Thanka painting show in the offing

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KATHMANDU, March 19: Spiny Babbler in association with the Lord Buddha Thangka Cooperative Society is holding a thangka painting and processing display that will address community-based problems and issues prominent in the country. The exhibition will be held in the capital, states a release issued here.

The exhibition aims to showcase important thematic issues related to thangkas and the socio-cultural impact of this art on the Nepalese community as well as the impact on specific community as a result of deteriorating tourism in the country.

"We feel it is important to help the public understand better the benefits as well as the community behind the traditional arts in Nepal," said Rakesh Chandra of Spiny Babbler.

The release also states that over the two weeks, raw material display, live presentation by artists and thangka exhibitions will take place.

‘Proposed amendment may not address national problems’

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KATHMANDU, March 19:Opposition leaders, other than the UML’s, today expressed their dissent over the proposals on the constitutional amendment put forth by the main opposition CPN-UML and the ruling Nepali Congress and said the amendment, if goes as it is proposed, will explicitly fail to address the contemporary national problems.

"If the constitutional amendment fails to address the Maoist problem, it has no significance," said Pashupati SJB Rana, leader of the Rastriya Prajantra Party (RPP). "And, I am sure the proposed amendment, at any cost, will not be able to address this problem."

Speaking at a face-to-face programme organised in the capital, RPP leader Rana hence said there is no significance of the proposed constitutional amendment.

"The major problem faced by the country is the Maoist problem and there is no use of constitutional amendment if it cannot do so", Rana said. "The political parties that have put forth the amendment proposals should go somewhere beyond the limit of the petty party interests," added the former Water Resource Minister.

Addressing the function, leader of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP), Hridayesh Tripathi, though supported for amendments in the present Constitution, he was of the opinion that the proposed amendment will not address any of the national problems. "There are no clauses or points to address the national problems," said Tripathi.

Tripathi also said the ruling Nepali Congress and the main opposition CPN-UML, in the name of constitutional amendment, have come up with anti-democratic ideologies. "They have made it (amendment) hyperbolic and over-advertised," Tripathi said.

Since the demands of the Maoists and the problems to be addressed by the proposed amendment are completely different, there is no sign of giving solution to the seven-year-old Maoist problem, Tripathi said. But, he suggested to include the provision of federal system of government in Nepal in the amendment process.

Echoing the versions of Rana and Tripathi, leftist politician-turned left intellectual, Devi Prasad Ojha, said the proposed amendment, at any cost, will not be able to solve the Maoist problem. "I am sure the proposed amendment cannot bring the Maoists in the political mainstream," Ojha said.

However, speaking on the occasion, ruling party leader Narahari Acharya said the proposed amendment process was not extra-constitutional and said the amendment was also a part of the Constitution. "The Lower House of the Parliament can amend the Constitution without diverting from the spirit of the Preamble," Acharya said.

He also said the Constitution needs immediate review, assessment and amendment, as it was framed in haste.

Acharya also ruled out the involvement of the King in the amendment process of the Constitution.

UML and Nepali Congress have spoken harsh for the amendment of the Constitution and are also exercising to table a Bill in the Parliament.

Central Zoo to have hippopotamus

RSS

LALITPUR, March 19 : Kathmanduites and others visiting the Central Zoo at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur will be able to witness hippopotamus there by the second week of April, 2002.

A native of Africa, the large herbivorous mammal is being brought to Nepal from Thailand under the Animal Collection and Management Programme.

"An agreement was reached recently with the Zoological Parks Organisation, Bangkok in order to bring the animal to Nepal", said Rajendra Shrestha, Director of the Zoo.

According to the agreement, the Central Zoo will send to Thailand two pairs of Danphe or lophophorus, the national bird of Nepal, as a token of friendship.

Construction of the "Hippo Enclosure", accommodation along with a pond, for a pair of hippopotamus is going on in full swing. The construction is estimated to cost around Rs. 500,000.

Global positioning system for air transport security

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KATHMANDU, March 19:The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) today said that it is going to introduce air navigators in 20 sectors and new satellite-based technology called Global Positioning System (GPS) in six domestic airports of the country starting Thursday.

According to a CAAN press release issued here today, the CAAN is going to introduce the GPS system in the Approach Mechanism of six domestic airports. The release has also said the new installations will further ensure the air transport security.

The CAAN has also said the new technologies were installed in the first phase as per the recommendations made by the International Civil Aviation Association to install the Communication Navigation Surveillance/Air Transport Management (CNS/ATM) by 2010 AD.

The new systems were opened today by Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Birendra Bahadur Deuja. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Secretary Deuja said with the introduction of the new systems, the domestic airports will slowly be developed for international flights.

Release of journos, right activists sought

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KATHMANDU, March 19:With the ongoing interruption from the security forces over the free movement of the journalists for impartial news reporting, Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Studies (CEHURDES) has condemned the arrests of journalists and right activists.

According to news reports, the security forces have taken into custody two journalists and three human rights activists from different parts of the country from March 14 – March 16. Security personnel have arrested editor of Mulyankan monthly Shyam Shrestha, right activist Dr Mahesh Maskey and president of a human rights organisation Pramod Kafle in separate incidents.

With the declaration of "state of emergency" in Nepal on November 26, 2001, more than hundreds have been arrested, out of which more than two dozens of journalists remained in detention.

CEHURDES has demanded to stop the gross violation of human rights as the Nepalese law prohibits army personnel to take into custody and interrogate civilians under any pretext and demanded immediate and unconditional release of those arrested.

Market to be developed at a pond site in Patan

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LALITPUR, March 19:At a time when the Kathmandu Metropolitan City is working hard to conserve the historical pond of Ranipokhari, the nearby Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City is planning to convert a historical pond into a market place in the area despite protests from the local people.

The officials at ward No. 5 office of Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City said the southern side of Nhoo Pukhoo, which literally meansing new pond, in front of Patan Hospital at Lagankhel is being cleaned to resettle the street garment shops of Lagankhel which were shortly displaced.

Sujan KC, former secretary of the local Buddhi Bikas Mandal, said setting up a market in such an area could any time erase the trace of history.

"Instead of conserving the historical pond, the local authority is actively working to turn the over 300 years old pond into a market. The pond has already been encroached from the northern and the eastern side, and it is now the turn of the southern side," he said.

A stone wall is being constructed on the pond’s bed that will make the huge pond smaller by around 6,000 square feet. The almost dry pond is in dilapidated state with dry grass, weeds and a huge pile of garbage on its side. Some pigs, belonging to the local squatters, litter the muddy ground. There is already a long row of fruit market on the northern side.

Gopal Bahadur Shrestha, a local, said the pond is also related with the annual chariot festival of Red Machchhendranath.

" Prior to the festival of Machchhendranath, certain people used to take a basketful of fish to the pond that kept the pond beautiful for centuries," he said.

Prayag Raj Shrestha, an expert of historic ponds and stone spouts, said that making a market on a historic pond is the most ridiculous step that a municipality can take.

"Ponds are important to recharge ground water. They serve as places of vaporization and bathtubs for water animals. Besides these, ponds are also the places where several other socio-religious activities take place," he said.

"The artificial canal of Rajkulo, brought from Tika Bhairav, almost 20 kilometres south from here used to fill the ponds in this area, which naturally fills up the wells and stone spouts of the Patan area,"

According to his studies, there were 39 such traditional ponds in Patan alone out of which only 10 or 12 are left and five or six are functioning. "There were eight ponds only in Lagankhel area but all are now either encroached or waiting to be revived."

He said reviving the pond is not difficult and it could also solve the problem of drinking water to some extent if it is used as replacement of drinking water in plantation works.

Deputy Mayor of Lalitpur Ramesh Chitrakar is of the opinion that the idea of making a market in such a historic area is against healthy urban planning.

He said,"The construction works must be stopped first and then we will think about its conservation."

Training on folk musical instrument

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KATHMANDU, March 19:With a view to preserving traditional folk musical instrument Murchunga, three different organisations had organised a ten-day- Murchunga training programme which was concluded amidst a function here today.

The ten-day-Murchunga training was organised in collaboration with Nepali Folk Instrument Museum (NFIM), Nepal Heritage Association and Mana Maiju Cultural Society in which altogether 25 participants took part.

Addressing the function, Murchunga instructor, Ram Prasad Kadel, said that folk instruments are not getting priority because the emerging new artistes do not have knowledge about these traditional folk instruments. "Throughout the country about 265 folk instruments have been identified among which 150 instruments have been collected by NFIM," said Kadel, Chairman of NFIM.

"Hope the new generation will give continuity to these folk instruments as they have been introduced among them," said Suresh Chandra Pradhan.

"This is a very delightful situation because private organisations are seen conscious toward preserving the folk instruments, which are on the verge of extinction", said musician Bulu Mukarung.

"The training course, which should have been started 20-25 years ago, has been introduced among the new generation today, better late than never," said Ram Sharan Darnal, folk music instrument researcher.

Tearing down odds to make it odd

When the SAARC Summit was in the offing two-and-half months ago, the Kantipuri Nagari wore odd look after most of the odd structures that were being synonymous to the historic city were torn down to rubbles. As the rubbles – whether it is in Maitighar or along the road to the Tribhuvan International Airport – now turned to dusts bother the pedestrians, the SAARC hangover still hangs in the minds of the Kathmanduites.

The history repeats itself. But don’t get messed up. Neither another SAARC Summit is going to take place nor any foreign VVIP dignitaries are again going to block the already-crammed Kathmandu roads but our own VVIPs. The thing is that the city yet again is looking more odd as the Kathmandu Metropolis has almost finished tearing down the shopping malls and other buildings in the heart of the city, Ratna Park.

The city is looking more odd in the sense the identities of the cities are turning into the rubbles overnight.

If the KMC (Kathmandu Metropolis Corporation) tradition of demolition goes on at the present pace, it seems a Nepali chap upon arrival to his homeland from abroad after few years might be perplexed to see his earlier city he left. Hope he finds his earlier home upright upon his arrival.

It seems the KMC has exercised the full extent of the emergency period and the locals, as usual, are bearing the brunt. The government had to receive criticisms and silent hue and cry (as it was the emergency period) when huge structures in the Maitighar Chowk and along the road to the Tribhuvan International Airport were dismantled prior to the SAARC Summit.

Now the rubbles are ruling the Ratna Park and surroundings. But, if the dream of our City Father, KMC Mayor Keshav Sthapit, is to go into reality, the 332-year-old artificial water pool of Rani Pokhari (Rani Pond), after completion of his esteemed project, will be glorified with musical water fountains, lush green garden and picturesque open space. But the thousands of the people affected – directly or indirectly – from the KMC move will have to live a pitiful life, if not to turn to be a pauper.

Even mores have to be done to make the city look different. The iron-bars surrounding the pond have to be removed, on the making of the biggest recreational spot of the city.

Hope the Tinkune Episode will not repeat in the case of the Ratna Park. Now contaminated waters are ruling the Tinkune Triangle, that otherwise was planned to be developed as an "Ocean Island". Besides this, the artificial trees are withering, finally shattering the dreams of Renchin Yonjan along with the budget of Rs 2 million allocated to complete the "dream project".

The project of erecting a couples of over-head bridges also is in limbo. Maybe it is waiting for another SAARC Summit to take place. Hope the Rani Pokhari project will not have to face the same fate and the KMC dream come true.

Illegal issuance of citizenship alleged

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RAUTAHAT, March 19:Two Indian nationals who started their business in Rautahat only three years ago were allegedly issued the citizenship certificate of Nepal by the District Administration Office (DAO) here on the basis of false documents.

According to an officer of DAO, Radha Sunar of Bairganiya of India, currently running a cloth shop in Chandranigahapur and Saukat Ansari of Aadhapur Jamanpur of India, running a fancy shop, were issued the citizenship certificates accepting the false papers.

The request by them was previously halted by Administrative Officer Yagyaraj Koirala but that was accepted 2 months ago by Govinda Mani Bhurtel who was offered bribe, according to sources.

The employee claimed that the officers took more than 50,000 rupees for each citizenship certificate.

Bhurtel denied the accusation and claimed that he was on holidays when the citizenship certificate were issued.

The Chief District Officer Narendra Raj Poudel claimed that the citizenship certificate issued to two other Indian national - Bacchu Sahani and Sekh Mojahir - have been confiscated. He also assured that the issue will be investigated.

No doctor in Rukum for last one year

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NEPALGUNJ, March 19: Despite the notice issued by the Ministry of Health to the health workers posted in the District Hospitals of around the country to be present at the hospital and promptly carry out their duties, the District Hospital at Rukum is bare of a doctor for the past one year.

As to the result, populace in this remote district is forced to visit either Kathmandu or Nepalgunj even for minor ailments. It is also known that the bodies of the people dead in accidents are disposed off without carrying out post-mortem- due to the absence of doctors in the district.

The District Hospital at Rukum has the posts for a Medical Superintendent and a Medical Officer, however none of them are present in the hospital. According to Ghanashyam Pachchhai at the Public Health Office of the district, Dr. Gopal Khanal who was serving in the hospital, was replaced by Dr. Rama Shankar Dip following the transfer of Khanal, however even Dip was also soon transferred to Bardiya district leaving the hospital deprived of the doctors.

Absence of doctor in the district hospital has made it very hard for the locals. "My wife, suffering from stomach-ache had to be rushed to Nepalgunj and she was cured after a minor treatment," said Chandra Bahadur K.C. at Bafikot VDC-8 of the district.

Even Indians detest Rasiyawal-Khurd-Lautan bund

By Madhav Dhungana

RASIYAWAL, India, March 19:Even the Indian people residing close to the Nepal-India border have demanded that the Prime Minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, raise the issue of Rsiyawal-Khurda-Lautan embankment being built close to the international border with the Indian counterpart during his five-day official visit to India beginning March 20.

Parts of the embankment were unilaterally built by the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh without Nepal’s permission.

Ram Murat, a resident of Karmeni of Rasiyawal Gram Panchayat of India, has seen no option than to quietly see his land being inundated thanks to the dam cum embankment being built by his State government.

The 75-year-old man of Karmeni village, located south of Rupandehi district of Nepal, is physically and mentally unable to protest the Rasiyawal-Khurda-Lautan embankment built by his own State government of Uttar Pradesh.

"All my paddy crop was rotten due to several days of water-logging in my field during the last year’s floods," said Murat. "Our repeated requests to halt the dam construction was turned to a deaf ear by the government."

The Indian State of Uttar Pradesh started building the embankment since last year close to the Nepal-India border ignoring the international norms and practices. The Indian people in the surrounding villages - Karmeni, Dharmouli and Cheuriya - are also unhappy with the dam that also affect the Marchawar area, southern part of Rupandehi district.

The Indian locals had also protested before the embankment was constructed. "We chased away contractors, sent delegations to local administration and even to the State government to stop it saying that the construction would submerge their large part of area," said the locals.

The three kilometre-long section of the 15-km-long proposed earthen embankment has already been built despite the official protest of the Nepal government.

"The Assitant District Magistrate falsely assured us of stopping the construction of the dam," said another Indian national, Ganesh Prasad Chaube of Karmeni village. "Later, the Indian police opened fire in Dharmauli and the construction work was moved ahead amid tight-security."

None of the locals could resist the police gunfire. Now, they do not believe that their State government would co-operate with its people to resolve the vicious cycle of inundation problem even in
Indian side.

The Indian people suffering from the inundation have pinned hope toward Nepal government. "We are hopeful that the Nepal government can solve our problem by raising this issue with our Prime Minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee," said Ram Murat. The construction of the embankment, however, came to a halt due to protests by Nepal.

In a meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Permanent Committee on Inundation held in Birdpur of Siddharthanagar of India on August 5, 2001, the Indian officials had informed the Nepali counterparts that the construction had been halted.

But the Indian authorities while holding another round of meeting with the Nepali authorities in Kathmandu on March 3, 2002, the Indian officials refused to dismantle the embankment as demanded by Nepali side.

"The only option left for us to protect people of both the countries is to dismantle the already-built embankment," said Chaube. "We hope PM Deuba will raise this issue with his Indian counterpart."

After the recent inconclusive Kathmandu meet, people of Marchawar in Nepal are not confident that the embankment would not be resumed. "If the construction is resumed, we will be left to face the perennial submersion problem," said Bhola Devan, Chairman of Piparhawa VDC.

If the embankment-cum-dam is completed, 19 VDCs of the Marchawar area will be submerged, and Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, located about nine-km southwest of Marchawar will also be badly affected, said Shrawan Kumar Ray, a local of the area.

The paddy planted in more than 1,069 hectares of land in Rohinihawa, Thumuwa, Piparhawa and Karauta villages were rotten thanks to the inundation during the previous monsoon floods, according to information made available by the District Agriculture Office, Rupandehi.

"The inundation problem across the Nepal-India border should be one of the major agendas during the bilateral talks between the Prime Ministers of the two countries," said Dr. Ramesh Man Tuladhar, Chief of District Irrigation Office in Rupandehi. He was one of the Nepali delegates who took part in the March 3 meeting with the Indian counterpart.