Stress on pre-disaster safety measures

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 26:There is a growing vulnerability of disasters resulting in soaring toll on life and property in the country, but there is a lack of pre-disaster safety measures, geographers and experts working in the field of disaster management said here today.

Speaking at a discussion programme on "Our Mountains, Our Settlement and Flood-Landslides" on Thursday, they urged the government to prepare environment hazard maps and to implement the National Action Plan on Disaster Management as soon as possible.

Lekhanath Pokharel, an official at the Home Ministry (Department of Disaster Management) informed that the National Action Plan relating to disaster management in the country has not been translated into action due to technical problems.

The plan prepared by the Home Ministry in 1996 is one of the key policies for managing disasters in the country, which focuses on pre-management and minimisation of disasters in the country, besides making concerned authorities accountable for disaster management.

" Setting up of communication centres to inform and warn about possible disasters across the country is extremely necessary to help mitigate disaster in case of occurance but we do not have the facility at present", he said.

He was of the opinion that Nepal lacks a clear policy to seek international aids for disaster management.

Narendra Raj Khanal, a researcher, stressed the selection of sites for settlement. According to Khanal, many public infrastructure have been set up without giving priority to site selection and not caring disaster safety measures. The toll to be caused by disasters can be considerably reduced if safety measures are adopted.

He also pointed a lack of community-based early warning system, which is very essential to inform disaster in advance. "Besides, we need landuse guidelines in the country", he said.

Bhuwaneshor Lal Shrestha underlined the need to carry out extensive researches to make disaster-proof houses, using local materials and technology.

Dr. Toran Sharma attributed growing disaster to human behaviour and suggested to respect and use traditional knowledge and materials for its prevention.

Dr. Pitamber Sharma, a geographer, opined that it is very necessary to prepare environmental hazards map.

Speaking at the programme, Forest Secretary Chandi Prasad Shrestha, informed that the government is planning to incorporate local communities to mange watersheds in the country.

e-Parliament for conflict resolution

By Sudha Shrestha

KATHMANDU, Dec 26:e-Parliament is soon going to be a reality for this country, at this crucial juncture, when the real parliament has gone into a vacuum following its dissolution. The creation of data-based www.e-parliament.org is likely to open up immense opportunities for the parties-in-conflict to hold on-line dialogues without human intervention.

The architect of the e-parliament, Dr. Sichendra Bista, Chairman of Global Initiatives International Secretariat revealed this to The Kathmandu Post today which he had proposed at the 3rd International Conference of the Chief Justices of the World at World Unity Convention Centre, recently held in Lucknow.

e-Parliament facilitates secure and confidential online meetings, negotiations, mediation and arbitration when it becomes inconvenient, impractical or impossible to conduct physical face-to-face meetings between and among conflicting parties due to ideological extremity, limitation of time, scarcity of funds, physical availability or geography, according to Dr. Bista .

"The idea is to create a forum for debate on the net. The e-parliament will be operational like the real parliament. There will be space for a speaker, zero sessions and committees," he says, adding that all concerned parties in the conflict will have their own passwords and login to take part in the debate.

The automatically-designed system allows interested parties in the talks to put up its position on-line. If there is no response from the other side, it will be made public after fifteen days. However, the negotiation processes will be kept confidential, according to him.

"At least, the people in the country and around the world will know where things go wrong with the dialogue. This will make the dialogue process transparent to everybody," he further adds.

With technical and moral support of over 100 volunteers around the world, the web-site is keen on creating an engine in the system comprising four main components: e-Legislature, e-Diplomacy, e-Petition, and e-Parliament.

The major stake holders of e-Parliament are the parties in conflict (monarchs and heads of state, governments, rebels groups), the facilitators (national and international political parties, elected parliamentarians, including incumbent as well as those booted out by force, nearest contenders from the immediate past parliamentary or presidential polls), the online-observers (Nobel laureates and envoys, Chief Justices and Attorney Generals and UN and other inter-governmental mechanisms), the mediator or base (e-Parliament org. Management and Research team, e-Parliament org. Technical and Legal team and e-Parliament org. volunteers and supporters) and the commentators (mass media, local political parties and international organisations, lawyers, human rights and bar associations and civil society, spiritual leaders and global citizens.

All these stake-holders can express their opinions from their respective positions. On-line service mimics the modalities, modus operandi and contents of the parliaments in reality, and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The lengthening spectre of political conflict and terrorism in the world, mainly in the third world, inspired Dr. Bista to take up the project.

"Our children today have been victimised by long drawn-out political conflicts in this part of the world. In this situation, e-Parliament is our urgent need for finding a solution. The creation of the world parliament through net (e-Parliament), offers hope for the world citizens to hold interactions with any world figures and thereby finding solutions to political issues, including conflicts and human rights violations," he observed. He said that the idea was greatly appreciated at the international forum which was attended by the dignitaries of 40 countries.

According to him, many enthusiastic volunteers world-wide are contributing their ideas and technical support to the project, which is aimed at creating what he says "A Safe Nepal for Ourselves and Our Children’’. Although it is yet to be seen just how viable and workable will be this project, Dr. Bista is optimistic about the impact of his ‘evision’.

"Like birds, we all need a safe and happy ‘nest’ to live in, don’t we," was his final remark.

NAB submits 9-point demands to Minister Ojha

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 26:Nepal Association of the Blind (NAB) forwarded its nine-point demands to Minister for Education and Sports, Devi Prasad Ojha at the latter’s office, a statement from NAB stated here Thursday.

The demands include: recruitment of visually-impaired teachers, which has been stopped since the last three years, appointment of at least 85 permanent teachers in various schools of different districts, allotment of fixed scholarships quota for visually-impaired persons for their secondary and higher education and providing five percent of the total scholarships obtained from international communities to the visually-impaired students.

It also draws the immediate attention of the government towards the misuse of teachers’ quota provided in the districts for the visually-impaired persons. Such posts allotted to them are filled by those who are near and dear to the District Education Officer, it said.

It also demands the government to appoint an NAB official to represent at the Special Education Council of the Ministry of Education and Sports. In the meantime, it also demanded for the appointment of visually-impaired persons for the Resource Centres established by the Basic and Primary Education Programme, BPEP II.

"The last two demands seek immediate attention of the government," reads the statement signed by Suresh Raj Bhandary, general secretary of NAB.

Challenges in media research discussed

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 26:Publication on Nepali media has crossed one hundred books, including 48 books published during 2001 and 2002 alone. This was disclosed during a discussion programme entitled ‘Books on Media and Challenges in Media Research’, organised by Martin Chautari, a research centre, here today.

Martin Chautari, which has been working to publish a bibliography of books on Nepali media, also informed that the total number of books enlisted could increase on further investigation.

Media experts speaking at the programme, pointed out the need of a professional institution to publish, distribute and do effective marketing, so that creative writers would not go through financial and other obstacles. Similarly, they said that a well-equipped library was needed for research workers, professionals and students in the sector.

The study of Martin Chautari shows that the publication of books in recent years is increasing. Since 2001, 48 books have been published, including two in Nepal Bhasa (Newari), 10 in English and the rest in Nepali language. Most of the publications are prepared as textbooks and reference materials while some others are based on research works.

However, the role of the government in this regard has been ineffective. The Royal Nepal Academy, so far, has published no book on Nepali media while Sajha Prakashan and Nepal Press Council have published one and three books respectively. Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have been performing a leading role in publishing media books.

Chiranjivi Khanal, teacher of journalism, said that the present situation was better compared to earlier times. Yet, Khanal, who is also involved with the Nepal Press Institute (NPI), claimed, "Publication of media books in Nepal is dependent on donations. Hardly any book returns its production cost through sales. Most of the books are piled up in the stores".

Ram Krishna Regmi, head of the Department of Kantipur City College, suggested to include and study unpublished works, too, which could be important, expand the work at national level and categorise the publications according to their objectives. "The widening gap between creative writers and publishers is alarming".

However, indicating some positive aspects seen in recent years, speakers argued that with the growth of government and private colleges, publishing houses and training and research centres, the increase in the number of students and media professionals has expanded the market for writers and publishers in this sector. They also remarked that introduction of masters level course in the colleges would promote research and investigative works.

Pratyush Onta, research worker on Nepali media, pointed out the lack of a conducive environment to conduct research work. "Lack of resources, co-operation from the concerned authorities and professional institutions are the main obstacles," Onta said.

"To hand-over the responsibility to the younger generation, establishment of a well-equipped library and creating a media research fund could be some of the solutions," he added.

Focus on ways to improve movie-quality

Post Report

KATHMANDU, Dec 26:Nepali film industry has all the talents required for producing world class movies, said film expert Krishna Murari Dhungel at an interaction programme organised today by Nepali Film Producers Association. The programme is the first of its kind in Nepal.

"It is wrong to say that we lack skilled professionals required for making good movies. The only thing we lack is money, and that shows the quality of our movies," said Dhungel dismissing suggestions from director Anish Koirala that the industry suffers from gross technical ignorance.

General Secretary of the association, Ashok Sharma said that the main problem faced by the industry is that professionals wear many hats. "It is high time we discussed on the possible measures to improve the quality of Nepali movies in all its parameters," he said.

In recent times, Nepali movie industry has suffered deeply on the financial front. Experts allege that Nepali movie-makers copy too much from Bollywood. "Every country has its own social, cultural, geographic and political make-up. A movie should always relate to the uniqueness of the country where it is made," said director Dayaram Dahal.

Two more security bases needed in Kailali

Post Report

KAILALI, Dec 26:Security officials have pointed out the need for setting up joint security bases at Hasuliya and Lamki to combat Maoist insurgency and cross-border crime in the south-eastern part of this plain district in the far-western region.

Maoist activities and cross-border-crimes are on the rise after almost all the scattered police posts located on the Nepal-India border were vacated for security reasons.

Security officials said that the south-eastern part of the district has been a safe haven for Maoist movement and Indian bandits in the absence of security personnel.

A few months ago, Indian bandits robbed three houses in Ratanpur Village Development Committee, leaving three civilians dead. Security officials said that criminal activities have also been increased in the eastern part of the district.

On the other hand, Maoist rebels are also learnt to have used Basantaban forest area as a safe corridor to ferry looted food grains and smuggled arms from the Nepal-India open border to the Ramarosan area in Achham. The Ramarosan area is believed to be one of the Maoist training centres in the far-western region. The thick Basantaban forest is connected with the Chure hill range in the north to the Nepal-India border in the south.

Authorities believe that the rebels targeted a Lamki-based police station and killed seven policemen last year to make sure their safe movement from Ramarosan up to the Indian border.

Senior Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Shrestha at the regional police unit office in Dhangadi claimed that the Maoist activities and cross-border crimes can be completely controlled if joint security bases are established in Hasuliya and Lamki. He, however, conceded the fact that the government has not decided yet about the requirements of such bases.

Five smuggled jeeps seized

Post Report

PARBAT, Dec 26:The District Police Office has seized five jeeps that were illegally brought in without custom clearance papers, and has sent them to Bhairahawa Custom Office for necessary investigation.

Previously the police had seized seven such vehicles on different dates and dispatched them to Bhairahawa.

Those vehicles that were sent to the Bhairahawa Custom Office comprised of Mahindra and Commander jeeps bearing the no. Ga 1 Ja 2593, 2584, 2578, Lu 1 Ja 778, and Na 1 Ja 1325 said the police inspector, Mohan Aryal.

According to inspector Aryal, these five jeeps would fetch minimum prices of around Rs. 3,000,000 in the market. From the previous seven jeeps that were sent to Bhairahawa, revenue of Rs. 5,000,000 had been accrued, informed the police.

When more than 200 kilometer of road had been constructed in Parbat over a period of seven years, it saw a rise in the number of jeeps plying on this road. When the police came to know that majority of the jeeps plying there had been brought in illegally, they conducted investigation and seized the illegal jeeps. The District Police Office had formed a team under the leadership of Mohan Aryal to probe into the theft and illegal transportation of such vehicles.

Villagers deprived of postal services

Post Report

MANTHALI, Dec 26:The post offices and additional postal services in various parts of the district are still non-functional after the Maoists set them ablaze and destroyed them. The Danfe service of Ramecchhap has not been able to conduct its services properly also, it is learnt.

The Maoists had carried out their attacks on these postal services of the district 10 months back, whereby they had destroyed the furniture, documents, and postal tickets there. After these postal services in the villages had been destroyed, the employees had moved to the District Post Office (DPO), and some have been executing their duties from there.

The lives of the villagers around these regions have become difficult and miserable, since they are deprived of any means of postal communication for 10 months. Ramechhap, which is without any telecommunication from before, is now further clamped down in the absence of postal service.

With the exception of about 12 additional postal services, the 10 post offices and 30 additional postal services, which had come under the attack of Maoists in Ramechhap, have not resumed registering letters. Although the letters are not registered or delivered from these dilapidated post offices, the letters are being dispatched to the district headquarters.

According to the chief of the District Post Office at Ramechhap, Ram Bahadur Khadka, postmen are still delivering the letters that come in from other districts. However, letters from the villages could not be delivered to other parts of the country. However, if the locals want to, they can hand over their letters to the postmen who visit the villages from the DPO to deliver documents, along with the postal charge needed for registering and dispatching letters from DPO. The post offices there are skeptical as to when the postal service will start again.

Four Maoist rebels killed, one student dies in bomb blast

Post Report

DAILEKH, Dec 26:A two-hour long exchange of fire between a security force unit, on a cordon-and-search mission, and elements of the CPN-Maoists, lead to the arrest of a female Maoist ‘commander’ and the death of three Maoists.

The two-hour clash, which took place from 7 am to 9 am, on Thursday morning, occurred at Toli village of Toli VDC ward-8, situated at about 7 kilometres from the district headquarters.

According to information received from the security forces, immediately after the incident, helicopters brought in air-borne troops even as helicopters patrolled from the sky. Additional ground troops had been sent in, in the afternoon following the clash of the morning.

In another news report, the outgoing chairman of Salleri VDC in Dailekh and Santa Bahadur Chand, an active CPN-UML worker have been taken into custody by the army on charges of having provided food and shelter to the Maoists.

Chand, who is said to have been abducted thrice by the Maoists, has two sons in the army, one son in the police and one more son, is alleged to be a Maoist.

Our reporter from Bhojpur adds that a female Maoist guerrilla died after a socket bomb in her possession, exploded. The incident occurred at Gurash Bhanjyang, a five-hour walk from the district headquarters. The deceased Maoist is believed to be a resident of Khartamcha VDC in Bhojpur district, though her name was not disclosed, but her name is yet to be disclosed, said one of the sources. However, more details are expected after the official inquiry by the security sources.

Likewise our reporter from Sindhuli has sent in a report that Bhupal Lungeli Magar, a 17 year-old class nine student from Majhuwa Dobhan secondary school in Sidhuli, has been injured by the explosion of a strange round object he was playing with, which he found underneath his grandmother’s bed.

The boy, a resident of Pachrung, Jarayotar VDC, has lost the use of three of his fingers due to the explosion. The injured boy is undergoing treatment at the Sindhuli hospital.

According to Tika Bahadur, the father of Bhupal, the boy, out of curiosity, had been trying to pry open the strange round object when it blasted. He is suspicious that the round object had been left behind by a group of Maoists who had taken shelter in his house on 20th December.

Similarly, our reporter from Baglung states that a group of Maoist rebels abducted Churna Bahadur Karki, a secretary of Resh VDC, at 3p.m. in the afternoon even as the officials were conducting a meeting at the VDC premises, as informed by the locals there.

This is the second incident of abduction of a VDC secretary from this district.

Kaligandaki bridge construction in standstill

By Ghanashyam Khadka

MYAGDI, Dec 26:Construction of the 75 metre long Kaligandaki Bridge has not resumed even after six months. This bridge will be connecting the headquarters, Beni, with the Maldhunga-Beni section of the Maldhunga-Beni-Darwan Road.

The Department of Road gave the contract for the completion of this bridge within two years using an estimated total budget of Rs. 26.4 million to Jagat Construction Service Kathmandu.

Initially the reason shown for discontinuing construction work was due to the abrupt rising of the water level in the Kaligandaki river, thus making it impossible for further work.

Now even after the level has considerably subsided, the work has not resumed yet. It is learnt that after the completion of one pillar, the excavator was taken into the river for the construction of the other pillar, but unfortunately it was stuck and further construction work could not be continued. However, the pillars on the Parbat section and on the central part of the bridge have already been completed.

If this bridge had been completed in time, it would have greatly assisted the food programme conducted under the World Food Organisation (WFO), as it would have connected the 13-Km road of Maldhunga-Beni with the district headquarters, Beni.

Though the construction of the Maldhunga-Beni road has entered the eighth year, it is still without gravel. It is learnt that work was disrupted when the Maoists had burned the dozer some time back.

The accountant of the contractor company for the bridge construction, Mainali says that since some of the machine parts of the excavator had problems it had to be sent to Kathmandu for repair, and the construction of the bridge could not resume in time.

According to Mainali, in the previous year, the entire allocated fund was not given to the construction company, and this year a little amount was allocated. These were the reasons for the delay in the construction work at the bridge.

In the previous year, the government had allocated Rs 10 million for this bridge, but this year the allocated amount mentioned in the Red book is just Rs. 4 million, it is learnt.

Though the deadline is drawing near the contractor company has not even completed another contract for the Trust-Bridge on the Myagdi river. It has not even started the foundation so far.

Lack of passengers halts flights in Rajbiraj

RSS

RAJBIRAJ, Dec 26:Flights in one of the oldest air-route, of the country, the Rajbiraj - Kathmandu route has come to a halt because of lack of passengers.

Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation had been operating flights twice a week on the Biratnagar -Rajbiraj -Kathmandu and Biratnagar -Lamidanda - Rajbiraj route.

At present, flights have been operated on the Biratnagar-Lamidanda-Rajbiraj route after taking permission from the security bodies once a week, said Rajbiraj RNAC chief Prakash Bahadur Khatri.

The airport was closed on account of water logging for four months.