Rebels continue attacks on govt facilities

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KATHMANDU, March 27: Two security personnel were injured after a group of Maoists on Pajero opened fire, hurled socket and petrol bombs at a police beat in Chakupat, Patan on early Wednesday.

Police said that two policemen Ram Bahadur Ghalan and Tej Bahadur Bamjan on their duty were injured in the Maoist attacks. Policeman Bamjan is undergoing treatment at the Patan Hospital after being shot.

The rebels had opened fire three rounds of bullet at the police beat and threw four crude bombs before they fled the scene. Police, however, was unable to trace out the vehicle in which the rebels were travelling.

The rebels also torched a vehicle of the Department of Education Office in Sanothimi where the vehicle was parked on the roadside. Similarly, the rebels also set Nissan Pajero owned by the Second Tourism Infrastructure Development Project on fire on Wednesday afternoon.

Meanwhile, a branch office of the Nepal Electricity Authority at Gatthaghar, Bhaktapur was slightly damaged after a group of rebels exploded a crude bomb inside it, said one of the office staff.

The police said that the Maoists have resorted to violence just to create panic in the Valley ahead of their five-day Nepal bandh beginning from April 2.

Army, civilians to be mobilised for SLC

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KATHMANDU, March 27: The government is intent on mobilizing Royal Nepal Army (RNA), including the civilian to foil the Maoists’ attempt at disrupting the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) examinations, which commences on April 2, Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya said Wednesday.

In order to protect the examination centers, government has readied the deployment of the armed forces and has sought support from the parents and the civil society, Minister Upadhyaya told The Kathmandu Post ahead of the Parliament meeting.

Maoists have declared a five-day nation-wide bandh intending to bring the SLC examinations to a standstill in its bid to cash in on the state of emergency.

The Examinations Coordination Committee (ECC) would seek support from the military in the district as well as from the non-combatant. "The committee will involve the participation of private citizens besides army and police to oversee any impending emergencies facing the examinations," Minister Upadhyaya informed.

He informed that the three-member ECC in the district formed under the chairmanship of the Chief District Officer (CDO) has decided to invite arepresentation of the chief army official in the district to conduct the examinations.

The ECC will have two other members: District Police chief and a District Education Officer (DEO). It was for the first time that the government has included an army official in the Committee.

Minister Upadhyaya said the bandh called by the Maoist rebels was nothing more than an attempt to foil the ten-year-long prayers and sacrifice of both the parents and students.

He appealed everyone to face the Maoists unitedly and foil their attempts to shut down schools.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education and Sports Yuba Raj Pandey earlier today told The Kathmandu Post over phone that SLC examinations will go on despite threats from Maoists rebels. "We know for certain that SLC examinations will begin on April 2 and conclude on April 10 and there is no change in the schedule let whatsoever happen," he said.

Due to security reasons, 133 examination centers in five development regions have been cancelled this year as compared with last year’s.

A total of 188 centers have been cancelled in eastern development region, 226 in central region, 178 in western region, 74 in mid-western and 54 in far-western region. A total of 254,251 students will sit in examinations in 720 centers across the country, many relocated at the district headquarters.

RSF calls EU, US to condition their aid to Nepal

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KATHMANDU, March 27: The Paris-based Reporters sans Frontieres (RSF), Reporters without borders, has called on the European Union and the United States to condition their economic aid to Nepal on respect for freedom of expression.

The fight against terrorism, however lawful it might be, cannot justify serious human rights violations, especially those involving press freedom, the RSF said in a statement received here today.

According to RSF, its mission visited Kathmandu from March 10 to 13 and gathered information about the 30 people in jail for offences connected with "terrorism" under the government measures to stamp out activities deemed to be terrorist or subversive. "The mission reported that the security forces were blocking habeas corpus efforts by some families and that the wife of one journalist was arrested after filing such a request with the Supreme Court, the RSF said.

It, however, said that privately owned newspapers and radio stations continue to operate freely and articles about official corruption still appear in one of the main dailies. "Only where military operations against Maoist militants are concerned is there self-censorship and lack of access to information," the RSF said in the statement.

It also claimed that the security forces have arrested more than 100 journalists and at least 30 of them are still in prison.

Poverty, disability hamper education: Report

RSS

KATHMANDU, March 27: Action Aid-Nepal has found out that enrollment of students in schools in Nepal has been hampered by factors like poverty and physical and mental disability.

The action Aid-Nepal report, prepared in course of follow up of its education programme in the terai, mountains and the Kathmandu Valley, states that gender discrimination is prevalent and parents in general lack educational awareness.

The study was carried out in Saptari, Sarlahi, Sindhuli, Lalitpur, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Nawalparasi and Dailekh for the period from November 2001 to February 2002.

According to the report, school enrolment for boys and girls in grade one stood at 75 and 55 per cent respectively, and out of those enrolled, only 55 per cent boys and 34 per cent girls completed primary level.

Likewise, the report states that the overall annual expenses per student at the lower secondary school is Rs 4,000 and Rs 17,700 at the primary level, and it took one and half hours on an average to a student to reach school from home.

Similarly, each student had to cover a distance of 4 kilometres on an average to reach school from home.

The action aid nepal report has also enlisted some of its achievements from the education programme such as mobilization of the public through adult education, synchronization of the education movement with other social movements, dissemination of experiences through mass media and enhancing the awareness of the public towards their rights.

The problem of gender discrimination, provision of free education and compulsory education as well as the reponsibility of educational institutions and coordination of education policies have been raised as the main issues in the report.

Speaking at a workshop seminar organized to review the report on tuesday, minister of state for education and sports Narayan Prakash Saud underlined the need for the donor agencies and the non-governmental organizations to practise transparency.

Prof. Dr. Jaya Raj Acharya, chairman and general manager of Rastriya Samachar Samiti Purushottam Dahal, Dr. Bidyanath Koirala stressed that the national and international NGOs should make a candid evaluatation of the performance of partner agencies working at the community level.

At the programme presided over by director of the Department of Education Lav Prasad Tripathi, director-general of the department Chuman Singh Basnet and director of the National Informal Education Centre Satya Bahadur Shrestha spoke on formal and non-formal education.

The Action Aid report was prepared by Manavi Sribastav, Dr. Shivaraj Lohani, Dr. Yagya Raj Panta, Peshnath Neupane and Tribikram Pandey.

NLT to continue service

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KATHMANDU, March 27: The Nepal Leprosy Trust has today renewed its five year agreement with the Ministry of Health (MoH) to continue its services with the Lalgadh Leprosy Services Centre in Dhanusha district.

Dr Benu Bahadur Karki, Chief of Policy Planning and Foreign Aid Division on behalf of MoH and Chief Executive of the Trust Kamal Shrestha signed the agreement, states a release issued here.

During the five-year agreement, the trust expects to invest approximately US$ 1.6 million for the project. Last year the hospital had 1480 new leprosy cases and over 28,798 patients attended the out patient department, with 672 admissions.

The centre has been operating since 1991 and has 52 beds for in-patient service, as well as provides out-patients services to people affected by leprosy.

All-party meeting defy bandh

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KATHMANDU, March 27: An all-party meeting held Wednesday denounced the five day bandh alledgedly called by the outlawed Maoist rebels coinciding with the April 2 School Living Certificate (SLC) examinations.

Government officials, officials from the district administration, political parties, associations of businessmen, transport entrepreneurs, teachers’ associations, police and army officials, participating in the meeting, suggested a number of measures to let the examiniations continue and let the examinees suffer the least.

Foremost among them, the meeting suggested that all the students appearing in their SLC examinations should compulsorily wear uniform and put on identity cards.

The meeting also suggested to change the examination timetable

"We suggested to begin the examiniaton from 10 a.m. instead of 7:30," the release states.

The participants, including the transport entrepreneurs have agreed to carry on with their normal and routine activities not bowing down to the threats of the Maoists, the release stated.

The Home Ministry in its letter to the parties concerned has assured compensations to all the transporters for any losses or damage caused to the vehicles while defying the bandh called by the Maoists and carrying on with their usual businesses.

Reiterating their full support and cooperation, security officials present during the meeting informed the participants that an adequate security arrangement would be made.

Meanwhile, acknowledging that the bandh will cause colossal losses for SLC students, Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs (FNTE), central office in its press release appealed the bandh organisers- the Maoists - to immediately call back its decision for the good of the children.

However, the FNTE withdrew its earlier decision to hold a rally in the capital, which was scheduled for Friday.

In yet another release issued here by the Nepal Teachers’ Associations (NTA), it strongly condemned the Maoists in its attempt to victimise the innocent children and trying to jeopardise their examinations.

"Children must not become victims of Maoists’ violence," the release warned adding, "SLC examinations is not only of students and their parents and teachers but of the nation as a whole."

The NTA also called for immediate and unconditional release of Gopal Sapkota, a central member of NTA, who has been missing from Surkhet recently and his whereabouts are unknown.

"NTA is deeply mourning the murder of Lekh Nath Gautam, a teacher of Panchthar," the release added.

Awards given away

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KATHMANDU, March 27: Chairman of Raj Parisad Standing Committee Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi Wednesday distrubited ‘ Birendra Aishwarya Sewa Padak’ , a high level medal, amidst a programme organised by the Throne Accession Silver Jubiliee Celebration Citizen’s Main Committee.

The medals were granted by His Majesty the King to the personalities who were working in different walks of life during the tenure of Late His Majesty the King Birendra. Different 121 personalities including social worker Anuradha Koirala, Justice of the Supreme Court Sushila Singh Shilu, Industrialist Mohan Gopal Khetan, Hulas Chandra Golchha, Rajesh Kaji Shrestha, Dr. Arju Deuba, Artiste Nir Shah.

Certificates to trainees distributed

RSS

KATHMANDU, March 27: Minister of State for Education and Sports Narayan Prasad Saud today distributed certificates to the successful participants of the basic training on child development programme.

On the occasion, minister of state Saud said the government was attentive to providing education relevant to the time and create conducive atmosphere for students in a bid to become able citizens in the days ahead.

Such a training will be instrumental in providing quality education to the children of all ages, he said, noting that special programme has been made on the front of child welfare in the seventh amendment of the Education Act.

Altogether 60 participants from 30 districts took part in the three-day training on the all-round development of children organised by the Department of Education, Child Education Branch.

At the concluding function, Director General of the Department of Education Chuman Singh Basnet said that the ministry has the target of establishing 26,000 Child Development Centres in the country during tenth plan.

Primary teahers’ training draws less participation

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BHOJPUR, March 27: The Primary Teacher’s Training, undertaken by Primary Teachers Training Centre (PTTC) at the initiation of the Ministry of Education with the aim to train primary teachers of Bhojpur, Sankhuwasabha, Khotang and Solukhumbu districts, is witnessing a sharp decline in the numbers of participants, say sources at PTTC, in Bhojpur district.

The causes for less participation of the teachers in the training are attributed to various factors like lack of co-ordination among the concerned District Education Offices (DEOs) and the school teachers, topographical complexities and security concerns in the area, said the source.

The DEOs in these districts nominate the selected teachers to attend the training following notice from PTTC. PTTC conducts training for ten months at four phases, with a break of two and half months in between.

The training, which is in progress now, has a quota of 70 teachers but only 22 teachers are attending so far, said the source. Only 33 teachers participated in the training started two months back.

"To the targeted number of 210 teachers this year, the training has been imparted to a very few. No teacher from Khotang district showed up for training this time," said Dillishwor Pradhan, the Chief Trainer at PTTC.

"I attended the training to complete my fourth stage of the course, out of my own common sense, I was not given any sort of information by the DEO in this regard," said Pitambar Ghimire, a teacher at Sushila Devi Primary School in Solokhumbu district. He attended the training walking all the way for three days from his house.

According to a teacher of a primary school in Bhojpur district, Guru Prasad Nepal, the training provided by PTTC is impractical although it is important in enhancing the teaching skills of the teachers.

The Educational Manpower Development Centre (EMDC) and Distance Learning Programme in the district are assigned to train the primary level teachers in these four districts on the basis of a quota system. The officials of PTTC claimed that Distance Learning Programme is not supporting the training.

The PTTC has already provided training to 2,276 primary teachers of these district since 1997.

Transportation of noodles, match-sticks banned in Rukum

By Rudra Khadka

NEPALGUNJ, March 27: The security forces have prohibited transporting noodles, match-sticks and beaten rice in Rukum district to create problems for the outlawed Maoist rebels who are waging so-called People’s War to establish republic in the country.

The security forces also prohobited transporting batteries in the district a few days ago.

The lastest prohibition is imposed so that the Maoists who are mostly living in the forest run short of the food. The people of the district are either using lighter or the traditional method to make fire in the district, said Surendra KC of Musikot of Rukum.

"The people have moved back to the pre-historic age using the stones to make the fire," said KC.

The outlawed Maoist rebels used noodles and beaten rice as the food and match-sticks in explosives, said a source in the forces. "The army is gradually banning the things which is used by the Moaists," said a trader of Musikot. "The forces have already ordered us not to import these things."

The demand of the pre-cooked food and match-stick increased by 25 per cent in the district duing last 2 years, said a member of the Rukum Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

Participatory tourism programme launched in Rasuwa

RSS

DHUNCHE, Rasuwa, March 27: Participatory Tourism Development Programme has been launched in seven Village Development Committees (VDCs) with the objective of developing necessary infrastructures in the feasible areas and creating job opportunities for poverty alleviation in Rasuwa district.

The programme is being implemented in Dhunche, Langtang, Sysfru, Buddhimachilime, Gatlang and Goljung areas of Rasuwa district with the cooperation of United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Department of International Development of United Kingdom and SNV of the Netherlands and Rasuwa District Development Committee (DDC).

The main objective of the programme is to generate tourism awareness among the people, promote tourism and improve the living condition of the rural people.

Under the five year agreement signed between the Chairperson of the DDC and the Director of the programme, there is provision for setting up a sustainable tourism programme section at the DDC, creating development funds at the district and village levels, training on speaking with the tourists, running hotels, lodges and camping sites, training for trekking guide, growing vegetables in backyards, running poultry farming for supply of meat and making arrangements of study tours to various places for people of the seven VDCs, according to DDC chairperson Bhim Lal Hirachan.

Likewise, the programme will also set up a multipurpose information centre, provide assistance for development of alternative energy sources for management of natural resources, renovate cultural hertitages like monasteries and ponds under the infrastructure development programme, according to Local Development Officer Mathbar Singh Thapa.

Five held for selling alcohol in dry areas

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PYUTHAN, March 27: Local administration arrested five people from Khalanga VDC-7 on charges of brewing alcohol and selling it in alcohol-free areas.

Chief District Officer Nanda Prasad Poudel said that each of them, however, was released on a bail of Rs. 5,000.

The people who were arrested along with 200 litres of brewed alcohol and brewing instruments have been identified as Yek Prasad Shrestha, Pampha Poudel, Gyanu Shahi, Buddhalal Nagarkoti and Mukunda Pun.

Pyuthan district in the mid-western region was declared an alcohol-free zone about nine years ago following a joint movement of women against rampant sales of liquor. But sales of the liquor used to be open until the state of emergency was declared, said Bijuwar VDC Cahirman, Dal Bahadur KC. He said that security forces should also keep surveillance on the alcohol that is imported in the district from outside.

Over 60,000 eye patients treated in Nepalgunj

RSS

NEPALGUNJ, March 27: The Fattehwal Eye Hospital of Nepalgunj treated 61,148 patients suffering from various eye ailments last year.

The hospital has been providing its services to the patients of 24 districts of Mid-western and Far-western Development Regions as well as patients from Baharaich, Gonda, Srivasti Lakhimpur, Sitapur, Barabanki and Lucknow of the Indian State of Uttar Pradesh.

The hospital provided operation services to 6,405 pateints within the same year. The 10-bed hospital opened in 1987 has been expanded to a 150-bed hospital in accordance with the objective of developing the hospital into a teaching hospital.

The hospital has been running undergradute medical classes for the students of Nepalgunj Medical College and has signed an agreement with the Lord Buddha Education Academy and Nepalgunj Medical College.

Modern equipment like b-scan, ultrasound, auto-reflectometer and air puff tonometer have been installed at the hospital to provide high level treatment services to the patients visiting the hospital.

Likewise, the hospital which is affiliated with the nepal netra jyoti sangh has been organizing ear camps every year with the technical cooperation of Britain-Nepal Ontology Services and participation of the Lions Club, the Rotary Club and Nepalgunj Chamber of Industry and Commerce, according to Secretary of Banke District Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh Umesh Kumar Agrawal.

Nepal-India border talks inconclusive

By Kamal Kumar Panthi

BARDIYA, March 27; Nepalese Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has returned with assurances from the Indian government on the fair demarcation of the Indo-Nepal border with the initiation of a joint team from both countries, sources here say. However, some portions of Nepalese land are still encroached upon by the Indian side and the land is less likely to be returned to Nepal.

The people at Chitlahawa under the Indian district of Motipur have encroached the original pillar numbered 61, standing at the border side at Dashgaja area and have erected a new pillar on Nepalese land, said sources here. The Indian border team is likely to measure the border with reference to the newly erected fake pillar, and if this is to happen, Nepal shall lose 25 metres of its land, as informed by Nepalese border sources.

"Since the border issue in the area appears to be insolvent at the initiation of district level joint border teams, information on this issue has already been sent to higher levels," said an employee at the Office of Measurement in the district.

At present, joint teams of Nepal and India are working on border demarcations at border regions in Dang, Kapilvastu, Banke and Bardiya districts of Nepal and that of Balarampur, Shrawasti and Baharaich in India.

The border area around one and half kilometres of local Surajpur, now in India, has also being encroached by the Indians, says Abdul Manihar, a local. Even the Salarpur area, recorded under Nepalese territory, as revealed by records of 1948 at the District Land Revenue Office, shows that around 36 bighas of land at Salarpur belongs to a local Nepalese landowner named Gangadhar, it is learnt.

Hailstones damage agricultural crops

RSS

DHANKUTA, March 27: Rain and hailstones in Dhankuta district last Sunday damaged agricultural crops in different areas of the district, the District Agricultural Development Office has stated.

The rain and hailstones that battered the district for about half an hour caused extensive damage to vegetable and fruit trees, it is learnt.

The farmers said that the production of fruits and vegetable will decline in the district this year as a result of the damage caused by the hailstones.

Seminar on drug abuse control held

RSS

POKHARA, March 27: Regional Administrator of the Western Development Region Madan Prasad Aryal inaugurated a district level one-day orientation seminar on "Participation of the Local Bodies in Drug Abuse Control" organised by the Narcotic Drugs Control and Natural Disaster Management Department of the Home Ministry here on Sunday.

Altogether 50 persons including people’s representatives, office chiefs and representatives of various institutions and organisations involved in drug abuse control participated in the programme that aims to increase the participation by the local bodies in the drug abuse control.

The programme was organised with the objective of identifying the problems encountered in drug abuse control and enlisting the participation of the local bodies in the task.

On the occasion, Regional Administrator Aryal
requested everyone to cooperate in the national drug control programme.

From the chair, President of Kaski District Development Committee Punya Prasad Poudel underlined the need for creating public awareness for effective drug control measures.

The mayor of Pokhara sub-metropolitan city Krishna Thapa, the mayor of Lekhnath municipality Shaligram Poudel, Chief District Officer Tikaram Aryal and others also expressed their views on the drug abuse control and the role of the local bodies in it on the occasion.

China team to study poly-tech university

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KAVRE, March 27; The Chinese government is soon to deploy a Technical Evaluation Team for the field study of a proposed ‘Poly-technical University’ at Banepa. The Chinese Ambassador to
Nepal disclosed this on his visit to Banepa yesterday at the special invitation of the Banepa municipality.

On his visit to Nepal last year, the Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China had signed an agreement with the Government of Nepal for undertaking the construction of the University along with two other projects.

The proposed project is being, assured by the Chinese government, is attributed to the Royal massacre and the situation of growing violence in Nepal, it is learnt.

For the construction of the proposed University, one hundred ropanis of land has already been acquired, as informed by sources at Banepa municipality.

The ambassador also inspected a Handicapped Children’s Hospital and Kathmandu University at Banepa.

The other projects to be undertaken by the Chinese government in Nepal are a Civil Service Hospital and Rasuwa-Tibet roadway.

Housing aid distributed to ex-Kamaiyas 

RSS

DHANGADHI, March 27: The District Land Reforms Office (DLRO) of Kailali has started distributing money for construction of houses to the ex-Kamaiyas who have been rehabilitated after they were freed in different parts of the district.

In this connection, the ex-Kamaiya families settled in Geta, Malakheti, Sripur, Hasuliya, Urma and Manhera Village Development Committees (VDCs) were handed over an amount of eight thousand rupees per family as the first installment, District Land Reforms Officer Maheshwar Adhikari said.

The ex-kamaiya families settled in other parts of the district will also be handed in the housing assistsnce gradually, it is learnt from the DLRO.

Meanwhile, it is learnt that land ownership certificates are also being given to ex-Kamaiya families holding the blue ID card. The blue ID cards holders own the unregistered land.

So far 2,226 landless ex-Kamaiyas have been allocated land and 1,852 others owning unregistered land have also been rehabilitated by registering land in their name.

Management training for women

NUWAKOT, March 27 (PR) - One hundred women from a poor section of society were provided with ‘Skill-Oriented and Professional Management training’ by a programme named ‘Bisweshwor with the Poor’ on Tuesday this week, at Bidur municipality of the district. The participants in the programme were instructed on the technical and practical aspects of animal husbandry as well as marketing and management skills. In the one-day training programme, the women classified in ten groups were trained by Dr. Arjun Timilsena, Assistant Veterinary Doctor at the District Animal Service Office and Ganesh Nepal of the Local Trust Fund Committee Secretariat, Bidur, and also by others. The programme ‘Bisweshwor with the Poor’ was implemented in Madanpur and Haldekalika VDCs of the district and also in ward number five and six of Bidur municipality for one and half years.

Irrigation project completes

TULSIPUR, March 27 (RSS) - An Irrigation Project has been completed in Damar Village Development Committee (VDC) in Dang district. The project will provide irrigation facilities to farmers of ward no. 8,9 and 10 of Tulsipur municipality. The project was constructed with a grant assistance of 500 thousand rupees provided by the municipality and by mobilising local voluntary labour. The irrigation project irrigates some 82 hectares of land in the locality.

Interaction on children exploitation

PARBAT, March 27 (PR) - A three-day participatory interaction programme with the slogan ‘Let’s eliminate exploitation and ill-treatment to children and make children happy’ kicked off here, Wednesday. The programme, conducted jointly by the District Child Welfare Committee and Save the Children U.K. is participated in by 40 representatives from among teachers, students, journalists and members from various organisations associated with children.

Syangja exports vegetables

SYANGJA, March 27 (RSS) - The farmers of Syangja district involved in growing vegetables on a commercial basis have exported vegetables worth about Rs 15 million in a month (mid-February to mid-March), according to the District Agriculture Development Office. Under the long term agriculture development programme launched in the district to emhasise to the concept of scientific and integrated agriculture development, the farmers have cultivated fruits, cotton and vegetables on a commercial basis, developed market for agricultural products, undertaken bee-keeping and launched irrigation programmes effectively. Vegetable and fruit collection centres have been set up at Kriyashi with the objective of marketing the agricultural products of the local farmers. Likewise, vegetable and fruit market development centres will be set up at Setidobhan, Putalibazaar, Phedikhola, Dahathum, Waling and Galyang in the next fiscal year, according to the office.