Jyapu Mahaguthi meet opened
Cultures constitute identity of Nepal: PM

Kathmandu, Dec. 25 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said that all the cultures, languages, costumes and communities constitutes the identity of Nepal.

Inaugurating the first central general meeting of the Jyapu Mahaguthi here today, Prime Minister Koirala gave assurances that the government would introduce a special programme for the overall development of the Jyapu community.

A person becomes well known because of his character, knowledge and skill, Mr Koirala said, adding that the Jyapu community does not lack these qualities.

Prime Minister Koirala said that the land occupied by the Balaju Industrial Estate would be provided to the Jyapu Samaj on the condition that the Jyapu community will extend cooperation in removing the polluting carpet and cement industries outside Kathmandu Valley.

Minister of State for Health Tirtharam Dangol stressed the need for allocating a fixed budget for the protection and preservation of the culture of every community.

Mr Dangol said that the national census should be taken on the basis of the religion followed by the various communities.

CPN-ML General Secretary Bamdev Gautam said that the culture of the Jyapu community should be recognized as a national culture. The Jyapus should be proud of their community, he added.

President of the Samyukta Janamorcha Nepal Amik Sherchan said that every community should be involved in running the state.

General secretary of the Jyapu Mahaguthi central ad hoc committee Rajbhai Jaka:Mi Maharjan demanded that the "Dhimaya Baja" of the Jyapu community should be declared a national instrument, a budget of atleast Rs 10 million be allocated for the protection of the traditional instrument every year, cultural allowance be provided to the chiefs of the Jyapu cultural instruments, grant assistance be provided for setting up of the Jyapu cultural archive, a long term programme be formulated for the promotion of the traditional Jyapu agricultural system, steps be taken to conduct a research on Jyapu community, and the representative of the Jyapu Mahaguthi be involved in formulation of any policy, regulation and programmes that affect the Jyapu community.

MPs P. L. Singh and Krishna Lal Maharjan, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Keshav Sthapit, president of the Nepal Bhasha Manka Khala Padma Ratna Tuladhar, president of the Jyapu Mahaguthi Mohan Krishna Dangol, vice president of the Jyapu Mahaguthi Central Adhoc Committee Rajbhai Jyapu, Thakali Nati Maharjan, Urmila Dangol, Anupa Singh and others threw light on the contributions made by the Jyapu community.

The function was chaired by president of the Jyapu Mahaguthi Central Adhoc Committee Bipendra Maharjan.

Altogether 105 council members representing all the localities of Kathmandu Valley had taken part in the general meeting.

Earlier a procession of Jyapus playing the traditional "Dhime, Khin and Basuri" instruments had gone a round the city.

Deal signed to hook NTV with satellite

Kathmandu, Dec. 25 (RSS): Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) is to provide loan upto Rs 50 million to Nepal Televsion (NTV) to link it with the satellite in the current fiscal year.

NTV will also be allowed to use the earth station of the NTC.

NTV and NTC have also agreed to jointly use some of the satellite equipment and also jointly share the cost.

Likewise, NTC will provide optical link up to Singha Durbar free of cost to NTV.

An agreement in this effect was signed by NTV general manager Durga Nath Sharma and NTC general manager Raghubar Lal Shrestha.

On the occasion, NTV general manager Sharma said that the agreement reached between NTV and NTC was a model of mutual cooperation between two corporations under the same ministry.

NTC general manager Shrestha said that mutual cooperation would continue in the days ahead.

Transponder has already been booked with INTEL-SAT. Procurement of necessary equipment in the final stage for linking NTV with the satellite.

Meeting of Zoo Management body convened

Kathmandu, Dec. 25 (RSS): The fifth meeting of the Zoo Management and Development Committee was held under the chairmanship of chairman of the Committee His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah at Central Zoo today.

In his opening remarks, His Royal Highness Prince Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah said as part of the existing improvement measures the management has been upgrading facilities, while at the same time some new animal species like primates and pheasants have also been added to the zoo.

HRH the Prince expressed confidence that this will go a long way in not only increasing visitor participation but will also expand awareness in education and recreation.

"Our efforts in establishing valuable networks with various similar institutions are beginning to bear constructive fruit and these efforts have resulted in us being slowly recognized as serious conservationists," hrh the Prince observed.

"Yet, respect will follow only when we are able and willing to raise the standard of animal management, improve the quality and content of conservation, research and education to an accepted international level."

Coordinator of the Zoo Management and Development Committee HRH Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah and other members of the Central Zoo Management and Development Committee also attended the meeting.

At the meeting, member of the committee and team leader of the fund raising strategy development sub-committee Siddhartha Rana presented the strategy paper on fund raising for the Central Zoo.

The Central Zoo is the only zoo in Nepal established in 1932 by the then Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher J. B. Rana as personal collection of wild animals.

After the political change in 1951 the Central Zoo came under the ownership of His Majesty’s Government and was opened to the public in 1956.

Since then different departments of the government had managed the zoo before it was formally handed over to the King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee Birthday of His Majesty the King in 1995.