Foundation stone for Bhupi Sherchan’s statue laid

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KATHMANDU, Dec 25 – Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Keshav Sthapit laid the foundation stone for the construction of the statue of late Bhupi Sherchan, a renowned poet and litterateur on the occasion of the legend’s birth anniversary in the capital today.

"This installation ceremony is an attempt to preserve King Pratap Malla’s vision who built Ranipokhari," Mayor Sthapit said. He said this historic heritage could be preserved only if the young generation maintains a positive attitude. "We are going to reconstruct historical Aath Kune Pati (eight-cornered shed) and almost two hundred saplings will be planted in the area," he said.

Speaking at the function, Mayor Sthapit observed that the statue of poet Bhupi Sherchan is being constructed jointly by the Metropolitan City and the Literary Journalists’ Association, at a cost of Rs.300, 000. The construction works of the statue will be completed within 3 months.

At the programme organised to remember poet Bhupi Sherchan, various speakers shed light on Bhupi’s personality and his unyielding dedication towards poetry and literateur. Senior critique Dr. Taranath Sharma said that he was in the process of releasing Bhupi’s audio-cassette based on his anthology of poetry.

"People should read Bhupi’s heart- touching poetry to be able to understand the ups and downs of the society, "remarked Sharma. Sherchan’s son, Rupesh Sherchan also recited his collection of poems based on his father’s life.

Born in1993 BS, in Mustang, poet Sherchan dedicated himself to the field of poetry and was successful in earning name and fame among famous litterateurs of the country. Sherchan died in the year 2046 BS.

Kanti Sherchan expressed her gratitude to the Kathmandu Matropolitan City and the Literary Journalists’ Association for naming the road where the statue stands as the Bhupi Marg.

Also present at the function were senior poet Bairagi Kaila, president Narendra Bahadur Shrestha and secretary Radheshyam Lekali of the Literary Journalists’ Association among others.

Bouddhanath lost in a concrete jungle

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KATHMANDU, Dec 25 - Around 1500-year-old Bouddha Stupa, located some six kilometres east of the city centre, is almost hidden in the illegally built concrete houses that have totally engulfed the main shrine.

Locals there say that there are over a hundred houses around the Stupa and behind, which have been built against government rules and regulations. These illegally built buildings have not only blocked the Stupa’s view from the outside but also give an awkward look in the traditional setting of the ancient Buddhist structure.

"The number of illegal houses around the main Stupa has alarmingly increased in the past one decade," says a local shopkeeper. "The Department of Archaeology has pointed out at least 22 houses to be demolished immediately but the government does nothing to control it at all."

The Stupa of Bouddha, built in the 5th century by Shiva Dev, is one among the seven protected monument zones that make the Kathmandu Valley a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Nevertheless, the deteriorating environment of Bouddha has forced the UNESCO to express its concern and warn the Kathmandu Valley of de-listing.

The shopkeeper blames that the officials at the Department of Archaeology (DoA) have some "special relationship" with the owners of the houses, probably a give-and-take one. "This is why they do not take any action despite repeated complaints to the Department."

Some two and a half years ago, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu issued an order to destroy the front part of one of the houses in the area, under the DoA’s request. The owner of the house later built the same part again. But neither CDO nor DoA has enough time to follow up its earlier decision.

Dharma Bahadur Shakya, the owner of the house, accused that it was the result of his refusal to compromise with DoA officials. "I was building the house as per the regulations," said Shakya. "Being a lover of heritage myself, I constructed the house with a traditional look."

Almost all the newly built houses around the Stupa have violated the regulations. The Ancient Monument Protection Act 2056 states that the houses around the Stupa need to be built in traditional architecture with limited height, exposed bricks, traditional windows, doors and tilted roof.

But the DoA is least bothered about this provision. "DOA does not have any plan to control these illegal constructions," Bhim Nepal, the chief of Heritage Zone Section at DoA said. "For now, we are not taking any action against the houses at Bouddha."

Ukesh Raj Bhuju, president of Nepal Heritage Society, said that the government should take some steps to bring mushrooming illegal houses under control.

"All the monuments of the Kathmandu Valley are, in fact, the gifts of the past generation to the present-day people and the people have to preserve them for the sake of their future generation," Bhuju said.

He said development works should take place in and around monument zones also but it should not affect the appearance of the monuments. "Locals should rather be a part of the monument conservation project and the profit of conservation should benefit the locals."

Dr Gyanendra Ratna Tuladhar, a tourism and heritage expert, said that tourism is the best method to preserve the monument as it also brings economic benefit to the people in the area.

" The contribution of the locals matters much when it comes to the development of historic site into a major tourist destination," Tuladhar says. "Locals have to contribute a lot by reconstructing their houses in a traditional way and providing more service to the tourists."

Metropolitan City cop in custody!

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KATHMANDU, Dec 25– Have you ever heard a police official being held by another for doing his duty? That is what seems to have happened on Tuesday when a Sub-Inspector (SI) of Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) was "manhandled and taken into custody" by another SI of Jansewa Police Station.

A statement issued by KMC Mayor Keshav Sthapit today condemned the act. The statement said that SI Vishnu Joshi of KMC was roughed up by SI Rajendra Thapa and taken into custody while Joshi was supervising the footpath control and cleaning campaign.

Sthapit demanded "strong action" against the guilty and "if no action was taken, then the KMC would not be responsible for any resultant untoward action".

Awareness programme on property rights organised

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KATHMANDU, Dec25- Local level awareness programme on Equal Rights to Parental Property was held here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Shanta Thapaliya, an advocate and president of Legal Aid and Consultancy Centre (LACC) said, "the fight for parental property rights is neither against the elite and grassroots people nor for the big and small people," adding " It is the fight for equal rights between men and women."

"We should start this movement from our own home where we are discriminated between our brothers," she said.

Chhatra Kumari Gurung, an advocate and vice-chairman of LACC said that even after the establishment of Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), there is persistent gender inequality and there are discriminating laws against women in Nepal. "Women should be treated in equal terms," she remarked.

This time LACC has focused at Imadol and Budikhel Village Development Committees of Lalitpur district to bring about awareness in the local people about equal property rights by birth. The organisation has already conducted awareness programmes to seven districts such as Sunsari, Jhapa, Ilam, Chitwan, Syangja and Makwanpur.

Various participants drew the government attention towards the issue saying that women should get equal rights by birth to eliminate all kinds of discriminations.

Representatives from the government level, Lalitpur district CDO and Mayor, NGOs, local people and ward chairman of Lalitput district took part in the awareness programme, which was organised by LACC and sponsored by Small Grant Programme, USAID.

Report on Dalit's educational status out

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KATHMANDU, Dec 25 - A recently conducted survey in Saptari district on the situation of Dalits, which was made public today, shows a marked difference in the educational status of Dalits from that of the socially-privileged groups in the country.

The survey commissioned by Education Journalists’ Group (EJG) revealed that Dalits have a 10.7 percent literacy rate on an average along with a very high rate of infant mortality.

The survey conducted in seven VDCs of Saptari shows a sluggish rate of progress of the country’s most disadvantaged section of the society, which accounts 141,980 of the total population in the country.

Government has provided scholarship amounting to some 1,219,000 rupees for the upliftment of Dalit communities but with limited success, it said.

In Saptari alone, where the concentration of the Dalit population is one of the highest, the scholarship fund for the Dalit’s children is dismally low. "Even the school headmaster and the District Education Office have no knowledge of the existence of such scholarship for Dalits", said Raghunath Lamichhane, the author of the report.

"Dalit children are discriminated even in their mothers’ womb," said Tirtha Burma of Dalit NGO Federation reacting to the report. "When they are born, they are not only born undernourished but also suffer psychological trauma," he added.

Man Bahadur Biswakarma, a former MP suggested that in order to acquire a university degree, no surname be included while registering a Dalit child in the school.

The study compiled by Education Journalists’ Group shows that there is also a lack of awareness among the Dalit communities on the existence of such programmes despite various literacy programmes undertaken by non-governmental organisations in the recent years.

Various experts, including the representatives of Dalit NGO Federation, academicians, former MPs and journalists spoke at the interaction programme organised by the Education Journalists’ Group (EJG).

"Heartily well come to all"

The Kathmandu City is in full throttle for the upcoming summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC). The eleventh summit of the SAARC nations being held from January 4-6, the second such summit being held in the Himalayan capital, certainly does deserve all the credit for inducing extra efforts of officials for uplifting the city looks. All concerned departments under the government are now working hard to bestow a hearty welcome and nice stay to the SAARC diplomats.

The media and the general public are lately euphoric over the recent developments. So much so that many want such regional and international summits to be held in Kathmandu from time to time. And their wishes are well justified. After all the latest efforts show that Nepali authorities do have the capacity to work, provided there is a reason to do so. Roads are being expanded, and new electric poles are being installed. Washing, denting and painting too is underway in a huff and puff. Apart from that, the concerned authorities lately have even started carrying out pseudo-escorts to SAARC officials with flashing lights and long line of cars, especially to-and-from airport to various hotels and major offices, including the venue of the SAARC summit Birendra International Convention Centre. However, despite all sincere efforts for better preparations, one cannot stop musing and smiling over some incidents.

Some incidents that took place last week are worth reiterating. For example, the Department of Roads recently repaired a section of road in the Dilli Bazar area, and hardly ten hours later the newly paved road was dug up by Nepal Water Supply Corporation(NWSC). Maybe the roads department and NWSC can justify their actions, but going what the local mass in the area has to say, the case was simply a mess up. And that reflects the extent and the degree of non-cooperation between government agencies and state-owned institutions in the country. Isn’t that funny?

There is a more classic and antic example of ignorance of the concerned authorities that would certainly give even the SAARC diplomats a tingle of laughter. And going by that one count, that is to make the SAARC diplomats laugh, the strategy may work. However, that surely is not the intention of the government, which means that the example in question is a serious mistake that need immediate rectification.

One can now see lines of banners welcoming the SAARC delegates along almost all the major roads of the city. Especially, the wai-wai mini-hoarding boards that had decorated (to say) most electric poles from Tinkune to Thapathali are now covered by flags of the seven SAARC member countries, namely India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bhutan and Nepal. Nothing wrong with them. Similarly, many of the large hoarding boards that stand by the side of the main roads are covered up by such printed white-sheets.

To exemplify, one large hoarding board at Tinkune says – "SAARC: A vision of South Asian Solidarity." Two such boards at the Maitighar junction say – "Long Live the SAARC spirit of partnership." No problems with these ones. However, going further towards the Thapathali junction (which the locals call the Tokyo chowk), an interesting awaits one. If one turns back and looks up, a catchy welcome note to the SAARC delegates can be seen. And that can be seen straight when one crosses the bridge from Kupondole to Thapathali. All it says, in big bold letters, is – "Heartily well come to our distinguished guests!"

Many seek IDs after army action

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SALYAN, Dec 25 - The number of people seeking citizenship certificates here has increased drastically following the joint operation by the Royal Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force that began four weeks ago, said the District Administration Office (DAO) today.

Before the army was mobilised in the district with a view to disarming the Maoist rebels, on an average, only around a dozen people used to apply for the certificate daily. But the number of people seeking the official papers has since then shot up by 30-35 a day.

A local resident, Jeet Bahadur Chalaune, said that the people started obtaining the papers from the DAO so that they could show it to the security forces if they demanded it in the course of the search operations.

Elected representatives have also notified the people of their respective VDCs to obtain their citizenship certificates on time. Jhuplal B K, 53, from Siddheswori VDC, said that he had never before realised the importance of the official document. He added that even women were eager to obtain the paper after the army arrived at their villages and asked them to produce the document.

Poultry farmers hit hard by eggs imports

By Prem Kumar Luitel

MAHENDRANAGAR, Dec 25 (RSS) - Of the total 8,000 eggs consumed by the residents of Khanchanpur district daily, only 3,000 eggs are produced within the district and the remaining eggs are imported from India.

Some of the enthusiastic farmers of the district have been producing eggs by constituting the Kanchan Poultry Committee with the cooperation of the district livestock services office.

The Kanchan Poultry Committee which started poultry farming five months ago has been producing 3,000 eggs a day and within the next two weeks it is expected to produce 8,000 eggs and meet the local requirements, according to chairman of the Kanchan Poultry Committee Bishnu Singh Dhami.

After the Kanchan Poultry Committee increased production of eggs in the district, the Indian businessmen have reduced the price of one crate (30 eggs) eggs from Rs 95 to Rs 85 making it difficult for the committee to compete in the local market, Dhami said.

At present the committee has been selling one crate of eggs (30) at Rs 90 in the local market.

According to veterinary doctor Amar Shaha, the eggs of the German Lomann chickens produced by the local farmers are more fresher and healthier than the eggs imported from India.

Altogether 64 men and 36 women of Suda and Daiji Village Development Committees are involved in poultry these days.

After the department of livestock services launched the poverty alleviation and self-employment promotion programme in nine districts of the far-western development region through the district livestock services offices in the fiscal year 2057/58, the Kanchan Poultry Committee constituted by the local farmers have been earning an income of about Rs 26,000 a month.

The local farmers have registered Kanchan Livestock and Poultry Cooperative with the objective of expanding poultry farms in the district.

The Kanchan Poultry Committee has been producing necessary materials, poultry feed and providing technical assistance and marketting services by becoming the hatchery dealer in the district.

The development of poultry farms has contributed to providing direct and indirect employment to the rural populace.

Earlier the district livestock service office had provided 92 farmers 9,566 chickens, Rs 10,000 for building sheds, Rs 30,000 for poultry feed, medicines and other materials as grant assistance, and necessary training for rearing chickens.

Lomann Layer hens lays 336 eggs within a period of 20 months.

Kanchan Poultry Committee has been working together with the Village Development Committee and the local bodies for increasing production and marketting eggs.

As a result of the difference in the price of locally produced eggs and Indian eggs, the market is still being captured by Indian eggs.

The local bussinessmen have also been selling Indian eggs of inferior quality in the market with the objective making more profit without taking into consideration the health of the people.

Bhangu Rana, a woman poultry farmer of Daiji VDC-1 says that the hard work put in by the farmers would be wasted if the eggs produced by them cannot be marketted properly.

Over 1000 Sissau trees cut down

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SARLAHI, Dec 25 - More than 1000 Sissau trees planted on the side of the irrigation canal of Mansumara Irrigation Project have been illegally cut down and smuggled by the locals and traders, said the District Forest Office (DFO).

One of the officer at DFO said, the Sissau forest has already been handed over to the locals but they themselves are involved in cutting down the tress with contractors causing loss to those who have grown the trees.

The officer requesting anonymity said, they cut down the Sissau trees which were suffered by disease. The Sissau plantation was conducted by DFO in 2043.

Another Officer Raja Baral, said the locals didn’t consider Sissau trees as the forest. The nearby brick kilns and wood mills too purchases the woods causing rapid deforestation.

He further added that such activities have been controlled with the help of police guards and a team of forest security members.

Engineer of District Irrigation Office (DIO) Shyam Nandan Yadav said, the trees disturbed the irrigation canal.