Next census to incorporate ethnic groups

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Dec 11 - Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) aims to mobilise women surveyors in the upcoming decennial census.

Sabitri Singh, Acting Director General of the Bureau, said they want atleast 20 percent of the surveyors to be women in the population census that will be conducted in 2001. According to Singh, only one percent of the 26,000 surveyors for the 1991 census were women.

Singh said CBS also tried to involve 20 percent women in the test census that will begin on Sunday. "But this was not possible in Mahottari," said Singh. "Women refused to come forward even after repeated requests," she said.

According to CBS, it is conducting test census in four districts -- Bajura, Dhankuta, Mahottari and Kathmandu. Singh said the result of the test census will help improvise on the real questionnaire. She added that sociologists and anthropologists will be consulted after the test census to incorporate questions related to nationalities and ethnicities in the real questionnaire.

Population census is carried every 10 years in Nepal. The trend to conduct Census was launched in 1911.

A press release issued on the occasion states that the earlier census --from 1911 to 1941 -- were based more on population count. "CBS later provided details on other issues of population to researchers after 1941," states the release. CBS took over the responsibility after the formulation of Population Act in 1958. Deputy Director at the population division of CBS Radha Krishna Joshi said provisions will be made to determine the population of each ethnic community. "We are holding talks with nationalities associations to solve the issue of nationalities," he said.

Singh said the upcoming census will also consider a women’s work like collecting fuel and fodder and carrying water as "work" unlike the past incidents where it considered "work" as only those generating income.

CBS will also collect the data of the properties owned by women in the coming Census.

Joshi said the local teachers, civil servants from the local government offices and new surveyors selected from the region will go to individual houses to collect the data. "Twenty thousand surveyors will be deployed to collect data," said Joshi. "Some 500 civil servants will be mobilised to supervise."

A single surveyor will have to cover 200 houses during the Census study. The preliminary result of the Census will be published within the six months of the study. The final report will be published after around 1 and half years.

Though CBS has been using the computers since 1981, it still has no high-tech computers for data analysis and other similar taxing jobs. CBS has been taking the help of private sectors during the earlier censuses. "This time we hope to get additional computers," Joshi said.

Ministry of Population and Environment had estimated the population of Nepal on June 1999 as 2,23, 67,000. During the 1991 census the population of Nepal stood at mere 1,84,00,097. The 1981 census had revealed 2.6 percent annual population growth rate while the same at 1991 census stood at 2.1 percent.

Repolling peaceful

By a Post Reporter

RAUTAHAT, Dec 11 - Repolling in Gamarai VDC of Rautahat-4 went off peacefully today despite the district bandh called by the main opposition CPN-UML.

UML had called district bandh to protest against the alleged irregularities by Nepali Congress on the by-election on December 9. UML had demanded repolling in 11 centres.

According to Election Officer Thakur Prasad Sharma, the polling went off peacefully with 79 percent voter turn out. Two thousand three hundred and sixty-nine of the 2,984 voters cast their votes today though CPN-UML cadres boycotted the polling centres.

Chief District Officer Chandra Bahadur Karki said the bandh was peaceful in general. Although transportation was lulled at various places the shops were partially open.

Polling in Gamarai VDC was marked with violence. At least one person was killed and many others injured when the police opened fire to control the clash that erupted in Gamarai Parsa polling booth. CPN-UML had handed over a letter of memorandum to the Election Officer asking for a re-poll at 11 of the total of 38 polling booths.

CPN-UML’s spokesperson Pradip Nepal later told The Kathmandu Post that the repolling was not acceptable to UML. "If the government gives a clean chit to this election the relationship between the government and the opposition will be strained," he said.

He also accused Minister for Works and Transport Khum Bahadur Khadhka of having captured the booths in Rautahat. He said Khadka reached there immediately after the announcement of repolling.

Madhav Kumar Nepal, CPN-UML’s General Secretary said the government has to conduct repolling if it wants to save democracy.

DoTM vows action against transporters

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Dec 11 - Transport entrepreneurs across the country are still charging 15-20 percent more fare than what the government had fixed immediately after the hike in petroleum products, say government officials.

"The present fares are 15-20 percent more than what the government has fixed," Director General of Department of Transport Management (DoTM) Krishna Murari Sharma told The Kathmandu Post here today.

Earlier today addressing the first general meeting of Joint Transport Management Committee (JTMC) of Kathmandu, Sharma requested all transport entrepreneurs to stick to the rate fixed by the government. He warned they would otherwise have to face legal action.

Speaking to The Kathmandu Post after the meeting, Sharma said, his department will take strict action against those found charging high fares if they receive a written complaint.

Following the hike in the price of diesel by 48 percent in October, Ministry of Works and Transport bowed to the transport entrepreneurs’ demand and increased the transportation fares in the long distance by 35 percent and short distance routes by 30 percent.

This despite the fact that the transportation fares were already 30 percent higher than what should have been under the prevalent petroleum price.

President of JTMC of Kathmandu Bishnu Shivakoti said the transporters cannot accept the government’s rate as "it was fixed by a committee whose General Secretary is being investigated by the special police for irregularities."

He also accused the government of networking with commission agents and those monopolising the transport business by permitting only petrol operated micro buses of Euro 1 standard to be imported in the country.

"It is a crippling blow to the poor Vikram tempo owners who cannot afford such expensive micro buses. As it is, such micro buses are not available in these parts of the world," said Shivakoti.

Transport entrepreneurs protested against the government’s decision to allow ticket booking only at the counters in Gongabu bus park and Sundhara. Police yesterday brought down ticket booking counters in Gaushala despite an ongoing case at the Supreme Court.

Director General of DoTM said the government resorted to such decision only after consumers complained of mismanagement at such counters.

"A single seat used to be booked for three people," said Sharma. "The transporters are habituated of assuring passengers that there is still some seat left despite complete booking."

Speaking at the same programme former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba said only Euro 1 vehicles should be allowed to be imported in Nepal "Otherwise, all the vehicles disqualified by India will enter Nepal."

India has already announced to ban all those vehicles that do not meet the Euro 1 standard from plying in the major cities from April 2000.

Travel agents and employees in the transport business were awarded by JTMC of Kathmandu at the function for their outstanding performance.

The organizers announced to establish awards for four best drivers without accidental records and a journalist writing on transportation sector.

NTC plans to go rural

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Dec 11 - Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) is planning to install over 1000 VSAT (Very Small Aperture Terminal) communication terminals in remote rural areas, providing basic telephone and fax services, as measures to solve the problem of communications.

This was brought to notice during a technical seminar " VSAT Technologies for rural Telecommunication " jointly organised by Society of Electronics Communication Engineers Nepal (SECEN) and Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), here today.

Nearly 2880 villages out of 3913 villages in Nepal do not have even the basic means of communication.

Addressing the seminar B. R. Pandey, chairman of Nepal Telecommunication Athourity (NTA) said that it plans to provide a minimum of at least 2 telephone lines for each of the VDC’s by July 2003

Out of a total of 240000 telephones lines presently in the country 16000 are in ruraL areas, with a penetration of only 0.07 percent.

NTC is planning to cover four -- far western, mid western, western, central -- of the five development regions and will be opening a tender for possible companies to establish VSAT units in the Eastern Region of the country on Dec 22.

During the opening ceremony, secretary for SECEN, Nirmal Pradhanang, noted the importance of such means of communications, specially in a country like Nepal with such terrestrial conditions.

Pandey said that the plan will not only improve the communications to rural areas but will help in the overall development of the country as communications is a basic requirement for growth.

Prithvi Raj Ligal Vice-chairman of National Planning Commission said, "It may take 10-15 years for us to have road access to all parts of the country. We are however proud to be the only country in the world with a 100 percent digital system." To improve the communications and software engineering scenario of the country, Kathmandu University and Tribhuvan University have each been given and exrta 5 million rupees to improve thier commnications engineering programs, he said.

During the seminar three private companies from Israel, Italy and India also presented papers on the latest VSAT technology.

Army arrests policemen

By a Post Reporter

GULARIYA, Dec 11 - Royal Nepalese Army today arrested eight police officials with nine carts loaded with timber inside the Royal Bardia National Park here today.

According to a source inside the National Park, three policemen were released later as there was no one at the police post. The army also seized a pistol and eight rounds of bullets from Assistant Sub Inspector Krishna Prasad Koirala along with an axe and other cutting equipment.

Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office Basanta Kunwar said police had collected timber with army’s permission. "We don’t know why they were arrested," he said. "They haven’t informed us."

Kunwar said the details will be clear after Deputy Superintendent of Police Ghananad Bhatta, who has gone to talk with the National Park’s warden, returns. The arrested were Head Constables Ram Kishor Mahatara and Surendra Bahadur Chand, constables Dhan Bahadur Bhandari, Khadga Bahadur Malla, Lila Bahadur Rokka, Top Bahadur Giri and Homraj.

Koirala to visit Maoist hit areas

By a Post Reporter

POKHARA, Dec 11 - Former prime minister and President of Nepali Congress Girija Prasad Koirala today said he would visit the insurgency affected areas to end the existing state of tension and violence from the country.

Addressing a freedom fighter Prem Bahadur Pradhan’s condolence meeting here today, Koirala said he was committed to eradicate insurgency from Nepal. "For that I will have to visit the insurgency affected areas," he said.

He also accused the government of having failed to curb insurgency. "A country’s development is not possible without proper law and order situation," said Koirala. "But the government has not given thought towards that."

Stating that he was hurt by the goverment’s lacklustre attitude towards Maoist insurgency Koirala said, "Fear looms large in many villages and people are insecure." He added that people elected NC with majority expecting that the party would ensure peace and security. "However, NC failed to meet their expectation."

Man injured by bullet

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Dec 11 - Ananta Subedi, 24, sustained injuries when an unidentified person fired random shots in Gongabu, Balaju this morning.

Subedi, who was playing caroms on the second floor at his rented room, in Gongabu, was hit by the bullet in his left hand at 11 a.m . He was immediately rushed to the Teaching Hospital’s Emergency ward by the police. Subedi was discharged after the operation.

The police is investigating the incidence.

Obsolete equipment to save Nepal from the byte of Y2K bug

By Ram Sharan Sedhai

KATHMANDU, Dec 11 - Advancement in technology does not always come as a boon. Thanks to the use of unsophisticated equipment and that too in quite a limited number, Nepal is very much on the safe side of the widely feared millennium bug.

The more the systems are highly mechanized the more is the risk of the millenium bug.

Rest assured, there will be no power outage on January 1, 2000 and the planes will not crash due to Y2K bug. Celebrate the New Year of the new millennium without worry.

Do not hurry to withdraw your money from banks and to hoard essential commodities.

Y2K will not have so adverse an effect, as it is perceived.

The millennium glitch affects equipment with date-sensitive microprocessor and equipment with embedded chips. National Y2K Committee has identified telecommunications, electricity, banking, medical, aviation, Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) and Nepal Police as the most sensitive sectors. Bir Hospital’s Dr Sudhar Adhikari says they have asked their respective vendors to change the software of CT scan, ventilator, ECG, ultrasound machine, monitor and auto analyzer. Though medical sector will be least affected, it’s too late as the new millennium is nearing.

According to Ministry of Science and Technology, T U Teaching Hospital has problem only with the monitor used in operation theatre and intensive care unit (ICU) which they are going to replace by the end of December.

However, Patan Hospital is in better position than the two.

Raj Kumar Bajracharya, Director Management Information System Department, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) says they have already received Y2K compliant letter from respective vendors of their all 5 power houses. "We have back up system for generation and transmission systems," he said.

"There will be no power outage on January 1 due to Y2K bug", he assured.

Since most of the sectors heavily depend upon electricity and the concerned official has said that there will be no electric failure, it is less likely to affect other sectors.

Babu Ram Pokharel, Manager at Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), says NTC has replaced their all five switching systems, managed internal power and billing system manually and added that other equipment will not be affected by the glitch.

"There will be no problem in telecommunications. Your phone will not go dead", he said.

However, member of National Planning Commission (NPC) Dr Shankar Sharma is apprehensive of traffic congestion as many people are likely to try to make phone calls on January 1 to test the system.

DD Khadka, Acting Manager, General Sales Department, RNAC says, "We are 99 percent Y2K compliant". The corporation has already received Y2K compliant signals from Boeing Company, British Areospace, De-Havilland Boeing, SITA, ABACUS, Allied Signal and Collins Company, said Khadka.

Radar and switching systems are Y2K OK. Flight management control (FMC) and departure control system (DCS) will be operated manually. Some 55 terminals have been updated, said he. Amrit Mangal Joshi, Joint Secretary at Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) says, "There will be no problem from our part. We are fully Y2K compliant". Air traffic management coordination (ATMC) unit has been formed, a one-hour test fly of aircraft has been made, distributed contingency plans to more than 40 airlines, have sufficient manpower and alternative lighting system, he said. "We will use Inmarsat for communication and the VoR/DME and radar are Y2K OK," he added. "The banking sector will be fully Y2K compliant within a week", said Sudarshan Raj Poudyal, Chief Manager, Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB). We have asked foreign banks, we transact with, to clarify their status and to submit printed statement from 29 to 31 December to us and some of them have agreed, he said. If needed, they may also close the bank for 3 days, he informed.

Employees Provident Fund is completely Y2K compliant.

Nepal Police has said that it could fight the Y2K bug if it gets necessary budget. However, according to a source, the budget has already been earmarked and there will be no such problem.

Chief of engineering division at Radio Nepal, Ram Sharan Karki says the millennium bug will not affect their transmissions. So is the case with Nepal Television.

However, Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) is likely to be hit hard by the millennium bug, as there are indications that the oil refinery in India may suffer from the glitch, which may result in supply cut. Chief Managing Director at NOC Madan Raj Sharma says that the corporation has a stock of oil for a month.

The government has formed a disaster management unit at Home Ministry besides the internal preparation. However, government has not allocated any money to fight the glitch. Most of the sectors have contingency plans.