Nepal felicitates successful mountain climbers

Kathmandu, June 18 (RSS): Successful climbers of the world’s highest mountain Mt. Sagarmatha or Everest Babu Chhiri Sherpa, Lhakpa Sherpa, Pemba Doma Sherpa and Ramkrishna Shrestha were felicitated at a function organised by the Democratic National Youths Association Nepal here today.

CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal felicitated them with presentating them bouquets, garlands, shawls and letters of appreciation.

Speaking on the occasion Mr Nepal expressed the view that every work could be successful if carried out with courage, enthusiasm and confidence. The successful submitters have helped to introduce the country globally, he added.

Mr Nepal also demanded that the government provide financial assistance for the treatment of Temba Chhiri Sherpa, who lost his fingers while climbing Mt. Sagarmatha and also take responsibility for his future.

CPN-UML central member and MP Shanta Manawi, world record holder Babu Chhiri Sherpa and the first Nepali women to scale Mt. Sagarmatha from its northern face Miss Pemba Doma Sherpa also expressed their views at the function chaired by MP Gokarna Raj Bista.

Thakur stresses dev of culture

Janakpurdham, June 18 (RSS): Minister for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Mahantha Thakur has said that as language and culture help give identity to the nation and society, emphasis should be laid on their development.

Minister Thakur made this remark while inaugurating the general assembly of the Chitragupta Sewa Samiti, Janakpur at a function today. On the occasion he also released the Ajar Kalash souvenir published by the samiti and ‘Mithila Darpan’, a work by Biswonath Mallik.

He spoke of the glory of the Maithili language and culture and the important role they played in the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the ancient and medieval history of Nepal.

Minister Thakur said a nation which cannot safeguard its language and culture will end up with these remaining only in the history books, adding that women have been playing an important role in the development of Mithila art and culture and they should moved further ahead.

Observing that a language and culture is not a matter for dispute but a symbol of unity, he said the constitution of Nepal has guaranteed the status of this country as a multi ethnic and multi lingual
nation.

Ex-minister Bimalendra Nidhi stressed the need for the organisations of the various communities to contribute to the collective welfare besides safeguarding religion and culture.

At the function presided over by chairman of the Chitragupta Sewa Samiti Indra Dev Lal Karna, various other speakers including Dr. Rewati Raman Lal, Ashok Dutta and Shyam Kishor Mallik called
for upliftment of Maithili culture.

Develop prison as correction house: Report

Kathmandu, June 18 (RSS): Prisons should not be considered as homes for torture, but they should be developed as correction homes, and inmates treated as per democratic norms and values.

All the prisons of the country are in a dismal state, and several jails are accommodating inmates more than their capacity.

The persons suffering from chronic and serious diseases are also forced to live with normal people and they are also deprived of such facilities as health, education, sports and other
entertainment activities.

According to a report of the House of Representatives State Affairs Committee, the prisons in the country have the capacity of accommodating 7,233 persons.

The total number of prisoners and detainees stands at 5,883.

There are a total of 111 child inmates, but they are not provided with necessary facilities by the state, says the report, adding it is impractical and inhuman to deprive nursing mothers of minimum facilities they are entitled to and to deny facilities to children unless they reach seven years.

The report also points to the lack of drinking water, electricity, bed-clothes, training to enhance vocational skills and toilet facility at the prisons.

Various items prepared by the prison inmates do not receive fair prices and there is no separate space for women in several districts.

The committee has suggested 50 crash and three long-term measures to improve the conditions of prisons.

This was said at a press meet organised with a view to providing information about the report presented by committee chairman Homnath Dahal at the House of Representatives yesterday.

House team inspects Raji river barrage

Nepalgunj, June 18 (RSS): The 15-member all-party team of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee today made an on the spot inspection of the barrage built at the Raji river at Laxmanpur of Indian border district of Bahraich.

The inspection team led by committee chairman Som Prasad Pandey comprises committee members Sushil Koirala, Romi Gauchan, Ekanath Ranabhat, Narayan Singh Pun, Shiva Prasad Humagain, Bijaya Subba, Pashupati Chaulagai, Fatik Bahadur Thapa, Chandra Bahadur Shahi, Govinda Bickram Shaha, Navaraj Suvedi, Narayan Man Bijukchhe, Lilamani Pokharel and Basu K.C.

The team yesterday inspected the Nepali territory in the southern part of Banke district likely to be submerged as a result of the construction of a dam in the border area of India.

The team is on a visit here in line with the directives given by Speaker Taranath Ranabhat on June 16 to the Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee to study the social and environmental impact on the people of the area caused by the construction of a dam by India across the Rapti river in the Indian side of the border. Meanwhile, at a press conference organised by the committee here today, its chairman Pandey said that the committee will undertake study of the various aspects of the damages likely to be caused by the dam and present the report in the House.

He said that Indian side has not taken permission from Nepal for the construction of the dam and an agreement had not been signed between the two countries for the dam within eight kilometres as required by international law.

Committee member and general secretary of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala said that HMG should hold talks with India to find a just solution to the problem.

Committee member and president of the Nepal Peasants and Workers Party Narayan Man Bijukchhe said that India had given compensation for the area inundated by the Koshi river but at present as the dam has been constructed without any agreement there was no position for receiving compensation.

Stating that the government should stop the construction of the dam, he said that had the government given attention to this matter in time, this situation would not have arisen.

Committee member Romi Gauchan said that studies would be undertaken for the long-term and short-term impact of the dam and as HMG was holding talks with the Indian government on the basis of silent diplomacy, it should be speeded up.

Committee member Pashupati Chaulagai said that the committee would prepare its report as soon as possible.

First-ever bypass surgery at home

Kathmandu, June 18 (RSS): The first ever coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) commonly known as bypass surgery was successfully performed atBir Hospital today.

The surgery was performed on 68 years old Gyanu Sharma of Dillibazaar by a team of doctors led by cardiothorasic and vascular surgeon Dr. Damodar Prasad Pokherel.

Talking to RSS reporter on completion of the eight-hour surgery, Dr. Pokherel, the only Nepalese surgeon who can perform such a bypass surgery, said since the martyr Ganga Lal Heart Centre is already equipped with a cath lab which is essential to prepare an angio-cardiography for bypass surgery, such a surgery can now be performed regularly in Nepal.

With the initiation of such a facility in Nepal, Nepalese heart patients can now undergo a bypass surgery in the country itself by paying about 70 percent less than what they have to pay for the same surgery in India, Dr Pokhrel who is also executive director of Gangalal Heart Center said. The cost of bypass surgery in Nepal is about Rs. 150,000.

Health Minister Dr Ram Baran Yadav, and RSS reporter and an NTV cameraman observed the bypass surgery at the operation theatre in bir hospital today.

Talking to RSS reporter, director of Bir Hospital Dr. Ram Prasad Shrestha expressed happiness that Bir Hospital has been successful in providing specialist service. The hospital, which has not charged operation fee so far, plans to charge those who can afford some amount as operation fee in the future in order to make the service sustainable.

Govt plans cooperatives development bank

Kathmandu, June 18 (RSS): Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperatives Baldev Sharma Majagaiya has said that the Ministry of Cooperatives was constituted in order to alleviate poverty in the country and create employment opportunities.

Minister of State Majagaiya, who was inaugurating the Bharosa Nepal Multipurpose Cooperatives Limited here, said that the government has been studying the problems of cooperatives in the past.

He said the government has presented a bill in the present session of parliament for better managing the savings and loans sector and it will come up for discussions within one week.

He also said there is a programme to establish a cooperatives development bank in
order to strengthen the
cooperatives and Rs 10 million has been allocated for this in the budget.

Mr Majagaiya also distributed certificates to the founding shareholders of the cooperatives.

On the occasion, Minister of State Tirtha Ram Dangol said the Nepali Congress has come forward with the notion that economic prosperity is possible through cooperatives development.

Member of the cooperatives Thakur Prasad Poudel, presenting the objectives of the cooperatives and the action plan, said that a multipurpose agricultural farm will be established to incorporate all the agro-activities at Awantar of Dhading district.

Sanitation Week being observed

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 18:In order to announce the launch of "Sanitation Week", Steering Committee for National Sanitation Action called a press meet today. The "Sanitation Week" will run for seven days from today.

According to the Committee about 28,000 kids lose their lives and the nation bears the damage of about Rs. 10 billion annually mainly due to lack of awareness about cleanliness and sanitation among the public.

The committee claimed that almost 80 per cent of Nepalese do not use toilets in Nepal. It identified lack of toilets, use of uncleaned toilets and improper hand wash after the use of toilets as some of the reasons for deaths of thousands of Nepalese children.

It further said that 80 per cent of communicable diseases are caused by unsafe drinking water.

The committee also appealed governmental, non-governmental and social organisations to join hands to accelerate campaign to create awareness regarding personal hygiene among the public.

During the press meet, representatives from Department of Drinking Water and Sewerage, UNICEF Nepal and Federation of Village Development Committees highlighted the situation of sanitation in Nepal. They claimed that return of the investment done for sanitation is more than five times the amount.