Preservation of artworks emphasised

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Aug. 27: Theft of statues, carving from streets and historic building of Nepal has been a long-standing problem to preserve such artifact. Many of finest stolen antiques eventually reappear in the international market, where they fetch high prices.

At a one-day symposium on August 30 government officials and others will be studying ways to combat illegal trade of stolen artworks from Nepal. The symposium organised jointly by the Department of Archaeology of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and UNESCO/Kathmandu aims to highlight the issue with the police, custom officers, cargo shippers and other stakeholders.

According to UNESCO/Nepal, the purpose of the symposium is to raise awareness so that greater steps can be taken to prevent thefts and also that action can be taken to recover artworks through the official channels once they have left the country.

UNESCO/Nepal also says that internationally the UN organisation has taken the lead in developing legal instruments and conventions to address the problem of illicit traffic, and its network of contacts and access to diplomatic channels have assisted in the recovery of stolen property on many occasions.

Woman thrown into Koshi rescued

Saptari, Aug. 27 (RSS): A woman thrown into the Saptakoshi river has been luckily rescued and saved from being drowned.

Local people who were in the river looking out for logs carried down by the current found the woman alive in the middle part of the river where the water level was low.

The incident took place on Aug. 22 when Basudev Yadav, Jogedra Yadav and Bijaya Yadav of Rampur-3 in Saptari district found the woman at about 4:00 in the morning. They initially mistook the woman for a ghost but took her on board after hearing her cry out for help.

The woman is said to have identified herself as Bakriuddin Khatoon, daughter of Magani Seikh of Bhingdiya VDC-3 in Rautahat district.

Khatoon who had already been married twice had an affair with a local married youth. Because of this relationship she was thrown into the river, it is alleged.

She said that someone from her village had brought her to the place on a motorcycle tellling her that she would be taken to her brother in Mumbai, India.

On reaching the Koshi barrage she was told to look at the fast current of the river. While she was busy doing just that her legs were pulled from behind and she was pushed into the river.

The woman is now safe and sound at Saptari district police office and an investigation into the incident has been initiated.