Squatters receive land in Dhankuta

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DHANKUTA, June 2 - Barma Lal Rai of Mahabharat VDC, 60, in this district said he was never so happy in his life as he is now after receiving land ownership certificate.

The rest of the 78 landless people who also received plots of land to construct their houses on Thursday are also equally happy.

"It seems as if we have got something in our life only today," Kamaleswori Rai said showing her land ownership certificate.

Central member of the commission, Trilochan Poudel, distributed land ownership certificates to 78 people of Constituency No. 1 except people from Dhankuta municipality and Chhintang, Ankhisalla and Belhara VDCs that fall in the constituency.

Four commissions have already been constituted in this district over the last seven years to provide land to the landless and systematically resettle the people living unsystematically.

The first commission was formed under the chairmanship of Gopal Guragain in 2051 BS. A total of 1,200 applications were received and 624 of them were identified as the genuine landless. Out of them, land ownership certificates were given to 187 people. However, in reality, they have neither received the land nor is there any record of the same in the Land Revenue Office.

The second commission constituted under Gopal Bahadur Thapa had no achievement. The third commission was constituted under the chairmanship of Dagal Singh Limbu. More than 600 landless people had applied for land but nobody received land ownership certificate during the commission’s tenure. The commission had not completed its work but in the meantime it was dissolved.

The fourth and the current commission did not recognize the applications finalized by the third commission. The new commission invited fresh applications charging the previous commission of being involved in corruption.

The people who received land ownership certificates on Thursday are also apprehensive. They enquire whether they will also receive the real land or whether they have received only certificates as in the case of certificates distributed by the previous commissions. However, the commission claims that they are the genuine landless people and the certificates of landownership have been given to them after completing all necessary formalities.

At the ceremony organised to distribute land ownership certificates, Poudel, central member of the commission, said the tenure of the current commission would expire by mid-July. In districts where the works remain to be completed, there is a legal provision to constitute the commission under the chairmanship of the Chief District Officer and complete the works in six months.

He added that the commission had requested the government to extend the tenure of the existing commissions in the Terai district.

Chairman of the commission Manohar Narayan Shrestha urged the government to extend its term of office to enable it to complete its remaining works and expressed its commitment that it would provide land to all the landless people before mid-July.

Burning of office signboards regretted

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DHANKUTA, June 2 - The CPN (UML) leaders visited the District Administration Office and expressed regrets for the burning of signboards of different offices by agitators during the 3-day ‘bandh’ organised by the six left parties including the UML.

The agitators had burned the signboards of Commission for Resolving the Problems of the Landless Squatters, Bisheshwor with Poor Programme, and Women’s Awareness and Income Generating Programme, Dhankuta.

The offices had filed a case with the District Administration Office against 15 left leaders including UML district leader and former DDC president Dharma Raj Poudel and workers of the party for the damage.

The UML leaders said the burning of the signboards had occurred without prior decision of the organisers of bandh.

At a meeting held in the District Administration Office on Thursday, they pledged not to commit such activities in future. The meeting was also attended by convenors of the offices, who then withdrew the case filed by them against the 15 left leaders. UML workers had, however, opposed their leaders for this written agreement in this regard.

Nation in deep shock over Royal deaths

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KATHMANDU, June 2 - The entire nation is submergd in deep shock over the untimely deaths of Their Majesties the King and the Queen,Prince Nirajan, Princess Shruti and other Royal family members on Friday night and thousands of people are mourning their beloved King and Queen in accordance with their religious creeds, according to reports pouring in from across the country.

The King is revered as an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.

People from outside the capital city of Kathmandu came to know about the most tragic incident through satellite channels and phone calls from their respective relatives in the capital.

The Hindus, especially those whose parents are no more, are shaving their hair to mourn the tragic and untimely deaths of the Royal families.

A report from Chitwan stated that Homnath Poudel, 40, from Bharatpur Municipality-13, committed suicide consuming poison.

"I do not want to live any longer after hearing the shocking death of such a dear king," Poudel’s funeral participants quoted him as saying. Poudel, who died on the way to hospital, was a lowly-paid labourer.

Chitwan and neighbouring Nawalparasi districts remained deserted following the incident and no vehicles were seen moving on the busy East-West Highway.

Our reporter from Jhapa stated that a group of youths shaved their hairs to pay the last tributes to Their Majesties and other Royal families.

A report from the eastern city of Biratnagar said the entire city fell into a complete silence over the deaths of the King, Queen and other Royal family members.

Even if world-renowned television channels broadcast the event, people were not ready to believe what they heared early in the morning.

All shutters were closed down, traffic stayed off the road and a large number of people gathered in public places, praying that the news be false.

Our correspondent from Bara said that people in Jitpur were seen lining up along the roads and barbers’ to shave their heads for mourning the death of the respected Royal couple and other members.

Everybody seemed to have engulfed in sheer shock of the tragic incident. All the shops in the district headquarters and other market areas have been closed down to mourn the deaths of the Royal families.

Several people in Besisahar, the district headquarters of Lamjung, were seen sobbing following the heart-rendering news of the Royal families.

"I still cannot believe that such a thing can also happen," a 78-year-old Sanad Kumar Shrestha said with tears in his eyes.

Another 48-year-old woman from Besisahar VDC-9 felt herself insecure after she heard of the tragedy in the Royal Palace. "Who will protect us now," Ganga Devi Danai lamented.

The western industrial city Butwal remained in deep shock due to the deaths of the Royal couple and other Royal families . People seemed to be scared following the unimaginable incident that took place inside the heavily guarded palace the other night. Shops were partially opened and quite a few people were seen moving in the streets.

People from far-flung Jumla district could not first believe what they heard of the massacre of their beloved Royal couple and their family members. Locals in the district headquarters voluntarily closed down the market to mourn the deaths of the Royal couple and their family members.

The Chandan Nath Guthi has decided to stop worshipping to the locally-famous Hindu Chandan Nath Gorakhnath temple for 13 days to mourn the tragic deaths of their Majesties, their children and other Royal dignitaries.

The entire market in Gulariya, the district headquarters of Bardiya, fell silent and all traffic stayed off the road shortly after receiving the news of the incident through radio and TV channels. People were desperate to know more about the cause of their Majesties’ deaths.

Locals from Dhangadhi sensed that something may have gone wrong in the capital after they heard from the state-owned radio and television nothing but hymns and sad tune.

General atmosphere of this far-western city was gloomy and people were seen to have glued to TV sets and listening to the radio. People are speculating divergent views regarding the unimaginable and shocking massacre of the Royal families.

An emergency meeting of the district level officials comprising security personnel was held this morning to deal with any untoward situation in the district.

Our correspondent from Dhankuta said police were patrolling the market area with a view to pacifying the locals gathered in different groups to know more about the Royal massacre.

Dhankuta Chief District Officer, Shambhu Koirala, said it was the most unfortunate tragedy in Nepal’s history.

Custom, tradition of accession to the Throne

As soon as the Chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committe declares the death of the King and the successor to the throne, the King designate is taken to the Hanumandhoka Palace on a special carriage. The new King is then escort to the throne in a convoy of the Royal Nepal Army contingent and military bands. The ritual enthronement ceremony takes place immediately after the formal announcement of the King’s death.

The Royal Badaguruju (head priest) confers the Shah Dynasty Crown on to the new King amid the chanting of Vedic verses and abhishek (sprinkling of holy water), after which the Royal incumbent is declared the King, according to Tirtha Raj Acharya, an Agnihotri Brahman (senior Hindu priest). The funeral ceremony - at Pashupatinath Aryaghat on the banks of the Bagmati river - takes place soon after the new King’s succession to the throne.

"The formal Coronation of the new King normally takes place after observing the first death anniversary of the previous king".