Disabled children are nation’s future, says Minister

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KATHMANDU, Feb 25 : Minister for Education and Sports Devi Prasad Ojha urged all people to support the hearing impaired children in their effort to become able and creative citizens of the country.

" It is our big responsibility to help disabled children in their sincere efforts as they are the future of this country," Ojha said after inaugurating the library and recreation hall of the Welfare Society for Hearing Impaired.

The Minister also admitted the government’s failure in providing adequate support to the organizations working for the welfare of the disabled children.

" The country is bogged down by lots of problems at the moment. And it is a bitter reality that the interests of the disabled have been overshadowed," he further said, while urging such children to strengthen their will power and work hard for success.

However, he assured to encourage the efforts of such organisations and said the Special Education Council is considering all the problems of the organisation including salary and facilities for the teachers and formulation of a sound policy.

The Minister also gave away appreciation letters to representatives of Mehepi Consultancy for conducting a four-month free class on sign language and awarded certificates to the trainees.

Speaking on the occasion, Indira Shrestha, chairperson of the organisation, highlighted the achievements of the organisation in carrying out different activities including sign language classes for the hearing impaired as well as skill-oriented training programmes for them

She also made it known that 70 students with hearing impaired had passed the SLC exams.

The organisation is getting technical and financial support from UNDP, UNICEF, SAP, Nepal ,Women's Club of Indian Embassy, LBH, a Danish organisation, as well as from individual contributors.

The library and recreation hall was created with personal contribution of an American lady, Arlene and her son Robert, in the memory of his late father Kennth J Rose.

Sense of insecurity among elderly people need to be alleviated

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KATHMANDU, Feb 25 : Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Gore Bahadur Khapangi assured that his Ministry along with the Ministry of Education will make a coordinated effort to introduce moral and social education in the school curriculum aimed at cultivating positive attitude in children towards the elderly.

Assuring the NGOs working for the welfare of the aged of necessary cooperation, he said, "as there has been an erosion in moral values among our youngsters because of cultural invasion, we all should make collective efforts to revive the system of our culture and cultivate good qualities in the children through education process,".

Participants from 65 NGOs working for the welfare of the elderly came together at the meeting to extensively discuss their activities, plans and problems today.

At the meeting, the problems of older people including their psychological, social and health problems were extensively discussed.

One of their major complaints was that although there is in place a government policy and workplan for the elderly, not much has been materialised at the implementation level. The NGOs called for an effective national programme for improving the status of elderly women in the country by bringing them into the mainstream of the society.

Over the years, the problems of elderly people in Nepali society have become complicated because of its modernisation process, disintegration of families, breakdown of family support system and so on. Moreover, the ever-widening inter-generation gap between the elderly and the young has been a matter of serious concern. With this sense of loneliness in them, sense of insecurity and dependence have aggravated further.

However, some NGOs in the country are trying to give new life to them through various recreations. With a view to bringing older people into the mainstream of society, the participants also stressed the need for developing positive attitude among the young generation to bridge the gap.

One hundred and three NGOs are working in different parts of the country for the welfare of the older people. The HMG has set aside a budget of over Rs 350 million for the segment of the old population. According to 2001 census, the population of old people is estimated at 1.477 million.

As per the spirit of the International Year of Older Persons in 1999, HMG introduced old -age allowance programme since the past few years in order to protect their rights. The provision allows Rs 150 for elders above 60 years of age.

Over 100,000 old people in the country have been benefited by the allowance so far. However, discrimination in the distribution of oldage allowances has been alleged due to the lack of supervision.

Ganesh Prasad Upadhyaya of the Women, Children and Social Welfare Ministry said that a directive with criteria for the distribution of the allowance is underway.

Meanwhile, the participants stressed the need for setting up a strong network for improving their work performance.

Mahashivaratri music festival to be held

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KATHMANDU, Feb 25 : Namaste Cultural Studio (NCS) is all set to organise the Ninth Mahashivaratri World Music Festival – 2059 on the day of Shivaratri, which falls on March 1 this year, it was disclosed at a press meet held here today.

With the slogan ‘Peace and equality is the voice of our music’, the festival will be held in Kathmandu and Pokhara, two days in each valley.

Highlighting the programme Ishwor Gurung, co-ordinator of the festival said, "More than forty popular bands and singers from throughout the country will perform at the function."

He said typical folk music, modern pop, rock and classical performance will be the main attractions of the programme. "Popular bands from Japan, Germany and America are also expected to perform at the festival."

On March 1-2, the festival will be held in Bhrikutimandap and on March 7-8, the programme will held in Pokhara.

According to Gurung, the funds raised from the concert will be used to help release the album of senior singer Khem Bahadur Gandharba. A portion of the funds will be used to contribute for the building of the late Arun Thapa Chowk, to be built jointly by the Pokhareli Sangeet Kala Karmi and Sangeet Kala Premi group.

NCS plans to felicitate noted singers Nima Rumba, Dhiraj Rai, Sunil Bardewa, Ram Shrestha and Tabala player Hom Nath Upadhyay, apart from other artistes for their contribution to music in Nepal.

NCS has been organising the music festival for the past eight years on the day of Shivaratri.

Minister slams CTEVT and HSEB

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KATHMANDU, Feb 25 : Minister for Education and Sports Devi Prasad Ojha criticised the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT) and Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) for alleged examination irregularities as well as inefficiency. The Minister was speaking on the Twenty-first Management Conference on Strategic Planning organised by the CTEVT.

"How many conferences has the CTEVT organised so far? What has been the outcome? The Council is not for organising and participating at conferences, but for ensuring the production of capable technical manpower," said Ojha after inaugurating the conference at Sano Thimi today morning.

The Minister also criticised the Council as well as HSEB for losing credibility owing to continued controversies during exams. The Council and the Board have been regularly fraught with allegations of selling question papers and appropriating examination results. Citing these unwholesome allegations, something that should not be a part of the history of an educational institution, the Minister urged the Council and the Board for transparency and fairness. The Minister is the chief of the Council and the Board.

Speaking earlier, Tanka Raj Sharma, director of CTEVT highlighted the importance of the conference in terms of making the programme more effective and accessible. He pointed out the importance to frame a new workplan in order to meet the new technical education needs of the country. "If we can provide employment opportunities to all the youths in the country, that would be a great service to the national economy," he said.

Spaking at the function, Sharad Devkota, vice-president, CTEVT said the nation expects a lot from the Council. "We have been fulfilling the expectations to our best. But there is still a lot more to do," he said.

The conference will go on for four days starting today. Its objective is to bring CTEVT together with a shared vision and mission.

Scholarships to be provided to Thami, Dalit children

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DOLKHA, Feb 25 : On the occasion of 28th Education Day it was made public that 23 percent of the children in Dolkha who had been deprived of primary education all this while will now be provided admission in schools under the special target programme.

Speaking at a function organised by the District Education Office, the education officer, Bishnu Prasad Nepal, made an announcement that they have decided to provide all the children enrolment in schools. He also revealed that 77 percent of the children between the age of 6 to 10 have been attending school. According to the programme, it is learnt that special arrangements will be made to enrol 2,700 Thami children who belong to one of the most socially deprived ethnic group in this district. Nepal also informed that efforts and plans are underway to provide all these Thami children with scholarships. It was also revealed at the function that arrangements for scholarships to be provided would be made for all the Dalit children enrolling in government schools.

Similarly, speaking on the occasion the district judge, Mahendra Raj Gautam, said that this announcement of the government's commitment to educate everyone by 2015 was commendable and surely would greatly add to the development of the country. The Chief District Officer (CDO), Chandeshwor Acharya, expressed his belief that if all are strongly committed towards educational development there are no doubts about achieving this goal.

Two girls among six, still missing

By Mohan Budayer

KAILALI, Feb 25 : The whereabouts of Kumari Damai, 13, who was picked up by police from her home early September, has remained a mystery. She was arrested on charges of working for the Maoist rebels.

Parents of the young girl, Gagane Damai and Padma Damai, aged 58 and 52, respectively, were speechless when they were told that their daughter was picked by security personnel on charges of working for the Maoist rebels.

"We do not know what it mean. Imagine the pain of losing a daughter who was born rather late in our life," Gagane said. The flow of tears has not abated since she were taken away.

Meanwhile, local human rights activists have demanded to know the whereabouts of six people, including Kumar Damai, who were rounded up under mysterious circumstances but are still untraceable.

A statement demanding to know the whereabouts has been signed by Kailali president of Human Rights Protection Forum (HRPF), Ravindra Raj Mahat.

The father of Kumar Damai has demanded a public hearing of the charges that his daughter had been working for the insurgents. "People must be asked and if they say she indeed is a Maoist activist I am ready to face the consequences," he said. He has been demanding the release of her daughter ever since she was taken away.

He has also lamented that the security personnel never told them about her whereabouts despite repeated pleas. In fact, the old couple went without food when one of the security personnel told them that her daughter had bitten her tongue in distress.

However, the couple had heard in the recent days that she was still alive. Hence the demand for immediate word on her whereabouts.

Similarly, the whereabouts of Kusan Chaudhary who was picked up from Mohonyal School during the second half of November too is unknown. Although she had gone away with Dambar Sunar who had promised to marry her, both of them were taken away by the Maoists saying that they were not of marriageable age.

They were beaten up badly by the Maoists before they were left to die in the premises of the local school. Events took a worse turn after this since they were arrested and taken away by the police, while their whereabouts are not known.

Human rights activists have also demanded to know the whereabouts of 19-year-old Narayan Prasad Joshi, Sahabi and Sudhir Chaudhari and president of the local ward Gagan Singh Gharti.

Absence of security personnel affects flights

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NEPALGUNJ, Feb 25 : There has been a drastic cut in the number of flights going to remote districts in mid-western Nepal recently due to security reasons causing much annoyance for people in the region, according to sources.

Since the declaration of truce, security personnel were called to the capital and other cities. The absence of enough security personnel to man the towers in the airstrips districts has hindered regular flights, according to the regional office of Royal Nepal Airline Corporation (RNAC) in Nepalgunj.

Flights are the only means of transportation in Mid Western districts including Dolpa, Bajhang, Rukum and Achham.

"While enough security personnel were stationed in the districts, RNAC would operate flights from six in the morning. However, withdrawal of some security personnel since the truce declaration has resulted in reduction of flights," said Ganesh Man Barun, the chief at the RNAC regional office, Nepalgunj. "RNAC has been cutting down two flights a day to the districts."

Even the domestic airlines operating in the district echoed similar sentiments.

"Airstrip towers were activated by security personnel. In absence of security personnel, towers are non- functional," said a source at Civil Aviation Office, in Nepalgunj.

Reduction in the number of flights has largely affected the commuters, merchants and patients are affected worst of all as obtaining a seat is very difficult, according to locals.

However, Min Prasad Pandey, the Superintendent of Police of the Regional Police Office claimed that the security personnel have been rendering services to the airstrip towers in the districts as usual.

Daman-Palung residents plagued by malfunctioning phones

By Pratap Bista

DAMAN, Makwanpur, Feb 25 : When the bell rings in the telephone set we know a call has come in. Following this we pick up the hand-set or the receiver to talk with that person who has made this call.

But, what if there is no sound from the phone set to inform us that we have received a call? It is then almost impossible to know that somebody wants to keep in touch with us through the wires without that person having to come to our place.

It might sound weird but such is the condition in Daman-Palung region regarding the flow of message through the telephone-set. People here do not receive any sound or ring from their phone-sets signalling that somebody is on line, but instead they have to stay beside their sets most of the time and bring the receiver to their ears to find out if a call has been made from outside from time and again. If the receiver person happens to pick up the hand-set simultaneously as the call is made from the other side, then he is lucky enough to get the message across. Otherwise he just has to wait until luck shines.

The people of Daman-Palung, situated in the northern part of the Makwanpur district, which is fast developing into an enterprising business centre, have been facing this problem in their telephone-sets since the past two years. In Daman-Palung sector 60 Mart's system of phones had been installed, but with the exception of four sets, all the remaining sets have been bogged down by no-ring problem.

A local businessman, Uttam Dhakal, laments that because of this problem of not hearing rings from the phone-set they have been completely cut off from other parts, thereby hampering their business as well.

It is learnt that like Daman-Palung, places such as Tistung, Chitlang and Manhari too are facing similar problems. To look into this problem and correct it as soon as possible, local representatives, social workers and businessmen have requested the telecommunication office at Hetauda time and again but all their pleas have fallen on deaf ears, said a local social worker, Saroj Khanal.

When chief of Hetauda Telecommunication office, Ashok Kumar Karna was contacted, he said that due to some problem in the ring unit, the phone lines in Daman-Palung are facing such a problem. These ring units cannot be procured from the local market, he added.

Mart's system of telephone is an old Japanese technology, and their parts are difficult to obtain as production has stopped.

Concerned technicians are of the view however, that they need to change the entire system of working on this technology, if this problem is to be rectified permanently.

Locals show zeal in road construction

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GORKHA, Feb 25 : Soon after the declaration of the cease-fire between the Maoists and the government, the construction work on the roads that had been left incomplete has resumed. Due to the Maoist's threatening and the destructive activity the work on the Lakshmibazar-Bhaledhunga-Tinmane section of the road had been stopped, but now the work is going on in full swing.

It is learnt that men, even women and elderly people of the village have been taking part in the road construction, and after the cease-fire, around 1,030 metres of the gravel-road has been already completed. This road, which had come to a stand-still when the work upto Hattigauda of Prithvinarayan Municipality in the district headquarters had been completed, has now after the resumption of works once again has reached upto Chaubaragara of Tamlung VDC via the Bhaledhunga of Ludhikhola.

These days around 15 to 50 people are involved in the construction. The chairman of the Road-Construction Committee says that the number of people showing up for the construction work within a few days after the cease-fire had reached 450.

In case of any big boulders that the labourers would encounter and needed more people to deal with it, scores of villagers would be brought in. Any trees or hedges that would come in the way would be removed, smoothening the rough areas using the dodger, and works such as slopping of the side walls are being carried out at the moment, says the 63-year-old Tek Bahadur Thapa to The Kathmandu Post correspondent. He further says, " During our days it was very difficult, but I don't want the coming generation to suffer like we did" and added, "Even though I'm not as strong as I used to be I've put in my effort and energy."

The Maskecchap Chautara is the main market of Tamlung VDC-9, which is linked to various other villages and towns. So, the people around that region prefer to complete the road construction work to that market.

The construction work over that region had started since 2000, and during that year and the following year around 2,700 metres of the road had been completed. Though they had very little budget at that time yet these villagers did not give up. Moreover, the Maoists even forced them to stop the construction work, threatening that they would set fire to the dozer. The Maoists had even manhandled the then chairman of the construction committee, Rolak Bahadur Thapa, and forced him to quit his job. Since May 30, 2002 the construction work had closed down.

For the current fiscal year the District Development Committee (DDC) has set aside a sum of Rs. 100,000 for this construction. On the 25th day since the declaration of cease-fire the villagers had gone to the DDC office to obtain the fund meant for the construction, but realised it to be just too little. The villagers had even requested the chief of the Barda-Bahadur Barrack of the Royal Nepalese Army to avail them from the additional fund they would require for this road construction.

The outgoing chairman Thapa is of the view that if at least the fund required for hiring the dozer and the fuel could be provided they would somehow manage the rest on their own.

It is learnt that the completion of this section of the road will prove a boon to many orange farmers in that region who have been indulging in the export of oranges worth millions of rupees.

Two prosecuted for possessing arms

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DIPAYAL, Feb 25 : Security personnel have initiated action against a Maoist who was arrested in a group of six including a member of the Party District Committee from Ladagada VDC of Doti district yesterday.

The Maoists were holding a programme with school children at a local school. Security personnel also recovered a socket bomb and some Maoist documents. However, the security personnel set free five others who did not possess arms. Of the six, one was found possessing arms and he is being prosecuted, according to security sources.

The centre has directed to arrest those possessing arms. However, anyone can organise meetings in a peaceful manner, according to security personnel.

"You have barracks to store weapons but where shall we keep the arms?" the Maoist under persecution is said to have replied upon inquiry as to why he was moving around with arms, according to a security source.

Meanwhile, our report from Siraha stated that police arrested a person possessing a socket bomb, a country made gun and six rounds of bullets from Aurahi VDC-9 last Friday evening.

Dukhi Mochi, 40, who was arrested from near his house claims to be a Maoist cadre. Police have filed a case on arms and ammunition at the District Court according to a DPO source.

Party leaders caution cadres on returning home

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RAMECHHAP, Feb 25 : Though the Maoist leaders have been asking political workers and others fleeing villages and taking refuge in safer places to return home, different party leaders have been warning their cadres not to return until a safe environment is created, according to sources.

Speaking at a programme recently, Maoist secretary for Ramechhap and Kavre districts made an appeal to those fleeing villages to return. "Those who have left villages can now return with full assurance of safety," Lalit had said.

However, the insurgency victims are doubtful about the Maoist announcement. Even the leaders of various political parties have been asking the political workers not to believe the announcement. "We can't trust the Maoists. There is no room to believe their words. Thus, we do not consent our party cadres returning to their villages," said Tula Prasad Kandel, the CPN-UML secretary of the district.

Ram Chandra Biyogi, the district secretary of Nepali Congress also expressed similar sentiments. "First of all, the government and the Maoists should issue a code of conduct, then we can think of suggesting our party cadres to go back home," said Biyogi.

Lekh Bahadur Karki, the Secretary of Nepali Congress (Democracy) also stressed on the creation of a peaceful environment so that the party workers can return home.