Will 2026 BS SLC topper disrupt its happening this year?

By Nitya Nanda Timsina

KATHMANDU, March 30:Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, an intellectual and son of the soil, was one of the greatest beneficiaries of a proper education in the land of his birth. He topped the SLC board in the ‘70’s (2026 BS) from Amarjyoti Janata High School in Luitel, Gorkha. He was an inspiration to school going children once upon a time, and an emblem of pride for the country. Today, the intellectual doctor, having donned the clothing of a wolf, spearheads a campaign of terror the nation had really never known. Bhattarai has now threatened the closure of schools during the imperative SLC examination period, and students and parents throughout the kingdom are scared to death when one pronounces his name.

Though the called for bandh may have little affect on a majority of students in the capital, many say it will inevitably put the poor and rural students attending schools in far flung regions at greater risks.

Raji is scared of Nepali and Samjhana needs help in science.

Like most students, Raji and Samjhana of Little Angel’s School want the best score to get into the best possible college for a brighter future. As a result, they say they are now facing examinations, that calls for bomb squads and armed police to guard them following threats from the Maoists.

"What if I don’t do well in the exams, what if I don’t get into the college of my choice?" Padam Tuladhar, Another student from Bungamati asks himself three-days ahead of his exams. Every year, as students across Nepal make final preparations for their SLC exam around March or April, these are the questions most often asked.

This year, students ask questions of a different nature: Will there be any exams at all? Parents can’t be sure exactly whether their kids will sit for the exams or return home bleeding, besides fearing for the lives of their children.

In the School-Leaving Certificate (SLC) test that some 2,54,251 students will sit for in Nepal this year, which is widely known as the so called "iron-gate" to higher education, middle class parents have more bottom-line concerns.

"My entire life has been focussed on my child’s education, if she fails, it will completely shatter my dreams," says Rajendra Rajak, whose daughter Raji will be attending her SLC exams shortly. Rajendra runs a tea-stall while his wife works as a cook for a member of the expatriate community in the Capital to pay for their daughter’s education. And they have been doing this for the last ten years hoping their daughter would one day bring smiles of happiness on their faces, in reparation for the little comfort they enjoyed all these years. For many parents, SLC is their fulfillment of a long-wish to see their kids getting through the "Iron Gate".

Polishing a cupboard and working extra-hours on Saturdays to fund her son’s education, Purna Devi Tuladhar, a carpenter’s wife said, "I am extremely worried whether my son will sit for his exams." "SLC is too important, it’s for his future, we are investing for this future only while we toil like this," she speaks from her bruised lips, straining herself in the dust-swirling wood-workshop.

"In developing countries, examinations can be a matter of life and death, in Nepal they are no exception," says Dr Tirtha Khania, an education specialist. According to UNICEF, some of the greatest beneficiaries of a proper education are not just the students themselves, but their families, their communities, and society at large.

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s government has assured to crack down on Maoists violence during the exams, which commences on April 2, but in the Maoists’ stronghold, the SLC exams still remain under dark, fearsome clouds of anxiety and doubt.

The Deputy Controller of the SLC Examinations Board, Jeevan Sharma Poudel, admits that the exams are too ‘rigid". It was this rigidity last year that failed hundreds and thousands of students but hinted that the outcome this year might be better.

A single exam is so vital in a student’s life that might keep him from graduating and wreck his future for a whole lifetime. For now, especially after the bandh announced by the Maoists rebels and last year’s dismal results, these worries continue to persist, but the desperate question this year, created from these worries, is – will we sit for the exams this time? And will we live to see its result?

Crown Prince visits Dang, Rolpa

Post Report

GHORAHI, Dang, March 30:Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev paid a visit to district headquarters of Dang and Rolpa on Saturday.

Crown Prince Paras was briefed by representatives of three political parties and members of the security agencies in the Dang barrack of the Royal Nepal Army Saturday morning, Acting Chief District Officer (CDO) Raja Ram Subedi told The Kathmandu Post.

Crown Prince Paras was accompanied by Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Crown Prince Paras and Prime Minister Deuba were briefed on the underlying rot such as corruption and current political scenario.

Those who briefed include district secretary of the CPN-UML Shri Mani Acharya, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) district president Dinesh Neupane and a representative of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC) Tul Bahadur Budhathoki. Crown Prince Paras later visited Liwang, the district headquarters of Rolpa.

NC MPs seek resignation of army chief or PM

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 30:The ruling party members on Saturday demanded the resignation of the army chief or the Prime Minister’s if he failed to get the former’s resignation in the House of Representatives. The opposition yet again walked out demanding the PM’s answer to the general’s statement.

"Who has given the right to make such a statement? The PM must ask him to resign and if he can’t do that, the PM should quit himself," demanded Mahadev Gurung of the Nepali Congress. Gurung alleged that Rana’s statement had dented the morale of the army which is fighting pitched battles with the Maoists. He questioned the ability of the army to control Maoist violence, saying that the violence has escalated after the emergency was declared.

After yesterday’s opposition’s outburst, it was the turn of the ruling Nepali Congress lawmakers who were in belligerent mood today, pouring their wrath on the statement of the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Prajwalla SJB Rana that had blamed the politicians for the sorry state of affairs in the country in the past 12 years. Most said that it was not the first time that the army general had made disparaging remarks about the politicians and accused him of going beyond his mandate.

They pointed out that the statement was not off the cuff remark, rather it was a part of the "well-planned conspiracy with far-reaching effects". They also went on to "suspect the motive of the Prime Minister who is on a visit to the western part of the country with the very same army chief who has debunked parliamentary democracy".

Krishna Prasad Sitaula of NC questioned whether the COAS was hinting if the much-hated Panchayati regime was better than the current multi-party democracy system of governance. He expressed his surprise that instead of taking action against the "indisciplined" Gen Rana, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was on a visit to the western part of the country with the same army chief who had given most objectionable statement on Wednesday at Shivpuri, going to the extent of questioning his morality.

Sitaula also wanted a clarification from the PM, whom he charged of skipping his responsibility to the house by not giving a timely reply, what suggestions of the army were ignored as alleged in the speech of the army chief. The NC lawmaker alleged that there was room to suspect the motive of the army general.

Shiv Kumar Basnet of NC said that more than the implications of the army general’s statement, "which had ominous undertones", it was the three-day "silence" of the PM who is blissfully on a tour with the COAS, which is dangerous for the multi-party democracy.

Former minister Surendra Prasad Chaudhari alleged that the army chief’s public outburst was part of a long-term conspiracy and was aimed at "testing waters" of the politicians. Basnet also accused the army general of "giving clean chit to the Maoists", justifying their terror by saying that their emergence was due to misrule of the past 12 years.

Chaudhari asked all the parties to be alert to safeguard democracy as the COAS said that only the King could run the country. "Let us not forget that it was the inability of the so-called good governance of monarchy that the people fought for and achieved multi-party democracy." The current situation is more grave, Chaudhari lamented, since a "weakling PM" is at the helm of affairs of the country.

Dilendra Prasad Badu questioned to whom is the PM accountable, alleging that he was not liable to the parliament but was "responsible to some others". He should have either postponed or curtailed his visit, said Badu, also of NC. "Ominous days are looming large ahead, as the first step against democracy has been taken."

Another member Shankar Prasad Pandey, while condemning the COAS’s statement, warned the members not to fall prey to well-planned strategy to divert the attention of the public and the parliament from suspicious wealth of influential people, including the top brass of the army and the police. "We have passed Women’s Commission and Dalit Commission Bills, but we still have to pass the Bills to control corruption, to strengthen the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and the one on impeachment of constitutional heads and members." He said the statement was an attempt to shorten the duration of the House.

Hridyesh Tripathi of Nepal Sadbhawana Party said that the army chief should keep in mind, "before making such irresponsible statement, that the country was under emergency and not under military rule and demanded a satisfactory reply from the PM.

PM to give reply on army chief’s statement

Post Report

POKHARA, March 30:Following the uproar in the Parliament over the statement made by the Chief of Army Gen.Prajwalla SJB Rana, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba today said that he would give detail explaination about the army chief’s statement to the House after his arrival in the capital.

PM Deuba, who is presently escorting His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev on his tour to Maoist-hit districts, made this statement while answering to the queries of local representatives here in Pokhara.

"He denied commenting further on the army chief’s statement except saying that he would inform the Parliament about it," Saligram Poudel, Mayor of Lekhnath Municipality told The Kathmandu Post after meeting the Prime Minister.

TU examination centres shifted

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 30:Office of the Controller of examinations, Tribhuvan University (TU) has decided here today to relocate examination centers in at least six districts for the upcoming university examinations scheduled for next month.

"After a meeting with the district administration officials of the Maoists-hit districts and the chiefs of the campuses, we have decided to shift the centers for security reasons," Badri Nath Shrestha, Controller of Examinations, TU told The Kathmandu Post.

The move follows the rampant attacks of Maoists on educational institutions for the past few months.

Examination centers of Achham, Baitadi, Tanahu, Parbat, Lamjung among others will be shifted to the headquarters.

The TU, at present has 122 examination centers throughout the country, including 33 in the capital.

Meanwhile, Shrestha also informed that TU would announce its results of all faculties on Internet beginning next year.

An estimated 400,000 students are expected to take advantage of the new measures. The students will also be able to receive their academic transcripts from their respective districts from 2061 BS, according to Shrestha.

Fee structure for Aviation sector revised

By Satyendra Timilsina

KATHMANDU, March 30:With the formation of new Civil Aviation Regulations recently the government has decided to increase registration, renewal, ownership-transfer and withdrawal of ownership fees for the domestic airlines and helicopter companies and also to decrease the Airlines Operating Certificate (AOC) fees for the international airlines.

According to a high level source at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the decision was taken by the Cabinet last Friday.

"The decision to revise the fee structures has come following the proposal of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) a couple of months back," said the source.

The CAAN had asked the government to revise fee structures in airlines sector and also to bring new Civil Aviation Regulation some nine months ago. And the recent decision to revise the fee structures is based on newly passed Regulation. The new regulation provides full authority to CAAN to make decisions on any technical issues in civil aviation sector.

According to the revised fee structures, an increment of 91 per cent has been made in registration fee of airlines and helicopter companies having a maximum of 7,500 kilograms flight weights. The revised fee is fixed at US $ 300 (Rs 22,950) against the earlier of Rs 12,000.

Similarly, the registration fee for glider, hang-glider and others has been increased to Rs 7,600 from earlier Rs 4,000. According to the new provision, the registration fee increases with the increase in the flight weight for all types of airplanes.

The new decision has also made significant increment in the renewal, ownership transfer and withdrawals of ownership fees of the domestic airlines.

The government, on the other has decreased the AOC fees for all international airlines to US $ 12,500 (Rs 95,600) from multiple fee structures according to the flight type. Earlier, the AOC fee for the Airlines Company operating a regular flight was Rs 500,000 and the irregular ones or a charter flight was Rs 300,000.

However, the AOC fee for the domestic airlines has been increased to Rs 382,500 for all types of flight operators. Earlier, fee for the regular flight operators was Rs 100,000 whereas for the irregular ones was Rs 60,000.

"The decision is unexpected, especially at a time when the government has just declared airlines industry as a sick industry and revised domestic airfare to make them sustainable", says Deepmani Rajbhandari, Chairman of the Necon Air. "The cabinet should not have made such decision at such crucial hour".

The government, with the increase in domestic fares by 20 to 40 per cent a couple of months ago, had decided to include airlines industry into the list of sick industries.

However, the government officials in the airlines sector claim that the decision was a must as the fees had not been revised for quite a long time.

"We proposed to revise the fee structures, as it was necessary," said Medini Prasad Sharma, Director General of the CAAN.

Let’s have a national consensus on literature

Samrat Upadhyay (By Special Arrangement)

Dear Literary Association of Nepal:

I found myself filled with awe and reverence when I read Suresh Hachekali’s article "Angrezi Bhasama Nepali Lekhakle Kasari Pratinidhi Garney" (How Should the Nepali Writer Represent in English) in Kantipur of March 26. I felt honored that some of you, doyens of Nepali sahitya in English, had singled me out in your grand conference as an example of someone whose literary efforts would make Nepali folks a laughing stock in the Western world. I felt privileged that you had granted me so much power that Westerners, after reading my story collection, "Arresting God in Kathmandu, "would conclude that Nepalis are a laughable, pitiable bunch. I did, after reading about your conference, go over the reviews of my book to see where the West had ended up laughing at Nepalis. Much to my dismay, I couldn’t find anything that remotely resembled mockery, which made me question whether your own literary insecurities had gotten the better of you.

But, keeping in mind the tradition of respect for wise elders in our culture—a culture amply invoked in your conference—I decided to be a dutiful son of Nepal aama and let that one pass. One reviewer of my book did say that I was funny, but that’s not the same as saying that Nepali people are material for fun. Most reviewers said that they liked the book because it jarred their usual preconceptions of Nepal as a land of mountains and exotic culture and serene spirituality. But I have a feeling that this is precisely what you find objectionable about my book, that probably, in your long and venerable careers as Nepali sahityakars, you’ve come to the conclusion that Nepal should be known as the land of glittering mountains, exotic sanskriti, peopled by folks whose spirituality drips from their noses. After all, if we don’t get a chance to recycle our usual himal, danfe, Bhanubhakta, Bir Gorkhalis, and our farfaraundo flag, what else are we left with? The image of Maoists carrying severed heads of their victims in the countryside? A woman raped by a gang of men in the heart of Kathmandu? A drunken, drugged crown prince butchering those near and dear to him? But these images denigrate our culture, and should, I’m sure you agree, be rejected outright by any patriotic Nepali writer.

I was also titillated by the idea that there you were, our honorable litterateurs, sitting in a room somewhere in Kathmandu, and deciding, once and for all, for all the Angrezi-language Nepali sahityakars, how Nepal should be portrayed for the Western world. And in your infinite wisdom you came up with the representational strategy of, shall we say, "a happy medium," fashioned after the teachings of the very same Buddha who so handily symbolises our peace-loving nature as a nation? You decided that we can’t totally reject the use of English language as a post-colonialist tool—I must congratulate you on this very original idea—and we can’t succumb to the kind of market-dictatorship that obviously gave birth to my work. I’ll keep this blueprint close to my heart for future endeavors. But to tell you the truth, I find the market-dictatorship option compelling, and I am tickled by the thought of sending query letters to publishers asking them whether they’d be interested in a book depicting my own countrymen as laughable, useless louts.

Sure, people who are not buddhijibis like you might consider the jwalant discussion you had on representation hilarious. They might say (and please, these are not my words but the words of my imaginary non-buddhijibi creations—I am a writer, after all) that a gang of self-styled intellectuals creating a scheme for all writers of English smacks of nothing but hubris—and a penchant for literary oppression. Some might even balk at your idea that writers are mere cultural ambassadors whose mission is to provide for the Western world that elusively authentic "image" of their country. Doesn’t literature aspire to a bit more than this song and dance? they might query. Others more attuned to the history of literary movements might propose that it is often in the dissolution of one culture and the emergence of another that literary works of real value proliferate. Some might meekly suggest that a more powerful function of literature is not to cruise the safe course of a "happy medium" but to grab us by our necks and hurl us into unknown, disturbing territories. Still others, bold and rash, might say loudly, "Enough of this representation nonsense! For once, let’s have a writer mis-represent us, or even de-represent us. Even better: anti-represents us. Why this whining need to represent?" In other words, they might resent you, dear gents, for being so hell-bent on your intent to represent. Some might say that your reverence for "globalisation"—a word that featured heavily in your conference—actually reveals a deep-seated desire to please the West. Then there always are those irreverent types who’ll say that our literary wallahs need a strong smack on their heads for bandying around in their tongues, like children, words such as "gauravmaya sanskriti" and "sunder savyata," as if these were candies purchased at a confectionery shop, as though if we swirled these words in our mouths long and hard enough, they’d translate themselves into great works of art.

But, my dear LAN literati, I shouldn’t bother you with these petty considerations from non-existent non-buddhijibis, who themselves are not good representational material. You obviously have more important thoughts to dwell upon, more literary conferences to attend. So, let’s have another round of chia, and let’s formulate a national consensus that tells Nepali writers in English how to behave.

Govt takes various steps to avoid negative impact on SLC exams

RSS

KATHMANDU, March 30:A meeting of secretaries at different ministries of His Majesty’s Government held as per the decision of the March 27 meeting chaired by the Prime Minister has taken various measures to avoid negative impact on the forthcoming SLC examinations beginning April 2 of the so-called Nepal bandh called by the Maoist terrorists coinciding with the exams.

According to the cabinet secretariat, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has been given the responsibility of coordinating necessary works falling under the Ministry, while the ministries of Home and Defense will make arrangement for providing compensation to losses or damage during the bandh days, and provide for surveillance, sniper teams and mobile reserve force, patrol teams and fire brigade for emergency services in different places of the country.

During SLC examinations, examinees and other concerned employees will be allowed in no-entry areas only after carefully scrutinizing their identity cards or passes, if there seems to be a dearth of invigilators, arrangements should be made from the district security committee and other security apparatus for them, routes will be decided for picking up students by the security personnel. All these arrangements will be made by the Ministry of Education and Sports.

The Ministry of Labor and Transport Management is to coordinate works for operating long-route buses with security men as guards and for operating taxis, microbuses, minibuses and other means of transport by providing the needed security, while the Ministry of Information and Communication will conduct works relating to publication or transmission of write-ups, interviews, interactive programs, etc through print and electronic media in order to generate a positive impact.

Similarly, the Health Ministry will oversee works relating to keeping on stand-by ambulances and other vehicles for emergency services which may be required during the bandh and making arrangement for health personnel at hospital and health institutions for emergency services.

The meeting also appealed to all human rights activists, different organizations and institutions, different professional bodies and transport entrepreneurs, intellectuals, parents, distinguished individuals and the civil society to contribute from their respective places to ensuring smooth running of the SLC exams by foiling the so-called Nepal bandh attempt.

Koirala seeks ‘drastic’ moves to fight crisis

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 30:The two-day conference of the presidents and secretaries of the district units of the ruling Nepali Congress (NC), which got underway in the capital on Saturday, witnessed strident criticism of the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government on a number of counts.

Prime Minister Deuba, who was not present at the conference, received flak for the inconsequential India visit and unsavoury comments coming from Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Prajwalla Shumshere Rana who had attributed the current crisis on every front to anomalies afflicting the political establishment on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, the move to hold the conference coming from NC President Girija Prasad Koirala is being interpreted as the desperate bid to stage a comeback as prime minister considering the tremendous pressure which the incumbent Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has come under since quite sometime.

As a participant told The Kathmandu Post, almost all the speakers demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Deuba saying that the rebel outfit had greatly benefited from the leniency demonstrated by Deuba towards the rebel outfit. Since only 16 speakers got the opportunity to speak on Saturday, the conference is expected to conclude on Sunday.

Earlier, Koirala called upon the party leaders from the districts to "help formulate the future course of action through turbulent times."

"We can overcome the crisis only if we resort to drastic steps," Koirala said, conceding the fact that certain elements were out to finish the NC through insidious moves. Koirala also said that the forces, which are backing the rebel outfit, are on the lookout to destabilise the country.

"Nation has come to such a narrow pass whereby it is the country’s finances which are whittling away. This kind of situation is likely to culminate in increasing the say of the donors since they can dictate to us before handing out any assistance."

However, Koirala also claimed that the rebels have come around to face isolation in the recent past and can be expected to cave in "if we can strike while the iron is hot."

As was expected, NC Central Working Committee (CWC) member, Govind Raj Joshi, a known Deuba critic, reiterated the criticality of the current state of affairs and said that the state of emergency, which was imposed to curb the terrorist activities, has culminated in the common people facing the wrath.

Joshi also referred to the comments coming from COAS Rana and said that the same was uncalled for.

Unlike Joshi, another CWC member, Ram Chandra Poudel, went on to vaguely criticise the party president for being "guided along by coterie to the discomfiture of both the party and its continued sway over the affairs of the nation." Amid claims to the effect that the party president may once again stage a comeback as prime minister, Poudel stressed the need to try an "untested person."

Compare this with what yet another CWC member Shailaja Acharya said. " Greater issue is whether the nation will continue to exist. It (the crises, including the remarks from the COAS) is no longer an intra-party issue."

Further saying that the nation was under unprecedented crises since the Royal Palace massacre, Acharya expressed shock and said that "all this is culminating in the international forces taking undue benefits."

Like Poudel, she also suggested that the party president should come out of the influence of the coterie, something which suggests that the party is not behind a single leader in fighting out the anomalies dogging the nation.

Party General Secretary Sushil Koirala, too, billed the utterances of COAS Rana as " highly objectionable".

16 rebels gunned down in operations

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 30:In a routine nation-wide crackdown against the Maoist rebels, the security forces gunned down at least 16 rebels in separate incidents of encounter in six districts over the last 24 hours, the Defence Ministry said here today.

On the other hand, the outlawed Maoists have destroyed at least 44 Village Development Committee (VDC) offices across the country, with 37 of the offices destroyed in Dang district alone, according to reports. The rebels also shot dead a VDC chairman, elected from the ruling Nepali Congress, in Dhanusha district.

According to a Defence Ministry press statement issued here today, the security forces shot dead nine rebels in separate encounters in Rolpa district. Similarly, two rebels were gunned down in Lupcha area of Mugu district, three at various places of Kanchanpur and one in Damekchourak area of Baglung.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has added that one unidentified rebel succumbed to the army bullets in an encounter at Tandi VDC of Morang district. The encounter took place after the security forces tried to prevent the rebels from blazing the VDC office.

The security forces have also recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition, including guns, socket bombs, pistol and materials for making booby traps from the incident sites, the statement said.

Meanwhile, a group of almost 25 armed Maoist rebels appearing in the police uniforms shot dead Ram Sevak Yadav, 55, who was the chairman of Balabakhar VDC of Dhanusha district. Late Yadav was an active member of the district. In the same incident, son of the deceased, Tej Narayan Yadav, and his neighbour, Lotan Yadav were seriously injured. Both the injured have been rushed to the Janakpur Zonal Hospital for treatment.

In another barbaric act, the rebels in Kalinjor VDC of Sarlahi district chopped off both the legs of VDC vice-chairman, Pramod Baral. Baral has been rushed to Birgunj for treatment.

Ahead of their call of five-day nation-wide general strike (Nepal Bandh) starting Tuesday, the Maoist rebels have destroyed at least 44 VDC offices, of which 37 were ruined in Dang district alone.

Our Dang-based correspondent, KP Ghimire, quoting Assistant Chief District Officer Raja Ram Subedi, has reported that the rebels on Friday night set ablaze 37 out of 39 VDC offices of the district, all between 10:00 to 11:00 p.m.

Chairman of Sonapur VDC, Damodar Sharma Acharya, said the rebels also destroyed all the documents and furniture of the VDC offices.

The Maoists also destroyed almost all ward offices (11) of the Tulsipur Municipality, while seven out of 11 ward offices of the Tribhuvan Municipality were burnt to a cinder.

The rebels have also destroyed Additional Post Office and clinics of Nepal Family Planning Association in Kavre, Dharna, Narayanpur and Pawan Nagar VDCs. The rebels also burnt office of the Small Farmers Development Project in Gogli-4 of Laxmipur VDC to a cinder. Also in the district, the rebels destroyed the Gadawa Baza-based unit office of the Nepal Telecommunications Corporation.

Though the total loss caused so far is yet to be assessed, assistant CDO Subedi estimated the minimum loss to be Rs 10 million.

Also the rebels destroyed offices of Manau, Manpurtapara, Khairichandanpur and Badalpur VDCs of Bardiya district. According to our district correspondent, the rebels have also destroyed the office of Rajapur Irrigation Project and a wooden bridge connecting neighbouring India.

In view of the deteriorating security situations, all the centres of the upcoming School Leaving Certificate examinations in Bardiya district have been brought to the district headquarters, Gulariya, the District Administration Office said.

According to reports, the separate groups of the Maoist rebels on Friday night also destroyed the offices of Fulbari and Kumroj VDCs in Chitwan district, and Jumrikanda VDC of Pyuthan district.

Another group of the Maoist rebels on Friday night set ablaze a police post stationed in Gouradaha Bazar of Jhapa district. The rebels also destroyed a 16-line telephone tower at the same place.

The rebels in Chitwan also destroyed half a dozen of government vehicles. Chief District Officer Bishnu Raj Kushum said the Maoists destroyed four motorcycles of the Division Road Office and two vehicles of the Nepal Electricity Authority.

In another violent act, the Maoists in Khopasi of Kavre district destroyed at least three government vehicles on Friday night.

According to Bajir Singh Air of the Sericulture Development Centre, the rebels destroyed one Land Rover, one Japanese Toyota, one motorcycle, photocopy machine, volt control, windowpanes, documents and furniture. Air also said the rebels then looted two computer sets, seven telephone sets, one colour television set, VCR and printer. He also claimed a loss of at least Rs 30 million.

The rebels also burnt to a cinder the sub-office of the Agricultural Development Bank, causing a loss of almost Rs 2 million.

Meanwhile, another group of Maoist rebels in Salle and Serigaon villages of Rukum district destroyed six government offices. The government offices under attack are Nepal Food Corporation, Salle Airport, Agriculture Development Office, District Veterinary Office and Bureau of Statistics.

The rebels have also destroyed two forest offices in Kapilvastu district.

Meanwhile, the Maoist rebels have set afire the dozer being put to road construction work in eastern part of the Gorkha district. The dozer which costs a fortune was set afire by a band of the rebels in Fujel neighbourhood of the district on Friday night.

Reports also said the rebels have ransacked the office of the Agriculture Development Bank in Bhibad in Tanahu. The rebels have also set on fire the motorcycle even as they fled with cash amounting to Rs.12 thousand.