Maoists release wood dealers

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TULSIPUR, Dang, April 17 - Underground Maoist rebels set free more than 60 people representing 16 community forestry and local wood contractors from the district after holding them as hostages for two consecutive days, according to a report received here.

A local, Niras Pande, said that the Maoists called on Sunday both the sides after the rebels received a public complaint about the irregularities on forest products.

The complaint had stated that the wood dealers were earning maximum profits from the community forestry in connivance with the community forestry officials.

The complaint addressed to the rebels had also demanded that a certain percentage of amount reaped up by the wood contractors be kept aside to the local forest user groups.

Having received the Maoist letter, community forestry officials and local wood merchants from Panchkule, Shanit Nagar, Shri Gaon, Dhanauri and Purandhara gathered at a Maoist hideout and discussed the issue, a participant of the meeting said after being released from their captivity.

Talking on the telephone, a wood contractor said, requesting anonymity, that the rebels released them from 48-hour long captivity after both the sides reached an agreement to provide 30 per cent of the legal income to the local forest user groups.

The rebels had been warning both the sides to stop misusing forest products time and again in the western part of the district that is notorious for wood smuggling.

Meanwhile, a group of wood smugglers made off with timber kidnapping two forest employees in northern Khayarmara jungle of Mahottari district on Sunday, according to our correspondent. The site of the incident is about 65 km away from Jaleshwor, the district headquarters.

Officer at the Khayarmara-based area forest office, Ram Ashweshwor Mandal, said that around 100 wood cutters gheraoed the forest guards and made off with the logs. Mandal said that he did not have adequate force to deal with the smugglers who were fully equipped with arms and ammunition.

Information technology for development stressed

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BIRGUNJ, April 17 - Bill Gates Faculty Of Information Technology was inaugurated here today, on the first anniversary of Maharaja Agrasen Faculty Of Management and second death anniversary of Brij Lal Kediya.

The function was inaugurated by former PM Lokendra Bahadur Chand, one of the founders of the Brij Lal Kediya Hindu University.

Speaking on the occasion, Chand said that development of information technology in Nepal is vital to reap benefits of the world-wide revolution in IT.

Chand also released a book called Karma Yogi Birju Sahu Ko Shikar Yatra.

Those who expressed their opinions on the occasion were Mahesh Kumar Upadhyay, former vice chancellor of Tribhuvan University, Shankar Lal Kediya, chairman of Brij Lal Kediya Hindu University and Nepal National Marwari Council, among others. Chief District Officer Dolakh Bahadur Gurung was also present on the occasion.

Salpa pokhari remains obscure

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BHOJPUR, April 17 - Salpa Pokhari (pond) in Bhojpur district could prove to be a special attraction for the tourists, but its specialities are not known even to the Nepali people due to the lack of transportation facility.

Some devotees come from different districts for a holy dip in this pond, but as it is located at a remote area (Dobhane VDC-9) and since there are no houses to pass the night, it remains largely obscure with very few people daring to visit it despite its captivating beauty.

It takes three days’ trek from Bhojpur bazaar, headquarters of Bhojpur district to reach this scenic place which could be instrumental in popularising Bhojpur.

Bhojpur Industry and Commerce Association had submitted a report to the Tourism Development Board a few years ago suggesting that this place be developed as tourist destination but there has been no response from the board. If developed as a tourist destination, this place could bring about drastic economic upliftment in the life of the people in Bhojpur, according to chairman of the Association Tej Moktan.

Similarly, the famous Siddhakali, its cave and many other places could also be attractive tourist destinations if they were developed properly along with transport facility, according to a social worker Ramesh Joshi.

Diarrhoea claims one in Gulariya

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GULARIYA, April 17 - A seven-year-old daughter of former Kamaiya has died of diarrhoea which has affected this area since last week.

A member of Kamaiya camp Man Bahadur Kusmi Tharu told The Kathmandu Post that Nir Maya, daughter of Ram Das Tharu who has been living at a temporary camp of Tulapur died and some others were still suffering from diarrhoea.

At Tulapur alone, 500 Kamaiya sheds have been built while some of them who received land have already left the camp to live in the permanent sites allotted for them. However, more than half of them are still landless, according to Kusmi Tharu.

Although diarrhoea is gradually being checked, health workers have expressed their concern that local residents of Tulapur may fall victim to malaria and encephalitis because mosquitoes are increasing in the area.

Moreover, houses are thickly built, the amount of filth is increasing and people are eating unwholesome food and all these have contributed to increase hazards of contagious diseases.

Examinees suffer due to shift in exam centres

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DOLAKHA, April 17- The shift of several SLC exam centers two days prior to the start of the examinations here have not only disturbed the examinees during the examinations, but also created an unnecessary nuisance for them.

For instance, Chandra Bahadur Shreshtha had to return to the headquarters at Charikot and make a fresh look out for a room after heading to the scheduled centre at Singti, dozens of miles away from the headquarters.

The students in the rural parts not having the adequate opportunities for extra-tuition clases, many of them flock to the headquarters several weeks prior to the exams and take preparatory coaching classes.

The students consequently have to face untold miseries packing and looking for rooms, especially when the centres are shifted giving a short notice as it happened this time.

Says Harihar Ghimire, a student from Hilepani Sanskrit School,"We left the room of Charikot earlier and are now again on the lookout at the same place." "Shall we hunt for the rooms or prepare for the exams?"

‘Jain Ratna’ to Golchha

KATHMANDU (PR)- On the auspicious occasion of the 2600th birth anniversary of Lord Mahavir, Hulaschand Golcha has been conferred the "Jain Ratna" by the honourable Prime Minister of India, Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

The award was conferred in Mumbai for his immense contribution to the field of religion and social service. He is also renowned for his active participation in the establishment of various social organisations and religious associations.

Bridge repair works not started yet

GULARIYA (PR)- Prospects of transportation during the coming rainy season looks grim since the renovation work of the bridges at Mainapokhari and Muhammadpur has not been started yet.

The Nepalgunj-Gulariya Highway has not been blacktopped since the last two years. According to the Mid-Western Road Division Office, the contract of Rs 10.7 million was given to a private contractor for the maintenance and the renovation of the two bridges.

The chief of the Road Division, Dinesh Basnet said that the contractor has failed to finish the renovation work at the given time as the work should be submitted by mid-July. Even though the vechiles are plying now, it would be difficult when the rainy season starts, local residents say.

NC worker dies in mishap

BIRGUNJ (PR)- Unit chairman of the Nepal Tarun Dal, Nepali Congress youth wing of Birgunj Sub-Metropolis-15, Ajaya Kumar Gupta was killed on a motorbike accident on Tuesday, police here said. Agyeshwor Sharma who was riding with deceased Gupta sustained serious injuries in the road accident.

The motorbike they were riding collided with a boulder near Pathalaiya while returning to Birgunj from Chandra Nigahapur. Both of the seriously injured were rushed to a local hospital where Gupta succumbed to the accident. Sharma has been rushed to Patna, India for treatment as referred by the hospital.

Women initiated divorce on the rise in Kathmandu

By Smriti Dhungel

KATHMANDU, April 17 - The trend of women-initiated divorce is fast on the increase.  In the year 2057 alone, over 100 divorce cases were filed in the Kathmandu district court. The number of cases which stood at 195 till 2056 shot up to 301 by the end of 2057 B.S., out of which most of the cases are filed by women.

According to legal experts, filing a divorce case is much easier for a wife than husband. "A wife can directly file for divorce in the district court, whereas the husband has to first file a petition at Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) that acts as a mediator for a reconciliation attempt to resolve the problem and once there are concrete reasons for divorce, the case is recommended with their consent to the district court," says Satish K Kharel, an advocate.

The question here is, what is prompting more women to opt for divorce?

Is it just the current times that have led the "educated and independent" women in Kathmandu not to compromise their career to marriage or is it rather the Nepali women of today fighting against the physical and mental tortures that they were otherwise taught to accept putting behind their tears.

Rupa Swar, a 35 year old, is seeking divorce 21 years after marriage. Married off at an early age of 14, and too young to realize or retaliate her husband’s number of extra marital relations with several women turned her marriage to a living nightmare.

And it took her more than two decades to decide that things were unfair and she just could not tolerate. "I cannot stay quiet when my husband is living with another woman, abandoning me and my daughter," she says. "I forgave him all the time despite his philandering ways, even when he lied with my family for 15 years in my parent’s house."

"He never cared our daughter’s upbringing, as he was always busy with his affairs. Now I am filing for divorce. It is better than living with a stranger that comes and goes whenever he pleases," says a now-determined Swar.

"It is difficult for a divorced mother to support her child as they are given minimum compensation for child support, which is very less to suffice their needs," adds Hari Shankar Niraula, another advocate. "The laws should specify the compensation that should be enforced when the divorce is granted."

Like her a lot of women from well-to-do and educated families are filing for divorce at their own will. The statistics show that women from Brahmin and Tamang castes largely outnumber those of the other castes filing for divorce.

The reasons for women deciding to seek divorce is varied. Says Sapana Malla, an advocate who has fought and won a lots of cases dealing with women "women are filing for divorce for various reasons. The usual reasons are due to physical abuse and mental torture that the modern day women are fighting back compared to earlier times where despite the atrocities they used to meekly digest them calling it their fate."

"But it is not always a woman’s sad story as well. In fact, recently a case came up to me where a boy living abroad wanted a divorce as his wife had eloped with her boyfriend 13 days after the marriage on the day he left for London to work on issuing her a passport," says Malla.

Adds Shanti Tamang who recently divorced her husband, "it is better that I choose to divorce than live with a constant gambler and physical abuser who could have even sold me to satisfy his gambling habits."

The Legal Aid Consultancy Centre (LACC), which fights against violence against women receives as much as 20 calls in a day where women complain about the beating by their husbands, according to Sushila Pandey. "Some are beaten so badly that their condition gets very critical."

According to Tara Kumar Shrestha, an employee at Kathmandu district court, the girls that come to file for divorce come with different motives. In fact, 10 per cent are those who wish to go abroad leaving their husbands whereas other file for divorce due to intercaste marriages who tie the knot that breaks up easily due to extra marital affairs and domestic violence for that is what they say when they come here to register.

Looking at the other side of the story, there are those young boys who are falling prey especially to girls from neighbouring Darjeeling who marry them for a Nepali citizenship and later file for divorce after acquiring the citizenship. Says Aditi Malla (name changed) "it was not any kind of physical or mental torture that I went through, I wanted to remarry a man that I had fallen in love with, so I filed for a divorce stating these conditions and I was easily granted the divorce."

Though it is presumed that women have a upper hand while seeking divorce, the law has its ill-effects too. "Yes, women are easily granted divorce in the context of Nepal but it has its effects on the weaker section of society where some girls are under compulsion and are forced to file for divorce unwillingly," says Ganesh Raj Sharma, senior advocate.

Whether it be under compulsion or mere willingness, the trend of divorce filed by women is undoubtedly fast increasing.

Text books in English for schools likely by May

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BHAKTAPUR, April 17- Around thirty prominent teachers from 25 schools in the valley have been assigned the task of translating the text books into English language for classes seven, eight, nine and ten in efforts to introduce uniform education throughout the country.

It was informed Tuesday at a seminar organized by Janak Education Materials center LTD which has been authorized the copyright by the Ministry of Education to publish the text books in English for the SLC level. "We are working towards the translation of Nepali text in Social Studies, Mathematics and Science into English so as to bring uniformity in the education system," said Bimal Aryal of the Production department.

Janak Educational Publishers, a public enterprise is expected to bring out the best of quality and affordable text books in English in future, said the educationists.

Speaking at the occasion, Dilendra Prasad Badu, Minister of State for Education and Sports, said, "this is a significant step towards quality education and a positive move."

"Each teacher is working for a separate subject," said Laxmi Prasad Baral of Budhanilakantha School, who had been translating Science text book in Nepali into English.

Several teachers presenting their papers outlined the vital role played by text books and curriculum in bringing quality education and outlined a pivotal role for teachers as medium to take those curriculum to the students.

The new books in English are expected operational by the month’s end.

Sharp increase in drug-addicts in Dhankuta

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DHANKUTA, April 17 - There were three or four drug addicts in Dhankuta only a year ago, and the number has risen to more than 60 in not even a year.

As the drug addicts entered Dhankuta bazaar from Dharan last year and affected more than 60 local youths so also came the traffickers of narcotic drugs along with drugs.

Dhankuta District Police Office has arrested 18 local youths working as drug-traffickers along with drugs over the past few days.

The drug taking habit and drug trade have travelled beyond Dhankuta and reached Hile Bazaar to Pakhribas and are flourishing in this belt. It is said that the Indian drug dealers are therefore happy their new found drug destination and flourishing business. They bring drug tablets and syringe to sell in these areas and carry marijuana (ganja) when they return to India. Marijuana grows lustily in the rural areas of this district.

"At first, some friends who had come from Dharan, gave me free of cost Nitrajepam and marijuana and I got used to these drugs. Later, these drugs became my inseparable friends. I take drugs seven times a day now. The moment the effect of drugs is reduced on me, I immediately fall sick. Please don’t publish my name; my family members and police will come to know", a drug-addict said.

Many medicines which were used for curing people in the past, such as, Tdjesic and Nitrajepam are being abused by the drug-addicts, Senior Medical Officer of Dhankuta District Hospital Dr Bhim Acharya said.

He added that the drug-addicts also use phensydile which is very good for curing children’s cough and the alternative of this medicine has not yet been manufactured. If we take this in right proportion, it is a medicine and if we exceed the dose it is a narcotic drug, he added.

People aged between 16 years and 48 years have been found most abusing drugs in this district for various reasons, such as to draw parents’ attention, being unable to bear the pang of separation in love or any other problem or simply under the influence of their companions, DSP Bhupal Kumar Bhandari said.

Various crimes such as hooliganism, theft, rape and murder take place as a result of drug abuse, DSP Bhandari said. He added that since the police alone were unable to solve the problem of drug addiction the whole society should play a vital role to fight this social menace.

He said the narcotic drugs were at first brought by the businessmen who distribute the drugs to youths free of cost at the outset and later earn fat amount of money from them when they are accustomed to drugs.

Proprietor of Dhankuta Medical Hall Narendra Pokhrel said about eight to 10 people came to the medical hall daily to buy narcotic drugs and got angry when they were refused the drugs which they wanted to buy.

Jhankris participating in International seminar

KATHMANDU, April 17 (PR) - At a time when the field of medicine has achieved its excellence, especially in the West world, the number of people, including medical practitioners, interested in Oriental faith healing is ever increasing at rapid pace. In this context three Nepali Jhankris (Shamans) are going to participate for the first time in a one day International seminar on Shamanism to be held in Germany on 16th of May, states a press release.

The Jhankris have been invited by the Center for Applied Hypnotism in Mainz for the Seminar titled ‘Averbale Traceinduction for practice’. The main objective of the seminar is to promote faith healing tradition of Nepal in international market and make Nepal more known to the world, adds the release. Since materialistic growth has made westerners to take refuge in spirituality the seminar will mainly focus on spiritual healing adds the release.

The key promoters of the seminar are Dr Eberhard Brunier, Director of center for Applied Hypnotic at Nord Rhein Wedtfalia in Germany and Mr Nilesndra Raj Shrestha Acting Resident Public Relation Representative of HMG Nepal Ministry of Tourism to Germany.

Lightning kills five, injures many

TEHRATHUM, April 17 (PR) - Lightning has killed five people, injured many people and damaged 11 houses in different parts of Tehrathum district. Shant Maya Limbu, 57, of Pouthak VDC-2 died on the spot when she was hit by lightning on Friday evening. Her house and sheds have also been destroyed by the fire caused by lightning.

On the same day, lightning hit the house of Yam Dhoj Ingnam in Iwa VDC-6 killing him on the spot and injuring his brother.

Last week light hit the peltric set at Majuwa of Oyakjung VDC-8 and electric shock was felt in all the nine houses where the set was connected. Consequently, three people - Biswo Nath Dhakal, 22, Durga Maya Jogi, 35 and Purna Bahadur Jogi, 16 of Oyakjung VDC-8 - died and three others were injured seriously after the peltric set was struck. Similarly, Kamal Prasad Dhakal, Laxmi Maya Jogi and Sabitra Dhakal were seriously injured in the incident.