Protect democracy, NC men told

Biratnagar, Apr. 22 (RSS): Prime Minister and Nepali Congress President Girija Prasad Koirala has said that the need of the day for the leaders and party workers was to give up the habit of pulling one another’s legs and move ahead unitedly for the protection of democracy.

Issuing directives to Nepali Congress workers gathered at his residence today, Prime Minister Koirala underlined the need for the party workers to renounce self interests and narrow-minded thinking. He urged them to cultivate a sense of collective allegience towards the party and go to the people with programmes for their welfare.

The Nepali Congress workers and leaders should be able to identify their responsibilities well and work honestly to fulfill these responsibilities, Prime Minister and Party President Koirala reiterated.

He also directed persons in different rungs of the party to go back to villages to give succor and support to the party workers in the villages who are living under the terror and fear of the Maoists.

Pointing out the lack of confidence in NC workers, the NC President said all the Nepali Congress Party workers should move ahead with more self-confidence.

Premier Koirala also reiterated that he would not resign from his post under pressure or just because somebody was demanding his resignation.

Work for people’s welfare: Nepal

Nepalgunj, Apr. 22 (RSS): Leader of the main opposition and CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal inaugurated the city shopping complex and the renovated Nepalgunj municipality building at a function here today.

The city shopping complex was built by the municipality at a cost of Rs 5.690 million and the municipality building renovated at a cost of Rs 5.09 million.

The 26-room city shopping complex building is being built with the loan assistance by the municipality.

The loan assistance with an interest of 12 per cent is to be paid within the next 12 years.

The municipality is expected to earn Rs 500,000 annually from the shopping complex and clear the loan assistance within the next nine years.

In his inaugural speech, Mr Nepal said that the institutions of the people’s representatives should carry out work for the welfare of the people without any political prejudice.

Stating that the feudalistic tendencies of not sharing powers still exists in the country, Mr Nepal said that the government should adopt a more liberal decentralisation policy as such a feudalistic tendency is against the very concept of democracy.

Speaking from the chair mayor of Nepalgunj municipality Dhawal Shumshere Rana said the municipality is committed to various development works in the municipality.

Deputy mayor Samuddin Siddhiqui and member of the municipality O. P. Rana also expressed their views.

Similarly, CPN-UML general secretary and leader of the main opposition party Nepal has said that the party rank and file should follow its ideology and policy, be sincere and of high morale and move ahead.

Declaring open the first convention of the CPN-UML No. 8 Nepalgunj municipal Ilaka organisation committee here today, he said that democracy, national freedom and the communist movement would be strengthened only if the party was strong.

He called for taking ahead the communist movement in a consolidated manner.

President of the Samyukta Janamorcha Amik Sherchan said that the communists must be able to move ahead in a united manner to cope with the national issues and with the reactionaries.

CPN-UML central member Govinda Koirala and Nepalgunj mayor and municipal committee in-charge Dhabal Shumsher Rana also expressed their views at the programme chaired by the party’s municipal ilaka committee chairman Bhan Bahadur Chand.

‘National consensus vital to solve political crisis’

Kathmandu, Apr. 22 (RSS): All the speakers at a colloquium on "the present political crisis and its outlet" organised by the CPN (ML) on the occasion of the 53rd founding day of the Nepal Communist Party here today, spoke of the need to forge a larger national consensus by holding dialogues among the political parties to find a solution to the present problem.

RPP president and former prime minister Surya Bahadur Thapa underlined the need to seek solutions to the problems by soliciting cooperation and goodwill of the monarchy as stated in the constitution in such times of crisis.

Stating that the present problems confronting the nation cannot be solved by one particular party or individual, or statements of friendly countries or ordinances or integrated development plans, the RPP chief remarked that the only reliable option is a larger national consensus.

Thapa also spoke of the need to look for solutions from within parliament, adding that we are in search of an effective machinery for the implementation of proper plans or policies and programmes that can help build national consensus. But this should not be taken as lust for power.

CPN (ML) President Mrs Sahana Pradhan observed that growing animosity between the powers that launched the popular movement has hampered the bid to improve the quality of life and spoke of the need for all political parties to intensify efforts for coordination and dialogue.

NSP national president Gajendra Barayan Singh said as the quality of life of the people is deteriorating, we should move ahead by maintaining national consensus.

Noting that there should be an understanding between government and opposition parties to strengthen democracy, Singh expressed the view that the way the opposition parties are carrying on will not help democracy.

CPN (ML) general secretary Bam Dev Gautam said that as the country’s economy is in disarray, the law and order situation is dismal and corruption is getting institutionalised, his party is all set for radical change through peaceful means.

His party does not agree with the activities carried out in the name of the armed struggle by the CPN (Maoist), Mr Gautam said and observed that the killing of policemen will not help any revolution and guns will not lead to victory.

General secretary of CPN (United) Bishnu Bahadur Manandhar remarked that the present communist movement has fallen victim to narrow thinking, adding that lack of dialogue between political parties will help the regressive elements.

NC central member Arjun Narsing KC spoke of the need for all political parties to become objective and reach an understanding between the leftist and democratic forces in order to bring about social and economic change in the country.

Stating that though the government is ready to hold talks with all political parties which are committed to the present constitution, the opposition parties are not serious about this proposal, Mr KC remarked that it is because of the UML’s double standards that more confusion has been created.

CPN (ML) politburo member CP Mainali said the root of all problems lies in the bad conduct of the parties in power and spoke of the need of solving problems even if it means forming a national government by amending the constitution.

CPN (MLM)’s Sitaram Tamang stressed the need of unity among all political forces that had spearheaded the 1990-movement.

‘Govt wants close ties with press’

Birgunj, Apr. 22 (RSS): Minister of State for Information and Communications Pushkarnath Ojha, speaking at a programme organised by the Nepal Press Union Parsa Chapter here today, said the government always wants to have a close relationship with the press.

Mr Ojha urged the journalists to contribute to ameliorating the condition of the country in view of the present situation.

The programme was chaired by Nepal Press Union, Parsa President Ram Rajya Yadav.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Information and Communications Ojha has said His Majesty’s Government has brought in the integrated security and development programme to counter the design aimed at weakening the country’s security system and depriving the people of their right to live peacefully.

Ojha, who was speaking at a press meet organised here today, spoke of the need for the press to play a supportive role in creating an atmosphere conducive to maintaining law and order.

Stating that the government wants to move ahead hand-in-hand with the press for the guarantee of the people’s right to be informed, he noted that the press and the government should move ahead as co-partners.

Wondering whether news stories claiming that killings and terrorism are ideals of human life are not creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity among the people, Ojha urged the press to pay serious attention to this.

Also today, the Minister of State inaugurated a day long seminar on polio eradication organised by the DDC here and an agricultural training program in parwanipur.

No greenback for power from small projects: NEA

BY NAVIN SINGH KHADKA

Kathmandu, Apr. 22:Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has turned down an Independent Power Developer’s (IPD) request that the electricity the latter would generate through its Khudi Khola Hydropower Project be purchased in US Dollars — and not in Nepalese Rupees.

NEA last week decided that it would not pay foreign currency to any small-scale hydropower projects, including the Khudi Khola scheme, while buying power from them. "Our board took the decision once again last week even if it was decided long back," said Prachar Man Singh Pradhan, Chief of Planning Division at NEA.

The electricity-transmitting and distributing authority’s move, though remarkably small at its face value, has earned it a pat on its back just when bashing it has emerged as a sport in vogue.

The decision came in response to the application of the three MW Khudikhola Hydropower Project’s promoter asking NEA to buy its power in exchange of US Dollars. The Khudikhola Hydropower Company some three weeks ago had approached the NEA with the request, citing that it had a Canadian Company as its partner.

"The Nepalese promoter said that the Canadian partner was seeking the tariff (to be paid by NEA) to be fixed in US Dollars," said a highly placed official at NEA. The source also said that the party was backed by an influential political figure to bring NEA under pressure.

The authority, however, already had a rule to buy power from the small IPDs in exchange of local currency only. According to the official categorization, power plants producing below 100 Kilo Watt are termed as micro hydropower projects. Those generating between 100 KW and 999 KW are mini hydropower projects.

Similarly, projects with the installed capacity between one and 10 mega watt are kept within the small hydropower category. Medium sized hydroelectric projects are those producing between 11 MW and 300 MW and above that are the large ones.

The rule of not denominating foreign currencies while paying the small category IPDs came some two years ago when NEA came up with what it called a standard offer – Rupees three per unit of electricity during wet seasons (eight months in a year) and Rupees 4.25 per unit during dry season (four months in a year).

The government then allotted the quota of around 50 MW for small hydropower projects which, according to NEA officials, by now is almost filled.

The idea – keeping foreign currency out of transaction — was to keep the power tariff (in case of small hydropower projects) unaffected by the devaluation in Nepalese Rupees and by the escalation of price due to the New York Consumer Price Index, that has been annually recorded at an average of three per cent.

What prompted the authority to thrash out the idea was the bitter lessons it learnt from the contracts with privately developed and run hydropower projects like Khimti, Bhotekoshi, Indrawati, among others.

These were the bad deals in which NEA signed the PPA with the IPDs allowing them to sell power in exchange of foreign currency. The consequences of the risky venture now have become evidently dire. In 60 MW Khimti, for instance, NEA signed the PPA in 1995 at the rate of 6.06 Cents per unit – that amounted to Rupees 2.96 at the then exchange rate of Rupees 49 for one US Dollar.

Six years down the line, NEA has to pay seven Cents per unit of electricity from Khimti. Which means, the tariff made an uptick by more than 100 per cent reaching Rupees 5.25 per unit — dubbed as one of the most expensive in the world. The devaluation of the Nepalese Rupees against US Dollars and the escalation of the price in the New York Consumer Price Index both ganged up to send the power tariff soaring. Double-trouble.

Same was the case with 36 MW Bhotekoshi Hydropower project in which its private developer was allowed to sell its electricity at the rate of six Cents, meaning Rupees 2.94, to the NEA. Now the tariff has reached well above Rupees five. Blame the devaluation of Nepalese Rupees against the US Dollars and the escalation of the consumer price index, once again.

Having caught flat-footed in these agreements, NEA decided to buy power from small hydropower projects only in Nepalese currency. "The policy is to utilize local investment and resources for the local market," said Pradhan at NEA.

So, how about dealing with medium and large sized power producers using the same mantra? "I think time has come we should consider the idea for the larger ones as well," said Pradhan.

Excluding foreign currency in NEA’s payment to the IPDs does not mean that foreign investors would not be allowed to repatriate their investment’s return in foreign currency, though. Even if foreign investors, in case of small hydropower projects for now, sign the PPA with NEA to be paid only in Nepalese Rupees, they can repatriate their return in foreign currency back to their home.

"It’s only that the power tariff will not be pegged with the devaluation of Nepalese Rupees and the escalation of the price of the US Dollars in the New York Consumer Price Index," said a senior Chartered Accountant. "And that is a big news for the country’s economy."

‘Labour Act in need of timely amendment’

Pokhara, Apr. 22 (RSS):The Labour Act is in need of timely amendment as it should be production-oriented and not union-oriented from the national perspective.

This view was expressed by the participants of a seminar on "the Present Labour Act and its Relation in Connection with Tourism and Industrial Development" organised by the Regional Hotel Association, Pokhara .

Experts on the Labour Act and managing directors and the managers of hotels registered under the tourism indutry took part in the seminar.

The interaction was held with the objective of familiarizing the hotel entrepreneurs on the rights and responsibilities enjoyed by hotel employees under the Labour Act and the present problems arising in connection with the facilities which the management of the hotels was providing to the employees and ways of resolving the problem.

At the programme, the experts expressed the view that labour disputes will become less complicated only if the tourism entrepreneurs understood the letter and spirit of the labour act.

They pointed out the need for prudence regarding the amendment of the Labour Act since the present labour act has to be followed until its amendment and stressed the Labour Act should not only concentrate on the labourers rights but it should also take care of the consumers rights.

The programme reached the conclusion that the provision in the present Labour Act which did not allow for overtime work than the fixed period was not matching to the spirit of tourism service which was providing direct employment to 200,000 people and indirect employment to 500,000 persons and which was also the main source of foreign exchange for the country.

The seminar stressed the need for the concerned authorities to take cognisance of the fact that signing of any international conventions and covenants on the part of the country requires to be followed by appropriate amendments in the country’s related acts and regulations to match these rules and regulations with the international conventions.

The representatives of the hotel management flatly rejected the allegations that the management maintained two sets of accounts for the service charge they take from tourists. They made it clear that the hotel workers themselves maintained the accounts in most hotels.

The tourism entrepreneurs alleged the trade union of doing little in the way of promoting harmonious relations between the management and the labourers although the trade union statute provides for harmonious relations between the two sides.

They also warned that instigating the hotel workers and politicising the labour rights issue would do more harm than good for the development of the hotel industry.

Inaugurating the interaction, National Assembly member Shukraraj Sharma said that in a democracy any problems could be solved through mutual talks and understanding.

Advocate Sapana Malla, honorary general secretary of the Hotel Association of Nepal Ajaya Ratna Sthapit, Ashok Palikhe, Hari Prasad Gurung and Laxmi Bahadur Bhattarai also expressed their views at the programme presided over by chairman of the Regional Hotel Association Sundar Kumar Shrestha.