Police demolish four houses fearing Maoist attack

By a Post Reporter

JAJARKOT, Feb 27 -Four houses located in the vicinity of the police post at Dadagaon of Pajaru-7 were demolished by police fearing that the Maoist insurgents might attack the police post from behind these houses.

Police had rented the house belonging to Chandra Bahadur Giri at Dadagaon of Pajaru-7. They have demolished the new houses belonging to Vice-Chairman Kalu Ram Sharma, Rural Health Worker Anurup Giri and Khamche Giri.

Kalu Ram told The Kathmandu Post that he would file a case with the district administration and district council for destroying his house which had cost about 200 thousand rupees. He added that police had removed his family members from the house as he was attending district council and had demolished his house.

Anurup Giri said police pulled down his two houses which were both two-storeyed. One of them was located to the east of the police post and another to the south and there is no place for his family members to take shelter.

Khamche Giri also said he was busy in shifting goods of his house after police started demolishing his house. Therefore, he has yet to file his complaint at the district headquarters, he added.

VDC Chairman Lal Bahadur Mahatara said that police had demolished the four houses worth more than 400 thousand rupees and that the people concerned would seek compensation.

Chief District Officer Binod Khanal, in response to a query from this reporter, said he had received the oral complaint from the people concerned and he was looking into the incident while Deputy Superintendent of Police Govind Bahadur Shahi was not available to answer the query.

When the police completed demolishing the houses on Thursday, the police was amalgamated to the police post at Daha VDC and the police staff had to leave the police post the same night. Before leaving the police post, police killed a villager’s black cat which used to come to the police office frequently, fearing that it would prove to be a bad omen for them if they saw a black cat while departing, a local resident said.

Cyclist to highlight Nepali art

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 27 - Twenty four year old artist Govinda Prasad Shah “Azad” will begin an individual nationwide cycle rally from Monday to highlight the art of Nepal.

His rally, called the “21st century is the century of art and peace”, will range from the Mechi river in Eastern Nepal to Mahakali in far west Nepal.

In the process, he will display his paintings in various places such as Ilam, Biratnagar, Rajbiraj, Janakpur, Birgunj and Bharatpur.

The aim of the rally is to show how Nepali art has developed within the levels of historical montages and paintings derived from nature.

“I believe that historical paintings in   our country is still at an infancy. In my travels, I will paint the places I come in contact with. The reflection of a real Nepal needs to be rectified and portrayed in the modern canvass,” said Shah.

“Through painting, I hope to give the general public, I come in contact an identity of Nepal’s contemporary landscape.”

The project, costing just over Rs.100,000, has been   funded by himself and various artists. He will express his message of peace and art in over 350 schools and visit over 80 Village Development Communities.

Altogether, his target is to paint atleast 240 paintings in the course of the rally. Shah, who hails from Rajbiraj, also said that he would be meeting journalists during the length of his travels.

Local people request bank not to reduce its activities

By a Post Reporting

SINDHULIMADHI, Feb 27 - A meeting attended by office chiefs, businessmen, representatives of political parties on Friday decided to request the central office of Rastriya Banijya Bank to continue its transactions in Bhiman branch of the bank and not to shift the branch.

The branch has greatly reduced its banking activities in accordance with the order received from its central office in view of the threat posed by Maoist insurgents.

Participants of the all-party meeting said there was no threat from the Maoists because it was located at the second biggest bazaar of Sindhuli district and 100 metres from the police office.

The bank has significantly reduced its activities. Accordingly, they do not accept deposits exceeding 10 thousand rupees and have stopped changing Indian currencies, opening new accounts and issuing loans.

Consequently, people holding accounts in the bank are queuing up for withdrawing their money from the bank.

Ward Chairman of Kamalamai Municipality Dev Raj Poudel said the bank should not reduce its activities because many people would be deprived of the banking facilities.

Similarly, the branches of Rastriya Banijya Bank   located at Manpur of Dang district and Loham Bazar of Salyan district have been shifted elsewhere for security reasons.

According to a despatch from our reporter in Dang, the branch located at Manpur has been shifted to  Narayanpur Bazaar in Dang and the branch located at Loham Bazaar in Salyan district has been amalgamated with the branch in Dang Tulsipur.

Branch Manager Babu Ram Aryal said they intended to shift the branch located at Manpur even from the viewpoint of investment and loan recovery situation. They felt that the bank was insecure after the Maoist workers attacked the house of Amar Raj Sharma in Manpur, Aryal added.

Golden Jubilee of Annapurna's ascent to be marked

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 27 -  To mark the golden jubilee of the ascent of Annapurna, the Himalaya’s Racers Association of France and Mandala Trekking of Nepal are organising the Annapurna Mandala Trail between the 16th and 24th March.

Eight thousand metres high Annapurna was first climbed by the French climber Maurice Herzog in 1950. Since 1983, various countries have been informally participating in such trails.

“Running around the Annapurnas with the assistance of one’s backpack is the definition of the Annapurna Mandala Trail,” says Bruno Poirier, the founder of the Himalaya’s Racers Association.

The Annapurna Mandala Trail will start from Besi Sahar and end at Birethanti. It will cover a distance of 270 kms and reach alttitudes of 800 to 5400 metres. “ Ordinary trekers would require 17 days to cover this terrain. Therefore the trail will be a test of endurance and physical capacity of the participants,” said Padam Ghale, technical coordinator of the trail.

Out of the thirty runners who will take part in the race, only 3 will be Nepalese and 2 women.

A technical team and a light medical assistance will be provided by the Himalayan Rescue Association in collaboratiobn with Fishtail Air.  

'Magars facing threat to their identity’

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 27 - The Magars that once flourished throughout the nation now are slowly facing a threat to their identity due to their honest but servile behaviour, said Balaram Gharti Magar, memeber of the National Assembly of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) in a programme to mark the 18th anniversary of the Magar Society here today.

“Although we have always been honest and true, we have always been the followers, which has been the major drawback in being able to give a good identity to our society,” said Gharti Magar. “Education is the solution to this problem.”

Various personalities of the Magar society also expressed their views on the ways to preserve the society’s culture and status.

Personalities of the Magar society that have been awarded the Gurkha Dakshin Bahu Title were felicitated in the programme. Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police Dhalman Thapa Magar, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Lal Bahadur Thapa, Dr Harsha Bahadur Buda Magar were feliciatated. Sports-personalities of the Magar society who had won awards in the SAF Games were also felicitated.

The programme was organized by the Magar Social Service Centre of Lalitpur in collaboration with the Nepal Magar Society of   Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Nepal Magar Student Central Council and Sorathi Club Group.

Book on contribution of Ranas released

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 27 - The contribution of the Ranas has been significant even since democracy was established in 1951, according to a book on the genealogy of Kunwar Ranas released here.

The book includes profiles on educationaist Keshar Shamsher, Tribhuvan University Vice Chancellor Suvarna Shamsher, Field Marshal Rudra Shamsher, Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank Himalaya Shamsher and female pilot Rakshya Rana... the list is long and they are all pioneers in their respective fields.

“The book comes as an effort to revitalize the fact that the Ranas and the Kunwars belong to the same ancestral tree,” said Himalaya Shamsher Rana, General Manager of Panchayan Publications (PP) amid a function here yesterday. PP is also the publisher of the genealogy.

Speaking at the occasion, Chief Editor of Kantipur Yogesh Upadhaya said the book does not contain any prejudice and it could be useful to historians as well as those interested in Nepalese history.

The history of the Ranas dates back to the 13th century when Fakat Singh, a Rajput, immigrated to Nepal from Cittaud of India. It was only during the reign of King Surendra Bir Bikram Shah that the Kunwars officially got the title of Ranas in the country.