Crown Prince opens Dharan festival

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DHARAN, Jan 3 – The eastern city of Dharan marked its centennial celebrations with a week-long gala festival that was officially inaugurated Wednesday by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.

The Crown Prince opened the festival at the premises of the

BP Koirala Institute of Health Science. On the occasion, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince gave away letter of appreciation to 18 people who have contributed to enhance the image of Dharan and those making remarkable contribution to the development of various spheres of the society.

The city was settled by the then Rana prime minister Chandra Shumsher JBR around 1900.

Mayor of Dharan Municipality, Manoj Kumar Miyangbo, offered civic felicitation to the Crown Prince.

Following the inauguration, the Crown Prince keenly observed the industrial, scientific, health and flowery cultural exhibition, held at the premises of a public high.

Earlier, addressing the inaugural function, Minister of State for Local Development, Suresh Malla, said that the government has implemented the Local Governance Act and its regulations to make the local bodies more responsible for the local development.

Malla added that the government was considering a waiver of the earthquake loans, received by the people of Dharan to reconstruct their homes, devastated by the 1989 earthquake.

Member of Parliament Kunta Sharma expressed the confidence that the centennial festival would help expedite for the development of Dharan, one of the oldest cities in the country.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Dipendra inaugurated the Eastern Region Orphanage in Biratnagar amidst a function Wednesday. On the occasion, he also observed the premises, built on a total of two bighas of land.

Following the inaugural ceremony, the Crown Prince gave away letter of felicitation to four people for their contribution to the establishment of the orphanage.

Member Secretary of the orphanage, Bhaktalal Upadhaya, said that the various buildings at the premises were built with national and international contribution. Currently, 57 orphan children and 13 elderly persons are taking refuge in the shelter.

Chairperson of the orphanage, Sita Pokharel, said that 21 orphan children have so far been adopted by people from various countries and are taking higher education in their respective countries.

Pokharel, however, said that the grown-up orphans were facing problem in obtaining the citizenship certificates. Minister of State for Women and Children, Kamala Pant, assured that the government would provide citizenship certificates to the orphan children.

Mongolian president arriving tomorrow

By Damakant Jayshi

KATHMANDU, Jan 3 – In a first-ever visit by the head of state from Mongolia, President Natsagiin Bagabandi, is arriving Kathmandu Friday for a three-day long state visit.

The high level visit is taking place on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Nepal and Mongolia. Besides the president and the first lady, the visit includes a delegation comprising ministers, officials, businessmen and the media.

It was in January 5, 1961 that Nepal and Mongolia established diplomatic relations, although they don’t have independent diplomatic missions.

It was in the same year that late King Mahendra paid a visit to this northern Asian nation. Similarly, in 1995, late Man Mohan Adhikary visited the country as Prime Minister to sign a Cultural Agreement. The agreement will automatically renew every five years unless either country terminates the accord.

Though under autocratic rule till late 80s, both Mongolia and Nepal opted for multi-party system in 1989 and 1990 respectively.

Mongolia, now a Buddhist state, has shown keen interest in building monasteries in the Lumbini Monastic Zone and has asked the Nepali government to provide land for the purpose. President Bagabandi is scheduled to lay a foundation stone of Gandantek Chengling monastery in Lumbini. Their Majesties the King and Queen will also be present during the occasion.

During the visit, the two sides are expected to explore business and trade opportunities. Both the countries are going to discuss the potential trade relations, with special focus on Nepal’s export of plastic to Mongolia. As for the import from Mongolia, the talks will centre on woolen thread. The nitty-gritty of the trade agenda has been left to the business community.

Nepal’s business community needs to improve on the trade imbalance between the two countries. According to Nepal Overseas Trade Statistics, the trade balance with Mongolia for the year 1998/99 is Rs 3,743,000 in favour of Mongolia, with Nepal exporting goods worth only Rs 10,000.

Being landlocked, and geographically handicapped, both the countries had worked closely during the decade-long discussion on Law of Sea, signed in 1982, after a protracted debate since 1972. This law has guaranteed access to sea to the landlocked nations.

The current visit is seen more as a sojourn to develop a sense of affinity between the two landlocked nations. The two countries are likely to discuss how to work together in different international forums to put forward the problems arising out of landlockedness. The Foreign Ministry officials, however, do not want to attach any importance to the timing of the visit. They only said that, this was the only convenient time for both the countries.

Leaders call for communal harmony
Plan ‘goodwill processions’ to restore amity

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KATHMANDU, Jan 3 - Expressing regret over last week’s riots over alleged derogatory remarks by Indian film star Hrithik Roshan, prominent political party leaders, intellectuals and people from various walks of life today called on the general public to uphold national unity and cultural harmony.

At an interaction programme organised here today by the Main Opposition Party, Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist and Leninist), the intellectuals and leaders of the ruling and the opposition parties, also voiced fears that such tendency could ignite tension between the ethnic communities of the country if left unchecked.

The meet, which came barely a week after seven persons lost their lives in violence related to the anti-Hrithik protests, also reached a consensus on organizing "goodwill processions" in the capital city and elsewhere in an attempt to restore goodwill between various ethnic communities such as the Madhesis (plains-dwellers) and the Pahadiyas (hill-dwellers).

While the Main Opposition CPN-UML announced that it was organizing goodwill processions and programmes all over the country tomorrow (on Thursday, January 3), all the political parties, religious institutions, business communities and people from other sectors will join their hands to organize a "grand goodwill procession" early next week.

The procession, which is said to encompass virtually every Nepali citizen regardless of caste, creed or race, will start from the capital’s Open Air Theatre at 12 noon Sunday, January 7.

Former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai welcomed the UML-initiated confidence-building move, and stressed the need for equity and goodwill between the people living in the hills and the plains, adjoining India.

"The Madhesis also are bonafide Nepali citizens and they also need appropriate positions and respect as any other Nepali wearing Bakkhu, Daura-Suruwal or Dhoti-Kurta does," Bhattarai said, echoing the sentiments of the Main Opposition Party Leader Madhav Kumar Nepal.

Bhattarai heaped the blame for last week’s incidents on what he billed "reactionary elements". "They are behind all those unfortunate incidents," he said. "The reactionaries were not, and are not, happy with the democratic polity, which was restored in 1990."

Nepal earlier expressed his deep concern over the incidents of mob violence and vandalism and pointed out the need to take immediate measures so as to restore confidence and goodwill amongst the ethnic communities in question, and to stop such incidents from recurring in future.

What started as street demonstrations against the alleged remarks of the Indian filmstar last Tuesday not only saw violent demonstrations in the streets of the capital and other cities. The incidents also resulted in at least seven people killed - five in Kathmandu and two in the Terai - and dozens of others injured.

The incident took a bitter turn after mobs torched the party offices of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) in Kathmandu late last week. NSP represents what party leaders say all the Madhesiya communities of the country.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman and former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa said that it is high time the authorities realized that "last week’s incidents are also a result of the successive governments’ failure to incorporate the Terai people in the national mainstream".

Nepali Congress Spokesman Narahari Acharya called for both short term and long term measures to restore confidence and goodwill amongst the peoples. Former Chief Justice Surendra Prasad Singh, speaking in his Madhesi accent, made it loud and clear that "the violent tendency should stop for good, or else it will be too late".

None of the top-notch leaders of the NSP was present at the programme, which had academicians, religious leaders, business representatives, film actors, producers and others as the participants.

Koirala-Deuba showdown today

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KATHMANDU, Jan 3 - Lawmakers of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) will be voting on a proposal of no-confidence against Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala on Thursday which will be the first such move against a sitting premier.

Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala (left) and former prime minister and party leader Sher Bahadur Deuba.

On the eve of the voting, both sides seemed to be focussing on the process to be used on voting rather than the numbers. The rebelling members led by Sher Bahadur Deuba want secret ballot while the Koirala side is happy with the decision to hold an open voting.

Koirala and his aides are betting on the fact that there are still many members in rebel camp who would be afraid to openly go against Prime Minister Koirala.

NC lawmakers still fear Koirala, who has held power in the party and government for long time and has his aides still in key positions in the party.

"There is a provision in the party constitution for secret ballot while choosing a leader but is silent on voting on a no-confidence motion ... and since the proposal came openly there should be no problems at all using this process," NC spokesman Narhari Acharya told The Kathmandu Post.

However, Deuba made a last minute effort today and wrote to the NC Parliamentary Party Secretary Benup Raj Prasai seeking to reconsider the decision to hold open voting.

"Since the open balloting in the House divides the House into treasury and the opposition the same theory is not applicable in the internal party election where there are no opposition or ruling sides," Deuba said in the letter.

He said such a process was based on the "theory of division".

"Even Prime Minister Koirala was chosen to the seat through a secret ballot. Therefore it would not be appropriate to hold open balloting now," Deuba said.

The rebels are accusing Koirala camp of conspiring to bring faction in the party by using the mode that so far has been used only to divide the treasury and the opposition parties in parliament.

"We will first put our proposal for the secret ballot at tomorrow’s meeting and then only take up other strategies if they refuse to accept," said Hom Nath Dahal, one of the rebels.

The proposal of no confidence is scheduled to be discussed and voted on Thursday by 113 lawmakers of the party in the Lower House.

The rebels led by Former Prime Minster Deuba needs at least 57 votes to oust Koirala as the leader of the NC Parliamentary Party(PP).

The leader of the PP with the majority in the House is automatically appointed to the post prime minister.

Though the proposal had signatures of 56 members and a pledge and support from senior NC leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai when it was filed last week, at least four of those signatories have openly withdrawn their support for the proposal.

Ram Janam Chaudhury and Janak Raj Giri have joined hands with Mahendra Kumar Raya and Nagendra Kumar Raya and publicly announced their support for Koirala.

Meanwhile, Ram Hari Joshi today hinted that he might contest the party elections for the coveted position of the president against Koirala and Deuba.

"If there are candidates with clean image like Haribol Bhattarai, Chiranjivi Wagle or Shailaja Acharya, I am ready to carry their weight or else I will contest the election," Joshi told reporters. Joshi had contested for the same post in 1996 but managed to get only about a dozen vote from the nearly 1,500 Convention members.

Committee formed to ensure LPG supply

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KATHMANDU, Jan 3 - Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Supplies today formed a monitoring committee to ensure smooth supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in the wake of mounting gas shortage.

The monitoring committee was formed after a meeting held here today. The meeting was participated by representatives from the Ministry, Department of Commerce, Nepal Oil Corporation, LPG Dealers Association and consumer forums. The committee will closely monitor the demand and supply situation of gas in the country and will initiate flying-inspection of dealers supplying the cooking gas.

It was also agreed in the meeting that strong action would be taken against the dealers involved in LPG misappropriation.

"The meeting also decided to import 3700 tons of cooking gas every month starting this month, 200 tons up from current import," said Madan Raj Sharma, Executive Director of NOC.

The NOC and the dealers had been accusing each other for the shortage of gas. The NOC maintained that the shortage was an artificial one while the dealers argued that the NOC was not supplying LPG as per the demands of the dealers. There has been an acute shortage of cooking gas in the market since last October, when the NOC doubled the price of kerosene along with hike in cost of LPG by Rs 85 per cylinder. Following the kerosene price hike, number of consumers are expected to have switch to using cooking gas as a chief cooking fuel.

Accidents down as police act tough on drunk driving

By Tilak Pokharel

KATHMANDU, Jan 3 - The extensive use of breath analyzers and the widespread police vigilance across the Valley roads for the last one year have significantly reduced accidents resulting from drunk driving.

Figures obtained from the Valley Traffic Police Office (VTPO) underscore this fact: accidents in this one year period tumbled to 1,875 with 75 fatalities, whereas it stood at 2,197 accidents with 98 deaths a year before. VTPO also raised almost Rs 7.7 million in fines during the past one year.

The reason for the fall in accidents, especially at night time, is the use of breath analyzers, a hand held device that analyses the vapour in the breath and gives a reading of the alcohol content.

The driving license of a driver whose alcohol reading is higher than normal is impounded, and he/she is fined. The license is returned the next day with a hole punched through it to serve as a warning. If one’s license is punched in for five times, he/she is ineligible for acquiring it thereafter.

Senior traffic police officers told The Kathmandu Post, traffic cops punched holes on more than 1000 driving licenses of the drunk drivers, of which more than 70 per cent were motorcycle drivers. But some police officers say, this has not deterred the drivers.

Senior Superintendent of Police at VTPO, Kumar Koirala, said that there is no monitoring system in place to deny many time offenders another license. "If one’s license is punched in from VTPO, he/she can acquire another from another place (zone)," he said.

Apart from the decrease in the rate of accidents, the people (especially the drivers) are also becoming more aware about the traffic rules. "The drivers, in the past, used to resist the police when penalising them, but they have become aware about the issue now and do not resist the police," Koirala said. But, the problem is that, they tend to think the penalty to be a form of bribe, he added.

There are 591 traffic policemen active within the Kathmandu Valley. Since night-time is more prone to road accidents, the traffic police are on sharp lookout at different places of the valley in the night time, especially between 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Currently, the VTPO has 31 breath analyzers. The major traffic spots, where the traffic police use breath analyzers at night-time, are Baneshwor, Kalimati, Putalisadak, Satdobato and Tripureshwor.

A traffic police can fine a drunk driver from Rs 25 to Rs 200, if the breath analyzer test proves positive. Police say that the fine is too low. The amount should be increased to further deter traffic accidents, added Koirala. He also urged a review of other traffic charges too.

According to Jagat Pariyar, Assistant Sub-Inspector at VTPO, a majority of the drunk drivers are in their 20’s. The driver who is found excessively drunk will be sent to hospital for further investigation and will be released next day only, he added.

The VTPO organised Traffic Week from May 24 to 30 this year. This programme, in which school children also participate as volunteers, is being held since last 25 years and intends to raise awareness about traffic rules.

STN up-linking license cancelled

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KATHMANDU, Jan 3 - The government today cancelled the up-linking license for the operation of Channel Nepal that it granted to Space Time Network (STN) in 1993.

Ministry of Information and Communications, in a letter sent to STN today, informed about the cancellation of the license. The government has cited delay in transmission as the reason behind the license cancellation, said Jamim Shah, Managing Director of STN, talking to The Kathmandu Post.

However, the cancellation comes after the up-linking equipment arrived at the Birgunj customs recently. The equipment was procured from Thai Com Sat, informed Shah.

"We will sue the government for cancellation of the license," said Shah. "We’ll start Channel Nepal by up-linking from Singapore within a month," he said.