CIAA seeks suspension of RNAC chief

Kathmandu, Jan. 12 (RSS):  The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority today wrote to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation about its decision to suspend executive chairman of Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation Hari Bhakta Shrestha.

According to a communique published by the commission, it has decided to suspend Shrestha under the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority Act 2048 article l9 (3) as it was deemed possible that if a person against whom action is under way on an accusation of corruption remains in his post, evidence prejudicial to him might vanish or be destroyed and investigations might be hampered.

It is also pointed out that there was lack of clarity in the statement made by the RNAC executive chairman at the commission in the course of investigations into complaints that irregularities and corruption had taken place during the leasing of the Lauda Air airplane, and in many important provisions of the agreement reached with Lauda Air.

Six Russians die in attacks in Chechnya

Nazran, Jan. 12 (AP): Six Russians soldiers died and at least eight others were wounded in fighting in Chechnya in the past 24 hours, an official in Chechnya's pro-Moscow administration said Friday.

As the fighting dragged on, Russian officials said they were searching for an American citizen taken hostage earlier this week, but had no immediate leads.

Three other hostages were freed Friday in unrelated cases, officials said.

The rebel attacks on Russian army troops and casualties came mostly in high mountain areas and around the regional capital Grozny, the official said on condition of anonymity.

In one clash on the outskirts of the city, two rebels were killed, he said.

The daily sniper and surprise attacks on Russian positions has intensified in the Vedeno region, where thick fog and muddy roads have kept Russian armored vehicles and helicopters from staging counter attacks, he said.

In the Vedeno region, Russian sappers defused more than 15 mines and booby trapped explosive devices, he said.

Russian soldiers, demoralized by the daily attacks and poor rations and support from Moscow, rarely sally out from their positions to pursue rebel attackers without air or artillery support.

In total, Russian positions were fired at 26 times in the past 24 hours, the official said.

Several Russian law enforcement agencies were active Friday in coordinating a search for kidnapped American Kenny Gluck, the ITAR-Tass news agency reported.

Gluck, chief of the Chechen operations for the humanitarian aid group Doctors Without Borders, was seized on Tuesday by unknown armed men near the village of Stariye Atagi in the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains south of Grozny, the organization said.

Hundreds of people, including foreign aid workers, have been taken hostage in and around Chechnya since the end of the previous, 1994-96 conflict. Kidnappers often demand ransoms of more than a million dollars for foreigners, and can be cruel to their captives to encourage payment. There were no reports of leads in Gluck's case.

Meanwhile, officials in Russia and neighboring Georgia freed three other men who had been taken captive in the region.

Rafik Gafurov, identified as a native of the town of Ulyanovsk in central Russia, was set free in Stariye Atagi after being held since Nov. 15, ITAR-tass said, citing Russian police. No other details of his release were made public.

In neighboring Georgia, police freed a Russian citizen and a Georgian who had been held captive in the Pankisi Gorge, said Georgy Rogala, a spokesman for Georgia's Interior Ministry.

The Pankisi Gorge is a mountain area bordering Chechnya where an estimated 7,000 refugees from the war reside.

He identified the hostages as Zaur Gonashvili of Georgia's capital Tbilisi and Vladimir Makeyev, a native of Vladikavkaz in Russia.

Russia's government cited the wave of kidnappings in the region as justification to launch a military campaign in Chechnya in 1999. The revival of hostilities also followed a rebel incursion into a neighboring Russian region and apartment bombings in Moscow that killed about 300 people. Russia blamed the Chechens for the bombings.

Dentists to gather, share experiences

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Jan. 12: The third National Dental Conference will be held with the theme "Dentistry in Modern Era" here tomorrow.

Minister of Health Dr. Ram Baran Yadav is scheduled to inaugurate the conference.

Dentists from different parts of the country will share experiences and ideas related to the scientific outlooks of dentistry, Chairman of Nepal Dental Association Dr. Prabin Mishra told a press conference today.

"Ideas will also be exchanged among the participants regarding the modern advancement seen in the dental field. The conference will be of great significance for the practising dentists as they will be able to be familiarise with the modern dental materials and equipment," Dr. Mishra, who is also member of Nepal Medical Council, added.

He further said that the dentistry is a highly specialised branch of medical science, which has a number of super specialised branches.

He emphasised the need of an autonomous body to look after the dental sector of the country. "We have asked the government to form Nepal Dental Council to regularise the country's entire dental sector."

Addressing the press conference, Lt. Col. Dr. Bishnu Bahadur Bastola, Chairman of the third National Dental Conference organising committee, said that the public awareness could contribute a lot for preventing the dental diseases.

Dr. Bastola further said that discussions would be held on how to make the dental services accessible and affordable to the general people, who are yet to be aware of dental related diseases.

He informed that Nepal Dental Association has thought of launching oral health awareness programmes together with various governmental and non-governmental organisations in the country to improve the health status of the people.

Dr. Gopal Maharja, executive member of Nepal Dental Association, said that the government must give priority to dentistry.

Dr. Maharjan also said that the government has to create posts of dentists at the district hospitals for making dental services easily available to the people.

In Nepal, more than 75 per cent people are the victims of one or other dental related problem. At present, there are over 182 dentists throughout the country. Out of them, 116 are the members of Nepal Dental Association.

In the country, there are only two dental colleges-- People's Dental College and B. P. Koirala Institute of Dental Sciences--which admit 30 and 40 students respectively every year.

Congress to expand CWC elect half its members

BY A STAFF REPORTER

Kathmandu, Jan. 12: The 41st meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Working Committee (CWC) agreed today to increase the membership of the CWC to 37 from the existing 31. The CWC is the party's highest executive body.

The meeting, chaired by party president Girija Prasad Koirala, also approved the proposal of electing 50 per cent of the CWC members on a nation-wide basis. The party president nominates the remaining fifty per cent of the members. Now, the forthcoming national convention of the party will elect 18 members of the CWC and the party's president. All NC men, who are active members of the party for ten years and are members of the party's Mahasamiti will be eligible to stand for the Central Working Committee.

However, the meeting refused a proposal of electing the officials of the party, which include deputy party president and the party's General Secretary, instead of them being nominated by the party president.

A proposal regarding this was put forth by three CWC members - Ramchandra Poudel, Mahesh Acharya and Shailaja Acharya.

According to party Spokesman Narahari Acharya, during the first session of the meeting Deputy Prime Minister and CWC member Ramchandra Poudel presented a draft of the party's policy to be presented in its upcoming 10th national convention. Poudel is the chief of the party's policy and programme department.

The meeting has formed a sub-committee consisting of Shailaja Acharya, Ramchandra Poudel, Chiranjibi Wagle, Chakra Prasad Bastola, Narahari Acharya, Dr. Ramsharan Mahat and Mahesh Acharya to incorporate the suggestions and opinions raised during discussion on the draft and give it a final shape.

Spokesman Acharya said the draft policy has evaluated the country's political situation during last 10 years and the achievements and failures of the Nepali Congress governments during that period. It has also proposed the policies and programmes to be followed by the party in the political, economic and social sectors and has outlined provisions to make the party more organised and efficient, he said.

In the second session of the meeting, Narahari Acharya, who is also a member of the CWC, presented a draft for amending the party's statute. The meeting approved the amendment of expanding the CWC and electing 50 per cent of the CWC members.

The proposed amendment also contains a provision of forming a co-ordinating committee in each of the development regions and having at least one woman delegate to the national convention from each of the election constituency of the parliament.

Meanwhile, the proposal regarding the code of conduct of the party members and the party's MPs will be discussed in the next meeting of the CWC on January 18 in Pokhara, the convention venue. The convention starts on January 19.

At today's meeting 29 of the 31 CWC members and 12 invitees were present. Former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was not present as he was out of Kathmandu.

Farmers demand ‘just’ price

Kathmandu, Jan. 12 (RSS):  Nepal Farmer's Association has demanded that His Majesty's Government make arrangements for providing farmers a just price for their products.

Stating that the price of petroleum products has declined in the international market, the association has also demanded that the price of these products should be reduced here also in the same proportion.

A statement issued by the association here today says the cutting down of the concession provided by the government in chemical fertilizers and pesticides led to an unexpected hike in the cost of production, but the price of agriculture produce, especially paddy and wheat, has not increased since last year. In addition, the recent decline in the price of grain has added hugely to the burden of farmers, and likewise sugarcane farmers have also not been receiving a fair price for produce.

The government should give due attention to these matters, adds the statement.

National Unity Day marked

Kathmandu, Jan. 12 (RSS):  More reports of the enthusiastic celebration of the 279th Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day have been received from different parts of the kingdom.

Bhadrapur: A procession participated in by students, social workers, Royal Nepalese Army units, Nepal Police, scouts, representatives of political parties and the general public was taken out from the premises of Bhadrapur municipality to mark the 279th birth anniversary of His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great and National Unity Day on Thursday.

The procession passed through different parts of the town. Earlier, a statue of His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah at the local Prithvi Namuna Secondary School was garlanded.

At the programme presided over by mayor of Bhadrapur Municipality Bharatendu Kumar Mallik, Jhapa district court judge Janardan Bahadur Khadka, former MP Rabindra Chakravarty, member of the Rajparishad Mrs. Dil Kumari Shrestha, member of the P ress Council Dilliram Nirvik, social worker Dr. Rishikesh Upadhyaya, Chief District Officer of Jhapa Sushil Jung Rana, chief of Mechi a Multiple Campus Balkrishna Chaudhari and others shed light on the contributions of His late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great in the unification of the country.

Similarly, the foundation stone was laid for the construction of a life-size statue of His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great at Kakarbhitta of Mechinagar municipality.

Researcher S. L. Sharma, Chief District Officer of Jhapa Sushil Jung Rana, chairman of the Hidapa Literary Family Shyam Adhikari, chairman of the Sashank Foundation Chhabilal Khatiwada, senior journalist Dilliram Nirbhik, former MP Rabindra Chakravarty, Mayor of Mechinagar Municipality Rabin Koirala expressed their views at the programme presided over by social worker Chhatra Bahadur Basnet.

A contingent of Nepal Police presented a salute to His Late Majesty during the garlanding of the statue on the occasion.

Bhadrapur: Floral tributes were paid to His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great on the occasion of his 279th birth anniversary and the National Unity Day here on Thursday.

At a programme organised here to mark the occasion, Deputy Mayor of Bharatpur municipality Devi Prasad Gyawali, Chief District Officer Tikaram Aryal and Local Development Officer Jeevan Ratna Bajracharya paid tributes to His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the great and spoke about his far-sighted vision in the unification of Nepal.

DDC chairman Bishnu Ghimire presided over the programme.

Marking the same occasion, Nepal Red Cross Society, Bharatpur, distributed fruits to 150 patients at the Bharatpur Hospital.

A rally against alcohol abuse was also taken out on the same occasion yesterday. A night-time illumination was also held in Chitwan.

Dhading: At a talk programme organised to mark the 279th birth anniversary of His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great and the National Unity Day, participants called for strict adherence to the immortal sayings of His Late Majesty in the "Dibyopadesh".

They were of the view that National Unity could be strengthened only if all the people of the country were brought into the national mainstream irrespective of their ethnicity, caste or religion.

At the programme presided over by DDC chairman Khem Prasad Lohani, district court judge Haribansh Tripathi, the Chief District Officer, representatives of various political parties, law practitioners and teachers expressed their views at the programme presided over by DDC chairman Khem Prasad Lohani.

Dhankuta: Marking the 279th Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day, senior litterateur Lain Singh Bangdel inaugurated the regional level industrial exhibition and "the best entrepreneur awarding ceremony" organised by the Small and Cottage Industries Development Committee main branch office, Dhankuta.

In his inaugural address, Mr. Bangdel said that the skills and the dedication of the craftsmen are essential for the development of the country.

He stressed that the policy of national integration adopted by His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great should be put into practice in the present context.

Goods produced by the entrepreneurs from Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Sankhuwasabha and Dhankuta districts have been kept on display at the exhibition.

The programme was presided over by DDC chairman Tikaram Chemjong.

On the occasion, Dhankuta municipality also felicitated senior artist and litterateur Lain Singh Bangdel. Acting Mayor Jib Prasad Pokharel honoured Mr Bangdel and his spouse Mana Kumari Bangdel by presenting them with shawls.

Marking the same occasion, Mr. Bangdel opened a joint art exhibition of artists from the New Art Circle, Kathmandu and Koshi zone.

Acting Mayor of Dhankuta Municipality Jib Prasad Pokharel presided.

Parasi: At a talk programme organised by the Officers' Club, Parasi, to mark the 279th Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day here on Thursday, speakers laid emphasis on the contributions of His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah in the unification of Nepal.

A host of speakers, including former Inspector General of Police Dhurba Bahadur Pradhan, Nepali Congress district president Krishna Chandra Nepali, Manguri Yadav of the CPN (UML), lecturer Kailash Thakur and Chief District Officer Bishnu Raj Kusum expressed their views at the programme presided over by DDC chairman Chintamani Pokharel.

Hetauda: Addressing a programme marking the National Unity Day, DDC chairman Rameshwar Rana paid tributes to His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great, describing him as a great statesman, strategist and far-sighted thinker.

Chief district officer Durga Prasad Pokharel, Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) Makwanpur district president Kajiman Lama, DDC members Ananta Poudel and Sri Chandra Sharma also highlighted the contributions of the great King to the national integration.

Kavrepalanchok: On the occasion of the 279th Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day, the Reyukai Nepal, Patle Khet unit organised an observation seminar on "The role of the youth in physical disability and unity" on Thursday.

The objective of the programme was to promote brotherhood, friendship and mutual goodwill among the youth.

Baglung: Glowing tributes were paid to the builder of the nation His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great by offering flowers and garlands on a portrait of His Late Majesty here the other day on the occasion of the 279th Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day.

Charikot (Dolakha): Member of Parliament Ananda Prasad Pokharel inaugurated the district wide inter-high school level football championship organised by the Dolakha district football association to mark on the occasion.

Taking part in the football championship are eleven teams from the eleven secondary schools in the district. The game will be played on a league cum knock-out basis.

Similarly, the Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day was observed here with a variety of programmes.

A contingent of Nepal Police presented salute to His Late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah the Great on the occasion. MP Ananda Prasad Dhungana initiated the programmes by hoisting the national flag. Acting chairman of Dolakha DDC Shiva Prasad Bhandari presided.

Humla: A poetry symposium and a variety cultural programmes were organised here on Thursday to mark the 279th Prithivi Jayanti and National Unity Day.

The programme was chaired by acting DDC chairman Man Bahadur Shahi.

Jhapa DDC to take care of all roads

Bhadrapur, Jan. 12 (RSS): The district development committee(DDC), Jhapa, has decided to repair and maintain all the roads in the district according to the five-year district road master plan.

Under the plan, the 403 district level roads have been classified according to the condition of the roads and the culverts, bridges and causeways and the benefit these would give to the local people, chairman of the district development committee(DDC), Arjun Rai said.

As per the master plan prepared by the DDC, the 23 district level roads which have been assigned to the DDC for repair and maintenance are in first category while 260 are in second category and the remaining 120 rural roads in the third category.

The roads falling under the first category are the Chandragadhi-Maheshpur road, the Damak-Madhumalla road, the Birtamod-Budhabare road, the Bhadrapur-Goldhap road, the Pathamari-Baluwadi road, the Garamani-Kechana road, the Charpane-Rajgadh road, the Sanischare-Sukhani road, the Laxmipur-Rajgadh-Gherabari road, the Dharampur-Panchgachhi road, and the Padajungi-Chapramari-Birbal Chowk road.

Similarly, the Damak-Beldangi road, the Dudhe-Mahabhara road, the Surunga-Kumarkhod road, the Kerkha-Baigundhara road, the Gauradaha-Khajurgachhi road, the Amaldangi- Tulachan road, the Bhadrapur-Ilam Border road, the Itabhatta-Gadagalli road, the Sainikmod-Goldhap road, the Kakarbhitta-Gadagalli road and the Charpane-Hattikilla road also fall under the first category roads.

As per the five-year district road master plan endorsed by the DDC, a total of 343.75 kilometre roads under the first category will have to be maintained and repaired by the DDC, out of this, 23.5 kilometres is black-topped, 203.435 kilometre gravelled and 116.140 kilometre dust roads.

Similarly, under the second category roads, a total of 1139.135 kilometres of roads will have to be repaired and maintained, of which 2.300 kilometres is black-topped, 160.63 kilometres is gravelled and 977.692 kilometres is un-gravelled roads.

Likewise, under the third category roads, a total of 205.822 kilometres of roads will be repaired and maintained, 4.861 kilometres is gravelled and 200.960 kilometres is un-gravelled.

The DDC is to allocate Rs. 27,700,000 annually for the repair and maintenance of these roads, it is leant from the DDC.

This is the first time that the DDC has formulated a comprehensive master lan for the repair and maintenance of the roads in the district, according to DDC Secretary Khaga Prasad Nepal.

However, the responsibilies for the repair and maintenance of roads that have been left to His Majesty's Government by the DDC are the section of the Mahendra Highway lying in the district, the Kechana-Ilam-Taplejung highway (Mechi Highway), the Damak-Chisapani-Rabi-Ranke road, the Damak-Padajungi-Gauriganj road, the Birtamod-Bhadrapur road and the Mechi-Ratuwa Hulaki road.

Press Council Award to Biyogi

Kathmandu, Jan. 12 (RSS): The Press Council Nepal has decided to confer this year's Press Council Gopal Das Journalism Award on senior journalist Govinda Biyogi.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the council held today under the chairmanship of council chairman Harihar Birahi.

Deuba for party unity

Butwal, Jan. 12 (RSS): Former prime minister and central member of the Nepali Congress (NC) Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that as the party rank and file had been intimidated and terrorised, the party was bogged down without a sense of direction.

Addressing a Lumbni zonal party activists get-together programme here today, he said that it was the need of the day to make the party capable of meeting the challenges of the new century.

Stating that he was always for party unity, he said it was necessary to undertake a study into who indulging in activities causing a split in the party.

Former NC Butwal district committee president Radheshsyam Rajbhandari, MPs Bharat Kumar Shaha and Hari Narayan Chaudhari and ex-MP Hari Prasad Nepal also expressed their views at the programme chaired by NC general committee member Rafi Ahmed Kidwai.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Deuba, at a meet the press programme hosted by the Himalayan News Committee at Butwal today, said that the pledge made to control the Maoists, maintain law and order, prevent corruption and ensure good governance have not been fulfilled and that the Maoists issue should be dealt with through dialogue.

Committee chairman Madan Poudel presided over the programme.

KU launches executive MBA scheme

Kathmandu, Jan 12 (RSS): Kathmandu University School of Management (KUSOM) dean professor Bijay K.C. anounced the launching of an executive MBA (EMBA) programme for working professionals at a function today.

The school has been running a full time two year master of business administration (MBA) programme since 1993.

Vice Chancellor of the university Professor Suresh Raj Sharma from the chair elaborated on the philosophies guiding the university it its efforts and actions.

Dean K.C. said the programme intends to equip working professionals and organisations with decision making tools, strategic management and leadership skills and expertise in one chosen functional area such as marketing, finance or human resource management.

Jagadish Prasad Agrawal, member of the KUSOM faculty board, and Pradeep Shrestha, president FNCCI, also spoke on the occasion.

Registrar of Kathmanu University Dr Sitaram Adhikari moved a vote of thanks.

TU’s annual report presented

Kirtipur, Jan. 12 (RSS): The 40th annual general meeting of Tribhuvan University (TU) was held at Kirtipur today under the chairmanship of TU pro-chancellor and Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya.

At the meeting, rector Prof. Prem Raj Panta presented the annual report for the fiscal year 1999-2000.

Addressing the meeting, Minister Upadhyaya said that education should be viewed in the perspective of national needs.

He further said that looking back at the last 50 years, there has been perceptible changes in education in Nepal but as it has been felt that the present education system would not be able to meet social needs and should therefore be revised.

TU vice-chancellor Navin Prakash Jung Shaha said that TU was always alert towards providing competitive and quality education and was committed towards shouldering a national responsibility.

Maoists in extremist acts: Oli

Pokhara, Jan. 12 (RSS): CPN-UML standing committee member and deputy leader of the CPN-UML parliamentary party K. P. Oli says that the Maoists are indulging in extremist acts of terrorism under the pretext of people's struggle without studying national and international situation.

At a get-together programme organised here today by Press Chautari Pokhara, Mr Oli noted that the extreme rightists, on the other hand, were making retrogressive attempts and suggested that the conscious segment of the society should ponder over the reason why some small groups did not carry that much importance of their existence.

Any discontent and despondency among the people would have a negative impact on the democracy itself, he said, adding: though a radical change is not possible in the country in the present context, some popular progressive reforms should be made.

He also remarked that journalism guided by conscience would help the people in general.

Chairman of Press Chautari Punya Poudel was the convenor of the programme.

Training on HIV/AIDS control

Syangja, Jan. 12 (RSS): A three-day peer education training on HIV/AIDS and STDs control was held here under the jointship auspices of the Syangja district Aids co-ordination branch and Nepal Red Cross Society, Syangja district branch,.

The training aimed at providing basic knowledge on HIV/AIDS and STDs prevention and control to one male teacher and one female teacher each at all the 15 secondary schools in the district and through them to the secondary school level students.

On the occasion, Nepali Congress district member Deepak Lamsal, Govardhan Shrestha, Madhu Sen, Narakumari Gurung, Chiranjibi Lamsal, Narayan Lamichhane, Dirgha Bandhu Subedi and others spoke of the need to extend the peer education training to all parts of the country.

Altogether 30 teachers from 15 secondary schools in the district attended the training.

ANNFSU demands

Pokhara, Jan. 12 (RSS): Five district level organisations of All Nepal National Free Student Union (ANNFSU) have expressed concern over what they call inconsistencies and aberrations in the education sector of the country.

At a press meet here today, they say they are going ahead putting purely educational demands and threatened to call an indefinite general strike if the 15-point demand goes unheeded.

‘Maoist issue political problem’

Rautahat, Jan. 12 (RSS): CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that the development of the country will accelerate if the people's representatives work honestly.

Addressing a joint gathering of social workers, intellectuals and party workers at Gaur, the headquarters of Rautahat district today, Mr Nepal said the government is dilly-dallying in the matter of maintain law and order and controlling corruption.

Describing the Maoist problem as a political problem, Mr Nepal also pointed out the need to resolve that problem through talks.