PM informs NC-CWC about govt works

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: The Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the ruling Nepali Congress held under the chairmanship of party President Girija Prasad Koirala at Central Office, Teku this morning.

Arjun Narsingh K.C., spokesman of the party, informed that Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba told the meeting about various activities of the government. Then, Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka informed the CWC members regarding the activities of his ministry.

K.C. also said that NC assistant general secretary Govind Raj Joshi and other CWC members Laxman Prasad Ghimire, Ms. Shailaja Acharya, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, Baldev Majgainya and Gopal Raj Pahadi expressed their views at the meeting.

The meeting was scheduled to be held again at 2 P.M. today but it could not be held since Prime Minister Deuba was unable to attend it. The meeting will be held at 11 A. M. at Teku tomorrow.

Maha Shivaratri mgmt body formed

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: In a month from now, the great festival of Maha Shivaratri will have come knocking on the doors of the Hindus and the government has already started homework to make it big – targeting some 400,000 visitors to the holy Pashupatinath Temple.

A 251-member Maha Shivaratri Management Main Committee was announced here today to make sure the pilgrims, coming here from different parts of Nepal and India, will have a hassle-free visit to the sacred Shiva temple.

The Pashupati Area Development Fund (PADF) is coordinating with various agencies and individuals to arrange food, drinking water and proper shelter for the visitors. Bal Bahadur K.C, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, heads the committee.

"We have started all the necessary works with the initiatives of PADF," K.C told journalists and related officials. "Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) is actively working to make the festival great."

He further said that the government has evacuated the rest-houses of the Pashupati area for the visitors to stay during the festival.

"We hope to see visitors not only from neighbouring India but also Hindus from countries in the west," he added. "This is a great festival for the Hindus."

The government expects help from all to make it a success, he said. Swami Prapannacharya requested the government to make sure narcotic substances such as hemp and hashish discouraged as Prasad of Lord Shiva this year. "Such materials will be defame us."

Eleven terrorists killed, arms seized

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: Security forces killed 11 armed terrorists and seized various weapons and explosives from different parts of the country during their patrol and search operations over two days until today, according to a Defence Ministry statement.

Two armed terrorists were killed in an encounter with the security personnel at Falebas of Parbat district. Two guns, four socket bombs, electric wires used in setting ambushes and a large quantity of explosives were recovered from the area.

One armed terrorist, named Madan K.C., was killed at Dukhu area of Myagdi in an encounter. The army also recovered weapons, bombs and explosives from the terrorist.

Four terrorists, including Bhagirath Bag and Bed Singh Pujara and two unidentified individuals, died in encounters at Melauli area of Baitadi the day before. The security forces recovered terrorist weapons and socket bombs from the site.

Three terrorists were killed yesterday in the jungles of Betini in Bardiya district. Those killed in the encounters were Gyan Prasad Chalise (Ayam), learnt to be the terrorist organisation’s chief-in-charge of Bardiya and Banke districts and member of their regional bureau, Rishi Ghimire (Bijaya Sharma), an activist of the sister organisation of the terrorists and Rup Lal Tharu (Baniya), the so-called village chief of the terrorist organisation.

Juddha Bahadur (B.K), an armed terrorist and so-called village chief of the organisation, died in an encounter at Jajagaun near Kuivir of Dang district. Weapons, bombs and explosives were recovered from the site.

The security forces recovered eight guns, one pistol, five socket bombs, 25 detonators, binoculars, materials used in pipe bombs and explosives from various places in Dhading yesterday.

The forces recovered eight guns and local weapons in Kuwakot of Syangja and one gun in Rigaun of Dailekh.

The army brought Krishna Bahadur Shahi, who was injured in a lethal attack by the terrorists at Natharpu Judpani of Mugu district, to Birendra Army Hospital in Kathmandu after doctors failed to treat him at Nepalgunj.

Twenty two terrorist suspects – seven in Barsangchet of Nuwakot, three in Gulmi, two in Amreni of Bardiya, two in Chakrigaun of Banke, two in Kuwakot of Syangja, two in Shivanagar of Kailali, and one each in Charneta of Pyuthan, Kotgaun of Rolpa, Tapani of Salyan and New Baneswar of Kathmandu—were arrested for interrogation.

Three terrorists of Savapokhari surrendered before the security forces in Sankhuwasava along with their weapons yesterday, expressing remorse that they were misled by the terrorist organisation. Local people of Palpa handed over two guns to the security forces the same day.

The bomb disposal units of the army defused a pipe bomb and a banner bomb at a road in Dhikurpur of Dang and banner bombs placed at Sahid Chowk of Narayangadh, Chitwan, and Khodpe Bazaar of Baitadi.

In another development in Kathmandu last night, the security forces nabbed a gang of fake Maoists from Sitapaila. They would intimidate, terrorise and loot the common people. The security personnel are investigating Min Bahadur Thapa and Keshav Thapa of Shyampati, Kavrepalanchowk, who were arrested when they tried to enter the Anigumba monastery by cutting off electricity and telephone lines at Sitapaila. They were carrying fake pistols, knives, pointed iron rods, silver jewelry, their own photographs on combat fatigues, terrorist documents and around five thousand rupees in cash.

Meanwhile, according to the Home Ministry, 30 terrorists surrendered to the local administrations across various parts of the country from Ilam to Achham over two days until today.

On Saturday night, terrorists killed Laxmi Prasad Bhatta, former police sub-inspector, at his residence in Taple village of Gorkha, the Ministry stated.

A teacher at Himalaya High School of Dhairung Batase in Gorkha, Om Prasad Lamichhane was seriously injured in a fatal terrorist attack the same night. The security forces are searching for the terrorists.

The security personnel recovered three guns from Shantipur of Ilam, the statement said.

Global Warming
- Himalayan habitat under threat -

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: The Himalayan alpine meadows in the country and its savannah grassland in the Tarai region are among the natural habitats across the globe facing severe threats from global warming, London-based The Observer International reported Sunday, quoting a study by a team of World Wildlife Fund scientists.

Home to rare plants and animals, these two areas are among the 80 per cent of the 115 most scientifically important wildlife habitats that will be ruined by rising temperature, the online edition of The Observer International quoted the study titled "Global Warming and Species Loss in Globally Significant Terrestrial Ecosystems."

Sheltering critically endangered species like snow leopard, the Eastern Himalayan alpine meadows will have lost two thirds of its area by the end of the century, the report warned. Hunted for its pelt and bone, around 300 snow leopards are found in the upper reaches of places like Upper Dolpo, Manang and Kanchanjunga. Around 5,000 of this Himalayan flagship species are found worldwide.

In the lowland, as a result of the climate-change-induced destruction of the savannah grassland, one-horned rhino and the tiger have come under threat. This patch of endangered natural habitat sprawls among Indian, Nepalese and Bhutanese lands. Of the around 2,400 one-horned rhinos in the grasslands of the three countries, more than 550 are in Nepal. Over 300 tigers roam the Tarai jungles.

"This report provides us with an alarming picture of what will happen to some of the Earth’s most precious natural areas," the report quoted Dr. Ute Collier, Head of Climate Change at WWF, as saying.

As the world warms up, many habitats are expected to move, reestablishing themselves in cooler places, according to the report. "Low-lying areas and many habitats in the tropics, such as rain forests are unlikely to be too severely affected because they can gradually migrate." That good news, however, may not be absolutely applicable to Nepal as it harbours habitats at extreme altitudes and those surrounded by human development that will have nowhere to go.

"Some habitats, which may have migrated during previous eras of climate change, may no longer have that option because they are now surrounded on all sides by human development," the news-report said. "The speed of human-induced climate is also faster than natural change, meaning that many species don’t have time to adapt. Those habitats that can migrate are expected to do so at rates of up to one kilometer a year, meaning that many slower growing plants can’t keep up."

Even as the report of the study is yet to reach the Nepal office of the WWF, its officials said the impacts of the global warming on the country’s natural habitats are already evident. "The alpine ecology that is now found within the altitude of 18,000 feet is moving higher up," said Ukesh Raj Bhuju, Programme Director of WWF Nepal Programme. "The change in the temperature will also cause adverse impact on the Taraian grassland leading to the unusual behaviour on the indigenous wildlife like tiger and rhinos."

Bhuju, however, admitted that the country has a very little knowledge of the disasters its natural habitat would face in the future due to global warming.

Elsewhere, the study, reported by The Observer, said the most severely damaged natural habitats would be the Canadian Low Arctic Tundra, the wooded Ural Mountain taiga in Russia, the central Andean dry puna in Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia, the Daurian steppe of Mongolia, and the fynbos of Southern Africa.

"Many habitats will change at the rate approximately 10 times faster than the most rapid changes since the last ice age, causing extinctions," Collier, whose team used complex models of climate change and migration patterns in its study, was quoted as saying.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimates that the atmosphere will be warmer by as much as 5.8 degree Celsius over the coming century and the sea level will rise by about half a meter.

UML urges govt for reform measures to get support

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: The Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) would need to see its conditional demands fulfilled by the government for the party to support the State of Emergency, CPN-UML leader Jhalanath Khanal said, while speaking at the Face to Face Programme organised by the Reporters, Club here today.

"The government should justify the objectives of emergency and give its definitions and legal explanation, be ready to amend the Constitution, reform election processes and introduce political and social reform measures, otherwise CPN-UML cannot support emergency," Khanal said.

Khanal stressed the need of the political process to find the solution to problems facing the country."Since terrorism is a complex problem, the means applied to solve this must also be a complex one."

Stressing on national consensus and unity among the political parties, Khanal mentioned that lack of good governance was the main cause behind the present problem.

"Though the violation of cease-fire and sudden attacks at army barracks by the Maoists were the immediate causes behind the declaration of emergency in the country, the 12 years of bad governance brought the present situation," he said.

He also urged the Maoists to lay down their arms and come to the table for talks for the peaceful solution of their problems.

He also said that the party, in its next meeting, would decide whether to support the State of Emergency or not.

Speaking at the same function, Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahesh Acharya said the government had not mobilised the Royal Nepal Army only for the sake of mobilisation.

"The government has mobilised the security forces to disarm the Maoists and maintain law and order in the country," Acharya said.

The government was compelled to clamp down emergency as the armed Maoist terrorists tried to demolish the government establishment, he said.

The emergency is targeted towards the terrorists and those who encourage terrorism, Minister Acharya added.

Referring to the reform measures applied by the government, Acharya said that the government has introduced various reformative steps before and after the declaration of emergency in the country.

"Fixing of the land ceiling and introduction of integrated security and development programmes in the Maoist-affected areas are the examples to show that the government is in the path of socio-economic reform."

Acharya urged all the political parties to involve in the social movement. "On the issues of social reforms, the government has sought the closeness and cooperation from all the political parties," he said.

If the political process receives its pace, the security agencies will be more effective in restoring peace in the country, he said.

CPN-ML leader Radha Krishna Mainali and RPP leader Jog Meher Shrestha also stressed the need of unity among the political parties to fight against terrorism.

The leaders also furnished replies to the queries raised by media persons at the meet presided by the club president Rishi Dhamala.

NTUC, GEFONT move towards working unity

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Feb. 11: As the government is bracing for amendment of the Labour Act- 2049, the country’s major trade unions – the Nepal Trade Union Congress (NTUC) and the General Federation of Nepalese Trade Union Congress (GEFONT)-- are weighing the pros and cons to forge a working unity for the safeguard of the interest of workers across the country.

Representatives of both the unions met at the GEFONT office for the second round today and discussed how they should join hands to correct the existing anomalies and protect the interest of teachers, civil servants and workers in other institutions.

They agreed to co-operate with each other by simplifying the process of membership and registration of the union. They also agreed to organise an interaction on May Day.

According to GEFONT, representatives during the meeting agreed to introduce ‘check off’ system in the organisational level. Apart from this, they have also agreed to expedite the joint efforts for the protection of workers.

Lalit Basnet, vice president of NTUC and general secretary Bishnu Rimal, treasurer Binod Shrestha and chief of the external affairs Umesh Upadhya of GEFONT took part in the meeting.

Honour must be used to contribute more: Nepal

Kathmandu, Feb. 11 (RSS): General Secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal has honoured various personalities in recognition of their valuable contribution to the society from their respective quarters.

Dr. Laxmi Narayan Prasad Srivastav, Prof. (Dr) Birendra Kumar Mallik, senior journalist Madan Mani Dixit, Associate Prof. Lalbabu Yadav, Rural Drinking Water Project Director Ram Babu Shrestha and social worker Ram Gopal Shrestha were among those honoured at a function held to the mark the completion of the fourth year of Rautahat Times, a national weekly.

On the occasion, Nepal noted that such a honour to the distinguished persons will be a source of inspiration for others to selflessly work in social services.

Senior journalist Madan Mani Dixit expressed the view that though a sea of changes has taken place in the fourth estate after the involvement of the new generation, a large number of press are still unable to stand on their own feet.

MP Dr. Banshidhar Mishra remarked that journalists should not deviate from creating constructive works through their pen.

At the function presided over by Govinda Prasad Chaulagain, editor and publisher of the Rautahat Times, president of Federation of Nepalese Journalists Suresh Acharya also spoke on the problems being confronted by the journalism sector.

Shrestha directs project chiefs of forest sector

Kathmandu, Feb. 11 (RSS): Minister for Forests and Soil Conservation Gopal Man Shrestha today chaired the progress review meeting of the ministry. The progress of special priority projects and programmes and various other development programmes implemented by the ministry during the first quarter of fiscal year 2001/2002 was reviewed.

At the meeting, extensive discussions were held on resolving problems faced during the project implementation phase.

Giving directives to the project chiefs concerned, Minister Shrestha pointed out the need for improving the management and ensuring the smooth running of industrial outfits like Nepal Rosin and Turpentine Company Ltd so as to turn them into profit-making entities. Reforming the management of government-owned elephants at the Royal Chitawan National Park as well as other national parks and wildlife reserves and bringing about improvements in the management of the Sagarnath Forest Development Project were also referred to.

Likewise, the minister underlined making the International Year of the Mountain-2002 more effective and giving it extensive publicity and making follow-up and evaluation activities as well as the forest research programme more effective. He urged the civil servants to carry out their duties and responsibilities promptly and in a transparent manner in view of the state of emergency.

Secretary at the ministry Chandi Prasad Shrestha expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved by the ministry and bodies under it during the first quarter of the current fiscal year, and directed the officials concerned to reduce the number of cases of fiscal arrears under the ministry in the coming days as well as to make project activities more result-oriented and transparent.

Minister of State for Forests and Soil Conservation Surendra Hamal, divisional chiefs at the Ministry, directors-general of various departments under the ministry, chiefs of corporations, committees and companies, regional forest directors and senior officers of the ministry were present at the meeting.

Chief follow-up and evaluation officer at the ministry Dr. Keshav Raj Kandel presented the progress report.