DRIVEN BY POVERTY : The downtrodden communities of Doti are bound to live a life of landless settlers after a landslide swept away their houses. The rural communities are pulling on by collecting aggregate on the edge of Khutiya river in the Shreepur VDC of the Kailali district.

Mid-west least developed

By a Post Reporter

NEPALGUNJ, March 5 - Mid-Western Development Region is the most backward region with 12 of its total 15 districts ranked among the least developed districts of Nepal, development experts have said on the basis of human development index.

This has been mentioned by former member of National Planing Commission Dr Bal Gopal Vaidya in his paper presented at the 3-day Mid-Western Regional symposium entitled “Population and Development”. The seminar was organised under the auspices of Ministry of Population and Environment.

Dr Vaidya said that nearly 60 percent families of this region are below the poverty line and that the situation of people in Himali and hilly areas was still worse. The average life expectancy of people in this region was also four years less than that of people in other regions, he added.

Inaugurating the symposium, Minister for Population and Environment Bhakta Bahadur Balayar said the problem would further deteriorate if the country failed to move ahead with proper adjustment of population, development and environment in its programmes before it is too late. He also clarified that the government was committed to creating awareness among the people down to the grassroots level in this process.

Chairman of Banke DDC Om Prakash Jung Rana, who was on the chair, said the uncontrolled migration to Terai areas due to the Maoist problem and political tension in this region had adversely affected the development efforts of the area.

There were 50 participants in the symposium representing education, environment, local development, health and communications sectors.

Maoists enforce prohibition

By a Post Reporter

JUMLA, March 5 - Illegal production, sale and consumption of alcohol from foodgrains has almost come into control in many VDCs of Jumla district as a result of the intervention by the Maoist workers.

According to a Maoist worker who wanted to remain anonymous, illegal production, sale and consumption of alcohol has come under control in Kudari, Tatopani, Talikam, Lagra, Galyangkot, Katik Swami, Kudara, Dapalagau, Matanpat and Khola VDCs of Jumla district after the Maoist workers warned the related people not to indulge in such activities.

Singh Birey Nepali of Talikam VDC said the anti-alcohol and gambling programme of the Maoist workers had been successful to a great extent.

He informed that six local youths had to dispose of their houses and leave their village to go to “muglan” (India) after they lost their houses in gambling about four months ago. Many villagers had also fallen in debt and had their houses auctioned due to their habit of alcoholism and gambling, Nepali added.

Mahendra Budha of Galyangkot said the Maoist workers warn the people involved in producing, selling and consuming alcohol and those who have fallen in the bad habit of gambling for two times and also impose fines on them if they are found violating the warning for the third time.

The Maoist workers have also banned the game of carom which is also treated as a form of gambling in this district.

Charred woman critical

By a Post Reporter

BIRATNAGAR, March 5 - A woman who burnt herself by sprinkling kerosene over her body on Sunday has been taken to Kathmandu for treatment after doctors in Koshi Zonal Hospital, Biratnagar said her treatment was not possible in this hospital.

The condition of the woman, Sama Dahal, resident of Biratnagar Sub-Metropolitan City-11 is very critical.

According to her family sources, she had locked herself in her own bathroom, doused herself with kerosene and burnt herself. However, her family sources have not given any reason for her extreme action.

Rally held for good governance

By a Post Reporter

KATHMANDU, March 5 - Dozens of people including Kollywood actors, intellectuals and general public rallied through the streets of the capital city today demanding,among others, good governance and an end to the indiscriminate killings in the country.

Held under the auspices of Pariwartan Nepal, a non-governmental organization, the rally passed through the capital’s major thoroughfares,viz, Putalisadak, Sahidgate, New Road, Jamal and Ratna Park.

“Stop arbitrary killings,” read a placard, while others called for good governance, promotion of indigenous Nepalis industries, ending political interference in education and other social sectors. 

Among others those taking part in the rally included, Kollywood actors Rabindra Khadka, Mohan Niraula, Bhim Bahadur Thapa, Dipak Alok, Tanka Lamsal, Subhas Gajurel, Puran Joshi, Lok Nath Dhakal, Uttam KC, Pragya Joshi, Sabin Bastola, Jitu Nepal and others.

Film actresses Puja Chand, Kali Sedhai and Nisha Thapalia were also part of the rally. While noted human rights activist Rishi Kesh Shaha, and other prominent personalities were also present.

According to Pariwartan Nepal chairman Mohan Niraula, the rally was part of the organization’s first phase nationwide campaign. The caimpaign will formally come to an end on March 28 after holding  blood donation and a cultural programme.

Women’s prison in dire straits

By a Post Reporter

BIRATNAGAR, March 5 - The agency concerned has not shown any interest to reconstruct women’s jail at Biratnagar which is the common jail for women prisoners of both Morang and Sunsari districts.

The jail building has been lying in a dilapidated condition for the last one decade and needs urgent reconstruction.

Jailor Chiranjibi Prasad Adhikari has informed that the jail building is in such a dilapidated state that it may collapse any time and become the grave of all the inmates. Women prisoners are not only upset due to the tattered condition of the jail but also due to the availability of very little space inside the jail building. There is so limited space for them in the jail building that they have to wait for their turns to cook and eat food and to sleep.

An inmate of the jail, Laxmi Subba, says, “We sleep every night turn by turn because all of us cannot sleep at the same time due to the lack of space. Similarly, we should also wait for our turn to cook and eat food. Therefore, sometimes there is a dispute among us in the jail.”

In all 37 prisoners are serving different sentences in the jail. They include 10 women charged with women-trafficking, 8 women charged with drug-trafficking,  11 women charged with public crimes and four people charged with anti-state offence while there are also four children who are also staying with their mother in the jail.

All the women prisoners have been crammed into a small room of the building which is likely to collapse at any moment.

Another woman prisoner says, “ With the approach of rainy season, we are drenched by rain water which leaks from the roof. Nor can we sleep at night because of the leaks from the roof. We are constantly worried by the thought that the building may collapse at any moment. We are harassed in winter as well as in summer due to wind and heat.”

We are serving the sentence for the crimes committed by us, but we are also suffering unnecessarily due to the absence of facilities which are to be provided by the state, they added.

Jailor Adhikari admits that women prisoners are leading a miserable life due to the lack of enough space in the jail building and its dilapidated condition. He also points out that the condition of the jail is so bad that prisoners may try to escape from the jail because of the bad condition of the jail.

KATHMANDU- Music maestro Ambar Gurung releasing singer Pabitra Subba's new cassette album Mayee.