‘Land revenue related bribe most common’

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Oct. 22: A users’ survey released today by Participatory and Holistic Approach to Development (PAHAD) said that land revenue was the most bribery prone office among a group of service providers.

Conducted during March-April this year in Chitwan’s Bharatpur Municipality area (421 households) in collaboration with Transparency International-Nepal, the survey revealed the land revenue office on top of the list of the offices where people are unable to get their work done without paying bribe.

The highest number of bribe payers were those visiting the land revenue office (37.4 per cent) followed by police and financial institutions. The hospital was said to be the least corrupt institution.

The survey that covered administration, court, electricity, financial, hospital, land revenue, local authorities, police, telecommunication, and water supply services said that monetary bribing was the most practised mode of corruption.

Briefing on the findings of the survey, PAHAD Chairman Prabuddha Dahal said that the respondents blamed the political (Ministers and MPs), bureaucratic and constitutional sectors for widespread corruption and demanded strong legal action and transparency to check the evil.

Over 20,000 new cataract cases in Nepal

Lahan, Oct. 22 (RSS): Twenty to twenty-five thousand new cataract cases are found ever year in Nepal.

This was disclosed by eye specialists at a press meeting held at the end of a week-long workshop on cataract surgery.

At the workshop organised jointly by Sagarmatha Chaudhary Eye Hospital, Lahan, and Tilganga Eye Centre, Kathmandu, on the occasion of the World Eye-Sight Day, eye specialist Dr Rita Gurung of Tilganga Eye Centre said that three Indian patients suffering from cataract underwent corneal transplant operation on the occasion.

Sagarmatha Eye Hospital ranks second among the hospitals handling largest number cataract surgery in Asian continent.

At the workshop, cataract removal and lens implant surgery was conducted on 2,252 patients at concessional rate.

Dr A. Henning, Dr jitendra Kumar, Dr A. K. Singh, Dr Rita Gurung of Tilganga Eye Centre and Dr Damodar Pradhan of Janaki Eye Hospital, Janakpur, handled surgical cases at the workshop.

Three clinical outposts set up under the programme found 1,225 cataract cases and referred them to Lahan, while 1027 cases visiting Chaudhary Eye Hospital were found suffering from cataract.

Likewise, the Martyr Ramnarayan Mishra Eye Hospital, Mahottari also referred 14 cases to Lahan.

This is perhaps the first time so many cataract surgery cases were handled in the world, Dr A Henning says, hoping that Sagarmatha Chaudhary Eye Hospital and Tilganga Eye Centre will joint work in the days ahead.