RONAST marks 19th anniversary

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KATHMANDU, Dec 5 -The Royal Nepal Academy for Science and Technology (RONAST) felicitated senior scientists and technologists today for their life-long contribution to the institution at a function organised here today to mark its 19th anniversary, said a press release issued here today.

On the ocassion, Dr.Saraswati Prasad Rimal was given a letter of appreciation for his outstanding work in botanical sector, Prof. Uma Prasad Shrestha and Durga Devi Basnet for their contributions in the feild of physics, Dr.Thir Bahadur Singh for his contribution in the field of Veterinary Science and Puskar Satyal received the letter of appreciation in the field of Medical Science.

At the function, Dr. Bharat Prasad Basyal, senior scientist, and Sisir Raj Kolakshapati joint secretary at the Communication Department were also handed over a purse of Rs 10,000 along with a certificate of appreciation each for their contribution to the institution.

Int’l Year of Volunteers concludes

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KATHMANDU, Dec 5 – The International Year of Volunteers under the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) Programme, which was observed throughout the year 2001 in Nepal, came to a conclusion today amidst a function.

Speaking at the programme, member of the National Planning Commission and chairman of the National Strategic Planning Committee Dr Jagdish Chandra Pokhrel said, "Volunteers are meant to solve conflicts and work for restoring peace."

Citing examples in the context of Nepal where volunteers service are eminent in social, economic and cultural sectors, member of the committee, Dr T.R Baidya said, "One can see volunteers’ instinct during natural calamities, social causes and even during political turmoil".

According to a survey conducted by the committee of the International Year of Volunteers in Nepal, there are 207 volunteer gencies and 759,000 volunteers.

Almost everywhere one gives a look in the developing world, UN volunteers are there. According to the organizers, about two thirds come from the developing world. UNV is administered by the Untied Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP).

Bicycle lane for Kathmandu !

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KATHMANDU, Dec 5 - Soon after the completion of the 11th SAARC Summit in January, the peddlers in the capital will have a field day riding through the main thoroughfares of the city.

After a couple of months of exercise,the Kathmandu Metropolitan City is now all set to implement its project to construct the first ever bicycle lane in the capital.

The construction will begin immediately after the 11th SAARC Summit in January 2002, the KMC officials said.

The Kathmandu Valley Mapping Programme (KVMP), a joint venture of KMC and European Commission, had initially decided to construct around 4 kilometres long bicycle route from Teenkune to Tundikhel as a demonstration project to introduce a new concept of providing a separate lane or track for cycles.

And after few months of study, the KVMP has decided to add new routes for the construction of the bicycle lanes. This earlier section from Tinkune to Maitighar will now be linked with the road from Maitighar to Bhadrakali through the Army Headquarters and then will encircle the newly widened roads around Tundikhel.

European transport specialist Klaus Broersma and Nepali expert Naresh Pradhan have prepared a mission report of KVMP, which addresses the promotion of Non-Motorised Transportation (NMT) facilities in the city, and more specifically the establishment of a bicycle routes’ network as one of the three main subject areas.

KVMP has started surveying the area and is right now holding detail designs for the construction of bicycle lane, said Naresh Pradhan. "From our side, it is almost complete."

"Now, we are holding regular meetings with agencies and the concerned government bodies like Department of Road and Department of Transport Management to materialise the plans," he said.

But he said that the project would take off only after the SAARC Summit.

According to Pradhan, there will be two types of routes - a four-metre-wide track will be constructed along the Tinkune-Maitighar road that will be separated with a green belt. In the mean time, a three-metre-wide lane will be constructed along the Army Headquarters and around Tundikhel, which will be separated by a simple physical division.

He said the government bodies are also "very interested" to make it happen as this project will save the highway from being encroached and safeguard its Right of Way (ROW).

Pradhan said the whole of the project will be completed by KVMP’s expenses and will either urge the government to undertake the further job or encourage private parties.

"Some private organisations, including business houses have shown interest to contribute in maintaining the green belt," he said.

If the KMC gets support from both government bodies and private investors, the bicycle lane in the capital is not far away. The KVMP promises to complete the project in three months time from the time of beginning the construction.

Human Rights Award to Thapaliya

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KATHMANDU, Dec 5 - The Human Rights Organisation (HURON) today decided to honour Nutan Thapaliya with the Human Rights Award.

Thapaliya, 69, is well-known for his contribution in the field of human rights in the country. The award is given every two years to those who have devoted their life in the human rights arena of the country.

The announcement was made by HURON today. A three-member evaluation team headed by Nabin Prakash Jung Shah, Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuvan University had recommended Thapaliya as the recipient for the award.

Thapaliya is a founder member of HURON and a senior advocate.

The award, carrying a purse of Rs. 25,000, will be given on a Human Rights Day slated to be held on December 10.

Addressing the conference, President of HURON Sudip Pathak stressed the need to arrange proper and safe places for the Maoists wishing to surrender.

Human rights activists including Krishna Pahadi, President of Human Rights and Peace Society (HURPES), Subodh Pyakurel, General Secretary of Informal Sector Service (INSEC) and Pramod Kafle, President of GRINSO, Nepal were present at the conference. They urged the Maoist terrorists to lay down their weapons and continue the talks with the government.

Curfew continues in many districts, two killed

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KATHMANDU, Dec 5 - One Maoist was shot dead while two others sustained serious injuries in an encounter with police personnel in Sunsari district and Maoists killed one person in the far-eastern district of Taplejung, according to reports received here on Wednesday.

The Royal Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force have continued search operations in various parts of the country and a large number of Maoists have surrendered to local authorities, promising to spend an independent life in future.

Our reporter from Sunsari said one unidentified Maoist was shot dead and two others, including a pregnant woman, sustained injuries after the police patrolling Khanar VDC fired at them on Tuesday night. Police have also arrested 11 Maoists from the neighbouring area. Some explosives and Maoist related literature were also confiscated from the houses of the arrested Maoists. Local administration said eight Maoists surrendered to the authorities.

A report from Taplejung said that the Maoists on Wednesday morning shot dead a local youth, Tara Langwa, at Masing village of Yukimba VDC. The rebels also abducted the VDC chairman, Mangal Singh Kedem, from his home. Chief district Officer, Krishna Prasad Poudel, said that the chairman would be rescued by helicopter. Details of Maoist atrocities in the area were yet to be known as the site of the incident was a day’s trek from the district headquarters of Fungling.

In another report from Lamjung district, the rebel Maoists, four days ago, warned Tirthalal Gurung, chairman of the constituency No-2 of the Nepali Congress and vice-chairman of Karayu VDC, to leave his home within 20 hours.

Gurung was forcibly taken out of his home despite his wife’s pleas for a mercy. The rebels had also beaten him at a local school accusing him of being an exploiter. He, however, managed to escape the Maoist captivity with the help of villagers, who had resisted the rebels. Gurung has arrived at the district headquarters of Besisahar demanding safety of his life. Meanwhile, a report from Dang says the local administration has imposed night- hour curfew for the ninth consecutive days Wednesday in the district headquarters of Ghorahi and another major business town of Tulsipur. The curfew had to be imposed after the Maoists attacked the government establishments on November 23, leaving several security personnel and other civilians dead.

Security wings of the district have jointly appealed the people to assist them by supplying information about terrorists hide-outs and their terrorist activities. Authorities have also announced a prize for those providing authentic tip-offs about the rebels.

Likewise, the Dang DAO said that the rebels robbed thousands of rupees of property breaking into the house of former member of Rastriya Panchayat, Lokmani Giri, at Hekuli VDC-9 on Tuesday midnight. Giri said details of the property plundered by the rebels were yet to be assessed as he was out of the home during that time.

A dispatch from Chautara, the district headquarters of Sindhupalchowk, stated that 121 Maoist officials from 24 VDCs, issuing separate press statements today, resigned from their respective posts, saying that they were forcibly inducted into the Maoist-formed People’s Government. The people deserting the Maoist party have promised to lead an ordinary life in the days ahead. In Sindhupalchowk, the local administration has imposed night-hour curfew in the urban areas of the three constituencies.

Likewise, 10 Maoists in Kalikot and two in Dailekh districts surrendered before their respective local administration offices, denouncing the terrorist activities, our Surkhet based reporter quoted the authorities as saying. The rebels on Tuesday night destroyed an empty police post located at Mahelkuna VDC, about 16 km away from Surkhet, according to the locals. The Dailekh DAO said the rebels ransacked property from the house of officiating district chairman of the Nepali Congress, Nagendra Bahadur Khatri.

In Parsa, 29 Maoist terrorists gave in to the authorities since the state of emergency. A dusk-to-dawn curfew has been imposed in several district headquarters for security reasons.

Refugee flay Bhutan govt move

BIRTAMOD (Jhapa), Dec 5 (PR)- The Bhutan Gorkha National Liberation Front (BGLF) in exile has said that a 39-member Constitution Draft Committee formed by the Bhutanese monarch - Jigme Singhe Wangchuk - last week was intended to isolate the refugees languishing in Nepal.

Formation of the Constitution Draft Committee was made public last week in the Kuensel, an English language weekly published from the Bhutanese capital of Thimpu. In a press statement issued here on Tuesday, the BGLF accused the Bhutanese government of not including all the ethnic communities in the constitution draft committee.

It further added that the draft committee was a part of the Druk government’s conspiracy against the Bhutanese refugees who were forcibly evicted from their homeland over a decade ago.

The statement has appealed to all the Bhutanese refugees to forge a unity among themselves against the government’s move to make the refugee issues further complicated.