Squatters to be removed from forest area

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GULARIYA, June 20 - The District Forest Office (DFO) is determined to evacuate all so-called squatters and ex-Kamaiyas (bonded labourers) encroaching various parts of forest areas of the district over the last one month.

DFO Gopal Baskota said that in some places people have cut down the standing sal trees with ill-intentions. He said that he had decided to evacuate all of them to protect the rain forest from becoming further deforested.

Currently, a large number of squatters and ex-Kamaiyas have captured the forestland in Dhadhawar, Khaireni Phanta, Gujrana Phanta of the Gulariya municipality, Sahelawa Phanta of the Baniyabhar VDC and three other areas.

Sources close to the Forest Office said that the squatters and ex-Kamaiyas have built, at least, 5,000 huts encroaching the forestland.

The source claimed that those people started to encroach the forest after the Squatters Problem Resolution Commission allowed them to live there. The landless people had earlier held a sit-in campaign in the district headquarters demanding their rehabilitation.

Coordinator of the Commission Shiva Prasad Upadhyay refuted the charges labelled against his office. He said that he had simply told the squatters to show him the empty land in the district where he could make some arrangement for their resettlement.

Earlier,about four months ago, the Forest Office had sought police help to remove about 7,000 huts, built by the so-called squatters from the land of the state-owned Cotton Development Committee, established to grow cotton in the mid-western region.

According to the official statistics, of the total 121,000 hectares of forest land in this plain district, 100,000 hectares of forest is occupied by the Royal Bardiya National Park (RBNP), 4,000 hectares by the forest project, 2,500 hectares by the community forestry and the rest of the forest by the District Forest Office.

The RBNP is the home to the endangered one-horned Asiatic rhino, Royal Bengal tiger, Asian elephant, black buck and a number of other wildlife, which is located near the Karnali and Babai rivers.

Contemporary Korean art show opens

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KATHMANDU, June 20 - Former Prime Minister and Chairman of Nepal Art Council Kirti Nidhi Bista today inaugurated first ever Korean exhibition of contemporary painting exhibition in Nepal.

A collection of 34 Korean contemporary paintings, entitled Dialogue with Nature, are in Nepal on the way to disseminate the impression of contemporary Korean art in various Asian countries, said Ryoo See-ya, the ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Nepal.

"Nepal and Korea share cultural and religious similarities and this common ground paved the way for friendly and co-operative relations from the beginning," he said.

The collection of paintings done by Korea’s talented and experienced artists represent the modern trend of contemporary artists in Korea. They are realistic, abstract and surrealistic in nature. Though they advocate breaking away of national boundaries, they still hold strong grip over their sound traditional foundation.

One of the artists, Kim Kyong-In, Professor, Department of Education of Inha University said that the paintings have a lot of message from Korea to offer to the art-loving people of Nepal. "The artists communicate to the people with the help of nature," he said.

The exhibition is jointly organised by the Embassy of Republic of Korea in Kathmandu and the Korea Foundation. The show is co-sponsored by the Nepal Art Council as a "milestone" in the ever flourishing relations between Korea and Nepal since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1974. The exhibition will open till 29 June at NAC Gallery Babar Mahal.

Locals fear landslide on Trishuli- Dhunche road

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RASUWA, June 20 - People of Rasuwa district are worried at the possibility of landslide in Trishuli- Dhunche road. Landslide usually occurs in the 1500 metre area of Mulkharka that lies in the second sector of Pasang Lhamu Highway.

Mulkharka lies in the area between 37.712 and 39 kilometres, about 11 kilometres south-west of Dhunche, headquarters of Rasuwa district. Every year, landslide occurs during the rainy season in this area and the road is closed for about four or five days after the landslide.

As the monsoon rain started early this year, people are already worried recollecting the incidents of landslides that occurred in the past. Landslide had also affected the area last year. Many tourists were stranded there and there was a shortage of various goods they needed. Therefore, in view of the possible blockade of the road due to landslide, business community have already filled their stocks with necessary items. Dhunche is one of the popular tourist destinations and lots of tourists visit this place. They proceed to Tatopani, Gosainkunda, Ganesh and Lamtang Himal base camps from Dhunche.

Royals’ untimely demise condoled

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NEBRASKA, USA, June 20 - A condolence meeting in honour of Late Royal Family members of Nepal was organized here at Bellevue University. During the programme,the national anthem of Nepal was played and one-minute silence was observed paying tributes to Their Late Majesties by offering flowers and garlanding on the picture of the Royalties.

The participants signed on the condolence book which was sent to the Royal Nepal Embassy in Washington DC.

Balabhadra Bhandari, a visitor and father of a Nepalese student studying in Nebraska, presented a brief obituary of Late King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev. He said, "The King used to walk hand in hand with the citizens and the King always took steps in favour of the citizens."

Anurakta Shrestha, the founder member of Nebraska Nepalese Society, who hosted the programme said, "As there is a saying, sharing increases happiness and decreases sorrow, we are all here to share and mourn the greatest sorrow of our country."

Maoists destroy documents

SYANJA, June 20 (PR)- Underground Maoist rebels destroyed all documents of the Biruwa Archale-based branch office of the state-owned Agricultural Development Bank (ADB) on Sunday night, according to locals.

After setting all important office documents and records on fire, the armed rebels distributed the remaining furniture to the locals.

Locals accused the local administration of not taking any precautionary measures in spite of receiving a tip of Maoist attack.

The only police outpost stationed at Biruwa Archale was removed from there after the rebels raided it about two months ago and no security personnel are assigned around the locality.

Ex-Kamaiyas throng land reform office

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KAILALI, June 20- At the call of Nepal Communist Party (Maoist) to snatch public lands occupied by landlords, ex-Kamaiyas have flooded in the District Land Reform Office to register the lands with a group of more than three hundred freed Kamaiyas.

This situation surfaced after hardly three weeks of time since Maoist announcement.

Bharat Chaudhary, a team leader who arrived at the Land Reform Office with other family members said," We don’t have space to build huts. However, landlords are enjoying many bighas of land"

"If the government cannot rehabilitate ex-Kamaiyas, certainly they will seek alternative and that alternative may also lead them towards Maoists", said Surya Subedi, Programme Co-ordinator, Mukti Parisad Nepal.

Narayan Dutta Mishra, chairperson of District Development Committee declined to comment formally on the matter.

Kantipur pays tribute, felicitates

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KATHMANDU, June 20 - Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd today organised two separate programs to condole the deceased royalties and to felicitate King Gynendra. On the occassion the publications paid tributes to Their Late Majesties King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Queen Aishwarya Rajya Laxmi Shah, King Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and other members of the royal family who passed away in June 1 incident.

The Chairman of the Publications Hem Raj Gyawali urged the participants to observe a one-minute silence in memory of the beloved royal family.

Another function held on the same day congratulated His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev upon his accession to the throne and wished for success in leading the country by safeguarding the constitutional monarchy and the multi-party democracy.

Chairman of the Publications felicitated His Majesty King Gyanendra for long life and better reign in the days to come.

On the occasion, Managing Director Kailash Sirohiya, Director Binod Raj Gyawali and other members of the publications condoled the demised royal family and congratulated King Gyanendra.

Both the programme had large participation of the working staff of the publications.

PPR claims 275 goats in 13 VDS of Parsa

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BIRGUNJ, June 20 - Thirteen VDCs in Parsa district have been affected by Peste Des Petit Ruminant (PPR), an epidemic that affects the goats.

A total of 275 goats have died of PPR so far in these affected VDCs.

The symptoms found in goats suffering from this disease include fever ranging from 104 to 106 degree, gloomy and lacking in any activity, lack of appetite and suffering from pneumonia and diarrhoea, among others. If the goats displaying such symptoms are not treated immediately, they die in three or four days, according to District Livestock Office, Parsa.

"This disease for goats is just like cholera for human beings. It is very difficult to protect the goats after they catch this disease. It is, therefore, better to adopt preventive measures," chief of Parsa District Livestock Office Dr Govind Jha said.

He further added that he had formulated a plan to vaccinate goats of the entire district, but sufficient fund was not available for the purpose.

There are 79,000 goats in Parsa district and it would cost Rs 259,000 to vaccinate all the goats. As the money was not available for the purpose, the threat of the disease is still looming large. If the disease appears in VDCs other than the affected 13 VDCs, thousands of goats may die in these VDCs, according to a veterinary expert.

The goats suffering from PPR should be isolated from the herd and treated immediately. Medicines used to cure the goats after they suffer from this disease are Occitechnaicline, Chlorifenin and Electrolite powder.

The most affected area is Birgunj Sub-metropolitan city where 187 goats were affected and 142 of them have died so far. The remaining 500 goats have been given preventive vaccine.

When the 275 of the total 333 goats affected by the disease had died 5,500 goats in 13 VDCs had been immediately vaccinated against the disease.

The villages which are affected by the disease include Biruwagadhi, Sugoulibirta, Udayapurdhurmi, Belwa, Bishrampur, Amarpadi, Parsouni, Jagarnathpur, Bindbasini, Harpatgunj and Pokhariya.

If human beings consume meat of goats suffering from this disease, they are likely to suffer from fatal diseases, according to Dr Jha. However, it was reported that local butchers are selling the meat of such diseased goats.

Chairman of the Consumers Forum Sunil Chand Varma said consumers could be protected from eating the contaminated meat if the concerned agencies worked sincerely without collaborating with the butchers.

The disease was entered Nepal from the open border of India five years ago, according to Dr Jha. He claims that the disease can be controlled for ever if all the goats are collectively vaccinated against it.

Narayangadh becomes liquor free

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CHITWAN, June 20 - Once a virtual heaven for the booze trade, Narayangarh has suddenly gone dry. Thanks to the Maoists.

It all started when a Maoist-affiliated organisation suddenly threatened to ‘take action’ against all those associated with the booze trade effective from June 15. Consequently, all liquor traders who were doing great business even till the midnight of June 14, vanished almost overnight the next day, leaving the public to ask themselves diffidently whether there used to be any such thing as liquor at all. The other town of Tandi in the district was declared a dry area one month earlier.

Sponsored by All Nepal Women’s Association (Revolutionary), a Maoist sister organisation, the ban is expected to make a strong influence in the context of rising Maoist activities in the district.

The ANWA(R) has even ‘taken action’ against the disobedients in several parts of Chitwan, and has threatened to raise the present level of physical punishment to more stern ones if their prohibitions are not adhered to.

According to District Chapter Chairman of the association, Sharada Shreshtha, the ban was imposed with the harmful socio-economic effects of liquor in mind."We are determined to attack any person who dares to violate our restrictions," she warned.

Wine traders, however, are too frightened to protest the devastating attack on their source of livelihood.

The Maoist ban has raised concerns that overall revenue collections here will register a drastic slump and lay off many employees as a direct consequence of the ban.

Shreshtha disagrees. "It’s nonsense to believe that the employment generated by an anti-social activity like the booze trade will either be stable or be able to redress our economic malady," the women leader said.

Private schools to be closed

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DAMAULI, June 20 - The Sunshine boarding school in Abu Khaireni and the Manaslu Boarding School in Dumre have been shut down since Tuesday due to lack of security.

The proprietors closed the school after they received letters and threats by telephone to close the private boarding schools from Akhil Revolutionary students union supported by the CPN (Maoist).

The revolutionary students union repeatedly threatened the schools and this caused disarray in things, compelling us to close the school, said Principal of Sunshine boarding school and central member of PABSON Tripureswor Raj Tripathi.

As the talks held between the government, PABSON representatives and representatives of revolutionary students supported by the Maoists failed at the national level, managers and principals of the boarding schools had informed parents that the schools would be closed.

A large gathering of parents held in the three areas of the district on Saturday submitted a memorandum to the District Education Office asking the government to find its alternative and compensate the proprietors and shareholders of boarding schools.

A negotiating committee has also been constituted at the initiative of the guardians to hold the final talks with the revolutionary student union supported by the Maoists.

However, principals of different private schools are not optimistic of the outcome of the talks and they have said that there was no alternative than to shut down the schools. There are 70 secondary, lower secondary and primary schools in Tanahun district, out of which nearly 10,000 students are studying in private schools.