SAC asks ADB not to implement new regulation

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KATHMANDU, May 1: Parliamentary States Affairs Committee (SAC) today issued directives to the Ministry of Finance and the management board of Agriculture Development Bank (ADB) not to implement the recent amendment effected in the ADB regulations which were approved by the government on February 21.

The new regulations governing the terms and conditions of employees have provided for a specific arrangement for the employees working on contract and daily wages to compete for permanent posts.

SAC has claimed that the changes in the regulations were promulgated with an ulterior motive to benefit a handful of temporary staff with political connections. The Committee has also issued orders to the authorities to make necessary arrangements so as to ensure equal opportunities for all.

Similarly, SAC has issued directives to the government to take necessary initiatives to amend the existing Agriculture Development Act "so that the terms and conditions of the service are guided by the governing Act."

In another decision, SAC has also ordered the Bank management to draw up a human resource management plan and evolve a recruitment procedure accordingly and in a transparent manner.

The SAC decision is a major set back to the Bank management which has planned to regularise the temporary employees in due course of times. But the SAC members claim that the latest decision would ensure just that.

"Any profit-oriented governmental organisation can hire staff for efficient functioning, but the procedures of the appointment should be transparent," said Mahendra Bahadur Pandey, Prakash Jwala and Parashu Ram Meghi Gurung, all SAC members. Its chairperson Hridaya Ram Thani, too, shared the same view.

Earlier, General Manager of the ADB, Devendra Pratap Shah, deposing at the SAC meeting, said he had recommended the amendment in the regulations with a holistic view of regularising the temporary staff who were still part of temporary workforce. "The purpose was to reward the staff who had contributed to revive the Bank over the years," he argued.

"I have made the decision to make the employees permanent on the humanitarian ground and to give them a chance" Shah further said. He, however, declined to disclose the exact number of vacancies and number of positions he expected to fill up once the amended regulations went into force.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat while speaking at the SAC said he was in favour of hiring the staff on contractual basis "to cut the long-term liabilities."

Explaining the ministry’s go-ahead to the ADB’s amendment proposal, Dr. Mahat said," The ministry approved the regulations to cooperate with the Bank management’s objective of rewarding the staff."

Dr. Bimal Koirala, the Finance Secretary, stressed the need to render the recruitment procedures of the Bank as transparent. "All the recruitments, whether permanent or temporary, should be made in a transparent manner," Koirala said, vowing to take necessary initiatives in his capacity.

SIA to suspend its flights to Kathmandu

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KATHMANDU, May 1: Singapore Airlines (SIA) has decided to suspend its Kathmandu flights from May 31 stating that it could not meet the operational costs due to a heavy decline in the number of passengers.

"The decision to suspend the service was taken as part of SIA’s on-going review of the route networks as part of the effort to fine-tune capacity requirements and contain costs in what is still an uncertain operating environment," says a SIA press release.

Lawrence Liew, the airlines’ General Manager in Nepal, told The Kathmandu Post that the decision to suspend the flights was taken looking into the profitability aspects of the route. "SIA is not even breaking even under the prevailing situation," he added.

However, Liew said that the SIA might resume its flights as soon as the tourism industry begins to revive and tourist arrivals go up. "We should not dismiss the possibility of resuming flights," he said.

SIA is the next to follow a similar decision taken by Aeroflot, the Russian National flag carrier, taken in February last year. The Russian airlines had withdrawn its regular passenger flights stating that it incurred losses in the flights to the Nepali capital.

The latest SIA decision has thrown cold waters over the expectation of tourism entrepreneurs who were optimistic that the 25th PATA Mart held in Singapore recently help in attracting more tourists from the region.

"The decision of SIA flight suspension is unexpected and would adversely affect the already ailing tourism industry," said Joy Dewan, President of Nepal Association of Travel Agents.

Singapore Airlines is operating three flights per week from Singapore to Kathmandu and is regarded as one of the largest tourist carriers to Nepal.

SIA’s decision to suspend its flights is similar to that taken by the German Airlines Company Lufthansa in May 1997. The German Company had withdrawn its thrice per week Kathmandu-Frankfurt flights stating it was incurring huge losses due to a decline in the number of passengers.

However, Lufthansa continued operating its cargo flights. Lufthansa was one of the largest tourist carriers to Nepal from the European sector, which comprises more than 12 per cent of the total worldwide tourists visiting Nepal.

Govt order public schools not to charge fees

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KATHMANDU, May 1: The Ministry of Education and Sports has issued directives to all the government-aided primary schools across the country, prohibiting them from collecting tuition fees from students.

The directives, which were issued on Wednesday, follows complaints that contrary to law, some schools were still collecting tuition fees from students. An amendment to the Education Act last year had banned the practice.

A direction to this effect was issued today to all the schools through the Department of Education (DoE) and District Education Offices (DEOs), Ram Prasad Bashyal, Under Secretary at the ministry’s school administration section, told The Kathmandu Post.

"We have faxed guidelines and have asked all the public schools throughout the country not to collect students’ fees and also to strictly comply with the new education Act," Bashyal further added.

The ministry has also formed a team of officials for each of the districts in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur and for the central region to closely monitor the schools and their fee-structure. "Once found violating the norms, we will take action against them," said Bashyal.

The government directive follows on the heels of the seventh amendment to the Education Act last year which affects 20,844 public schools. Other provisions in the amended Act has also laid down terms and conditions for collecting fees by the private-boarding schools which have often been criticised for levying a widely discriminatory fee structure.

Officials at the ministry warned that any private-boarding school, collecting admission fees from same student every year will possibly face de-affiliation or will be fined Rs 25,000 or more. "If they had already collected fees, they will be asked to return it straight-away," a senior Ministry official said.

A draft of the education regulation – which is derived from the Act and which has yet to be unveiled – restricts schools from collecting admission fees more than once from the same student. Private schools, especially in the capital, have largely been accused of charging admission fees from the same student every year as he/she progresses through each grade.

The latest move of the government is intended at making some 25,927 schools across the country, including the private schools to comply in "letter and spirit" of the amended Education Act.

The draft on "education regulations" will go through the Cabinet before becoming operational.

Confusion prevails over PM’s delayed declaration of property

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KATHMANDU, May 1: Confusion surrounds Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s property details which was supposed to be submitted to the Judicial Inquiry Commission on Property (JICP) on Wednesday, the last day of the 15-day deadline given to him along with members of the Council of Ministers and heads of constitutional bodies.

While sources in the commission indicated that Deuba has still not submitted the form containing property details, his advisors said "it might have been submitted". Ratan Aiyer, the PA to the Prime Minister claimed that the details were sent today. However, he also asked whether it was the last day for the PM to submit the form.

A similar question was asked by another of his advisors, Prakash Sharan Mahat. But he said that the form was completed and was in all likelihood submitted today.

The JICP, on April 16, had sent forms to the PM, his ministers and heads of constitutional bodies, some of whom have already submitted the property details. Meanwhile, in a statement issued today, the JICP said that in the second phase of collecting property details all the officials from the gazetted first class to third class, both working and the retired, would be sent form asking them to submit it within 15 days of receiving it.

It said a meeting with the Home and Defence Secretaries and other high-ranking officials in the last three days decided on this matter.

These officials are from all the three wings of the government – the executive, the legislative and the judiciary – constitutional bodies and companies, banks and committees in which the government has full or part ownership.

The commission also said that many high-ranking officials and parliamentarians submitted their forms today.

14 rebels killed; 6 soldiers injured in accident

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KATHMANDU, May 1: Security forces gunned down at least 14 Maoist rebels in clashes in various parts of the country in the last 24 hours, according to the Defence Ministry and our reporter. Eight suspected Maoists were also arrested along with firearms and explosives from Ramechhap and Sindhupalchowk districts yesterday.

Giving details of the clashes, the Ministry today said that two eachrebels were killed in Bhawajor-Jamunabote area of Ramechhap and Ghansikuwa area of Tanahun districts. Similarly, one rebel each was shot dead in Mirgi of Dolakha, Urhari of Dang, Pallesari of Pyuthan and Fattepur jungle of Saptari districts on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, our reporter in Sindhupalchowk said that the security forces shot dead six rebels, including vice-chief of the Maoist-formed ‘people’s village government’ of Sirubari VDC, in the Rolpakha jungle area on Wednesday morning.

They have been identified as vice-chairman of the Sirubari VDC Jhalak Bahadur Dulal, Shivahari Gautam, Bhaktalal Dulal, Ganesh Bahadur Gautam, Tika Datta Dulal and Chhiring Tamang of Sano Sirubari VDC. It is yet to be independently confirmed the political leaning of the five others except for vice-chairman Dulal killed in the army action.

A local security source, however, claimed that the slain persons held various posts in the Maoist organisations. The source also claimed that the forces recovered more than 50 socket bombs and other materials during their operations in the jungle area.

The Ministry said that a rebel and a civilian sustained injuries during the exchange of fire with the rebels in Fulbari area of Kailali and Pallesari area of Pyuthan districts. They are undergoing treatment at local hospitals.

The security forces also recovered various types of firearms and ammunition, crude bombs and supply materials from the Patlekhet area of Kavre district.

Quoting local people of the Athbiskot area bordering Jajarkot and Rukum districts, the Ministry said that a sack full of heads of the rebels were found on the banks of the Bheri River. The delayed report said the rebels were caught in a landmine blast planted by the rebels themselves in the Athbiskot area.

Meanwhile, at least six soldiers of the Royal Nepal Army, including a Captain, were injured on Tuesday when a vehicle they were travelling in met with an accident at Chisapani, about 28-km away from Nepalgunj, our reporter in Nepalgunj quoted the security officials as saying. The soldiers met with the accident while patrolling the Chisapani area. Seriously injured Captain Binod Bhandari and another soldier were brought to the Birendra Military Hospital in the capital for treatment while the others are undergoing treatment in Nepalgunj.

Meanwhile, our reporter in Bardiya said that five armed-rebels destroyed a building of an unmanned area police post in Rajapur delta on broad daylight Wednesday. All the police personnel were removed from the post before the five-day general strike called by the rebels for security reasons. Peace and security situation of the entire area inhabited by over 80,000 people is deteriorating, as there are no more security personnel. Communication system of the Rajapur area has also come to a grinding halt as the rebels destroyed a telephone exchange catering 150 lines before the bandh.

Most of 3,000 women drug addicts involved in sex trade: Study

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KATHMANDU, May 1: Fifteen-year-old Pinky (name changed) did not know that her intense desire for taller stature to impress her boyfriend would ultimately become the cause of her ending up as a drug addict. But the inevitable was not preventable and now Pinky is trying hard to get rid of both the drugs and the sweetheart.

The ninth-grade kid was unaware of the consequences when she started taking three Nitrocin tablets, as some one told her that the drug would increase her height. Even her parents could not pay due attention to their child, which led her to use the tablets regularly, making her addicted to the drug after some days. Her parents are still unaware of the sorry plight of their daughter who has now started to share her problems with her friends and neighbours.

Pinky is one of the 3,000 estimated women in the Kathmandu Valley who have become drug addict. There are about 10,000 women in 50,000 drug addicts throughout the country, according to experts.

Though people are quite familiar with male drug addicts, they raise eyebrows upon hearing the case of female drug addicts.

But more astounding fact is that 59 per cent of these female drug addicts are found to be involved in prostitution, according to a research study conducted recently by Women Research Project of the Richmond Fellowship Nepal.

The two-year study report released here today by Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Rajendra Kharel further reveals that the major reasons behind women becoming drug addicts are their own addictive husbands and the separation with their husbands.

A majority of the women drug addicts are between the age group of 20-29 years; while 60.5 per cent of them first started taking drugs during the age of 12-19 years, the study says. The study has further said that most of these addicts are presently using multiple drugs.

The fact of 77 per cent of the women addicts being literate depicts that most of them start taking drugs in their school-going age. "We found cases of dozens of girls studying in the schools and colleges taking drugs," said Sunita Singh Malla, co-ordinator of the research project. "But none of the parents and the teachers are ready to accept the fact."

The study has shown that the addicts are using combination of multiple drugs such as tablets and alcohol, alcohol and heroin, alcohol and cannabis.

Malla underlined that the number of female drug addicts is dramatically increasing in the urban areas like Kathmandu, Pokhara, Dharan and Birgunj. "Their number could be higher in Pokhara compared to the capital," she said.

Anita Shrestha, one of the researchers, said though women are one of the fastest growing population in drug abuse, drug culture among the women users is still hidden. "The issue of women drug addict was not addressed until late 1990s," she said.

Social analyst and researcher Ivana Lohar said that female users are more vulnerable than the men from every aspects. "Male users get support and care from family, wife, children or relatives during rehabilitation and recovery," she said. "But it is the women who always face trouble during rehabilitation and recovery."

Women users are in double jeopardy, Lohar said. "They are more prone to HIV/AIDS, as they use drugs and at the same time they work as active sex workers."