Locals of Maitighar await govt reaction

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KATHMANDU, Dec 11 - Eighty-two years old Indira Devi Parajuli was shocked when her sons told her that the land she bought 40 years ago would be blown out to make a garden.

"That was a devastating news. How can we leave our homes and feelings associated with the house within 15 days?" she asked.

The Parajuli family bought 3 ropanis of land in 1960s at Maitighar, ward No. 11 and after several years, almost half of her land was taken by the government to construct the Arniko Highway.

She divided the land among her five sons who earn enough to live by the rent and now the area gives the families enough rent too, as it lies today in the central business.

She said that the 13 families living today in around 2 ropani area of Maitighar junction did not oppose the government to acquire the land as such.

"But we must be notified in time and be given enough time to manage our property or be given a substitute land," she demanded. "It was just a week ago my son constructed a new room in his home and made a new kitchen there," she said.

The families, according to Parajuli, have not even been formally given any notice about the acquisition even after a week and there are only a week left to evacuate the land.

They said the government did not even try to involve the locals in the development activities in a humane way.

Mayor of Kathmandu Keshav Sthapit today held a meeting at Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office (KMC) with the locals to find some solutions to the suddenly arisen problem.

The mayor said the government made the decision and KMC was just a medium to implement it. But he could manage a house in rent for the time being until the locals do not find any residence.

"I proposed them to shift to a rented house for a couple of months on the municipality’s expenses. I personally want to help them because all the decisions were made suddenly," he said.

The cabinet meeting of December 3 decided to acquire around 50 ropanis of the disputed land of Tinkune at Koteshowr and the Maitighar junction to develop the areas into modern gardens before the 11th Summit of South Asian Association for Regional Co-operation takes place on January 4, 2002.

And the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works handed over the right to clear the Maitighar area to KMC and also to develop a garden on the cleared area.

KMC officials said that the making of a garden would not be difficult to construct a Mandala-shaped garden with a water pond on it. "It will take four or five days to demolish the houses if we use all the demolishing equipment we have," he said.

Similarly, KMC is widening the road at Jamal-Tindhara, demolishing three major constructions beside the historical water pond of Ranipokhari, the officials said.

The Ministry for Physical Planning and Works is on the way to acquire the land at Tinkune and develop a garden on that area.

Call to protect fertile land

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KATHMANDU, Dec 11- About ten thousand hectares of land in the western part of Nepal is slowly turning into a desert due to deforestation caused by rapid growth in population.

Minister for Population and Environment Prem Lal Singh today inaugurated a two-day- national workshop on Land Degradation, Drought and Sustainable Management with a view to formulating a workplan on desertification. The workshop was organised by the Ministry of Population and Environment in collaboration with the Secretariat of the UN Convention on Combating Desertification.

Speaking on the occasion, Prem.Lal Singh, Minister for Population and Environment said, "Nepal’s agricultural land is slowly turning into a desert which is our misfortune", adding "It is necessary to protect fertile land for the alleviation of poverty."

According to Dr B. R. Dhamala, Deputy Representative of UNDP, around 230 million cubic metres of fertile land is gradually degrading due to various reasons. "Due to desertification, 50 percent of the Nepali people suffer from food scarcity from three to six months. Until a couple of decades ago, Nepal used to export foodgrains and now it only imports," he added.

Social activist Arjoo Deuba said, "the change in weather and geographical structure are causing natural calamities and degrading fertile land. "

Speaking at the programme, various participants shed light on the importance of fertile land and urged to plant more trees and promote alternative or clean sources of energy to make the earth a better place to live in.

Seventy-five percent of the people residing in remote villages of Nepal fell trees to meet their daily requirements. "This is probably another reason why the fertile land is fast turning barren", speakers remarked.

Eco-friendly buses forced to remain in garage

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KATHMANDU, Dec 11 – As the government-owned Department of Transport Management (DTM) has been denying the registration of a new model electric four-wheeler bus from the UK, showing seeming reasons of lack of specifications of the bus, it is forced to remain in garage despite its multi-dimensional benefits.

The bus, based on modified UK electric technology, is in the capital but it has been kept off the streets of Kathmandu as it is yet to get registration from DTM, the government body responsible for the management of transportation in the country.

"We have not received specification of the bus, so we have difficulty to grant registration to the four wheeler," says Sushil Agrawal, chief of Technical Division at the DTM.

However, sources at Himalayan Light Foundation (HLF) , an NGO in the field of environment-friendly renewable technologies in Nepal, which has introduced the bus to the country, says that they have already provided the needed genuine specifications of the buses for registration. "We have already provided necessary specifications of the bus," said Adam Friedensohn, chief Advisor of HLF.

The DTM is also denying the registration of the bus saying that they have stopped the registration of all types of commercial vehicles in Kathmandu due to vehicle pressure. However, according to a highly-placed source at the DTM, it has been registering commercial vehicles on an average of 200 each month.

As the registration delay continued for more than six months, HLF has already suffered a loss of 80 thousand rupees, according to HLF office. It has been paying for technicians of the bus from Switzerland and America.

The bus is new to Nepal. According to Friedensohn, the bus would be a viable alternative to the existing 20-year-old heavily-polluting diesel and petrol buses currently plying in the valley. It can carry approximately 18-20 passengers.

"The bus will use the waste electricity during the night time and thus save foreign money of the country that is being spent in importing fuel," said Friedensohn. The bus is more road stable than Safa Tempos, he adds.

The bus was introduced five years ago by the Electric Vehicle Company but was forced to remain in garage as the DTM has been denying the registration for the environment -friendly four wheeler. This type of buses were used in UK for carrying milk.

FNJ flays police atrocity

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KATHMANDU, Dec 11 – Police, posted at the western entrance gate of the Singha Durbar, where most of the government Ministries are situated, severely beat up Gajendra Budhathoki, business reporter of Samachar Patra daily, when he was there to enter the gate for news coverage of a programme, organised by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supply.

According to a press release received from the Federation of Nepalese Journalists, Kamana branch, police, including Assistant Inspector of Police Atma Ram Upreti, manhandled Budhathoki although he showed his press pass issued from the government- owned Department of Information.

The FNJ, Kamana branch has condemned the mistreatment of police meted out to the reporter and asked the government to take action over ASI Upreti. According to the release, the branch has also asked the government to ease the problem of reporters in covering news during the state of emergency.

Dharmodaya Sabha hails govt decision

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KATHMANDU, Dec 11 – The Dharmodaya Sabha hailed the decision of the government to install a 35-feet-tall statue of Lord Buddha at Tinkune, Koteshwor, a press release issued by Dharmodaya Sabha, a Buddhist religious organisation stated today.

Buddhist religious leaders welcomed the decision of the government to erect the statue in a letter of appreciation to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba saying, "the Dharmodaya Sabha is ready to provide support to the government by all means possible."

The huge 35-feet-tall statue will be installed at the main exit point from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). The location is chosen so that most tourists and visitors making their first step in the capital city of Nepal from the airport will be able to give a glance to Lord Buddha, the light of Asia.

…and the tradition still goes on

By Tilak Pokharel

After six months of ups and downs, the Kathmanduites once again saw unpleasant scenes last week. The roads were almost deserted and the commuters were on foot to reach to their destinations. But a few public buses were giving a sigh of relief to some of the weary city dwellers.

Yes. It was the same Nepal Bandh culture, which has heavily ailed the Kathmanduites in particular and all the Nepalese in general since the restoration of democracy in 1990. These poor city dwellers have been victimised further because they have to equally suffer in both Nepal Bandh and Valley Bandh.

The government keeps on becoming apathetic towards the demand of the oppositions and the latter go on calling for strikes – sometimes nation-wide if they have bigger demands and sometimes valley-wide – for which calling for Nepal Bandh has been the best tool to make it a "success."

It was the first bandh called after the tragic Royal massacre on June 1. The three-day Nepal Bandh called by the opposition parties, including the main opposition CPN-UML, just two days before the Royal tragedy was the last of such tradition.

Unlike any other bandhs, the valley looked different this time. Something was distinctly visible in the streets. Replacing the blue-clad policemen were the camouflaged army men. The latter took to the streets of the capital for the first time after 12 years, manning the streets along with guns and armoured vehicles. I think one would have forgotten whether he was in his own "peaceful" motherland or in some corners of Afghanistan or Ruwanda or Burundi.

The scenes were more obvious, specifically because the Nepal Bandh was called by the Maoists. But many people were perplexed whether the strike was called off. Many of the schools remained open, forgetting the hassles and troubles the students face. Though the roads were more deserted in the early hours, the scene slowly changed after no untoward incident took place. But a few of the microbuses and local buses were not enough to fulfil the demand of tens of thousands of commuters.

It was well before the declaration of the State of Emergency that the Maoists had called for the bandh. Even though they have now been declared "terrorists" by the government, their call for the bandh still went ahead and made an impact, mostly due to fear. And that was enough to create chaos.

The Bandh was different from other angle as well. The whole day passed without a single stone pelted by the protesters. Tyres were not burnt on the streets and most importantly, the iron railing on the street sides were intact and windowpanes of the houses erected along the major streets were not smashed, compared to other bandhs. They all were in their hideouts, only left was fear and the chaos.

The bandh finally passed off peacefully. And the Kathmandu residents and the Nepalese in general will live comfortably until another political party calls for another strike. According to the regular routines of the Maoists, it’s again their turn to call for the next strike on Chaitra 24 (April 8). History shows that they have not left a single Chaitra 24, the day when the highest number of people were shot dead in 1990’s revolution, without a bandh.

China beefs up security in Tatopani border

CHAUTARA, Dec 11 (PR)- China has increased vigil along the Nepal-China border following the recent declaration of emergency in the country.

Security has been beefed up along the Nepal-China border after the government declared Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), its sister organisations and any other organisations that support its activities as terrorists, said a Nepali security official at the border.

According to the security official, Chinese security forces are on high alert as they have started to keep an eye on those Nepalis who enter China through the ‘friendship bridge’ situated at the border in Tatopani.

It is learnt that an agreement was held on Saturday between Nepal and China regarding the security increment along the border in a bid of curbing terrorism in Khasa, China.

At the meeting, China was willing to extend support to the Nepal to contain the terrorism in Tatopani Village Development Committee (VDC), said the source.

The security has been tightened in the border following the support extended by China after the government declared state of emergency.

Kathmandu-Hetauda road completes

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HETAUDA, Dec 11 - An alternative Hetauda-Kathmandu country road has been recently completed with a joint initiation of the Makawanpur and Kathmandu District Development Committees (DDC), officials here said today.

Construction of the 76 kilometres long country road, which passes through Hetauda-Bhimphedi-Kulekhani, Farping and Dakshinkali, was started decades ago. It is believed that once the road is further widened and black-topped, it will be the shortest route to link the Terai region with the Kathmandu Valley.

It will also help reduce traffic congestion in the Prithvi Highway and the oldest Tribhuvan Highway and thereby saving millions of rupees in terms of time, fuel and other forms of expenses. Currently, a vehicle travelling from the capital to Hetauda has to cover an extra 100 km via Mugling and Narayangadh.

Makawanpur DDC chairman, Rameshwor Rana, said both the DDCs invested for the construction of the road. Other non-governmental organisations also provided their financial and technical support equivalent to around Rs. 20 million and around 13,000 locals extended their voluntary labour service in the course of the construction.Chairman Rana said light vehicles are plying on the road which can be covered within three hours.

Mayor of Hetauda Municipality, Dormani Poudel, opined that the government should include this road on a national priority and invest in widening the already-built road, which could be cost effective. Locals say the road would help the people of more than a dozen of VDCs to transport their agricultural products in the capital and the industrial city of Hetauda.

Hundreds of Maoists surrender in various districts

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KATHMANDU, Dec 11 - With the Royal Nepal Army soldiers continuing their search operation in various parts of the country, a large number of Maoist rebels have deserted their party, according to reports received here Tuesday.

Our reporter from eastern district of Sankhuwasabha says that as many as 122 Maoist supporters, issuing a joint press statement today, surrendered to the local authorities, promising that they would never indulge in violent activities. The people deserting the Maoist party have also claimed that they were inducted in Maoist organisation without their consent.

The District Administration Office said that around 100 Maoists had earlier surrendered to the local authorities. It is learnt that around 400 people from various Village Development Committees have published a press statement renouncing the "terrorist" activities of the party since the state of emergency was declared.

Authorities said the number of people surrendering to the government could climb higher than the figure available. People travelling from rural areas to the district headquarters at Khandbari said that they feel secured following the declaration of the emergency.

Meanwhile, a report from Myagdi district in the western region said three Maoist leaders of Shikha VDC-7 surrendered to the local administration on Tuesday. Tilak Khadka, who is one of the three Maoists surrendering to the authorities, said the "terrorists" had no political future, nor did he believe in violence and terror.

Myagdi Chief District Officer Mathura Prasad Yadav, in an all-party meeting held today, asked all the political parties not to let the Maoists enter their parties until the state of emergency was over.

The administration has also tightened up its security around the villages sharing borders with Dolpa, Baglung and Rukum districts to prevent the terrorists from entering in Myagdi from these neighbouring districts. The district security sources said three people were held on charges of their association with the "terrorists."

Similarly, in Gorkha, an all-party meeting held here for the first time since the declaration of emergency, chaired by the Chief District Officer, Kashinath Marasini, decided to co-operate with the RNA soldiers in their mission to disarm the Maoists. The local administration has appealed the locals to remain inside their home at night and not to give shelters to any strangers.

Meanwhile, a report from Palpa district says that an eight-year old boy, Deepak Malla, from Darchha VDC-5 died instantly while playing with a hand-made grenade, left behind by the rebels, exploded last week. Our reporter said the Maoist rebels yesterday night destroyed an empty police outpost in the eastern VDC of Rampur. A main police post has been completely destroyed by the explosion.

The report further added that around 300 cadres of the main political parties have fled their homes due to fear of Maoist retaliation. Locals also added that the rebels were showing them bundles of Nepali denominations, looted from a state-owned bank in Syangja two weeks ago. Party cadres have demanded that the government provide them security from the Maoist threats.

In another report from Kabhre, around 200 lower level Maoist cadres have appealed for amnesty since the declaration of the state of emergency. The District Administration Office has authorised the district party offices of the ruling Nepali Congress, CPN-UML, CPN-ML and Nepal Workers and Peasants Party to handle the applications of the Maoists, seeking general amnesty for their crimes against the state.

CPN-UML’s district party secretary Bidur Sapkota said more than 150 Maoist cadres have applied for the amnesty at his office. NC district working committee secretary Madhu Acharya said 60 Maoists appealed for the surrender. Officials at the District Administration Office said they would scrutinise all the applications by Wednesday.

Our Parbat-based reporter quoted the police as saying that around 20 suspected Maoists, including headmasters of two local schools, have been taken into police custody on charges of their involvement in Maoist activities.

Meanwhile, our correspondent from the far-western district of Kanchanpur says that police arrested 60 Maoists, including three women. Of the total arrested 23 have been imprisoned up to three months under the recently introduced ordinance to control terrorism. Police source said security personnel have seized some firearms and ammunition from the rebels during the cordon and search operation.