Kamalamai municipality wards without electricity

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SINDHULI, Feb 17 : Many wards of Kamalamai municipality are yet to be electrified though it was declared a municipality seven years ago. Its denizens are now almost weary to find that even the wires are not even put up on the poles, which were erected a couple of years ago.

Ten wards of the municipality do not have access to electricity though the rule stipulates that a municipality should be electrified besides other pre-requisites.

In addition to the municipal area, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the state autonomous body responsible for electric supply is unable to provide electric facilities in several VDCs and parts of the district as proposed, according to sources.

NEA has 13 electrification plans unfulfilled in the VDCs including Dadiguranse, Kapilakot and Majhuwa. The plans remain incomplete due to budget constraint, according to NEA district office.

"The centre releases Rs.100, 000 to 200,000 each year and the amount is hardly sufficient to meet the cost of a project," said Chandeshwor Prasad Kushwaha. "The cost of a transmitter for a single project stands at around Rs 250, 000."

District office of the NEA had completed surveys in densely populated VDCs in Kamalakhunja area of the district like Ranibar, Hatpate, Sirthauli, Tandi, Dudhauli, Harsahi and Ladabhir, however, it has failed to supply electricity as of yet, said Ram Hari Pokhrel, the outgoing Chairman of Ranibas VDC.

Electrification project in Kamalakhunja area aimed to light over 12,000 houses. The service in these areas could not be extended due to security reasons, said a source at NEA.

10 VDCs in Sindhuli make remarkable progress

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SINDHULI, Feb 17 : While the development works in many parts of the country were going on at a snail’s pace in the past few years due to insurgency, some VDCs in Sindhuli district have made remarkable progress after the implementation of the Village Development Programme (VDP).

Under VDP, the people formed groups, started saving money and engaged in various income generating works. Thus, without assistance either from the government or any other bodies, the locals made tremendous progress, according to sources.

Upon the implementation of VDP five years ago, 10 VDCs have made tremendous progress. Its people no more approach the landlords for loans nor do they draw loans from banks. They have become self-reliant and they are economically sound, states the latest study report by Local Self-Governance Programme (LSGP).

VDP programme is in action in various VDCs including Ladamir, Arun Thakur, Tinkanya, Sitalpati, Baljor, Jinakhu and others. The VDCs have a total of 352 groups.

In those VDCs where the VDP programme is in action, people are found to be self-reliant and confidant with good economic status, according to Devendra Adhikari, the secretary at (LSGP).

As to other positive factors, the villagers were found sending their daughters to school, abolition of child marriage practise, and drastic cut in the social evils like gambling and alcohol consumption, according to Adhikari.

The groups have saved over Rs. 3,600,000 as of yet and they use the money to invest in various income generating works, as informed by Local Development Fund.

"The members of the group have no dearth of money when buying modern agricultural tools and they are improving a lot at a time when the development works in the country have almost come to a halt," said Karna Bahadur Karki, the outgoing chairman of Tinkanya VDC.

New dam in India may inundate Nepali villages

By Manoj Poudel

KAPILVASTU, Feb 17 : Ongoing construction of a new dam by India close to the Nepal-India border would inundate around 400 hectares of land in Kapilvastu district, according to sources.

India has begun construction of a new dam to replace an old one along Mahali Sagar in Siddharthanagar district of India, which is located just 10-km south of Taulihawa, the headquarters of Kapilvastu district.

However, a Nepal government official, requesting anonymity, said that the agreement is illegal and has breached more than a hundred-year-old agreement. The century-old Nepal-India treaty allows India to construct such types of dams on Sisawa, Maghi, Bajaha and Jumwar lakes, said the official.

The controversial dam, located just 300 metres away from the international border, is intended to be completed within four months. The Indian authorities began the construction in mid-January. Once the dam is completed over the Mahali Sagar, the collected water is expected to irrigate Indian land in Mahala, Piparhawa, and Sahuwanagar, Arjunpur, Karhiya, Pakadihawa and Paharwa villages. The Mahasai River originating in Nepal is the source of the lake.

Earlier, India had sought permission from the Western Regional Irrigation Development Division Office to construct the dam. Though Shanti Krishna Hainju, the Divisional Engineer denied such permission, India obtained permission from the Department of Water-induced Disaster Control and Management.

The old dam inundated around two hundred hectares of land throughout the year in Badauli, Rangapur, Bhaisahiwa and Parsohiya VDCs in Nepal. The new dam under construction is likely to inundate around 400 hectares of land in the southern part of Kapilvastu, said the locals. The old dam used to submerge pillar number 554 during the monsoons, claimed locals.

"The water of the lake submerged my thatched house and my neighbours’ during the last monsoon. I just can’t imagine what will happen to us if the new dam is built," said Faujdar Dhuniya, a local.

The old dam affected these villagers for the past two decades. They have asked authorities concerned to raise the issue of inundation to the Indian counterpart, but to no avail. However, their voices have fallen on deaf ear. "We informed the authorities concerned and even the Water Resources Ministry, but to no avail," said a local, Sajjanlal Kalawar.

Karnali development programme in limbo

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JUMLA, Feb 17 : The Karnali Zone Special Development Programme (KZSDP) started by the government since the past three years is now in a limbo. According to this special programme, about 7,000 apple and walnut saplings were to be distributed by the government, but due to tactless distribution many of the farmers complain of not receiving them. The farmers of various VDCs around the Singja valley such as Kanara Sundari, Pandav-gufa, Narakot, and Badari have been the actual sufferers, it is learnt.

Under this special programme the farmers there were even supposed to be provided with various agricultural equipment like saws and scissors but they have been denied of these too, lament the farmers.

It is learnt that though the time is right for sowing various seeds the farmers have not yet been supplied with ample seeds, the reason being shown is that there is scarcity of these seeds at the distribution centres.

The farmers have been suffering from these inconveniences, which is attributed to the head of the agricultural office there being out of the district most of the time, and the inability of the officer under him not being able to effect out any decision.

It is also learnt that the government had been providing a special subsidy of 50 percent on the air transportation of apples grown in Jumla, but upon cutting down this special facility from last year, these apple farmers are in great trouble since their apples have been rotting away due to failure of prompt delivery. So, the locals around Jumla are anguished and tormented by such behaviour meted out to them by this KZSDP, and are beginning to lose faith in this programme.

Stinky Tansen

PALPA, Feb 17 (PR) - The environment of Tansen, the headquarters of Palpa district, is highly polluted because of the waste from unmanaged slaughterhouses. Around 20 to 25 cattle and ducks, hens and cocks totalling 15 to 20 are slaughtered in different parts of Tansen daily. Excreta of the slain birds and that of the cattle coupled with their bones litter the whole town making it stinky and disgusting, according to sources.

Hulakchok, Makhan Tole, Silkhan Tole, Bhusaldanda, Bishalbazaar and several other parts of Tansen bazaar is polluted with the litter from unregulated slaughter houses, said Bhuyuman Legal, an elderly social worker. Though the concerned bodies like the municipality, Animal Health Service Office and District Administration Office are aware of the pollution from the slaughterhouses and feel the need to manage them; no steps have been taken, according to concerned sources. "The slaughter houses need to be managed and they need to demonstrate clearly the prices of the meat," said Sher Bahadur Basnet, the Deputy Superintendent of Police.

Eye hospital still not functional after three years of completion

By Madhav Aryal

PALPA, Feb 17 : The dream of getting eye treated has not been fulfilled for the eye patients of Palpa and the neighbouring districts, though the building of the eye hospital with sixteen beds in Palpa had been completed three years ago. The reason being the absence of eye doctors here.

This eye hospital, which was completed three years back with a financial assistance of 20,000 US dollar provided by the International Lion’s Club, is yet to start service. Even the officials of the Hospital Committee are unsure about when the doctors are to arrive here and conduct treatment, which the people of that region have deprived of since a long time. The people of this region do not have to venture to other districts for eye treatment or to the capital for minor treatments, which could lead to a grave problem in the long run if a specialist’s help is not taken in time.

However, the chairman of the hospital committee, Ganesh Man Maharjan is of the opinion that the hospital has failed to start the treatment immediately due to the lack of necessary equipment and non-availability of doctors. Due to non co-operation from the concerned organisations even after request, the doctors have not been appointed so far, he laments. In spite of all these they have been conducting treatment for eye patients once a week on Fridays by bringing in doctors from Ran-Ambika hospital situated in Bhairahawa, Maharjan reiterated.

It is learnt that the entire construction work of this hospital’s building, which had been completed and named Lion’s Eye Hospital, had been handed over to the Netrajyoti Sangh of Palpa three years ago. However, around 600 patients have been visiting this hospital monthly with the hope of getting treatment, Amrit Silwal an assistant officer at this hospital contended.

Eye patients not only from this district but also from the neighbouring districts could come for treatments and around 50 operations could be conducted once this hospital has doctors and the equipment, says Ashok Kumar Shahi the outgoing mayor there.

According to the information provided by the Sewa Foundation from the data collected while conducting the general eye test in that region, people here were found to be troubled with eye problems such as, cataracts, refractive errors, diseases of the cornea , conjunctivitis and itching.

It is learnt that efforts had been made by the District Development Committee, the municipality, and also some of the local organisations demanding the arrangements of doctors and the equipment that would be required to get this eye hospital working but to no avail.

Madheshi national meet to be held

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KATHMANDU, Feb 17 : The First National Convention of Madesh Jagaran Abhiyan (Madhesh Awareness Movement) is going to be held from February 22. It was revealed at a press conference held here today.

More than hundred participants from 18 districts of Terai, the homeland of Madheshi communities comprising the people speaking Maithili, Bhojpuri, Abadhi and the Tharu languages, will discuss the problems hindering the upliftment of the Madheshi communities, the indigenous people in the southern plain of Nepal, in the two-day long conference.

According to Amresh Narayan Jha, general secretary of Madheshi Awareness Movement (MAM), the meeting will frame a policy on solving the problems relating to Madheshi communities in the country.

Speaking at the press meet Jha alleged the state for discriminating against the Madheshi communities in politics, job opportunity in government offices and studies, among others.

Travelling concert for peace planned

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KATHMANDU, Feb 17 : Sundar Shanta Nepal, the travelling peace concert is being organised in six different parts of the country to celebrate ‘regained peace’, by Himal Association and Event Nepa-Laya.

Deep Shrestha, senior singer, sounded hopeful that the concert would probably initiate musical peace in the country.

Kiran Shrestha, representative of Event Nepa-Laya said the main objective of organising the concert is to spread the message of peace, amity, and harmony.

Basanta Thapa, executive director of Himal Association said the music concert could be the best way to entertain the people and at the same time, share the message of peace and harmony.

Famous singers like Deep Shrestha, Kunti Moktan, Prem Rana ‘Avatari’, Ram Thapa, Sapana Shree, Sukmit Gurung, and Nepathya Band is performing in the concert.

The concert will be organised at Dharan, Hetauda, Butwal, Mahendranagar, Tulsipur, and Kathmandu. The organisers also informed that the programme would be broadcast live from different FM stations namely Saptakoshi FM, Manakamana FM, Butwal FM, Radio Swargadwari FM. Kantipur FM 96.1 will broadcast the event organised in Kathmandu.

The organisers have the expectation of more than 10,000 spectators in each concert.

Kiran Shrestha informed the organisers have restricted the ticket rates to Rs 10 to ensure the maximum participation of the public and the earnings from the ticket sales of the concerts will be used to support social programmes.

The programme will be supported by organisations active in social, educational, and cultural areas at the local level. Local renowned artistes like Prakash Ojha in Dharan, Seasons Band in Hetauda, Komal Oli in Dang, and Nanda Krishna Joshi in Mahendranagar will accompany the travelling artistes in their respective cities.

The travelling concert will start on February 22 in Dharan followed by Hetauda, Butwal, Mahendranagar, Tulsipur, and Kathmandu on 24, 26, of February and 1, 3, 8 of March respectively.

Bhikchhu Mahasthavir passes away

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KATHMANDU, Feb 17 : Sangha Nayak Bhikchhu Anirudra Mahasthavir, who spent more than 50 years of his life in Lumbini, the birth place of Lord Buddha, and made immense contributions to the promotion of Buddhist culture and literature, passed away today morning. He was 88.

He passed away at 3:15 a.m. today morning in Bishwa Shanti Mahavihar, Min Bhawan. A staunch follower and promoter of Mahayana Buddhism, he was suffering from partial paralysis for the last two months. He had just returned from the Thai capital, Bangkok, where he was taken for medical treatment.

Born in 1972 BS at Ason tole of Kathmandu, he became Bhikchhu (monk) at the age of 14. The widely respected monk was also honoured with the title of ‘Buddha Janma Bhumi Jyotik Shakha Kirti Shree’ by the government of Sri Lanka in the year 1990.

And that was not all. The government of Myanmar also honoured him with the ‘Aggamaha Sahadama Jyotik Dhaja’ title. The honours were conferred on him for his life-long contribution to the promotion of Buddhism and Buddhist literature in the Asia Pacific region.

At home, All Nepal Bhikchhu Federation honoured him with ‘Sangha Nayak’ title in 1997. During his lifetime, he wrote and translated dozens of books, most of them related to Buddhism.

When he was staying in Lumbini, Bhikchhu Mahasthavir absorbed himself in meditation and worked for the restoration and renovation of Buddhist monuments in Lumbini.

His body was kept throughout the day at the Bishwa Shanti Vihar at Min Bhawan for those who wanted to pay their last tributes to the late Mahasthavir. And tomorrow his dead body will be taken for last rites to Anandakuti Mahavihar at Swayambhu.