Solve garbage problem, govt urged

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 13: Lawmakers at the House of Representatives today demanded the government to give complete solution to Kathmandu’s garbage problem by finding a permanent dumping site.

The garbage problem gave rise to environmental degradation severely affecting tourism, one of the important foreign currency sources of the country, they said adding the government had failed to tackle the problem.

They criticised the government for dumping the garbage on the bank of the Bagmati River despite the Environment Protection Parliamentary Committee decision against it.

Subash Nemwang of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) accused the government of failing to fulfil its commitment to find a permanent landfill site.

"The government has ignored the Environment Protection Parliamentary Committee decision which is as good as a Parliament decision," he said.

Nemwang charged the government of acting against the norms of the new budget, which banned provisional appointment in government offices and state-owned corporations. "I have found some 27 such appointments in various ministries and corporations after Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya presented the budget estimates last month," he said. "There are 18 provisional appointments in the Ministry of Local Development alone that is under Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel."

Another UML lawmaker Ishwar Pokharel said the garbage problem worsened because the government lacked a clear vision for its management.

Hari Acharya of United People’s Front said that the drainage under construction on the banks of the Bagmati was leaking and polluting the holy river. "The government should monitor this and take measures for its management."

UML’s Bidhya Devi Bhandari, Mangal Siddhi Manandhar and Ashta Laxmi Shakya also charged the government of failing to manage the capital’s garbage problem and demanded immediate solution to it.

Similarly, some of the lawmakers expressed their concern over the police action against the protesters who tried to disrupt Miss Nepal 2000 beauty pageant yesterday.

"I condemn the police action against the protesters that included women and elderly persons who wanted to stop the competition that treats women as commodities," Lila Mani Pokharel of National People’s Front said.

In line with Pokharel, UPF’s Navaraj Subedi said that such contests degrade national culture and demanded that the government put ban on such anti-cultural activities.

His Majesty felicitates

Kathmandu, July 14 (RSS): His Majesty the King has felicitated President Jacques Chirac of the French Republic on the occasion of the National Day of France.

In a message of felicitations, His Majesty has extended best wishes for the President’s personal health and happiness as well as for the continued progress and prosperity of the people of France.

His Majesty has also expressed confidence that the cordial and friendly relations between the two countries will be further strengthened in the years to come.

Congratulation

Kathmandu, July 14 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has congratulated Prime Minister Lionel Jospin of the Republic of France on the occasion of the National Day of France.

In a message, Prime Minister Koirala has expressed best wishes for his French counterpart’s good health and happiness as well as for the progress and prosperity of the people of France.

Teams meet DPM

Kathmandu, July 13 (RSS): A delegation led by Radha Krishna Mainali of the CPN-ML met Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development Ram Chandra Paudel and requested him to build environment for disposing garbage littering the streets of Kathmandu, not to politicize garbage disposal problem and seek consensus of all parties for long-term solution of the problem.

Similarly, a delegation led by chairman of the United Marxist Front Prabhu Narayan Chaudhary presented a memorandum to the Deputy Prime Minister for resolving the solid waste problem today.

House approves

Kathmandu, July 13 (RSS): The House of Representatives at its meeting today approved the proposal seeking consideration of the bill designed to amend some Nepal Act presented by Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mahantha Thakur.

CPN-UML’s Pradip Kumar Gyawali, Prem Bahadur Singh and Dr Banshidhar Mishra had taken part in the discussion.

Similalry, the meeting also approved the propsoal seeking consideration of the Internal Borrowings Bill-2057 presented by Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya.

The Lower House will meet again at 11 a.m on July 17.

Talks bring Nepal, India closer: Bastola

Kathmandu, July 13 (RSS): Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Bastola has said that the talks held recently at differernt levels between Nepal and India have helped bring back the relations between the two countries, which had seen some coldness, to the natural process.

Minister Bastola said this is reply to questions raised during zero hour and special hour at the National Assembly today.

The minister also said that he made an effort to explore the reason behind the long communication gap between the two closest neighbours and as a continuation of the effort talks were held at different levels between the two countries.

These talks also served as the medium of doing necessary homework in preparation for the Prime Minister’s forthcoming visit to India, he said.

Nepal charges govt of failure in delivery

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, July 13: Main opposition leader Madhav Kumar Nepal has charged the government with failing to perform in all areas of governance.

The four month old government has failed to control corruption, ensure good governance and maintain law and order in the country, he told a regular interaction with journalists at the Reporters’ Club this afternoon.

And, the talks with the government seem to be headed towards nowhere because the government representatives lack seriousness, he charged. The government, he said, is not serious in addressing the major problems the nation is faced with.

Nepal claimed the government lacked seriousness to tackle the Maoists’ problem and said the Prime Minister should not plan his India visit in a hurry. "When the Prime Minister goes to India on August 1, he should take up the national issues with the Indian leadership," Nepal said.

He said the Foreign Minister had sent his party a letter today to discuss the agenda during the Prime Minister’s visit. "We take it as a positive beginning," he told the programme chaired by Rishi Dhamala, the president of the Club.

Nepal said there was a need for massive reforms in the electoral processes of the country. The main opposition leader stressed the need to make necesseary changes in the citizenship amendment Bill, which was rejected by his party at the National Assembly recently. The Bill generated at the House of Representatives as a Finance Bill was passed unanimously by the Lower House, only to be rejected by the elders who have demanded alteration of clauses "that are against the interests of the nation."

National Talent Award given away

Kathmandu, July 13 (RSS): Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel gave away the National Talent Award of 2056/057 to 31 persons from five development regions in recognition of their significant contribution to the fields of literature, music, art, sports, science and technology, history and archaeology at a function organised by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation on the occasion of the 187th Bhanu Jayanti today.

The award presented every year carries a purse of Rs. 15,000/- each.

The recipients of the award were Dr. Swayambhu Man Amatya, Dr. Dinesh Raj Bhuju, Dr. Safalya Amatya, Lila Bhakta Munakarmi, Dr. Ganesh Khatri, Pandit Badri Ratna Bajracharya, Sambhujit Baskota, Chakra Prasad Shrestha, Subhadra Adhikari, Koili Devi Mathema, Radheshyam Pradhan, Krishna Gopal Ranjit, Jit Bahadur Rayamajhi, Sudan Khusa, Amrit Ratna Tuladhar, Kiran Kharel, Dr. Ganga Prasad Akela, Gyan Udas, Shiva Adhikari, Krishna Bhushan Bal and Bhim Darshan Roka.

Bhagirathi Shrestha, Lava Gaunle, Sita Pandey, Dr. Ishwor Baral, Shanti Chaudhari, Bhim Birag, R.D. Prabhas Chataut, Yuvaraj Nayaghare, Sungdare Sherpa, Shambhu Tamang, Hari Khadka and Ramesh Khanal also received the award.

At the function, Deputy Prime Minister Paudel stressed the need to bring out hidden talents of the people who have the potentials for contributing to the promotion of the country’s culture, progress and civilization.

Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Tarini Datta Chataut said literature, sports, science and technology and history constitute the identity of the country.

KMC starts collecting garbage

Kathmandu, July 13 (RSS): Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) office has started collecting garbage which has been left unattended for the last few days.

In course of disposing waste, some undesirable elements damaged nine vehicles and injured some employees.

KMC office has expressed gratitude to the city residents for their cooperation in maintaining environment.