Regional workshop on medicinal plants concludes

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 20:The regional workshop on "Himalayan Medicinal and Aromatic Plants" concluded here on Friday recommending to set up a regional working group for "Wise Practices on Himalayan Medicinal Plants." The workshop also underlined the need to improve regional co-operation to meet the objectives.

The five-day-long workshop of scientists, conservationists, government officials and representatives of other institutions from Nepal, Bhutan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China have also recommended for the inclusion of knowledge on traditional medicinal practices and medicinal plants in the present medical education curriculum.

Besides the role of industries, NGOs have also been recognised in the conservation of medicinal plants in the Himalyan region of the participant countries. The view was expressed at the conclusion of the workshop.

In the recommended Regional Working Group on Wise, the chief of the working group will establish a national working group and promote wise practices through networking.

Speaking at a press meet at the concluding moment of the workshop, the participants expressed that any initiative to conserve and promote medicinal plants should be linked with the livelihood of local people if they are to be successful, focusing on regional co-operation.

"There should be a connection between efforts on conservation of medicinal plants and livelihood to ensure success in the conservation and promotion of the plants", said Dr. Chandra P. Gurung, the Country Representative of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Nepal Programme.

The WWF is working with local communities in Upper Dolpa to preserve and promote medicinal plants and knowledge of Amchis (traditional doctors).

Medicinal plant expert Dr. Tirtha Bahadur Shrestha underlined the need of regional co-operation for the processing of medicinal plants in the country. He underscored the challenge of conserving traditional knowledge and Amchis in the country.

Dr. Madhav Karki, Regional Programme Co-ordinator of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants in South Asia, was critical of inadequate efforts put into practice to translate existing laws and policies in conserving medicinal plants of the country, urging co-ordination among existing mechanism involved in conservation of the plants.

Chief of Foreign Aid Branch at the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation, Damodar Prasad Parajuli assured that the government would take initiative to translate the recommendations of the workshop.

Kantipur photo journalists awarded

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KATHMANDU, Dec 20:Nepali photo journalists Chandra Shekhar Karki and Sudhira Shah, both associated with the Kantipur Publications, won consolation prizes today in the ‘One Asia Assembly’ photo jornalism contest. Forty-nine photo journalists from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia and Philippines participated in the contest.

Manish Swaroop from India, Usbad Yahya from Malaysia and Sony M. Ispirikta from the Philippines bagged the first, second and third prizes respectively. Two photo journalists from every country were awarded with the consolation prizes.

Senior journalist Bharat Dutta Koirala presented a cash prize of US $100 and a certificate each to Karki and Meere Shah, mother of Sudhira Shah. Speaking on the occasion, Koirala said such competitions should be held every year. Press Foundation of Asia, Nepal Chapter and Nepal Press Institute had selected six photo journalists from Nepal for the competition on the basis of the photographs published in various newspapers and magazines in 2001.

Political parties blamed for present situation

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KATHMANDU, Dec 20:The decisive role of the king and active participation of the Nepalese people have become highly imperative to find a way out of the ever-deepening political crisis besetting the country.

The nationalist parties expressed this view at an interaction programme on "The Role of King Gyanendra in Strengthening Democracy" while raising their deep concern over the present political situation.

Accusing the political parties for their failures, Rajeshwor Devkota, a veteran politician and chairman of the Nationalist Democratic Front said the political parties themselves are responsible for bringing the king into active politics in their power game right from the beginning .

" When they failed to act in the interest of the people and the country, it is quite natural for the king, to intervene into the scene.The institute of monarchy has come under compulsion to maintain accountability to the general people," said veteran leader Devkota, who heads 38 small parties under him.

Nichhep Shumsher J. B. Rana, the chairman of the National Unity Council (Rastriya Ekta Parishad) said that the active role of present king is justifiable when the political parties failed to work for the people in the span of twelve years of multi-party system.

"The royal proclamation on October 4 was actually a step towards strengthening democracy in the country. Big political parties only made hue and cry over democracy but they never maintained their accountability to the people nor did they act as per democratic culture," he said and urged the king and the people to forge a united front to find a way out of crisis.

Prem Bahadur Shakya, another speaker, who is also the chairman of Joint Civic Task Force appealed to all the citizens of the country to work for restoring peace in the country.

Discussion on 'Gender Budget' held

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KATHMANDU, Dec 20:The two-day national workshop on "Gender Budget" organised by the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), Nepal Field Office on December 19-20 has concluded here today.

According to the statement issued here today from UNIFEM, the workshop on "Gender Budget" shed light on whether the budget allocated to women, children and men are equally distributed or not. The participants also discussed if the budget was not equally distributed, what should be done in the future.

Participants of the workshop suggested that it was necessary to train the officials of Ministry and various organisations and issue notices and carry out research on Gender Budget. In addition, the participants also discussed on the allocation of budget at central, district and local level.

Around 35 experts and representatives from various government and non-government organisations and the Ministry, World Bank, Tribhuvan University and Research Centre participated in the workshop, states the release.

Quoting secretary of Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare Bijay Raj Bhattarai, the statement said that the recently allocated budget is not sufficient to meet the international commitment.

Encroachments make life hell for daily commuters

By Thira L Bhusal

KATHMANDU, Dec 20:Buddha Gurung, an employee at the Ministry of Education and Sports, is irked whenever he reaches the point below the overhead bridge at Ratnapark. Hindered by an irritating crowd, when he is in a hurry to reach his office on time, Buddha loses his temper.

Roads and streets being clogged by vendors has become a common feature of the capital. However, the crowd at Ratnapark is something else altogether. Contractors and building construction labourers from different parts of Kathmandu, gather here as a contact point. Clients too, who arrive here in search of various specialist labourers, are available here. Carpenters, plumbers and painters, as well as those wishing to hire them, congregate here daily, by nine in the morning, during peak hour for office commuters.

"Last week a lady lost ten thousand rupees in the crowd around this temple, and devotees who come here have been facing problems," said Ram Chandra Gautam, priest at the Ganesh temple close to the bridge. Gautam added that the Traffic Police and Municipality Police chase away the vendors and hawkers, but they are back within minutes. This ‘drama’ has been going on here for years, he explains.

"Crowd formations at busy intersections are not allowed and we are going to remove the hawkers from there, soon. They can continue their business at other places like the open ground of Ratnapark, Tundhikhel or anywhere else they like as along as they do not hinder public movement," stated Surendra Pal, Chief of the Valley Traffic Police Office.

Bishnu Singh Basnet of the Municipality Police concedes that there have been complaints regarding obstruction in walking along the area. However, he stated that there has been no serious incidents due to the crowd so far. "We will improve the situation there. You will notice some positive changes within this week," Basnet assured. Asked about a long-term solution to the problem, Basnet replied, "We can’t prohibit them doing their business. So we will provide them certain area inside the Open Ground at Ratnapark."

Last year the Kathmandu Municipality had demolished several buildings in the area, which then, was a busy commercial centre, to make the place more attractive. Ironically, the demolitions which gave way to an open space adjacent to Rani Pokhari, a national heritage, has turned into a gathering point for thousands of people.

Street vendors and crowds have an interrelated relationship. Increase in one aspect attracts the other leading to crowding, which further breeds instances of pick-pocketing, quarrels and other untoward accidents.

Focus on water resources policy

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KATHMANDU, Dec 20:The international conference on "Water and Climate" held in Dhaka on December 17 and 18 issued a declaration stressing the need to hold awareness and advocacy programmes to educate people on the effects of climatic changes on water resources.

The summit is a preparation to the "Third International Water Summit" to be held in Kyoto, Japan, in 2003. The declaration also says that climatic changes can have severe consequences on a nation’s economy and therefore every nation should develop and declare water resource policies incorporating these possibilities.

The summit also stressed the need to understand the importance of local efforts in such policies. Before this, a two-day workshop on "Importance of Mass Media on Climatic Changes, Water Resources and Poverty Alleviation", organised by the Environmental Journalists of Bangladesh, was also held in Dhaka. The workshop emphasised that journalists should spread awareness among the poor, who are the most vulnerable section of any population to the harmful effects of climatic changes.

Role of youths in development highlighted

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KATHMANDU, Dec 20:Experts from different fields observed that youths have a significant role to play to take the country out of the present political crisis. The speakers expressed the view at a programme organised by the Queer Society of Modern Youth (QUESMY) Nepal on the occasion of its second anniversary.

"I worked as a porter where the Malla Hotel is situated at present. Now I attend national and international seminars and parties at the same hotel," said Kedar Khadka, a renowned journalist, adding, "I also worked as a newspapers hawker, tempo driver and tailor. So youths have immense possibilities."

Khadka advised that youths should do something creative on their own instead of running after jobs holding certificates. "I always prefer skilled manpower instead of degree holders if I were to recruit someone. So use your hands and heads not certificates," he said.

Speaking at the programme, Keshav Sthapit, former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolis, shared his experiences of how he was groomed as a leader. "In spite of being a member of a communist party, I always insisted on personal freedom and creativity," Sthapit said. He said youths should be given more opportunities and responsibilities.

QUESMY-Nepal, an NGO run by a youth group, has been working for two years aiming to eradicate social aberrations at the government as well as non-government level. Deepak Niraula of QUESMY informed that the NGO has been assisting the government to frame, amend and implement the existing laws.

Keshav Sthapit, Bishnu Gopal Shrestha, Padam Prasad Aryal and Hari Sharan Lamichhane were honoured on the occasion. Krishna Murari Gautam, known as Chatyang Master, also shed light on the importance of youths in nation building.

Speakers at the programme strongly opposed the government policy of sending more youths to foreign for jobs. "How can our country develop when our youths graze goats and sheep in the Gulf?" they enquired.

DFO dismisses users’ group of largest community forestry

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KATHMANDU, Dec 20;The Kailali District Forest Office (DFO) has decided to take over the management of the Chhatiwan Community Forestry citing misappropriation of hundreds of thousands of rupees by its user group.

The forestry occupying around 4,000 hectares of forestland is believed to be one of the largest forests managed by the communities. The DFO dissolved the forestry user group on charges of corruption about four months ago.

District Forest Officer Nawaraj Baral said that they decided to dissolve the user group after a preliminary investigation conducted by the DFO found that officials of the community forestry were indulging in misappropriation of fund.

Earlier, stakeholders of the community forestry, lying on the border of Kailali and Bardiya districts, had filed separate complaints at the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), a constitutional anti-corruption body, DFO, Department of Forest and District Administration Office. Baral said the user group has been prohibited from carrying out financial transaction except for preserving the forest.

It its initial investigation, the DFO found that the user group did not call upon even a single general meeting of the stakeholders since its inception, keep its accounts transparent and carried out audit of its transaction for the last two years. The community forestry was established seven years ago.

"Although annual income of the forest was around Rs. five to six million, the user group did not invest a single penny for its conservation," said Baral. He said that it is too difficult to manage it by user group because of its enormity and thousands of people living close to the forest. "We will definitely hand over the forest to the communities by re-grouping them into smaller units," he added.

However, the locals are encroaching on the rain forest, which is the home for endangered species of wildlife. Baral conceded the fact that people are felling Sal trees on a massive scale.

DEO distributes 252 teaching licenses in Humla

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SIMIKOT (Humla), Dec 20:The District Education Office (DEO) at Humla district has distributed 252 licences to school level teachers.

The government had issued a notice that those involved in the teaching profession are required to compulsorily acquire the license, and as per the directives from the Education Division, licences with a one-year validity were distributed for the first time.

According to the DEO presently there are 24 vacant posts for teachers, which include 10 at the primary schools, nine at the lower secondary schools, while five for the secondary schools. It is learnt that for all these levels 252 licences had been issued. For the time being the validity of these licences are just for a year, but after the termination of this date all these license holders are expected to compete again to procure the license.

Those involved in the teaching profession for a long time are provided with five years validity license, but among these long time teachers those without any teacher’s training are required to take this training within the five years period. Teachers are provided with the permanent license only after appearing for a 25 marks test, said Dharmajeet Shahi, the district branch officer at the DEO to The Kathmandu Post.

According to Shahi even those possessing the permanent license should acquire training within five years, and those without School Leaving Certificate (SLC) should compulsorily pass SLC exams and go through the training.

During the Panchayat regime there had been provision for training even for those students who had completed sixth standard. These students could undergo training while studying, so there are many teachers who have permanent licences and have four years training to their credit without the SLC pass certificate.

Extension Campus affiliated to Tribhuvan University has been providing training programmes to its students in Jumla district of remote Karnali zone with the motive of producing proficient teachers.

Education secondary for Chepang community

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MAHADEVSTHAN, (Dhading), Dec 20:The Chepang community of Mahadevsthan of Dhading district is also known as the most backward community in the country. The community lives in extreme poverty and has a low literacy rate. Of the total 7,000 population in Mahadevsthan, 4,000 are Chepangs.

Preoccupied with traditional beliefs, its elders are reluctant to send their youngsters to schools. Among the very few who are admitted to primary schools are irregular and drop out even before the completion of primary education.

While the illegal of practice of child-marriage is still rampant in the community, parents encourage their children to consume alcohol and smoke.

For the Chepang people, working for daily needs is of utmost importance. "What else does one get by attending schools? Working ensures food and our daily needs," said a local Chepang of local Simthali village. "

11 primary schools in Mahadevsthan show records of the number of students from the Chepang community to be 200. However, few of them continue classes and those completing the primary level of education are very rare, according to a schoolteacher.

Non of the students from the Chepang community stay for a full period on a school day. They run away for fishing in nearby streams, according to a schoolteacher.

Maoists launch ‘household tax’ campaign

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BHOJPUR, Dec 20:Maoist rebels have recently launched a massive campaign for "household tax" in the western and southern parts of this eastern hill district, according to reports from these areas.

A local from Timma Village Development Committee (VDC) told The Kathmandu Post that the rebels have launched this campaign for household tax from each of the families, depending upon their financial status.

"They always come to villages with receipts to collect the household tax," he said, "They have also set a certain amount of money to each of the households." The household tax ranges from Rs. 50 to Rs. 500 per month, he added. The villagers, who arrived at the district headquarters, here, said that they had no other options than to abide by their rules.

According to the locals, the rebels have intensified their campaign in Timma, Chhina Makhu, Annapurna, Nagi, Khawa, Kot, Gogane, Lekharka, Baikunthe, Ranibas, Patlepani, Khairang and Hasanpur VDCs.

Scarcity of Lokta in Dhaulagiri zone

RSS

BAGLUNG, Dec 20:There is scarcity of hand-made Nepali paper in Dhaulagiri zone considered to be very famous for the production of such papers in the past.

Bhaktapur Handicraft Industry has established a field office in Baglung making Myagdi, Parbat and Baglung districts as its working area but now there is the scarcity of the Nepali papers in the zone.

According to the local Nepali paper producers, there is scarcity of Nepali paper due to the provision of selling Nepali hand-made paper only to the Bhaktapur Handicrafts Industry.

Under the community development programme of the Bhaktapur Handicraft Industry, it has taken permission from the Agriculture Development Bank for a loan to farmers involved in the local hand-made paper production and District Forest Office for the use of lokta.

According to the handicrafts industry, it has spent more than eight million rupees for the community development programme to uplift the standard of the local people involved in the hand made paper production.

Farmers involved in the production of hand made paper make an average income of Rs. 20 to 40 thousand from February to May every year, said Hari Kala Kandel of Tara Village Development Committee who is also involved in the paper production.

The Bhaktapur Handicrafts have made an agreement with the forest office for eight years and it has the sole rights to provide permission of lokta collection needed for the production of the paper. Local farmers could obtain loan from the Agricultural Development Bank at the recommendation of the handicraft industry.

Lokta is available at Nishi, Babang, Bohora Gaun, Devisthan, Taman, Jaljala, Hil, Tara, Argal, Ranasingh, Kiteni, Pandabkhani, Adhikarichaur of Baglung district, and some Village Development Committees of Parbat and Myagdi districts.

Paper worth Rs. 2.5 million is sold every year to Bhaktapur Handicraft Industry, according to Gopal Shrestha, manager of the industry.

There is scarcity of hand made Nepali paper as the paper produced in the Dhaulagiri zone is sold to the handicraft industry, said Surendra Kumar Shrestha of Kalika Printing Press. The whole paper is taken by the handicraft industry and we have the scarcity said Shrestha, who is doing the printing business for the last 15 years.

The concerned authority should give attention about the scarcity of the paper in the zone.

NTC fails to resume telephone services

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SINDHULI, Dec 20:Even after three weeks of telephone service disruption in Sindhuli district, the Nepal Telecommunication Corporation (NTC) district office has failed to carry out the much-needed repair works. This has resulted in adverse consequences to the security division, administration, journalists and locals.

"Disruption of telecommunication service has negative impact on the functioning of the security mechanism," said Ajaya Bhattarai, the Deputy Suprintendant of Police (DSP).

Telephone service in the district was disrupted following the damage of a 500 lines capacity telephone tower on November 29.

The NTC office in Janakpur controls the telephone tower. Since the Janakpur office has shown no interests, its repair works have been delayed, revealed a source at Sindhuli NTC office.

"The tower is controlled by the Janakpur office. However, we have received no responses despite our repeated appeals," said Rajendra Pandit, Chief at Sindhuli NTC office.

"We have been frequently apprising the concerned bodies for the prompt repair works of the tower. However, our appeals have failed to revoke responses," said Durga Prasad Bhandari, the Chief District Officer (CDO).

Hydel project non-functional since ten months

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FUNGLING (Taplejung), Dec 20;Supply of electricity from the Samuwakhola micro hydro project has come to a standstill since the last ten months due to non-repair of the powerhouse at Taplejung micro-hydro centre.

125 kilowatts of electricity used to be generated from this centre, but from last March supply has been disrupted when the Maoists detonated a bomb at the centre.

The government had leased this micro-hydro project to a private contractor, Dilliraman Shakya. After destruction of the powerhouse by Maoists, Shakya had requested the Electricity Authority Board at the centre for a sum of Rs. 4,500,000 for repairs and maintenance. He has sent back all the employees to Kathmandu. The Electricity Authority Board at the centre has also assured the hydro project office at Taplejung that the fund for the repair work will be provided as soon as peace prevails there, said the peon at the Taplejung office, Prem Ghimire.

The micro-hydro project, which is a day’s walk from the headquarters, Taplejung, was constructed in 1985 with the financial assistance from the Chinese government.

When hydro project was destroyed three months after the enforcement of emergency, the locals had shown an interest in investing on the project if it were handed over to the consumers.

Child traffickers arrested

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MAHOTTARI, Dec 20:The border police post Mithamod today arrested two persons alleged to have been involved in child trafficking on Friday afternoon.

They were taking nine children between the age of six to eight to work in a cloth factory situated in Dharabi, disclosed the two culprits involved in this trafficking, Rajkaran Mahatto and Satya Narayan Mahatto.

These culprits who also own factories in Mumbai disclosed that they had also previously trafficked such young children to work as labourers in their factories. During the first three years which is considered a training period, these children are made to work without payment. Later on they are provided with a monthly wage ranging from Rs. 1,000 to 2,000, said Satya Narayan Mahatto.

According to the locals, Satya Narayan Mahatto who is a resident of Badiya Banchaure has been involved in collecting child-labourers from various villages to work in the cloth factory owned by his elder brother, Rambabu Mahatto in Mumbai.

Nepalese as well as Indian nationals have been indulging in child-trafficking since 15 years from many villages in Mahottari creating a dearth of children in those villages, informed a local of Harigori-gama, Pacchu Mandal. These trafficked children are believed have been between six to seven years of age.

These children and their guardians who are poor are lured with the prospect of good wages and the training they would be provided with, while in reality they are mistreated, abused and exploited.

A local from Loharpatti-6, Sulaman Nadaf relates his sad story where his eight-year-old boy was lured into acquiring training by one of the brokers who took his son to Mumbai, and even after an elapse of 15 years his whereabouts is still unknown.

Another parent also narrates the pathetic story where their children, seven-year-old Karimandal and ten-year-old Dhurandas were trafficked to Mumbai and mysteriously died within three years.

The plight of these children trafficked to India is another tale. These immature children are forced to work 10 hours everyday. Sometimes their kidneys are removed for transplantation without their knowledge. Those children whose kidneys are removed often become ill, and are left with the only option of returning home. The number of children returning to their native villages after getting infected with diseases is large.

Seven such children between the age of seven to eleven from Hattisarwa Padariya who have been sent back to their village after two years in Mumbai are found to be afflicted with weak eye-sight, while some are found to be suffering from urinary problems.

Even though the arrested Mahattos say that they sought permission from the children’s parents they are still in custody for investigation on violating the International Law of General Convention on Child Rights as well as Child Right Act 1991, reiterated the Superintendent of Police, Narayan Kumar Acharya. According to Acharya the nine children along with the culprits are being handed over to their parents.