Govt hands over trolley bus services to local bodies

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KATHMANDU, Aug 7 : Materializing the long-running saga of resuming the operation of Trolley Bus Services (TBS), the government formally handed over the TBS to a consortium of Kathmandu Metropolitan City, Bhaktapur and Thimi municipalities.

A formal agreement to this effect was signed here toady between the representatives of the government and concerned municipalities. Dhurba Sharma, spokesperson of Ministry of Labour and Transport Management and chief executives of the three municipalities signed the agreement on their respective behalf.

Talking to the pressmen after the signing ceremony, Ram Prasad Sharma, chief executive of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, said the joint consortium of the three municipalities is planning to operate the service by September 1.

As per the agreement, the government has formally handed over the TBS to the local bodies for 20 years and all the liabilities of the company would be borne by the consortium itself. However, the local bodies will acquire approval from the government in case they wish to sub-contract the management. The consortium will also require submitting report of operation in every six months.

The consortium is planning to invest some Rs 30 million to bring the services into operation. Of the total, Rs 10 million will be invested for the maintenance of the buses while some 20 million for repair of its cable system.

Despite the signing of the agreement, both the government and the consortium have not yet fixed the amount of royalty. Dhurba Sharma told The Kathmandu Post that the amount of royalty to the government would be fixed through mutual understanding.

Speaking on the signing ceremony, Minister for Finance, Labour and Transport Dr Prakash Chandra Lohani said the hand-over is a part of the government policy of empowering local bodies through enhancing their participation in public utilities. "The government is ready to extend co-operation with all municipalities, where the feasibility of trolley bus operation is possible," said Lohani adding the government has recently asked proposal from the interested municipalities for the operation of trolley bus services.

Kamal Thapa, Minister for Information and Communications, said there is a high and immediate possibility of operating trolley bus services in sectors like Biratnagar-Dharan, Hetauda-Birgunj and Nepalgunj-Kohalpur and added that the government is ready to extend necessary co-operation if proposals regarding the operation of services are forwarded.

The bus service was closed in 2001 after the company incurred unbearable loss due largely to political interventions and financial anomalies.

The TBS is expected to resume its services on its route between Tripureswor of Kathmandu and Surya Binayak in Bhaktapur. The decision to hand over the TBS to local bodies was taken on the recommendations of Nepicon Engineering Consultancy, which the Chand government had hired to study its feasibility for revival.

Prithvi Park to be constructed

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KATHMANDU, Aug 7 : Various environment-saving efforts are to be initiated by Save the Environment Foundation (SEF), a sub-committee, under His Majesty King Gyanendra’s 57th birth-day celebration citizens’ main committee. Project director Chanda Rana disclosed this today in the capital.

"The capital is under the intense pressure of environmental degradation caused by rapid and unplanned urbanization as well as shooting population levels," said Rana.

The first effort will be directed towards constructing the Prithvi Park at Bhadrakali surrounding the valuable statue of Prtihvi Narayan Shah. The area, littered with filth after repeated use for political protests, has already been declared ‘prohibited area’ for public activities.

The statue was sculpted by Domenico Antonio Tonelli, a celebrated Italian sculptor based in England. It was inaugurated in 1925 by the late king Tribhuvan.

Meanwhile, a book on archaeological research on valuable statues in the valley, conducted by SEF was handed over by Raj Parishad Standing Committee Chairman Parshu Narayan Chaudhary to the Department of Archaeology, Kathmandu Metropolitan City and Ministry of Environment.

Speaking on the occasion, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kaji Shrestha expressed the commitment of the business community towards such efforts. "We are willing to participate in the present and future projects directed at salvaging the degrading environment of the valley," he said.

Art contest organised

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KATHMANDU, Aug 7 : Silasha Rajbhandari from Bhanu Bhakta Memorial School class 10, Priti Sherchan of Galexy Public School class nine and Shiva Prasad Koju, class 10 student from Kamal Netra Chhuna Muna School were declared first, second and third respectively in the valleywide art competition organised by the Nepal Children's Association (NCA), on the occasition of 39th ‘National Children’s Day’ here today. According to the statement issued by NCA here today, Bhuvan Subba of class seven from Rajdhani English School, Gopal Gurung from Eyen Academy, class nine, Sunil Ale of class nine from Disabled Child’s School were selected for consolation prizes.

Conference proceedings launched

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KATHMANDU, Aug 7 : The proceedings of the "International Seminar on Mountains", held in the capital from March 6 to March 8, 2002, was launched today by State Minister for Science and Technology Renu Kumari Yadav.

The United Nations General Assembly had, in the year 1998, declared 2002 as the International Year of Mountains. Praising the Royal Nepal Academy for Science and Technology (RONAST) for its commendable contribution in the field of science and technology, State Minister Yadav said the proceedings would be helpful to the people of all walks of life.

She also assured help to RONAST from the Ministry in its future endeavours. Of the total of 99 papers presented at the seminar, the proceedings consist of 72 write-ups from people of 8 nations.

Efforts vital to end injustice to women

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KATHMANDU, Aug 7 : Sickness of one or the other kind is not unusual. Taking this view in mind one should always think twice before charging anyone of witchcraft because whom one accuses of witchcraft may be a psychological patient.

Speaking at a workshop on "Witchcraft" organised by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) here today, Dr. Bhogendra Sharma of the Centre for Victims of Torture (CVT) remarked, " It is not punishment one should think of giving such people but they should be provided with proper treatment."

He said during the study of CVT, it was found that witchcraft victims were still not compensated despite the decision made a long ago.

"Many times we went to the District Administration Office (DAO), but the office always said they did not have budget to compensate witchcraft victims," he said.

Member of NHRC Sushil Pyakurel observed the sole commitment of the NHRC was never enough to fight against such inhuman behaviour towards women. Speaking in the same vein, he appealed to different governmental and non-governmental organisations, journalists and civil society to cooperate in the efforts. He said, "Our single participation is never enough, we need a collective support to achieve the goal."

Attack on GAESO chief condemned

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KATHMANDU, Aug 7 : Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organization (GAESO) has condemned the attack on its chairman Padam Bahadur Gurung in London. Gurung was attacked by two unidentified persons on August 4 while on the way to return his apartment at Edgware.

The central committee meeting of GAESO today passed a resolution condemning the attack. According to a press statement issued here today, Gurung was returning to his apartment after holding a meeting with GAESO lawyer Phil Shiner regarding the Gurkha Army’s plea at the London High Court. The case was filed at the Court demanding equal treatment of the Gurkha Army personnel with their British counterparts.

According to the release, Gurung is undergoing treatment at his own apartment after primary treatment at a local hospital. His hand and leg were severely injured and face is swollen.

Gairi Fant, Majhigaon farmers reel under flood fury

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MANTHALI, Aug 7 : The locals living around Gairi Fant and the Majhigaon regions are leading a nightmarish existence as the flooded Tamakoshi and Ranjor rivers are threatening to submerge their lands.

It is quite impossible for us to control the floods alone, says a local from Manthali, Khetraj Jaishi. The government has been viewing all this as a helpless spectator rather than doing something to ameliorate this situation, Jaishi contends.

It is learnt that the Ranjor River has cut in through hundreds of acres of land to the west of the district headquarters. Due to the deposition of the pebbles and stones, blockage has been created over the Tamakoshi River, which in turn has begun to cut in through the farms, Jaishi said. If Tamakoshi and Ranjor rivers are not brought under control immediately, about 150 houses around Gairi Fant including hundreds of farmlands will get inundated, lament locals.

It is learnt that a small pond has been created at Tamakoshi River due to accumulation of debris, which is expected to become bigger in course of time, and thus lead to submergence of the surrounding areas.

However, it cannot be said that the government did not make any attempt to control these two rivers, as it had erected a barricade wall held by metal wires which did not last even for a year. The flooding of these rivers have especially been hampering the farmers.

Farmers inform of how they had controlled the water in the eastern section of Tamakoshi and had thriving paddy growth for the past few years, but now with these farmlands getting waterlogged the situation has changed for the worse. A local farmer Bhim Bahadur Majhi, pointing to the submerged farmland, said that if he were to go there now, a boat would be needed.

According to the Village Development Committee in Manthali, this problem is beyond the control of the local farmers and in order to curb this the government should come up with concrete plans.

Measles claims three children 

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MANMA, Kalikot, Aug 7 : Nine children have died of measles since the third week of July in Ramnakot VDC, situated at a distance of 16 miles from the remote district headquarters of Kalikot, and Badalkot VDC, located about 10 miles from the same district headquarters.

A local teacher of Janata Lower Secondary School at Kharduka, who had come to the district headquarters from Ramnakot, said that within 15 days seven children from wards 7, 8 and 9 of Ramnakot had succumbed to the disease.

It is learnt that many other children between one-month to 12 years have been afflicted by this disease. Similarly, a four-year-old and three-year-old child from Kharrakot in Badalkot died on August 5.

Many other children in Badalkot have also come under its grip. Though there exists an area health post at Ramnakot, it is most of the time sans medicines, laments a local.

However, chief at the District Health Office, Dr Ramraj Pant, talking to The Kathmandu Post said that they do not have the complete information about the epidemic state of measles, and added that they have surplus medicines in the district headquarters.

According to Chief District Officer (CDO), Madhav Prasad Pokhrel, if they have confirmed information about this outburst, they would have already sent a medical team to the affected area.Till date neither medicines nor health workers have been deployed to the affected region.

It is learnt that even during the months of May and June, as also affirmed by the District Health Office, 14 people had died of flu.

Rebels set free mother, 9-month-old baby

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DHANKUTA, Aug 7 : Maoist rebels released a woman and her nine-month-old baby from a one-and-half-month period of captivity after making her sign a bond. She was released five days ago.

Tika Darnal and her baby, hailing from Marekatahare VDC-9, were abducted by a group of armed rebels. A Maoist source said that she was freed from captivity on condition that she would no longer spy against the rebels. Two others who were also abducted by the rebels along with her have not yet been released.

After being released from detention, Darnal said the rebels had got two others to carry their goods. Also, she said that the rebels had inflicted them physical and mental torture.

All of them, who were charged with having Maoist links, had surrendered to the local authorities after the imposition of emergency last year. They were taking refuge in the district headquarters even after their surrender for fear of their lives and had returned to their homes shortly after the cease-fire on January 29.

One killed in jeep mishap

RSS

PATHLAIYA, Aug 7 : A Tata Jeep (Na 1 Pa 6334), plying from Birgunj to Kathmandu, yesterday night hit a stationary tractor (Na 1 Ta 2878) at Pathalaiya-Simara section of Tribhuvan Highway killing 25-year old Dinesh Poudel of Pipra-1, who was travelling in the jeep, and wounding Surya Shrestha, the driver, of Pipra-2.

Both Poudel and Shrestha had been rushed to the hospital. Both were the employees of Hulash Steel Company, Simara, it is learnt from the company.

The condition of driver Shrestha is said to be normal.

Mystery disease snatches two more lives

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GAIGHAT, Udayapur, Aug 7 : With two more deaths reported today, toll from the mystery disease that has spread in Beltar and Basaha VDCs has reached five. Earlier, three people had died within a week.

The dead have been identified as Dilli Chaudhary, 33, of Beltar VDC-1 and Karna Bahadur Poudel’s eight-year-old daughter Pavitra Poudel of Basaha VDC-8. Both of them passed away while undergoing treatment at B P Koirala Memorial Hospital, Dharan and a primary health centre at Beltar respectively.

Dr Bidhan Chandra Jha at the memorial hospital said that they died of severe pneumonia. An all-party meeting was held at the Beltar VDC office after many people complained of headache, pain in the throat and joints. The meeting decided to demand a team of medics to control the unknown disease.

Maoists warn army against patrolling

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PANCHTHAR, Aug 7 : Rebel Maoists warned that they would once again ambush the government forces if the latter continued patrolling in the areas under their control.

Talking to The Kathmandu Post over telephone from an undisclosed location, Panchthar district secretary of the Maoist outfit, Mausam, said they ambushed the government forces for "violating the agreement of limiting the army within five-kilometre from their barracks".

"If they continue with patrolling the areas under our control in the pretext of health camps and their transfer we will repeat such incidents time and again," he warned.

When asked why they targeted the civilian driver and destroyed his vehicle, the Maoist leader said, "We had no intention to kill the driver and will talk to his bereaved family members."

Four security personnel, including the civilian driver, were killed after a vehicle in which the security personnel were travelling hit a landmine laid on the road by the rebel Maoists on Tuesday.

One killed, two wounded in rhino attack

RSS

NAWALPARASI, Aug 7 : A woman died and two others were wounded when a rhinoceros of Royal Chitwan National Park, which had been swept away by swelling Narayani river last week, attacked yesterday.

Chandra Maya , 27, of Chyaubari VDC-7 died on the spot and Brindra Kumari and Rana Bahadur Thapa of the same place were injured in the attack while they were trying to chase the beast off their sugarcane plantation, the police said.

Hydropower project begins

RSS

MELAMCHI, Sindhupalchok, Aug 7 : The Indravati third hydropower project implemented at constituency No. 3 of Sindhupalchok district has started generating 7.5 megawatts of power by Saturday.

The total capacity of the project that had already generated poser from April and supplied to the national grid is 7.5 megawatts. Because of the shortage of water only 5 megawatts could be generated before the rainy season.

However, with the onset of the rainy season, the volume of water has increased resulting in the generation to full capacity, said engineer of the project, Birendra Shrestha.

As the installed plants and equipment are new, it would not be proper to generate the power up to the full installed capacity at once and the generation has to be increased in a gradual manner, said engineer Shrestha.

Post cease-fire deaths on rise

RSS

NEPALGUNJ, Aug7 : At least 46 persons have lost their lives even after the declaration of the cease-fire between the Maoists and the government in mid-western development region, according to a report. At least 26 persons were killed by the Maoists and 20 by the state during the first six months of the cease-fire period, according to a report made public by Informal Sector Service Centre (INSEC), mid-western development region, here yesterday.

There were about 214 incidents of murder, violence, abduction and rape in the last six months period in the region, according to the report. There were 113 incidents of human rights violation by the state and 101 by the Maoists during the period.

A total of 348 persons of the mid-western development region have been disappearing for that the state and the Maoists are responsible, the INSEC said and demanded that they should be made public. A total of 143 children were killed in the region during this period and the INSEC has urged all to seriously think of the problem.

INSEC has urged both the government and the Maoists to immediately stop the incidents of human rights violations.

Menstruating women forced to lead ostracised existences

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BAJHANG, Aug 7 ; The dogma of abstention during menstrual cycle has resulted in the death of scores of women living in far-western district of Bajhang.

Almost all the women of the district are compelled to spend this period in a small shed away from their home.

The women suffer from several diseases, as they have to sleep on the cold floor and are given less nutritious food. Some women have become victims of rape too.

The women in their periods are not let inside the house and are deprived of nutritious food like milk products.

According to Dhauli Pujara,32, of the Surma VDC ward-5,"Our custom of abstinence during period has made women prone to diseases and some have even lost their lives."

She added, "We are provided only with a rug and a small blanket for sleeping. "

Bhagwati Bohora, 25, of the Dolichaur VDC alleges that she was raped while in the shed. "My husband branded me a prostitute and deserted me," she says.

She is now leading a lonely existence along with her six-year-old son.

Patients suffer as vital departments function sans doctors

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POKHARA, Aug 7 : An acute shortage of doctors has led to a complete standstill in services being provided by the departments of Dermatology, Venerology, and Urology at the Regional Hospital in
the Western Region of the
country.

This situation emerged due to the non-filling of vacancies created after the transfer of senior doctors employed there.

For the past three months the Dermatology and Venerology departments of this
hospital have been closed while urological services too have come to a halt since the past one month.

It is learnt that the Health Ministry is to be blamed for the emergence of this situation, as the ministry had referred the names of those doctors who were out of the country, for filling up the vacant posts.

The departments of Dermatology and Venerology had become non-operational soon after the only doctor working in this hospital, Bhaskar Mohan Kayastha, was transferred on May 4.

Though two doctors had been deployed, only Kayastha had been handling this department after the other doctor, Ashok Kumar Chaurasia, had been shifted to the position of Regional Director. Now after Kayastha was transferred to Bir Hospital in the capital, the entire department is without a doctor.

After senior surgeon Dr Bishwaraj Joshi, who had been working in this hospital for the past 15 years, was also transferred to Bir Hospital, the vacant position was referred to be filled in by a substitute doctor, Dr Badriman Shrestha, who has been staying in England for the past three months.

According to hospital sources, it is unlikely that Shrestha will be returning to the country very shortly. In the absence of any surgeon, many operations of grave importance could not be performed in this hospital much to the disappointment of patients who have come from many remote parts of this region. Mostly, patients suffering from urinary complications and kidney-related diseases have been worst affected.

When the special secretary of the Medical Division at the Ministry, Dr Nirakarman Shrestha, was asked about this situation at the hospital, he feigned ignorance and instead passed the ball on to the concerned department of the Administration.

It is learnt that this hospital has not seen any special class doctors for about five years, and 10 such posts have been lying vacant for a long period.