Crown Prince opens power project

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Baidi, Tanahu, Dec. 13: His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev inaugurated the Chheranga Khola Micro-Hydro Demonstration Scheme (MHDS) amidst a function here today.

The Crown Prince also observed an exhibition where handicraft goods made by the local people were on display.

The 35-kilowatt project was completed at a cost of about 3.75 million rupees with the support of UNDP’s Rural Energy Development Programme (REDP), Tanahu District Development Committee, Baidi and Kota VDCs and the local people.

The project, with power generated from locally designed cross-flow turbine, will benefit 223 households of Baidi and Kota, lying in the southern region of Tanahu.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel said that the government is fully committed to the development of the decentralised rural energy system in the country.

Poudel, who also holds the portfolio of the Local Development Ministry, said that the government had been working to create a conducive environment for that purpose. He lauded the achievements made by the programme and stressed the need to expand the micro-hydro projects to other rural areas of the Kingdom.

He said that the government was dedicated to maintain peace and security and eliminate poverty, illiteracy and backwardness from the nation.

Local Development Secretary Uday Raj Soti said that REDP’s activities had made a significant contribution to the development of the nation.

Welcoming the guests and participants earlier, UNDP Resident Representative Henning Karcher said that the achievement of the programme could be taken as policy input for the government to promote rural energy technology.

UNDP Assistant Resident Representative Dr. Bhesh Raj Dhamala and REDP’s programme manager Kiran Man Singh spoke about the importance and the roles of rural energy for poverty alleviation and capacity building of the local people.

Tanahu DDC chairman Bishwo B. Adhikari extended vote of thanks.

Repair works completed at Khimti

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 13: The leakage at the penstock pipe of the Khimti I hydropower project has been repaired and it will start generating power from tomorrow, thereby, ending the sudden load shedding.

According to Gokul Dahal, senior engineer of the project, the repair works has been completed. He said the pipe will be filled with water during the night and a test run will be carried out at 8 in the morning. In one hour, the power generated from the project will be linked to the central grid, said Dahal.

The project, which was formally inaugurated on November 28, had started generating power at commercial scale five month ago. But the project was halted only after a week of its inauguration when a leakage was spotted at the penstock pipe resulting in load shedding at the peak hour.

The project produces 60 MW of electricity and is the first hydropower project build by a Nepalese private sector under BOT. According to the Himal Power Limited, which had build the project, the equipment needed for the repair works had to be imported from Norway.

Israeli envoy visits Gorkhapatra

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Dec. 13: Israeli Ambassador to Nepal, Avi Nir, visited the Gorkhapatra Corporation Wednesday. During his visit Ambassador Nir held talks with Chairman of the Corporation Purunder Ghimire. He also exchanged views with Acting General Manager of the Corporation Benu Prasai, Acting Editor-in-Chief of The Rising Nepal Lok Deep Thapa and Officiating Editor-in-Chief of the Gorkhapatra daily Ramesh Tiwari.

The Israeli Ambassador expressed the belief that the media can play an important role in further expanding the already existing good relations between Nepal and Israel. He also emphasised the importance of the media striking a right balance while dealing with important issues.

Chairman Ghimire apprised the envoy of the different publications published by the Corporation and furnished information to the queries of envoy Nir.

Later on the Israeli Ambassador visited the editorial offices of The Rising Nepal Gorkhapatra.

Bamdev vows to consolidate ML

Kathmandu, Dec. 13 (RSS):  The CPN-ML’s National Conference concluded here today with the endorsement of the "People’s multiparty populism" and unanimous re-appointment of Mrs Sahana Pradhan as chairperson and Bamdev Gautam as General Secretary of the party.

At a press conference organised here today, CPN-ML General Secretary Bamdev Gautam informed that the National Conference constituted a nine-member politburo and 46-member central committee under the chairmanship of Mrs Sahana Pradhan.

Likewise, a 19-member central advisory committee under the chairmanship of Balaram Upadhyaya, six-member judicial committee under the chairmanship of Bhojraj Joshi and six-member accounts committee under the chairmanship of Prem Bhandari were also constituted, said Devi Prasad Ojha, the chief of the conference publicity department.

Party chairperrson Mrs Pradhan said that the newly elected central committee would work towards developing the party as the most reliable and confidence-winning party in the country.

Likewise, General Secretary Gautam pledged to further consolidate and expand the party to make it the leading party of the Nepali Communist movement.

Responding to queries from journalists, C. P. Mainali who holds a different view in the party said as consolidation of CPN-ML is in the interest of the country the people’s multiparty populism was passed for unification in the party.

He also ruled out any differences within the party.

Politburo member Radhakrishna Mainali said the new leadership was elected unanimously to present the different views within the party in the next national conference of the party.

In a press statement distributed on the occasion, party General Secretary Gautam has said that the party would in the coming days work towards developing a single communist forum.

Describing CPN-UML and Nepali Congress as two faces of the same coin, Mr Gautam said that the two parties cannot solve the problems of the country.

EurOrient to pay guarantee for Arun III by this month

BY NAVIN SINGH KHADKA

Kathmandu, Dec.13: American Company EurOrient has assured the government that it would pay the performance guarantee for the survey license of Arun III Hydropower Project by the end of this month.

EurOrient’s Chairman Ron Nechenmiya today met officials at the Department of Electricity Development (DED) to persuade that his company would pay the above 42 million Rupees guarantee latest by the end of this month.

"They (EurOrient’s officials) did meet us today," confirmed Dr. Kishor Babu Aryal, Director General at the DED. "They submitted a request letter stating that they would pay the performance guarantee for Arun III’s survey license by the end of this month."

"The guarantee money may be paid even within next week," said Binaya Amatya, the local agent of EurOrient. The Los Angeles-based Merchant Banking Group, according to Amatya, has also given the assurance to the government that it would pay above Rupees 17 million performance guarantee for the Aandikhola Hydropower Project by December end this year.

The American Company’s assurance to pay the bank guarantee within two weeks came after the government, according to Dr. Aryal, made it clear it cannot give the survey license without receiving the due amount.

After the government accepted its proposal to develop Arun III earlier this year, it has been almost five months since EurOrient applied for the project’s survey license.

The private company last month had submitted a letter at the DED requesting the extension of the deadline – earlier fixed for November 24 – to pay the performance guarantee for the US Dollars one billion hydroelectric project.

In the letter, the American Company had requested the government to grant it the time between two and three months. It had cited its then ongoing negotiations with European insurance companies as the reason for the delay to pay the performance guarantee.

"Since there are very few American Insurance Companies here, EurOrient needs some time to work out the agreements with European Insurance Companies," the letter had stated.

The financing company, according to DED officials, had even approached them saying that it would pay the performance guarantee only while acquiring the construction license.

The Department turned down the request pointing at the Terms of Reference of the project that requires the developer to pay the guarantee amount before getting the survey license.

Now that EurOrient is all set to open its purse, the government too is in a receptive mood. "Once they pay the performance guarantee, we will give them the survey license within 30 days," said Dr. Aryal.

After the American Company receives the survey license, it will have between 18 to 24 months to acquire the production license of the hydropower project.

For the production license, EurOrient will have to sign a Power Purchase Agreement with India and will have to furnish its financial status. "Since it is basically a financing company, EurOrient will itself chip in the money in the project," said Dr. Aryal. "The latest development shows that the company is serious."

After receiving the survey license, EurOrient need not have field day for the survey. With the government already having the World Bank-assisted detailed design of Arun III, the American Company will have to scrutinise the document for reviewing and updating purposes.

After pocketing the production license, EurOrient will need at least three to four years to build the access road to the project site in Arun Valley of Sankhuwasabha District. "The schedule for the construction period of the project is yet to be worked out," said Dr. Aryal.

The government revived Arun III — with its installed capacity doubled from 201 MW to 402 MW – after the World Bank pulled out of what was then known as Baby Arun Project in 1996.

During its earlier version, the run of the river project was estimated at the cost of US Dollars 5,000 per kilowatt of power. Interestingly, with its installed capacity doubled, the price tag of the hydropower project has now gone down to US Dollars 2,500 per kilowatt.

Arun III is one of the five different hydropower projects whose survey licenses the government has decided to provide to private parties.

Infotech policy unveiled

Kathmandu, Dec. 13 (RSS): The Ministry of Science and Technology has made public the Information Technology Policy-2057 with a view to projecting Nepal in the world map of information technology within the next five years.

At a press conference organised by the ministry here today, Minister for Science and Technology Surendra Prasad Chaudhari said that as the Nepali society believes in hard work and progress for information technology, the government has moved ahead the plan with priority to banish the widespread poverty and backwardness in the country through the information technology policy with the participation of the private sector.

National Planning member Dr. Ramesh Ananda Baidya pointed out the need to provide education, training and other basic needs to the people for the development of information technology to enable them to enjoy the facility.

He said that a congenial atmosphere of working unity among the ministries would be developed for this purpose.

The government will adopt strategies such as encouraging the domestic and foreign investors for the development of necessary infrastructure, provide legality to the e-commerce, including computer education from the school level itself, producing skilled manpower, and extending the network of information technology at the rural areas.

The information technology made public today states that national information highway and north-south information highway will be build, information technology park will be build at Banepa of Kavrepalanchok district, and the companies working in this field will be allowed to import information technology equipment at one percent customs duty.

Likewise, a long-term programme together with the motto "Computer education for all by 2010" would be formulated under the information technology policy.

Only one per cent customs duty will be levied on the hardware, software and computer spareparts imported by the training institutions working for the development of information technology and the services provided and achievements made by them on the recommendation made by the National Information Technology Centre.

Unite for NC convention, Sushil tells functionaries

Pokhara, Dec. 13 (RSS): Central Convenor of the Preparatory Committee of the 10th General Convention of the Nepali Congress and party General Secretary Sushil Koirala has called upon all the party activists to unite to make the ensuing historic general convention of the Nepali Congress which is the focal point of the politics of the country a grand success.

At a meeting of the committee participated in by officials of general convention central suggestions and monitoring committee officials and general convention local management main committee officials and convenors of all the 26 sub-committees, Mr. Koirala said that the NC Kaski district committee would seize the opportunity of taking the historic credit of holding the general convention successfully.

Member of the Central Suggestions and Monitoring Committee Laxman Prasad Ghimire stressed the need to implement the decisions taken today in the context of making preparation for the general convention and said that his committee would lend its active support to the local main management committee.

The meeting chaired by convenor of the local management main committee and MP Shukra Raj Sharma decided to convene separate meetings of all the 26 sub-committees within three days, formulate necessary action plan and present it to the convenor of the main committee.

Decision was also taken for the local main management committee to work in line with the suggestions of the Central Suggestions and Monitoring Committee.

Dil Bahadur Ghari, Purushottam Basnet, Mukti Lal Chuke, Chandra Singh Bhattarai, Gopal Raj Pahadi, Shiva Raj Joshi, Mahadev Gurung and Prakash Bahadur Gurung who are members of the NC General Convention Central Suggestions and Monitoring Committee also attended the meeting.

UML for constitution’s amendment: Nepal

Siraha, Dec. 13 (RSS):  General Secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that his party is in favour of amendment to the constitution for changes in the political, economic, social and cultural fields for the development of democracy and nationalism in the country.

Addressing a mass meeting organised by CPN-UML Siraha district committee at Lahan Bazaar, general secretary Nepal said that amendment to the constitution was necessary to protect the achievement of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 and democracy.

Calling for end to gender discrimination, Mr. Nepal said that the men and women both had made equal contributions for the all round development of the country.

Stating that the development of the country was not possible unless the problems of the farmers were settled, he said that HMG should introduce a new programme related to land to protect their rights and interests.

CPN-UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari called upon the government to immediately carry out the construction works of the Sunkoshi Kamala diversion project.

MPs Ram Chandra Yadav, Dharmanath Sah, Hem Narayan Yadav, CPN-UML central member Suresh Karki, Guru Baral, CPN-UML zonal coordination committee secretary Narendra Pokharel and other speakers expressed their views at the mass meeting chaired by secretary of the CPN-UML district committee Heera Bahadur Sunuwar.

‘Nepal-UK ties getting stronger’

Kathmandu, Dec. 13 (RSS): Minister of Defence and Finance Mahesh Acharya has said that Nepal and Britian enjoy age-old ties of friendship and excellent relationship marked by cordiality, understanding and respect for each other’s concerns and aspirations.

Minister for Defence and Finance Acharya made this remark at a dinner hosted by him in honour of Mr Geoffrey Hoon, Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom here this evening.

Stating that our bilateral relationship has encompassed many important fields from commerical to educational and cultural links, Mr Acharya said we would like to further consolidate these relations to our mutual satisfaction.

The bilateral visits that have taken place from time to time at various level have provided us with an opportunity to share thoughts on the areas of common interests, Mr Acharya said, expressing the confidence that the visit of the Secretary of State for Defence will also contribute towards consolidating the friendly ties between Nepal and Britain.

Referring to the good bilateral linkage between the Royal Nepalese Army and the British Gurkhas, Mr Acharya said that Royal Nepalese Army officers have been regularly trained in reputed British military institutions.

Appreciating British development cooperation in the fields of agriculture, rural development and road building which has benefitted the large section of the rural population, the Defence Minister said "The enhanced level of cooperation and commitment from Britian in Nepal, will go a long way towards consolidating the democratic process and promoting socio-economic development in the country."

The challenges for the government today is how to accelerate the process of economic growth and to alleviate the poverty of the masses, Mr Acharya said, adding in order to facilitate and speed up the process of development by unleashing and nurturing the innate creativity and entrepreneurship of the people, we have emphasized the free play of market forces with the adoption of liberal economic policies in the country.

The government is committed to promoting equity and justice by building infrastructres and ensuring economic benefits and social services to the people, Mr Acharya said, adding that the right mix of policies, an accelerated rate of economic growth would lead to the alleviation of poverty of the masses.

Referring to the solid foundation of traditional ties existing between Nepal and the United Kingdom, Mr Acharya expressed confidence that relations between the two countries would continue to grow and diversify in the days ahead.

In his reply speech, the visiting Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom Geoffrey Hoon said the British Gurkhas are an integrated part of British Army and has been a significant mainstay of Britain-Nepal ties which go back two centuries.

Stating that the British Gurkhas have distinguished themselves in Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor and Sierra Leone, Mr Hoon hoped that these highly talented individuals, after they finish their military service and as they return to Nepal, will put the skills they have learnt to good effect and come to occupy an increasingly important place in Nepal’s public life.

Expressing sincere gratitude for the most helpful manner in which His Majesty’s Government continues to help the work of British Gurkhas organisation and the Gurkha welfare scheme, Secretary of State Hoon hoped that Britain and Nepal can continue to work together to promote the stability, prosperity and peace both for the sake of the two countries and for the wider international community.

Mr Hoon said that Britain and Nepal should expand business links through greater private-sector collaboration which will benefit both countries and help increase the understanding between the two kingdoms.

Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola, chairman of House of Representatives State Affairs Committee MP Homnath Dahal, chief secretary Tirthman Shakya, foreign secretary Narayan Shumsher Thapa, defense secretary Padma Kumar Acharya, Chief of the Army Staff General Prajwal Shumsher J. B. Rana, British Ambassador Ronald P. Nash and the high ranking officials of His Majesty’s Government were also present at the dinner.

Earlier today, Mr. Geoffrey Hoon, Secretary of State for Defence of the United Kingdom met Mr. Mahesh Acharya, Minister for Finance and Defence at the Ministry of Finance this afternoon.

During the meeting, the Defence Ministers reviewed the long-standing traditional relations between Nepal and the United Kingdom.

They also discussed about the British Gurkhas and British Gurkhas welfare activities in Nepal.

The two ministers also exchanged views on training and other areas of cooperation to the Royal Nepalese Army in the context of Nepal’s participation in the United Nations peace keeping operations.

On the occasion Defence Minister Acharya requested Mr. Hoon for British assistance for developing a Regional Training Center for Peace Keeping Operations at Panchkhal, Kavre district.

British Ambassador Ronald P. Nash, the members of the British delegation, Defence Secretary and the senior officials of His Majesty’s Government were also present on the occasion.

Arrival: Earlier, British Secretary of State for Defence Geoffrey Hoon arrived here today on a three day visit to Nepal at the friendly invitation of Defence and Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya.

Mr Hoon was welcomed at the VIP Lounge of Tribhuvan International Airport by Minister for Defence and Finance Acharya.

Also present on the occasion were secretary at the Defence Ministry Padam Kumar Acharya, British Ambassador to Nepal Ronald Peter Nash and spokesman of the Foreign Ministry Gyan Chandra Acharya.