Orientation programme for aero-medical examiners

KATHMANDU, March 10 (PR) - Nepal Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) started the orientation
programme for aero-medical examiner yesterday, which would be held till 14 March.

Speaking on the occasion, managing director of NCAA opined that this programme that is being
organised for the first time in Nepal and that it would have a positive impact in the security of field
of aviation.

NCAA has also brought out the medical manual of international standard with the participation of
doctors.

Assistant managing director, Rajesh Raj Dali also opined that the propounded anex and civil
aviation regulation, and medical manual published by NCAA would help the doctors to increase
the security standard in the flight. Dr Khagendra Bahadur Shrestha, Aviation Medical consultant
said that the prepared manual would definitely benefit the flight crew members and traffic
controllers.

Steps to prevent ill-effect of media on children sought

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 10 : Intellectuals and journalists participating at interaction programmes today demanded the government to adopt a clear-cut media policy for children.

"The government should have a clear-cut media policy for children so as to prevent children from
having a negative impact of the media products," said Dr. Kishor Shrestha, co-ordinator of
Research Centre for Educational Innovation and Development (CERID), Tribhuvan University.

Dr. Shrestha, who carried out an intensive research on impact of television on children of
Kathmandu last year, was of the opinion that international communities have already adopted
media policy preventing the ill effect of the media products on children. He also emphasised the
role of parents and teachers to keep away their children from such media content that are likely
to affect the psychology of their minors.

According to his study on Kathmandu-based children, 37 per cent of the respondents said that
media have negative impact on their children, whereas 13 per cent opined that media products do
not affect their children. Similarly, the report clearly says that 50 per cent of the respondents
spoke in favour of the media content.

Journalists participating in the programme suggested the media to adopt code of conduct while
serving their products to children. They also emphasised to adopt effective strategies to mitigate
the negative impact of the media on children. They were of the opinion that the parents, teachers
and media persons should educate their children about the ill impact of the media on them.

Dr. Shrestha also informed that CERID would soon begin a nation-wide research on impact of
media on children.

Oncologists conference concludes

KATHMANDU, March 10 (PR) - The oncologists (cancer specialist) gathered here for the
three-day 2nd SAARC Conference on Clinical Oncology concluded with a decision to form a
SAARC Federation of Oncology (SFO) in which members will be a oncologist specialist from
each SAARC member country.

Dr. M.K. Piya is selected to be the chairperson of the federation. Similarly, Dr. Y.P. Singh the
Secretary General and Dr. R.P. Baral will be the financial director. There will also be
representative vice-presidents from each member country and the advisors of the federation will be
Prof. ABMF Karim, Prof. A.K. Sharma and Prof. K.K. Pandey.

The decision was made on the concluding ceremony of the conference, held with the theme
Oncological challenges in developing countries on Sunday. A decision was also made on the very
day that the third conference will be held in India by the Indian Society of Oncology in the year
2005.

Throughout the two-day conference organised by the SAARC Federation of Oncologists-Nepal
discussion was held on various cancer issues like bladder, carcinoma, lung, breast, cervix and
other parts of the body.

During the sessions oncologists representing various countries mainly highlighted the technology
development and the need of awareness programme to cope with the increasing number of cancer
patients.

Trained youth to return home

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 10 : There they stand beaming. The 16 youth from remote Nepal are anxious to return home to work as masons in their villages after having completed the one-month training on masons organised by Remote Area Development Committee at the Don Bosco Technical Training Institute. They have all received the certificates today given out by the chairman of the civil service ( Lok Sewa), Yogendranath Ojha .

This is the first time the committee has organised such skill-oriented trainings for the unemployed
youths of indigenous communities from remote Nepal.

Highlighting the importance of the training ,Hemanta Kharel, a member of the Remote Area
Development Committee hoped that the training would exploit local skills and create job
opportunities for the local youth. "40-45 percent of the indigenous youth in the remote parts of
Nepal who received the training will be benefited when they get jobs in their villages ," he said and
called on all the participating youth to utilise their skills in their villages.

Speaking on the occasion, B. K. Ojha, executive chairman said that such technical training are
aimed at producing more skilled local manpower to meet the demand both at home and abroad.
Due to the shortage of local skilled labour, 70 percent of the local demand is being fulfilled by
Indian labourers.

" The situation would have been otherwise if 40 percent of the unemployed youth at the grassroot
level learn their skills and utilise at it at the local level. I believe that my trainees will be able to
sell their skills like hotcakes " he observed.

According to him, the demand for Nepali labours in the foreign markets is growing. 95 percent of
his trainees go to the Gulf countries for employment immediately after training where they are
able to earn four hundred thousand on an average within 2 years. However, they tend to come
back home with both money and new techniques after that period. The chairman of civil service,
Yogendranath Ojha also spoke about the importance of utilising the local skills.

Netherlands provides grant of Rs 117.4m

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 10 : The government of Netherlands has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Rs. 117.4 million to the government of Nepal for the implementation of the Local Governance Strengthening Transition Programme (LGSTP) in three districts of the Mechi zone and four districts of the Karnali zone. A press statement issued by the Ministry of Finance (MOF) stated that Dr. Madav Prasad Ghimere, Joint Secretary, MOF and Jan de Witte, Director, SNV/Nepal signed the memorandum of understanding to this effect today. The grant assistance will be utilised for the capacity development of District Development Committees in Illam, Panchthar and Taplejung districts of Mechi Zone and Humla, Jumla, Mugu and Dolpa districts of Karnali Zone.

The programme will also support social mobilisation and build social organisation and awareness
in communities, empowering people to participate in decision-making process in 60 village
development committees in Karnali and Mechi hill districts. The proposed programme builds on
the District Partners Programme and Mechi Hill Development Programme, which ended last
September.

The Ministry of Finance, it its press statement, has expressed its sincere appreciation to the
government of Netherlands and SNV/Nepal for providing assistance in the socio-economic
development of Nepal.

National health research draft policy adopted

Post Report

KATHMANDU, March 10 : For the overall improvement and promotion of health research and to facilitate health research for overall health development, Nepal Health Research Council (NHRC) today approved the final draft entitle ‘National Health Research Policy’ in a function here today.

The draft was approved here today by representatives of various donor agencies, government and
non-governmental organisations, stake-holders and other working groups in a function ,Orientation
and Advocacy of National Health Research Policy with Policy Makers held here today.

According to Prof. Gopal P. Acharya, Chairman of NHRC, the policy will provide a clear policy
direction to health research development in the country. "This draft will function as a guide to
NHRC, national authorities, development partners and the research community and institutions to
direct health research efforts along the policy lines," said Acharya further adding, "This will further
help to contribute to health development in the country."

The policy will also help to promote health research in all areas including biomedical, clinical,
public health, behavioural and health economics and all other. "For the research purpose the
policy also include research institutions like medical colleges, national health programmes and
private sector," he said . "For the purpose of research a policy has also been planned to provide
training to the research scientists."

The policy further aims to develop a national health research system to facilitate and manage
health research and to mobilise necessary resources for health research from the government,
private sector and international resources.

Also during the programme Dr. Upendra Devkota, Minister for Health and Science and Technology
released a book ‘Health Research Bibliography (1991-2002),’ which was published by NHRC.

Birgunj jail guard, naike found involved in illegal transactions

Post Report

BIRGUNJ, March 10 : The guard of the jail and the naike (a leader appointed by the jail authorities from among the inmates) of the Birgunj jail were indulging in creating a foul environment in the jail by screening obscene movies, supplying alcoholic drinks and even inciting homosexual tendencies among its inmates, alleged the captives.

The captives also alleged that Hafiz Miya, the jail guard had extorted Rs. 100,000 from them.
They also demanded action against 11 persons including the jail inmates, jail guard and naike.

A clash had occurred between the jail inmates and the authorities involving the issues last
Saturday night. Consequently, at the appeal of the jail inmates, a team representing the local
administration, journalists and human rights activists visited the jail yesterday to settle the turmoil
there.

As to evidences of the ill practices perpetrated by the jail guard and the naike, the jail inmates
produced five CDs of vulgar movies and some empty liquor bottles. The jail inmates also charged
that the jail guard, Miya, had misappropriated over Rs.40,000 from the Inmate Welfare Fund and
the money earned by selling caps made by the inmates.

Miya would also be seen in local dance restaurants, according to locals.

"The jail guards are permitted to go for a visit from 10 am to 5 pm. He might have misutilised the
time," said Prakash Poudel, the jailor.

"I came to know about the mess in the jail recently. The corrupt inmates will be transferred to
other jails as demanded by others," said Poudel.

Govt itself an obstacle to peace talks: Dhungana

Post Report

BUTWAL, March 10 : Former Speaker Damannath Dhungana today said that the government itself was the main obstacle for the proposed peace talks with Maoists, not the parliamentary forces. He accused the government of making a ploy for clinging to power.

He said the government ministers were not unanimous on a serious issue. A minister says that
the government was mulling to supply foodstuffs and medicine to Maoist rebels while another
junior minister refutes his statement, said the former Speaker, addressing a programme
organised by western regional committee of the Dalit Non-Governmental Federation.

He said that the Maoists would lay down arms discarding the communist hard-line and fight for
the cause of the people. The dalits, backward ethnic communities and indigenous people have a
bright future and there should be a political understanding for this.

Talking about the peace process, he said there are currently three major political forces active in
the country: Maoists, who want to ensure more rights to people; parliamentary forces, who want
to protect the 1990’s constitution, and the autocratic force that wants to reverse the political gear.

Dhungana said that the political stability in the country was possible provided that the three
different forces were ready to find out a mutually agreed political solution.

Merchants of remote districts face hassles during transportation

By Motilal Poudel

SURKHET, March 10 : Merchants in the far-western districts have complained of various hassles they face because of the private airlines providing goods transportation services. The Airline Representative System (ARS) introduced by the airlines has not only raised transportation cost but goods often go
missing and the employees at the airport cheat them while weighing the goods, alleged the merchants.

After the introduction of ARS last year, merchants are required to deal with the airline
representatives for goods transportation procedures. "Price of goods increases as we have to pay
a commission of three percent to the airline representatives," said Jasbahadur Shahi, a merchant.

However, the version of the airlines is that ARS was introduced to maintain fixed service charges
and to bring unity among the airlines.

"ARS was introduced to avoid possible unfair competition among airlines in the future," said Min
Prasad Pandey, the Station Manager of Sangrila Airlines. "Though the businessmen would benefit
from the varying prices offered by the airlines in the mode of competition, this would not be long
lasting and some airlines could be forced to stop the service."

Prior to the introduction of this system, the transportation charge for a kilogram of goods from
Surkhet to Jumla was Rs. 28, the same from Surkhet to Humla was Rs. 40 and from Surkhet to
Dolpa was Rs. 45. However, after the introduction of ARS, the price for a kilogram of goods from
Surkhet to Jumla was raised to Rs. 32, the same from Surkhet to Humla to Rs.49 and that from
Surkhet to Dolpa to Rs.44, as informed by the airlines sources.

Presently, Yeti, Sangrila, Gorkha, Skyline and Cosmic airlines are providing transportation
services in the districts.

However, the airlines have been transporting rice from the Nepal Food Corporation (NFC) at the
rate of Rs. 26 per kilogram for Jumla, at Rs. 42 for Humla and at Rs. 38 for Dolpa, according to
airline sources.

Another problem faced by the merchants is lack of unfair weighing of goods by the airport
employees. "There is variation between the weight of the goods taken in the market and that in
the airport. When asked for the cause for the variation, the airport employees simply point to the
defects of the machine," said Jas Bahadur Shahi, another merchant.

Shahi also complained that 28 pairs of Gold Star shoes, which were readied to be flown to Kalikot
district were lost from Surkhet airport. "There is not a single body to look into our troubles," said
the merchants.

Appellate Court reverses District Court’s verdict

Post Report

SINDHULI, March 10 : The Janakpur Appellate Court reversed the orders of the District Court by issuing an order for the bail amount for three people, including a bank official who had forged signatures to withdraw money from the bank. Previously, the District Court had decided that those accused were innocent.

The Appellate Court issued the order a week ago after the District’s Government Law Firm filed an
application stating that the District Court had not given a fair decision.

The case was filed at the District Court against the senior assistant of Rastriya Banijya Bank,
Baidhya Nath Chaudhary, the treasurer of the Magar Community Forest Group, Hari Bahadur
Khadka and Mahottari resident Ganesh Thapa. They were accused of forging signatures and
withdrawing an amount of Rs 413,000 from the Group’s account from the Bank’s Sindhuli Branch.

Two months ago, the District Court decided they were innocent. Despite papers showing that
Chaudhary has forged the signatures and a confession by one of the accused, Judge
Rameshwore Nath Amatya issued an order stating that both were innocent and were released.

The Janakpur Appellate Court, however, issued an order stating that all three were guilty of forgery
and placed a bail amount of Rs 413,000. Judges Badri Kumar Basnet and Bishnu Prasad Dhakal
made the decision.

Ex-kamaiyas take to rickshaw pulling for survival

By Mohan Budda Aer

KAILALI, March 10 : "To relax tiredness a glass of liquor will do just fine," said Dhukka Ram Chaudhary without a hitch. He has been pedalling the ricksaw from six in the morning to seven in the evening, but life has not been any better for him.

Dhukka Ram who is living with his family at the Manira camp has been pedalling ricksaw since
two years to eke out a living to sustain his family. Chaudhary who used to earn Rs. 100 to 200
daily previously has not been able to take a day off after being freed he laments. He says that on
the day of their festival called Maghi as well, he had to take passengers on his ricksaw for half the
day to squeeze out something for the celebration.

Chaudhary contends that if he stays at home even for a day, then his entire family will have to
starve. He has to pay Rs. 30 to the owner of the ricksaw, and with whatever remains he has to
take home rice, dal and vegetables. And he has almost nothing to take back home on the day
when his earning is less than Rs. 100. He says in melancholic voice, it’s already been one whole
year but he has not been able to save enough money to buy clothes for himself. While he goes
out for his daily errand, his wife goes out to villages in search of some work.

Dhukka Ram who was under a landlord of Boradandi even after becoming a freed kamaiya has not
been provided the certificate of verification of being a freed kamaiya. "All the freed kamaiyas have
already received their free kamaiya identity card, and their share of land, but I’ve not got anything
so far," he lamented.

On the distribution day of the identity card he could not procure the card as he had been busy
that day taking passengers on his ricksaw. Since then, he has been denied his card. After this
incident he made many rounds of the Land Reform Office and the office concerned with
distribution of the kamaiya identity card, but to no avail so far. Among the 7,000 names left out of
the freed kamaiyas list, Chaudhary was one of them. Since he does not have the kamaiya
identity card, he is uncertain about when he would be provided his share of land. He says that he
will give up the ricksaw and continue with his age-old ancestral occupation of farming once he
gets the promised land.

There are many other freed kamaiyas from Manira camp like Dhukka Ram Chaudhary who
indulge in the ricksaw pulling business. However, 30 kamaiyas have been provided ricksaws by
the Backward Society Education, and they are free from the hassle of having to pay rentals to the
owner. Those kamaiyas who have the identity card and land have been availing to the ricksaws
provided by the Backward Society Education. Dhukka Ram is still bogged down by the problem of
neither getting his identity card nor his share of land.

Those in the possession of these identity cards not only get the ricksaws, but also clothes in
winter, sometimes food materials, and sometimes medical expenses as well, he said. This card
could have been a relief for us also, he added.

Another freed kamaiya who possesses land now says that this piece of land has not proved to be
that much of a boon for him. However, since little or nothing grows in his land, and if he had not
taken the ricksaw his family would have starved.

According to the central member of the Backward Society Education, Mahavir Chaudhary, those
kamaiyas who have been provided the ricksaws have to pay half the price on instalment basis.
Moreover, with the collected amount the Backward Society Education would be providing further
assistance to these kamaiyas, it is learnt. Majority of the freed kamaiyas in this district have
embraced the ricksaw pulling profession as a means for their survival. Due to lack of proper
arrangement of rehabilitation for these kamaiyas, they have not been able to take up their
ancestral agricultural occupation, and are thus forced to become ricksaw pullers.

‘CPN-UML not against constituent assembly’

SIRAHA, March 10(RSS)- Member of the CPN-UML standing committee K.P. Sharma Oli has
said his party was not against the constituent assembly but expressed the view that the political
parties should not hesitate from going for the constituent assembly in case the constitution has
been breached.

Talking to local journalists in Lahan, Siraha district yesterday, he said protection of the present
constitution means preserving the power of the people.

He also expressed the view the impending peace talks with the Maoists would be successful only
if the prevailing discrimination against the women and minority communities and corruption was
wiped out from the country.

The cease-fire between the Maoists and the government should be turned into a state of
permanent peace, he stressed.