National Unity Day observed

- By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, Jan 11 - Prominent personalities converged here to observe National Unity Day today called on the youths across the country, regardless of their caste and creed, to  unite so as to consolidate democratic system in the country.

National Unity Day which every year marks the birth anniversary of Nepal’s Founder King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great was observed all over the country  with various programmes today.

Late King Shah, who ruled the Kingdom of Gorkha in western Nepal during the second half of the 18th century united the country’s dozens of small scattered states into one Kingdom. He had said, “Nepal, sandwiched between two big neighbours, China and India (a yam between two boulders), is a common garden where four castes and 36 sub-castes blosoom forth”.

Speaking at a National Unity Day programme organised here Tuesday by Matribhumi Sewak Sangh (Motherland Servants’ Association), Minister for General Administration Siddha Raj Ojha stressed that youths from Mechi to Mahakali zones, regardless of their caste and race, need to be united for the betterment of democratic system.

Stating that today’s youths have not been able to understand their duties and responsibilities, the Associaiton’s youth member, Sanjay Shrestha blamed gurdians for “failing to guide” their children properly.

Dr Rishi Ram Shrestha and other prominent personalities expressed their views at the function chaired by the Association chairman Bindhu Lal Shrestha.

Cultural show for children

KATHMANDU, Jan 11 (PR)- Around 500 children today enjoyed the cultural show performed by Pariwartan group, an NGO dedicated to    raise awareness through cultural programmes, on the occasion of National Unity Day.

The programme, Millennium Feast for the Deprived Children, organised by Pariwartan Nepal was intended to make the children feel special on the occasion of the millennium and the National Unity Day.

Children from the Child Workers in Nepal (CWIN) performed a street play. Pariwartan and trainees of the group performed various cultural programmes here. Children from various orphanages in Kathmandu and from the streets took part on today’s programme. Twenty-seven street children   participated in the feast today.

NEA stops power supply to defaulters

-By a Post Reporter

KAVRE, Jan 11 -   The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has stopped the supply of electricity to District Education Office, District Post Office and Khopasi Range Post of the District Forest Office since Dec. 31, 1999.

According to the Section Chief of NEA Ajay Dahal, the action was taken against the defaulting offices only.   He also said NEA would not stop the supply of District Police Office which also houses District Jail and District Administration Office which paid the dues worth Rs 53,000. He said NEA would not disconnect some other defaulters who have agreed to pay the outstanding amount within the next few days.

Maoist students demand release of 12 activists

KATHMANDU, Jan 11 (PR)- All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union (Revolutionary), the student wing of underground Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), has demanded the release of their 12 activists who were recently arrested by the police.

According to the press release issued by ANNISU (Revolutionary) today, all of the activists were arrested while campaigning for the Union’s 15th national convention at Mahottari, Bhaktapur and Nepalgunj. The announcement of the Union’s convention was made two months ago.

Govt for women empowerment

KATHMANDU, Jan 11 (PR)- The government will be formulating policies and programmes for the empowerment of women soon, said Minister for Industries Omkar Prasad Shrestha today.

Speaking at an installation and award distribution ceremony jointly organized by the Patan Lady Jaycees (PLJ) and the Patan Junior Jayceettes (PJJ), Minister Shrestha also appealed support from all individuals to make the planned programme successful.

Speaking at the function, Mayor of Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan Buddi Raj Bajracharya said the Jaycees can play the role in eradicating various social aberrations and uplift women.

Apart from awarding outstanding members of the Jaycees, a swearing-in ceremony was also held for new presidents of PLJ and PJJ Keshari Bajracharya and Pooja Sharma respectively.

Literary society constituted

BHAKTAPUR, Jan 11 (PR)- A literary society comprising young and enthusiastic litterateurs from Bhaktapur has been formed here recently following a meet.

Formed with the objective to promote Nepali literature in the new millennium, the Bhaktapur Literary Society will hold poetry symposiums and other literary activities in the district on a regular basis. It plans to hold a literary meet on the last Saturday of every month.

The Society has Kasi Ram Biras and Bipin Banepali as coordinator and member secretary, while the members include Rajendra Basnet, Amrit Dahal (Bhadgaunle), Nimesh Adhikary, Purushottam Lamichhane and Pawan Raj Timilsina, according to a press release issued here today. The Society’s upcoming programme - a poetry symposium - is scheduled on February 12.

Kerosene shortage continues in Morang

-By a Post Reporter

MORANG, Jan 11 - Kerosene shortage continues to affect the residents of Morang district as its smuggling into India has    further increased.

Though the government has decided to supply kerosene to the bordering district as much the quantity it had supplied in the past, people have not been able to meet their demand of kerosene because it is costlier in India than in Nepal.

The stock of kerosene with the Eastern Regional Office of Nepal Oil Corporation is double this year than that of last year. However, people are scrambling for kerosene because of its supply to India through smugglers,  regional manager of the corporation, Ramesh Koirala told The Kathmandu Post.

It is stated that 150 thousand litres of kerosene is consumed by the eastern region. The corporation has made arrangement for selling kerosene from every petrol pump providing it in drums.

The corporation has suspected that kerosene is being smuggled out to India from every point of Nepal because it has been found that most of the people standing in queue for buying kerosene are Indian citizens.

It is found that the Indian people who buy the kerosene by standing in queue carry the  kerosene to India and sell it at higher price.

Chief of Rani Customs Lal Bahadur Chhetri has informed that

customs security staff have been deployed to control smuggling of kerosene.

The Oil Corporation has requested the police and local administration to control smuggling of kerosene. The Chief District Officer Tulsi Prasad Bhattarai has appealed to all sections of society to help control smuggling of kerosene.

People of Morang are compelled to buy kerosene for cooking food at a cost of 20 to 25 rupees per litre.

Himali people take shelter in Terai

-By a Post Reporter

MORANG, Jan 11 - People of the high Himalayan regions  have been moving to warmer southern regions to protect themselves from cold after the onset of snowfall.

Some people have arrived in Morang district along with various medicinal herbs to carry out small trade. Norbu Bhote Lama who arrived from Kimathangka of Sankhuwasabha district said since it was too cold at Kimathangka in winter, they are habituated to come to the Terai districts every winter to save themselves from extreme cold.

According to Norbu, 75 percent of the residents of Kimathangka, Hatiya, Makalu and Chyapu VDCs move to the warmer Terai regions in winter to protect themselves from cold.

The place which experiences snowfall is very cold and there is no agricultural crop. Therefore sitting there does not help anyone earn his livelihood, Norbu added.

Apu Sherpa of Hatiya VDC says the people of the high mountain area carry medicinal herbs and other rare objects  and support themselves during the winter in the Terai districts by engaging themselves in selling these items.

He added that the people of their village stay in their native village for six months and stay outside the village in warm areas for the rest of the year. There are no agricultural activities and chances of survival is dim during these cold months. They cannot even engage in pastoral activities, which is their main occupation though they also produce some crops like maize and potato, he added.

Thuli Sherpeni of Kimathangka said they have arrived here to protect themselves from cold. They are earning 50 to 60 rupees a day by selling medicinal herbs as their livelihood. She has brought her two children along with her and plans to teach them to sell the medicinal herbs. “There are very few schools and they do not open in winter. Therefore I have brought my children along with me to protect them from cold,” she added.

Rally against price hike held

BHAKTAPUR, Jan 11(PR) - Around 150 activists from the Socialist Movement Nepal (SOMON) rallied through the medieval city here raising public awareness against the present government’s decision to raise price of diesel,kerosene and daily necessary commodities among others.

 The rally started in Sukul Dhoka and advanced through Nashmani Tole, Nyathapole, Golmadi, Dattatreya, Suryamani and ended at Chyamsing breaking into mass gatherings at various public points. Protest songs based on the tune of popular Nepali numbers were also chanted. “Nepali Congress has been propagating poverty alleviation as its main agenda during its nine years in government. Still it has gifted the general public nothing but price rise,” said Central Coordinator of SOMON Shyam Shrestha at the protest rally today. “The government has acted on the direction of donor agencies without caring for local people here.” Talking to The Kathmandu Post, he said such awareness programmes as the one held today has been held in Kirtipur and Kathmandu. SOMON plans to hold it in Lalitpur some time next week.

The government had decided to hike the prices of diesel by 48 percent, kerosene by 23 percent and electricity by an average 27.64 percent fuelling spiral in the price of essential commodities  since Oct last year.

Govt collects data on deforestation

-By a Post Reporter

DHANGADHI, Jan 11 - Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Mahant Thakur has informed that the government was collecting data about the deforestation and encroachment on forest.

He informed that special programmes would be launched in particularly sensitive places including Kailali.

Speaking at the Meet the Press programme organised by Nepal Journalists Federation Minister Thakur admitted that the pace of encroachment on forest has increased due to political pressure.

Replying to a question, he said the government had not made preparations to reserve the forest area to the north of the East West Highway in Kailali up to Chure Hills. He informed that expansion of Royal Bardiya National Park in Bardiya and Royal  Shuklaphanta National Park in Kanchanpur had already started.

The Commission for Resolving the Problems of Landless Squatters will not be allowed to hand over any forest land illegally encroached by people to the landless people under any circumstances, the Minister said.

Earlier, the TCN Employees’ Association Kailali unit submitted a memorandum to the minister drawing his attention to the fate and problems of 950 employees of the corporation.

A social worker Satya Raj Paneru alleged   that deforestation was widespread in the district with the complicity of different government offices including Forest Office, District Administration, Police and Special Police.