Statutory provision for Dalits’ uplift emphasized

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KATHMANDU, May 7: Speakers at a talk programme stressed the need for statutory provisions to give special reservations to the Dalit community for all sorts of opportunities in every sphere of the society.

Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana, general secretary of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, speaking at a talk programme on the role of Dalit representatives in the successful implementation of the concept of decentralisation and good-governance said that mainstreaming of the Dalits (oppressed classes) in the state was a major challenge before the government due to growing threat to nationality.

"The Dalits must be given special reservation in every option to stop the country from going worse," Rana said suggesting reconstitution of the National Assembly as an assembly of different nationalities.

Rana also suggested the government not to rule out the option of talks as a means to end the current problem dogging the country for years.

Vice-Chairman of the National Assembly Ram Preet Paswan said it was necessary for every political party to render special reservation for Dalits within the party.

Jhala Nath Khanal of the CPN (UML) stressed the need for mainstreaming all the communities to tackle the problem faced by the country. "Today’s problem is not the problem of a single party and all of us should make collective effort to get rid of it," Khanal said.

Khanal also suggested the government to keep the option of talks with the Maoists open.

Pari Thapa, member of Lower House, Durga Shov of the National Dalit Commission and Ramashish Shah of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party also stressed for statutory provision of reservations to the people of backward communities in order to consolidate nationality.

‘Speak Your Mind Asian Youth Charter’ presented to UN chief

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KATHMANDU, May 7: To be able to voice personal thoughts to the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, as a representative of Nepal is a dream for many Nepalese. However, for Bibha Shah, this dream turned into reality.

At a special ceremony held at the United Nations here today, young people from 12 Asian countries gathered to present the "Speak Your Mind Asian Youth Charter" to the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan.

The young people represented Nepal, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand. They were the winners of Speak Your Mind campaign contest.

These 12 people reflect the hopes, aspirations, views and opinions of many of their friends in their respective countries and in the region. They seek to make the world a better place for young people.

At the presentation, they told Annan about their dreams and challenges. This included being able to express themselves freely, be heard, protection from sexual abuse and exploitation. These youths also hoped to be free from violence (where books are handed out instead of guns), free from poverty, live together for equality and wish to have a safe, clean and healthy environment.

They appealed to the world to aspire for every young person to have a good education and asked the governments to bring about 100 percent literacy amongst the youths. Together they asked all governments and corporations to protect and maintain the environment so that future generations are able to inherit a healthy and vital planet.

They challenged all the people throughout the world to eliminate discrimination and to promote peace and tolerance through intercultural understanding, ensure all young people are educated about HIV/AIDS for better protection and called on all the governments to ensure that girls have equal access to education and have the same opportunities in life as boys.

Finally, they appealed in the Charter to all governments to put the rights of young people at the top of their agenda, to eliminate all forms of sexual and gender-based abuse and exploitation, to eradicate child labour and put an end to domestic violence.

The campaign, which is a joint effort by the Music Television(MTV), the Levi Brand and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), aims to promote the right of Asia’s young people to freely express themselves and to have their views and opinions heard and taken into account. The multi-media campaign ensures that the views and opinions of young Asians are broadcast on the popular MTV Asia Television channels and websites so that they are seen and heard by millions throughout Asia.

Limbu film show

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KATHMANDU, May 7: As Nepal comprises diverse ethnic groups and cultures, it has many hidden cultural treasures. One among them was portrayed in the Tuesday’s film show of the Limbu film, Numafung.

Numafung is the name of a girl, who successfully portrays the typical Limbu community and culture.

Directed and produced by popular director Nabin Subba, the film has been brought out under the Menchhyayem Pictures banner.

The film shows typical cultural norms like jari system (compensation given to the abandoned husband by his wife’s newly married husband), Limbu marriage and cremation procedure, way of decorating the bride and the system of giving money by the bridegroom to the bride’s parents and many more.

Though the movie moves forward from the viewpoint of her sister Rojina, Numafung is the central character, who marries her first husband to satisfy her parent’s wish.

Through Rojina’s eyes, director Subba has successfully depicted the character of her first and second bhinaju (sister’s husband). Rojina finds her first bhinaju very romantic, kind hearted and friendly. Whereas she finds her second bhinaju a drunkard, hooligan and who beat her sister bitterly.

Due to harsh character of her husband, Numafung becomes obliged to elope with a man called Rikute, whom she has met and falls in love during a mela (fair).

Though at last Numafung succeeds to get her love, she roots her parents out of their own house. To pay jari, the parents have to sell all their property and migrate to some other place. The premiere show will be held on May 18 at the Birendra International Convention Centre, it was disclosed here today.

Metric system of street names launched

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KATHMANDU, May 7:Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Keshav Sthapit today launched the naming of streets and distributed house numbers according to Metric Addressing System to the residents of the eastern sector today.

The co-director of Kathmandu Valley Mapping Programme (KVMP) Padma Sundar Joshi said that the houses, located east of Dhobi Khola will get house number plate, at the nominal cost of Rs 100 from today onwards.

"The naming project is a step in the history-making of Kathmandu. This project would not be successful without support from the local people," Deputy Mayor Bidur Mainali said.

The eastern sector consists of ward Nos. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 34 and 35. KVMP has completed naming in ward Nos. 1, 5, 11, 31, 32 and 33 several months ago. For those who have missed the numbers, KMC is distributing numbers for them from the Urban Development Department.

NC student wing organise Kathmandu district meet

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KATHMANDU, May 7 : Prior to effectively organising the much hyped all-party mass meet slated for Friday, Nepal Students’ Association (NSA), student wing of the ruling Nepali Congress, organised the Kathmandu district level meet in the capital today.

Speaking at the programme that was organised by the NSA – Central Public Relations and Co-ordination Department, various ruling party leaders opined that the mass meet was going to be organised in a bid to protect the achievements of the people’s revolution of 1990.

"It is the duty of all the parties abiding by the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 2047 BS and representing in Parliament to protect the achievements of the people’s revolution of 1990," said NC leader Krishna Prasad Sitaula. "Those who cannot join the mass meet will be losing everything."

Addressing the same function, NC lawmaker Tirtha Ram Dangol said political parties should express their firm commitment and should be ready to sacrifice everything for the protection of democracy.

NC cadre, who comprised a majority of the mass present at the function, said both the government and the ruling party should univocally present themselves. "The voice of the party (Nepali Congress) and its government should be similar," said Jeevan Khadka, Dang-Kathmandu Liasion Committee.

The programme was also addressed by various NC leaders including former minister Dr Ram Baran Yadav.

On the occasion, NSA also made public their upcoming campaigns. According to the organisers, they are going to organise corner meetings at Ratna Park, New Baneshwor, Tundikhel, Mangal Bazar of Patan, Indra Chowk and Maitidevi.

Where’s the KMC to find a safe landfill site?

Finding a landfill site for the households of over a million population has been more difficult than finding bread and butter for them. The quantity of garbage the Kathmanduites produce everyday is rising day by day. But the government has not yet found one single solution or strategy to manage the problem. Why? We can smell only one reason. There is a pleasure in playing games with stinking garbage. Or the decision-makers are addicted with the garbage and they don’t want to get rid of it. Here again, the decision-makers of the fortune of the Kathmandu Valley are throwing a party over the problem. Many many happy returns — what other can the helpless citizens can wish for them?

On one hand the government has recently constituted a special committee to find an alternative landfill site, and on the other it is still selling the dream of Okharpouwa landfill site. The KMC is still solving the problem by "managing" the garbage by filling the pits along the Bagmati River, despite the Supreme Court’s decision.

Okharpouwa is, as KMC officers often comment, lies distant river valley that lies some 32 kilometres from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s (KMC) Transfer Station. Since it is close to water body, and on a riverbed, protecting surface water could be tremendously expensive. Environmentalists should not recommend construction of a landfill site at such a hazardous location and perhaps this is the reason, construction started without waiting for the results of Environmental Impact Assessment.

The construction of the Okharpouwa landfill site will be around Rs 250 million including the cost of construction of winding roads and three bridges to access the site, which would be around Rs 20 million. If we come to complete construction of landfill site at Okharpouwa, that would mean KMC would have to spend Rs 30 million annually only for trasnportation, i.e., Rs 80,000 per day. And capital investment to buy vehicles etc would come to Rs 50 million. The only one question arises in every common citizen’s mind: Can we afford it? Plus, the site is too far away and has to go through hilly roads. There are possibilities of landslides and let’s think what would happen to the valley residents if it is closed for say, a week.

It is not only due to the physical conditions. The locals are allowing the road construction only because they need it. And the road is being constructed, as it is widely said, lies along an influential leader’s land property and the road is sure to hike the land’s value. As it has been indicated, the villagers of neighbouring Chatara Deurali are against the plan of making landfill site there. They are ready to pelt stones at each KMC vehicle that passes by the village. How can we utilise that particular riverside basin for two decades in this condition?

We can also understand that it has been quite difficult for the government that is, Ministry of Local Development to find a nearer site. And looking at the expanding nature of the metropolis, that distant may also come under negotiable point. Of course, we need a big space like Okharpouwa to solve the problem of garbage of the Kathmandu valley in the longer term. But is it a wise decision? Time will tell us but it will be too late when we will realise who is pound wise and who is penny wise. But the matter of the fact is that Okharpouwa is going to be only the proverbial "white elephant" (something that is too expensive to tame) for the local government as a whole.

One thing is interesting: The government has selected one fertiliser industry to appoint for manufacturing manure at Okharpouwa, which the government attests, is quite sophisticated and it will not spread bad odour either. If that is the case, the plant could have been installed in the middle of the city and should not be driven away as far as 32 kilometres that would only hike the price of the manure it would produce due to the trasnportation cost.

It is a good sign that the government is now looking for a new alternative landfill site, for immediate or short-term purpose. Among others, Chovar hills, that is deserted by the Himal Cement Factory could be one ideal alternative. Experts say, it is environment-friendly and also cost-effective. This would need only approximately Rs 6 million annually for transportation of around 800 to 1000 cubic metre of waste that Kathmandu Valley produces daily.

Only a bold decision is needed and also a diplomatic way to convince the locals, to win their hearts. Thanks to the locals of Mulpani that people have learned the shrewd benefits of inviting landfill site and then playing the game of bargaining. Let this not happen there. Kirtipur Municipality has already shown ‘no-no’ indication to any proposal related to landfill site. Only walking through a razor’s edge will give the valley a landfill site, which is also the way out for the 1.5 million people’s healthy life.

Maoists’ blockade hit Khotang people

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RASUWAGHAT, May 7:Far flung district Khotang is facing the shortage of daily consumable food items following the blockade on food supply by the Maoist rebels.

The porters lost the jobs due to the blockade and their families are suffering in the lack of earnings. Intimidated by the Maoist rebels, porters and mules no more supply food to the district.

In the absence of security personnel, Maoist rebels are guarding at Rasuwaghat the only entry point of the district for the blockade. Rasuwa b azaar, the busiest bazaar, is now silent and business activities have almost come to a halt, according to the locals.

The district, which is not linked with the roads, was cut off from the air service after the Maoist destroyed the lone airport.

The people transporting food on mules’ back say that they have stopped the business since past two weeks. "The Maoists threatened us frequently to stop supplying food to the district and also manhandled us," said the concerned.

"How am I to go to my house? What shall I feed my children? I am now penniless," said a sad porter. The businessmen at Rasuwa bazaar are also equally worried, as their business has witnessed a sharp decline. "The business has come to a standstill due to Maoists," said a businessman."I am planning to migrate from here."

Red Panda found in Kanchanjunga area

By Dharma Prasad Poudel

TAPLEJUNG, May 7:Kanchanjunga Conservation Area Project (KCAP) is residence of Red Panda, one of the rare wild animal, among the various endangered animals, the officials at KCAP said.

For the first time in Nepal, the animal was detected at Dhunsha sector under ACAP region in Lelep VDC of Taplejung district a week ago, said the officials.

According to Yugal Kishor Thakur, acting Chief at KCAP, Dorge Sherpa, a local of Lelep-8, found a baby Red Panda in the forest. The baby panda was wounded and Sherpa brought it to his house.

However, the panda escaped before the KCAP officials could examine it, said Thakur.

Panda, having round face, large ears and short legs and resembling a cat, are found in the lower part of Himalayan along Nepal, India and Bhutan, added Thakur. Red Panda is a herbivorous animal living mainly on bamboo shoots and fruits. The lives on the bottom of tree trunks or in caves.

The officials at KCAP estimate the number of red panda to be eight in Nepal. World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimate that there are around 500 to 600 mature Red Panda in the world.

The officials at KCAP say that the villagers living in the buffer zone are very friendly to the wild life, unlike the past. "In the past, the villagers enjoyed hunting but now they chase back the animals to the forest if seen nearby," an official at KCAP said.

Stretching over an area of 2,035 sq. km, KCAP was established by the government in 1997. KCAP is located at the height of 2,804 metres from the sea level, KCAP is visited by a total of 530 tourists within 1998 to 2001, according to KCAP.