Govt committed to protect heritage: PM

Kathmandu, Sept 30 (RSS): Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said the government is thinking of developing Kathmandu valley into a tourism city.

The Prime Minister was speaking at a function hosted in his honour by the people of Pahiko and Khushibu at Sorhakhutte today.

Mr Koirala said that talks are being held with the Asian Development Bank on the construction of infrastructure for moving factories out of the valley in view of the growing population pressure here. He spoke of a plan to progressively tackle the main problems of drinking water and pollution, preserve sites which are on the world heritage list and develop Kathmandu into a green and healthy pollution free city.

Countries like Switzerland which have the same kind of climate as ours will be emulated and model villages developed in the hills with roads, schools, hospitals and other basic infrastructure with a view to reducing the pressure of population in the valley and the Terai, the Prime Minister also said.

Minister of State for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol said as all the aspirations of all the people cannot be met at the same time, the government intends to work in accordance with a priority list and promote agriculture, water resources and tourism to bring about an economic revolution.

Chairman of the function organising committee Pramila Singh asked the government for cooperation in the construction of the Bishnumati link road, supply of drinking water and road black topping.

Social worker Tika Narayan Dangol chaired the function at which committee secretary Dilli Bahadur Sijapati and Jyapu Mahaguthi chairman Mohan Krishna Dangol also spoke.

On the occasion Prime Minister Koirala presented letters of appreciation to Dilli Bahadur Sijapati, Narayan Krishna Shrestha, Bhim Tamang and Purna Bahadur Thapa for their active contribution to the improvement of the neighbourhood.

Pace of development slow, remarks Deuba

Bhaktapur, Sept. 30 (RSS): Former prime minister and NC leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has said all the ten governments formed in the past ten years following restoration of democracy in the country were unstable because of which the country’s economic development could not pick up as expected.

Speaking at a talk programme on "One decade of democracy and economic development" organised jointly by Thimi Jaycees and Nepal Jaycees at Sanothimi today, Mr Deuba said due to instability of the government even bigger political parties were involved in making money and during this period democratic rights and self-respect of the Nepalese people saw some promotion but not their living standard.

Stating that the state of law and order in the country at present has worsened many times in comparison to that during the period of the previous government, Mr Deuba clarified that the present Prime Minister, who replaced his predecessor Mr Bhattarai raising the issue of the Maoist problem, and the Home Minister should take moral responsibility for not being able to solve the problem.

MP Homnath Dahal, CPN-ML central member Hari Rokka, economist Dr Prakashsharan Mahat and other speakers also expressed their views at the programme chaired by president of Nepal Jaycees Phoolkumar Lalbani.

Meanwhile in Lalitpur, former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba gave away certificates to the participants of a 15-day training organised for women and girl students of schools of Dadeldhura at the initiative of the Rural Women Development and Unity Centre (RUDUK) and the American Centre today.

The training was organised with the objective of creating awareness among the village community for protection of democracy with a focus on programme development, women and good governance.

At the training, 22 persons of four VDCs including Alitar, Jogbudha, Sirsha and Ganeshpur of Dadeldhura district had participated in the training.

Speaking on the occasion, ex-prime minister Deuba said education is a must for the development of women and pointed out the need for making them aware about their rights.

From the chair, RUDUK chairperson Dr. Araju Rana Deuba said women’s role is paramount in bringing about social reforms.

Govt to provide training to freed Kamaiyas: Poudel

Dhangadhi, Sept. 30 (RSS): Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development and Home Ramchandra Poudel has said that as per its democratic policy and ideals the present Nepali Congress government has liberated the Kamaiyas by abolishing the bonded labour system.

Deputy Prime Minister Poudel, who initiated the distribution of identification certificates to the freed Kamaiyas as per the government programme at Geta VDC, Kailali today, said the government has given new life to the Kamaiyas.

The government is contemplating arrangements for providing skill oriented training to the freed Kamaiyas and education and medical care to their children, he said.

Urging the freed Kamaiyas not to be misled by any unwanted elements, he said they should also remain alert to see to it that non-Kamaiyas are included in the list of Kamaiyas while registering their names.

He also stressed the need to maintain cordial relations between Kisans (landlords) and freed Kamaiyas.

Mr Poudel also distributed rice to the freed Kamaiyas.

Also today, Deputy Prime Minister Poudel initiated distribution of identification certificates to the freed Kamaiyas at a function at Malakheti VDC of Kailali district and provided them with rice.

Kailali DDC chairman Narayan Datta Mishra presided over both the functions.

According to a survey of the district level freed Kamaiyas identification and rehabilitation monitoring and coordination committee, there are 6,329 freed Kamaiyas in Kailali district.

Meanwhile, talking to journalists, the Deputy Prime Minister said consultations are under way on mobilizing the Royal Nepal Army in improving the law and order situation but any decision has not been taken in this regard so far.

To a question regarding dialogue with the Maoists, he replied that the government is always ready to participate in a dialogue but it is not in favour of a dialogue which deprives the people of their democratic rights and causes a set back to democratic norms.

No one in Nepali Congress is against dialogue but dialogue alone does not seem to be the only solution to the problem, he said, adding after all we have to face the realities.

NC leader Poudel also met with party workers today.

President of Farmers Rights Protection Forum Hem Prakash Upreti presented to Mr Poudel a memorandum on the former Kamaiya masters problems.

In the memorandum, the forum has warned of a struggle should the demands in the memorandum remain unfulfilled.

Meanwhile in Mahendranagar, Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Ramchandra Poudel distributed identification certificates and rice to freed Kamaiyas at Kanchanpur constituency-2 today.

Nepali Congress, which has always been working for the rights and well-being of the helpless and the poor, has abolished the bonded labour system to liberate the Kamaiyas, he said on the occasion.

The government is making every effort to provide the freed Kamaiyas with food shelter and employment as soon as possible, the Deputy Prime Minister said.

Alerting all against the conspiracy being hatched to finish off democracy, he said the time has come for all political parties which believe in the constitution and multi-party democracy to unite so as to foil the conspiracy.

Likewise, Mr Poudel addressing a gathering of party workers here today stressed the need for unity in the party which is undergoing a crisis today.

The Deputy Prime Minister also said that he was opposed to the no trust motion brought against former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and he will not support any such move this time either.

Issues of common concern discussed, says Sushil

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept 30: Nepali Congress General Secretary Sushil Koirala has said that the recently concluded meet of political parties of Asian countries in Philippines had set the stage to foster mutual understanding and fellowship among the political organisations of the continent.

"The meet has stressed to seek political consensus through consultation and to develop political strategies in common to achieve peace and economic prosperity of the people of Asian countries," Koirala told The Rising Nepal.

Koirala recently returned home after taking part in the first international conference of Asian Political Parties attended by the political leaders of ruling and Opposition parties of 22 nations of the continent.

CPN (UML) General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal and party central member Bhim Bahadur Rawal also took part in the conference on behalf of the main opposition party of Nepal.

Arjun Nar Singh K.C., head of the Foreign Affairs Department of the Nepali Congress was among the delegates attending the conference.

"The Asian countries are facing similar problems like poverty, corruption and unemployment," Koirala said.

"To get rid of these problems, we must move ahead with collective efforts."

The meet primarily focused on the issues like globalisation, information technology, good governance, transparency and environment, Koirala added.

On the benefits Nepal had drawn from the conference, Koirala said Nepal’s fate was linked with the unity and prosperity of Asian nations since the meet wished to make Asia a zone of peace and freedom among the people of the continent.

The meet constituted a standing committee of nine countries. Countries like Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos are members of the newly formed committee.

The Committee will implement a mechanism to continue the discussions on the Agenda of Action covering regional security, economics, human development, governance and political dialogue.

It is expected to form the continental organisations such as Asian Parliament, Asian Monetary Fund. It is also expected to float a common currency for the Asian nations. "The Agenda of Action would be instrumental in mobilising Asian resources," he said.

Developing countries like Nepal could benefit from the common agenda proposed for the Asian region, he said.

"Globalisation has shown that markets do not automatically protect the poor unless investment in human resources is made in order to enhance people’s capability to compete," he said adding, "Even when markets start working more efficiently, people will need social safety net."

"We need concerted efforts to tackle these challenges created by globalisation," he stressed.

The meet held from September 17 to 20 in Manila, the capital of Philippines was organised with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the Hanna Seidel Foundation, the Asian Centre for the Study of Democracy and the Fondazione Alcide De Gasperi. The conference was first of its kind in the history of political parties from Asia.

Govt support to apiculture a must

Bhaktapur, Sept. 30 (RSS): A family of six can easily be supported through bee-keeping with 60 hives, according to bee keeper Ram Neupane.

Neupane has 150 hives at his "Tridev Bee Concern" which has been operating at Neupane village, Duwakot in Bhaktapur district since the last two years.

According to him, 2,000 KG of honey can be harvested from the l50 hives. He collects the honey four times a year.

He says that some of the consumers who buy honey from him complain that the honey is not pure and the taste varies according to the seasons.

Neupane is of the opinion that if the government extents support to the honey industry with marketing, generates awareness among the people and conducts training in the rural areas, it will definitely improve the economic status of the local people.

He seems fully content at providing employment to seven persons at his firm and he has also expanded his business to Chitawan.

He has to rent mustard and oat fields for installing the bee hives which he operates on a rotational basis.

According to him, installing bee hives does no damage to the agricultural land.

Besides honey, his firm also sells honey comb in different seasons, imparts training, extends technical support and supplies other necessary equipment.

He is now thinking of expanding his business to Pokhara.

Sericulture benefits farmers

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Sept. 30: For the marginal farmers, who have been engaged in sericulture, earning extra-income for livelihood is not a distant dream, said Dr. Sri Krishna Shrestha, the national programme coordinator of the Society for Research on Works for Sustainable Development, which has been helped by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for its activities.

According to Dr Shrestha, sericulture in Nepal is vital also for poverty alleviation because it benefits the people at the grassroot level. The most loving part in it is that farmers need not substitute their traditional farming of rice, maize and others for starting this new venture, he further said.

Ganesh KC, an entomologist and the chief of the Sericulture Promotion Centre at Khopasi, Kabhrepalanchowk also echoed the same argument for enhancing the benefit of the Nepalese farmers through sericulture promotion, KC, however, did not hesitate to mention the role of private sector for this product.

After all, how long the government can support this programme? It’s the farmers and the private sector themselves have to come up finally for large scale production of silk fibres, which is one of the profit maximizing product in the world, KC said.

Not only experts and officials, the farmers of sericulture too have no dissatisfaction because they admited the growth of their annual income due to it.

Shanta Devi of Sapatar of Chnunikhel VDC in Kathmandu said, "I want to raise my scale of cocoon production in future because it’s a comfortable and high-profit occupation’. She also said that this farming has not hampered other products.

Ranjit Lama of Jagadol of Baluwa VDC supported the argument of Shanta Devi. "In fact, sericulture is a comparatively advantageous farming for us," Lama said.

Climatically Nepal’s temperature suits for sericulture. According to the Sericulture Promotion Centre at Khopasi, 21 districts of the country have been already selected on priority to promot it.