NC to discuss Constitution amendment

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KATHMANDU, March 14 : The Nepali Congress has called its Central Working Committee meeting on Saturday to discuss the grounds for Constitution amendment.

A committee formed some 15 days back to suggest the grounds for Constitution amendment has suggested a framework for possible issues to be addressed in the amendment.

"Prime Minister Deuba has also been handed over the tentative draft but the complete framework of the amendment will be suggested only after Central Working Committee meeting, which is scheduled for Saturday morning," said Spokesperson of the party and member of the Committee Arjun Narsingh KC.

The committee has drawn up the framework for Constitution amendment on the line that party president Girija Prasad Koirala highlighted on February 23.

In its preliminary report, which will get final shape after discussion in party’s CWC meeting, the committee is suggesting the issue of citizenship, elected government, cabinet size, Prime Minister’s prerogatives and PM’s role in the Constitutional Council.

The committee has suggested the ways to end the citizenship problem by declaring a base year or awarding citizenship to those living permanently as early as the Constitution of Nepal was promulgated in 2019 BS.

Strict constitutional provisions to keep the cabinet size within 10 percent of the total parliament members and clear provisions assuring prerogatives of Prime Minister as to dissolve the House of representatives whenever he wants also have been included in its tentative draft.

Pivotal role of the Prime Minister in Constitutional Council is another crucial point highlighted in the suggestion.

An interim government consisting of all political parties in the Parliament has been suggested in the amendment for the election purpose. But it must be headed by the incumbent Prime Minister.

‘Dance and dishes’ at Patan Durbar

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LALITPUR, March 14 : Three hundred years old courtyards of the Patan Durbar Square in the background and live typical Newari drums on the stage seem to be an attempt to bring together the dances and dishes of the indigenous Newar community at a programme organised here today.

Young and matured artistes presented over a dozen of folk and classical dances prior to traditional Newari feast served to the guests siting cross-legged on the ground. The spicy and delicious items were served one after another, until the guests had to say — "No more please".

Traditional Newari dances of Pancha Buddha, Dhime dance, Kumari dance, Bhairav-Kali dance were performed at the cultural show that represented the Newari community. In addition, Tappa dance from Dang, Ghatu dance from Gandaki, Jhyaure dace from mid-hills, Bhojpuri dance from the Terai zone were also performed on the occasion.

Though the show was organised to attract tourists, only very few tourists made their appearance in the auditorium. Some were ,however, seen enjoying the scene from the balcony of the historic palace, the Patan Durbar Square.

The audience present at the function were mostly left leaders, including some lawmakers, who enjoyed the cultural programme.

The cultural show was organized by the Democractic National Youth Federation, the youth wing of the main opposition party CPN(UML).

Infant mortality rate declines, claim experts

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KATHMANDU, March 14 : The infant mortality rate in Nepal has declined from 147 deaths per 1000 in 1985 to 74 deaths per 1000 in 2001, said experts today. They said, "there is still much room for improvement, but one cannot dismiss this achievement."

More than hundred and fifty experts gathered today at the Birendra International Convention Center for the "1st Conference of Paediatric Association of SAARC Countries" and "11th Nepalese Congress of Paediatrics". The two-day conference was inaugurated today by Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah.

N B Thapa President of Nepal Paediatrics Society (NEPAS) said, "NEPAS which has played a crucial role in reducing childhood morbidity and mortality, is now looking forward to future involvement in polio eradication and adolescent health care".

Understanding the role of Kanti Children Hospital in developing the paediatric services, the government is upgrading the hospital to a 300-bed capacity with special services, Health Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari informed. "We are also thinking to develop the paediatric faculty in the form of Institute of Child Health" he added.

Meanwhile, according to the representative of UNICEF, Stewart McNab, the last decade has seen extraordinary progress for children in Nepal. On the occasion, he declared that a new global movement for a better future of the children would be launched in just two months. World leaders from 80 countries will launch this new movement, he said.

Also speaking on the occasion, Dr Klaus Wagner, Representative of WHO said, "Diseases do not recognize borders, thus we need to deal with them cross- borders, no matter what language we speak. Our common language is the language of humanity."

KMC may again play allowance drama

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KATHMANDU, March 14 : The Kathmandu Metropolitan City is making the second attempt to blow up the tax payers’ money among the elected representatives but it is not likely to succeed.

Ward members say this is, as usual, a drama to have the budget, prepared one-sided and to escape serious discussions with KMC council members.

Subhan Kumar Shrestha, ward No. 28 chairman, yesterday wrote a note of decent against the decision of the KMC board meeting of February 21 to provide Rs 3,700 as allowance to each of the ward committee members "under the heading of communications, transportation, and hospitality expenses" from the month of Paush (mid December).

There are around 120 ward committee members in KMC.

The KMC decided earlier to provide allowances to the mayor, deputy mayor and ward committee members two and a half years ago, which was foiled after a ward member filed a case against it, calling it the "misuse of national property" and the Supreme Court made a verdict against the KMC’s decision.

Shrestha was the one who filed the case against allowance in 1999.

"It is totally illegal because there is no provision like that in the Local Self-Governance Act. Further the Supreme Court has prohibited KMC from distributing illegal allowances to ward members ten months ago," Shrestha said.

Shrestha said the programmes of the KMC are not "individual programmes" of the ward committee members, adding that the representatives are not elected for social services and it is their duty to work without expecting any "profit".

However, secretary of KMC Surya Silwal said that providing allowance to the ward committee member is only an incentive to have things done in time, and without any illegal demands.

"All the representatives of the country have the rights to claim allowances. This should apply to ward committee members also," he said.

Silwal said the decision of allowances did not disregard the Supreme Court’s decision.

Joint-secretary at Ministry of Local Development Surya Sharan Regmi said that it would be too early to comment on KMC’s recent decision on allowance.

But he added," However, it is not good for any municipal organization to raise issues on the same topic again and again. It was for ever once the court has made decision."

NBA seeks release of its members

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KATHMANDU, March 14 : The Nepal Bar Association (NBA) condemned the arrest of two of their members by the Royal Nepal Army personnel recently, states a press release issued here from the Nepal Bar Association.

Saligram Sapkota, an advocate, Nepal Bar Association, Nepalganj unit president was arrested on Tuesday from his resident, Nepalganj and Ramnath Mainali, an advocate and member of the Nepal Bar Association was apprehended on Thursday from his resident, Kalopool, Kathmandu.

The Nepal Bar Association and legal experts urged the government for their immediate release.

Teachers worst-hit from Maoist ‘terrorism’

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KATHMANDU, March 14 : More teachers have become the victims of Maoists’ terrorism than the party workers put together, a top government official said here Thursday.

Minisiter of State for Education and Sports NP Saud said more and more teachers have become the victims of violence perpetrated by the Maoist terrorists than the number of party workers of all political parties put together. He was speaking at the inauguration of Eigth National Meeting of the Nepal Teachers’ Association (NTA) in the Capital today.

" The government is not doing what it can to help teachers at this critical situation," said Minister Saud. "Tecahers and terrorism are two contradictory philosophies, which never meet each other. They are just like the sea and the sky and have no chance of union," Minsiter Saud said.

The teachers during the gathering said many of them have fled their homes to live in the district headquarters.

"We are the worst-affected of all. We are spending many sleepless nights in remote villages ," teachers said.

Many teachers said they have been threatened both from the government and the Maoists. "We have no escape from this complicated situation. Tecahers cannot speak out the truth fearing atrocities from the Maoists," said a teacher of Jumla, revealing a desparate situation being faced by teachers in district schools.

These teachers are in the biggest fix - whether to donate the Maoists and make them happy or run for their lives to district headquarters.

Role of women stressed

RSS

LALITPUR, March 14 : Deputy Speaker Chitralekha Yadav has said that the contribution of women in natural resources preservation and management has been ignored.

Inaugurating a week-long ‘Resource Person Development Training’ organised by the Himalayan Rural Natural Resources Management Women’s Group (HIMWANTI) on Wednesday, Deputy Speaker Yadav emphasised the need for the organisation to work at the local level for the upliftment of women.

Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment Janaklal Joshi expressed the view that development of women will not only help to preserve ecology but also will develop the nation.

Regional convenor of the Organisation Maya Khanal presided over the programme..

Representatives from Nepal, India, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Bhutan are taking part in the training aimed at upgrading the managerial and institutional capacity of the resource persons.

Journalism award to Dhakal

KATHMANDU, March 14 (PR) - Sribhadra Sharma, politician-cum-senior journalist, gave away theTransparency International (TI) Jounalism Prize to Baburam Dhakal amid a function here today. Similarly, the Journalism Fellowships were given away to Bishnu Subedi, Dipak Rimal, Kishor Sapkota, Raghwesh Gyawali and Muna Koirala at the function. The prize comprises a purse of Rs 15,000. On the occasion, a cash of Rs 5,00 were given away to each recipient of the fellowship.

Plea to approve court statute

Kathmandu, March 14 (PR) - The Amnesty International Nepal (AI, Nepal) has called upon the government to approve the statute of the International Criminal Court. "The endorsement of the statute by only five countries is left for the establishment of the International Criminal Court and Nepal’s approval to the statute can help establish the Court," said the press statement issued here today. The statute of the Court has stated that it will come into action after approval by at least 60 countries in the world and the AI-Nepal has been lobbying for the same for some years.

Cop’s last rites performed

KATHMANDU, March 14 (PR) - Last rites of police constable Kamal Pokhrel was performed at Pashupati Aryaghata today. Pokhrel was killed in a Maoist-laid landmine blast at Sangachowk VDC-9, Sindhupalchowk district, on Wednesday. Pradip SJB Rana, Inspector General Of Police (IGP) paid the last homage to Pokhrel’s body in the presence of other top-ranking police officials. The policemen died instantly in the explosion have been identified as head constable Til Bahadur Magar (Dolakha),constables Kishor Thakur Lohar (Rautahat), Manoj Shrestha (Dolkha) and Chitra Bahadur Poudel (Mahottari). Another policeman Harka Bahadur Budha (Achham) breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Dhulekhel Hospital.

Three arrested with 57 kgs of hashish 

By Prabhakar Ghimire

BHARATPUR, Chitwan, March 14 : Police on Thursday arrested three people travelling in a hired taxi on their way to Pathlaiya from Kathmandu with 57 kilograms of hashish equivalent to Rs 2,30,000.

A police official at the Narcotic Drug Control and Law Enforcement Unit in Kathmandu said that a kilogram of hashish could fetch as much as Rs 4,000 in local markets.

A total of 230 packets of the hashish were confiscated from the dickey and doors of the Maruti
van (with the register number of Ba 1 Ja 4444).

Those who were arrested on charges of possessing the hashish have been identified as the taxi driver, Krishna Bahadur Lama from Thakre VDC-7 of Dhading district, Durga Bahadur Lama and Surya Bahadur Thangtan, both from Tistung VDC-9 of Makawanpur district.

A police patrol team had arrested the people at Malpot Chowk of the Bharatpur Municipality based on a tip-off. Police said that the accused would be submitted before the Special Court in Kathmandu on Friday for necessary legal action.

This is the second time in the district that the police have arrested people along with such a huge amount of hashish. About one month ago, two persons were taken into custody along with nine kilograms of hashish.

Fire victims await govt help

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PASHUPATINAGAR, Ilam, March 14 : More than 95 families are waiting for relief from the government, living under the shelter of relatives after their houses were destroyed in a fire incident 2 weeks ago.

More than 4,000 people are still keeping their hopes of relief alive in a market mostly covered by mist and a thin layer of snow. More than 28 houses were destroyed in the fire and 10 houses were destroyed by locals and security forces to halt the spread of fire.

The District Development Committee, (DDC) through a relief committee, distributed 301 thousand rupees as relief measures. Nepal Red Cross Society distributed a few utensils along with tents to every family. The traders of Darjeeling doing business with traders of the city also helped with food, according to Chandra Subba, chairperson of Pashupatinagar VDC.

"Most of the people with houses destroyed are businessmen and have no land here," said Subba. "So it is difficult for them to resettle with external support."

"The families have tents but it is not possible to spend these cold nights in it," said Subba". Most of the people are now either staying with their relatives or in rented rooms."

The relief committee had collected 201 thousand rupees till Thursday, said Padam Bahadur Rai, chairperson of the committee. "The relief is being distributed to affected families, said Rai. "We have also demanded a discount in electricity, water and telephone bills along with a free electric meter for new houses."

A Member of Parliament elected from the region, Benup Raj Prasai, has assured the distressed people of supplying subsidised log-wood to build new houses, according to Rai.

A Relief Committee formed in Kathmandu has also collected 77 thousand rupees, according to Milan Moktan, secretary of the committee. "The migrants from Ilam are supporting us," said Moktan.

The people have started cleaning up the ruins of their houses. "We are preparing to build new houses and looking for some kind of relief from the government," said Bhakta Narayan Shrestha.

Spot death on bus-truck collision

MAHOTARI, March 14 (PR) - Three people including two drivers died on the spot while 17 others were seriously injured when a passenger bus collided with a truck coming from the opposite direction in Gaushala road of Mahendra Highway, here today. The bus of registration number Na 2 Kha 4080 hit a coal-loaded truck of registration number Na 2 Kha 2279. One of the victims of the accident is identified as Surendra Yadav of Aurahi-1 while the two drivers are still unidentified, according to the District Traffic Office in Bardibas. The injured were taken to Janakpur Zone Hospital with the help of police.

Golden jubilee celebration

BHADRAPUR, March 14 (RSS) -The three-day golden jubilee celebration of Bhadrapur Municipality concluded here Wednesday. At the concluding function, MP Krishna Prasad Sitoula and Mayor Bharatendu Mallik presented cash prizes and certificates to the winners of the various competition organised on the occasion and to the employees of the municipality.

Marriage no longer a two-night affair

By Shyam Bhatta

BAITADI, March 14 : Traditionally, a marriage used to be a two-night affair in the Far West region of the country, but since the emergency, one-day marriage has become dominant and popular.

The bride and groom’s families find one-day marriages cheaper and easier, according to locals. "It was a unique experience," says Pravin Mahar of Bagbazar in Dadeldhura district who married recently. "Its quick and cheap."

The deputy chief of Nepal Food Corporation in Kanchanpur district, Ram Dutta Joshi, was happy to conclude his son’s marriage in a day. "Its a lot easier," says Joshi.

"The one-day marriage is a result of security concerns and is getting popular," says Balendra Rupakheti, a district judge. "But it is also changing our culture and our identities."

The priests find it tough performing all the religious rituals in a day. "Its easy and cheap, but it’s not possible to perform all the religious parts of the marriage in a single day," says Rekhari Prasad
Joshi.

The Damai communities, who earn a living playing musical instruments at special ceremonies like marriages, are very unhappy with one-day marriages. "We used to earn 20 to 30 thousand in a season but we didn’t get any calls this year although the season is about to finish," says Bhakta Damai of Dadeldhura.

With the increasing number of one-day marriages, people are avoiding music, lights and decoration, say tent and light entrepreneurs. "Who would like the decoration and colourful lights during the day?" ask the entrepreneurs.

But a new beginning of one-day marriages has economically helped the middle and lower class people to conclude marriage affairs and save money and the hectic docorum it takes to prepare for these marriages. This tradition is far more better for most inhabitants of the far-west region, say locals.

Eight severely injured in bus collision

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BIRGUNJ, March 14 : Eight passengers were seriously injured when two buses collided here in Amlekhgunj, on Wednesday.

The buses of registration numbers Na 1 Kha 9580 and Na 1 Kha 1193 collided 40 km north from Birgunj, according to police sources. The injured were admitted to Narayani Sub Regional Hospital for necessary treatment.

According to police, those injured were Rajendra Koirala, 25, of Chitwan, Shyam Khetan, 26, of Chitwan, Uma Devi Khetan, 50, Sanu Khetan, 12, Budi Rai, 50, of Makawanpur, Tarik Ansari, 20, of Bara and Basant Sharma, 40, of India.

Insufficient funding hinders land mapping

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GULARIYA, March 14 : The scientific mapping of land has stopped in 74 districts of the country due to budget problems after the government decided to slash development budgets for increasing security expenses.

Scientific mapping has halted in all districts except Kathmandu, said Jeebad Prasad Shah, the chief of Mapping Center No. 8 of Bardiya district. "Even if we got the budget, it would have been most difficult to work in remote areas," said Shah.

Maoist rebels snatched documents and equipment of a mapping team employed to work in Khairi Chandanpur and Bagnaha Village Development Committee (VDC), according to Shah. "After the incident, employees are afraid to go to rural areas," said Shah.

The annual budget allotted for the center is 10 million rupees. There are 135 employees in the center, according to Shah.

The centre, working since last 6 years, has mapped about half of the district area but the Maoist affected villages remain unmapped.

"We are also due to distribute land owner certificates in many villages where mapping has been completed, said Shah.

Cannot go to school, have to look after mother

By Prakash Adhikari

TANAHUN, March 14 : Kalpana Bhujel, a 13-year old girl of Aadhimul in Anbhukhaireni Village Development Committee (VDC) – 1, has a dream of being an educated woman, however, her only route to the school, which is hardly a few minutes away, is blocked with many family problems.

"On the one hand, there is study and on the other, my ill mother," says Kalpana. "I chose to work at home and to earn for the treatment of my mother."

Most children of poor Bhujel families in the village have one or the other reason to prevent their going to school. The children of about 60 families are aware about the importance of education, but almost all of them are busy with the traditional professions of making things of bamboo.

" Only a select few of this village have studied in the secondary level but no one of the village has passed the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examination," says Ram Singh Bhujel. Some of the children go to school but a tradition seems to exist in leaving school after primary education, according to Bhujel.

Only 23 children of the village have been admitted to schools and most of them are irregular, shows records at the school.

Male members of the Bhujel families go out early in the morning looking for bamboo sticks, whereas other family members keep themselves busy using their skills at weaving Doko, Nanglo and other bamboo made items.

Each family of the village has around half a dozen children due to an unawareness about family planning. Sanisara Bhujel has already 18 children. "The men have misconceptions that family planning brings weakness," says a teacher of the school.

Biggest zonal hospital in financial mess

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BIRATNAGAR, March 14 : A financial crunch has put the biggest hospital in the eastern region of the nation, Koshi Zone Hospital, into an almost non-operational situation.

Requiring a budget of rupees two million to repair two sophisticated X-ray machines out of order since the last three months and lacking the funancial resources to do the job has got us into an operational mess, says Dr Rameshwor Lal Karwa, the Medical Superintendent. "We have not even cleared dues of its last repair work," says Karwa.

The advanced models of 100 and 500 MA X-ray machines were repaired by Wipro International based in Kathmandu, for which it has still not received a payment of 2 million rupees.

"The X-rays are being done by another machine," says Karwa. "But no one knows when it will cease working."

Similarly, the hospital is due to pay more than 10 million rupees in overhead costs for electricity, telephones, water and medicines, according to Balram Pokhrel, the deputy accountant.

The annual budget allotted for the hospital which is visited by 450 patients a day is 16 million rupees. "But 15.5 million of this amount has to be paid as salary to 214 employees of the hospital," says Karwa.

The recent slash down of a million rupees by the government has caused more worries to the hospital, according to Karwa. The government is slashing the budget due to increasing security expenses.

Conditions of the emergency and children section of the hospital reflects the lack of resources in the hospital. Each bed in the children section has 4 patients on an average to accommodate because of a pneumonia epidemic, according to a doctor.

"We don’t have enough space for the patients," says Dr R P Ghaccha. "Its better to treat them anyway than to return them home." The 14-bed capacity childrens’ section was constructed by Plan International, spending more than 15 million rupees.

The childrens’ section is not the only overcrowded section. Each section of the hospital has to accommodate more patients than its actual capacity, says Karwa.
The patients can be seen accommodating themselves on the floor, passage-ways and window ledges of the biggest hospital in the zone People from as far as Taplegunj district to Dhanusha, and from Sagarmatha zone to India come to the hospital for treatment.

"I have asked more than a hundred times for an increase in budget and doctors, but have got no answers till now," said Karwa. The hospital has an allottment of 51 doctors but only 30 are working here. "The services of the hospital is below par due to a lesser number of doctors and defunct equipment," says Karwa.

Security beefed up in Dailekh

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DAILEKH, March 14 : Security has been beefed up in the district headquarters after Maoist rebels killed a Nepali Congress cadre 11 days ago. NC cadre Bir Bahadur Singh was shot dead at his home in Narayan Municipality.

Security forces on Thursday carried out a house search in the local market to flush out the Maoist rebels and arms.

Locals said the soldiers of the Royal Nepal Army search operation in each household. Local administration is more concerned with the security of the district headquarters after the rebels attacked in the neighbouring district of Achham on February 17.

"We have put the security forces on high alert," said Assistant Chief District Officer Bishworaj Nepal.

Although the local administration has not officially clamped down night-hour curfew, people have been advised not to sleep on top-floor of their houses and not to venture out of their houses at night-hours.

Most of the active workers of the NC have fled the district for fear of their lives after the rebels killed seven NC cadres so far. "Some of the people who had been receiving financial support from the Ganeshman Singh Peace Campaign have also left the district for security reasons," said Assistant CDO Nepal.