Benefit of doubt goes to husband ...

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MUSIKOT, Oct 17 - Women of Rukum district have started filing cases with the police against their oppressors following the increasing trend of oppression by their male counterparts against them.

In the past, they used to suffer all the oppressions against them silently fearing their husband and the society. However, some of the married women are gradually gaining strength to resist oppression against them as a departure from the traditional belief that they should tolerate all the excesses committed by their husband.

A number of complaints have been lodged with the police by women, particularly the wife against the oppression they had been subjected to by their husband. Dipendra K.C. of Baphikot VDC had committed the crime of polygamy and it was his wife Sumita who reported the matter to the police. Mohan Lal K.C.of Khalanga VDC-3 had been harassing his wife under the spell of alcohol and his wife Parvati approached the police and filed a petition for her protection from her husband. Similarly, the wife of Ganj Budha of Khalanga-1 was compelled to complain to the police after her husband started harassing her every day.

In most cases, it is found that women are mistreated and oppressed by their husband, a police officer said adding, " Women are afraid of complaining against the oppression due to the fear of their husband. It is necessary to educate them and make them conscious about these types of oppressions they are subjected to."

Last year a woman of Jumlabang in Bhalakcha VDC-5 openly confronted her husband when he started drinking all day long and abusing and beating her severely in the evening. She complained to the police who arrested her husband and warned him to behave properly with his wife. Since then the woman has not been mistreated and the couple is leading a peaceful life. The man has recently left for India to earn money. His wife said, " I felt that my husband was a completely changed man after he was warned by the police."

People are so conservative that they question the character of their wife and also expel her if they see her talking to a stranger. A woman of Athbiskot VDC-8 had gone to the district headquarters to fetch salt with one of her relatives last year. When she arrived home, she was expelled from the house.

She says, "My husband was ill. Since there was no salt in our home, I went to the district headquarters to fetch salt with the approval of my husband. There were also some women friends of the village with me. Once I arrived home, I was driven out blaming my character and inspite of the heart-rending request from my six-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter not to kick me out of my home."

Similarly, a woman of Sthalakdi was driven out of her home during this year’s Teej festival for dancing in public. Her husband who was in police service, had left her one month after their marriage was solemnised. She was eagerly waiting for him. He arrived home during the Teej festival but she was driven out in the mean time.

"I had been fasting for his long life and happiness even without drinking water but I was ousted from my home simply because I had danced," she said.

Rojina Malla, who has returned here recently after completing her studies in the capital says, "It is a great injustice against women to blame her character immediately after her marriage and to kick her out of her home."

Four cattle died of poisoned water

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HETAUDA, Oct 17 - Three oxen and a cow died after drinking the water of Rapti Khola where some unidentified men had used poison to catch fish on Sunday.

The oxen and cow belonging to Bishnu Mani Dhakal, Kamal Gopali and Krishna Thami of Manahari VDC-7 had drunk water of the running rivulet soon after the poison was used. All the four animals died half an hour after they drank water.

Owners of the cattle have filed a petition with Manahari Area Police Office to initiate legal action against those who used poison illegally in the rivulet to catch fish and killed their oxen and cow.

Police Inspector Surya Upadhyaya said police are searching for those who used poison in the water to catch fish.

Dacoits raid 15 houses in a month

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BHADRAPUR, Oct 17 - Dacoits attacked 15 houses and looted thousands of rupees worth of property from the same Village Development Committee (VDC) of Jhapa district bordering India in one month.

The incidents of dacoity occurred in Pathamari VDC, which lies about 25 kilometres south of Bhadrapur in the month of Asoj (September-October).

According to Pathamari VDC Chairman Ukharu Ganesh, the Indian dacoits comprising 12 to 15 people have committed dacoity five times in this VDC at night. They looted and beat up the owners of the houses which they raided terrorising the people of this area.

The houses which the Indian dacoits looted belonged to Palanu Rajbamsi, Ganga Prasad, Hari Prasad, Gaura Singh Rajbamsi of ward No 3, Rama Ganesh and Basiya Rajbamsi of ward No 7 and Nasruddin Miya of ward No 9. They have beaten up Rama Ganesh, Nasruddin Miya and Palanu Rajbamsi. Police have already taken 22 guns kept by the local residents of border villages for their safety. If police do not take the guns, there is every likelihood that the guns will be taken away by the Maoist insurgents. In fact, some of the guns have already been taken away by them. Thus the people living in the border VDCs have been doubly disadvantaged.

Pathamari VDC Chairman Ganesh said, " Since there are only 10 police personnel manning the border police post, this may have encouraged them to commit dacoity."

The border area of Jhapa district has always remained unsafe for the local people from thieves, especially cattle-lifters of India.

Economist urges govt to remove fees for poor children

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KATHMANDU, Oct 17 - An economist today urged the government to remove all sorts of fees for poor children attending primary schools under its free education policy.

"Despite the government’s free education policy, a household on an average spends between Rs 900 to Rs 600 for primary education," said economist Dr Bhuchandra Vaidya.

Vaidya was presenting the research findings on cost sharing in education in Nepal conducted in 180 poor households in four areas - Chandika VDC (Achham), Darakh VDC (Kailali), Dhunche VDC (Rasuwa) and Kapilbastu municipality.

Identifying the pattern of cost sharing in education, Vaidya said that government spends more on teachers’ salary, teachers’ training, and physical facilities among others. "Households spend more on education materials and studednt support cost while the community spends on physical facilities," said Vaidya.

Speaking on the occasion, Chuman Singh Basnet, Director General of Department of Education, said that the major concern for government is to ensure quality education where such research findings will help government in formulating policies.

Professor Kamal Prakash Malla said, "Only six percent of 50 percent of poor people have access to tertiary education even as government spends 20 percent of budget on education," adding, "for which government has to pay more attention."

Member of National Planning Commission (NPC), Nirmal Prasad Pandey said that the Ninth Five Year plan has objective like access to education, equity and quality education. He admitted that the government is not able to manage and monitor effectively regarding quality education. "However, government is making an effort to that extent," said Pandey.

Child labour to be monitored

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KATHMANDU, Oct 17 - In an effort to monitor child labour under hazardous working conditions and environment, sexual harassment, work in isolation or excessive working hours, the Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and International Labour Organisation (ILO) signed an agreement to implement a pilot project.

According to a press release issued here today, the project - Towards the elimination of domestic child labour and child labour in small eating establishments in Kathmandu Metropolis - will address activities performed under hazardous working conditions and environment involving the risk of physical violence, sexual harassment, work in isolation or at night and excessive working hours.

The programme intends to establish a benchmark and registration of child workers, drop-in-centre facilities including educational alternatives for the working children.

ILO also signed an agreement with Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre (LACC) to implement the action programme - Providing Legal Aid and Counselling to the victims of child labour, child abuse and exploitation.

Legal practitioners, medical professionals and the general public also fall under the target group of this programme in which sensitization is an ongoing activity, says the release.

Both the programmes will come into action from November.

Akash Bhairav temple renovation underway

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KATHMANDU, Oct 17 - The ancient temple of Akash Bhairav, located at the heart of Kathmadu and next to the World Heritage Site of Hanumandhoka Durbar Square is soon getting a fresh renovation.

Chairman of Sri Akash Bhairav Temple Renovation Committee and Ward No 25 Chairman Bikas Man Shrestha said pulling down has started and the committee aims to finish the Rs 16.2 million project within 18 months.

"This is going to be one major renovation project with an overwhelming participation of the local people," he said. The committee has collected donation of around Rs 3 million by now.

Besides, Kathmandu Metropolitan City has given words to renovate the front facade and artistic windows. The deputy chief of KMC Heritage Section Indra MS Suwal said, "KMC will contribute around Rs four million in the renovation project,"

Deputy Director General of Department of Archaeology Sanu Maiya Rana said the committee approached the department for approval of the design.

The renovation project was designed by Hari Prasad Baidya.

The house-like temple of Akash Bhairav, worshipped by Buddhists and Hindus, is one of the prehistoric monuments in the Kathmandu valley. The locals consider the coloured huge idol of the Bhairav as the head of the first Kirat King Yelambar who was beheaded in the legendary war of Mahabharat. According to inscriptions, the monument existed around 1120 years ago. It has been undergone several renovations, the last being 60 years ago.

Clinic opens with holistic approach

KATHMANDU, Oct 17 (PR) - A new medical clinic was opened here today following a day long fanfare which included sacred traditional dancing and flute and tabla concert. The Shechen clinic was inagurated by State Minister for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol. The organisers said the clinic, located next to the Shechen monastery, has been set up to allow medical help to the poorer section of the local inhabitants.

Manager of the new clinic, Dominique G. Marchal said the project was realised by the Shechen monastery. "They wanted to help the local population especially the poor. It is a charity clinic for those who are extremely poor. It offers allopathic, homeopathic and Tibetan medecine. The patients have a choice what kind of treatment to go for."

"This is the first time such a "holistic" approach has been carried out in Nepal," organisers said.

According to them, the clinic was set up with the help of foreign donors. "It is only an outdoor clinic and the patients are not actualy admitted but there is a lab facility so blood tests can be carried out", said Dr Ambika Prasad Gyawali.

Marchal said, "We’re going to work in collaboration with some hospitals and clinics. And if the patient needs serious medical help or surgery, we will recommend him to other places. She said special arrangements would be made for poor patients who have to undergo major operations once agreements are made with other clinics.

The clinic has emphasised a patient-friendly approach. "I do not want it to look like a hospital because people are scared to go to hospitals. I want people to feel relaxed," Marchal said.

KMC demands land for waste management

KATHMANDU, Oct 17 (PR) - Delegation of Kathmandu Metropolitan City met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development Ram Chandra Paudel today and demanded land for solid waste management.

"The Deputy Prime Minister took the urgency of matter seriously during our today’s visit," said KMC executive officer Hari Prasad Rimal, a participant in the delegation.

He said KMC would probably get the land which is presently being used by the Royal Nepal Army for parachuting at Khokna VDC. "The decision will soon come out," he said.

Earlier today, KMC held a board meeting which mainly focused on the crisis of unattained garbage.

KMC’s Authorised Solid Waste Mangement Committee member and Ward No 25 chairman Bikas Man Shrestha said board meeting decided to visit the Deputy Prime Minister’s office.

He said, " the board decided to collect garbage in the core area according to schedule only and to take strict action against those who carelessly litter in the city."