Air quality remains within respirable limit in the Valley

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KATHMANDU, Aug 5 : With most days of the last week (July 27 to August 2) wet, the quality of air at Putalisadak and Patan areas came down to respirable level again. The quality of air at the places had deteriorated to unhealthy level in the previous week.

To the happiness of the people residing at Thamel, Bhaktapur, Kirtipur and Matsyagaon localities, the quality of air that they inhale continued to remain within respirable limit even during the last week.

The air quality monitoring stations at the places have been showing a considerable improvement in the air quality ever since the advent of this year’s monsoon on June 16.

According to the weekly pollution results provided by the Ministry of Population and Environment (MoPE), the level of fine particulate matter with diameter less than or equal to 10 micro-meter known as PM10, as monitored by the air quality monitoring stations at Putalisadak and Patan slightly crossed the national standard for PM10. The National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for the pollutant is 120 micro-gram per cubic meter.

A major and most alarming solid pollutant in the air of the Kathmandu Valley, PM10 is hazardous to human health as it is very small and remains suspended in the air for a long time and easily goes into human lungs. The rising level of the pollutant has been a serious concern in the valley.

Hospital studies have already shown growing health damage to the people of the valley. Long exposure to pollutant is more lethal to the patient of asthma, respiratory diseases, the old and the young alike.

ILO refutes misuse of fund in ex-Kamaiya rehabilitation programme

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KATHMANDU, Aug 5 : The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has denied allegations of irregularities in the former Kamaiya rehabilitation programme funds as reported in the local press recently.

"As a specialised UN Tecnical Agency, ILO follows all standard of international administrative and financial norms and procedures in the execution of activities," states a press release issued by the ILO here today.

"The ILO projects are duly reviewed and approved by HMG/N Ministries and all agreements are signed with the Ministry of Finance, HMG/N."

The statement further states that the ILO project on rehabilitation of Bonded Labour (ex- Kamaiyas) in Nepal was approved by HMG/N on the 14th December 2001, and started activities in the five former Kamaiya Inhabited districts of the mid-and-farwest, immediately after sigining the agreement with HMG/N.

"It is,however, important to clarify that the ILO project, although it is addressing the concerns of all former-Kamaiyas and agricultural workers in the five districts, is only providing rehabilitation support to the poorest section of the ex-Kamaiyas under A and B categories."

The ILO project has already provided educational support to over 6 thousand children of A and B cartegory, rescued and rehabilitated more than 200 ex- Kamaiya girl children and initiated non-formal education for all illiterate adults and of the aforementioned categories, states the release.

Concerns raised over govt apathy towards educational institutions

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KATHMANDU, Aug 5 : Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa today said that the country was going through hard times and that the government was in a disadvantaged position to take forward desired steps.

"Our desires have been suppressed. We wanted to do something in some areas, but we have not been able to do it," Prime Minister Thapa said while addressing the 31st meet of Kathmandu University here.

Prime Minister Thapa indicated that the government was not in a position to support educational institutions at a time when the country’s economy was witnessing a severe downturn. However, he assured that the government would support them whenever normal situation returns in the country. Vice-chancellor of KU, professor Dr Suresh Raj Sharma said the university, which was established in 1990s, would be transformed from what he described as "teaching-cum-affiliated university" into one of "teaching-cum-research university".

Dr Sharma repeatedly questioned the government’s silence over the development of institutions in Nepal. "India had already developed its institutions such as IIT, IIM, IISc as back as 50 years but the government of Nepal has not taken similar efforts," he said.

He said KU is internationalizing its programme to attract international students and to meet global standards.

"The University has plans for students’ exchange, faculty exchange, joint degree award and joint research programme in the future", he said. "KU also has announced a new programme in biotechnology, human and natural resources studies and art and design from the new academic session", he added.

At the function, Dr Sita Ram Adhikari, registrar at the University read out the budget.

"The University had the budget of Rs 231.5 million for the fiscal year 2002-2003 out of which it incurred Rs 116 million as expenditure for the same period", he said. The University has collected Rs 99.23 million as fees from the students.

It spends 28 percent on salaries and 23.5 percent on physical facilities.

Locals play ‘Khaijandi’ to generate awareness

RSS

MADHYAPUR, Thimi, July 5 : Bindhyabasini Chaulagain Group of Dadhikot, Bhaktapur, has been active in creating religious and social awareness in the villages playing Khaijandi, traditional musical instrument, at a time when the traditional religious song is in a state of extinct.

To give continuity to the traditional culture and religion, Chaulagain family of the local Dadhikot has been playing active role to safeguard the religious tradition of the country.

The group presents Bhajan in Thimi, Madhyapur, Bhaktapur and adjoining areas especially during the religious function like Saptaha, week-long Chanting of the Vedas, and other such ceremonies, chairman of the group Dilli Prasad Chaulagain said. The group plays Khainjadi and presents the stories from Krishna Lila, Ram Lila and Mahabharat.

They make a group of 15 to 21 persons for the Bhajan. The group has also reconstructed the Bindhyabasini temple from the amount collected playing Bhajan, he said.

Office lockout plan withdrawn

KATHMANDU, Aug 5 (PR)- The Tribhuvan University (TU) Committee of Nepal Students Union (NSU) withdrew their lockout plan of hostel warden’s office at TU, a statement issued by the NSU, TU Committee said here today.

Students had locked hostel warden’s offices of both Kanti and Iswari Girls’ Hostels since June 28 citing irregularities in the hostels. They withdrew their strikes after the TU administration formed a high-level taskforce to investigate the irregularities and assured to upgrade physical facilities of the hostels, it said.

Better ads for AIDS awareness sought

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KATHMANDU, Aug 5 : Madan Kumar Karna, co-ordinator of ‘ Mit Nepal’ an NGO, working for women in the special sector (women working in the cabin, dance, Dohori and discos), said the message conveyed through the advertisement of HIV/ AIDS was minimising one’s affection towards life in the case of AIDS victim.

Speaking at an interaction programme organised by the Federation of Nepal Family Planning Central Office here today he said, "The advertisement conveying the message that "there is no cure for AIDS" is giving mental tension to the sufferers, so such types of advertisement should be stopped."

The programme was mainly focused on reproductive health, unsafe abortion, safe maternity, HIV/AIDS and infertility. Meanwhile, the president of Mit Nepal Sashi Sharma appealed to the government to enforce the law of abortion. "Many women are still dying through unsafe abortion so only public service for abortion can stop such deaths," she said.

There was also discussion on the health of women of special sector. "There is a vital role of such health awareness interaction programmes to solve the health problems of women involved in the special sector," Sharma said.

Laxmanpur dam affects life in border areas

RSS

HOLIA, Banke, Aug 5 : When black cloud starts to hover over the sky, the heart of the people of inundated areas starts to palpitate horribly. People start praying and come out of their homes when it starts to rain in the hilly areas of eastern side and in their own areas.

The Laxmanpur dam and Rapti barrage constructed in Nepalese land by Indian side creates a terrible situation to the local people.

"I have not been able to spend a single day without tears and grief during the rainy season for the last four years," local farmer Raj Bahadur Mautiya said.

There is scarcity of foodgrains to farmer Jogi Prasad Loniya of Piprahawa since India constructed dam there. Inundation destroys the whole fields during the rainy season, he said.

"After the construction of the dam by India , I have been facing difficulties, it was not so before the construction of the dam," he said.

Students of Nepal National Primary School, Kolahi of Betahani Village Development Committee have not been able to study regularly after the construction of the dam.

"The school is inundated during this season, how to teach to the students when half of the school is under water,’’ headmaster of the school, Sitaram Yadav said.

"Everywhere there is water, where to sit and where to teach students", he asked.

After Indian side constructed the dam in the Rapti river violating the international law some five years ago, people of nine village development committees of the area have been facing the difficulties.

Dozens of schools are drowned in the floods, thousands of people suffer and thousands of houses submerged in the floods. Thousands of bighas of land is under water. This year over 4,900 hectares of land has been inundated, local people said. "This is unbearable for us, how can we get rid of such problem," local people said with tears in their eyes.

This is a serious problem and needs to be resolved, this is the common voice of the nine village development committees affected by flood.

Thousands of Indians in the border areas are also facing difficulties due to the construction of dam.

Shreebasti and Jamuni of India are also inundated during the rainy season. Indian newspapers also reported that thousands of Indian suffered from the flood this year.

"The dam constructed creates terrible situation to us every year, nobody listens to our problem", said Isahar Khan of Jamuni village of Srawasti district of India. Various places of Nepal including Holiya, Betahani, Laxmanpur, Kalaphata, Katkuiya, Sonbarsha, Phattepur, Gangapur, Mataiya, Nairanapur are badly affected due to the construction of dam which causes inundation every year. The construction of afflux bund for the security of Indian side is creating problem, engineer Lokendra Bhattarai said.

Construction of afflux bund stops the flood to flow to India and Nepalese villages are inundated, he said. The afflux bund is 12-kilometre long.

Khotang severely hit due to slow pace of road construction

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GAIGHAT, Aug 5 : Absence of any motorable road in Khotang has kept this region aloof from national development. In order to catch a vehicle, a resident of this district has to undertake a two-day-walk from the district headquarters, Diktel, laments a local Basu Regmi. Commodities arriving at the market of this district is ten times more than the normal prices, as these have to be transported by porters and on the back of mules.

A sack of cement, which normally costs around Rs 300, is being sold at Rs1300, conceded a former VDC chairman Jagat Banjara. The farmers have been bearing losses worth millions of rupees as they are unable to dispatch perishable goods, especially fruits such as oranges and pears.

It is learnt that negligence and nonchalant behaviour of the government for the past three years in providing funds for road construction has put one kilometre of the constructed track in limbo. An employee at the road project site said that though Rs 80,00,000 had been disbursed last fiscal year for this, 50 per cent of the amount was held back due to delay in affixing the authority to construct this road. The remaining amount was spent on the three kilometre gravel road. It is learnt that it took about four years to lay down this stretch.

According to head of the road project, Krityananda Thakur, construction of this road which was slated for completion within a 15-year period, had started in 1995. But going by the present attitude of the government, this road will take at least another 40 years for completion, contends Thakur.

It is learnt that of the total proposed 131 km road, only 30 km has been completed in an eight-year period.

According to Thakur, for this road to be completed within the previously stipulated time frame, budget should have been disbursed out annually at the rate of Rs 130 million, while only Rs 160 million has been provided in this period.

Parents of 8-month-old appeal for help

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BARDIA, Aug 5 : There have been reports of many children in the world being born with various kinds of handicaps and distortions, some beyond our imagination. Similar is the case of a baby girl born recently to a couple. A baby girl born to Dambar Pokhrel and his wife Bhupendra Kumari Pokhrel, is without a vent for the excretion of faecal matter, that is without any anus.

The child born on December 12 last year, 2002, has been excreting waste from the same vent through which she takes her food, the mouth. The parents came to know of this dysfunction in their child when the girl used to vomit out the excess intake of food materials. The eight-month-old baby is still excreting through her mouth.

The girl is fed mostly fruits, eggs and milk. On check-up at the hospital, the doctor said that her condition was quite critical, her father pointed out.

The parents of the girl, who are permanent residents of Sigatatapani -4 in Myagdi district have been living at Bhugolnagar in Gularia municipality. The father of the girl, a peon at the General Survey Office, has four other children to look after. He says that it is beyond his means to provide her proper medical treatment. His appeals for monetary support to all concerned have fallen on deaf ears.

66 murders in six months

RSS

BIRATNAGAR, Aug 5 : The Informal Sector Services Centre (INSEC), eastern regional office, Biratnagar, has disclosed that a total of 66 incidents of murder took place between January 1 to June 30, 2003 in the eastern region excluding Solukhumbu district.

During the six months period, altogether 71 persons including the state employees, Maiosts and general public died in the 66 incidents of murder. Among them 21 were women.

This was disclosed by the centre at a press conference organised here on Monday.

Among the 66 incidents of murder, seven were carried out by the Maoists, 45 individuals and 14 by the state. In the incidents, Maoists killed 7, 45 died personally and the state killed 19, says the centre.

According to INSEC, 139 persons including eight women were victims of 46 incidents of arrest and torture taking place during the period.

Likewise, 18 women were victims in nine incidents of murder. The period witnessed 19 incidents of kidnapping and 28 incidents of beating in the region. 26 incidents of beating were carried out by the Maoists while two were carried out by the state.

A press release distributed on the occasion also states that 11 incidents of domestic violence and 12 incidents of inhumane treatment were recorded during the period. The majority of the victims were women.

Likewise, 451 incidents of violation of human rights occurred in the six months time in the eastern region during which 724 persons including 253 women and 471 men suffered. Maoists carried out 66 of the incidents while the state was responsible for 102 incidents of violation of human rights, adds the release.

A study of the aforementioned incidents shows that violation of human rights is being continued by both the Maoists and the government side despite the signing of the cease-fire agreement, says the release.

The release also adds that the code of conduct for the cease fire was found to be extensively violated by both the sides.

The centre has also called upon both the sides to sit down for unconditional talks and resolve the problem with honesty towards the general Nepali public.

Infrastructure woes affecting flights

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NEPALGUNJ, Aug 5 : Seven air strips in the remote districts of mid-west and farwest Nepal are forced to continue flights despite lacking basic infrastructure. This has not only led to flight cancellations at times but also heightened the risk of accidents, according to concerned sources.

This has severely inconvenienced the inhabitants of the area as the districts are not linked by roadways.

Chaurjahari and Salle air strips of Rukum district, Sanfe of Achham, Jufal of Dolpa and other air strips of Bajura, Bajhang and Jumla districts are sans a tower and building.

In the absence of a tower, the concerned bodies are forced to fly under extreme risks in the absence of inaccurate meteorological data such as on wind speed and pressure, sources point out.

With the towers not being installed and the buildings not yet constructed even after six months of cease-fire, hopes are grim that the airstrips will witness safe and regular flights in the short future.

"In absence of a tower, each flight involves a high risk," said Suddha Rawal, airstrip assistant in Dolpa.

Repeated airing of grievances to the centre, for repair of the damaged infrastructure have fallen on deaf ears, according to Gyan Prasad Dhakal, the Chief District Officer (CDO) of Dolpa district.

Lady teacher ‘deprived’ of PF dues

KHOTANG, Aug 5 (PR)- A lady teacher at Basanta Panchami Primary School of Bamrang VDC-5 in Khotang district has accused the previous school headmaster of misappropriating the amount of her provident fund worth Rs 40,000. What has distressed Madankumari Rai, the teacher, most is that even the District Education Office (DEO) failed to provide her justice even though she had lodged a complaint two years ago.

"Shiva Kumar Rai, the headmaster would use the amount of my provident fund instead of transferring the same into my bank account. I came to know of it very late," said teacher Rai. Though, Surya Ghimire, the school inspector had stated that the DEO had punished the guilty headmaster, Rai has said that she is yet to receive the due amount.

Normalcy returns in Krishnanagar

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KAPILVASTU, Aug 5 : Krishnanagar is limping back to normalcy. A tense situation prevailed yesterday after a civilian was mercilessly thrashed by army personnel of the revenue patrol team.

The incident sparked off when a resident of Adarsha VDC in Krishnanagar, Ajad Singh Thapa, who was coming from across the border through the old customs office with two to three packets of biscuits, entered into an altercation with the security personnel. He was brutally beaten up by two to three security men and later had to be taken to Butwal for necessary treatment, as he could not be treated in the health centre in Krishnanagar.

The condition of Thapa, who was admitted in a critical condition, is gradually improving.

In this regard, an understanding was reached at a meeting attended by people from various walks of life including social workers, businessmen, industrialists, representatives from political parties and army officers, here today.

According to a participant, Shushil Kumar Shrivastav, it was agreed upon that the army will provide the cost of treatment to the injured civilian, not to allow such events occur in future.

Action will also be taken against the guilty army personnel.

1 dead in stampede outside temple

RSS

DHARAN, Aug 5 : One devotee died and dozens of others were injured while standing in queue for worship at the Pindesworbaba temple at Bijayapur yesterday.

Lakhiya Devi Gangain, 80, who came from Darbesa-4, Babiya, Morang district, to ritually offer water from the Saptakoshi river at the Bolbam religious fair, died at 7:00 in the Morning. Dozens of devotees collapsed while queuing up for worship.

The devotees who numbered over 100,000 were in two lines about 3.5 km long.

Devotees fainted because of the unbearable heat of the sun.

Gangain died on the spot but others were treated at a health camp organized by the Nepal Family Planning Association Sunsari and at the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences.

The devotees collapsed as they were on fast for the second day in the course of going
on foot to the Saptakoshi river at Chatara, 16 kms west of Dharan to take the water and bringing it back for offering at the Babadham, doctors said.

Devotees throng the temple every Monday in the month, and this time as the police were unable to manage the crowds and the Royal Nepal Army at phusre had to be called in.

China keen to work on varied fields with Nepal for mutual benefits: Bista

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Kathmandu, August 5 : Former prime minister Kirti Nidhi Bistatoday said that China with its fast growing economy is destined to play a major part in the maintenance of international peace and security as well as boosting world economy by its positive emphasis on development.

Speaking to The Kathmandu Post, he said Nepal needs to mould, shape and adjust China-Nepal relations from a perspective of growing economy and development in this part of the world including the South Asian region so that "sitting between the two big Asian Economies—China and India—she would certainly reap a bumper harvest", he said, adding,"I have found my visit useful and enlightening.

We should emulate and learn from China’s experience that peace, security, stability and harmony are indispensable and opportunities should not be missed".

He said, the signs of improved relationship between China and India would have a much wider impact for the region. "China is keen to improve its relationship with India by increasing trade and commerce and finally go for resolution of border problem with mutual understanding and accommodation".

In the meantime, China’s market oriented economy will act as a catalyst to further development of trade and commerce in the south Asian region. In that context, Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s visit to China seems to have gone very well and I have found China’s sincere and good intentions as well as its eagerness to strengthen the bilateral relations by way of co-operating with each other".

Oldest highway re-opens with new traffic schedule

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KATHMANDU, AUG 5 : Traffic police have announced schedules for the vehicles ferrying essential items along the Tribhuvan Rajpath, the oldest highway of the country. The highway has been opened to restricted traffic from Monday afternoon.

Under the arrangement, vehicles bound for the capital from Hetauda and passing through Palung, Tistung , Naubise and Khanikhola will be allowed to pass through the highway until Wednesday midnight. The vehicles, which are destined to the capital, will not be allowed to take the road after that Wednesday.

Similarly, vehicles headed for Hetauda via Naubise, Tistung and Palung will be allowed to pass through the same road on Thursday evening. Vehicles headed for the capital will be allowed to pass through the road after midnight Thursday. They will be allowed to continue plying the road until Friday evening, the press release said.

While vehicles plying as part of emergency will not be stopped even as there is a ban on vehicles which has a tare of more than 10 tonnes.

Meanwhile, the Narayangarh and Mugling section of the Prithvi Highway, which was expected to be functional from this afternoon, remained closed until the evening.

According to Director General of DoR Madan Gopal Maleku, diversions have been built on two of the three damaged stretches that lie between 21-24km of the highway, which had collapsed following a massive landslide last Wednesday.

"Road workers from the Divisional Road Office in Bharatpur, are building a diversion on the 23km stretch of the road," he said. However, it would take at least another two weeks to reestablish the road link between the capital and Pokhara. A 33m-long bridge over Ruwa Khola and a culvert at Dharapani were swept away by massive landslides in the Muglin-Abu Khaireni section of the Prithvi Highway.

According to Maleku, works are going on war footing to clear debris and boulders in that section. He also informed that road workers are making arrangements to prepare a 36m-long belly bridge over Ruwa Khola.

Marsyangdi hydel plant flood losses put at over Rs 80 m

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MARSYANGDI, Tanahu : A landslide that took place in the Mugling-Abu Khaireni section of the Prithvi Highway has caused a damage amounting more than Rs 80 million to the Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Power Plant, the station manager said today.

Marsyangdi Hydroelectric Station, the second largest hydroelectric plant in the country after Kali Gandaki ‘A’ with power generating capacity of 69MW, was forced to shut down its power production following Wednesday’s floods.

"The damage is estimated between Rs 80-100 million," said Dev Sharma Poudel, the station manager. "NEA has to incur Rs 6.5 million in a daily loss."

The ravaging Ruwa rive, which cascades down the hill next to project’s power station, had also flooded the station. The flood has also caused damage to a couple of 132kv transmission towers, which channel electricity to Bharatpur transmission line.

‘Pilot error led to Shangrila crash’
Job pressures too may have contributed to tragedy

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KATHMANDU, Aug 5 : The seven-member official probe committee investigating last year’s Shangrila Air Twin Otter crash near Pokhara released its findings today, pinning the blame on "pilot error" for failing to judge deteriorating weather conditions. But members of the committee later told The Kathmandu Post that professional pressures might have led the pilot to take unnecessary risks, resulting in the crash.

The official report states: "The probable cause (of the crash) is that the pilot lost situational awareness while attempting to navigate in a condition of poor visibility and the presence of thick low clouds and not maintaining safer altitude." The report further says that the aircraft was flying when the visibility was below the standard. The aircraft was flying under Visual Flight Rules (VFR).

Eighteen people, including 15 tourists, were killed when the Twin Otter crashed 4.76 kilometres south of the Pokhara airport on August 22, 2002 while on a routine flight from Jomsom.

Captain Bipin Mishra, in charge of the ill-fated aircraft was one of the safest pilots, the official report says adding, "the landing of two similar aircraft at the same airport, a couple of minutes earlier tempted him to land his aircraft even in such an adverse conditions."

Despite such conclusions of the report, some of the members of the probe committee later told The Kathmandu Post said that the pilot alone may not be the culprit. Other factors too could be equally responsible for the accident.

"During the investigation, we came to know that Captain Mishra feared losing his job if he failed to land at the destination airport," one of the team members said requesting anonymity.

He said it was job-related pressures that forced Mishra to take risks, otherwise he would have diverted to Bhairahawa. Some committee members said Capt Mishra was known as a safe pilot because he was known to cancel flights or divert to other airports rather than risk a dangerous landing. But such behaviour had marked him out in the airlines, the members said.

The investigation report substantiates this fact and reveals that the operating airlines had reduced the salary of Capt Mishra significantly in the later years, owning in part to his frequent cancellation of unsafe flights or diverting to other airports. Mishra was interrogated number of times when he diverted the aircraft from the destination airport.

Sources further add the air traffic controller is also responsible for the accident.

He should have closed the airport during such a deteriorating weather condition, a committee member said.

Govt increases ration, allowance of prisoners

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KATHMANDU, Aug 5 : The government has increased ration of the prisoners and fixed their daily allowance at Rs. 30 with the ninth amendment in the prison regulation-2020.

A press statement issued by the Prison Management Department today said that it has also increased the daily allowance of the children dependant upon the prisoners.

According to the amended regulation, the children of
12 or below age will receive Rs. 10 and the children above 12 will get Rs. 15 as daily allowance.

The pregnant prisoners will now receive alternative ration of one month before their delivery.

The statement added that the prisoners unlike the previous system are entitled now to receive cash equal to the cost of clothes that the District Administrative Office provides them every two-year.

The facilities and salary of the teacher prisoners have also been increased from that of the guards’ in the amended regulation, the press statement said.