MPs protest hike in electricity tariff

Kathmandu, July 27 (RSS): MPs drew the attention of the government towards various contemporary problems of the country and demanded resolution of these problems during the special hour at the house of representatives today.

Gorakh Bahadur Bogati of the CPN-UML said that the entire Karnali Zone was faced with the shortage of foodgrain at present due to the refusal by the helicopter companies to transport the provisions to the area from Surkhet owing to the decision of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) that security was required within one-kilometre radius in rural settlements of Surkhet district from where the foodgrain is flown to Karnali Zone.

He demanded immediate withdrawal of the decision and requested the government to initiate steps to prevent the further spread of the P.P.R. disease and the scarcity of iodized salt in the area.

Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) called on the government to put forth its clear views with India about the need to halt the construction of the Rasiyawal-Khurdlotan dam being constructed by India within the Lumbini area in view of the possible risk it has for Nepal.

Stating that Nepal Electricity Authority earned a profit of Rs 400 million in 2056 B.S. from the 300,000 kilowatt power it produced, the RPP MP expressed the view that the Nepalese consumer will be compelled to pay Rs 25 per unit of electricity by 2010 A.D. due to the power purchase agreement concerning the Bhotekoshi and Khimti projects signed by the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) in 2057 B.S. under which the government was required to buy 100,000 kilowatt power generated by those projects.

He said by 2002 A.D., Nepal would incur a loss of Rs 2.39 billion from the project and alleged that the electricity tariff was hiked to patch up for the loss by taxing the people.

Mohan Bahadur Basnet of the Nepali Congress noted that a peaceful environment has been created at present in the country in an effort to resolve the Maoist problem, which is the biggest problem of the nation, through the initiatives of the present government.

He pointed out that the ruling party, the opposition parties, human right activists, journalists and all should show practical commitment towards ensuring peace as the gates for dialogue have been opened with this truce between the two sides.

Mrigendra Kumar Singh Yadav of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party, referring to the July 23 decision of the Supreme Court to repeal the citizenship certificates issued by the citizenship certificate distribution team in 2035 B.S., said that the decision was not fair as many persons who had acquired the citizenship before that date have already employed in government offices and purchased land and property.

He requested for finding a proper way of resolving the problem.

Bharat Kumar Shaha of the Nepali Congress drew the attention of His Majesty’s Government on the situation of near-submergence prevailing in many villages on the Nepalese side with the construction of the Rusiyawal-Khurdalotan dam by India near the Nepal-India border.

He underlined the need to pay timely attention to resolving the problem of flooding that is caused by construction of additional dam on the Kanchan river and another dam south of the site of the present Khurdalotan dam earlier by India.

Narayan Prakash Saud of the Nepali Congress hoped that the present government would take the initiative to secure the release of ward chairman of Tribhuvan Basti VDC-9, Kanchanpur district, and three others who have been abducted from their dwellings by unidentified persons.

He also called on the government to do the needful regarding India’s lackadaisical attitude in connection with the indecent treatment meted out to some women from Rampur and Bilaspur areas of Kanchanpur district who had been taken hostage to Pilhibit, India, by some persons and subjected to abuse.

He pointed out that the government should come up with the necessary explanation about the electricity tariff hike, saying that the rise in electricity tariff would hit the industries and business and hurt the consumers. He called for the withdrawal of the decision.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives today agreed to discuss the bill concerning the Parliament Secretariat.

Earlier, Prime Minister and Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sher Bahadur Deuba had tabled a proposal seeking discussions on the bill.

Replying to questions raised during the general discussions on the bill, Prime Minister Deuba said the government is ready to accommodate the suggestions forwarded by the MPs.

Taking part in the general discussions, CPN-UML’s Pradip Kumar Gyawali and NC’s Ramesh Lekhak described the bill as a milestone in the direction of providing administrative and financial autonomy to the Parliament Secretariat.

Speaker Taranath Rana Bhat then fixed July 31 and August 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 13, 14, 15 and 16 as the dates for discussions on appropriation heads concerning the various HMG Ministries. The ministers concerned will also furnish replies to questions raised during the discussions.

The House of Representatives will next meet at 11:00 a.m. on July 30.

Bush assures support to PM in congratulatory message

Kathmandu, July 27 (RSS): MS Christina B. Rocca, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs, called on Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba at Singh Durbar this afternoon.

During the meeting matters of mutual interest towards promoting bilateral relations were discussed, according to a press release issued here today by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ms. Rocca delivered a congratulatory letter from George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, to the Prime Minister. The message reads as follows:

"Please accept my congratulations on your appointment as Prime Minister. You assume this post at an important moment in Nepal’s history, and you have my support as you confront these challenges to democracy. You face challenges as you seek to build on progress made in the eleven years since the advent of democracy in Nepal. You have my support as you confront them.

"I was pleased to hear that one of your first official acts was to call for a cease-fire with the Maoists. I hope that you will be successful in your efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement of that dispute. All of Nepal’s friends join in the hope that Nepal can refocus its efforts from the insurgency toward building peace, prosperity and a strong democratic system."

Practice ideology of scout, says Upadhyaya

Kathmandu, July 27 (RSS): Minister for Education and Sports and Chief of Nepal Scout Amod Prasad Upadhyaya has said that it would be of great help in attaining all-round development of the nation if the principle and ideology of the scout could be put into practice in a proper manner.

Inaugurating the Nepal Scout National Council Meeting-2058 here today, he underlined the need for an outright initiative to put the scout’s programme and the principle into practice to prevent the youths from going on a wrong path.

He also called on the participants to chart out the policies and programme for the development and consolidation of the organisation on the basis of the appraisal of the past performance and the experiences gained thereon.

Chief Commissioner of the Nepal Scout Sharad Kumar Bhatarai pointed out the need for a social code to make effective the role of the scout so as to expedite the development activity of the country.

National Secretary of the Nepal Scout Yagya Bahadur Singh Oli highlighted the annual budget estimate and the annual programme of the Nepal Scout.

Commissioner for the national programme Bijay Kishore Jha said that today’s youth should be provided with proper education and involved in appropriate professions accordingly for the preservation of the Nepalese culture.

The 2-day meeting will endorse the policy matter as well as financial and employees’ regulations after assessing the past performance.

Altogether 62 representatives including 3 males and 3 females from every development region are taking part in the meeting.

Govt vehicles misused: Report

Kathmandu, July 27 (RSS): Chairman of the House of Representatives State Affairs Committee Homnath Dahal presented a report on use of vehicles-2057 bs at the meeting of the House of Representatives today.

The report mentions the existing legal provisions on vehicle facility, the present state of the misuse of vehicles, the reports of the auditor general (2054 B.S.-2057 B.S.) and the impact of misuse of vehicle.

In the present context, most of the members of the council of ministers demand the vehicles from the ministries, departments, projects or corporations under them for their private secretariat, and former prime ministers, former chief justices, ministers, their PA’s and guards are not found to have returned the vehicles they have taken.

The report also states that the act and regulations on the use of government vehicles have been violated, political interference is rampant, facility-seeking tendency is on the rise, corruption is on the increase, administration has been adversely affected, moral norms and values have degenerated, and those who have already had vehicles on government facility are also found to have been using vehicles of their ministries, departments, corporations or projects.

Similarly, several ministries have concealed the details of use of vehicles, the system of keeping records is very ineffective, vehicles with different number plates are being used by the same office, vehicles are found to have been sold to the users with the decision of the board of directors, record of those who bring in vehicles using vehicle facility should be properly kept and the vehicles which can be used through a little maintenance have been left unattended.

The report also suggested that legal actions be initiated against those who misuse government vehicles, record of those who import vehicles using government facility should be properly kept, stress given on maintaining moral standard and a central body set up to take care of things.

The number of the vehicles imported under MP facility is 23, while those importing vehicles under the special class facility are 54 including the chief secretary, secretaries, chief officers and special secretaries, 102 in legal service, 14 in the Royal Nepalese Army and 73 in other services.

Quality education vital to end poverty: UNESCO Chief

Director General of UNESCO Koichiro Matsuura, 64, is in Nepal to hold discussions with the Nepalese authorities in the field of education and culture. Koichiro, a Ph.D. from France and a Master’s in Economics from USA, is committed for the preservation of not only cultural but also ethnic, linguistic, religious and archaeological aspects of life in the world. Committed to provide basic quality education to all the children of the member countries of the UNESCO by the year 2015. the visiting Director General was elected to the highest post of the Organisation to a 6-year term in 1999. Before being elected to the present post, Koichiro was the chairperson of World Heritage Committee of UNESCO. A writer of at least half a dozen books on diplomacy, Japanese foreign policy and history, Koichiro has command over English, French and Spanish as well. He has also served his country by being the Japanese Ambassador to many countries including France.

Before completing the three-day official visit to the Himalayan Kingdom, Koichiro took out time to talk exclusively to The Rising Nepal’s Sunil K.C. and Krishna Sharma on the role of UNESCO in providing basic education and conservation of cultural sites. Excerpts:

Q. What is the purpose of your visit?

A. This is my first official visit to Nepal as Director General of UNESCO. Nepal has been very active and a very important member of UNESCO and UNESCO, too, is very much present in Nepal. So, I decided to come here to reinforce cooperation between Nepal and UNESCO and also to strengthen UNESCO’s presence in Nepal. I had a series of meetings with the officials here in promoting cooperation with Nepal in two major areas – quality basic education and culture and, if possible, intangible cultural heritages in this country.

I had a very fruitful and productive meeting with the new Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Minister of Culture and Minister of Finance. I also received an audience from His Majesty the King.

Q. UNESCO has the objective of providing primary and quality education to all the children of the world by 2015. How far do you think this target will be fulfilled?

A. We collectively adopted six objectives last year when we met at the 2nd World Conference on Basic Education in Dakar, which Nepal also participated. There we had adopted quantitative and qualitative target in achieving universal primary education by 2015. Another quantitative goal is to reduce illiteracy by half by the same time. In that context all developing member states are requested to formulate their national plans to implement these objectives. And UNESCO has been cooperating to make action plans for that and also in the implementing those national plans.

Q. What are the major constraints in providing quality basic education to the children in a developing country like Nepal?

A. First, the national governments themselves must work to implement the objectives adopted at Dakar and their work must be reflected in advocating more budgetary resources to basic education. And international community should also help these serious minded countries. I was encouraged by the G-8 Summit Declaration made in Okinawa, Japan, last year that said the developing countries, which are making serious efforts to implement the objectives adopted at Dakar, should not fail as a result of lack of resources.

Q. Often in many countries children’s lack of access to education is directly related to poverty. In such a situation how do you think UNESCO and the governments of such countries can provide basic quality education to their children?

A. I think basic education and poverty are more or less similar to chicken and egg relationship. You say we can not provide basic education unless we eradicate poverty, but I would like to argue that we can not get rid of poverty unless we provide quality basic education to children. So, poverty eradication strategy must go hand in hand with quality basic education strategy. The poverty eradication strategy must be pursued by the whole of international community and by the UN System including UNESCO.

Q. Talking about culture, is the UNESCO planning to increase the number of cultural sites of Nepal to the UNESCO list?

A. You already have Kathmandu Valley and Lumbini in the list of World Heritage Sites. Before I took over the post of Director General, I had visited several sites of the Kathmandu Valley. This time, I visited Lumbini, the other World Heritage Site. Regarding preservation and conservation of heritage sites of the Kathmandu Valley it is very difficult due to rapid urbanization. That is not exceptional here or in any other cities where the major cultural sites lie at the centre of the city. UNESCO has made several recommendations to the Nepalese government, knowing that the cultural sites lie at the centre of the Kathmandu Valley. We are cooperating with the Nepalese government so that these cultural sites will be safeguarded. And with regard to Lumbini, you are trying to increase new development projects. It is a very sacred place for the Buddhists and also it is a very important place of culture for all the people in the world. UNESCO has been cooperating in the process of materializing new plans. There are also other cultural sites here on the tentative list, which will eventually be proposed to UNESCO for their possible inclusion in the list of cultural sites.

Q. It is heard that UNESCO is putting some of the heritage sites of Kathmandu Valley in the endangered list? Is it true?

A. No. On the contrary we are cooperating and helping the Nepalese authorities in safeguarding the cultural sites, which are already on the list. We are also helping Nepalese experts on preparing new proposals on new candidates to be proposed to UNESCO.

Q. Last September, a high-level World Heritage Committee of UNESCO visited Nepal. What has been their reaction to the conservation of heritage sites in Kathmandu.

A. We sent a high-level mission headed by the chairperson of the World Heritage Committee because there were fears that the necessary preservation and maintenance were not being taken. But they discovered that in spite of the difficulties faced by the Nepalese authorities, they have understood more deeply the difficulties existing here. Also, they have come to realize the seriousness with which the Nepalese authorities are trying to improve the situation. What is now necessary is UNESCO and the Nepalese authorities to cooperate further to avoid doing damages to the historic values of the cultural sites of Kathmandu Valley.

Q. Are you content with the works being carried out here in safeguarding the heritage sites?

A. Yes, I am more than happy but I must say there are a lot more things to be done with regards to the Kathmandu Valley.

Q. UNESCO has been conserving the Chitwan National Park and the Sagarmatha National Park. Nepal has been demanding UNESCO to also conserve the Shey Phoksundo National Park. What is UNESCO’s view regarding this?

A. We are cooperating to maintain bio-diversity in the natural sites on the World Heritage list of UNESCO. There are new candidates like the one you mentioned. It is also very important to take necessary safety measures in them. Only then the sites will be approved by UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee.

Q. How has UNESCO taken the incident in Afghanistan where the Taliban have destroyed the historical site?

A. We are of the opinion that the maintenance of cultural, ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity can help us become more original and true to nature. I am happy that Nepal has been very much serious about the preservation of these things.

Q. After you visited Nepal what will be your role as a motivator?

A. I would like to strengthen UNESCO’s cooperation in two main areas of education and culture, particularly with regards to quality-based basic education to be provided to the adult and children in the rural areas and also to women and girls to integrate them in the school system.

Q. Before you became the Director General of UNESCO it was much criticized for being mismanaged.What improvements have to made?

A. I have made dramatic improvements. There is no longer any mismanagement.

World leaders greet PM

Kathmandu, July 27 (RSS): His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck of Bhutan has sent a message of felicitations to Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba on his appointment as the Prime Minister of Nepal.

In the message, the Bhutanese King has said that Prime Minister Deuba’s appointment to the high office is a clear reflection of the trust and confidence reposed in him by the members of his party and the people of Nepal.

The King has also expressed confidence that under Prime Minister Deuba’s leadership, the mutual ties of friendship and cooperation existing between Bhutan and Nepal will be further strengthened in the years to come.

Likewise, in a congratulatory message, Chairman of the Council of Ministers and Head of Government Yoshey Zimba has said that Mr Deuba’s appointment as Prime Minister is a clear testimony of the trust and confidence that the members of his party and the people of Nepal have in his leadership abilities and commitment to serving the country.

He said that he is looking forward to further strengthening of the close ties of friendship and cooperation existing between Bhutan and Nepal.

In a similar message, Foreign Minister of Bhutan Jigmi Y. Thinley has said having had the privilege of being personally acquainted with Prime Minister Deuba, he is confident that Mr Deuba will discharge the very important responsibilities of his high office with exemplary success and continue to make significant contributions to bringing peace, progress and prosperity to the people of Nepal.

The Bhutanese Foreign Minister has also said that he is looking forward to working closely with Prime Minister Deuba to further strengthen the traditional ties of friendship, understanding and cooperation existing between Bhutan and Nepal.

Similarly, head of the government of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria Ali Benflis has congratulated Mr Deuba on his appointment as Prime Minister of Nepal.

In a congratulatory message, the Algerian had of government has expressed his willingness to work in concert with Prime Minister Deuba in order to promote further and consolidate the friendly relations existing between Algeria and Nepal.

Likewise, Prime Minister of Japan Junichiro Koizumi has, in a message of congratulations to Prime Minister Deuba, expressed the hope that Prime Minister Deuba’s leadership will bring further political stability and economic development to Nepal.

He has also expressed confidence that the mutual understanding between Japan and Nepal will be further strengthened in the years to come.

In a similar message, president of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf has said that Mr Deuba’s appointment as Prime Minister is a befitting tribute to his leadership qualities and reflects the trust reposed in him by the people.

He also said that he is looking forward to working closely with Prime Minister Deuba to promote greater cooperation and harmony in this region.

Similarly, in his message, Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Milos Zeman expressed confidence that the traditional good relations between the Czech Republic and the Kingdom of Nepal will continue to develop in the spirit of friendship and cooperation.

Premier of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea Hong Song Nam, in a message of congratulations, observed that the friendly and cooperatives relations between the two countries will continue to further develop in future.

The European Union has also welcomed the appointment of Mr Deuba as Nepal’s new Prime Minister and has congratulated him on taking up his duties and expressed the hope that calm and stability will come again to Nepal.

Likewise, Prime Minister of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic of Korea Bounyang Vorachith has extended sincere congratulations and best wishes to Mr Deuba on his appointment as Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Nepal.

His has also expressed confidence that under Mr Deuba’s leadership, the government and people of Nepal will have a great success in building the national.

‘National consensus must for overcoming crisis’

Kathmandu, July 27 (RSS): President of the Hariyali Nepal Party Kuber Sharma has pointed out the need for all-sides consensus to bail the country out of the grave crisis it is at present.

He called on all the political parties in the country including the NCP (Maoist), the civic society, and the conscious citizens to hold dialogue and reach a national consensus.

The Hariyali Nepal Party chief made this remark while addressing a colloquium on "the need for an all-party consensus" organised by the party here today.

Former Prime Minister Kirti Nidhi Bista expressed the view that the problem needs to be sorted out even if it means creating public pressure from outside the parliament, saying the solution to any problem was possible through consensus rather than through violence.

President of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP)-Rashtrabadi Rajeshwar Devkota underlined the need for putting in herculean efforts to bring the Maoists into the mainstream of national development.

President of the United People’s Front Amik Sherchan said that it is necessary to foster an all-party consensus and take the consent of the people for preventing a civil war from taking place in the country.

At the programme, C.P. Mainalai of the Patriotic Democracy Forum, member of the Hariyali Nepal Party Chetendra Jung Himali and others emphasised the need for the political parties and social institutions and organisations to utilise all avenues of peace talks and arrive at a consensus on the minimum agenda for ending the prevailing state of violence and anarchy in the country.