People rush to buy air tickets for Dashain

By Kiran Chapagain

KATHMANDU, Sept 22 - Though this year’s Dashain is still a month away, people from outside the Kathmandu Valley have already begun to throng the office of Royal Nepal Airlines to book tickets.

People from east Nepal have been in queue for the last 15 days and the trend is expected to continue for the next 15 days as the date for issuing the tickets is set only a week in advance.

As the seats are limited to the eastern hilly districts, people have to book tickets in advance to go back to their homes during Dashain, the biggest festival of Hindus.

Tens of thousands of people working in the Capital return to their homes in different parts of the Kingdom to meet their relatives and spend precious time with their families during the festival.

The rush for air tickets is even more relevant as many districts in eastern and western hilly districts are still not connected with the road.

The list of those aspiring for air tickets have already been pasted on the walls of the Royal Nepal Airlines (RNAC) ticket counter at New Road to make sure that they fly back to their homes.

"I have been in queue for the last 15 days to get a ticket to Tumlingtar," says Bikash Rai, a student from Sankhuwasabha. "I go to the RNAC once a day to be present at the attendance call and ensure that no new person is included above my name in the original list," says Rai, knowing the tickets will be issued in the "first come first serve" basis.

Even the RNAC officials at New Road ticket counter confirm that hundreds of people have already poured in to paste their names on the waiting list.

Tickets for Tumlingtar, Bhojpur, Lamidanda and Rumjatar in east Nepal are difficult to get as these places have no road link. Air service is the only means to go to these places or one has to walk for days to reach the far-flung villages.

Those queuing up for the tickets say that it would be more convenient if the RNAC issues ticket at least 15 days earlier.

However, the officials at the national flag career say there is no need to rush. "The process of queuing in front of our office is not required," says Mohan Khanal, director of the airline’s marketing department.

This is not the first time people from these remote places have to be in queue to reserve tickets to fly to their homes to celebrate Dashain. " I have been reserving the tickets in advance for the last five years," says Ravi Chandra Rai, a student from Khotang.

As the pressure is growing up for more seats, the RNAC is adding two more Twin-Otters soon. The two small planes, which were earlier grounded, have already been repaired and are ready for resuming the service, according to the officials at the RNAC.

"We may add more flights for Dashain," marketing director of the airlines Mohan Khanal informed.

The pressure mounts on the RNAC for these flights as the majority of private airlines do not operate in the remote parts of the country. And even where the private airlines have their flights, the RNAC ticket prices are much cheaper, say customers.

UML flays Maoists

KATHMANDU, Sept 22 (PR)- Various leaders of the main opposition party in the Parliament CPN-UML today lambasted the Maoists and their anarchical activities.

Speaking during the first ever CPN-UML Kathmandu District Council meet in the Capital today leaders Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Keshab Badal and Krishna Gopal Shrestha criticised the Maoists for disrupting the educational sector and spreading lawlessness in the country.

Shrestha said the UML would no longer stay quite if the Maoists continued with their terrorist activities. At the meeting, several members of ML re-joined the UML amid the programme.

Cultural fair deferred

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KATHMANDU, Sept 22 - The First International Cultural Fair, 2001, previously scheduled to be held in the next month will be organised the next year only as it became difficult to be held resulting in non-cooperation from concerned government and non-government sectors.

"The date of the First International Cultural Fair has been changed due to the reluctance of concerned governmental body and other non-governmental organizations to support the fair scheduled to be held from October 4 to10 this year," states a press release issued today by the host of the fair, Everest Nepal Cultural Group.

The fair will be held in 2002.

The fair, which is aimed at promoting cultural tourism and international fraternity, would be participated in by 250 artistes from 10 countries. The group has already informed the participants about the change in date, the release said.

Chinese litterateur Lu Xun remembered

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KATHMANDU, Sept 22 - On the occasion of the 120th birth anniversary of Chinese litterateur Lu Xun, Sahitya Sandhya organised a satiric symposium amidst a function here today.

At the programme poems, short-stories, essays, songs, gazals and parody were presented,states a Sahitya Sandhya press release issued here today.

Senior Marxist thinker Govinda Bhatta said that Lu Xun had advised the intellectuals to change the society not by machinery things but by creativity and literature, the release states.

Also at the function Bhatta said that Lu Xun had advised the writer not to produce their creative writings in hurry but in a simple language.

The release further states that senior journalist, Bhairab Risal advised the writers to follow Lu Xun’s path according to time.

At the programme, prize was given to the composer of poem liberation of people. Different participants expressed their views at the function, the press added.

‘NGOs should be accountable’

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KATHMANDU, Sept 22 – Experts have stressed the need to enhance transparency in the implementation of the programmes that are being undertaken by various Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) in Nepal.

The discussions were held on the occasion of the 22nd Social Service Day that was observed in the Capital today. Participants emphasized that NGOs need to be accountable to their beneficiaries as well as the government.

Speaking on the occasion, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, the chairman of Social Welfare Council (SWC) said, "Since the dawn of democracy, the work of the government has largely been substantiated by various NGOs to reach effectively to the grassroots level."

"The unprecedented dedication shown by certain Organisations in the field of social services has definitely provided an impetus to improve social services in Nepal," he added.

Badri Man Basnet, who chaired the occasion, said, "NGOs need to be clear in their objectives. Unclear objectives will only promote unaccountability and lack of transparency."

Basnet remarked that the government must do something at once to stop unsavory incidents in the country and help the country to live a democratic and peaceful life.

SWC was formed to coordinate the activities of various NGOs established under a separate Act in 1992. SWC is responsible for the promotion, facilitation, coordination, monitoring and evaluation of the activities of the NGOs in Nepal, it was informed on the occasion.

Similarly, Dr Ashok Baskota, President of Bikalanga Mitra Samuha, an Organisation working for the disabled, Father Eugene L. Watrin, Chairman of St. Xavier’s College (Maitighar), Bharati Khanal, who was implementing a skill development programme for women in the Banke district, and ophthalmologist Ram Prasad Pokhrel were honoured with Tulsi Mehar Award for their undaunted diligence and commitment in their respective fields of social services.

Sahitya Sandhya kicks off

KATHMANDU,Sept 22 (PR)- The 198th episode of Sahitya Sandhya kicked off today at Nepal Law Campus , said a press release issued here today.

The symposium is organised on the first Saturday of every month. Poets like Bhawani Ghimire, Purnabiram, Harigovinda Luitel and others participated in the programme. Devi Prasad Subedi, litterateur and critic,expressed his opinions while writers Khagendra Sangraula , Krishna Sen Ichhuck and Mitralal Pangyani(Chairman of Sahitya Sandhya)expressed their views in the programme.

Renowned litterateur Bhawani Ghimire released the 11th Sahitya Sandhya issue on the occasion.Neptune chaired the programme as a member of Sahitya Sandhya while the programme was conducted by Vice-President Dev Bikram Rai.

Bengali writer honoured

KATHMANDU, Sept 22 (PR)- Bengali litterateur and writer, Shehabuddin Ahmed was felicitated amidst a function here today at the Royal Nepal Academy.

Ahmed is considered to be the first Bengali litterateur who contributed to popularise Nepali literature and poems by translating them in different languages.

Dr Kesher Jung Rayamajhi, Chairman of Raj Parisad Standing Committee felicitated Ahmed by presenting a Neplali cap.

Kalo Surya (Black Sun) written by Nepali novelist Bharat Junggam about six years ago was translated by Ahmed in Bengali as well in twelve different languages.

Addressing the function, Rayamajhi said that the contribution of Ahmed,who translated Nepali literature into the Bangali language, has helped to enhance the bilateral relations existing between the two countries.

On the occasion, Dr Rayamajhi released the novel Kala Surat written by litterateur S.A.Siddhi, which has already been translated in two different languages.

The programme was organised by the Royal Nepal Academy.

Two by two folding seat and extra fare

By Bhaskar Sharma

Travelling is fun, but not always. Especially when it comes to travelling in the cramped buses that ply the highways of Nepal. Everyone of us in Nepal must have heard travel agents crying "Two by Two.

Folding seat" – And when you board the bus, after purchasing the tickets, a usual frown passes you face. What makes it even worse is the disgusting attitude of some conductors and drivers, though not all. And this makes travelling by bus each time more bizarre than the previous one.

It was last year that a friend and myself decided to visit Western Nepal on a reporting assignment.

We had an unlucky start – immediately after we boarded the bus we had some heated debate with the conductor. They had issued two tickets for the same seat, and another person was sitting on one of our seats. Though the row was most amicably settled, of course after some bullying and pushing, not the passenger though, what I didn’t know was what lay in store for me later that night.

The rattling night bus, supposedly to be comfortable, at last started. Hardly had we reached Thankot, a middle-aged passenger, who apparently had purchased an advance ticket, boarded.

And he had to face the same ordeal that we faced just an hour before. After some heated debate the man was led to a seat in the last row – poor man. Then things cooled down.

The journey till Mungling went without any untoward incident. We had our dinner there, and as the driver blew the horn, we boarded it. Then trouble began.

The issue was the route the bus would take. The bus was supposed to go through Narayanghat to Bhairahawa, but the conductor and the driver wanted to take it from Pokhara, which is a longer route. They argued that landslides have occurred between Narayanghat and Bhairahawa.

And they demanded Rs 120 extra from each passenger to take the alternative route, enraging a few others and me. Since it was a rainy season, we had already asked the ticketing agent at the time of purchasing tickets in Kathmandu if the roads were clear of landslides. He had assured us in the affirmative. We had gone to the extent of asking if we would need to pay extra in case the bus takes alternative routes, and he had said a definite "No." We might have conceded to the demands of the driver and the conductor had they asked all the passengers for the extra fare in a civilized and humanely manner. Their arrogance, coupled with the intention of vengeance upon my friend, and me, took the situation out of control. Initially, seated in our seats, we were only arguing that some passengers would face problems if the bus is taken enroute from Pokhara. There were a few passengers whose destinations were places beyond Narayanghat. And they were being asked by the conductor and the driver to get down at that time of night. It was around 11 pm.

The situation was getting tenser with those passengers joining in favour of our argument. Then suddenly, the conductor lurched forward and caught my friend’s collar. Then a scuffle followed between the conductor and myself. A few kicks and punches were only that it took to bring down the conductor. And of course, only then did they concede to our demands and moved the bus towards Narayanghat. I suppose that the conductor, and the driver, got a taste of what arrogance and ill-mannered attitude can invite.

It was a journey that I muse even to this day. There were no landslides on the way and we reached Bhairahawa on time the next morning.

Though a frequent traveler, I have not seen that driver and conductor after that incident. Perhaps they are at the same job, a bit more sober and humble towards passengers. But who know!!

Lack of doctors poses problems in Trishuli hospital

NUWAKOT, Sept 22 (PR)- Patients visiting Trishuli hospital are deprived of quality service as there is not a single doctor in the hospital over the last one week.

The government has made provision for three doctors in this hospital over the last six years to facilitate locals to derive quality service from the local hospital, but all the three doctors were never present at the hospital at the same time during this period.

In view of the needs of changing times, the hospital has been receiving new equipment but the common people have not been able to benefit from these equipment due to lack of necessary employees, patients complain.

The 15-bed Trishuli hospital has been approved by the government as a 25-bed hospital. There are 8 beds each in male and female wards and some 6 or 7 beds have been placed outside the rooms to accommodate more patients. Of late patients suffering from burning sensation in stomach and typhoid fever are visiting the hospital in increasing numbers.

Chandra Kant Rimal of Charghare-9 was hospitalised three days ago with the belief that he would get rid of his disease after his medical test by a doctor. However, there were no doctors in the hospital and he is being examined and given medication by nurses. He has not seen the face of a doctor for three days and now he worries whether he would ever recover. He said he has not received satisfactory treatment.

Assistant Nurse Midwife Kamala Bohara says 90 percent of the patients admitted to the hospital suffer from typhoid.

"The pressure of patients has been increasing. The only doctor, Dr Sushil Nath Pyakurel, has gone to attend a regional seminar. We don’t know whether he will return or not. Many of the patients who came to the hospital for treatment have returned home without receiving treatment," an employee said. The number of females is higher than that of males who visit Trishuli hospital.

The number of patients visiting the hospital daily at the out-patient ward ranged from 20 to 25 in the past, but now some 45 to 50 people are visiting the hospital daily. Many patients are compelled to go to local medical store and pay heavy amount of money in the absence of doctors in the hospital. Locals are enraged because they have been deprived of the medical facilities in their own local hospital simply because there is shortage of medical staff.

PPR claims 200 goats over past two months

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CHITAWAN, Sept 22 - A total of 200 goats have died of PPR disease in different parts of this district over the last two months.

The areas which are most affected by this disease, which has been spreading over the last two months, are Anptari, Ratnanagar municipality, Sharadanagar and Shukranagar VDCs. The number of goats dying from this disease is likely to go up in these areas. Six goats belonging to a big livestock farmer, Shankar Rajbhandari, died on a single day.

Twenty to 80 percent of the goats which catch PPR disease die of this disease.

According to District Livestock Service Office , this disease is caused by a kind of virus. PPR Vaccine should be used to cure the goats after they contact this disease.

As this is a communicable disease, it is likely to affect the entire goats of the village if it is found in some goats in the village

According to the office, 21 thousand doses of vaccines were administered to the goats by the middle of this month to save goats from this deadly disease.

Regular Jumla flights to begin

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JUMLA, Sept 22 - Black-topping of the runway of Jumla airport has been completed under the internal airport consolidation works, tourism infrastructure development plan with the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank.

The airport had remained closed for the last 15 months. The first test flight after the black-topping of the runway was conducted here this morning and the aircraft flew from Nepalgunj to Jumla via
Smikot.

The test flight was carried out by pilot Kos Bahadur Thapa and pilot of Nepal Civil Aviation Authority Prabhakar Ghimire.

After the inspection of the airport Deputy Director General of Civil Aviation Authority Upendra Dhital , who had come here by the test fight, said regular flights to Jumla airport would be operated since Monday.