Schools facing problem

-By a Post Reporter

NUWAKOT, Jan 7 - Most of the secondary and higher secondary schools of Nuwakot district have opened after the revolutionary students supporting the Maoists locked the schools demanding that they should not collect fees beyond what the government has approved and to return the fees already collected by them.

The schools opened after the revolutionary students threatened the headmasters at night. The headmasters relented in an attempt to save their life.

However, it is found that the schools are facing various problems and are finding it difficult to function smoothly. On the one hand, the government has not provided teachers according to the quota of every school and on the other, they are not allowed to charge fees to the students which they need to pay for the teachers hired by them from their own resources.

Headmaster of Chhetrapal secondary school at Chaughada said the school had been charging fees to construct additional building for the last two years and the building has been already constructed by using the money. Even when this information was given to the revolutionary students they asked him to return the money and he had to spend his personal property for the school.

Following the problems faced by schools in smooth operation, an all-party meeting decided to hold parents’ day programmes and also send a delegation to the Ministry of Education to apprise the situation and find a long-term solution to the problem.

Spiritual workshop at Oshodham

KATHMANDU, Jan 7 (PR) - A ten-day spiritual workshop on Freedom from Depression is being organized at Oshodham Sauraha -- west of the capital -- starting Jan 14, says a press release issued here today by the Osho Foundation Nepal.

The release quotes Deputy Auditor General Basudev Lamichhane who says the workshop is going to be in favour of the nation as a whole apart from being useful to individuals suffering from depression. Lamichhane is also the President of Osho Foundation Nepal (OFN).

The Indian Institute of Yoga and Management (IIYM) Dr Sailendra Shekhar says inspite of much advancement in psychiatric medicines, we are still unable to help patients beyond a certain limit, the release adds.

The workshop is being organized by OFN, IIYM and Osho Maitreya Meditation Centre in Chitwan.

Disabled deprived of allowance

-By a Post Reporter

BIRGUNJ, Jan 7 - There are hundreds of disabled people in Birgunj but the government has not paid any amount of money as social security allowance to any of the disabled person of Birgunj.

The government earmarks five million rupees annually to distribute as social security allowance to disabled, widows over 60 years of age and elderly citizens over 75 years of age. As none of the disabled living here is getting the allowance, local disabled people think they are being discriminated.

This allowance is distributed to 206 widows and 124 elderly citizens of Birgunj city, according to Parsa DDC president Janardan Singh Chhetri.

Anti-liquor campaign ineffective

-By a Post Reporter

JAJARKOT, Jan 7 - The Second District Council of Jajarkot District Development Committee has recently decided to ban liquor at the district headquarters Challenge Bazaar but the effort seems to have just the adverse effect.

According to a local liquor seller, people fleeing the villages due to Maoist and police atrocities settled as liquor sellers at Challenge. "Why should they prefer other works while liquor business yields much profit in relation to labour and investment."

It is estimated that one out of every 50 people at Challenge is liquor trader. "One can hardly keep out of a non-alcoholic", says Hari Bahadur Basnet, a local social activist and teacher.

Liquor traders seem to cash on the anti-liquor campaign. They have now found a good excuse to sell liquor in heavy amount.

Entrepreneurs even resort to very unfair means. They use urea fertilizer and even different types of medicines for rapid- brewing of home-made alcohol. Liquor consumers themselves accept such liquor is damaging their health.

The District Agriculture Development Office maintains 20 percent of total edible grains of the district is consumed for alcohol production.

According to police, black marketing of liquor was out of control chiefly due to poor cooperation of the locals.

Flights affect news stalls in Khalanga

-By a Post Reporter

JAJARKOT, Jan 7 - Newspaper distributers in Khalanga, the headquarters of Jajarkot, a Maoist prone area, have closed down their news stalls as airplanes stopped transporting newspapers to the district.

Rajendra and Devendra Book stall of Khalanga had booked the Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC) flights for the transportation of papers after getting assurance from a paper stall in Jajarkot that the papers would be delivered. However, the thrice a week flights do not have any room left for newspapers, letters and documents as brokers hoard in industrial goods.

Madhav Khanal from the Kantipur Central office says the police are not allowing pro-Maoist papers in the area due to security reasons and they inspect all the packages. Some newspapers thus never reach the place.

According to the Kantipur Central office, newspapers since Dec 22 have not yet found a place in the airplanes despite booking space for them. Important letters and documents have not reached thus creating inconvenience.

Similarly, stranded passengers have become a common phenomenon in Chaurjahari as flights to Chaurjahari have been cancelled for the past few days.Only 3 out of 5 flights are flying in the area.