Water supply services up for improvement

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 : The recruitment of a Private Operator for the delivery of water supply service to the Kathmandu Valley was one of the key issues discussed during the Joint Review Mission that concluded last week. The concept of private operator, it’s modality, the need to adapt it to local conditions, were reviewed in detail by the Mission comprising HMGN and Donors, during the meeting held to review the progress of the Melamchi Water Supply Project.

The Mission team recognised that recruitment of Private Operator under a management contract is a key to improve the quality of water service provided to residents of Kathmandu, and thus is important for the project’s success, states a press statement issued here by the Board.

Donors including the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Norwegian Agency for International Development (NORAD), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) held discussions with officials of the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board, Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, Ministry of Finance, National Planning Commission and other government agencies on various project implementation issues.

Responding to queries raised by NGOs on the Private Operator, Keiichi Tamaki, the team leader of the Mission highlighted the assistance the donors planned to provide for recruiting Private Operator under a management contract model.

King blamed for split in political parties

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 : The King has been directly or indirectly involved in bringing about the spilt in political parties, Nepali Congress (NC) leaders said here Wednesday.

Nepal could be drowned into a series of ‘unfortunate’ events if the King continues to be elevated to the position of an autocrat and not heeded to the advice of the political parties, they said while sounding alert to the proposed Royal visit in the eastern region. They were speaking at a talk programme organised by Nepal Students’ Union on the 28th death anniversary of myrtyr Ram Laxman.

Stoutly opposing the October 4 Royal move and calling for an early re-instatement of the dissolved House of Representatives, Nepali Congress (NC) general secretary Sushil Koirala warned that any delay in resolution of the Maoists crises could prove disastrous for the nation.

He reiterated his party’s stance that the only option is reinstatement of the dissolved House of Representatives for setting any dialogue with the rebels.

"We are still for real constitutional monarchy and we don’t want to upset the King but the way he is moving ahead seems like he is taking the country closer to chaos," Koirala said. " We hope our advice will be heeded by the King before too long."

The King is being increasingly dragged by those elements, which could have serious implications for preserving the territorial integrity of the country, said Ram Chandra Poudel.

Likewise, Nepali Congress (NC) Spokesperson, Arjun Narsing KC said that there are some forces, which seem to be blindly trying to lift the King to the position of an autocrat.

"The real threat to the nation resides in some powers that are now trying to pushing the palace to the superior position," KC said adding that the executive powers being amassed by the King himself, every decision pertaining to the government are made by him. "This power of the King is being exploited by those elements to strengthen the monarchy."

"It would be a grievous mistake if the King continues to be guided by the whims of those elements and still believe that the people are solidly backing him," said Biswa Prakash Sharma, president of Nepal Students’ Union, a student wing of NC.

Youths and students’ leaders of NC said that in the past two months, people are backing the democratic forces and are no more for the King. "This is adequate proof of the wide acceptance of the people for the re-establishment of elected representatives."

Speaking on the same occasion, Dhan Raj Gurung, the erstwhile general secretary of Nepal Students’ Union said the students are ready for any eventualities. "Our Rath has not stopped at Basantapur. It will continue from Mechi and Mahakali. The NC might simply have to replace the chariot."

Poet Sherchan's works lauded

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 : The importance of late poet Bhupi Sherchan’s works in Nepali literature was highlighted today by leading contemporary poets and academicians at a programme organised to mark the 67th birth anniversary of the poet.

"There has not been enough investigation to analyse and recognise the artistic value of Sherchan’s poems. We are very liberal at criticising others, but are exceptionally stingy at lauding deserving works," said renowned poet Tulsi Diwas during the programme.

The youngest son of Subba Hitman Sherchan, Bhupi Sherchan was born on 25 December 1935 in Mustang. He lost his mother at the tender age of 6 and was traumatised by his father’s conviction that his birth was causative of his mother’s death.

He went to study science in Varanasi, but the peculiarly sensitive lad found the subject too boring and returned to his homeland. He later graduated from the Shanker Dev College in Kathmandu. While in Varanasi, Sherchan had acquired a leftist outlook that was to stay with him for long.

Some of his cuttingly satirical poems are regarded by many as the best portrayals of the social decadence that characterised his times and, to a large extent, even the present. His poems are full of leftist ideology, aesthetics, realism, nationalism, freedom and other perennially intriguing issues. His anthology of poems, ‘Ghumne Mech Mathi Andho Manchhe’ has been so far sold an incredible 30,000 copies.

"We have started efforts to build a statue of the late poet. We also have plans to build a library containing all of his works," said the general-secretary of Literary Journalists’ Association, Radhe Shyam Lekali.

Many established poets recited their poems on the occasion.

Truck seized with goods

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 (PR) - Valley Crime Investigation Branch (VCIB) today seized contraband goods worth more than 1.2 million rupees from a truck coming from Birgunj to Kathmandu. According to the VCIB chief Binod Singh, the goods have been handed to Revenue Investigation Department (RID). A joint team of the VCIB and the RID are carrying out an investigation in the case.

Cabin restaurants raided

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 (PR) - Police raided Bhetghat Cabin Restaurant and Royal Cabin Restaurant in Lalitpur the other day and detained 25 girls and 16 boys allegedly involved in obscene sexual activities , according to Valley Crime Investigation Branch. The VCIB move is a part of anti-cabin restaurant move in the valley. Last week the police raided cabin restaurant in Baneshwor and detained more than 50 people involved in sexual activities there.

Poudel appointed child club patron

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 (PR) – The 12th full meeting of the Jagriti Child Club – Nepal has appointed its founder president, Tilottam Poudel, as the organisation’s patron for next five years. According to a press release issued here by the club, the held meeting decided to appoint Poudel as its patron recently. The release said Mr. Poudel deserved the post of patron, as he has fought for registering the child club in the district administration through a popular Supreme Court decision four years ago. The club currently has 3,500 members in 22 districts and has already established 30 sections, the released added.

Towards more transparency in social agencies

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 (PR) - A study result was presented today which was aimed towards an approach to establish a consensus to streamline the concepts, approaches, modalities and outcomes of various Social Mobilisation (SM) agencies to make their efforts more transparent, concrete and resultoriented towards achieving the national goal of poverty reduction in Nepal.

Presenting the report prepared by New ERA and National Planning Commission of Nepal, Dr Sharad Sharma of New ERA said, "The basic objective of the study ‘Mapping social mobilisation in Nepal’ is to develop an inventory and mapping of social mobilisation agencies with focus on poverty reduction components."

The report also shows that almost all the agencies have laid the focus on poverty reduction, while agencies like the UNDP and INGOs have widened focus on overall development.

SAARC camp inaugurated

RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 : Minister for Education Devi Prasad Ojha inaugurated the Fifth SAARC Integrated Camp organised for the students of schools of South Asian region.

The camp was organised jointly by the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Foreign Ministry and the South Asian Childrens' Forum and participated in by 110 children aged between 8-16 from Nepal, India, Maldives, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

The five-day camp will be held in Kathmandu and two days in Pokhara with a view to increase friendship and brotherhood through exchange of knowledge and skills.

Minister Ojha said such activities are important for familiarising the students on SAARC activities.

Joint secretary at the Ministry, Baikuntha Das Shrestha, informed that such camp was also organised in 1996.

Also speaking on the occasion were Nepal Scout national secretary Yagya Bahadur Singh Oli, Shivaji Shrestha and Bhakta Rajbhandari.

Foundation stone laid

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 : With an aim to establish peace within and outside the nation Nangchen Nyer-Nga Social Service Society today disclosed to make a statue of Guru Padma Sambhava and a garden.

The statue is going to be completed within nine months, of which Gore Bahadur Khapangi, Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare laid the foundation stone, at a function here today at the Swayambhu Bhagawan pau.

US$ 50,000 for Baitadi bio-diversity conservation

Post Report

BAITADI, Dec 25 : US dollars 50,000 has been ear-marked for bio-diversity conservation and protection of the extensive Gwallek forest, spread over 2,571 hectares of land encompassing eight Village Development Committees (VDC).

This protection programme, to be conducted over a period of two years by the Global Environment Facility – Small Grant Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is intended to improve and elevate the social and economic condition of the local communities there. Besides protection of the forest and environment, the programme is an essential part of the protection of the World Environment through the active participation of the community people.

Speaking at a meeting to familiarise the programme, to be conducted under the Gwallek Bio-Diversity Protection Project, in Durgathan VDC, five hours walk from the district headquarters, Ganesh Pant, team leader of the programme, said that in order to lower the carrying capacity induced locally, afforestation, use of scientifically developed stoves, promotion of rural-forest mode of cultivation, mobilisation of internal fund and release of loan capital from the programme, among others, need to be conducted.

It is learnt that among the many diversities found in the Gwallek forest, was the musk deer which used to frequent that forest at one time. The forest protection programme, to be launched for the first time in the Gwallek forest is expected to assist in research, study, and in the identification of the various bio-diversity of that region.

According to team leader Pant, the total budget of the project is 50,000 American dollars, of which 50 percent has been allocated for loan capital, 15 percent for seed capital, 10 percent for Human Resource Development (HRD) and 25 percent has been allocated for administrative expenditure.

Timber smuggling rampant in Chure forest area

Post Report

UDAYAPUR, Dec 25 : Rampant timber smuggling is reported from Chure forest area bordering Saptari and Udayapur districts. Armed smugglers enter the forest, fell valuable trees, prepare logs and planks and smuggle them out at nights, according to locals.

"Around 60 to 70 smugglers from India and Saptari district enter the forest and fell trees. They supply timber to India," said Baikuntha Nath, a local of Bhulke VDC. "We have reported this incident to the DFO many times but there has been no response."

An employee at the DFO admitted that locals had reported the incidents of timber smuggling frequently.

The District Administration Office (DAO), District Forest Office (DFO) and the District Police Office (DPO) had formed a joint cell to combat timber smuggling a month ago. The cell had also arrested 26 smugglers and five tractors with timber.

However, locals complain that the smugglers are back again. The smugglers even threatened the locals who go to the jungle to collect firewood and fodder.

At present the smugglers are active in Luhale, Kangkhola, Jhalayadanda and Dhwanse area of the forest, said locals. "The smugglers cut down hundreds of trees in a day. We have been using the left over as firewood after the timbers have been sawn," said a local from Sunuwa VDC.

Checking timber smuggling has been a difficult task as the forest is dense and in a rough terrain, said a DFO source.

"A joint forest patrolling team will be deputed to the sites on Thursday," said Shekhar Adhikari, an official at the DFO.

Series of Maoists attacks leave Sanfebagar deserted

Post Report

SANFEBAGAR (Achham) Dec 25 : Sanfebagar in far-western Nepal, once the regional hub of Achham and its neighbouring districts, now wears a deserted look ever since the devastating Maoist attack of February 16 last year.

With no reconstruction work of any type initiated, the skeletal frames of fire-ravaged government and non-government office buildings stand among the debris. The entire town appears deserted and ghostly after the incident where over two dozen police personnel were killed in a Maoist attack.

Sanfebagar remains virtually cut off from postal service, electricity and telecommunication facilities. Air service has been restored following the reinstatement of a strong contingent of the Armed Police Force four months ago.

"Knowing of the reinstatement of the (APF), the rebels also torched the few remaining government offices that had survived the fierce attack on February," said a police official.

With almost all government employees having shifted to Mangalsen, the district headquarters, there is very little movement from members of the public, according to locals.

"Prior to the incident, Sanfebagar was a crowded transit point. My hotel would have 40 to 50 guests a day. However, hardly a few people come to the hotel these days," said the proprietor of a hotel.

Seminar on people’s safety

RSS

DAILEKH, Dec 25 : The Human Rights and Peace Society district branch Dailekh organised yesterday a seminar on safety of people, protection of physical infrastructure and rule of law.

On the occasion, central president of the society Krishna Pahadi called for creating an environment for talks by all including the political parties, king and the Maoists.

He also pointed out the fact that Nepal’s image has been tarnished in the international arena.

The seminar was presided over by society’s district branch president Resham Shahi.

Also speaking on the occasion were Uddhav Lohani, Khem Raj K.C. and Dipendra Thapa among others.

Medicinal herbs slowly disappearing

RSS

CHARIKOT, Dec 25 : Various kinds of precious herbs, which are very useful for treatment, found in Dolakha district have been disappearing due to the smuggling and theft.

Various kinds of precious medicinal plants including Chiraito,(Swertia purpurascens) Epiphytal orchid, wild honey, Kutijara, pine tree - Abies welbiana-, sugandhwal ( sweet scented plant), Yarsagumba, Jatamsi and Kudki are being smuggled due to the open border and the increasing theft in the district.

Some herbs which used to be exported from the district until the fiscal year 1999/2000 but now there is no export of such valuable herbs as they are being smuggled every year in large quantity, according to the District Forest Office.

Some valuable medicinal plants which are prohibited to export from the district, are also smuggled and the government has to bear loss of revenue, District Forest Officer Barun Sharma Paudyal said.

A total of 186,035 kilograms of herbs was exported from the district and a revenue of over Rs. 1.8 million was collected from the export during the 2000/2001 fiscal year, however, the export of the herbs has decreased drastically in 2001/2002 fiscal year.

Revenue of Rs. 821,025 was collected from the export of 72,285 kilograms of the medicinal plants and herbs from the district, the office said.

Most of the precious herbs and medicinal plants are in a state of disappearance due to the smuggling, lack of knowledge and practical skill about the farming of such medicinal plants, Paudyal said. The District Development Committee has been trying hard to preserve such important herbs in the Rolwaling National Park area, Local Development Officer said.

Adverse weather affects life in Gulariya

Post Report

GULARIYA, Dec 25 : The week-long cold wave sweeping across Gulariya, headquarters of Bardiya district has adversely affected life here.

Much of Gulariya remains enveloped in thick fog for the sixth day today, with local residents complaining of common cold and other ailments. The inimical weather has affected domesticated animals.

The thick fog has disrupted vehicular transportation and most of the locals remain indoors not venturing out in the chilly weather.

Minister issues directives to forest offices

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 25 : The Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Badri Narayan Basnet has directed forest offices across the country to publish compulsorily tenders of auctions of timbers and firewood in national-level newspapers from now onwards.

Besides, the minister has issued directives to extract forest products from community forests following the inventory of community forestry.

According to the spokesperson of the ministry Tirthaman Maskey, the district and area forest offices will have to compulsorily visit saw mills and check posts in their respective working areas. Similarly, the forest offices around the country will have to place complaint boxes so that common citizens could file their disagreements.

In addition to these directives, the minister has ordered forest offices to clear their dues as soon as possible.

The minister’s directives to forest offices in the country are issued to make the works of the offices under the ministry more transparent and effective, the spokesperson said.

136 bridges built in Syangja since 1993

SYANGJA, Dec 25 (PR) - The local people of Kaski are being interested 136 suspension bridges have been built over the many rivers of Syangja, since 1993, with assistance of District Development Committee (DDC), Village Development Committee (VDC), non-government organisations and the effective participation of the public there, informed the District Infrastructure Development Office (DIDO) Syangja.

Hari Prasad Ojha, the overseer at the DIDO says that 16 of these bridges had been built by Suspension Bridge Division, nine under the Local Bridge Programme, and the remaining 111 by DDCs, VDC and other organisations.

There are at present, 11 bridges under construction under the Local Road Suspension Bridge Programme and Local Bridge Programme conducted by DDC.

It is learnt that construction of these suspension bridges are expected to benefit not only the locals of Syangja but also the people of the bordering districts of Kaski, Parbat, Gulmi, Palpa, Nawalparasi and Tanahun.

Lack of funds stalls ‘model road’ construction

Post Report

OKHALDHUNGA, Dec 25 : Construction of the sixteen-and-a-half kilometre, Okhaldhunga-Rampur model road, in Okhaldhunga district has been halted temporarily due to budget constraints, leaving more than 350 labourers jobless.

The strategic road, intended to connect Baruneshwor and Kuntadevi VDCs with the district headquarters of Okhaldhunga, had been jointly started with the aid of a Swiss loan in 2000, by the Agricultural Road Department (ARD) under the District Development Committee (DDC) and the District Road Assistance Programme (DRAP).

Construction work on the road will be, which was to have been completed in three phases, has been halted as the budget for the first phase has been consumed and funds for the second and third phases have not been released, according to Rudra Shrestha, an engineer associated with the road construction.

The first phase, which required opening up of the track, has been completed, informed Shrestha, who added, "Phase two and three can be taken up immediately and the road completed within three years, if the funds are released and no other hindrance crops up, said Shrestha.

Four held for marijuana possession

BARA, Dec 25 (PR) - District Police Office (DPO) has arrested a woman and two Indian nationals with one and a half-kg of marijuana today morning. Those arrested are Kyampa Khatun, 40, a resident of Inarwasira VDC and the two Indian nationals are Shekh Habib, 41 and Idrish Minya 60, according to Krishna Bahadur Gurung, the Police Inspector. They are held in police custody for further investigation in the case, according to the police.

School building inaugurated

DHULIKHEL, Dec 25(RSS)- President of Hitoshi Japan Toshikatshu Oshe inaugurated the newly constructed building of Balkalyan Primary School at Chamkharka ward no. 4 of Panauti municipality in Kabhre district, yesterday. The fund provided by students of 145 primary schools and secondary schools of Kumamoti Prefecture of Japan through the JMA Jica amounted to Rs. 687,180 and the building was constructed at a cost of Rs. 799, 780 including voluntary labour, the municipality informed. Jica JMA team leader Nobuko Yasagisi handed over the building to school management committee chairman Bir Bahadur Tamang. Panauti ex-mayor Saptakaji Buddhacharya, ward chairman Buddhasingh Thapa and municipality executive officer Krishna Prasad Jaisi expressed gratitude for the cooperation.

‘Biman’ published in Nuwakot

NUWAKOT, Dec 25(RSS)- A new vernacular weekly ‘Biman’ has been published from Nuwakot beginning yesterday as the third such publication in the district. The executive editor and publisher of the weekly previously publishing as a fortnightly is Ganesh Prasad Khanal.

Fish farming luring Kaski farmers

RSS

POKHARA, Dec 25 : The local people of Kaski are being interested in fish farming which is considered to be full of protein and a reliable source of income generation.

The fish meat is very fruitful from health point of view as it is full of white protein considered to be easy to digest for the elderly people and children.

There is enough red protein in the meat of other animals and birds that is not so suitable for the health.

There is the trend of cage culture fish farming in Phewa, Begnas and Rupa lake to fulfil the increasing demand of the fish in the local market.

The cage fish farming has been very popular in the lakes of Kaski and it is very suitable to increase the production, according to the local people, involved in fish farming.

Fish Development Centre produces about eight metric tonnes of fish every year in the district, according to the centre.

About 80 metric tonnes of fish is sold in the market of Pokhara every year. Fish farming is being done making about 400 cage in Phewa, Begnas and Rupa lake of Kaski district.

A large number of people living near the lake area depend on fishing therefore a large number of fish are thrown in the lake every year to help make the livelihoods of the people.

A fish tail food product chilling centre has been constructed at Birauta of Pokhara from the private sector with a view to supply fresh fish to the hotels and restaurants of Pokhara.

The chilling centre sells fish of around three million rupees every year, according to the proprietor of the centre Laxmi Narayan Shrestha.

Fish are also sent to Kathmandu, Butwal and other parts of the country from the centre, constructed at a cost of Rs. 25 million.

Fish used to be imported even from Calcutta until a few years ago due to the lack of chilling centre but now with the construction of the chilling centre, fresh fish can be found in the local market.

About 40 kilos of live fish are also sold every day from the Shree Complex Vegetable Market of Chipledhunga every day.

The chilling centre stores about 2,000 kilograms of fish every day therefore there is no problem of the fresh fish in Pokhara.

The farmers are also attracted towards fish farming in the rice field. The small fish are kept in the rice field after the plantation of the rice and the fish are ready before the cultivation of rice.

Farmers of Tanahu, Syangja and Kaski are attracted to this type of fish farming. Fish Research Centre of Begnas sells small fish to the 16 districts of the western hilly districts. It produces about two million small fish every year.

Meanwhile, about 100,000 small fish are left in the Phewa lake under the auspices of district agriculture development office, fish research centre, fish entrepreneurs committee and fish tail food product.