NTC proposes new telephone tariff

By Ram Sharan Sedhai

KATHMANDU, Aug 22 - In a bid to make its international call tariff competitive and reduce losses in the local phone service, Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) has submitted a tariff re-balancing proposal to Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA).

The proposal was submitted last month, and the NTA is expected to announce a decision soon. If the proposal is approved by NTA, callers would get up to "50 per cent discount on long distance international calls and up to 75 per cent discount on local calls" made during specified off-hours, say NTC officials. NTC has also defined a local call differently for different times. During peak hours, duration of a local call consists of two minutes. But during off-peak hours, one local call can run up to eight minutes.

NTC, the state-run sole operator of telecom services, has also proposed to increase the monthly rental charge to Rs 250 from Rs 150 and to raise the number of free calls to 200 from the existing 100 calls. But no change is made in deposit amount and installation charge.

NTC officials have put a spin on their proposal, arguing that the lengthening of the local call during off-peak hours (up to 8 minutes) effectively translates into lower tariff for users. However, in reality, NTC is still arguing for jacking up the price of local as well as international calls.

Justifying the need for rebalancing tariffs, Raghubar Lal Shrestha, General Manager of NTC says that NTC has been cross-subsidizing the local phone service from the income of long distance international calls. But since international calls routed through NTC have plunged drastically, NTC is not in a position to maintain the subsidy.

"There has been no increment in telephone tariffs since last six years, but the expense is ever rising. The increasing operation cost due to ever-rising fuel and electricity tariffs, rise in employees’ pay and mounting expense on maintenance with increasing phone lines, we need to rebalance the existing tariffs", says GM Shrestha.

How can an organization which has ever-expanding network run without making any change in its tariff structure for over half a decade, asks Shrestha.

Asked whether the proposal would be approved by NTA, Chairman Bhoop Raj Pandey said that it would be premature to speak about the acceptance of the proposal as the NTA is still studying it.

In 1995, NTC reduced a local call from limitless time to three minutes and fixed its price at Re. 1. The monthly rental fee was fixed at Rs 150. The tariffs have remained the same to this day. Similarly, there has been no increment in any other calls be it domestic subscribers’ trunk dialing (STD) or international subscribers’ trunk dialing (ISTD).

The proposed rebalancing has classified the local and domestic long distance calls known as STD into three categories: business, normal and off hours. And tariffs have been proposed in pulse rate system.

Call duration ranges from two minutes to eight minutes during peak hours and off-hours respectively, but the charge is Re 1.

Similarly, the domestic long distance calls tariffs are also proposed on the pulse system varying on the three specified hours. The minimum rate for an STD call is Rs 3 and maximum Rs 9 per minute.

Likewise, international call tariff begins with a minimum of Rs 5 per minute. An international call from Bhairahawa and Biratnagar to their respective bordering Indian towns is at Rs 5 per minute now and calls to other destinations of India is proposed at Rs 30 per minute.

International long distance tariffs for SAARC nations has been proposed at Rs 45 per minute. Per minute tariff for other Asian, European and North American countries and Australia has been proposed Rs 75. The charge for these countries is as high as Rs 135 per minute. The per minute charge for rest of the countries is proposed at Rs 90, lowering it from the existing charge of Rs 180.

Dalits welcome PM’s move

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Aug 22 - Dalits today organized a rally welcoming the recent announcement made by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba who had vowed to constitute a Dalit Commission.

The rally, which later on culminated in mass meeting, had around 350 participants including the human rights activists and trade union leaders.

Dalits have been criticising the government’s apathy towards their demands. They have been accusing the government for being inactive in preventing the social injustice against them.

"This is indeed a radical step taken by the Prime Minister to provide the justice to the people belonging to backward class," said Subodh Pyakurel, General Secretary of Informal Service sector (INSEC).

Central Secretary of the Mukti Samaj, an origination which organised the rally, Deepak Jung Biswokarma said that , Dalits have been demanding the Dalit commission since long time and finally their voice has been heard.

House adjourned till Monday as disruption continues

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Aug 22 – Despite marathon talks by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and Speaker Taranath Ranabhat, the House of Representatives continued to be disrupted for the fifth day.

The Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) and Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP) lawmakers once again disrupted House demanding withdrawal of the government’s proposed land reforms and freeze on land transactions.

The Prime Minister met RPP members Pashupati Sumshere Rana, Renu Yadav and Ram Chandra Raya in the morning and a delegation of NSP led by its President Gajendra Narayan Singh.

These meeting failed to yield any agreements between the government and these two smaller parties in the opposition. According to sources, NSP asked Deuba among other issues to follow the understandings reached between the party and his predecessor Girija Prasad Koirala, who was forced out of office last month.

Both these parties demanded that there should be ceiling not on land ownership but on all types of assets.

The failed meetings between the disputing sides and the Prime Minister followed an all-party meeting called by Speaker Ranabhat. This meeting too failed to get the protestors to settle down. And at 3:30 p.m., two and half hours behind the scheduled time, the House was convened.

RPP’s Rana, who was given time by the Speaker, reiterated the party’s demand.

"We demand that the government initiate programs to seize property amassed through corruption, smuggling and illegal means," Rana said. Soon after that NSP and RPP lawmakers announced they were continuing their protests and walked towards the Speaker repeatedly shouting their slogans.

The House has been adjourned until Monday giving the two side five days to sort out the problem.

Last week, Prime Minister Deuba had announced suspension of all land sales in the country by announcing a freeze in land transactions until the government introduces new land reform laws.

After Deuba’s announcement, all land transactions throughout the country came to a halt, and will continue to remain so until the promised legislation becomes law, which could take anywhere between a couple of months to a year.

Meanwhile, a statement issued by RPP’s Rana demanded that the government bring a program to distribute citizenship certificates to the people of the Terai door to door to issue these certificates to thousands of people there who have been deprived of it.

He also demanded introduction of affirmative action for the education of Dalits, backward and indigenous people.

CIAA to crackdown on govt vehicle misusers

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KATHMANDU, Aug 22 – The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) today ordered the concerned ministries, departments and agencies to make public the names of those people who refrain from returning the vehicles they have been using in unauthorized way.

A press release issued by the constitutional anti-corruption body stated that it would take actions against those defying the notice for returning the public vehicles to concerned offices.

The release stated that altogether 35 vehicles including 25 jeep/cars and 10 motorcycles have so far been returned to the concerned ministries, departments and corporations. The release further states that several other vehicles are yet to be handed over to the government agencies by the people who are not holding any public responsibilities.

Landslides, floods claim 8 lives in Sindhupalchwok

By Rishiram Poudel

CHAUTARA, Sindhupalchwok, Aug 22 - At least eight people, seven of them from two families, perished in two separate landslides that occurred in two Village Development Committees located closed to Nepal-Tibet border on Monday night, police here said.

In another incident an eight-year-old girl went missing in the flooded Dabi Khola while crossing the river on Monday.

Area Police Station at Bahrabise said that four families have become homeless while 80 other households severely affected in the frontier Gati and Dhumdhang VDCs due to the landslides triggered by torrential rains.

The swollen Bhote Kosi River, one of the major tributaries of the Kosi river systems, also swept away a joint venture Borderland Resort located on the river banks at Sakhuwa near the Araniko highway. Police said that the resort was swept away after the huge landslides completely blocked the course of flooded river for some time back.

Those perished in the landslides have been identified as Lal Bahadur Tamang, 58, his son Dhan Bahadur, 31, daughter-in-law Saili, 29, and her two-week-old baby from Gunsa village of Gati VDC-4. The Tamangs were asleep in their cow-shed when the landslide washed them away.

The three others to be buried in the debris at Dhumthang VDC-8 are Panmati Bhandari, 40, and her nine and seven-year-old children. Deceased Bhandari’s husband, Bhakta Bahadur, however, survived the natural disaster sustaining serious injuries.

The girl who went missing in the flooded river has been identified as Sabina Bohara Tekanpur VDC-7, according to the district administration office.

Police Inspector at Bahrabise said that the landslides destroyed property worth Rs. 5 million in the VDCs. Similarly, the resort famous for bungy jumping and white water river rafting claimed that property worth Rs. 5 million was destroyed after the flash flood washed the resort away.

Chief District Officer Madhav Ojha said that police and other rescue teams were facing difficulties in carrying out rescue and relief operations due to the continued and heavy discharge of cloudbursts in the area.

Transport service along the 26 km long section of the Araniko highway, the only surface route to link the capital city of Kathmandu with that of the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China, has also stopped over the last weekend following the landslides in several places.

Flood victims block highway for hours

Post Report

NAWALPARASI, Aug 22 - Thousands of people traveling in the busy east-west highway were stranded for more than 12 hours after the flood victims at Danda blocked the road protesting against the local administration that demolished their makeshift shelters built in the forest area on Wednesday, police said.

Around 200 flood victims from Narayani, Shehari and Argeuli VDCs were taking refuge in a forest area near the highway at Danda as assisted by the local representatives. All of the people turned homeless after the mighty Narayani river swept away their houses and cultivated land in the VDCs.

Earlier, they were taking refuge in a local school but they had to shift to the forest area when the school opened after two-month summer vacation. The flood victims accused the local administration of evacuating them from the area without any prior notices.

The victims also said that police also looted their tents while demolishing their makeshift shelters. Chief District Officer Bishnu Raj Kusum, however, could not be reached for immediate comment on the stand off.

Left unity move gains momentum

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KATHMANDU, Aug 22 – The left unity juggernaut rolled on with a number of parties holding talks over their attempt at unity with each other today, agreeing to hold further talks on the issue.

The main opposition Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist Leninist) today held unity parleys with CPN (Mashal) and the parties discussed the role of the left parties in the present situation of serious problems facing the nation.

The two parties agreed in principle to unite all the parties under an umbrella and to make the left movement more effective in the country, stated a release issued today by the UML. The two parties agreed to continue the talks in the days ahead.

Similarly, the CPN (ML) today held separate talks with CPN (Marxist Leninist Maoist) and CPN (Marxist) to explore unity today. The parties have decided to hold further talks. Although ML’s next talks with CPN (Marxist) has been slated for August 29, no dates have been fixed for next round of dialogue with the CPN (Marxist Leninist Maoist).

Meanwhile, the UML General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal today reiterated in the presence of the reporters his party stance on the Maoists’ proposal for republic. He was referring to his meeting with Comrade Prachanda in Siliguri in West Bengal last Wednesday.

He was speaking to the reporters after the UML’s parliamentary party meet in which he briefed the lawmakers about the Siliguri meeting.

"They (the Maoists) raised the topic of republic and also their call to the public and the leftists for the purpose," said Nepal, adding "but we raised the question of the fate of the achievements of the 1990 Movement if the we discuss republic."

The UML leader said that he had pointed out at the Siliguri meeting the chances of civil war if a republic is established.

NSP workers burn Deuba’s effigies in six districts

KATHMANDU, Aug 22 (PR)– Nepal Sadbhawana Party (NSP) workers in Nawalparasi burnt effigies of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba in different parts of the country today, protesting his announcement to freeze land sales and transfer of ownership.

NSP, along with Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) , has been disrupting the proceedings of the parliament in protest of the government announcement, which is presently being discussed at the Supreme Court.

Thousands of NSP workers burnt effigies of the Prime Minister in Parasi Bazaar of Nawalparasi, Jaleshwor of Mahottari, Gaur of Rautahat, Inaruwa of Sunsari, Birgunj and Taulihawa of Kapilbastu. This was stated in a press release issued by the party today.

NSP has been demanding for the ceiling on property also, along with the ceiling on land decided by the government.

At 84, ex-Kumari Hira Maiya continues to enjoy her conjugal life

By Razen Manandhar

KATHMANDU, Aug 22 - Ever since the news of the enthronement of the new Kumari, Nepal’s Living Goddess, fell into the ear of 84-year-old Hira Maiya Shakya, she is impatient to visit the Kumari House at Hanumandhoka Durbar Square, where the royal goddess resides.

Happily married to a craftsman of the Capital’s Srighaa area 70 years ago, she is the eldest among the surviving former Living Goddesses of the Himalayan Kingdom. She is also a living proof of the fact that husbands of former Kumaris do not land up in trouble as rumours circulating in the city have it.

Shakya often thinks about "the ancient House with beautiful doors, windows and wall paintings", where she spent "most precious years" of her life as the Living Goddess or Kumari. That was in the 1920s. She becomes nostalgic especially when she hears the news about the arrival or enthronement of a new Kumari.

"She is there to protect the country and the monarch," Shakya proudly says echoing the popular belief.

Four-year-old Priti Shakya was installed as the new Kumari or the Living Goddess of the Hindu Kingdom on July 10 after her predecessor reached her age of puberty.

"I can’t stop thinking about that pretty House, which gave me a new name and unparalleled fame. I wish I could go there every day and serve the new Kumari wholeheartedly. But I’m too old for that," she says.

She was installed as the Kumari when she was just three years old. But she was forced to retire in the same year after she contracted smallpox, an epidemic then. And when she was just 15 years old, Hira’s parents arranged her marriage with the craftsman, Pratyaknanda Shakya.

"I cannot quite remember whether I was happy or not when my mother told me about the man. I think that was okay. I have been with him till now," she says, her bright eyes shining and her wrinkled face smiling wearing a coy look - something rare at her age.

Her life changed after she came to her husband’s house, however. She had to be obedient to her parents-in-law and work at the house day in and day out.

Hira Maiya rules out rumours that a former Kumari’s husband lands up in troubles or dies after marriage. "As I grew up, I heard about it," she says. "But those rumours did not affect our marital life at all. We lived a happy conjugal life. He loves me so much even today."

Her husband, Pratyaknanda, 87, says he feels proud to be a husband of a former Kumari. He adds, "I am lucky in many ways¼" He rules out the basis of the rumour, and says, "I do not say Kumari’s husbands never die; everyone has to die one day. There are widows, widowers. It is natural and not because they were former Kumaris or their husbands."

Hira Maiya cannot properly remember those important days (when she was a Kumari), but whenever she starts reminiscing those days she becomes excited. "It was such an amazing experience, like a dream. I did not have to work like my sisters. Everyone called me Goddess, and I could play as much as I liked," she adds.

She also remembers whenever the king came in front of her and she put vermilion tika on his forehead with her left hand. "The young King (Tribhuvan) came and watched the preparations for the Kumari procession from the white barandah of the Hanumandhoka Palace. Then he sat on the throne placed on the stone-paved platform in front of the Kumari House," she says.

ANNISU (R) submits 25-point demand to PM

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KATHMANDU, Aug 22 – Maoist-aligned All Nepal National Independent Student’s Union (ANNISU-Revolutionary) today put forth their 25-point demands to Prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Speaking to The Kathmandu Post, President of the ANNISU, Devendra Parajuli said that Prime Minister Deuba has given assurances to take initiative to implement their demands.

"If the government does not implement the demands of ours till October 1, we will be forced to launch an agitation programs," warned Parajuli after the meeting which lasted for 15 minutes.

Parajuli also accused the government under Girija Prasad Koirala for deliberately brushing aside their demands and not taking initiatives for the dialogue.

"Since the government seems to be flexible under the Prime Minister Deuba unlike under G.P. Koirala, we have forwarded our demands," said Parajuli.

The demands put forth by the ANNISU-Revolutionary includes the nationalizing all the private schools, upgrade the quality of all the public educational institutions, make free all the public schools up to secondary level, establish at least one campus in a district, scrap the compulsory Sanskrit from all the schools, take back the decision of abolishing the Intermediate level.

Jhapa hoteliers protest ANWA mayhem

BHADRAPUR, Aug 22 (PR)- A group of hotel and restaurant entrepreneurs of Birtamod closed down shops on Wednesday to protest the acts of vandalism and ransacking of their shops by supporters of the All Nepal Women’s Association (Revolutionary), a Maoist-affiliated group.

The ANWA supporters smashed thousands of liquor bottles and ransacked restaurants and hotels Tuesday evening in Dhulabari, Birtamod, Chaarali and Surunga – all towns in Jhapa district.

The entrepreneurs also held a demonstration today against the activities of the ANWA today, saying that they suffered huge losses due to the action by ANWA supporters. The businesses have urged everyone not to sell liquor until the government and the ANWA reach agreement. In Kathmandu, talks between the two sides are still continuing. The ANWA has demanded that liquor be banned in Nepal. Meanwhile, the aggrieved businessmen are ratcheting up their protests against the ANWA action. They have called a total shut-down in the affected towns on Thursday and Friday.