Araniko highway opens after one month

By Kiran Chapagain

KATHMANDU, Sept 18 – Transportation movement along the Araniko Highway, the sole highway linking the country with China, has resumed from Monday evening, exactly a month after landslides at different places, mainly in the Barhabise-Tatopani section, brought the Trans-Himalayan trade to a grinding halt.

"The movement of vehicles resumed along the 26-km Bahrabise-Tatopani section from Monday evening," Harsha Nakarmi, a senior engineer working with the Araniko Highway Project, told The Kathmandu Post over telephone from Barhabise bazaar, 80 kilometers north-east of Kathmandu, Tuesday evening. "However, we have made arrangements for transportation movement only during the day."

Possibilities of fresh landslides occurring along the fragile mountainous highway that snakes parallel to the Bhotekoshi river that flows down from the Tibetan territory, cannot be ruled out, according to him. "The mountains are so fragile that even light drizzles can trigger landslides here," he added.

The only trans-Himalayan highway linking Nepal with the Tibetan Autonomous Region remained closed since August 17 due to landslides at 33 different places along the highway. Of them, 8 landslides had occurred along the 26-km Miteri Bridge-Barhabise section.

Kathmandu-based tour operators confirmed the report and said that businessmen began leaving for Khasa, near the Nepal-China border from Tuesday morning.

The Highway is the only link for thousands of commuters, and business importing relatively cheap ready-made consumer Chinese goods, including raw wool for Pashmina industries, Nepal’s one of the foreign currency earners. Thanks to the blockade along the highway last month, Nepali businessmen imported consumer goods in small quantity.

"We had not imported any raw wool and other things, except small consumer goods since the blockade", said Mahesh Tuladhar, the executive member of the Trans Himalayan Trade Association.

Experts say that the Highway needs huge amount of investment if it is to get rid of the frequent landslide problem because the Highway lies in a landslide-prone area due to geological factors.

According to geologist at the Department of Mines and Geology, Bharat Mani Jnawali the alignment of the Highway is at landslide-prone area. The area contains "soft rocks and geological fragmentation". "The recurring landslides can be checked only by stabilizing the slopes by traditional method of bioengineering."

The blockade badly affected national revenue at the Tatopani Custom Office. According to data made available by the Tatopani Custom Office, it collected only about Rs 30 million in the month of Bhadra (August-September), whereas the amount was about Rs 120 million in the previous month. The office collected Rs 1.5 billion-plus in revenue during the fiscal year 2000/2001.

Govt not serious on talks: intellectuals

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Sept 18 - Communist intellectuals have accused that the government is not pursuing the talks with the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist seriously.

The activities that the government is carrying out lately indicate that it does not want the government-Maoists talks to succeed, a press release issued here today alleges. If the government continues with such irresponsible activities, there are chances for civil war, says the release.

The reaction of the Communist intellectuals is directed against the recent month-long banning of mass meets in the capital, pre-dawn raids carried out by the police and army at various locations and the strong stand taken by the government on the Public Security Regulation.

The government clamped ban on mass meet for a month despite Maoist Chief Comrade Prachanda’s statement that the September 21 meet would be held peacefully. This ban is constitutionally wrong, states the release.

Furthermore, the release also criticises the recent pre-dawn raids ordered by the government targeting the activists of All Nepal National Independent Student’s Union (ANNISU) - Revolutionary and other Maoist supporters.

In addition, the government should have scrapped the Public Safety Regulation, one of the demands of the leftist parties, the release says. All these show that the level of commitment of the government is low. It must show sincerity to ensure the success of the ongoing peace talks, conclude the release.

Dr Mathura Prasad Shrestha, Dr Mahesh Maskey, Bharat Pradhan, Mukti Pradhan, Sushil Chandra, Krishna Belbase, Gauri Pradhan, Ninu Chapaghai, Rajendra Maharjan, Ganga Kasaju, Dr Kamal Krishna Joshi and Shyam Shrestha have signed the release.

Machhegaun wakes up amidst fanfare

By Perina Pathak

MACHHEGAUN, Sept 18 – The otherwise sleepy little village of Machhegaun woke up to the fanfare and festivity Tuesday morning to celebrate the Machhe Narayan Mela, the festival that comes every three years.

With the start of Machhe Narayan Mela, the people of Machhegaun geared up to celebrate this exclusive festival at the local level.

The Machhe Narayan Mela is celebrated every three years during the Nepali month of Ashoj (September 18-October 16).

The month-long festival kicked off Tuesday at the premises of Machhe Narayan temple, situated below the Bhimeswor Hill about one and a half-hour drive south-west from downtown Kathmandu.

Hundreds of devotees thronged the local temple for a prayer and took a dip in a pond there, which encircles the temple.

"As per the traditional belief, it is described that the devotees get blessings in every footstep when they walk towards the temple for a prayer," says Krishna Prasad Acharya, chief priest of the temple.

Seventy-eight year old Acharya is a descendant of Tulsiram Acharya, who was appointed priest by the Rana Prime Minister Junga Bahadur about a century ago. "The first Rana Prime Minister Jung Bahadur started this Mela after his visit to this village," says Acharya.

Machhe Narayan is regarded as the first avataar (incarnation) of Lord Vishnu, among his ten avataars. "And according to ‘Machhepuran,’ Lord Vishnu as Machhe (fish) did Jalkrida (played in water) in the same pond around the temple," says Acharya.

The story goes like this - King Priyabat wanted to have a darshan of the god and to fulfil his wish, he started a long meditation. One day, when he was taking a bath he found a golden fish on his hand. When he was leaving it back in the water, it requested the King not to throw in the river, as other bigger fishes will eat it.

But the supernatural fish became bigger and bigger everyday. Then as the King came to feel that the fish is not an ordinary one, he asked the fish to show its original form. Then Lord Vishnu appeared in front of him.

Surprised with this rare darshan of Lord Vishnu, the King decided to keep the fish in a pond and constructed a temple in the middle. The pond where the people throng today is believed to be the same pond where King Priyabat kept that golden fish.

This Machhe Narayan Mela is observed during the Adhikmaas, which is a month formed from the collection of extra tithis (days of lunar calendar), remained or missed in three years period. Adhikmaas always comes every 32 months.

Adhikmaas is regarded inauspicious and people do not organise any function during this period. So, the people prayed Lord Vishnu for blessings and Lord Vishnu later blessed them with good luck during this month, also known as Purushottammas.

During the month-long festival, the priests and hundreds of devotees offer a special prayers to Macche Narayan, one of the avataars of Lord Vishnu, expecting a better days ahead.

Indian secret agents inspect Nepal-India border

By Kamal Panthi

GULARIYA (Bardiya), Sept 18 - The Indian intelligence agents have started inspecting strategically suitable places for the deployment of the Indian paramilitary forces along the 1,808 km long Nepal-India border from West Bengal in the east to Uttaranchal in the west, according to the Indian officials.

The Union Government of India decided to deploy around 70,000 paramilitary forces, also known as Secret Service Bureau (SSB), to what the Indian officials said, "control the cross-the-border crimes and other forms of anti-Indian activities" beginning on September 16.

An Indian source, however, said that deployment of the SSB along the Nepal-India border has been postponed for the time being due to the concerns raised in Nepal’s parliament. Some of the lawmakers, coming across the party lines, had asked the government to inform the House about India’s security plan.

"The SSB personnel will probably be stationed at Murtiha, Nisangadha, Bichhiya, Katarniyaghat, Laukahi, Chitalhawa and Balaigaon of Baharaich district bordering Nepal’s Bardiya district," an Indian police official told The Kathmandu Post on condition of anonymity.

Senior Superintendent of Police in Bardiya, Pratap Singh Thapa, said that they were monitoring the Indian activities along the border very closely. "We are fully prepared on our side," he said. SP Singh declined to elaborate about Nepal’s preparations.

The Indian State of Uttar Pradesh has been mobilising the Border Police Force and Provincial Armed Force along the Nepal-India border since April 19, 1997. Sources said that the Indian government has planned to deploy around 15,000-20,000 paramilitary forces along the northern parts of the Uttar Pradesh. The Indian paramilitary forces have been put on high alert since the June 1 Royal massacre. Although the Nepal government has not issued official statement in connection with the Indian move, locals living close to the Nepal-India border are scared of the presence of Indian forces close to the border. Locals felt more insecure from the Indian side when the Indian police personnel abducted five Nepali nationals encroaching upon the Nepali soil last week.

Adult class increases women students in Nuwakot

Post Report

PHIKURI (Nuwakot), Sept 18 - Some women in Tamang community, 40 percent of whom are unaware about the value of education, have started going to school after they understood the value of schooling , thanks to the adult women classes run by different Government and Non-governmental Organisations.

Tamang families were not sending their school-age girls to school showing various reasons. The girls aged above 16 years and deprived of the opportunity to go to school in their childhood joined the adult literacy classes and learnt the value of education. Hence, they are gradually joining the schools.

Those who have joined the schools are from Phikuri, Khanigaon, Charghare and Bidur municipality ward-9.

They have joined class three after completing 6-monthly education, health and sanitation related adult classes run with the initiative of Gerkhutrar Youth Club and Drinking water User Committee and financed by Rural Drinking Water and Sanitation Development Fund.

Aiti Tamang, 16 of Phikuri-7 was scolded by her family members when she joined class three .

However, seeing the girls of her age going to school, she is now determined to complete SLC level education.

It is not only Aiti Tamang, but also many other girls like her from ward nos. 1, 2, 3 and 4 of the same VDC, such as Papila, Shanti Maya, Sancha Maya and Mana Maya who have joined the school.

Thus the number of girl students has suddenly risen in Shimrang Chaur primary school this year with the admission of 50 to 60 girls, according to headmaster Tulasi Ram Phuyal. Arrangement has been made especially for their seating and books. Additional classes are also being taken for such girls during leisure hours, headmaster Phuyal said.

Although the adult classes run by different organisations could not teach the girls much, one of the main achievements was that students were aware of the need to obtain formal education from schools.

The women of the backward Tamang women were also more conscious than before, supervisor of Informal Adult Class Dipak Khatiwada said.

The adult literacy classes run by the government have also helped local women to obtain general education and even child education classes were run for the children.

During the last fiscal year, a total of 180 child, women, adult and post literacy classes were run in 61 VDCs of the district and 3,457 students passed the examination.

Headmaster charged of stealing school furniture

Post Report

DADARBAIRIYA, (Morang) Sept 18 - A headmaster was caught red-handed as he was stealing furniture of the school worth about Rs 100,000 by guardians and VDC member, according to local VDC chairman Man Kumar Rajbamsi.

Rajbamsi said the headmaster of local Saraswoti secondary school Yugeswor Prasad Mandal was locked up at the toilet for three hours after he was found stealing school furniture. He was arrested by the police and later set free on the condition that he would be present at the police office as desired by them , but he has not been allowed to enter the school.

According to Head Constable Napasingh Karki of Karsiya temporary police post, he has pleaded guilty of stealing the timber in a written statement.

Rajbamsi alleged that headmaster Mandal and peon Amar Lal Karna had brought four tangas and were carrying the timber of the school on Saturday without the knowledge of anyone .

They were arrested and locked up at the toilet.

District Education Officer Ashok Aryal confirmed the report.

NC general convention member Phagu Lal Raya and VDC chairman Rajbamsi have alleged that headmaster Mandal has also misappropriated the income from the 17 bighas of land and three ponds belonging to the school.

The headmaster could not be contacted. Meanwhile, students of the school have opposed the action taken against the headmaster.

They went round Biratnagar Bazaar shouting different slogans and handed over a memorandum to the District Administration Office, District Police Office and District Education Office to stop the action against the headmaster.

In the memorandum, students have said Phagu Lal Raya had built pressure on the headmaster to appoint Raya’s son as a teacher in the school. However, since headmaster Mandal did not oblige Raya, he was beaten up and locked up at the toilet.