforcement of general strike called by the United Democratic Madhesi front (UDMF), it said. In another case, children aged between eight and 12 armed with sticks, were observed manning a roadblock in Sunsari district, the UN agencies said. More than 100 children, some in school uniforms, also took part in a violent attack on Nepali Congress members in Darchula district on February 5, they added. UNICEF and OHCHR also urged all parties in Nepal to respect the Convention on the Rights of the Child and to take all measures to avoid exposing boys and girls under the age of 18 to risk of harm.
A GROUP OF NEPALI POWER DEVELOPERS have decided to proceed with the development of 100 MW-strong Kaligandaki gorge hydropower project to help resolve the crisis of load shedding in the country. Hydro Solutions, a company of the Nepali promoters, has said that it aims to complete the construction of the project by 2012. According to Gyanendra Lal Pradhan, director of the Hydro Solutions, the total cost of the project would be Rs 10 billion – of which it has already received pledge of Rs 2 billion investment from different Nepali business houses. Rest of the investment will be arranged through talks with commercial banks, Pradhan said. Pradhan said that share of the project will be distributed to local population of Mustang and Myagdi districts. The project site is in the border between these two districts. He said that since the big hydropower projects being discussed currently are intended for export purposes, they would not directly address load shedding woes even though they would be beneficial to national economy. So, he said, the Nepali investors were planning to do projects that can be completed at the earliest and help end power crisis. At present, the demand for power has crossed 720 MW but the supply has dwindled to 300 MW – triggering daily eight hours of load shedding.
CONFEDERATION OF INDIAN INDUSTRIES (CII) has proposed the visiting FNCCI delegation a joint venture special economic zone (SEZ) in Nepal during the regular economic council meeting in New Delhi, Wednesday (Feb 20). "The CII has proposed to set up a joint venture economic zone in Nepal during the regular economic council meeting between the FNCCI and CII," said executive director of Sanima Bikas Bank, Badri Ojha. The FNCCI team led by industrialist Diwakar Golchha today met with the CII officials, executive director of Railway Board SK Das and joint secretary at Commerce Ministry Rajiv Kher and discussed economic and other bilateral issues. "Nepali team, encouraged by the proposal, has replied that a report will soon be forwarded to them after a study," Ojha said, adding that the delegation has, but primarily suggested Tarai, along the Indo-Nepal border, as a feasible location for the SEZ. "The TATA representative — who was taking part in the meeting along with in-charge of SAARC region at the CII, Subodh Bhargav and representatives of TATA company, Asian Paint, Unilever and others — suggested that the SEZ should be constructed in a way that it could be easily expanded in future." Similarly, the Nepali delegation urged executive director of the Railway Board SK Das to expand broad gauge railway to Jogbani. "We might consider it, if there is an official proposal from the Nepal government," economic minister at Nepali embassy in New Delhi, Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, who was present during the meeting, said quoting Das.
AT THE REQUEST OF THE GOVERNMENT, the Elections Commission (EC) Thursday (Feb 22) extended the deadline for filing the closed lists of candidates for the proportional system of elections by one day for 24 February. The EC said it took the decision to this effect considering the ongoing violence in the country. Earlier Thursday, the government had asked the Elections Commission (EC) to extend the deadline for filing the closed-list of candidates for the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls till February 24. The government had decided to extend the deadline to submit closed-list as none of the agitating Madhesi groups, except a ruling Nepal Sadbhavana Party, registered the closed list till the final date for registering closed list, and the government is holding talks with them.
