Acharya launches web sit of Dept of Taxastion

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, May 4:Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya launched a web site of the Department of Taxation (DoT) at a function organised at Finance Ministry here this afternoon.

The web site (www.dot.gov.np), the country’s first computerised public information system prepared by Nepalese experts, is expected to ease the existing difficulties in taxing system and to reform revenue.

It covers information about income tax legislation, tax treaties and current tax rates, said a DoT press release distributed at the function. "It also offers download services for forms, including Permanent Account Number registration forms that can be downloaded and printed."

The data, currently put in worldlink server, would be continuously updated, DoT said adding that they would have their own server after a couple of months.

Launching the web site, Finance Minister Acharya said the new information system would maintain transparency, one of the most important features of democracy, which would make way for good governance. "This could help us solve the problems existing, if any, between the government and taxpayers."

Courtesy call

Kathmandu, May 4 (RSS): French ambassador Michel Lummaux paid a courtesy call on Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at the latter’s office in Singha Durbar today.

During the meeting, matters of mutual interests were discussed, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Similarly Japanese ambassador Mitsuaki Kojima today paid a courtesy call on Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ram Krishna Tamrakar.

Minister Tamrakar urged for the support of the Japanese government for Nepal to acquire the membership of the World Trade Organisation (wto) and called for increased bilateral trade.

He also sought Japanese cooperation for the expansion of Nepal Industrial Development Corporation (nidc) and the Lumbini Development Project.

He stressed the need for increased investment by the Japanese private sector in Nepal and exchange of trade delegations between the two countries. On the occasion, Ambassador Kojima said that the matters presented by Minister Tamrakar for the economic development of Nepal were appreciable and assured that he would make all possible effort in this regard.

Kathmandu, May 4 (RSS): His Majesty’s Government has constituted a national task force under the chairmanship of president of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (fncci) Pradip Kumar Shrestha to forward to the government and other related bodies opinions of the private sector and problems facing industrialists for preparing the annual budget for fiscal year 207/58 B. S. to be presented in the coming parliamentary session.

The task force is expected to forward suggestions to the concerned body about slackness in economic activity and problems facing industrial entrepreneurs.

Civil aviation office at TIA beef up security

Kathmandu, May 4 (RSS): The Tribhuvan International Airport (tia) Civil Aviation Office under the Nepal Civil Aviation Authority has stated that in the context of strengthening the security of the airport, sterile departure hold area has been set up, security of baggage and computerised pass system has been introduced and other measures will be gradually introduced to operate safe flight.

Tia Civil Aviation Office will install and operate x-ray machines for secondary screening of the checked baggage.

Making it clear that this kind of secondary screening is being carried out at the request of the airlines operating from tia, the office has requested the employees of the concerned airlines to extend necessary cooperation in this regard.

Expressing the commitment to make arrangements as per the standards and recommendations specified in annex 17 concerning the air safety under the convention concerning international civil aviation, the office has stated that if airlines operators request for special security measures for any specific flight, it would be met as far as possible, if practical.

Task force to study courts condition

Kathmandu, May 4 (RSS): HMG has constituted a five-member task force with member secretary of the Court Management Committee Kashi Raj Dahal as the convenor to study the existing physical condition of the courts and submit a report to HMG for improvement of the infrastructure and management of courts in a planned manner.

Representatives of the Ministry of Law and Justice, Ministry of Finance and National Planning Commission are the members and member-secretary of the Supreme Court Construction Committee the member-secretary of the task force, it is learnt from the Ministry of Law and Justice.

The task force which will have a tenure of six months has been given powers to specify its own works and duties.

At present, it is being felt that the laws concerning construction, repair and maintenance of buildings of the supreme court and other courts under it, arrangements for computers, photocopy and fax machines, development of library, judicial academy and career development of the employees, increase in pay and allowances, judicial administration and court procedures needs to be improved.

Nepali team in SAARC Writers’ Conference

Kathmandu, May 4 (RSS): Academy of Fine Arts and Literature of New Delhi organised the saarc writers Conference-2000 under the auspices of the Ministry of External Affairs of India with the cooperation of unesco and Ford Foundation.

Authors of various member countries including Nepal participated in the three-day conference.

Nepal was represented at the conference by litterateurs Madhav Ghimire, Mohan Koirala, Kamal Mani Dixit, Kali Prasad Rijal, Dhuswa Sayami, Tulasi Diwas, Abhi Subedi, Toya Gurung and Usha Thakur.

At the conference, working papers were presented and discussions held on culture: the instrument of peace, globalisation’s challenge to the culture of South Asia, shared metaphores and dreams of the women writers in saarc countries.

The conference also issued the New Delhi declaration which makes provision for setting up of a permanent machinery to foster close relations among the writers, moving ahead the cultural dialogue, and publicising the treatises of the writers through internet.

The conference decided to hold another conference in 2001 and institute the saarc Literary Award, according to litterateur Diwas.

Maoists should adopt constitutional way: Jhapa

Tribhuwan Nagar, May 4 (RSS): President of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and ex prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa has said that his party has to work as per the aspirations of the people as it was unified from the need of the nation and the people’s wishes.

Inaugurating the Dang district conference of the sister organisations of the RPP recently, president Thapa said the resolution of the problems of corruption should be given priority as it has been increasing in the country in the political level.

President Thapa said the Maoists should adopt the constitutional way by shunning murder and violence for which the government should pave way.

Former prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand said nobody should conduct activities that are against the constitution and democracy.

Central member of the RPP Rabindra Nath Sharma said the lack of development activities and law and order is due to unrest and called for impartial administration for good governance

Central treasurer of the party Parashu Narayan Chaudhari expressed the view that the works of the last ten years since the restoration of democracy should be evaluated.

At the function presided over by RPP district chairman Dinesh Bahadur Neupane, various other speakers including party assistant general secretary Khem Raj Pandit, MP Netralal Shrestha, central member Prem Bahadur Bhandari, National Democratic Youth Organisation president Bhuwan Pathak, Balkrishna Saha, Krishna Bahadur Nepali, Chandra Kumari Pandeya, Hikmat Dhakal, Bhupanarayan Ghartimagar, Bhupendra Hamal, Devendra Giri and Tilak Majagaiya also expressed their views.

Meanwhile in Chautara, RPP general secretary Pashupati Shumsher J. B. Rana said the state of law and order in the country has been deteriorating and corpution rampant following restoration of democracy in the country.

Inaugurating the first district convention of National Democratic Youth Organisation here recently, Rana said democracy will not gain momentum unless the people exercise their franchise freely.

RPP district ad hoc committee president Madan Bahadur Rayamajhi presided.

‘Nepal can learn from Lanka’s schemes for villages’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu May 4: Member of Parliament P.L. Singh and Pradip Man Singh visited different villages of Srilanka from April 26th to May 1st at the invitation of Sarwodaya President Dr. A.T. Aryaratna of Sri Lanka.

The Nepalese delegates inspected many development programmes.

Sarwodaya has been launching various programmes on village development. The programmes have proved to be instrumental in raising the living standard of the villagers.

Discussions were also held on the importance and contribution of different village development programmes.

Some of the ongoing programmes include women involvement in development, basic needs of village development such as drinking water, health, education, establishing Sarvodaya bank, income generating projects, rehabilitation activities. MP Singh said that Nepal could learn many things from the various village development programmes of Sri Lanka. He also said that Nepal village development programme is similar to Sri Lanka’s concept of village development.

Discussion was held relating to the arrangement of training programmes of three months duration and one year duration for Nepalese aspirants. MP Singh exchanged ideas about different environmental management programmes with Director General of South Asia-Co-operative Environment Programme Dr. Anand Raj Joshi.

Book on children released

Kathmandu, May 4 (RSS): Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Mrs Chitralekha Yadav released a book of children’s stories published by the Seto Gurans National Children Development Service in cooperation with the Australian Embassy at Lalitpur recently.

The Seto Gurans which has so far published five books of stories entitled ‘Sani Ko Sapana’, ‘Mauriko Mitho Maha,’ ‘Bhakari Bharaun,’ ‘Chatake Musa,’ and ‘Aha Kasto Ramailo Din’ and plans to publish 19 other children’s story books.

Speaking on the occasion Deputy Speaker Mrs Yadav expressed the view that the book will help to develop the creative power of the children as well as develop their mental and intellectual capabilities and lifestyles.

She said as the children are in a sensitive stage in terms of age and are like beautiful flowers, their future can be spoilt if we can’t provide timely education to them.

Director of the Seto Gurans National Children Development Service Agatha Thapa said the book was published to increase the language skills as well as imaginative and creative capabilities of the children.

At the function presided over by the under secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare Shanta Basnet, various other speakers including coordinator of the Seto Gurans Padma Shaha and Kunti Rana also shed light on the importance of the book.

Meanwhile in Bhadrapur, about 57 per cent of children six months to five years of age in Chandragadhi VDC, Jhapa are suffering from malnutrition, according to a survey carried out by the central food laboratory.

About 45 percent of the children surveyed are malnourished for their height and age. About 17 percent are malnourished on the basis of thickness of the arm and about 57 percent are in danger of malnutrition.

The survey reveals that about 63 percent of women below 20 years have borne offspring.

The level of education is far better in the male population than among females.

About 56 percent of the children suffer from pneumonia and 37 percent from diarrhoeal ailments.

About 72 percent of homes lack toilets and 45 percent have no kitchen garden. Families whose domestic output does not provide enough to eat account for 70 percent while families with separate kitchens account for 58 percent. The research covered l46 homes in Wards No l,2 and 8.

Explaining the findings of the research, assistant food research officers of the laboratory Purnachandra Awasthi and Krishna G. C. said that all responsible bodies should give due consideration to improving the existing vulnerable situation.

Fresh air from Bhugol Park

By Bhimsen Thapaliya

NEXT to the office of this daily is located a tiny patch of park which appears as an oasis amid the dense concrete jungle of the city. For us working at this organisation, there is a reason to be very glad and proud about: our location being closest to the beautiful park. It is not just a matter of splendour and beauty. At a time when fresh air is growing scarcer with the domination of dust and smoke, park like this embellished with lush plants is very hard to see. In this sense, our location is environmentally blessed.

During your commuting, if the season is hot, you are tormented with fume, dust and noise beyond description and enter the office in a sort of suffocation and reddening perspiration. But when you sit at the workplace desk, a new kind of sweetness and freshness soothes you to new revitalisation. You feel more energetic and wish being at this place for longer. It is not the fan or the air conditioner in your room that makes this big difference to your day (or night) The fresh air that enters through the wide open windows, you can be sure, is directly from Bhugol Park or the Earth Park.

Had it not been for the greenery of this small but lovely park built to commemorate the dreary earthquake of 1934, plus the renowned Peepal Tree of New Road, that stand as our closest neighbour in nature, we would have been forced to be more miserable and less healthy. Our happiness on being the fortunate friends of these lush trees at the heart of busy and bustling shopping area makes us wish there were plenty of such parks and greeneries every here and there of the metropolis. But there are not. Nor there seems to be the prospects for new ones coming. In a metro where the volume of the concrete jungle is ever on increase, it is impractical to imagine the emergence of open and green spaces. They are becoming ever more elusive and distant. That is the reason why we are forced to call the Earth Park not less than oasis.

A young and lush peepal tree is growing at the south-eastern corner of the Bhugol Park, the area that lies closest to our office building. The shade it casts and the breeze that move around it creates a unique freshness. Peepal is popularly known as health giving tree. Religiously too, it is considered as one of the forms of Lord Vishnu. A Chautari, a resting platform constructed in villages for travellers, is mostly shaded by a peepal tree along with its Bar (banyan) counterpart. However, our young peepal tree at Bhughol Park is hardly given that respect and care. A few years back, this scribe had to be a witness to a very heart touching spectacle.

People came with axes in their hands and climbed the tree. With a show of a cruel insensibility, they trimmed the expanding branches of the trees. In this city, trees being trimmed or felled is a common sight while plantation is a rare thing. So, why were they against the free growth of Bhugol Park peepal tree? The reason was that a high voltage electric line ran from nearby. They said, rather stupidly, that the tree posed threat to the power line. No one saw that the naked wire posed to the tree and viewed in the matter other way round.

We were witness to the heedless task but were able to do nothing about it except that one of the senior colleagues voiced a deep displeasure. "Why can’t they relocate the powerline instead of cutting off the branches of the trees?, he asked.

At the eastern part of the park, there is the historical monument that gives the park its name. There is a marble deck of round shape with rest places upon which reises an inscribed pillar. The inscription describes the destructiveness of the 1934 quake and cities the reason of the monument’s erection. Atop the pillar is a glove representing the planet earth on which sits Mahadev in his meditative posture, facing the Himalayas in the north. In essence, the park represents earth and its protection. Though context of its construction was the protection of the planet from earthquake, environmental aspects cannot be ignored in the present day context. With the swell in human population, threat of catastrophe to be invited by environmental disturbance cannot be overlooked. If we are to live on the earth in friendly harmony with the nature, growth of more trees is inevitable. Though we are glad to be next to the Bhugol Park and are blessed with rare opportunity of breathing fresh air, there are areas in the town where trees are elusive.

Though there has been much progress in the management and beautification of Bhugol Park, there is also room for further improvement. Perhaps there is too much concrete on its floor. Why don’t we leave more green lawn decorated with the carpet of grass instead of opting for brick paving? How will the genuine park goers feel when drunkards and gamblers create frequent disturbances in the park, as has been seen? And most important of all, could the park managers show more love to trees?

The park is beautified with bushes and shrubs, flowering plants and grass. There are also trees like peepal, banyan, pine and even a palm. One can also see the creepers, climbers and twiners that add to the green splendour of the park. In spite of all these lovely things, the park, however, is also littered with an eyesore of trash including food wrappers and water bottles. Can’t such things be strictly banned within the park?

Lying as it does in the shadow of tall commercial buildings of the downtown, Bhugol Park is a glory and an asset from environmental point of view. Any attempt to further shrink it must be sued. (This scribe feels guilty for not suing the trimming of the peepal tree mentioned above.

Perhaps environmental consciousness is yet to come of age among us). Whenever one is tired and exhausted, eyes automatically tend to look at the green plants of the park. When one gets mad by struggling in the crowd of New Road, steps voluntarily move towards Bhugol Park where air is refreshing and a while’s relaxation instantly reenergises both body and mind. Why are such park are not made compulsory for every neighborhood? One wonders why there is competition only in making concrete jungle without a whit of thought to the environment?