HM opens RONAST complex

LALITPUR, Aug 28 (PR) - His Majesty King Birendra inaugurated the new building complex of Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST) here today.

The Rs 50 million Main Office Building (MOB) complex completed in about two years is, however, merely one-fifth of the conceived master plan project spread across 80 ropanis of the Ronast premises, according to the Project in-charge of RONAST building construction.

"Though the MOB was built only for the administrative purposes, it would also hold all the scientific laboratories and other offices till the masterplan is completed," said Dr Dinesh Raj Bhuju, a scientist with RONAST, adding that resource crunch was hindering the multi-million project. The government had, however, approved the project a decade ago.

RONAST master-plan conceives of some 750 seat-capacity Conference Hall, a huge open air theatre, about half a dozen well-equipped lab complexes besides the MOB.

"At least we (RONAST) now have our own building," said RONAST Vice Chancellor Prof. Dayananda Bajracharya. "From today onwards we can save some Rs 2.4 million on annual office rent which could be used for the institutional development of RONAST." RONAST was till date operating from a rented office building since its establishment in 1982.

Rs 50 b outstanding in government accounts

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 28 - The unsettled accounts of government ministries and offices better known as ‘beruju’ has reached a whopping Rs. 50 billion and there is no indication that the figure will drop any time soon.

"Every year the figure and percentage of unsettled amount is increasing and not much is being done to control that," Auditor General Bishnu Bahadur K.C said while briefing the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on the annual report published by his office.

According to the annual report of the Auditor General, the amount of such accounts has reached Rs. 50,256,934,000 -- an amount which is over half the annual fiscal budget of the nation. And this figure does not include the accounts of government corporations, agencies and government-owned enterprises.

Most of these amounts are advance drawn by individuals or organisations from government ministries and offices and never bothering to show the receipts for the work and settling it with the accountant.

This year’s unsettled accounts alone stands at Rs. 7.24 billion of which Rs. 2.4 billion is amount paid out as advance and not settled in time. The amount includes Rs. 128 million paid out as advance to government employees.

On the brighter side, the committee formed to settle these outstanding accounts has managed to settle as much as Rs. 3.55 billion worth of accounts from 10 ministries.

During his three-hour address to PAC, K.C said that despite limited resources and manpower, his office has managed to audit accounts totalling Rs. 103.5 billion. However it still has a lot more to deal with.

"We still don’t have a clear picture of where we stand in terms of foreign grants and loans and its payment and spendings," K.C said, stressing that the process needed to be improved immediately.

K.C said an analysis done by his office showed that in the past six years, the fluctuating foreign exchange and the devaluation of the Nepalese rupee has increased the loan liability by at least an average of 16.31 per cent.

"We need to change our ways and negotiate with donor agencies like the World Bank that has continued to invest in Nepal on paying back the loans in local currency," he said, adding that the money could be deposited on a rupee account and the World Bank can spend that money to finance other new ventures in the country.

The report also says that though for the past three years the ministries and concerned agencies have been repeatedly asked to furnish details on agreements signed with foreign donors, they have not shown any serious concern on the matter.

In May this year, PAC had asked the government ministries and public enterprises to make reforms in its budgetary and financial process.

The Finance Ministry had been asked to regularly provide details of all the foreign aid received including grant assistance and loans to the parliament and have the amount received and spent audited by the Auditor General’s Office.

All the government ministries had also been asked to bring changes and strictly follow the financial regulations when purchasing, constructing or appointing consultants. They have been asked to comply with the law that requires these processes to go through competition and tender when purchasing goods and services, construction of projects and appointing consultants or firms.

The government has also been asked to draft a clear policy on appointing consultants that would specify on the service, facility and appointment of these consultants. The government in the past has drawn much criticism for failing to minimize the use of foreign consultants in projects. The cost of hiring these consultants have cost these projects between three to 30 per cent of the total budget.

Floods, landslide claim 128 lives

KATHMANDU, Aug 28 (PR) - Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains have claimed at least 128 lives across the country since this year’s monsoon started in June, according to latest data made available by the Home Ministry.

Similarly, about a dozen persons are still missing, the Ministry said, adding that the natural calamities have damaged property worth Rs 46.5 million, affecting a total of 8,896 families in different regions of the country.

A total of 1,310 houses have been ravaged in these regions, according to the Ministry.

The most affected districts include Tanahu, Lamjung, Kaski, Ilam, Dolakha, Darchula and Bajura. Monsoon floods and landslides claimed 57 lives in these districts. The highest toll came from Tanahu, where 15 people lost their lives and 46 animals were killed.

Min Bahadur Chhetri, a senior officer at the Ministry claimed that relief materials worth Rs 14.15 million have already been dispatched through District Natural Disaster Relief Committees to aid the victims.

At least 209 people lost their lives during last year’s monsoon.

Flashfloods and landslides leave trails of destruction in both the mountains and the plains of the country every monsoon. On an average some 350 people fall prey to the monsoon-related natural calamities in Nepal each year.

Experts working on mitigation of flood-related disasters say that the monsoon’s fury - floods and landslides - is the "second largest killer after epidemics" in Nepal.

NC rebels still dissatisfied over ‘deal’

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 28 - A group of ruling Nepali Congress (NC) MPs who launched a signature campaign earlier this month are still not satisfied with the outcomes of Sunday’s "agreement" reached between the two warring senior leaders.

The disgruntled lawmakers today held a meeting at the contact office of former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in New Baneshwor. The MPs are dissatisfied chiefly because the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala did not agree on the major demand--that Koirala relinquish one of the positions he is holding-- put forward by the rebels.

The demand was not discussed during the "dinner meeting" between Koirala and Bhattarai camp at Prime Minister’s official residence at Baluwatar yesterday.

The newest deadlock in the ruling party that lasted for around three weeks had come to an end after yesterday’s meeting. The two leaders were said to have reached a truce at the meeting. Prime Minister Koirala, according to NC Spokesman Narahari Acharya, agreed to reshuffle the CWC and cabinet and postpone the general convention of the party for three months. The other demands were neither discussed nor agree upon.

The rebels’ demands are that Koirala should opt out from one of the two chief positions he is holding and that he should not contest for the post of party presidentship during the party’s general convention -- have not yet been agreed upon by the Prime Minister. They have also demanded that Koirala appoint former Prime Minister Deuba to the position of acting party president, but Koirala has not conformed to the demand either.

NC spokesperson Narahari Acharya yesterday said that the meeting between the two beleaguered leaders and their respective supporters at the Prime Minister’s official residence in Baluwatar yesterday did not discuss on the demand of "one position one post".

According to one of the dissatisfied MPs who was present at Deuba’s office today, they have urged the former Prime Minister to seek ways to make the Koirala camp agree to all their demands and that the agreement reached between the two old leaders is "not agreeable". "We will meet again tomorrow to discuss the outcomes and how to go ahead with our demands," said the MP.

The NC CWC is meeting tomorrow morning to discuss the outcomes of the agreement between the two leaders. According to NC insiders the meeting will try to find ways to materialise the agreements.

It is learned that the cabinet as well as the party’s Central Working Committee (CWC) will be reshuffled only after the Prime Minister returns from New York. Koirala is going to attend United Nations General Assembly scheduled for later this week.

On Saturday, the Prime Minister declared that he would not relinquish any of the two positions he is in and would agree on all other demands put forth by the anti-Koirala camp.

Around 50 MPs launched a signature camp against the Prime Minister earlier this month, led by the stalwarts of anti-Koirala camp. The signature campaign had led to dismissal of Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka from the cabinet.

Locals protest against abattoir

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 28 - A contract signed between Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and Nepal Slaughter House Pvt Ltd to make a slaughter house in the capital city appears to be a distant dream as locals continue to be up in arms against the move.

The contract aimed at supplying healthy meat products to the city’s over 1 million people was formally signed five months ago.

Uncertainty loomed large after locals of the Buddha Bari, Hyumat tol took to the streets protesting the move, shouted slogans and literally chased Kathmandu Mayor Keshav Sthapit away. Sthapit had gone to Hyumat on Sunday to officially lay the foundation stone of what KMC claims will be the city’s first hygenic slaughter house.

The locals had foiled KMC officials similar bid on June 25.

Locals said the community did everything it could to drive away the mayor and his company by showing placards and burning tyres, to name a few, despite the presence of KMC security and policemen.

Rajesh Shahi, 27, a local of Buddha Bari, Hyumat of KMC ward no 12, said locals fear that the project could pollute the area. "The project itself is not bad but since this is a densely populated area, we asked KMC to take away this slaughter house project to somewhere in outskirts," he said.

However, the area is being used as an open slaughter ground for the last five years or so. According to some locals, over two dozen buffalos are slaughtered every morning.

The proposed site lies north of Bishnumati bridge linking Teku with Kalimati and is inhibited mainly by squatters.

KMC Executive Officer Hari Prasad Rimal said the locals were divided over the pros and cons. He claimed, "Those who opposed had vested interests otherwise they could not oppose the offer of a World Food Organization standard slaughter house."

According to him, Mayor Sthapit subsequently invited both sides for talks, but to no avail. "Around 50 people attended the meeting but it went chaotic and ended without a concrete solution," he added.

KMC and Nepal Slaughter House Pvt Ltd, owned by Ratna Shahi, reached a deal on April 5, 1999 on condition that the second should pay Rs 3.5 million annually in royalty to KMC for using the land. The proposed slaughter house facilitates slaughter of 100 buffalos daily.

Proper assessment of the 1950 Treaty urged

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 28 - Foreign policy experts today called for proper assessment of the 1950 Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Nepal and India.

Referring to the then fluid situation in the Indian sub-continent, Yadav Kant Silwal, former Secretary General of SAARC said, "At that time the 1950 Treaty helped protect Nepal’s sovereignty, although the Treaty may be outdated now."

"In Nepal’s interest, both India and China will have to be stable and prosperous," said Silwal, "only then there will be no feeling of superiority complex between the two neighbours and consequently no problem."

Speaking about SAARC, Silwal said that it is a forum which was formed to create bonhomie and feeling of equality between all the seven member nations - Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - in South Asia, irrespective of the type of government prevalent in them.

When SAARC was formed following the Dhaka Summit in December 1985, both Pakistan and Bangladesh were governed by dictators. India reportedly stalled the 11th SAARC Summit in Kathmandu, citing military take-over in Pakistan last year.

Silwal stressed on having a candid and honest dialogue with India on solving all the thorny bilateral issues between Nepal and India.

"All the provisions in the 1950 Treaty cannot be painted with the same brush," said Shailendra Kumar Upadhyay, former foreign minister. "There are many good provisions too for Nepal." "Too much of narrow politics has not allowed a consensus on nation’s polity," added Upadhyay.

As an example of the lack of consensus among the political parties in Nepal, Upadhyay mentioned Nepal Gameplan which was released by an Indian magazine, showing many Nepalis in poor light. "From PM to the Leader of the Opposition to leaders of other parties, everyone told me they would issue a joint statement condemning the report. Where is it?" asked Upadhyay.

They were speaking at a talk programme on Nepal’s non-aligned foreign policy and its effectiveness organised by Kantipur News Club.

Both Silwal and Upadhyay said that the huge disparity in the development of Kathmandu and other parts of the country have given rise to insurgency. "Where is the government’s initiative on solving Maoist insurgency?" said Upadhyay.

"National interest should dictate foreign policy," said Harsha Narayan Dhaubadel, former ambassador to India. "Common interests should be found out in a diverse country like Nepal."

Former minister Nilambar Acharya said a lot of hue and cry is raised about India cheating Nepal on water sharing and hydropower but still "we should enter into agreement with India time and again on these two things".

Out of jail and wants to live in jail again...

By a Post Reporter

RAJBIRAJ, Aug 28 - People normally do not return to prison after they are released. But a hapless young woman in this Terai district had no other choice but to return to the same old prison where she spent five years of her prime youth.

Bhetani Devi Chaudhary, 26, of Triyuga Municipality-10 returned to Saptari jail recently after she was ostracized by her husband and parents. Chaudhary was recently released from the prison after she served five year term for attempted murder of her own 11-month-old daughter.

But when she reached her home, her husband Durga Nanda, who has now married a second wife while she was in jail, kicked her out of the house. Eventually, she went to her parents for refuge. But they too behaved the same as her husband.

"I have no option than to come back," Chaudhary who can be seen strolling around Rajbiraj jail here said. "I was innocent but they (family members) made me a convict."

Being renounced by her own near and dear ones, the only shelter she could think of was the jail where she spent five years as a convict. Now, she says, she wants to spend rest of her life in jail.

Officials at the jail were left helpless at first on where to accommodate her. But now they have managed to find a temporary shelter for her outside the prison, says jailor Hom Nath Khatri.

Chaudhary was sentenced to life imprisonment with confiscation of all her property by the District Court in 1995. Even the Appellate Court had approved the verdict of its subordinate court.

She, however, did not lose her patience and appealed at the Supreme Court, which reviewed the judgement of the lower courts and reduced the punishment only for five years considering her under age status.

CPN-UML Rapti raps Maoists

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Aug 28 - Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) Rapti Zonal Committee strongly denounced Maoists today alleging them of abducting and torturing six of their cadres in the mid western districts.

Rapti Zonal Committee has also demanded immediate release of the captives and threatened to take drastic action if their whereabouts and condition was not made public.

Maoists have abducted four of its party workers from Rukum district Friday, Central Committee member of Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist Leninist) and in-charge of Rapti Zonal Committee Shankar Pokharel said. They have already abducted one cadre from Rukum and one from Salyan in the past.

Nuwakot VDC Chairman and UML worker Kebal Prasad Sharma was abducted by Maoist guerrillas on Friday when he was on his way to Dang from his VDC. Likewise, UML workers Lokendra Bishwakarma, Rajesh Hamal, Kamal BC were also abducted on the same day and their whereabouts is not known yet, according to Pokharel.

Bishwakarma was area member of Muktisamaj, an affiliate of UML, while Hamal was district committee member of National Democratic Youth Association. BC was a member of All Nepal National Students’ Union, student wing of UML.

"Since Maoists could not increase their influence in Nuwakot VDC, one of the UML strongholds, they abducted our workers," Shankar Pokharel said. The Maoists, who talked about starting united struggle against Girija’s "fascist regime" and demand humane treatment of the political detainees, have shown their true nature by settling political score with the UML, he added.

Maoists have already killed 17 UML workers in Rapti Zone alone, abducted six in the mid west region, and beaten thousands of its workers, according to a press release of the UML Rapti Zonal Coordination Committee.

"Chairman of Harjung VDC, Rolpa district, Shiva Shankar Pun is still in the captivity of Maoists since last February. He is being tortured and used as a porter by Maoists. Whereabouts of Bishnu Giri of Salyan Kalagaon has not been disclosed by the Maoists even after one year of his abduction, the release said.