Talks produce no concrete results

By Bijay Ghimire

NEW DELHI, Sept 29 – The Nepal-India inter- governmental joint- secretary level trade talks that began here Friday following the recent Indian demands for review and revision in certain provisions of the Nepal-India Trade Treaty concluded without any concrete consensus today.

However, India will, within the next month, put up its demands for inclusion of provisions on ‘Rules of Origin’ and ‘Export Surge’ in writing. It was agreed to discuss the matter at the next round of talks that would be held between the commerce secretaries of the two sides within the next one month.

India on Friday had urged upon the need to define rules of origin and export surge. Though the talks were forwarded on Saturday, nothing could come out of it. "The talks concluded without any understanding, except that the issues would be carried over for discussion at the secretarial level," said Purushottam Ojha, leader of the Nepali delegation, talking to The Kathmandu Post.

"India has agreed to give its proposals in writing as soon as possible. The two sides have agreed to hold a secretarial level talks within the next one month," said Ojha.

However, another member of the delegation, on conditions of anonymity, said that the two sides must first discuss the matter at the political level to narrow down the existing differences.

The latest issues raised by India are not much different from that raised during the trade talks held in Kathmandu in the first week of August. "Failure of the talks due to staunch stands taken by the two sides necessitates for a round of talks at the political level," he said.

Members of the delegation said that the Indian side did not reply to the concerns raised by Nepal over the imposition of anti-dumping duties on zinc oxide and the slapping of local duties and taxes on various imported products by the state governments. They argued that such duties were imposed to pressure Nepali to revise the current Treaty.

"The Indian side during the talks this time did not talk openly," delegates said. However, they said that the Nepali delegation also stood fast on its grounds arguing that the basic spirit of the Treaty should remain intact.

"We listened to the proposals of the Indian side. We are yet to reply, which we will do only after receiving their proposals on rules of origin and export surge in written," said Ojha.

The Nepali delegation on Saturday also met representatives of the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII).

Representatives of CII expressed hopes that the suggestions made by the Joint Economic Council (JEC) of the CII and the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) to the Indian government were taken into account by the two governments.

However, the Indian side at the talks on Friday did not much regard the suggestions of the JEC. The JEC had submitted its recommendations to both the governments almost three weeks back.

However, Indian entrepreneurs during the Nepali delegation’s meet with FICCI showed their concern over the increasing exports of acrylic yarn and vanaspati ghee arguing that the Nepali exports were injuring their industries. They pressed on the need to include provisions in the Treaty that would curtail the export of these two Nepali products.

India had, during the trade talks in Kathmandu in the first week of August, however, expressed its concern over the increasing exports of five products, which includes steel pipes, copper twines and zinc oxide, apart from acrylic yarn and vanaspati ghee.

India had argued that the five products attracted the surge clause in the Treaty that allows change in the provisions of the Treaty for curtailing exports of those products under the surge net.

It was only after the failure of the secretarial level trade talks between the two governments in Kathmandu in August that India proposed for review and revision in certain provisions of the Treaty, apparently to contain the increase in exports from Nepal to India.

The Treaty would have been automatically renewed had the Indian side not sent its formal communication. The Treaty contains a provision that says that the Treaty would continue in its present form until any one of the contracting parties calls for its review three months before the date of expiry. The Trade Treaty, first signed in 1991 and later modified in 1996, is set to expire this December.

Kantipur Editor Ghimire hospitalised after accident

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Sept 29 - Yubaraj Ghimire, the Editor of Kantipur, a sister publication of The Kathmandu Post, met with an accident at Sinamangal Saturday afternoon.

An eyewitness immediately rushed him to Baidya and Banskota Hospital (B&B Hospital) after the accident. Attending doctors said that Ghimire sustained a fracture on his right thigh and dislocated his spinal disc.

The operation was carried out by a team lead Dr Chakra Raj Pandey. It carried out operations on his fractured thigh bone and the dislocated spinal disc. Ghimire is now said to be in a stable condition. However, his full recovery is expected to take six months.

According to eyewitnesses, the accident took place at around 1:15 pm when Ghimire’s car collided head-on against a truck with registration number Ba A Kha 1047. He was driving alone.

The driver of the truck, Dhan Bahadur Tamang, has been apprehended and is presently in police custody awaiting further investigation, officials at the Valley Traffic Police Office said.

Meanwhile, Federation of Nepalese Journalist (FNJ), issuing a press release, has expressed sadness over the incident and has wished Editor Ghimire’s speedy recovery.

Natural resources on the decline, thanks to population growth

By Birodh Pandey

KATHMANDU, Sept 29 – Will the country’ssparse natural resources and decreasing agricultural production help feed the country’s growing population 20 years hence, or later on? Is the growing population having its effect on the country’s environment and fragile ecosystems therein?

Experts say, the population is beginning to have its effects, and paint a bleak picture of the country’s future. Figures speak in volume: The population of the country has increased by 410 per cent in the past 90 years period triggering depletion of natural resources and consequently other problems associated with it.

According to the preliminary census data made available by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), Nepal’s population currently stands at 23,214,681 with high concentration in the plains of the Terai region. Compared to the Terai, the population is sparse in the hills and the mountainous regions.

Similarly the population density has significantly increased within the past two decades from 102 person’s per sq. km in 1981 to 125 persons per sq. km in 1991, and presently to 156 persons per sq. km. And if the present population growth trend continues, environmental experts warn, it will take its toll on the country’s valuable natural resources, which is the backbone of Nepal’s economy.

"The population is growing at an alarming rate and so is the degradation of forest, water and arable lands," says Dr. Binod Bhatta, Resource Management Specialist at Winrock International - Nepal. "Population growth has much to do with the increasing pressure on agricultural land, forest and other resources."

Experts say, there should be a balance between consumption of natural resources and population growth, failing which the ecosystems – meaning harmony between various smaller and bigger species of flora and fauna – will damage and that will ultimately affect human beings.

Agriculturists, environmentalists and economists emphasize that the government must come up with integrated package programmes to sustain the natural resources and address the population issue before long.

Although there has been an increase in the area of arable lands in the country, the production of crops has not gone up significantly in such a way as to sustain the populations. Nepal currently faces a deficit of as much as 576 metric tones of food – an alarm bell in a country, which was exporting foods up until the 1970s.

And, if the projected figures are any thing to go by, then the country will be importing 1,887 metric tons of food, which is almost equal to the net production of 1957, in the year 2016.

"We will not be able to feed the increasing mouth as our resources are under constant population pressure and are depleting," says Diwakar Chand, an economist working at the Association of Developmental Agency of Nepal. "The amount of input is far greater than the amount of output in agriculture and what will be the scenario in the year’s to come in anybody’s guess."

But contrary to the remarks of experts, Bhiarab Raj Kaini, Director General at Department of Agriculture has different opinion. "Population is increasing but we are mechanizing our agriculture system that will be able to sustain the present population," he claims, referring to the government’s Agriculture Perspective Plan and other plans.

"Besides other measures the government is now going to implement pocket package agricultural system with all the necessary inputs to enhance the productivity and will be able to feed the population," he further claims.

The increase in population has led to the significant decrease of the forest cover as well.

The forest cover was hovering around 28 per cent in the forest inventory prepared in the mid-1990s, down from 38 per cent in the mid-1980s. And researches have shown that per capita fuel wood consumption has shrunken to 470 kg per year whereas the actual requirement is 640kg.

Officials claim that the government has realized that the natural resources and the state of environment are bearing the brunt of the population pressure and is now aiming for a long-term strategic plan.

The plan also incorporates the population and environment aspects as projected figures show that Nepal’s population will shoot up to 32,203,000 by 2016.

"We are planning to draw up long term population perspective plans considering the carrying capacity of the area and the issue of sustainable use of natural resources," says Purshottam Tiwari, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment. "We are also coming up with a different policy to tackle the problems associated with the population and environment."

One injured in rival gangs shootout in Birgunj

Post Report

BIRGUNJ, Sept 29 – This eastern business city became tense after shootout between two rival gangs at the city bus park in broad daylight on Saturday.

According to eyewitnesses, one Dinesh Jaisawal from Govindraj Sangrampur (India) was having his meal in an eatery near the bus park when a masked man started firing at him indiscriminately. Jaisawal ran with the masked man in his hot pursuit, firing all the time. Although the assailant fired 25 rounds altogether and Jaisawal was hit with only six of them. The assailant fled towards Raxaul (India) on a motorcycle with his accomplice.

Jaisawal is now undergoing treatment at the Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital.

The shootout created a fear psychosis with the traders downing their shutters for an hour. People ran helter-skelter after the firing. The crowded bus park wore a deserted look in an instant.

According to police sources, the shootout is a part of the gang rivalry between the notorious Avadhesh Tyagi gang and Tuntun Singh who was murdered a year ago allegedly by the Tyagi’s henchmen. While the police believe Jaisawal is a member of the Singh gang, Jaisawal denied the same while speaking to The Kathmandu Post.

Tyagi is in Indian jail on the charge of plotting to kill Tarun Tejpal, the editor of Tehelka.com, which exposed corruption in the Indian army.

He also told the Superintendent of Police (SP) Arjun Jung Shahi that he recognised his assailants who had some old grudge against him.

According to Shahi, the shootout was fallout of gang rivalry. He said the police had launched a thorough investigation and was looking for the culprits after cordoning off the whole of Birgunj.

RPP hails Singh’s remarks

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Sept 29 – The Rashtriya Pratantra Party (RPP) today welcomed the statement of India’s Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh’s remark who had termed the Maoists here as terrorists.

Singh had made the remark while speaking to the state-owned television channel, Doordarshan after the terrorist strikes in the USA.

In a singed press release issued by RPP President Surya Bahadur Thapa today, the party welcomed the emerging global alliance against terrorism. It also lauded the government’s "positive commitment" towards the global campaign against terrorism in the initiative of the USA.

However, the party warned that the citizen’s fundamental rights and freedom must not be violated in the name of containing terrorism. It suggested that the government take initiative to institutionalise the campaign against terror to make it sustainable. It also suggested that the government should make efforts to activate treaties against terror and to mobilize regional and world for the purpose.