Human Rights situation in South Asia highlighted

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KATHMANDU, Dec 28 : The Human Rights situation across the South Asian region is beyond expectation, said human rights activists today.

"The political demonisation in the entire region has undermined human rights situation," K M Subhan, former justice of Bangladesh said.

Subhan was speaking at a programme organised by Prakash Kaphley International Solidarity (PKIS) Award in the capital today.

He highighted the horrible human rights situation in the region. He said that human rights violations in different countries in the region are reflected in different forms.

However, he claimed that other countries in the region should take a lesson from Sri Lanka where the government and the Liberation of Tamil Tigers’ Elam (LTTE) have recently brokered a ceasefire.

Subhan also held the civil society responsible for the present human rights violations across the region. "The civil society seems to have been reserved in this regard. They must raise their voice high against such rights violations," Subhan said.

Speaking at the programme Teesta Setelvad, a veteran human rights activist and a journalist in India, who also received the third PKIS Award, said that the human rights situation was deteriorating everyday. She charged the Indian politicians of deliberately flaring the communal violence in India for their own political gains. "India is not the India at all, all the politicians there have gone down to the medieval age and emphasize political high-handedness in every walks of life," Setelvad said.

Setelvad literally cried out while talking about the pathetic human rights violations in Gujrat and Kashmir states of India.

Similarly, Tara Nath Ranabhat, Speaker, who also chaired the programme said that the current problematic situation would not remain longer. "The rights violations will one day come to an end," Ranabhat said.

Malla K Sundar, a human rights activist came down heavily against the government in the programme. "Even the people in Nepal have begun feeling alienated in their own country," Malla K Sundar said.

He said that human rights groups shun both the government and the Maoists for abusing rights of the people. "One must be able to live a peaceful and respective life," Malla said.

He also urged both the government and the Maoists immediately stop the spree of killings and come to a dialogue for a peaceful resolution of the problem.

Speaking at the programme, Kapil Shrestha, a member of National Human Rights Commission said that the two wrongs in no way would make a right. "It’s high time for all the human rights activists to raise the issues of human rights violations from both the government and the Maoists," Shrestha said.

Exhibition of forest products kicks off

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KATHMANDU, Dec 28 : To mark the end of the International Year of Mountains 2002, the ‘Forest-based Products Development Exhibition’ kicked off here on Friday.

The three-day exhibition will bring together 82 stalls of commercial and development organisations specialising in forestry under one roof. The programme is being organised by the Nepal Foresters Association (NFA).

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Minister for Water Resources, Deepak Gyawali, stressed the importance of forestry products and water resources in Nepal.

"We need to show a serious concern in the development of these areas," said Gyawali. "The exhibition organised today is a positive step in understanding the present initiative."

"This exhibition is being organised to provide a platform for the dissemination of information to the public in forest and forestry products," said Dr. Keshar Man Bajracharya, president, NFA.. "The aim of this exhibition is to bring out products made by various organisations both commercial and non-governmental which would help in rural development and poverty alleviation of the country"

Stalls of interest in the exhibition include that of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC). Researches carried in different fields like wheat production is displayed at the stall. Such findings made by NARC are expected to help in selecting crops that would produce better yields, which would help farmers.

Similarly, the Centre for Agricultural Technology (CAT) has developed a technology to grow mushrooms in certain areas of the Terai region. According to Dr. Kesharlaxmi Manandhar, these mushrooms can be grown on hay or bark. "These technologies can be easily adopted by in the rural areas of Nepal."

The exhibition is being sponsored by organisations like ICIMOD, SNV, Natural Resource Management Sector Assistance Programme (NARMSAP).

Call to follow path of non-violence

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KATHMANDU, Dec 28 : A central member of Nepali Congress, Ramchandra Paudyal has called on the Nepalese people to follow the path of non-violence and reconciliation as adopted by the late veteran Nepali Congress leader, B. P. Koirala, to rescue the country from the present crisis.

Paying his glowing tribute to the late leader, Paudyal said that as violence and terrorism are increasing in the country, it is very important for us to follow the path of non-violence and reconciliation as adopted by the late leader to restore peace and democracy .

He was speaking at a blood donation programme organised by the Nepali Congress Kathmandu District Committee to mark the 26th National Reconciliation Day.

The day marks the return of the late Koirala to the country in 2033 B.S. along with his policy of non-violence and reconciliation after abandoning his armed struggle for restoration of democracy in Nepal. On the occasion, the blood donation programme was also held.

Day-care Centre for children of sweepers

By Thira L Bhushal

KATHMANDU, Dec 28 : Sweeper: the word evokes the image of a woman with a baby on her back, holding a long broom in her hands as she goes about cleaning the surroundings. Women sweepers are usually seen cleaning roads, streets and public places around our cities. However, the price that the innocent babies on their backs, pay in terms of health hazards, is immeasurable.

The Kathmandu Valley Mapping Programme (KVMP), to ease the burden they carry and to protect their babies, has recently built a building for a day-care centre for the children of the sweepers, to be run by Kathmandu Municipality. The centre is yet to be handed-over to the KMC, even though the centres was supposed to have been operative since last October.

"The centre will be open within a month. All infrastructure is ready and furnishing will be completed soon," informed Devendra Dangol, National Co-Director of the KVMP. "We have been in contact with organisations having expertise in the child care and development, so as to develop the centre that can be projected as a model".

An earlier attempt to a day-care centre for babies of sweepers, was initiated in 1993 but was not successful as the sweepers were not interested in leaving their children at the centre.

"We have made day-care centres compulsory for female sweepers with children. We intend to develop this centre as an example that could attract more sweepers into such programmes," added Dongol. "Officials of the municipality will be trained by experts to operate the centre, with the experts providing support and weekly supervision".

KVMP officials claim that day-care centre, will be developed with the concept of providing the children early development. The day-care centre is to be equipped with toys and other equipment, essential for creating an environment for better mental growth of the children.

Despite the claims of the KVMP officials a point of scepticism arises when one considers that the building meant for the centre, is close to a garbage collection site.

Rajesh Manandhar, engineer of the Municipality, clarified, "The condition is relatively better than earlier. That area is a transit station and not a dumping site. Garbage, is not meant to be collected there. When our long-standing problem of a permanent dumping-site will be solved, this area, too, will be improved." Manandhar also informed that the area around the day-care centre would be developed into an environmental park.

Manandhar said that the selection of the location for the centre was convenient, considering that the priority in this programme was the benefit of the municipality sweepers. "The place close to the municipality is suitable also because they need more supervision", he said, adding that after making that successful they would increase more day-care centres in the city. "Finally, we want to run such programmes in association with private sector and with community participation." Participation of the private sector, in solid waste management and cleaning works, has been effective in Kathmandu. Works by the private sector, mainly in ward number 1 and 24 of KMC, could be taken as successful examples.

Experts in the sector argue that more day-care centres are needed but that they should be run in the sweepers’ community for their convenience, to attract actual users. "Since sweepers have to attend duty at dawn they cannot drop their children far away from their community," Basu Upreti, of Kathmandu Metropolis Solid Waste Management Service, said. "Chhetrapati, Dhalko, Sabal Bahal, Tilganga and Kirtipur are the areas with populous sweeper communities", Upreti argued, "therefore, running of such centres in those areas would be more practical.

Babies of the sweepers are generally found to be afflicted with respiratory and hearing problems due to dust, smoke, and air pollution. Babu Ram Gautam, Department Chief, Public Health Department of KMC, informed that, problems like typhoid, tuberculosis, chest infection, parasitic infection and gastritis are rampant in the community. High infant-mortality, lack of health awareness, low literacy rate and minimum interaction with other groups of the society are the problems to be addressed in the community.

Much of the problems faced by the sweepers could be better tackled with the operation of day-care centres, regular health check-ups, awareness programmes and protection for the workers with masks and gloves.

Crown Prince’s 32nd birthday programme

RSS

KATHMANDU, Dec 28 : The Nepal Patriotic Organisation and the Nepal Patriotic Democratic Party are going to celebrate the 32nd auspicious birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev with gaiety and fervour by organising various programmes.

At a press conference organised by the organisation today best wishes were expressed for HRH the Crown Prince’s good health and long life.

It was informed on the occasion that the organisation would be offering worships and lighting oil-fed lamps at various shrines and temples on Dec 29 and 30 to mark the auspicious birthday.

A 201-member main celebration committee has also been constituted under the convenorship of the organisation’s president Prakash Gurung to mark HRH the Crown Prince’s birthday in a grand manner.

Addressing the press conference, president Gurung said there is a need for His Majesty the King’s able leadership at present to safeguard national integrity, religion and culture as well as to ensuring peace, stability and development in the country.

Co-president of the organisation Surendra Gurung expressed the view that His Majesty the King took the October 4 royal step for the welfare of the people based on the bitter experiences in the past 12 years.

Focus on media’s role to end discrimination

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KATHMANDU, Dec. 28 : The Second General Convention of Association of Nationalities/Indigenous Journalists in Nepal formed a 15-member committee under the chairmanship of Chandra Singh Rai, here today.

Rajkumar Dikpal, Basant Maharjan, Arun Darlami Magar, Udaya GM, Navin Bibhash were selected vice-presidents from eastern, central, western, mid-western and far-western regions respectively. Likewise, Khim Ghale, Bala Chandra Rai and Mohan Singh Lama were selected as general secretary, secretary and treasurer respectively. Six other elected members were, Ujir Magar, Aangchhiring Sherpa, Danda Gurung, Bhairav Yangla, Lalkumri Roka and Ujir Ranamagar.

Speaking at the programme Parshu Ram Tamang, vice president of Indigenous Nationalities’ Permanent Forum in the UN, said to popularise such forums in public, the role of media was crucial.

"Only journalists from the indigenous nationalities can help our movement establish at national and international level," Tamang remarked.

He argued that structural discrimination was prevalent in our society that needed to be addressed. Tamang appealed for pro-active role of the communities. He added, "Our movement should be addressed politically instead of confining it as a cultural issue."

Representative of the Federation of Indigenous Nationalities Nepal, Yam Bahadur Jhedi Magar, claimed, "Since the so-called main-stream media do not represent our voice, such forums should lead a mission of journalism for the upliftment of the indigenous nationalities."

Similarly, BK Ranamagar, advisor of the association, urged the journalists to explore the reasons behind the backwardness of the indigenous communities in the country. "We need constituent assembly so that we could raise linguistic and cultural issues through our representatives," Ranamagar advocated on the occasion.

Social worker felicitated

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KATHMANDU, Dec. 28 : A social worker, Leela Ram Neupane was felicitated by the National Social and Religious Academy for his significant contribution made to the society.

Felicitating Neupane at the programme, the Acting Bada Gurujyu opined that Neupane really deserves to be honoured for his contributions in the society. "Neupane always worked hard regardless of the result", he added.

Dilip Bhattarai, a senior journalist and the chairman of Nepal-America Friendship Association appreciated Neupane and said that he is a man of simple living and high thinking.

Speaking on the occasion, Neupane said his first priority is to help the people in need and those who are living in poverty.

He expressed his commitment in continuing his help for the society. He also observed, "no work is big or small by itself and we should always consider truth, sympathy, alms, and non-violence before thinking of anything else."

Neupane, who is 74 at present, has been honoured at various times in the past. To his credit, Neupane has received various prestigious awards like Gorkha Dakshin Bahu, Birendra Aishwarya Sewa Padak, Rastriya Shikshya Puraskar among others.

Clean-up campaign

KATHMANDU, Dec 28 (PR) - Matatirtha and Mahadev Village Development Committees (VDCs) and Explore Group Nepal collected plastic bags and bottles in and around Matatirtha Temple at Matatirtha today. According to Bharat Basnet of the Explore Group Nepal, around 50 sacks of non-bio-degradable plastic-materials were cleared away from the premises of the temple and nearby stream. The VDCs and the Explore Group today came at a conclusion to carry out sanitation programmes around the temple every Saturday. Besides, they also agreed to take steps to ban plastics at the temple premises and discourage the pilgrims from visiting the temple with plastic materials.

Stress on sign language

KATHMANDU, Dec 28 (PR) - "The sign language that the hearing-impaired use has greatly helped to bring unity among them", said Sailendra Kumar Upadhyaya, former foreign minister. Upadhyaya was speaking at the Seventh Conference of the Forum for Deaf, Kathmandu today. Speaking at the conference he said that the hearing-impaired people have been learning various things through training and education. "Everybody including the state should encourage these people to enhance their capacity," Upadhyaya said. Addressing the programme, Munishwor Pandey, president of the Federation for Disable said that different organisations have been working a lot to improve the situation of the deaf people. However, he accused the government of doing nothing for them. "The government is mute over the poor state of the physically- challenged people," Pandey said. He said that the deaf and the blind people should never get discouraged as there are plenty of organisations that are actively working for them.

Maoists request locals to return home

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PALPA, Dec 28 : The Maoists have requested the families who were displaced and had been living for the past one year in the district headquarters, Gulmi, due to security reasons to return back home.

The locals around this district, belonging to various parties, education institutes, and others had deserted their homes due to the threats received from the Maoists.

The Maoists had occupied the farmlands of those displaced locals and they have been using their homes as their office and meeting centres. With the increase in the number of people who have fled the villages and those who are on the verge of doing to the Maoist have come up with this strategy of calling them back keeping in consideration off their increasing unpopularity.

According to the information from District Administration Office (DAO) at Gulmi, though the number of displaced locals number upto 54 so far, the number of people fleeing to other districts without the knowledge of Administration Office is presumed to be more than 400.

After this announcement of the Maoists’ reinstate strategy of the displaced, some families have gradually started to return back , informed the DAO, Gulmi.

Though the displaced people are very much hopeful of returning back to their native homes, yet are shrouded in fear of some unprecedented consequences that might ensue later.

Bandits loot Rs 1 million in Janakpur

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JANAKPUR, Dec 28 : Armed bandits looted three houses at Narahiya village of Sumadhukarahi VDC-5 on Friday night and escaped with cash and effects worth around one million rupees, after severely beating up villagers who tried to intervene, according to a police source.

Around 15 to 20 bandits broke into the house of Shyam Kishor Yadav, looted Rs 600,000 in cash and other items including gold and home appliances totalling Rs.800,000.

The group also attacked Ram Brikshya’s house and looted cash and goods worth Rs 25,000. The third house to be looted was that of Rajendra Yadav, where the looters were richer by one hundred thousand rupees.

Shyam Kishwor Yadav and Rekha Devi Yadav, the daughter-in-law of Ram Brikshya Yadav were severely injured in their attempts to thwart the bandits. The bandits fired three shots in the air to frighten the villagers, said locals.

"Two of the bandits involved in the incidents have been identified," said Madhav Joshi, the Deputy Superintendent of Police adding, "However, they could not be traced in a recent raid on their houses."

Rautes likely to migrate to India

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DADELDHURA, Dec 28 : The Maoist insurgency terrorising the whole country is now also affecting the Rautes, an indigenous group residing in the Jogbudha and Shirshe VDCs of Dadeldhura. In addition to the Maoist activities the frequent harassment from security personnel are making the Rautes to think of migrating to India.

Members of this backward community complain that the Maoist insurgency has restricted their movement in the jungles as well as fishing in the rivers. Since the adverse situation has been a major threat to the life style they are used to the Rautes, they are planning to move to the Gadhwal area of India, the land of origin, according to sources.

These people claim to have come to Nepal from India and that their ancestors are still living in caves in India.

The Rautes are shy by nature and prefer the solitude of the jungles, though most of them are presently residing in Rajyuda and Ampani villages near the jungles in far-western Nepal. They do not speak Nepali but prefer to use their own dialect.

"The situation here is very bad and people are being killed. We are barred from moving in the jungles and fishing in the rivers. With the security personnel visiting our villages frequently, life is becoming uncertain," said 60-year-old Motilal. "Now we are considering migrating to the land of our origin."

Till recently, the nomadic Raute community was inhabiting the caves of Darchula district. The Dadeldhura district administration had provided free land and settlement rights to 25 families at Ampani and 35 families at Rajyuda in 1993. However, some families could not adjust to the new system and returned to the nomadic state, according to sources.

"The Rautes are planning to leave this area due to security reasons," said Tari Singha Bohora, the recent past Chairman of Shirshe VDC.

"Once the land here is sold, we are looking forward to move to Gadhwal, the land of our ancestors," said a younger generation Raute.

"When the government provided settlement here, some of our brothers did not like to stay in society and left to the ancestral land. Now that our life here is at risk, it is better that we too join our kin in India," said Prem Singha Rajawar, the mukhiya (leader) of the Raute community.

Rebels storm a police post; kill four

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KATHMANDU, Dec 28 : A large group of armed Maoist rebels stormed a temporary police post in Bara district killing two police personnel while one minor died in a bomb blast by the rebels in Salyan district today.

Around 200 Maoist rebels cordoned a temporary police post at Madhuban of Haraiya VDC in Bara district today afternoon. They first shot dead a police constable, Mangal Bahadur Sunuwar, a resident of Shukranagar-2 Chitwan who was on guard the police post. A resident of Ram Purkhap-8, Anawarulrul Hak, a police constable inside the police post died as the rebels blowed it up soon after. However, the other nine police

However, the other nine police personnel posted at the police post escaped as they were out at the time of incident, according to a police source.

Our report from Salyan states that a powerful bomb detonated by the rebels killed one minor injuring seven others.

A clash occurred between the security personnel on patrol and the Maoist rebels at Salli bazaar of Devesthal VDC-7 today morning. Meanwhile, Purna Bahadur Basnet, 14 was wounded as the Maoist rebels detonated a powerful bomb. Basnet breathed his last on his way to hospital. The bomb also injured other seven civilians, according to a security source.

Meanwhile, a report from Bhojpur states that a band of rebels abducted a girl student each from class nine and ten from Gyanodaya Secondary School of Kot VDC.

Those abducted are identified as Chandrakala Chaulagain, a grade nine student and Sita Khatiwada, a grade ten student. The rebels had picked them up from their class rooms and their whereabouts is still unknown, said the school sources.

No black topping of roads even after 20 years

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GAIGHAT, Dec 28 : 20 years after construction, the 26 km long, Mirchia-Katari road, considered the main gateway to the Sagarmatha zone, is yet to be black-topped. The area has been facing great inconveniences due to this negligence, says the outgoing chairman of Katari VDC, Ram Kumar Rai.

It is learnt that daily, more than 150 trucks and buses ply over the Mirchia-Katari road which needs to be widened as well.

Since there are no bridges over this road, disruption of transportation often takes place during the monsoon season, says transportation entrepreneur, Kaji Shrestha. He adds that at the Churey section of this road, sometimes passengers are forced to push their vehicles during the rainy season.

In spite of many appeals to the Minister, the Ministry of Road and the Road Department, nothing has been achieved so far, lament the locals of Katari. This road which serves about 1,50,000 people from 26 VDCs is expected to benefit more than 5,00,000 people of Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu once completed.

"The dilapidated condition of the road is such that a journey that could be done in an-hour-and-a-half takes almost three hours, lament passengers. During the rainy season, landslides at many sections of this road have disrupted traffic, forcing bus operators to provide temporary services only," said Om Bhakta Mainali, the secretary of the Himali Bus Entrepreneur Association,

"If proper measures are not taken in time then vehicles will not be able to ply on this road next monsoon," says Mainali. Because of the pathetic condition of this road the transportation entrepreneurs are going through loss of time and money, while on the other hand passengers have been paying more than the actual as bus fares, contends former chairman of Tribeni VDC, Nawaraj Pokharel.

Since this road is devoid of direct links from Katari to the district headquarters, Gaighat, the people in the western part of 26 VDCs have been covering an extra 100 km passing through Siraha and Saptari. Since two years the 46 Km of the under-construction road joining Okhaldhunga to Katari bazar has been in use the load on this road has excessively risen.

One of the transportation entrepreneurs says that though the Lahan Division Road Office had been conducting general maintenance and repair work every year, there was no work done.

TB patients still a majority in Kalikot

By Tularam Pandey

MANMA, Kalikot, Dec 28 : Statements maintained by the health workers in remote mid-western district in Kalikot and the records at its health institutions reveal that the district has alarmingly high number of TB patients, majority of them yet to be detected.

Despite, poor knowledge on its populace that TB can be cured, 134 patients have come to the contact of the district hospital since DOTS (Direct Observation and Treatment System) was launched in the district in the year 1997.

Out of the 134 patients, nine died of the disease, three were referred to the other hospitals and the rest got cured, informed Katak Mahat, an Auxiliary Health Worker (AHW) at the hospital. However, the hospital record refers only to the people in Manma (including the Maoist victims taking refugee here), the district headquarters and neighbouring VDCs. Thus, there must be hundreds of T.B. patients in the district yet to be detected, according to Mahat.

"Most of the T.B. patients visiting the hospital are found in critical condition," said Dr. Ram Raj Panthi, the Chief at the District Public Health Office (DPHO). "Even four members from a family were found possessed by the disease."

The large illiterate population in the district who are unaware on the preventive measures of the disease are easy preys. The fact that all the family members in this district share a single bed also increases the number of people affected by tuberculosis .

"The disease seems to have a tight grip in the district which is backward in every aspect like communication, education, transportation and other facilities," said a health worker.

Maoist insurgency has only added to the woes of T.B. patients in the district as the insurgency has direct impact on the DOTS treatment measure.

"I was being treated under DOTS. However, there was dearth of medicines in August/September," said a T.B. patient Setu Shahi, 16, of Sukatiya-6.

"Since the Maoist rebels destroyed the suspension bridges linking many VDCs with the headquarters, the patients undergoing DOTS treatment are unable to complete the treatment course," said Dr. Panthi.

Locals allege that non-availability of drugs and irresponsibility on part of the health workers has deprived the patients even on the accessible area of treatment facilities from the hospital.

"The T.B. patients in and around the district headquarters too are deprived of treatment, due to laxity on part of health workers and due to the shortage of drugs," said Dip Bahadur Shahi, the out going DDC Chairman.

The health workers call us for a sputum test but they themselves do not come up for carrying out the test on the given date, alleged a local. According to the locals the service provided by the health workers are not reliable.

"I completed the DOTS course as recommended by the health workers. On the completion of the course, a health worker at the hospital announced that I was cured. However, after a month the disease resurfaced," said Dal Bahadur Shahi, 68, of Mugraha-1.

Besides the district hospital, a health centre at Chilkhaya also has the provisions for DOTS treatment. However, the locals say that even the health centre is not imparting efficient service due to the similar problems dogging the hospital.

Timber smugglers busted

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RAUTAHAT, Dec 28 : The forest patrol rou and took under their control two professional timber smugglers along with their carts and the bulls, and Sal trees worth lakhs of rupee which were about to be smuggled from the government owned forest on Saturday.

The patrol that had gone under the leadership of ranger from Sahiya forest range post, Pannalal Chaurasia, and Jamdar from the armed force, Binod Shrestha, arrested the duo culprits, Ram Bilash Raya and Rodhi Raya residents of Masedwa VDC-3 with four cart-full of Sal timber about to be smuggled from Sahiya forest region, said the assistant forest officer, Rakesh Kumar Karna to The Sunday Post correspondent.

The forest office informed that a group of 10 racketeers had entered the forest and had fell about 100 cubic feet of Sal and Jamun trees, but when the security reached the scene many of the racketeers were successful in fleeing. The joint team of the police and the forest security personnel have been searching for those at large, it is learnt.

In the patrol round-ups made by the armed forest security since few days, more than 20 timber smugglers have been busted. This timber smuggling spree had risen since the forest officers due to fear of Maoists had stopped making their regular patrols. But the recent patrol with the assistance from the armed forces has greatly reduces these incidences, claimed Karna, the assistant forest officer there.

Training in poetry writing organised

RSS

POKHARA, Dec 28 : A week-long training on knowledge of metres in poems organised with an objective of encouraging the trend of writing poems in metres by removing the distortions in Nepali poems, concluded here yesterday.

Altogether 50 persons took part in the training.

The training was organised by the Namuna Sahitya Samuha under a nationwide "Save the Metre" campaign where litterateur and linguist Mukunda Sharan Upadhyay gave away certificates.

Madhav Biyogi of the metrical campaign said it should be developed as a collective campaign in Nepali literature.

At the function presided over by Samuha president Ganesh Sharma, various speakers including Samuha advisor Kusumakar Neupane, Dr. Bhupati Dhakal, youth poet Ramesh Shrestha, Janapriya campus chief Ganesh Palikhe, Dr. Rabi Lal Adhikari, Surya Khadka "Bikharchi", Rajendra Chapagain Ahat and Madhav Raj Timilsina expressed their views.

Similarly, the 119 th birthday of late Kavi Shiromani Lekhanath Poudel is being organised on December 30 in Arghau Archale with various programmes.

The programme to be organised jointly by the Lekhanath Literary Academy Nepal, and the Kavi Shiromani Literary Council will include literary awareness, cleaning of statue of Lekhanath at Arghau, felicitation of singer Khim Bahadur Gandharba, said academy president Krishna Prasad Banstola.