Koirala urges Maoists to renounce violent acts

Dhangadhi, Feb. 5 (RSS):NC President and ex-Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has spoken of the need to work out a new economic policy so as to help the country's development gain momentum.

Mr Koirala, who was addressing a public rally organised by nc dhangadhi here today, observed that owing to different topographical structures and different ways of life and needs of the people, the same kind of economic policy cannot address the problems of mountain, hill and the Terai.

It is, therefore, imperative to work out separate economic policies which will be in consistent with the three geographical regions, he said.

Noting that those who cannot countenance democracy have been making various attempts to finish off democracy ever since its establishment in 2007 B.S., He said, stressing the need for an understanding among all political parties to attain political stability and consolidation of democracy.

Since the killings and other kinds of violence being perpetrated in the name of Maoist activity have given rise to a difficult situation in the country, he planned the current district visits to discuss with the district-based workers of various political parties on ways to resolve the Maoist problem and acquire first hand information about the development and construction works in the districts.

Politics of violence has never seen a success in any country; rather violence begets counter violence, he said, adding human beings are blessed with two hands to use them in constructive activities not in destructive ones. He also called on the Maoists to renounce violence and involve themselves in nation building.

Stressing the need for the development of villages  in order to pave the way for the country's all round development, Mr Koirala said Nepali Congress is drawing its strength from the people living in the villages. He also asked the villagers to unitedly fight against the anti-democratic forces.

Ex-prime minister and nc leader Sher Bahadur Deuba said weakening the Nepali Congress means weakening democracy and raising obstacle to establishment of socialism.

If the Maoists call themselves a political party they should not hesitate to sit across a negotiating table, he said, adding the government is ready to hold dialogue with them.

NC Central Member Chandra Singh Bhattarai also addressed the rally.

Also today, nc President Koirala laid the foundation stone for nc kailali district office building at Ward. No. 1 Dhangadhi municipality.

He also participated in an all-party meeting and alerted the participants against the conspiracy being hatched by various forces to serve their vested interest by bringing about political instability.

He also stressed the need to resolve the Maoist problem on the basis of a national consensus.

Cpn-uml's Dinesh Chandra Subedi and Mohan Singh Rathor, cpn-ml's Nanda Lal Joshi and Hari Prasad Pandey, rpp's Hikmat Bahadur Malla and others also expressed their views at the meeting.

Langtang Park: A tourist spot

Rasuwa, Feb. 5 (RSS): A total of 116,384 foreign tourists have visited the Langtang National Park as of last year.

According to chief conservation officer at the National Park Office Jhamak Bahadur Karki, a total of Rs. 54,526,000 has been realised as revenue so far through fees charged to tourists visiting Langtang and Gosainkunda areas since the commencement of tourist registration in fiscal year 2035/36.

Some 8,808 foreign tourists came here during Visit Nepal Year 1998 and the number rose to 16,076 in 1999.

The tourists start their journey on foot after reaching Dhunche by bus 120 kilometres from Kathmandu or Syaphrubainsi which is 233 kilometres.

 Picturesque mountainous ranges and natural beauty can be viewed from Langtang. It takes 4 days to reach there from Dhunche and 3 days from Syaphrubainsi.

 Poor people here have been able to manage their livelihood to some extent with the wages of Rs. 150-300  they get per day for guiding and or portering.

It is estimated that the turnover of the  local hotels exceeds  by Rs. 10 million per year. An average amount of Rs. 1,000 is spent daily by a tourist who normally stay 8-10 days.

 Tourists now have better services from 52 hotels following the classification of hotels introduced by the government.

Some 24 hotels here are under operation  under 'A' grade, 11 under "B' grade and 8 under 'C' grade under a 5 year contract period. There are also 9 curio outlets.

Fifty percent of the revenue amount of Rs. 343,55  being realised from the hotels has been using in a community development programme for local people under the national park central area development programme.

Hotels for the tourists have also been contracted on private land at Chandanbari, Thulosyaphru, Syaphrubainsi, Langtang and Kangjen.

The tourists hotels inside the park area furnish price lists for food items and are also equipped with smoke free ovens.

Kerosene has been available for hotels outside the park areas to reduce the consumption of wood within the park.

Some persons belonging to other districts also have found employment in cooking and cleaning after undergoing training being conducted by the tropical mountain institute, an INGO, and the park itself.

 A variety of birds and butterflies and other wildlife such as deer, snow leopard and bear are added attractions in the national park for visiting tourists, the chief officer said.

In case tourists suddenly fall ill in the Park area, a helicopter can be sent for by the telephone at Chandanbari or by wireless. Helicopters can be booked at Dhunche.

The local people could hardly eke out a living for three months in the year by cultivating crops like potato and barley on land in the lap of the Langtang Massif. But with the advent of the tourists living standards have risen. Some people in the hotel business can even afford to reserve a helicopter in case of need.

If camping sites can be arranged for tourists who come in groups, it would be an added attraction, and local people could find employment as guides after undergoing training.

Khadka denounces killing, offers tribute to Poon, Chand

Kathmandu, Feb. 5 (RSS): Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka paid tributes to nc constituency member Nandiram Poon and Bhalakcha vdc chairman Chitra Bahadur Chand who were killed by Maoists on Feb. 2 at Musikot Khalanga in Rukum Friday.

Both of them were killed by the Maoists when they were on their way to Musikot to participate in a public rally organized in connection with nc president Girija Prasad Koirala's visits to Maoist-affected areas.

They were attacked by a gang of about 200 which after killing them fled into the jungle firing shots in the air, according to eye witnesses.

The Home Minister also presented Rs. 100,000 each to the families of the two Maoist victims.

Addressing a meeting to pay tributes to the deceased, Home Minister Khadka wondered as to what kind of political rule the Maoist terrorists want to establish by killing the poor and humble people in the villages.

The government has already initiated necessary steps to control terrorist activities and ensure security of the people, he added.

He also called upon all political parties to unite and chase the terrorists from the villages.

No one has stopped the Maoist leaders from attaining power in a constitutional manner, Mr Khadka said, adding killing of people does not help their impossible dream materialize.

mp keshar Man Rokka described Maoist activity as barbaric and said that the politics of violence will never be successful.

Rukum ddc Chairman Khemman Khadka, cpn-uml district secretary Sher Bahadur k.c., nc rukum district Working Committee Chairman Gopalji Jung Shaha and other speakers also condemned the terrorist activities.

Also today, addressing office chiefs at Musikot of Rukum, Home Minister Khadka directed them not to leave any stone unturned in maintaining law and order in the district for which His Majesty's government will make all necessary arrangements.

Likewise, Mr. Khadka inspected the police post at Pharula of Salyan district.

Maoists terrorists made repeated attempts to attack and destroy the post but were not successful.

On the occasion Home Minister Khadka gathered information about the state of affairs of the area from the local public.

Also today, the Home Minister inspected the Dipendra Police Residential school at Ghorahi of Dang district which was attacked with bombs by Maoists Friday.

Poster show against food adulteration 

Kathmandu, Feb. 5 (RSS): People have been cautioned against illnesses caused by adulterated food items in view of the increasing reports of various illnesses in the country due to the consumption of adulterated food items.

This was the main theme of the poster exhibition organised here Friday by the Community Empowerment and Promotion Centre and the Bio Inc. with the objective of informing the public about the adverse effects of food adulteration on public health and precaution measures.

The three hours long poster exhibition highlighted various aspects of food adulteration and its adverse impact on public health and demonstrations of making the oral rehydration solution, methods of testing food adulteration and samples of adulterated food items.

Similarly, various cut-outs of newspaper articles and write-ups on food adulteration were put on show at the exhibition.

According to the organisers, the main objective of the poster exhibition was to impart basic knowledge among the people on various types of food testing methods so that they would be able to test their own food themselves and to caution them against believing in glossy ads in view of more than 200 different illnesses that can result due to consumption of adulterated food.

It was disclosed on the occasion that not all the milk samples collected from different parts of the country were found to be of the required quality, some 2.7 million people in Nepal were  disabled, 45,000 children in the country died annually from gastroenteritis, nearly 60 per cent of the child mortality in Nepal was due to malnutrition and 59 percent of deformities and mental retardation among children was as a result of malnutrition.

Similarly, it was disclosed that 81 percent of the additives used in sweets and candy were harmful and that samples of only 91 food items out of the thousands of food items sold in the market were tested.

It was disclosed that some food items granted the ns certification mark were also found to be adulterated and only one food inspector was available for every 1 million population in the country.

The poster exhibition also attempted to spread the message that food adulteration was a grave social crime and should be checked from all sides at all costs.

CJ tells lawyers not to fall in temptations

Charikot, Feb. 5 (RSS): Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya inaugurated the newly constructed bar building of Nepal Bar Association, Dolkha unit here today.

In his inaugural speech, Chief Justice Upadhyaya said since dispensation of justice is very complicated successful dispensation of justice requires honesty and dedication on the part of all those involved in judicial sector.

He also highlighted the importance of legal practitioners and constructive cooperation of the bar in dispensation of justice.

The main objective of the court and bar is to remain alert to see to it that all the people receive justice, he said, adding legal practitioners should strive for the victory of justice not their own as victory of justice is a victory of peace, and victory of good governance.

Temptation on the part of legal practitioners for monetary gains tarnishes the image of the entire judicial sector, he said, stressing the need for them to remain alert against such a temptation.

At the function, the Chief Justice presented letters of commendation, prizes and shawls to engineer Shambhu Upreti and ex-president of Appellate Bar Association, Patan Laxmi Prasad Upreti for their significant contribution to the construction of the bar building.

The building was constructed at a cost of Rs.534,504.

Mayor Chok Bahadur Dahal, Ddc chairman Lal Kumar K.C. senior advocate Sindhu Nath Pyakuryal, Bar Association Central Secretary Agni Kharel, chairman of Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee Subas Nemwang, Nepal Bar Association Central President Harihar Dahal, chief judge of Appellate Court Patan Min Bahadur Rayamajhi and Attorney General Badri Bahadur Karki also expressed their views. Bar Association Dolkha Unit president Saroj Upreti presided.

Savings soul of economy: Experts

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Feb 5:Financial experts said at a seminar today that savings was the soul of micro-finance activities and stressed on the need to develop new savings products to suit the need of the poor people. 

"Savings – the act of choosing not to use cash – is the fundamental act of financial activity," Dr. Stuart Rutherford said. "The financial services for the poor are services that help them manage money and turn savings into a  lump sum," Rutherford told the inaugural ceremony of the one-day seminar on Savings Services in Micro-finance here this morning.

Good financial services should be convenient, quick, appropriate flexible and affordable, added Rutherford, the founder Chairperson of SAFE SAVE micro-finance programme in Bangladesh.

Micro-savings - one of the most important components of micro-finance - has been recognised as a powerful tool for mobilising the small and rural households towards empowerment and growth, Nepal Rastra Bank's Governor Dr. Tilak Rawal said in his inaugural address.

Rawal stressed on the need to lead the existing micro-finance projects ahead in a sustainable manner and assured the micro-finance dealers of a favourable policy.

Micro-finance services started in 1956 in Nepal with the advent of co-operative movement and establishment of 17 credit co-operatives in different parts of the country. At present there are 13 commercial banks, two development banks, five Grameen Bikas Banks, two Grameen replicators, 44 finance companies, four small farmer co-operatives and 25 non-governmental organisations licensed financial intermediaries. Besides these, there are thousands of non-licensed institutions that offer savings and credit services.

Most of these institutions, however, focus primarily on credit with limited choice of savings products. There is still a dire need of customer tailored individual and voluntary savings products. The seminar revolves just around this need.

Organised by the Centre for Micro-finance – a project implemented by Canadian Centre for International Studies and Co-operation - with the support of USAID, it aims at disseminating information on existing savings products, designing new savings products and also reinforcing savings as an essential financial service for the poor.

Law on right to information soon: Shaha

Kathmandu, Feb. 5 (RSS): Minister of State for Information and Communications Govinda Bahadur Shaha inaugurating the first convention of "Press Chautari" here today said press sector, the heart of democracy, should guide the nation and democracy along the right direction.

Noting that the present government is aware of press freedom, mr. shaha disclosed that the government will in the near future establish Nepal Transmission Authority, formulate policies relating to frequency management, constitute Film Development Board and Postal Development Board, bring radical changes in the structure of the Department of Information and hook up Nepal television to the satellite.

Referring to the recent constitution of a task force in order to resolve problems facing the journalists, Minister of State Shaha said a package programme will be introduced and the bill on right to information will be presented in the forthcoming parliamentary session.

cpn-uml central Member and mp raghuji Pant said rights granted by the constitution should not be restricted and the state should extend adequate cooperation to the development of journalism.

Media advisor at the Ministry of Information and Communications Pursottam Dahal said the government has initiated steps towards formulating a long-term communications policy, formulating legislation regarding right to information, solve the problem faced by newspapers due to increase in postal tariff and hook up Nepal Television to the satellite.

Chairman of Nepal Press Council Harihar Birahi expressed the view that the state should give priority to the journalism sector and help to make it professional and self-reliant.

Director General of the Department of Information Yubaraj Pandey said the press sector which remains as the fourth estate can make an important contribution in the institutional development of democracy.

Media Advisor at Frederick Ebert Stiftung p. kharel spoke of the need for the government to formulate law on information, assist the private media and introduce a new communications policy.

Senior journalist Govinda Biyogi, president of Federation of Nepalese Journalists Suresh Acharya and other speakers also expressed their views at the function chaired by chairman of Press Chautari Bijaya Chalise.