Administrative reform for effective civil service: PM

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): Prime Minister and Minister for General Administration Girija Prasad Koirala has said that His Majesty’s Government has already implemented most of the recommendations of the Administrative Reform Commission -2048 and the others will be gradually implemented in order to make the administration more people-oriented, responsible, and effective.

Responding to queries posed by MPs at today’s meeting of the House of Representatives, the Prime Minister said the recommendations of the commission have been included in the Civil Service Act 2049 and regulations 2050 and an administrative reform committee and administration reform coordination and follow up committee have been formed for giving continuity to the administrative reforms.

He said as administrative reform is a continuing process stress has been laid by the government to making it result oriented and action oriented, adding that the number of Ministries has been reduced to 21 in order to realise austerity in the administrative structure and the work on preparing the organisational structure of the ministries is in the final phase.

The Prime Minister said he has called for a single federation of civil Employees, teachers and trade unions and for the formulation of regulations by themselves, adding that as the process has been forwarded there will a single federation very soon.

Mr Koirala in answer to another question said HMG has made public and implemented most of the reports of the commissions and it will take time to make others public.

He said the reports of the commissions to be formed from now onwards will be sent to parliament, the reports of commissions formed on revenue leakage and passport misutilisation investigation have been presented at parliament and the report of the Land Reforms Commission headed by Keshav Badal is being adjusted in the technical aspects by experts.

To another question he said the government has given continuity to dialogue and discussion in order to move ahead in an open and liberal manner through understanding with the opposition political parties in order to solve the national problems.

He said as democracy and parliament run through consensus, national consensus can be achieved through dialogue, the government is attempting to resolve problems through dialogue and this is evident from the resolution of the citizenship problem.

The Prime Minister informed that a bill on management of the political parties and their facilities will be tabled this session with the objective of developing democratic culture in the political parties and making economic matters fully transparent and regular.

The government is committed to implementing the report of the revenue leakage investigation committee and the decisions of the parliamentary committees, he said.

It takes time to develop consensus, it is not as easy as making fire with matches, nobody has magic wands, he said adding that attempts have been made towarrds consensus, committees have been constituted from the ruling and opposition parties, we should have patience, we are headed towards consensus and it will materialise, he added.

The Prime Minister said we can reach national consensus on internal issues as well as on foreign affairs and peaceful diplomacy should be adopted in foreign affairs.

CPN-UML MPs seeking answers from the Prime Minister were Yadav Bahadur Rayamajhi, Rajendra Prakash Lohani and Prakash Jwala.

Lufthansa cargo jet crash
Deviation from specified route main cause

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 26: Its deviation from the specified route in Kathmandu’s sky led to the crash of Lufthansa Cargo at Talkhu Dondechour in the south west of Capital Valley on July 7 last year, a report, prepared by the commission to investigate the accident, said here today. All five crew-members of the ill-fated aircraft had died on the spot.

Flight DLH 8533, after it took off south from the Tribhuvan International Airport that day, made a right turn for Dharke 1A Standard Instrument Departure (meaning, the departure was based on instruments and not on the pilot’s visibility). Dharke 1A is an imaginary point in the sky for international aircraft flying to the south-west above Bharatpur, Bhairahawa, before entering the Indian aerospace.

For Dharke 1A departure, any aircraft has to reach, what aviation experts say, 270 radial in the west, four nautical miles away from TIA and an altitude of 7,500 feet. Aircraft unable to maintain that altitude are supposed to make Dharke IB departure which requires them to make a full circle of Kathmandu Valley’s aerospace — to gain height — before exiting out of its mountain rim.

The problem with the Lufthansa’s cargo airliner was that it did not take the adequate right turn to reach the 270 radial in the west for the Dharke 1A departure. Even before it could reach that point, the aircraft took a straight course brewing trouble for itself. "After climbing right turn, the aircraft then rolled out on a heading between 253 degree - 260 degree magnetic and leveled off momentarily," read the report presented to Tarini Dutta Chataut, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation here today.

No sooner the aircraft reached 4.4 DME (Distance Measurement Equipment) crossing 247 degree radial, the Ground Proximity Warning System (GPWS) in the aircraft sounded "Terrain Terrain Whoop Whoop Pull Up Pull Up", the report of the commission, headed by Narendra Kumar Shrestha, Deputy Attorney General, said. GPWS warns pilots if the flying aircraft is nearing to hit the ground.

But the pilot could not pull the aircraft up as fast as it was needed since the speed of the aircraft was already dropping. The result: The aircraft, descending at a speed of 250 feet per minute, hit the ground with full power killing all five crewmen. The total flight time of Flight DLH 8533 was three minutes 35 seconds.

The commission’s report singled out different factors for the accident including incomplete departure briefing, the unexpected airspeed decay during the initial right climbing turn, inadequate intra cockpit crew coordination and communication, and the incorrect and slow response to the initial and subsequent GPWS activation prior to the collision with the terrain.

The report has also pointed its finger at the Air Traffic Controller at the TIA. "No advisory alert was given by the Approach Controller to the crew when the aircraft deviated from the Standard Instrument Departure." It has also made many safety recommendations for flight safety.

Monarchy symbol of national unity

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): On the occasion of the 30th Auspicious Birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the Auspicious Birthday Main Celebration Management Committee today organised a talk programme on co-existence of Monarchy and Democracy in Nepal.

Inaugurating the programme, Rajparishad Standing Committee Chairman Dr Keshar Jung Rayamajhi said sovereignty and freedom of the country cannot be imagined without monarchy which also stands as a symbol of national unity in Nepal.

Nepalese Nonarchy is exemplary throughout the world and has an important role in upgrading nationality and democracy, he added.

Former prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, senior politican Sribhadra Sharma, ex-T.U. Vice-Chancellor Mahesh Kumar Upadhaya, committee chairman Rajesh Kaji Shrestha and other speakers also highlighted the importance of monarchy in the country.

On the occasion of the 30th Auspicious Birthday of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the Auspicious Birthday Main Celebration Management Committee released a souvenir today.

The souvenir published in coordination with Sur Bahadur Shrestha comprises of articles and views by 50 renowned literary figures and experts on different subjects.

Meanwhile, marking the same occasion, the curriculum development centre organised the 11th one-act play and 10th poetry recitation competition here today.

L.R.I. Boarding Higher Secondary School, Llittle Star Academy and Kamal Netra Secondary School came out first, second and third respectively in Drama competition while Gyanodaya Bal Batika, Boudha Secondary School and Gyanodaya Balbatika came out first, second and third in poetry recitation competition.

Saplings were planted in front of the Rastriya Samachar Samiti building at Singha Durbar Plaza today at the initiative of the Auspicious Birthday Main Celebration Management Committee and the Environment Conservation Committee on the occasion of the 30th auspicious birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev.

On the occasion, 200 saplings including Jacaranda were planted.

Speaking on the occasion, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Keshav Sthapit said the metropolis is to plant 15,000 trees and build 12 parks in the capital this year.

Chairman of the Auspicious Birthday Civic Main Celebration Management committee Rajesh Kaji Shrestha said the committee also carried out afforestation at Guheswori to mark the occasion

Competition: On the occasion of the 30th Auspicious Birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, the National Sports Council is organising a valley-wide Kabbadi competition in Bhaktapur from July 11 to 13.

The competition will take place at the Martyrs Memorial Playground with the cooperation of Bhaktapur Kabaddi Association.

It is learnt that players for the Kaide Azam International Kabaddi competition to be held in Lahore, Pakistan next month will be selected from the competition.

Contest : To mark the 30th Auspicious Birthday of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Kanti Ishwari Shishu School organised eighth valleywide inter-school essay contest here today.

Sunita Tiwari of Binayak Sudha Higher Secondary School, Thapathali, Sanam Suwal of Everest English School, Bhaktapur, and Neema Khendo Lama of Mount Summit School, Jorpati, were adjudged first, second and third respectively in the essay contest participated in by students from 18 schools.

Rajparishad Standing Committee chairman Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, giving away medals, prizes and certificates to the winners of the contest, said that apart from pursuing studies, students should pay equal attention to extra-curricular activities.

Chairman of School Management Committee Dr. Trailokya Nath Upreti said cooperation from the guardians is necessary to raise the standard of education.

Principal of the school Ranjana Pokharel also expressed her views on the occasion.

A cultural programme was staged and afforestation programme conducted on the occasion.

People’s faith in monarchy strong

Kathmandu, June 27 (RSS): His Royal Highness Crown Prince’s 30th Auspicious Birthday Main Celebration Management Committee Chairman Rajesh Kaji Shrestha has, in a statement today, said that the great enthusiasm and people’s participation seen in celebration of HRH Crown Prince’s auspicious birthday is a clear expression of the faith and confidence among the popular masses in the institution of Monarchy.

We have all been able to live as dignified Nepalese people today as a result of the continuos contribution, courage and sacrifice of the institution of monarchy towards building the nation and safeguarding its prosperity, pride and self-dignity, says the statement.

Meanwhile, the committee is to organise a procession and peace race to Manakamana to mark the occasion.

The procession will go to the Royal Palace and present a gift and an address of felicitation and best wishes to HRH Crown Prince.

Drug abuse is criminal act: Joshi

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): Home Minister Govind Raj Joshi inaugurated a morning procession today on the -occasion of the International Year against Drug Abuse and Trafficking - 2000 by handing over a main banner depicting the slogan ‘let’s face the reality and counter corruption and violence’.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Joshi said trafficking and abuse of drugs are national crimes and the government is committed to control them.

Minister Joshi noted that the family, society and the nation have been perplexed by drug abuse adding that all the social organisations and conscious citizens should unite to control it.

As trafficking also encourages terrorist activities and cannot be controlled by the law alone, what we have to do is to spread awareness in society, he added.

On the occasion, IGP Achyut Krishna Kharel said the fight against drug abuse and trafficking is on across the world, adding that if we are able to defeat this we can envisage a health society.

Home Secretary Padma Prasad Pokhrel, from the chair, said the development programmes of the country will be affected if we cannot control this problem in time.

Chief drug control officer and Joint Secretary at the Home Ministry Usha Nepal said we should be alert towards building a healthy society.

The morning procession which began from Tundikhel passed through various parts of town.

Participating in the procession were chief guest and Home Minister Joshi, other high ranking officials, officials of various organisations, sportsmen, scouts, students, teachers and a police band. A play entitled ‘Sangat’ was also staged on the occasion.

Lumbini Master Plan
Implementation moves at snail’s pace

Butwal, June 26 (RSS): Day after day problems have cropped up in the development of Lumbini due to poor implementation of the Lumbini Master Plan and resulting failure to attain targets.

Renowned Japanese Architect Prof. Kenjo Tange had laid out the master plan with three zones of one square mile each for the systematic development of Lumbini.

Under the master plan, the southern zone is meant for laying out a sacred garden, the middle one for a monastic area and the northern one for a new Lumbini village.

Experts now say the master plan designed by Prof. Tange is not appropriate from an archaeological viewpoint.

Prof. Ram Niwas Pandey is of the opinion that the master plan needs to be reviewed since it did not take into account the effect of underground water and the acid and other chemical reaction that will result when the sacred complex is surrounded by water as proposed.

Over the last 22 years only the Chinese Monastery have been completed at the Monastic zone under the agreement reached for laying out some 24 International Vihars and Monasteries.

At present, some 12 monasteries are under construction in the zone which is divided into 42 plots.

One reason why Lumbini could not be developed as per the master plan is that a number of organisations which have occupied the land have been interested only in financial activities.

Lack of sincerity is the reason for failure to attain the master plan target even 22 years after it was brought out, Bhikchu Ashwaghosh said.

Chairman of Save Lumbini Kapilvastu campaign Narayan Prasad Poudel says it was a mistake for the master plan not to include the Tilaurakot-Kapilvastu to Devdaha-Ramgram area also.

Since the Lumbini area was not accorded top priority by the National Planning Commission or by donor agencies or the country, the work there has remained incomplete, ex-MP Deep Kumar Upadhyaya says.

The target was to plan completed the development work at Lumbini by 1985.

Though the reasons for failure have not been delved Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS):

Home Minister Govind Raj Joshi inaugurated a morning procession today on the -occasion of the International Year against Drug Abuse and Trafficking - 2000 by handing over a main banner depicting the slogan ‘let’s face the reality and counter corruption and violence’.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Joshi said trafficking and abuse of drugs are national crimes and the government is committed to control them.

Minister Joshi noted that the family, society and the nation have been perplexed by drug abuse adding that all the social organisations and conscious citizens should unite to control it.

As trafficking also encourages terrorist activities and cannot be controlled by the law alone, what we have to do is to spread awareness in society, he added.

On the occasion, IGP Achyut Krishna Kharel said the fight against drug abuse and trafficking is on across the world, adding that if we are able to defeat this we can envisage a health society.

Home Secretary Padma Prasad Pokhrel, from the chair, said the development programmes of the country will be affected if we cannot control this problem in time.

Chief drug control officer and Joint Secretary at the Home Ministry Usha Nepal said we should be alert towards building a healthy society.

The morning procession which began from Tundikhel passed through various parts of town.

Participating in the procession were chief guest and Home Minister Joshi, other high ranking officials, officials of various organisations, sportsmen, scouts, students, teachers and a police band. A play entitled ‘Sangat’ was also staged on the occasion.

into, the first Buddhist summit conference held in Lumbini in December 1998 called on the government and the Lumbini Development Trust to review the master plan in consultation with the international community and concerned bodies and individuals.

The summit endorsed a proposal for calling on the government and the Trust to form an international board in order to ensure that the work being carried out under the revised master plan is completed within a stipulated time period.

Meanwhile, neighbouring India is preparing to raise the biggest statue of the Maitreya Buddha in Bihar State by the end of 2004 so as to take advantage of delay in the implementation of the Lumbini master plan in Nepal.

The Maitreya Plan in India alongside Lumbini and its targetted completion within a stipulated timeframe is of special significance for us, secretary of save the Kapilvastu campaign D. R. Ghimire opines.

The master plan under which the Buddha is to be installed at Boudhagaya, the place where Siddhartha Gautam gained enlightenment, covers some 45 acres of land.

It is stated that the Indian Government has also started work on setting up an International Airport in the region.

Local people here opine that at a time when India is determined to install the tallest Buddha in the world to last for the coming 1,000 years efforts should be made to complete the Lumbini master plan quickly.

A report of an on the spot inspection made by a parliamentary team under the leadership of then speaker at the House of Representative Ram Chandra Poudel in the month of Kartik, 2054 suggested a greater Lumbini Development Project that would declare a stretch from Tilaurakot to Ramgram a Buddhist area in order to make it economically self reliant.

Since the development of Lumbini will not only provide facilities to the pilgrims coming here from all over the world but also boost the tourism industry of the country, a need is felt for effective implementation of the Lumbini master plan through the participation to the local people in and around the Lumbini area.

Solar energy appropriate to remote villages: Minister

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, June 26: Science and Technology Minister Surendra Prasad Chaudhari today said that environment friendly solar power could be a suitable source of energy to develop the remote and inaccessible villages of the country.

"Besides, the solar energy can supplement the scarce electricity supply in the urban aras," Chaudhari said addressing an interaction on Solar Energy Promotion here this morning.

Chaudhari said that the government was providing subsidy to people who installed Solar Home System (SHS), adding over-dependence of the consumers on the subsidy would hinder the development of solar energy. "The motive behind the subsidy is only to popularise the SHS, the point is to convince the people about the benefit of the solar power."

"Subsidy supports the consumers but discourages innovation," Centre for Renewable Energy’s Rajendra Bahadur Adhikari said and stressed on a dynamic policy. Adhikari however did not specify what would make the policy dynamic.

"Solar energy can play a crucial role to develop the remote villages as they have little chance of being linked to electricity supply system," Science and Technology Secretary Poshan Nath Nepal said. Only about 15 per cent of the countrymen have an access to the electricity as of now.

Nepal said that Ministry of Science and Technology would launch research schemes to develop solar power in the new Fiscal Year beginning mid-July.

Nepal reportedly holds large potential in solar energy. At present, over 30 governmental, non-governmental, financial, SHS companies and donor agencies have been working in the promotion of Solar Photo Voltaic in Nepal.

The government has set a target of installing 38,000 SHS by 2002, but only about 5,000 plants have been installed by now in 60 different districts of the country. Presently, over a dozen SHS companies have been involved in SHS installation programme.

Organised by the Society of Environmental Journalists – Nepal, the interaction centred on the problems facing solar energy development and its solutions.

WTO membership to enhance efficiency: Tamrakar

Butwal, June 26 (RSS): Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ramkrishna Tamrakar has said that Nepal has invited foreign investment in tourism, health and communication sectors for access to the world market.

Inaugurating a seminar on World Trade Organisation (WTO) organised jointly by Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, UNDP and Siddharthanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry here today, Minister Tamrakar said that after acquiring membership of the WTO established with the objective of creating one market economy, the least developed countries were seeking provision of export facility without any hassles.

Stating that WTO membership is being sought to enhance the efficiency of Nepal and increase the sales of Nepalese products in the world market, Mr Tamrakar said that Nepal would not suffer in any way from this step and the industrialists and traders need not be afraid of it.

Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry Dr. Govinda Regmi, FNCCI second vice-president Divakar Golchha, UNDP manager Dr. Poshan Raj Panday and a host of other speakers expressed their views on the occasion.

President of Siddharthanagar Chamber of Commerce and Industry Dhruva Kumar Shrestha presided.

Also today, Minister Tamrakar inaugurated the newly built building of the head office of Siddhartha Tempo and Taxi Operators Committee at Bhairahawa.

New parasite found in stool of patients

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): A new parasite known as Cyclospora Cayentenensis are being found in the stool of patients suffering from gastro-enteritis and stomach ailments at the beginning of the rainy season this year also.

According to parasite researcher Dr. Jeevan Bahadur Sherchan who has been undertaking research on the parasite since 1995, a number of persons have been falling because of the parasite especially in summer.

But the number of patients dying from the parasite could not be ascertained, he told.

The deaths during the rainy season in the past were due not only to gastro-enteritis and cholera. Patients suffering from this parasite were given wrong treatment, he says.

Dr. Sherchan, who is director of the Infectious and Tropical Disease Control and Research Centre, has been carrying out research on the parasite in association with Prof. John Cross, Researcher from Uniformed Services at the University of Health Sciences, USA and the TU Institute of Medical Science, Public Health Research Laboratory.

The parasite was found in 1,260 out of 3,433 patients suffering from gastro-enteritis and other stomach ailments during stool tests over the last five years.

The parasite was found in 285 out of 910 stool tests as of the first week of Asar this year.

The parasite has also been found in cabbage, beet-root, mice and local chicken in the course of research on commodities and animals carried out during the last five years.

More research on the transfer of the parasite and remedial measures is being carried out, Dr Sherchan says.

Stool samples have also been sent to research laboratories in the USA and Thailand for further research.

About 11,000 thousand persons are killed by the parasite every year in the USA.