HM’s Auspicious Birthday Celebration Committee Formed

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 (RSS):  A l5l member main celebration committee has been formed under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala to celebrate the auspicious 56th birthday of his Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev in a grand fashion.

The members of the committee are the Chief Justice, the Speaker, the Chairman of the National Assembly, the chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee, the Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, the leader of the Opposition in the House of Representatives, former prime ministers, former chief justices, ministers of state, MPs and DDC chairmen from within the valley, mayors of the municipal corporation, sub municipal corporation and municipalities in the valley, heads of commissions and constitutional bodies, heads of educational, social, business and like organisations and entities and senior HMG officials. Home secretary Sri Kant Regmi is member secretary of the committee and joint secretary at the Home Ministry Bijaya Raj Bhattarai is joint member secretary.

A meeting held today under the convenorship of Prime Minister Koirala decided to celebrate the auspicious birthday with decorative illumination on December 28, 29 and 30. Likewise on December 28, main celebration committee chairman Prime Minister Koirala will host a reception at Singha Durbar, while on the morning of the 29th the Royal Nepal Army will sound reveille from the Bhimsen Tower and the Guthi Sansthan will perform worship at various temples wishing for the long life of His Majesty.

The same day, Committee chairman Prime Minister Koirala will offer presents to His Majesty, Radio Nepal and Nepal TV will air discussion programs, and office bearers of the celebration committee and members as well as other distinguished individuals will offer best wishes to His Majesty. On the 30th, the Nepal police will host a variety cultural program at Mahendra Police Club as well as a dinner.

District level celebration committees will be organised at headquarters of districts outside the valley to offer worship at temples, garland portraits of His Majesty, carry out decorative lighting and other programs for three days.

Present at the meeting were the Chief Justice, the National Assembly chairman, the Deputy Prime Minister, Ministers, former prime ministers, heads of constitutional bodies, MPs and other distinguished individuals.

‘Rhinos translocated for preservation’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Nov. 29: As part of translocating rhinoceros in new areas, 10 of the one-horned pachyderms were translocated to the Royal Baridya National Park (RBNP) and Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve (RSWR) from the 19th-25th of this month.

Six of the one-horned rhinos, three males and three females, were released in the RBNP and the remaining four (three females and one male) were released in the RSWR, Dr. Tirtha Man Maskey, Director General of the Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) revealed at a press conference here today.

The rhinoceros were taken to their new homes by the joint efforts of the DNPWC, King Mahendra Trust for Nature Conservation (KMTNC) and WWF-Nepal Programme. The weight of translocated rhinos ranged between 1,600-3,000 kgs.

"It is most important to protect the endangered species from any natural and other disasters by developing viable populations in Bardiya and Shuklaphanta protected areas," Dr. Maskey said.

Another objective of translocating the rhinos is to minimise human-rhino confrontations in and around Chitwan.

Addressing the press meet, Dr. Shant Raj Gyawali of the KMTNC said that the rhinos’ translocation to different areas could be helpful in protecting them from the natural and other disasters.

Records of the DNPWC show that 103 rhinoceros were killed between 1986 to September 2000. Out of them, poachers killed 26 and the remaining 77 died from natural causes.

Narayan Poudel, Chief Ecologist with the DNPWC, said Nepal’s rhino conservation has given rise to the tourism industry in Chitwan as a large number of foreign and well as domestic visitors visit the area every year.

Poudel further said that Nepal’s conservation efforts have become the role model for other countries faced with the challenges of protecting their rhino populations for posterity.

He also said that with the increase in rhino population in Bardiya, the RBNP could also be able to attract visitors.

According to him, the department is conducting studies to translocate another endangered species—Arnas or wild buffaloes—to other conservation areas from Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve that lies on the banks of the Koshi River in eastern Nepal.

Since 1986 when the work of rhino translocation commenced, 58 rhinos have been translocated to Royal Bardiya National Park while of four of the one-horned pachyderms have been released in the Royal Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve so far. Now that the RBNP is home to 73 rhinoceros, it has become the second largest habitat for the endangered species after the Royal Chitwan National Park (RCNP). At present, RCNP has 544 rhinoceros.

The RBNP is one of the priority areas for this endangered species as the WWF’s Asian Rhino and Elephant Workshop held in 1998 had selected it for the South Asia Bio-region.

Ukesh Raj Bhuju, Programme Co-ordinator of WWF Nepal Programme, said that the international conservation organisation had come to Nepal for the preservation of rhinos in the 1960s and extended its programmes gradually to preserve other endangered species like the tigers.

Altogether 24 elephants and the staff of the DNPWC and the KMTNC were involved in the rhino translocation operation. This was the first time that the Nepalese technicians alone conducted the task of rhino translocation.

There are a total of 2,618 rhinos both in India and Nepal.

RNAC redirected not to sign deal with Lauda Air

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 Although Lauda Air officials have already arrived in the capital for the signing ceremony to lease an aircraft to Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC), the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) strictly redirected the national flag carrier not to go ahead with the deal in its meeting today.

As to how RNAC will go about with the signing ceremony when both the PAC and the Commission for the Investigation of the Abuse of Authority (CIAA) have vehemently opposed the deal is not clear. RNAC’s Executive Chairman Hari Bhakta Shrestha says he is awaiting government advice regarding the signing ceremony which is scheduled to be held on Friday. The case is also pending in the Supreme Court.

The PAC has also sent a PAC sub-committee report to both RNAC and the government that says the deal was against the interest of the Corporation itself and that irregularities were committed while trying to lease the plane.

The Committee has also informed the RNAC and the government that its attention has been seriously drawn regarding the developments for leasing the plane despite its directive.

"What surprises us the most is that the RNAC has not provided us the agreement paper between the so called lessor Lauda Air and the Hong Kong based owner of the plane which Lauda Air wants to lease to the RNAC," Chairman of the PAC Subhash Nembang said. The PAC had demanded the papers to know who the real owner of the plane was and the sub-leasing facility was there or not.

RNAC which has a fleet of three Boeing 757s, one of which has been leased from China South West Airlines, has been scouting for a Boeing 767. The airlines says it needs an extra aircraft because it is expanding its routes.

The next meeting of the PAC is scheduled to be held on December 4.

Meanwhile, the PAC meeting today decided to call the Ministry of Finance in its next meeting to know on what grounds it decided to collect national debt when the bill regarding the national debt has not been passed by the parliament.

On November 17 the Nepal Rastra Bank, country’s central bank, had published a notice in Gorkhapatra regarding the collection of Rs. 650 million national debt.

RPP to form high level monitoring body

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 (RSS):  The meeting of the Work Execution Committee of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party held here today has decided to constitute a high level monitoring, supervision and coordination committee under the chairmanship of party president Surya Bahadur Thapa comprising of Central Work Execution Committee members and assistant general secretaries in the place of five regional coordinators system due to the geographical and practical reasons.

The members of the committee, on a rotation basis of four months, will regularly monitor and supervise the party’s organisational matters in the regions or zones as well as the programmes inititated by the party.

The meeting unanimously accepted with minor changes in the internal organisational structure of the party and the action plan of the teams deputed to the districts presented by assistant secretary general Bhojraj Ghimire on behalf of the assistant general secretary.

It also made a minor changes in the central level departments and deputed Bishwobandhu Thapa as the chief of training division, Ang Chhiring Sherpa as the chief of Terai and ethnic department, Pralhad Shaha as the chief of Population and Environment Department, Dhruba Bahadur Pradhan as chief of non governmental organisation and coordination department. No changes have been made in other departments.

Likewise, the central committtee members and central level leaders of the party have been deputed as the chief of one to three districts to make the "RPP among the people" programme more effective and help mobilise the local committees.

The meeting has also issued directives to the sister organisations to conclude their conventions by the end of mid May, 2001.

It also decided to constitute a committee comprising of RPP vice chairman Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani, general secretary Pashupati Shumsher J. B. Rana, senior central members Rabindra Nath Sharma, Padma Sundar Lawati, Jogmehar Shrestha, Balaram Ghartimagar and Narayan Dutta Bhatta to conduct the conventions smoothly.

The meeting was held under the chairmanship of party president Surya Bahadur Thapa.

Fee hike hits Koshi Tappu tourism

BY RAMESH LAMSAL

Prakashpur, Sunsari, Nov. 29: The absence of a comprehensive promotion scheme plus a massive entry-fee hike since late May this year has eclipsed the tourism potentials of eastern Terai’s Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR).

Established in 1976 mainly to preserve the wild buffalo—or arna in Nepali—the 175-square-kilometres protected wetland was opened to tourists eight years ago. Considered to be one of the best bird watching sanctuaries in Asia, it has gradually developed into a popular tourist destination. It attracted over 450 tourists - particularly bird-watchers – during 1999/2000, up from some 30 visitors in 1992/93.

The new fee structure that came into force since May, however, is sure to hit the tourist inflow to this Reserve that could play a key role to popularise tourism in eastern Nepal.

With the revision of the entry-fee structure for the national parks and reserves, the KTWR started charging each tourist Rs. 500 per day for their presence in its area. Previously, a visitor was required to pay just a lump sum of Rs. 650 for his entry into the area.

Besides, vehicle entry fee was increased by 20-25 times while the boat fee witnessed a tenfold rise. Previously, the fees under both of these heads amounted to Rs. 100.

"The revised fees provision has increased per head expenses on tourists and created financial pressure on us as we booked the clients one year in advance when the fees were lower," Prakashpur-based Koshi Tappu Wildlife Camp (KTWC)’s manager Saroj Karki said.

Officials working with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) defended the fee hike citing the Reserve’s ‘uniqueness and special significance’. "Our fee structure is much lower when compared with the rates in other countries," DNPWC’s Conservation Education Officer Laxmi Prasad Manandhar said.

"Personally, I don’t think that the entry-fee is unduly high as Koshi Tappu has a special significance of its own with its wetland, birds and wild buffalo," KTWR’s Kushaha-based Ranger Bashu Dev Aryal said. "Besides, 50 per cent of the revenue will go to fund the promotion of the Reserve."

Aryal stressed on stringent measures for the protection and promotion of the area that harbours diverse vegetation and offers a habitat to numerous wildlife and birds.

The Reserve that sprawls in 13 Village Development Committees of Sunsari, Saptari and Udayapur districts across the Sapta Koshi River claims of over 500 plant species with the dominance of riverine forest.

It provides shelter to a variety of creatures ranging from wild buffalo to migrating Siberian birds. The Reserve authority said that it presently has 146 wild buffaloes (57 males, 53 females and 36 babies) and over 400 different species of birds. The notable species include ducks (20 species), ibis, stork, egrets, heron and endangered swamp partridge.

"KTWR holds a good tourism potential provided the government comes up with a concrete vision to develop it," KTWC promoter Bharat Basnet said. "We will face grave consequences both financially and environmentally if we fail to utilise the revenue judiciously."

Basnet, a staunch advocate of eco-tourism, said that tourism was not simply making money, adding the nation could not afford to promote tourism at the cost of environment. "There is a delicate link between tourism and environment and this is what the KTWC is guided by."

The camp located in the outskirts of the protected area has been working with the local villagers to preserve the bio-diversity in and around it and develop a distinct image of the Reserve.

German Bank provides one billion rupees grant to Nepal

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Nov. 29: The German Development Bank KfW, acting on behalf of the German government, will provide grant assistance of DM 31 million (Nepalese rupees one billion) for three development projects.

From the grant aid of DM 31 million, DM 15 million will be given as financial support for 63,5000 biogas plants under the Biogas Support Programme, a cooperation project between Nepal, the Netherlands and Germany, according to the German Embassy’s press statement released today.

Similarly, DM 14 million will be allocated for the second phase of the Town Development Programme to finance loans and grants for investment in municipal infrastructure and DM 2 million for upgrading the road between Malekhu and Dhading Besi.

The Financing Agreements were signed by Dr. Koirala, Secretary, Ministry of Finance on behalf of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and by Mr. Uwe Ows, First Vice President, and by Mr. Christian Thomsen, Division Chief on behalf of KfW.

The German Ambassador, Mr. Ruediger Lemp, was also present at the signing ceremony.

Development of water resources stressed

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 (RSS): Chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, inaugurating the five day third electronic exhibition at Bhrikuti Mandap today, said the development of water resources is inevitable for the development of Nepal.

Co-ordinator of the exhibition and president of Nepal Electrical Association Aroj Das Nepal said billions of rupees spent on importing petroleum products from foreign countries could be saved if Nepal’s water resources is utilised properly.

Executive director of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Bishnu Bam Malla said NEA has given priority to the Nepali electrical products and the producers should pay attention in the quality of their products.

Acting president of Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Ravi Bhakta Shrestha said the FNCCI has moved ahead the process of constructing a well equipped international standard exhibition centre in Nepal.

More than 40 companies representing 15 countries are participating in the exhibition.

Nation needs statesman like Manmohan: Nepal

Lalitpur, Nov. 29 (RSS):  CPN-UML General Secreary Madhav Kumar Nepal unveiled the statue of late Manmohan Adhikari installed by Manmohan Memorial Foundation on the foundation premises at Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan city ward No. 2 at a function today.

The bronze bust measuring 32 inches was built by 60-year old Balkrishna Tuladhar and his sons in about four months.

Mr Adhikari, who was the first elected general secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal and the Prime Minister of the first elected communist government had died on Baishakh 13, 2056 B.S. The late Adhikari had taken the oath of office on this very day.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Nepal said that we all should draw inspiration from the life of the late Adhikari who stood out as a symbol of simple life and high thinking and who continuously involved in restoring norms and values in politics.

Stating that he never found the late Adhikari having abused his post during his association with him, the CPN-UML leader noted that we are in need of such a statesman.

"I will continue to involve in the movement for promoting nationalism and democracy and bringing about social changes in order to realize the dreams of the late leader," Mr Nepal said, adding the foundation will do its best to make his memory last forever.

Chairman of the foundation and member of the CPN-UML Standing Committee Bharat Mohan Adhikari, from the chair, remarked that in memory of the late Adhikari who would love children and the elderly alike, the country visit programme for senior citizen is under way and the foundation is considering building homes for the aged in all five development regions.

Foundation secretary Ishwor Pokherel disclosed that in the future, a polytechnic institute will be opened in the name of the late leader with Indian assistance, a museum on Manmohan will be established with the help of the Chinese government and a documentary will be prepared accommodating all aspects of his life.

MP Raghuji Pant said that 84 old people from 16 districts are being taken to various sites of tourism and religious importance including industrial estates.

Various other speakers including member of the foundation pilot Kisendra Bahadur Shahi, Chinese and Pakistani ambassadors, the representative of the Indian embassy, late leader’s wife Sadhana Adhikari, and party leaders and workers offered tributes to the statue of late Manmohan Adkikari.

HM grants assent

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 (RSS): His Majesty the King has given assent to two bills passed by both the Houses of the parliament and submitted to His Majesty for assent, according to the Parliament Secretariat.

The bills receiving assent from His Majesty are the bill designed to amend the Military Act 2016 B.S. and the bill designed to amend the Drugs Act 2035 B.S.

Mrs Mogedal calls on DPM

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 (RSS): Mrs. Sigrun Mogedal, Deputy Minister for International Development of Norway, called on Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel at his offece at singha durbar today.

Matters of mutual interests were discussed during the meeting, the Foreign Ministry said.

Similarly, Mrs. Mogedal called on Mr Chakra Prasad Bastola, Minister for Foreign Affairs at Shital Niwas today.

Matters of bilateral cooperation were discussed during the meeting.

Credentials presented

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 (RSS): Royal Nepalese ambassador to China Rajeshwar Acharya, who has been accredited to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), presented his letters of credence to Mr. Kim Yong Nam, president of the presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly of the DPRK amidst a special ceremony held in the Mansudac Assembly hall in Pyongyang this morning.

After the ceremony, ambassador Acharya held a meeting with Mr. Kim and discussed various issues of bilateral interests.

Mr Acharya also paid courtesy calls on Mr. Paek Nam Sun, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr. Kim Ryong Min, deputy minister for foreign trade of the DPRK separately.

Appointment

Kathmandu, Nov. 29 (RSS): Mr. Mahamed Louafahas been appointed as non-residential ambassador extraordinary and plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Kingdom of Nepal, according to the the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Janakpur, Nov. 29 (RSS):

Different sub species of the eagle, rare birds of the world as a whole, are now on the brink of extinction in Nepal also.

The eagle known as mount of Lord Bishnu according to Hindu mythology, is not only significant from the religious viewpoint but also equally important for the environment. Hence ornithologists are gravely concern over the looming extinction of this endangered bird.

According to ornithologists, 10-15 species of bird such as eagle, wood cutter, kingfisher and love bird have almost disappeared from Dhanusa since the last couple of years and are now in negligible numbers. Vulture has also fallen prey of the same trend and is gradually disappearing from this district.

Ram Sagar Chamar, 50, a resident of Chakkar who has been disposing of the carcasses of animals, says a decade ago there used to be a flock of vultures whenever an ox carcass was discarded. But now hardly 2 or 3 show up.

The vultures used to devour an ox carcass in just 3 or 4 hours in the past. But these days, it is left to the dogs for a week.

According to local resident Satya Narayan Pandit there used to be a large number of huge simal trees where the vultures sheltered. Such trees are not to be seen now because of felling. This poses a threat to the natural habitant of these birds.

Bird hunters known as Chidiyamar or Banjara coming here from India wander various vdcs of the district to trap such birds. They also catch beautiful birds here to sell in their own country, he elaborates.

Science teacher Hemchandra Mahato, however, is of the opinion that excessive use of chemical fertiliser as well as insecticides and pesticides in the name of advanced agricultural technology are the contributing factors behind the disappearance of such birds.

Excessive use of insecticide and pesticide has rendered the eagle’s egg incapable of hatching. The growth rate of the eagle young is also very low since the eggs crack during the hatching, he says.

Some people kill eagles to get at the hard bone in the head of the bird. This bone reportedly fetches an attractive price as it is believed to work as an antidote for snake bite.

Eagles were found abundantly in a number of districts in the Terai belt including Jhapa, Sunsari, Dhanusa, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Bara, Chitwan, Banke, Bardiya, Kailali and Kanchanpur a decade ago. But these days, the patent stork, the lesser egret, the white neck stork, the black neck stork and the big eagle, which are hard to find elsewhere in the world, are disappearing gradually from here also.

Eagles help control insects that are harmful to crops.

The local people are resentful at indifference on the part of the government and the concerned authorities towards conserving the endangered birds.