Greetings

KATHMANDU, July 5 (RSS) - As commanded by His Majesty the King, Chief of the Royal Household Sardar Sharada Prasad Pradhan went to the residence of American Ambassador Ralph Frank at Kamal Kunj, Kamaladi and extended best wishes on behalf of His Majesty on the occasion of the 224th Independence Day of the United States of America.

Talks held

KATHMANDU, July 5 (RSS) - Nepal-India Home Secretary level talks began here today. Home Secretary Padam Prasad Pokherel is leading the Nepalese delegation at the talks while the Indian side is led by Indian Home Secretary Kamal Pandey. The Home Secretary level talks between the two countries is being held after a span of two years.

The three-day talks will evaluate the achievement of the decisions taken at earlier meetings and hold discussion on various other issues.

Indian Home Secretary Pandey arrived here yesterday.

House endorses budget PM defends expenses on security

-By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 5 - The House of Representatives today endorsed the fiscal budget for the year 2000/2001 over a month after it was presented by the government.

In a voice vote, the lawmakers endorsed the Appropriation Bill by a majority in the House. With the Nepali Congress (NC) holding control over half the votes in the House, it was no surprise that the Lower House endorsed the Bill. Now the Bill moves to the National Assembly, the Upper House, before it is sent to the Palace for Royal Assent.

The present government had presented the fiscal budget estimates at least a month and half earlier than in the past years to be able to get the budget through parliament by the time the fiscal year begins on July 16.

Previously, the budget estimates used to be presented around the second week of July and when the fiscal year ended, the government borrowed money through the Accounts Bills and ran the administration until the actual Appropriation Bill sailed through the parliament.

During discussion on the Appropriation Bills, lawmakers discussed the budget allocated through all the 21 ministries and the ministers furnished replies to queries and concerns raised by the members. Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, keeping in mind the time constraint, rushed through the debate. He even called the session on Saturdays and Sundays and gave the members no time to rest.

All the 41 proposals presented by members of the opposition seeking to have Rs. 100 deducted from the budget of different ministries were all, as expected, denied by the House in the voice vote when members in favour of the proposal shouted "yeah" and the opposers shouted "nay". These proposals for reduction are symbolic protests by the opposition members.

Before the voting on the Bill, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala reiterated the government’s stand that it would bring corruption under control, ensure good governance and maintain peace and security as its main priority.

"The government has continued to hold open and sincere dialogue and discussions with the opposition parties by reaching understanding on issues related to these three commitments," Prime Minister Koirala said.

Diverting the limited resources available for development work for maintaining peace and security would effect the pace of development in the country but at the same time there can be no alternative to making peace and security the main agenda of the government, Koirala said defending the government’s increment in the budget for police and security purposes in the budget this year.

"The budget has been allocated to each of the ministries as per the requirement and no unnecessary amount has been allocated to the ministries, secretariats and offices," Koirala said.

Referring to the allegations that the Central Development Region was getting a big chunk of the budget while other areas were being discriminated against, Koirala said that since the capital Kathmandu were in the region, many of the projects concerning health and education were centralized and the budget needed to be allocated here.

On reforms of the administration, he said the government has begun to review and scrap corporations, committees, councils, Boards and commissions that are not functional, unnecessary or are duplicated in function.

With the fiscal budget out of the way, the Lower House will now begin to take up discussions on the Bills that have long been on the pipeline.

Dr Lohani sworn in UML moves Supreme Court

KATHMANDU, July 5 (PR) - Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Vice Chairman Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani today was sworn in as the latest member of the House of Representatives, the Lower House of parliament, by Speaker Taranath Ranabhat.

Dr. Lohani who has been elected in all previous elections of the post-democracy years was declared winner by a Special Court by just one vote in a recount of votes last week from Nuwakot-1, ousting CPN-UML’s Rajendra Prakash Lohani from the seat that he had been declared winner in the last general elections.

With the turn in situation, RPP now has 12 members in the Lower House while the main opposition CPN-UML’s strength has dropped to 68.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML’s Lohani today filed a petition at the Supreme Court re-appealing against the decision reached by the Special Election Court.

Talking to reporters after the swearing-in ceremony, Dr. Lohani said he will begin his job on Thursday. "Parliament is not just a place where the government is formed but also a place that checks on the activities of the government," Lohani said.

After the ceremony, RPP Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa held a special ceremony at the party’s office in the parliament premises. "The court has finally done us justice. He (Dr. Lohani) deserves to be truly congratulated," Thapa said.

CPN-UML had tried to stall the swearing-in today requesting that it be held only after the case is decided by the Supreme Court. But Speaker Ranabhat decided to go ahead to comply with the Special Election Court’s decision.

Speaker Ranabhat reportedly told the protesting CPN-UML members that it was their right to go to court and reappeal but at the same time it was his duty to comply with the verdict and there was no political motives behind the move.

This is the first time that such a situation has a risen in the decade-long parliamentary system in the country.

Speaker Ranabhat had sought help from political leaders and legal advisors and the Election Commission to resolve the situation since there were no provision specified in the regulations about how to proceed ahead when the court rejects an elected member and decides in favour of another candidate.

US company invited to develop Arun III

-By Surendra Phuyal

KATHMANDU, July 5 - The government is in the process of inviting an American power company to develop the 402 MW Arun III hydel project, State Minister for Water Resources Ram Bahadur Gurung said today.

"Very soon we will send them a letter," Gurung told The Kathmandu Post. "The process required for the construction works will start after they visit us within a month after receiving the letter."

Gurung’s statement comes a day after Water Resources Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka informed the House of Representatives that the government had accepted a private sector proposal for construction of Arun III.

Sources at the Ministry of Water Resources said the government accepted the proposal of the US-based Euro Orient Company after rejecting the proposals of ASTQ Holdings Corporation, Canada, and Sushashan Power Company, Nepal.

Deputy Director General (DDG) at the Department of Electricity Development, Bishnu Bahadur Thapa, also a member of the evaluation committee formed by the Ministry to look into the proposals, said the company has assured of "smooth financing" of the multi-billion dollar project.

Detailed design works and feasibility studies of the run-of-river hydel project, which will be one of Nepal’s biggest hydel projects when completed, had been completed in 1993. So much so that the project’s tender processes were already underway. But the then-government was forced to abort it after the World Bank, which had supported it for 10 years, pulled out in 1995.

DDG Thapa added that the Euro Orient Company officials on their visit to Kathmandu will apply for a licence to develop the project. The Company will obtain the licence only after depositing Rs 40 million.

In 1993, the project cost had been put at about US$ 10 million. "But the project cost may go up this time," Thapa said, hinting at devaluation of the Nepali rupee against the dollar, rising prices of construction materials, heavy equipment and manpower.

Officials at the Ministry say that the project will be completed after 10 years "if Euro Orient Company can smoothly sort out the Arun III’s Power Purchase Agreement with India on time". Arun III is one of the 11 projects in the country, the feasibility studies of which have already been conducted. The Ministry has also accepted private sector proposals for power development of 10 other projects.

As per the 11 projects for which the Ministry called proposals to carry out feasibility studies, only seven companies came up with proposals this time, according to officials.

Tight security at Birgunj customs

BIRGUNJ, July 5 (PR) - Security has been beefed up at the Nepal-India Customs posts in Birgunj to check the growing cross border irregularities, said police.

Police was compelled to tighten vigilance at the border posts due to the growing cases of abduction, unauthorised arms intrusions and other cross border crimes in the busy sub-metro and other parts of Parsa district, according to the District Police Office. "It is done to ensure the law and order situation in the district," said Superintendent of Police Krishna Lal Karmacharya. "If other districts bordering India follow our initiative, the cross border crimes could be substantially curbed."

Nepal, however, has a strong law regarding the cross border crime. If anyone is found sneaking into the country with unauthorised arms, the person gets two years of imprisonment. But due to lax security screening at the border posts the law hardly has any practical significance. Police estimates that one out of every 20 households and one out of every 50 persons in the district carry unauthorised arms, most for self-defence and rest for their vested interests. "Initially the locals complained of the new security arrangements," said DSP Karmacharya. "Soon when they realised that it was for their own safety, they welcomed it."

Kathmanduites need lessons on traffic

By Damakant Jayshi

KATHMANDU, July 5 - If the Valley Traffic Police could have their way, they would like to give lessons to Kathmanduites on traffic rules. They would admit almost all, simply because nearly everyone qualifies automatically for these lessons by virtue of meeting the only qualification criterion - traffic rule violations.

Instances of rule violations are not hard to find. Pedestrians crossing roads from wherever they like; going across the roads right underneath the over-head bridges; motor cycles, autos, taxis, cars, buses and mini buses, violating the lane and red light rules; parking at ‘no parking’ zones; left lane overtaking; and extreme, but of late "increasing cases of drunken driving".

There are two other instances of traffic violations - pillion riders travelling on two-wheelers without the mandatory helmet and non-use of seat belts in cars. According to Rule 130 (sub-rules 1 and 2) of Transport Management Act, 1992, it is mandatory to put on seat belts for those occupying the front seats and for both the riders of two-wheelers to wear helmets. In case of non-compliance, a traffic policeman can impose a fine for violations (Rule 164 1-n).

Traffic police have not enforced this rule. What is the cause of their reluctance to follow the rule book?

"At present our priority is on cases of drunken driving and violations of lane and red light signal," says a Deputy Superintendent of Police at the Valley Traffic Police Office (VTPO). "Due to lack of man power we cannot afford to launch as many enforcement drives as we would have liked," he says.

The DSP also stresses on raising awareness of the people on the need to maintain traffic rules for their own safety.

A trip along the roads of the Kathmandu Valley gives one the impression that, if left to people, compliance of safety standards would remain only a pipe dream, if not for ever, then, at least for a long time to come. But till then, there may be more avoidable injuries, some of which could be fatal.

The police file shows there have been 153 recorded accidents during the present fiscal year, of which cars (57) and motor cycles (28) alone constitute more than 50 percent.

During these same ten months 72 people lost their lives in accident. Fatal accidents involving motor cycles is 25, followed by buses (15) and pedestrians (11).

And the weekly figure ( 24th-30th June) provided by VTPO shows there were 39 road accidents. Altogether 1840 drivers were booked for various traffic offenses and 20 drivers were nabbed for drunken driving.

Admittedly, some of the laws are not enforceable overnight. Police cite some practical difficulties.

"We cannot enforce the mandatory use of seat belts all of a sudden as many old cars are without one," says VTPO’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Kumar Koirala. As for helmets for pillion riders, SSP Koirala says, "We are not ready as yet to enforce the law, but we are planning to do it soon."

Koirala adds, "There are many instances of a two-wheeler rider giving lift to an acquaintance who is obviously without a helmet." He agrees an extra helmet should be carried, as in India, UK and other Western countries.

After all, life of a pillion rider is as important as that of a motor cycle rider’s.

Koirala says there is an urgent need to have a regulation policy for import and registration of vehicles in place.

Especially, the unbridled registration of tempos needs a rethink, says Koirala. These vehicles not only slow down the traffic flow (they cannot go beyond 33 km/h) but also increase air pollution by causing a long queue behind them, coupled with their penchant to stop just anywhere they like, says Koirala. Besides, overturning of these three-wheelers has been reported of late.

However, Managing Director of Nepal Electric Vehicles Industry, Ashok Raj Pandey says since the police are unable to control the traffic, they are blaming the tempos. He adds he could never go beyond 35 km/h by his car even when there were no tempos in the Valley.

As for overturning, he says he has heard about only two such instances. The reason for traffic snarls is double parking of buses and their indiscriminate stoppage just about anywhere, adds Pandey.

Whatever the case, there is a need to comply with road safety standards and smooth flow of vehicles in the Valley.

Long-term population control plan stressed

KATHMANDU, July 5 (PR) - A long-term and comprehensive plan on population control is essential to realize goals of development, experts emphasized here today.

"It is rather imperative to formulate long-term policies to check the alarming rate of population growth in our country," said Dr Bal Kumar K.C., Head of the Central Department of Population Studies, Tribhuvan University.

At a seminar organised jointly by Ministry of Population and Environment (MOPE) and Population Association of Nepal(PAN), Dr K.C said there was a need for "integrated approach" of different ministries to grapple the multi-dimensional problem of population growth. "There is a severe lack of coordination among ministries in our country. It is reflected in their haphazard performance," KC said.

Presenting a working paper, Kanaiya Mathema, an economics teacher at Tribhuvan University, outlined the relationship between population and environment with a focus on existing imbalance between demand and supply of forest products.

Owing to the government’s policy of resettlement in Terai, the increasing number of hill-migrants has exerted tremendous pressure on forestland. "Current population growth and migration rate suggest the land base in rural Terai will reach saturation in about 15 years (EPC, 1993)," Mathema said.

A more rational and efficient spatial distribution of national population, along with adequate infrastructure in sparsely populated areas, would contribute to slowing down the overall population growth of the country, experts said.

Large investment needed in education

-By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 5 - Nepal’s education sector is in need of large investment for it to bring about profound changes in society by developing human resources, said an educationist here today.

Speaking at an interaction programme on "Rethinking Secondary Education - Meeting the Needs of the Twenty-first Century Youth" organised here today by Saraswati Teacher’s Resource, Research and Training Centre (STRC), Vice-Chancellor of Kathmandu University Suresh Raj Sharma said that "private schools and colleges are better than public ones because there is optimum utilisation of resources in private schools".

"Ways have to be explored to increase the efficiency of our government-run educational institutions," he added, expressing deep concern on the status of such institutions. "We have to concentrate more on improving our public institutions rather than attacking private ones."

Social activist Dr. Arjoo Rana-Deuba said political influence in the education sector has deteriorated the situation of the country more than anything else.

"Politics has to be kept out of the education system," she said. "For any distortions in the sector, solution has to be sought in a non-political way," she stressed.

Speaking on the occasion, Deuba said that the youth have never figured seriously in any government policy or programme in Nepal.The need of the hour is to develop self esteem in our youth, self-confidence and a ‘can do attitude’, said Deuba.

There is a need to change the present curriculum and we need to bring in appropriate technology and non-formal methods in our schools, said STRC President Dr. Rajendra K. Rangoon.

Zhau Nanzhou, acting chief of Bangkok-based Asia Pacific Centre for Innovation for Education, UNESCO, stressed on the multiple role of education in social and personal development and as a tool of empowerment for poverty alleviation and social exclusion.

He said social and political investment into this sector produces good returns in the long run.

Referring to urban youth’s tendency to study and reside abroad, Rani Gurung Kakshapati, co-founder and vice-president of STRC said there is a lack of opportunities for the young people in the country and "because of the poor quality of education young people will continue to leave".

Kakshapati stressed the need of the society has to be assessed and society should be provided with the sort of education that the society is in need of. "We can also be the facilitator for training, curriculum building and educational materials reform," she added.

Factories polluting Narayani

-By Narayan Sharma

NAWALPARASI, July 5 - Excess pollution from factories on the bank of the Narayani river here has endangered the lives of those who depend on the river for their survival.

Factories located near the banks of the river dump harmful chemicals into the river causing serious threats to the dolphins, fishes, crocodiles and many other flora and fauna. Even the fishermen who depend upon the river are worried about their livelihood. There are at least 2000 fishermen in the Nawalparasi section of the river.

Jeet Bahadur Majhi,33, a local fisherman says that the fishes are deserting the river for safer habitats and this, in turn, has raised the profound issue of survival for him and many of his fellow fishermen. "We catch very few fishes now and that too mostly the sick ones," he laments. "Others have either abandoned the river or died. Those living here are on the verge of extinction. A day may come when the Narayani would be empty of fishes."

According to the fishermen, Bhrikuti Paper and Pulp Industries, Gorkha Brewery Limited, Sumi Distillery are some of the most polluting industries in the Narayani river region of the district.

The General Manager of the paper factory accepts that the factory was polluting the river. "It is because we don’t have the treatment plant to filter the pollutants before they are mixed in the river," he says. The Management of the other concerned factories couldn’t be contacted for their comments.

Moreover, the Chief of the Fishery Development Division Dr Deep Bahadur Swar maintains that the harmful chemicals drained into the river was also affecting the already endangered wild animals like the rhinos, elephants and tigers and rare species of birds inhabiting the Royal Chitwan National Park in the region.

Similarly, Chief at the Fishery Development Department, Bhairahawa, Bhagwat Chaudhary says the Narayani river fishes have shown symptoms of a fatal fish disease.

He warns that as the affected fish couldn’t be cured and hence consumed, immediate check to the pollution in the river is the only choice.