CPN(UML) general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal smiles during the party's central committee meeting on Tuesday.

Cabinet reshuffle today
Deuba camp splits

By Ameet Dhakal

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 – The minority Deuba camp in the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) has split with at least 5 lawmakers including three powerful former ministers joining hands with Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

Former home minister and powerful leader of the Deuba camp Khum Bahadur Khadka, former finance minister Dr Ram Saran Mahat and former Minister for Industry Omkar Prasad Shrestha have defected from the Deuba camp along with other lawmakers and have opted to join the government.

With this latest development, Prime Minister Koirala today evening submitted a 37-member new cabinet list to the Royal Palace. The reshuffle of the 11-month old Koirala government will be announced tomorrow morning, a source close to Prime Minister said.

He also informed The Kahmandu Post that all these faces deserting the Deuba camp have been given berth in the new cabinet. Khum Bahadur Khadka is likely to get Construction Ministry,
Dr Ram Saran Mahat Finance Ministry and Omkar Shrestha Tourism Ministry.

The source also said that the new cabinet will have 18 cabinet ministers, 14 state ministers and 5 assistant ministers.

With the reshuffle, at least two ministers are likely to lose their posts. Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Minister for Health and state minister Ram Bahadur Gurung will be among the outgoing ministers in tomorrow’s reshuffle, said the source. Mahesh Acharya will also lose his Finance Ministry portfolio but retain Defense Ministry. Likewise, Information Minister Jaya Prakash Ananda Gupta is likely to be transferred to Health Ministry. The information ministry will go to Baldev Sharma Majganya, who is currently state minister for Agriculture.

The defection of powerful leaders from its camp has come as a shock to the minority Deuba camp, who was bargaining on "terms" to enter the government. In a bid to strengthen its position, the camp was bargaining respectable slots to its members in the party’s Central Working Committee and other crucial party organs as precondition to join the government. Koirala is yet to announce his full-fledged CWC. According to the amended party statute, the president nominates fifty per cent of the CWC members.

Return of powerful CWC member, Khum Bahadur Khadka, who had defected from the Koirala camp five months ago, on the eve of crucial parliamentary winter session has given the camp a fresh breather.

Khadka had left the Koirala camp five months back demanding that Koirala relinquish one of the two positions (Prime Minister and NC party president) before the party general convention, which concluded in Pokhara few weeks back.

Prime Minister Koirala was working frantically since last week to accommodate the minority camp in the government in a bid to strengthen his position to face the parliament which is slated to begin its winter session on Thursday. The major opposition parties have already demanded Koirala’s resignation for his alleged role in the Lauda Air controversy and have said that they would use both the parliament and streets to pull him down.

Probable new faces in cabinet

Khum Bhadur Khadka (Construction)

Govinda Raj Joshi (Local Development)

Dr Ram S Mahat (Finance)

Prakash Koirala ( Forest)

Omkar Shrestha (Tourism)

Ram Janam Choudhary

Momhad Aftab Alam

Puskar Nath Ojha

Romi Gauchan

Shiv Bahadur Basnet

Mahadev Gurung

Palten Gurung

Ananda Dhungana

Hari Sapkota

Kansakar’s last rites performed

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 - The last rites of famed philanthropist and social worker Daya Bir Singh Kansakar, were performed in Shobhabhagwati today. Kansakar, a pioneer in social service activities in the country, passed away at the age of 90 yesterday.

His body was kept at Paropakar Office, Bhimsensthan from 9 am to 1 pm today so that the public could pay their last tribute to the social worker.

Kansakar was suffering from paralysis for the past five years. He was being treated for respiratory problems since last few days.

Born in 1911, Kansakar helped found Paropakar Sanstha, the first charity organisation in Nepal in 1947. He was also the first Nepali to donate blood in the country. He had donated blood in 1943 in Bir Hospital.

Kansakar founded Paropakar orphanage in 1952, Paropakar Ambulance service in 1953 and Indra Rajya Laxmi Devi Maternity Hospital in 1960. Paropakar Orphanage was transformed into Paropakar Adarsha High School in 1962 and later into a Higher Secondary School in 2000.

Paropakar institution is now active in conducting various social service activities in 175 places in 30 districts in the country.

Various Political parties and social service groups have expressed condolence messages and sadness over his demise.

‘India could be conspiring to construct Purnagiri dam’

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 - Experts today voiced serious concerns that India could be working to push Purnagiri as an alternative to the Pancheshwor Multi-Purpose Project, as activists affiliated with the main opposition party accused the government of attempting to hoodwink the people.

No sooner had the lawmakers of the CPN-UML and newsmen accompanying the opposition party activists who were visiting the proposed dam site in the far-western Nepal filed news reports in the national media last week, the Ministry of Water Resources issued a press release denying reports that India was unilaterally constructing the dam in the border river.

Presenting a field report at a press conference organized by the Democratic National Youth Federation of Nepal (DNYF), the youth wing of the main opposition CPN-UML, here Tuesday, experts said that India could be conspiring to construct a high dam over the Mahakali river in Kauwani-Purnagiri area near Nepal-India border.

According to them, in the preliminary Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Pancheshwor project, submitted to the government of India in 1995, Nepali experts had recommended Rupaligad as the best site to construct a re-regulation dam for the Pancheshwor project. Purnagiri was pointed to as "another suitable site to commission another multi-purpose project".

A by-product of the Mahakali Integrated Development Treaty signed by Nepal and India in 1996, the Pancheshwor project plans to generate 6,000-plus megawatts of hydro electricity and irrigate thousands of hectares of agricultural land in Nepal and India. The final DPR, however, is far from complete.

The ten-page report, presented by geographer Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, water resource expert YB Thapa and environmental expert Dr Gopi Upreti, asserts that India could be weighing up the pros and cons of constructing a high dam in the Purnagiri area because such a project would be of immense benefit to India.

"There could be scores of good reasons behind India choosing Purnagiri as a multi-purpose high dam site," says the report, adding that the new venture would not only "cut down project costs drastically, but would also open up avenues to divert the water to the water-scarce city of New Delhi".

Moreover, "constructing a high dam in Purnagiri would not pose any inundation problem to Indian territory like the Pancheshwor project," the report adds.

The cost of constructing the multi purpose Purnagiri dam was calculated at US $1 billion in 1995 as against 3 billion for Pancheshwor, according to the report. The trio were part of what DNYF youth claimed a "fact-finding team" that visited the Purnagiri area last week.

Besides meeting the people of Jogbuda and other would-be affected villages of Dadeldhura district, the team visited the proposed high dam site and threw a drilling machine and other survey equipment into the snow-fed river.

"We have found evidence that India is working on plans to construct a multi-purpose high dam in Purnagiri," DNYF Chairman and UML MP Gokarna Bista claimed today. "... the claims made by the water resources ministry’s press release last week are malicious, un-transparent, condemnable and fictitious...The truth should be revealed to the public."

However, the press release issued by the ministry and officials of the Pancheshwor project’s head office here last week dismissed the UML youth-sponsored reports, saying that only survey works pertaining to constructing a re-regulation dam for the Pancheshwor project were being carried out.

Indian Embassy official also denied the charge and called the reports purported and "completely laughable".

The government officials say additional technical studies required to prepare the joint Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Pancheshwor project are currently being drawn up in both the Purnagiri and Rupaligad areas—the two proposed sites for the re-regulation dam.

According to officials it is only after completing these studies that a concrete decision can be reached on where to construct the re-regulation dam.

The re-regulation dam, to be installed a few kilometres down stream of the proposed 315-meter-high Pancheshwor dam, will regulate water flow in the immediate downstream area of the Pancheshwor project. The need for such a dam stems from the fact that the plant will be run only during peak hours when the demand for electricity is high.

Winter Session in for slippery affair

By Binaj Gurubacharya

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 - The last few Winter Sessions of Parliament has been nothing but an arena for changes in governments and the prime ministers.

These sessions traditionally known as working session where lawmakers discuss, debate, amend and endorse proposed Bills have seen nothing more than battles and tussle for power and changes in the governments.

This year too the scene does not look too good with all the parties in the opposition gearing up to demand the resignation of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala over the infamous Lauda Air deal.

And even within his own Nepali Congress (NC), nearly half the members have rebelled against him and had recently made a failed attempt to oust him from the office he had held for the past 11 months.

Koirala has not even been able to make the changes in the cabinet to include the members from the rebel camp that he wanted to done by last week.

This would have eased the situation for him at least on the home front. However, it does not look like an easy sail for the prime minister on neither sides of the bench.

The Lauda Air controversy though not on the agenda is expected to prominently feature as soon as the session convenes.

The opposition parities besides seeking the prime minister’s resignation have already made it clear that they would take up the issue until action is taken against all those involved directly and indirectly.

Parliament officials have turned their focus on the trouble that is bound to erupt. Security will be tough and the number of marshall inside the assembly hall would be increased.

"We have made full preparations for the session. We will deal with any situation if and when it arises," said Taranath Ranabhat, Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Lower House of Parliament.

For the opposition it has now become a trend to storm the Speaker chanting slogan when they need to press their demands disrupting House proceedings.

With the governing NC busy with internal feuds that saw a motion of no confidence against the prime minister and the tussle for power during the General Convention, it has left them no much time to prepare for this Session.

The ministers who should have been working on the Bills concerning their ministries have not had much time with the all that activity in the party and the uncertainty of if they would be able to continue in office.

The result is that there are only two new Bills that have been presented in the House including the Bill brought to amend the Income Tax laws and the Bill to amend the Seed Act.

There are at least 13 other Bills that were presented during previous session in the House of Representatives and two with the National Assembly.

Most of these Bills are being discussed at the concerned parliamentary committees. One of the most awaited Bills is the one proposing 11th amendment to the Muluki Ain (Civil Code) that is being debated at the parliamentary Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Committee (LJPAC).

"We will give full priority to this Bill," Speaker Ranabhat said.

The Bill that was scrapped about a year ago due to dissolved parliament was once again been brought for discussion during the 16th Session.

It is already sparked debate, discussions and differences on the Bill that beside proposing gender equality also guarantee equal right to parental property for women.

The Bill proposes that the daughters would have equal rights to parental property with the sons. The present laws says that women have to 35 and unmarried before they can stake their claim into parental property.

‘Need to review security system’

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 – Minister for Defense Mahesh Acharya today said that there is a need to review the security system of the country in order to deal with increasing "organised violence".

"Our security system is not able to contain the kind of organised violence that is going on," said Acharya speaking at a face to face programme organised here today. "There is a need to equip and train our security personnel."

Acharya also pointed that the government is ever-ready to sit down for talks with the underground Maoist rebels. "The war that the Maoists are leading is a destiny-less war," he said.

He said that the country needs strong institutions like parliament for democracy to give fruitful results. He also called upon all the political parties to participate in political debate and to reach a consensus on grave problems like the People’s War launched by the underground Maoists.

"The parties should at least unite when it comes to making legislation to control the rampant corruption and other problems that have plagued the country," said Acharya.

When asked about the possibility of Army’s involvement in the Armed Police Force (APF), Acharya said that though the provision is there the government has not yet decided on whether to involve army in it.

Referring to rampant corruption, he said that the politicians are the ones who are accused of being corrupt, "but the administrative sector is not free of corruption either."

Former General-secretary of the parliament Jeevan Lal Satyal accused the political parties of having wrong priorities. "The issue of the moment is not whether the Prime Minister should be removed or not but the parties in the parliament should concentrate on resolving the Maoist problem," said Satyal.

Former diplomat Yadav Kant Silwal urged the parties for dialogue between themselves and to seek consensus on some of the crucial issues.

Cafe hopping comes of age in Kathmandu

By Tashi Dolma Thinley

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 - Restaurant going has never been part of the Nepali culture. But things are changing, at least in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu, the Temple City, today boasts more restaurants than temples. And these days, perhaps, more people go to restaurants than visit temples.

The soaring urban mass, with growing exposure to cosmopolitan cultures, an expanding service sector, rising income levels and busy schedules have fuelled the new trend, which is slowly becoming an integral part of urban Nepali culture.

Jayendra Karki is a banker whose family members work. Although they enjoy dinner together, these days he enjoys his lunch outside the family home. "We all work in my family, so we just have dinner together, which is more cost effective and convenient", says he.

Like Karki, there are growing numbers of people who frequent restaurants to save time, to eat different food and to have fun. Even for school students, it is restaurants that often substitute the traditional "tiffin box". Students are increasingly visiting restaurants in school uniform. A different menu, a fun ambience, the locality, high standards of hygiene, good service and an affordable price all lure people into eating out. There will always be something to tempt your taste buds. Not only people from well-to-do families, but also people from the lower middle class eat out on a regular basis. A family visiting a restaurant, say once a month, is very much the norm these days.

Nepal Rastra Bank’s household survey report concluded last year has also noted this change. Ten years ago, the average Nepali family used to spend 5 per cent of their income on eating out. Now, this figure has climbed to 7 per cent. And this is a national figure - the figures would be a lot higher if one was to solely focus on statistics in the capital.

With growing frequency, restaurant-going is now different. Gone are the days when you "looked for a dress to attend a function" (dinner, cocktail, parties etc) - today you "look for a function to wear a dress".

For the past few years, the restaurants business has been thriving. In the early eighties, there were hardly 100 restaurants in the Valley, now the number has crossed 600. This has begun to reflect even in government’s tax scale. The aggregate hotel tax, which was Rs 115.6 million in 1990 had almost doubled to Rs 301.1 million by 1997.

This growing trend has also encouraged restaurant owners to diversify their restaurants and service. People in fact, have come up with different ideas, themes, structures, presentation and varieties of cuisine like Nepalese, Indian, Chinese, Tibetan, Japanese, French, etc.

Fast food restaurants and cafes are the newest fad. It was only during the mid-nineties that these restaurants began to make their presence felt. But their growth has indeed been "fast" - these are the most loved food outlets nowadays.

We may not yet have welcomed world famous food chains like KFC, McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts, but Nanglo, Alinas and Tandoori cafes are no less popular here.

The Nanglo Café & Pub, in Durbar Marg, one of the most frequented restaurants in the capital serves about 350-450 customers every day. Restaurant manager Iroj Bajracharya, says "the cross section of our clients - be they adults, families or tourists, is always the same."

The growing number of restaurants has spooned multiplier effects: there are over 20,000 people employed in restaurants. It has boosted the market for green vegetables, meat products, drink supplies, dairy products, furniture, interior decorators and more, Tejendra Nath Shrestha, the president of Restaurant and Bar Association (REBAN), says.

The Valley cold store at Naya Bazar alone supplies 35-40 kgs of chicken and 30-40 kilograms of vegetables to the Nanglo Cafe & Pub in Durbar Marg.

Behind this boom in restaurant-going and the restaurant business, there is one important factor: The tremendous growth of the service sector industry. Have you noticed the sprouting of NGOs in the country, the operation of joint-venture banks and the huge inflow of remittance from abroad?

There are currently 11,814 NGOs affiliated to the Social Welfare Council as compared to 240 in 1990, 11 joint venture banks from one and 42 finance companies from zero and host of INGOs. And the annual remittance inflow is estimated at whopping Rs 69 billion.

With more people enjoying food away from the home, the traditional family dining pattern looks set to change. Maybe it won’t be too long before whole families forsake the customary dal bhat for fried chicken and chips KFC style.

Lawyers protest attack on CJ

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 - The legal workers today staged a silent demonstration at the premises of the Supreme Court as protest against the recent attack on the Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyay.

Speaking on the occasion, Shindhu Nath Pyakurel, the president-elect of Nepal Bar Association (NBA) said, "All the legal workers are united against any attack against the judicial system and take it as a blow to nation’s judicial foundations."

Harihar Dahal, the out-going president of NBA said, "This is not just an attack on the Chief Justice but an attack on the whole legal system." He added, "Those who make a lots of hue and cry on human rights are abusing it in the most deplorable manner."

SC rejects judicial custody

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Feb 6 - The Special Court rejected the demand for judicial custody to ANNFSU (Revolutionary) general secretary Purna Prasad Poudel and four of his associate activists today.

The accused are currently in police custody for their failure to post individual bail amount of Rs 10,000 as demanded by the Kathmandu District Administration Office. The bench comprising the president of Special court Mohan Prasad Sitaula, Justices Gyanendra Bahadur Karki and Jagannath Pathak has ordered that a fresh demand be made for their judicial custody once the DAO repeals the case.

A case was filed against 15 members of ANNFSU (Revolutionary) under the public offence (crime and offence) act 1990 in the Special Court, Monday. Of the total accused, General Secretary Poudel, Keshar Rimal, Shova Khanal, Munal Khadka and Yuvraj Bhattarai were presented before the court today.

The detainees are accused of detonating a bomb on the public road at Bhotebahal on November 12, with an aim to overthrow the government through violence.

Likewise, the bench also recorded the statement of Fanindra Devkota, Sadhu Ram Devkota, Dipak Devkota, Sailendra Devkota and Krishna Kumar Malla also charged on similar offence.

They are accused of detonating a bomb at the Modern Indian School premises, damaging school bus on the night of August 23.

All the accused were arrested from the ANNFSU (Revolutionary) office at Bhurungkhel on December 28 and the DAO issued bail release order on January 26.

However, Chet Nath Dhungana, Krishna Kumar Malla and Sailendra Devkota still remain in police custody despite posting their individual bail of Rs 10,000.