Floods play havoc in Syangja

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 6 - At least one woman died and two others have been injured including an eight-year-old girl as flood hits the western hill district of Syangja.

Floods and landslides have also damaged property worth millions of rupees and obstructed traffic and communication in several places across the country.

In Syangja, Devi Aryal of Khairak VDC-7 drowned in the Andhi river yesterday. She was returning to her house from her in-laws place. Her body was found 10 km down the river.

In another incident, Laxman Giri and his daughter Shobha, 8, both residents of Putalibazaar municipality, were seriously injured when landslide demolished their house on Tuesday. Both have been admitted to Regional Hospital, Syangja District Police Office said.

According to Shyam Prasad Shrestha, chairman of Syangja Industry and Commerce Association, floods also swept away bridges of Andhi river in Waling municipality- 4 and Raite river in Arjunchaupari-4.

Likewise, around 119 houses in Ward 2 and 4 Arjunchaupari, Syangja have been affected by landslides. Five families have been shifted elsewhere, said Dirgha Narayan Aryal, vice chairman of Arjunchaupari.

"There is presently no water supply and the floods washed away 2000 ropanies of cultivable land along with standing crops," Aryal said.

In Damauli, a medical team of doctors and veterinerians have been sent to flood-affected VDCs of Barchali, Risti,Bahunpokhara and Murlung to prevent the outbreak of epidemics, according to CDO Mod Raj Dotel.

Meanwhile, reports from Ilam said landslides have obstructed traffic in Maipokhari VDC-2, along the Mechi highway since yesterday morning.

According to Pitambar Badal, associate of Lama Construction in Ilam, they are jointly repairing the highway with the Department of Roads. "The highway will open by Friday evening," he added.

Reports from Birgunj said 50 percent of VHF telephone lines in Parsa are out of order due to rainfall and cloudy weather.Consequently, thousands of residents of 11 villages have been facing communication trouble.

VHF telephones operate from electricity or batteries.

The batteries are recharged in sun rays in areas without electricity.Every year , the locals have to do without phones for about three months, during monsoon, consumers said.

Official charged of irregularities

By a Post Reporter

BIRATNAGAR, July 6 - Officials at the District Irrigation Office (DIO), Sunsari today charged the office chief of employing an unauthorised person on a multi-million project.

DIO staff said Sugambar Yadav, chief of the office, has employed engineer KP Jha, former temporary staff at the DIO, on the Rs 3.35 million-Sunsari River Control Programme while other staff engineers are kept idle.

Yadav conceded that Jha has been hired but cited incompetency among other engineers as the cause for his recruitment. "The retired engineer (Jha) was given the responsibility of the control programme since other engineers (at DIO) are incompetent," he said.

He added Jha’s salary has been freezed for the last four months. He, however, did not elaborate why. Other officials allege that freezing his monthly salary won’t make any difference to Jha as he has been indulging in excess irregularities through the programme.

Yadav accepts the irregularities in the programme particularly in the purchase of wires and nets. "DIO is investigating the irregularities," he said.

Personalities honoured

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, July 6 - Three personalities were awarded here today for their outstanding contributions in the field of environment, art and culture.

Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel distributed awards to Huta Ram Vaidya, Nir Bikram Shah and Dr Shaphalya Amatya in a programme held to celebrate Environment Millennium 2000.

V G Vaidya, the chairman of Vaidyas Organisation and Trading Houses (VIOTH) said the organisation is establishing Toyota Trust, an NGO formed to preserve environment, and it will have a revolving fund of Rs 500,000. It also takes care of planting 5,000 saplings along the roads of the Kathmandu valley.

Ambassador of Japan Mitsuaki Kojima said that Japan is planning to launch various programmes to enhance traffic system, greenery and environment situation of Nepal. "Kathmandu must be environment-friendly as it is the gateway to the magnificent beauty of Nepal," he added.

Revealing his emotional relation to Nepal, the general manager of Toyota Motor Corp. A Okabe said it is very important to take care of the environment in cooperation with the government and the private sector.

VIOTH has constructed Nepali-style bus-stops and gardens along the road from Maitighar to the Tribhuwan International Airport. The programme was sponsored by Toyota and Himalayan Bank Limited.

Paper industries facing crisis

By Dharma Prasad Poudyal

PHUNGLING (Taplejung), July 6 - The local paper industries located in this remote district of Taplejung are facing closure due to the shortage of the raw material named "lokta".

This paper was being produced in the hilly areas of Nepal from ancient times from the bark of a vegetation called lokta by people at home and sold at the local market. Since it was found to be very durable and it was not eaten by insects this paper was in use in the government offices and courts with a view to keeping the records safe for a long time.

However, the 21 paper industries registered in the district are facing a crisis due to the shortage of raw materials, Chief of the District Forest Office Surya Kant Mishra told The Kathmandu Post.

A total of 21 paper industries were registered in this district and recommendations are coming in for registration of more industries. It was because lokta, the raw material for paper industry was found in plenty in 30 of the 50 VDCs in Taplejung district. A total of 18 thousand rupees worth of revenue was collected from lokta in the district last year.

The paper industries had given employment opportunity to more than 500 people and were earning more than 100 thousand rupees a year. The flowering season of this vegetation lasts from the month of Mangsir (November-December) to Baishakh (April-May). If this vegetation is collected before April or May its seed are not ripe and cannot be scattered on the ground. In that case there is no chance of germination of new shoots and consequently it will be extinct.

This is actually what is happening in this district as the entrepreneurs are not collecting lokta under their direct supervision. They must be aware of this situation before it is too late.

Another reason for its shortage is that local collectors are collecting lokta right from its roots to get more weight. When the vegetation is extracted right from its roots, it is natural that it will be extinct. This situation has resulted due to the fact that rural collectors of lokta are not aware of the gravity of what they are doing, Mishra added. Lokta collectors must be educated on the need to protect the seeds and roots by informing them about the harvesting time for the rejuvenation of lokta which is the source of their income. Entrepreneurs should make arrangement for formation of different groups of farmers and pocket areas for the expansion of this vegetation, Lokta exporter Khem Neupane said.