NTC to alter phone numbers from March 15

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KATHMANDU, Feb 13 : Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC), the state-run sole telecom operator, is altering the existing telephone numbers throughout the kingdom with effect from March 15, 2003 by prefixing one digit.

All the existing phone numbers of Kathmandu district will be prefixed with 4, Bhaktapur with 6 and of Lalitpur with 5. Similarly, the phone numbers outside the valley will have any one of the allocated digits - 4, 5 or 6. For instance, a five-digit phone number 25849 of Dharan will be 525849 after the adjustment.

The NTC would prefix the cardinal number 5 to the existing telephone numbers of 44 districts, 4 to 23 districts and 6 to the numbers of 8 districts. However, the special numbers will remain three digits.

The NTC has already informed the international operators about the change and has arranged for recorded announcement in order to help callers if they dialed old numbers.

The NTC had made such change in its telephone numbers some 16 years ago, converting them to six-digits from five digits in the capital.

Sugat Ratna Kansakar, Deputy General Manager Planning at NTC, speaking at a press meet organized here today, said that the new numbering plan would solve the technical difficulty of further expansion of telephone lines of those exchanges whose numbers are exhausted. But this does not mean that there will be phenomenal increment in telephone distribution, he added.

The exhaustion in the existing numbers in some telephone exchanges and the imminent entry of private operator/s in the telecom sector prompted the NTC to prefix an additional digit to its present basic phone numbers.

The change in the current numbers allows the state-run telecom operator to expand its service to a maximum of 25 million connections.

Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), the regulatory body of telecom services, has allocated cardinal numbers 4, 5 and 6 as operator code to the NTC while 1 is set aside for special service, 9 for mobile phone and 2, 3, 7 and 8 for upcoming private operators, said Ratna Kaji Tuladhar, Deputy General Manager of the NTC.

Software modification is being done in order to make the existing switching equipment compatible with the new numbering plan and concerned equipment suppliers have been providing technical assistance, it was informed during the press meet.

Kansakar also said that the NTC is planning to distribute additional 400,000 basic telephone lines within the Tenth Five Year Plan. Till date the Corporation has distributed 340,000 lines telephone and almost an equal number of people are in the waiting list.

PM positive about int’l mediation

KATHMANDU, Feb 13 (PR) - Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has reacted positively to suggestions from human rights activists that the government should involve international intermediaries and observers in the forthcoming peace negotiations with the Maoist rebels.

"He (the PM) reacted quite positively and said that it is a good suggestion," Dr Bhogendra Sharma, one of the human rights activists who met with PM Chand today, said. "Jokingly, he also invited us to join the Cabinet and help sort things out."

Dr Sharma of the Center for Victims of Torture (CVICT) and Pradeep Pokharel of the Amnesty International (AI) - Nepal were in the team of human rights activist that met the PM today.

The team’s main purpose was to remind the resolutions passed by in the recent annual general meeting of the AI. The resolutions, among others things, call for international mediation in the peace negotiations, end to atrocities from both the warring parties.

Various international organizations like the International Red Cross, the United Nations and countries like Norway have expressed their willingness to assist Nepal in the peace process ‘if requested to do so’.

Railway talks successful, final agreement left to higher level

By Milan Mani Sharma

KATHMANDU, Feb 13 : Nepal and India concurred on most of the outstanding issues pertaining to the Nepal-India Railways Agreement (NIRA), including customs clearance procedures. However, the final agreement remains to be drafted.

"With this round, we have completed the foundation level negotiations on NIRA. The draft agreement will be finalised soon after a few of the remaining issues are discussed through diplomatic channels," said Purusottam Ojha, leader of the Nepali negotiating team.

A press release issued here today evening by the Indian Embassy said, "Substantial progress was made on the outstanding issues. On the few remaining issues, as the need was felt for consulting higher authorities on both sides it was agreed that further discussions would be held through diplomatic channels with a view to finalising the agreement at an early date."

The achievements have been made with the flexibility shown by both sides. During today’s negotiations, the Nepali side retracted its earlier stance of issuing customs clearance to Nepal’s third country imports at Inland Container Depot (ICD), Birgunj, while India pledged to simplify customs clearance procedures at Kolkata port, agreeing to provide concession on the existing provisions of the bilateral transit treaty.

Nepal wanted a provision, independent of the Transit Treaty, for the handling of the railway cargo, which did not materialise. "We have to be satisfied with a few concessions we won within the framework of the transit treaty," said a government source.

Moreover, Nepal conceded to the Indian demand that the railway containers be inspected at Raxaul. Although India agreed to be flexible on Nepal’s demand of ‘one-time-lock’ system, it retained the prerogative to inspect containers anywhere within its territory by producing ‘valid reasons’.

Nepal also compromised on India’s demand that the ICD not be managed by a foreign company. "Two countries agreed to appoint the Terminal Management Company (TMC) either from Nepal or on a joint-venture basis between Nepal and India," said the source. Though a Nepali company can operate the ICD in principle, practically it is not possible since no Nepali firm has such capabilities at present.

India agreed to make Container Corporation of India (CCI), a public cargo handling agency, responsible for security and delivery of Nepal’s container safely to the ICD. "Also, the two countries agreed that TMC would be responsible for submitting mandatory documents like bank guarantee and insurance papers, among others, at the port of entry," said the source. Currently, importers themselves take the burden of submitting such documents.

India has also agreed to simplify the customs clearance procedure for railways. With this simplification, the Nepali importers will not have to produce the original copy of Transit Pass for customs clearance. Parallel negotiation on cross-border movement of motor vehicles, which was extended for the fourth day today, ended inconclusively after the two sides failed to concur on cities and routes to be opened up for commercial bus service.

Sources said that India, reiterating security concerns, stood firm on its stance that it would not open major cities like Delhi, Kolkata and Patna. Subsequently, Nepal also denied entry for Indian vehicles to Kathmandu and Pokhara.

"The talks on Regulation on Trans-border Movement of Motor vehicles (RTMMV) would be held on the next round at earliest," states a press release of the Ministry of Labour and Transport Management (MoLTM).

RPP favours all-party participation in peace talks

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KATHMANDU, Feb 13 : Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) is willing to openly discuss all issues raised by the Maoists for solution of the problems, said RPP Chairman Pashupati Shumser Rana.

"We are ready to discuss each and every concern of the Maoists, but the Maoists should be able to justify the rationale behind all of their concerns," said Rana, speaking at an interaction programme organised by the party’s central committee.

Rana stressed the necessity of the involvement of all the state mechanisms for the success of the talks. "The political parties, which are an integral part of the state, must be accommodated by the government," said Rana, adding, "The success of the peace talks depends on the participation of the political parties."

Rana said the agreement between the two warring groups - the Maoists and the government - was not a long-term solution of the problems unless it addressed the grievances of the people victimised during the protracted seven-year war.

Speaking at the programme, RPP central committee member, Balaram Gharti Magar accused the government of failing to adopt a concrete policy towards the Maoists. "The Maoists have been allowed to organise armed meetings but failed to ensure return of the party cadres," Shrestha said. "There are suspicions over the success of the peace talks as the Maoists in the local level are still reported to have been advocating against the talks," Gharti Magar added. "They are still telling the people that the cease-fire is just a time for relief and they don’t believe in it."

Record seekers aim Everest peak

By Satyendra Timilsina

KATHMANDU, Feb 13 : The Russian ‘Leopard of Snow’ Velentin Bojoukov, 69 is attempting world’s highest peak to become the oldest man to conquer Mount Everest.

Bojoukov, one of the 10 members of Everest Peace Project, has scaled more than 150 peaks in his climbing adventure spanning for about 50 years, but none above 7,500 meters. However, he has visited Nepal nine times, and surveyed Mount Everest in his seven visits to locate new climbing routes.

"Our team along with Bojoukov is expected to begin the expedition on May," said Lance Trumbull, Director of the project.

The record for the eldest climber of 8848 meters high peak is on the name of Sherman Bull, an American who reached atop Mount Everest at the age of 64 in May, 2001. A Nepali boy Temba Tshiri Sherpa holds the record for the youngest to climb the Everest, at the age of 15 in 2001. The government set 16 years as the low age limit to scale the Everest after Tshiri’s record, but there is no such higher age limit.

The Everest Peace Project is a humanitarian expedition for peace, religious tolerance and understanding. The team will have Buddhist, Christian, Confucian, Hindu, Jew, Muslim and Taoist believers, and also an atheist.

Anwar Abass, a Pakistani and Igor Medinin, a Russian, have been finalised as Muslim and Buddhists climbers, respectively, said Trumbull. The remaining climbers would be finalised soon.

"There will be no national or religious flags, the symbol that we will wear on our clothing and the flag that we will plant on the top of the summit of Everest will be that of the earth," said Trumbull.

Meanwhile, three Nepalis Pemba Dorje Sherpa, Lakpa Sherpa, and Appa Sherpa have also announced to create and improve their records this spring season.

According to Ang Tshiring Sherpa, the President of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Pemba and Lakpa are competing for the shortest time to scale the Everest. Late Babu Chhiri Sherpa’s record of 16 hours 56 minutes is yet unbroken. Pemba Sherpa is aiming to set the record in 16 hours 30 minutes, whereas Lakpa Sherpa keeps the ambition to reach atop in 15 hours from the Everest Base Camp (5,230 meters).

Appa Sherpa, the record holder for the most number of climbs has announced to summit the Everest for the thirteenth time, with an American expedition team.

Not just the individual records but the total number of expedition team for this summer is also a record, as 14 teams are finalised and three are awaiting approval, says official at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

It was on May 29, 1953 when a Nepali Tenzing Norgey Sherpa and a New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary conquered world’s highest peak for the first time. To mark the 50th anniversary of this historical day, Nepal is observing the golden jubilee year of Everest conquering with several activities in the Kingdom.

Govt in dock for non-implementation of pollution control in the valley

By Kiran Chapagain

KATHMANDU, Feb 13 : The Supreme Court (SC) today issued a show cause notice to the government, in response to a writ petition filed by ‘Research Institute for Public Interest Justice Support’, on Wednesday, demanding implementation of the government’s notice, to make the capital free from vehicular air pollution. The government had published the notice through a Gazette in November 2000.

The Cabinet, Ministry for Population and Environment (MoPE), Home Ministry, Transportation Ministry, Department of Transport Management, Traffic Police Office and the Police Headquarters have been named as defendants in the show cause notice.

Twenty-year-old vehicles and vehicles with two-stroke engines plying in the capital are the main source of pollution in the valley. Keeping this in mind, the government had decided to put a ban on such vehicles on November 10, 2000 but was not implemented following protests by the owners of such vehicles.

Meanwhile, though it has been ten months since the filing of the proposal seeking the ban on 20-year old vehicles and two-stroke motorcycles in Kathmandu in the cabinet by MoPE, the proposal is yet to be passed by the cabinet.

Sources at MoPE said the proposal is gathering dust in the Social Committee of the cabinet and likely to remain there for some time. "I do not want to comment on when and what will be done to the proposal since it is a very complicated issue," Gopal Dahit, Assistant Minister for Population and Environment told The Kathmandu Post.

The source added that the growing rift between MoPE and the owners of such vehicles over the issue has prevented the Cabinet from taking any decision over the matter.

A number of meetings have been conducted with the owners of the vehicles recently but no headway has been made, the MoPE source added.

"Until the bus entrepreneurs are satisfied, the Cabinet cannot make any decision on the proposal of the ban," the source said on condition of anonymity.

The government had decided to ban nearly eleven thousand such vehicles from plying in Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Lalitpur, on the grounds of air pollution, following complaints from environmentalists, traffic officers, NGOs and INGOs.

The decision to ban the polluting vehicles stated that all such vehicles would be kept off the 11 hundred kilometer roads in the valley by mid-November 2001 and that no registration of the vehicles registered before 1980 and with two-stroke engines would be entertained.

Close on the heels of the government’s environment-friendly decision, the owners of the polluting vehicles mounted a number of strikes, which forced the government to constitute a seven-member committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Jagadish Chandra Pokhrel, the then member of the National Planning Committee, to end the deadlock. The committee prepared a proposal suggesting that the government ban the vehicles within three months, establish co-ordination with the owners of the polluting vehicles and granting justifiable compensation.

Most studies carried out in the past had implicated old vehicles and two-stroke engine motorcycles for the worsening air quality. These vehicles are the main source of particulate matter having aerodynamic diameter less than 10 micrometers (PM10) and total suspended particulate (TSP).

According to environmentalists, PM10 is very dangerous to health as it is very small and remains suspended in the air for long periods and easily enters the lungs.

SC order for details of 6 detainees

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KATHMANDU, Feb 13 : The Supreme Court today asked Home Ministry to furnish a written explanation regarding the six detainees within 24 hours of the court order.

A single bench of Justice Min Bahadur Rayamajhi stated in its order that the government should present details of the detainees including their whereabouts and the cause of their arrest.

The detainees, Kumar Pant, Rupak Adhikari, Dil Bahadur Adhikari, Asha Gopal Adhikari, Arthaman Lama and Khil Bahadur Adhikari, - all suspected Maoists- were arrested under Terrorist and Disruptive (Punishment and Control) Activities Act (TADA) about a year ago.