Govt to simplify citizenship procedures for bonafide Nepalese
Khadka stresses consensus to tackle issue

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 6: Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka today informed the House of Representatives that the government, following the right procedures, would provide citizenship certificates, within one month, to those people whose citizenship papers were revoked by the Supreme Court citing procedural mistakes while issuing them.

The Supreme Court two weeks ago had ordered to repeal about 30,000 citizenship certificates issued in 20 districts of Terai by the Citizenship Distribution Team in 2053 B. S. as per the recommendations of different task force formed at different times to solve the problem of citizenship certificate in the country.

Making a statement of public importance in the House of Representatives, Minister Khadka said that the government would initiate for an all-party consensus in the near future to solve the problem of citizenship certificates.

He said that the government has always been conscious that Nepalese citizens would not face hurdles in obtaining the citizenship and those ineligible should not get citizen papers.

"In fact, the problem of citizenship certificate is directly related to the nationality," Khadka said, adding, "The actual Nepali citizens would in no way be deprived of getting citizenship certificates."

He further said that His Majesty the Government has been continuously active to provide citizenship certificates to the real Nepalese through an easy and simplified procedure following the restoration of democracy in the country.

In the course of solving the problem, the government had formed a High Level Citizenship Commission under the chairmanship of the then lawmaker Dhanpati Upadhyaya in 2051 B.S. The Commission was given the mandate to study and analyze the nature, cause and result of the citizenship problems, and to submit a report with recommendations containing future policies and steps that should be taken to solve the problems.

In 2052 B. S., the cabinet decided to implement its recommendations that included issuing citizenship certificates in a quick and easy way, give new surname, change names and castes in the citizenship certificates for the facility of pension of those working abroad.

The report had also proposed to investigate cases and rectify, if there are any, the types of citizenship received by the people and provide citizenship through right procedures.

Then the government constituted a Citizenship Commission Recommendation Implementation Committee headed by MP Mahantha Thakur to implement recommendations presented by the Dhanpati Commission and to submit further recommendations if they are not mentioned in the previous Commission. Some of the recommendations have already been implemented.

Likewise, the government went on to form one-member Citizenship Certificates Monitoring and Work Evaluation Committee under the chairmanship of Jitendra Dev in 2053 B.S. to counsel the government in implementing both the reports and to evaluate and monitor the distribution of citizenship in a simplified and convenient manner.

Under the direction of this Committee, citizenship distribution teams were deputed in the 20 districts of Terai. However, during this period a writ was filed at the Supreme Court claiming the formation of such a Committee was against the law and also that the issuance of citizenship papers was illegal. The Court, then, issued an interim order to stop the activities of the Committee in 2054 B. S.

At today’s parliamentary session, the Nepal Sadhvabana Party MPs applauded the Home Minister’s statement to issue, within one month, the certificates to those whose certificates were nullified. The Party had boycotted the meeting of the House of Representatives twice protesting the decision of the Supreme Court.

Give due importance to agriculture: MPs

Kathmandu, Aug. 6 (RSS): The House of Representatives concluded discussions on the appropriations head pertaining to the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives today.

In course of the discussions, CPN-UML’s Bir Bahadur Lama said that the budget appropriated for the agricultural sector is quite inadequate and a lack of subsidy on fertilisers, seeds and pesticides has discouraged the farmers.

Special attention: NC’s Lekahnath Neupane, stressing the need to pay special attention to the commercialisation of livestock farming and horticulture in order to promote the agricultural sector and reduce poverty, demanded that proper arrangements be made for providing necessary training to farmers and ensuring a market for agricultural produce.

RPP’s Krishna Charan Shrestha said that despite various programmes implemented under the Ministry of Agriculture, the people have not actually benefited. The Ministry should play a lead role in formulating and implementing effective programmes for increasing production and resolving the problems of the farmers, he added.

Ineffectiveness: Pari Thapa of Rastriya Janamorcha, highlighting the ineffectiveness of Agricultural Development Programmes implemented so far stressed the need to modernise the agricultural sector, provide subsidy to agricultural inputs, promote irrigation facilities and address the problems facing farmers.

Appropriation Head CPN-UML’s Bijaya Subba was of the view that because of the lack of proper monitoring and evaluation it has been difficult to assess achievements and failures in the agricultural sector. Programmes like providing minimal loans for goat keeping or poultry farming do not help alleviate poverty, he said.

Concern: Keshav Thapa of NC expressed concern over the lack of a proper market and adequate prices for agricultural produce like coffee, tea, cardamom, potato and ginger and demanded that interest on the loans provided for tea cultivation be lowered and an agriculture campus established in Ilam.

Prakash Jwala of CPN-UML criticised the government for allocating an inadequate budget for agriculture and demanded that proper irrigation, electrification and processing facilities be promoted for agricultural development.

NC’s Tanka Prasad Rai was of the view that the new budget is to some extent encouraging for farmers in the Terai area but it has made no mention of programmes to provide relief to farmers in the hill regions.

Govinda Bikram Shah of the RPP commented that the budget has not made any provision for commercilisation of agriculture and poverty alleviation and suggested the agricuture programme should be brought in keeping in mind the internal security and integrated development package.

Suggestions: Nar Bahadur Budathoki of the CPN-UML said that programmes have been introduced at random without paying attention to the suggestions made in the past.

Dilli Ram Sharma of the Nepali Congress said that being an agricultural country, agriculture is the backbone of Nepal and as the output of the country is not sufficent to meet the internal requirement, irrigation should fall under the jurisdiction of the Agricluture Ministry and the production of chemical fertiliser should also be raised.

Poverty: Dharmanath Prasad Shah of the CPN-UML said that poverty will not be aleviated just by increasing agricultural output and the amount allocated to an important Ministry such as Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives was insufficient.

Ganga Prasad Nepal of the same party said that emphasis has to be laid on irrigation to increase agricultural output and agricultural know-how had to be taken to the farm.

Agriculture: Krishna Kishor Ghimire of the Nepali Congress said that the Department of Agriculture should concentrate on providing fertiliser and seeds to the farmers in time.

Narendra Bahadur Bam of the same party said that a fertiliser industry should be set up so that there was no shortage of fertiliser and geographical studies should be carried out to enhance yield.

Tukraj Sigdel of the CPN-UML demanded introduction of revolutionary land reforms to raise agricultural yield and the setting up of a ginger processing unit in Tanahu.

Urmila Aryal of the same party suggested that agricultural strategy should be formulated, arable land provided to three millon farmers and agriculture research made effective.

Agriculture: Dr Mangal Siddhi Manandhar of the CPN-UML said that the long-term agriculture perspective plan was hollow.

Sushila Nepal of the same party said that it was necessary to hold discussions on various schemes before including them in the budget, a milk chilling plant should be set up in the eastern part of Lalitpur and the livestock development office should be shifted to the settlement of farmers.

Sohan Prasad Chaudhari of the same party said that the government had given hollow assurances to the people and not paid attention to land ceiling.

Predominance: Prakash Sunuwar of the CPN-UML said that the government had not been able to make the people realise the predominance of agriculture and demanded that the report of the Badal Commission be made public.

Sherdhan Rai of the CPN-UML said that the people depending on agriculture have not been able to derive benefit and the scarcity of fertiliser and seed has been increaing every year.

Dambar Singh Sambahamfe of the CPN-UML said that though agriculture had been pronounced the backbone of the economy, nothing specific has been done to enhance the dignity of the farmers.

Implement: Krishna Lal Maharjan of the same party pointed out the need to implement the report of the Badal commission for the overall development of agriculture and land reforms.

Fatik Bahadur Thapa of the CPN-UML said that the farmers were not happy with the allocation made to the agriculture sector and as the subsidy in irrigation has been decreased, and the farmers were not in a position to install tubewells.

Reduction: Ramchandra Yadav, also of the CPN-UML, said that reduction in subsidy in fertilisers and irrigation has hit the farmers and importance should be given to irrigation in the rural electrification programme.

Devi Lal Thapa of the CPN-UML said that attention has not been given to making the agricultural sector self-reliant, and the allocated sum did not reach the districts in time.

Subhash Karmacharya of the CPN-UML said that the budget allocation would be unable to meet the challenges of the agricultural sector, and the subsidy given in the past had been withdrawn.

Development: Jagannath Khatiwada of the same party said that the local development programmes had not been moblised properly to make the agricultural programmes planned and the sector could not be developed even at places where infrastructure existed.

Kashi Paudel of the Nepali Congress said that agriculture promotion, research and women farmers development programmes had been provided continuity and the budget allocated to this sector was sufficeint.

Renu Kumari Yadav of the RPP said that absence of irrigation facility, lack of fertiliser, seeds, pesticides and integrated long-term planning had made the sector neglected.

The House of Representatives will meet again at 11:00 am tomorrow.

Foundation laid for ten feet tall Buddha idol

Kathmandu, Aug. 6 (RSS): Minister for Population and Environment P. L. Singh, MPs Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar, Laxmi Das Manandhar and Maiya Devi Shrestha and a local senior citizen 97-year-old Sanu Maya Shakya collectively laid the foundation stone and performed the land worship ritual for installation of an artistic Buddha statue at the Srigha Monastery this morning.

Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Keshav Sthapit as well as Buddhist monks and nuns were also present on the occasion.

The huge stone statue of the Buddha will be installed at the total cost of approximately Rs 1,100,000, according to the sources concerned.

The statue 10 feet tall will be given final shape by sculptor Lok Raj Bajracharya of Lalitpur in about six months, it is learnt.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Singh said that it is a great coincidence that the foundation for installing the grand statue of Lord Gautam Buddha is being laid here today on August 6, the day when world peace was challenged with the dropping of an atomic bomb in Hiroshima.

Such kinds of exemplary works can be carried out easily with the cooperation of the local people, he added.

MP Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar remarked that only establishing the statue of the Buddha was not sufficient for peace and progress in the world.

He expressed the hope that such pious deeds would indeed contribute to the promotion of world peace in their own ways.

Another MP Laxmi Das Manandhar said that with the installation of an artistic statue of the Buddha at the Srigha Monastery, the glory of the Monastry would be further enhanced.

Stating that the existence of Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha, is under the threat due to a dam being constructed by India near Marchawar area, he suggested that His Majesty’s Government seek international help in getting India to stop the construction of the dam.

Mayor Sthapit reiterated that the Kathmandu Metropolitan City would give priority to works with good returns.

Bhikshu Ashwaghosh expressed the view that the installation of the Buddha statue would be meaningful if Lord Buddha’s teaching are put into practice.

Dr. Sriman Shakya said that it is a matter of great regret that various anomalies, misfortunes and violence are taking root in the country, the birthplace of Lord Buddha.

He expressed serious concern over the theft of antiques from the Srigha Monastery, a revered place which holds historical and archaeological importance.

Secretary of the statue construction committee Guiyeha Ratna Shakya informed that the statue will be installed at the Monastry with the consent and assistance of the local people.

On the occasion, various persons handed over assistance in the form of cash to chairperson of the statue construction committee Dhammawati Guruma.

Among those making donations are Ratna Man Shakya (Rs 111,111), Basanta Bahadur Shakya (Rs105,000), Sanumaya Shakya (Rs 101,100) and Gyanjyoti Sahu (Rs 100,000).

The Srigha Monastery in Naghal is one of the main monasteries located in the Kathmandu Valley.

Chairperson of the Srigha Monastery renovation and Buddha statue construction committee Dhammawati Guruma presided over the foundation laying ceremony.

People recall the agony of Atomic bombing

BY AMBAR MAINALI

Hiroshima,Japan, Aug 6: People from all walks of life gathered with a heavy heart at the Peace Memorial Park today to pray for the eternal peace of the victims of the first atomic bombing in the history of mankind.

Elegant school children joined hands calling for peace world over and denounced the use of nuclear weapons as the pigeons released flew over the Memorial Park packed with sixty thousand people.

The representatives of bereaved families, children, Mayor of Hiroshima together with many others offered water collected from 16 different parts of the city to the victims.

The city today marked the 56th anniversary of the atomic bombing which had killed nearly two hundred thousand people. Nearly one hundred and forty thousand were killed within five months of the bombing and others who succumbed to radiation perished in the years that followed. The once devastated city now boasts of its development attain ment prosperity and peace.

The United States of America dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima at 8:15 in the morning of August 6,1945.

Another bomb was dropped at Nagasaki some days later. Ever since the atomic bomb devastated the city of Hiroshima and left people with horrendous memories and bane of diseases such as hair loss, bleeding, lower level of blood cells and breast cancer, the people there have been voicing their concern to put an end to nuclear weapons.

Though at one time it was believed that natural vegetation would never sprout again, no sooner as the Phoenix trees started budding people in Hiroshima were energized to work for world peace and abolition of nuclear weapons. But their voices remain to be heeded with nations still carrying out additional nuclear tests year after year.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who now has a high popularity rating with his party’s landslide victory in the recently concluded elections to the House of Councillors reiterated Japan’s commitment to world peace and solidarity.

In an address to the Peace Memorial function, Koizumi said, "Hiroshima was blown into ashes 56 years ago and precious human lives were lost."

He said ever since, the city has been striving to propagate peace and has been developed into a peace center.

"Japan has been voicing strongly for the implementation of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) at the UN forum," he said.

Koizumi appealed to the world leaders to make a resolve to work towards attaining eternal peace.

He expressed his commitment to extend extra care and health facilities to the survivors of the atomic bombing who are generally referred to as Hibcusha.

A message from the UN Secretary General stated, "Let us renew our solemn vow never to repeat that tragedy."

The Peace Memorial Museum situated within the premises of the park speaks volumes of the miseries and agony the A-bomb victims had to endure.

The exhibits at the museum echo the most grisly moments in the history of mankind. Hroshima, popularly known as the city of castles was destroyed within no time after the bombing. Prior to the bombing there were four hundred thousand people living in the city.

Documentation at the museum revealed that a total of hundred and sixty thousand innocent children were the victims of the atomic bombing.

Schools children walking around the museum today bearing with the bitter history watched the tattered clothes of boys and girls of their age who never got to school on the ill fated day of August 6, 1945.

Later in the afternoon, Akihiro Takahashi, survivor of the atomic bombing said, "I was fourteen and was at a playground 1.4 kilometers away from the hypocenter when the bomb exploded."

Takahashi was addressing the fifth World Conference of World Mayors for Peace through Inter-City Solidarity. He said the A-bomb had three characteristics heat rays, blast and radiation.

"The heat generated at the hypocenter was as high as 3,000 to 4,000 degrees Celsius." Takahashi, who is still under regular medical treatment said, such heat rays burned human bodies, clothes and towns in an instant.

"It is reported that those who were inside the hypocenter evaporated," he said.

Recalling the inexplicable grief he said the blast had blown people away tearing off their skin. Eyeballs were torn away and internal organs were ruptured by the effects of the bomb.

"I do not particularly say that they were killed by the United States but the A-bomb killed them cruelly," Takahashi said.

GOVT, DONORS INTERACT
Give top priority to poverty alleviation

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 6: Representatives of the donor agencies today said that the government should pay special attention toward implementing the budget of the fiscal year 2058/59 B. S.

At a regular meeting of the government officials and the representatives of the Nepal-based donor communities held here this afternoon, they told the government to give top priority to poverty alleviation programmes. They also emphasized the need for the government to incorporate the micro finance and social service related programmes for poverty alleviation.

Speaking at the meeting, Henning Karcher, Resident Representative of the United nations Development Programme (UNDP), said the government has to coordinate the poverty alleviation and micro finance programmes condcuted by the Rural Development Bank and other agencies and it has to pay attention towards the social mobilisation.

Emphasising the need to implement the foreign aid policy in practice, he said that the government should step up measures to ensure peace and security in the country.

On the occasion, Japanese Ambassador to Nepal Mitsuaki Kojima said that government should make the poverty alleviation programmes more effective and control the population growth rate.

The Japanese envoy further said that the budget would be implemented more effectively and fully only when the economic disciplines are maintained properly and the tax administration is made efficient and transparent.

Commending the government’s initiative to settle the Maoist problem through talks, he said that the peace and security are important factors for the overall development of the country.

He also said that the parliamentary democracy was the leading factor in solving political, social, economic and other problems.

Addressing the meeting, Richard Vox, Resident Representative of the Asian Development Bank (ADB), said the effectiveness of the new projects as included in the budget will depend only on their implementation.

He further said that the efforts being made by the government to rehabilitate the sick industries were a welcome step.

He, however, pointed out the need to improve enhance the quality of Nepalese carpet and pashmina.

Lawrence D. Miller, Representative of International Monetary Fund (IMF), urged that the government must sick identify the sick industries before providing assistance to them.

On the occasion, Ohasi Ken, Country Representative of the Wold Bank (WB), stressed the need to pay special attention on education and decentralization programmes.

Representatives of other donor agencies raised issues like the misuse of the MP’s fund, increasing financial irregularities and discontinuation of the privatisation programmes.

Answering the queries raised at the meeting, Finance Minister Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat said that despite the country’s unfavorable economic atmosphere, the overall economy is not so deteriorating.

Requesting the representatives of the donor community not to take all things in a negative way, Dr. Mahat said that the proportion of poverty has decreased and the MP’s fund has not been misused.

The operation cost of the Rural Development Bank for launching micro finance has been smooth. However the other programmes have not been as effective as they should have been.

He, meanwhile, convinced that the there would be mutual coordination among various NGOs and agencies working in the field of poverty alleviation. He also informed that the Financial Administration Regulations would be amended.

He said that the government would give continuity to the programmes related to privatization.

Vice Chairman of the National Planning Commission (NPC) Prithvi Raj Ligal, Governor of the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr. Tilak Rawal and Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Dr. Bimal Prasad Koirala also delivered answers to the questions raised by the representatives of the donor community.

Dr. Mahat tables agreements in House

Kathmandu, Aug. 6 (RSS) Finance Minister Dr. Ramsharan Mahat presented three separate agreements being signed by His Majesty’s Government with the people’s republic of China, Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Austria at the House of Representives today.

The agreements being presented to the House of Representatives are the agreement between His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and the government of the People’s Republic of China for the avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respects to taxes on income; the agreement between His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and the government of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan for the avoidance of double taxation and prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income; and the agreement between His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and the Republic of Austria for avoidance of double taxation and the prevention of fiscal evasion with respect to taxes on income.

Finance Minister Dr. Mahat also presented the Income Tax Bill-2058 and Excise Duty Bill-2058 to the House of Representatives today.

NC adopts its amended statute

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 6: The Nepali Congress approved today the party’s amended statute after a detailed discussion at the party’s Central Working Committee meeting.

The CWC meeting that unanimously gave its support to Prime Minister
Sher Bahadur Deuba to hold dialogues with Maoists on last Saturday took the decision to adopt the amended statute.

The 10th convention of the Party, held in Pokhara early this year, had decided to amend some articles of the statute.

Under the new amendment, nobody can hold the post of NC Party Presidentship and NC district Presidentship for two consecutive terms and at least one women representative should be elected from each election constituency to the party’s General Convention which is held every four years.

The amendment also includes the election of 50 per cent of the Central Working Committee members by the General Convention of the party.

The meeting, chaired by Party President Girija Prasad Koirala and participated by all members of the CWC, expressed its deep condolence over the sad demise of Mugu Dsitrict General Convention Member Karme Jaisi who passed away due to cancer and Jhapa District General Convention Member Yam Bahadur Acharya, killed by the Maoists.

But some Congresswomen activists handed over their protest memorandum to party President Koirala and women members of the CWC and demanded that NC’s women awareness campaign should be in accordance with NC’s statute. They expressed their disagreement over the recent decision of the government to make changes in the existing set-up of the women awareness programme.

Misbehaving employees will be penalised: Khadka

Kathmandu, August 6 (RSS): Home Minister and Minister for Local Development Khum Bahadur Khadka has said no government employees have misbehaved with local people in the Maoist-affected areas and gave assurances that if employees are found to have misbehaved with the people, they will be subjected to stringent action.

Mr Khadka made this remark during question answer time at the National Assembly meeting today in response to a question from MP Goma Devkota about what efforts the government is making in the Maoist affected areas to rectify the negative attitude of the people arising out of the employees’ misbehaviour towards them.

The lawmakers are well aware of the fact that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has intensified his efforts to resolve the problem of Maoist insurgency and efforts are also under way to forge an all-party consensus, said the Home Minister adding, an all-party meet will be held soon for working out a national consensus so as to help resolve the problem.

In reply to a question from CPN-UML’s Devendra Ghimire, he said for security reasons some police posts have been adjusted.

Stating that no individual has been arrested from court premises, Mr Khadka remarked that as regards the problem of Nepalese number plate vehicles not being allowed to enter India and Indian number plate vehicles not being allowed into Nepal, His Majesty’s Government is committed to solving this problem through bilateral talks

The Home Minister also spoke of the need to put an end to the practice of untouchability by raising social awareness and made it clear that no polling centers will be set up in the districts for National Assembly elections and the women’s bill is going to be tabled with the objective of promoting their interests.

CPN-UML’s Bisheshwora Dahal, Devraj Ghimire and Lal Bahadur Bishwokarma had raised questions.

Similarly, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopal Man Shrestha noted that His Majesty’s Government is determined to check forest encroachment caused by unemployment, poverty and smuggling.

Stating that families displaced by the extension of the Royal Shukla Phant Wildlife Reserve are being resettled, compensation has been provided to the people and some families will be settled soon, Mr Shrestha said a commission will be formed for resolving these problems.

The government has pursued the policy of declaring the chure range a protected forest area, people’s participatory efforts have been initiated for forest preservation, special programmes have been launched in Kailali and Kapilvastu districts and soil and watershed management programmes have been launched in 13 districts, he further said.

He also expressed his determination that his Ministry will not lag behind in taking strong actions against anyone poaching wild animals.

Those asking questions were NC’s Jagannath Poudel and CPN-UML’s Lalit Bahadur Basnet, Lal Bahadur Biswokarma and Beduram Bhusal.

The National Assembly will meet again at 1 p. m. tomorrow.

Govt draws flak for unsolved problems

Kathmandu, Aug. 6 (RSS): Speaking during the special hour at the House of Representatives today, Ramesh Lekhak of the Nepali Congress said that free and fair election is the pre-requisite for consolidation of the Multi-Party Democracy and drew the attention of the government toward this end.

Distribution: The MP complained that although it has been announced that voters’ identity cards would be issued in 105 election constituencies as per the election act, 50 per cent of the voters have been deprived of the right to their voters’ identity cards due to various procedural errors that have taken place in the distribution of the identity cards and the use of wrong names in the identity cards.

Voters’ identity: He also called on the departments concerned to take note of this fact as people who do not have their voters identity cards would be debarred from voting in areas where the identity cards have been issued.

Shankarnath Sharma Adhikari of the CPN-UML complained that the provision of non-payment of land revenue for the Guthi land in Phurkot which lies along the Banepa-Bardibas-Sindhuli road has caused inconvenience to the farmers concerned.

He said even the decision of the Council of Ministers requiring to acquire land revenue for such land has been disobeyed and drew the attention of the department concerned about the non-payment of compensation for land that has been acquired for the road although the land revenue for the guthi land lying on the road has been accepted.

Corruption: Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party alleged of possible corruption in floating of the shares of Nepal Indo-Suez Bank with collusion between the Finance Ministry and Nepal Rastra Bank.

He drew the attention of the concerned agencies that the shares of the bank are being sold to certain persons instead of selling the same as required to the government institutions and other private agencies.

He clarified that he had send only the concerned technical employee of the Agriculture Ministry for livestock studies abroad when he was the Agriculture Minister that also on the recommendation of the administrative section and the secretary concerned.

Landslide: Sabitri Bogati Pathak of the Nepali Congress informed the house about the damage caused by flooding and landslide in various parts of Chitawan district such as parts of the Chitwan National Park have been submerged, road, bridges and land in Birendranagar-3 has been washed away and that soil erosion caused by the Naryani and Madi rivers continues.

Stating that the flooding and landslides have also hampered electrification works, MP Pathak called on the authorities concerned to do the needful to improve the situation.

Bijaya Subba of the CPN-UML said that Nepal had to bear a great loss from the Tanakpur project as Nepal failed to pay adequate attention to the long-term impact of the dam.

River control: He said that the same kind of mistake is being repeated in the case of the west Rapti river control project as it has been included in this year’s budget document despite the directives of the Parliamentary Committee to dismantle dams constructed by the Indian Government.

This is yet another example of giving in to India, he alleged.

The MP also demanded that action be taken against employees who have betrayed the country by disobeying the parliament and the Parliamentary Committee’s directives as the dam being constructed by India near Marchawar of Rupandehi district posed a great threat to Nepalese territories including Lumbini, the world heritage site.

Hridayaram Thani of the Nepali Congress said that tens of thousands of students and hundreds of teachers have been hit by the closing down of 29 schools in Surkhet district which are run by the private sector.

He called for the release of seven Maoist workers imprisoned at Surkhet district prison as the Maoists have said that they would allow the schools to open if the seven detained men are released.

Prakash Jwala of the CPN-UML complained that the NCP-Maoist workers were going ahead with their activities of assaulting the CPN-UML workers just at a time when talks of a dialogue between the Maoists and the government are going on.

Denounced: He strongly denounced the recent killing of Shovaram Basnet, a CPN-UML worker from Salyan district by the Maoists and demanded that the NCP-Maoist leadership apologize for the killing and give assurances that they would refrain from such kinds of activities in future.

Bir Bahadur Lama of the CPN-UML alleged that the government was not sensitive enough regarding the construction of an alternative highway despite the difficulty caused by the huge landslide that takes place during the monsoon each year at Krishnabhir of Dhading district blocking the Prithivi Highway, the main highway linking the capital with the rest of the country.

RNAC to reroute passengers from cancelled destinations

BY A STAFF RPEORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 6: Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC) is doing homework to reroute some 5,000 passengers from the five destinations it has decided to pull out beginning next month, Rajesh Dali, Executive Chairman of the national flag carrier said in an interaction programme here today.

The national airline has no choice but to reroute the passengers taking help of other airlines since it decided last Friday to stop its operation from London, Paris, Frankfurt, Singapore and Dubai beginning September 2, next month. "We have already started the process to reroute the passengers who have already booked our tickets from the places we are pulling out from September 2 (next month)," Dali said. He, however, would not elaborate what airlines RNAC would be taking help of while rerouting the passengers.

Ironically, the timing RNAC chose to pull out of the five destinations happens to be the onset of the peak tourism season, that actually begins on October, in the country. "That is why we are giving our top priority for the rerouting of the passengers."

According to M.P. Khanal, Director of Public Relations at RNAC, the national flag carrier brought in around 600 passengers from Europe in a week. For the next three months the occupancy is more than 95 per cent. "That is due to the peak season. And since at other times the occupancy drops to 40 per cent, the average occupancy is below 70 per cent."

"That exactly was the reason why we had to pull out of these sectors," said Dali. "The decision to pull out of these sectors had to be made since we were not even able to earn the operating cost."

Not able to meet the operating cost and therefore with its five destinations delisted, RNAC last week sent back a leased Boeing 757 of the China South West Airlines — less than one month after it had sent back the leased Boeing 767 of Lauda Air. The lease deal with the Austria-based airlines had generated widespread controversy that resulted into the arrest of several RNAC top officials including the then chief of the national airline Hari Bhakta Shrestha — all found guilty of being invloved in irregularity in the deal.

Now that RNAC would be staying out of the European sector, tourism entrepreneurs, in the interaction programme today, were anxious to know how was the national flag carrier thinking to utilise its landing right on European airports. "There is an urgency to decide how do we utilise that," said Narendra Bajracharya, President of Hotel Association Nepal (HAN). "And for the utilisation of such a right, RNAC should be approaching the online airlines and it should not expect other airlines to approach it."

Speaking at the same interaction program, Joy Dewan, General Sales Agent of Qatar Airways, said that international airlines flying from Kathmandu to Europe are right now not in a position to utilise the landing rights of RNAC even in case the national flag carrier allows them to do so. "There are many legal hurdles that need to be crossed for other incoming international airlines to use RNAC’s landing rights."

Yogendra Shakya, former President of HAN, said the country needs to make its presence felt in markets like Europe. "If we let the landing right go from our hand once, it would go for ever."

Briefing RNAC’s mindset how it would ustilise its access to European market, Dali said that the airline is exploring many ideas including code sharing with other airlines. Code sharing is an operation way when an airline allows another airlines to use its code and permission to operate at certain markets. "We are working out the process and shall come out with a decision within few weeks time."

Europe remained RNAC’s market for almost one-and-a-half-decade. The national flag carrier began to fly to London, Paris and Frankfurt after it bought in the mid 80’s the two Boeing 757 aircraft — that is all left with the corporation for international flights now. Europeans constitute around 30 per cent of the total inbound tourists — recorded at a little less than 500,000 in 2000. Tourism entrepreneurs participating in the interaction program were divided on their comments whether RNAC made a wise move pulling out of the five destinations including Europe. Some said it was a bold move while others denounced it.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) met Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. today and appraised him that RNAC’s decision to pull out of the European sector and other two destinations is only going to be a negative image proof for the ailing national tourism industry. "The national flag carrier serves the purpose of visiting card for the nation in the market like Europe," the delegation, led by TAAN President Rajendra Vantava, is said to have told the minister.