House session summoned

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan 25:His Majesty the King has, in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal — 1990, summoned the 21st Session of Parliament at the Parliament building at 11 AM on February 10, i.e., Magh 28, according to the Parliament Secretariat.

The upcoming parliamentary session, also known as the Winter Session or the Bill Session, will bring the lawmakers together for the first time after the State of Emergency was declared on November 26, 2001.

The upcoming Session is expected to discuss the emergency period besides the bill on women’s property rights.

UML-ML unity talks to resume

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan 25: Amidst growing speculations to the contrary, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) today broke the deadlock in its unity talks with the splinter CPN-ML, intensifying the process that had been stalled for some weeks.

The UML standing committee meeting today decided that the issue of the Mahakali Treaty would no more pose an obstacle to the unification of the two parties that had split some four years ago.

"The ML leaders can officially register their note of dissent on the Mahakali Treaty if the parties unify," UML spokesman Pradeep Nepal told journalists today.

The UML decided to be flexible even as the ML continued to insist on its difference over the Treaty. The UML had sent to the ML a six point agenda for unification a few days ago.

"We have now fulfilled the demand of the ML," said Bharat Mohan Adhikri, coordinator of the UML negotiating committee.

"The UML adopted a liberal attitude while trying to forge unity with the ML so that they could still have a functional alliance with other leftist groups in the country," explained the UML stalwart.

"We are always committed to ensuring people’s centrality in our principle of party organization," Nepal said.

Today’s meeting also discussed the current issues of the country and decided to caution the government against lapses during the state of emergency by informing it of the position of the opposition parties, according to a press release of the party.

According to RSS reports, meanwhile, the meeting of the CPN-UML Standing Committee held today under the chairmanship of party general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal at the party central office discussed contemporary issues.

The meeting also decided to hold the meeting of the CPN-UML Central Committee on February 8 to discuss on present situation, the winter session of Parliament and party unity.

A press release issued by the party said a decision was taken to move ahead to alert the government on the misuse of the emergency during the two months of its imposition.

Coordinator of the talks committee Bharat Mohan Adhikari informed the meeting on the talks being held with the CPN-ML.

The meeting has given the talks committee the responsibility of finalising the talks with the CPN-ML.

Shivapuri to develop as national park

Kathmandu, Jan. 25 (RSS):His Majesty’s Government has decided to develop the Shivapuri Area near the capital as a National Park.

The Council of Ministers at its meeting yesterday had taken a decision to this effect, Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopal Man Shrestha said.

The government has decided to develop the area as a Aational Park with the purpose of conserving nature, preserving the flora and fauna and ensuring watershed management for sustainable use.

The proposed park covers an area of about 144 sq. km and is located at a height of 2000-2732 m from the sea level.

Kathmandu Valley gets one million litres of water from the area every day, and the park shares borders with 12 VDCs of Kathmandu, nine of Nuwakot and two of Sindhupalchwok district. Some 45,000 people will directly or indirectly benefit from the proposed park.

This is the Ninth National Park of Nepal. His Majesty’s Government had announced the area as Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve on Asar 6, 2040 B.S.

The area is home to 177 different kinds of birds, the langur (monkey), Himalayan black bears, boar, deer and leopards.

The Nagi monastery is also within the park area.

Visit Nepal, Khadka tells Germans

Kathmandu, Jan. 25 (RSS): Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purna Bahadur Khadka speaking at the Nepal Evening Programme organised in Stuttgart, Germany on January 22, invited the Germans and Entrepreneurs to come and visit Nepal and discover for themselves the vast potential that Nepal has to offer.

He also informed the gathering that the government has opened over 100 new virgin peaks for climbing, given permission to open remote areas for developing more exciting and adventurous trekking routes and shed light on the simplified visa regulations.

Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Germany Balram Singh Malla expressed confidence that the opening of new mountain peaks would be helpful in diversifying the tourism to various parts of the mountain region of the country and hoped for increase in the number of mountaineers visiting Nepal.

The Nepal Evening Programme was also attended by the famous European mountaineer Rainhiold Messner, officer at the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Developemnt of Germany Elke Rongtegen and President of Nepal German Chamber of Commerce and Industry B.K. Shrestha.

The moderator of the programme was the honorary Royal Nepalese Consul General in Stuttgart Ann Katrin, according to the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Berlin.

Meanwhile, Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Poorna Bahadur Khadka returned home today after leading a Nepali delegation at the International Carpet Fair "Demotex" in Hanover Germany and the annual cmt fair-2002 in Stutgard Germany.

Minister Khadka had taken part in discussions and interactions with carpet importers, fair organisers and other concerned individuals on the occasion.

The Industry Minister had an exchange of views with the persons concerned on the development and promotion of the carpet industry and called for foreign investment in Nepal.

Similarly, Minister Khadka, while taking part in the cmt fair, 2002 called for investment in Nepal.

Decisions made to improve health service

Kathmandu, Jan. 25 (RSS):An emergency meeting of the Health Management Committee held under the chairmanship of its convenor and Health Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari yesterday took various decisions on providing health services in a quick and coordinated way to those who are injured in violent Maoist attacks.

According to the Health Ministry, as Bir Hospital and TU Teaching Hospital have become overcrowded with patients since the persons injured in Maoist violence are directly brought to Kathmandu for treatment and this has to some extent hampered the regular treatment at the hospitals, it seems plausible to use Bheri Zonal Hospital, Pokhara Regional Hospital and Koshi Zonal Hospital for the purpose, and a decision has been taken to make necessary arrangement for treatment of patients from nearby areas at these hospitals.

These hospitals are required to provide services to the patients with the assistance of local medical colleges, keep alert rescue teams comprising a doctor and a paramedic round the clock, provide first aid treatment to the patients on the spot, refer the patients with minor injuries to a nearby health post and bring those with serious injuries to hospital, if possible, the ministry said.

If any patients need to be taken from the site of incident direcly to Kathmandu for treatment, they should be sent along with similar opinion.

The Medical Superintendents of hospitals are required to work as coordinators and the Ministry has also decided to extend necessary cooperation for the treatment of cases referred by Bir Hospital at Teku Hospital by creating a separate ward there. Private hospitals handling trauma and surgical cases are required to provide a certain quota of beds to the patients referred by government hospitals and waive bed charge, operation charge and consultation fee.

Similarly, arrangements will be made for providing financial assistance to the victims of Maoist violence by maintaining coordination between the hospital chief and the CDO and, a health worker of the hospital itself will be designated to see to it that the assistance provided by the Home Ministry is properly used.

Since complaints have been received that the financial assistance provided by the Home Ministry has not reached health institutions involved in the treatment of patients injured in Maoist violence and the injured persons, a request will be made to the Home Ministry and the Finance Ministry to provide such assistance through the CDOs of Kathmandu, Banke, Kaski and Morang districts.

The ministry issued strict directives that the equipment necessary for the treatment should be kept in proper order and place for providing speedy services to the patients and if any equipment needs repairs and if it is beyond the capacity of the local hospital or health institution, it should be forwarded to the Health Ministry to which a prompt response should be made,the ministry said.

According to information received from the Health Ministry, Bheri Zonal Hospital and Medical College Nepalgunj will provide services to the districts in Mid-Western Region and Far Western Regions, and Pokhara Regional Hospital and Manipal Medical College to the districts in Western Region.

Similarly, Lumbini Zonal Hospital Butwal and Bharatpur Hospital can also be used on the recommendation of a rescue team.

Koshi Zonal Hospital, Biratnagar and BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences Dharan will also provide medical services in Eastern Districts.

Birendra Aishwarya Sewa Padaks distributed

Kathmandu, Jan. 25 (RSS): Chairman of the Rajparishad Standing Committee Dr. Kesharjung Rayamajhi presented Birendra-Aishwarya Sewa Padaks to members of the Rajparishad Standing Committee, member of Rajparishad and former secretaries of Rajsabha and Rajparishad at a function at the Rajparishad Secretariat today.

On the occasion, Dr. Rayamajhi highlighted the importance of the institution of Monarchy and Rajparishad, expressed gratitude to His Majesty the King for conferring the medals and extended thanks to all the distinguished persons who received the medals.

His Majesty had instituted the medals last Kartik.

A tea party was also organised on the occasion.

National consensus essential to eliminate corruption: Thapa

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan. 25: Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa today said that national consensus was essential at present for the nation to eliminate corruption, terrorist activities, discrimination, and poverty and uplift the economic status of the country.

Thapa was addressing an interaction programme organised by his party here today to present a concept paper for the economic development of the country.

He also said that the responsibility of other parties too had increased in order to save the country from the worsening economic situation.

The concept paper of the RPP includes controlling the Maoist problem, combating corruption, reforming the economic and social sector, cleansing politics, improving the electoral process and ensuring good governance.

Khem Raj Pandit, Deputy General Secretary of the RPP, said that every party should think as to how the nation can develop and be made self-sufficient. "Only trying to eliminate insurgents will not solve the development needs of the country."

Kamal Thapa, spokesman of the RPP, said that every party should give consideration to the programmes proposed by the RPP for the development of the country.

He further said that national consensus is necessary to effectively implement the programmes prepared for the development of the country.

Four terrorists killed in army operation

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Jan.25:Four terrorists were killed and several others injured in operations carried out by security personnel across the country Thursday. The security forces also arrested 10 Maoists and seized a large number of weapons, the Defence Ministry said today.

Two women Maoists, called Kopila and Bina, and a man, Nandalal Dhakal, were killed when the security forces launched an attack on a terrorist stronghold at Saurpani area of Gorkha district. The forces have seized arms, ammunition, bombs and explosives along with documents from the site of the shootout.

In another encounter with the Maoists at Baramja area of Myagdi district, security forces killed an armed terrorist, Durga Bahadur Darji. Weapons and explosives have also been recovered from the site.

Five guns, which had been looted by the terrorists, were recovered from Gopetar area of Panchthar while six guns were found in Gangate of Salyan.

The security forces arrested one armed terrorist each from Galauri area of Dang and Majhigaun of Bajhang districts.

Likewise, the forces have arrested one man, suspected of being involved in making weapons for the terrorists, from Nuwakot area of Arghakhanchi, five from Chakkarghatti of Sunsari and one from Dandakhalte area of Dhading district.

Eight armed men have surrendered before the security forces in Bardiya district, along with their weapons, and have expressed remorse that they had been misled into terrorist activities, the Defence Ministry press release said.

Meanwhile, a bomb disposal unit of the army defused two bombs attached to a banner at a public place in Gatthaghar of Bhaktapur.

In the meantime, RSS adds: Ten persons in Salyan, nine in Morang, three each in Taplejung and Sunsari, two each in Tehrathum, Sindhuli, Chitwan, Lalitpur and Bardiya and one each in Dailekh and Achham have dissociated themselves from the terrorist gangs and surrendered to the concerned district administration offices.

Likewise, eight persons in Arghakhanchi and two each in Sankhusabha and Dailekh have also surrendered, the Home Ministry has stated.

Sub-overseer Deepak Raj Joshi of Kailali District Development Committee (DDC) was killed by terrorists in Janakipur VDC of the district on January 23. Police have arrested three suspects in this connection.

Security personnel yesterday arrested nine suspects in Narayanpur VDC of the district and have initiated necessary investigations.

The terrorists yesterday brutally murdered Hari Lal Saud, a resident of Jogbudha VDC ward No. 1 of Dadeldhura district. A vigorous manhunt has been launched to nab the terrorists involved in the murder, it is learnt from the Ministry.

‘World Hindus will be invited for Shivaratri’

Kathmandu, Jan. 25 (RSS): Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K.C. has said that since Destination Nepal Year 2002 also includes the Pashupatinath Shrine, a place of touristic, cultural and religious importance. Hindus from all over the world will be invited to pay a pilgrimage to Pashupatinath during the coming Shivaratri Festival.

Minister K..C. made the remark during an on-site inspection of the works carried out by the Pashupati Area Development Trust in and around the Pashupatinath temple and surrounding areas organised by the Parliamentary Population and Social Committee today.

He praised the Pashupati Area Development Trust for ending the encroachment of old rest houses, sheds and monuments and for the renovation and cleaning of temples in an effort to maintain the religious environment as per the concept of the Pashupati Area Master Plan.

The minister also said that businesses prohibited by law would be removed from the area.

The necessary budget to install an electric crematorium in the Pashupati area has already been allocated, he further said.

Stating that the shrines, monasteries, resting places, sheds and other monuments at pashupati would be used for specific purposes for which they had originally been built, Minister K.C. also said that the forests in the Sleshmantak area would be protected and deer reared at local Mrigasthali.

On the occasion, chairman of the House of Representatives Population and Social Committee Narendra Bahadur Bam praised the efforts at making the Pashupati area clean, healthy and scenic.

MP Dr. Banshidhar Mishra said that renovation and reform works have been initiated late and the Pashupati Area Development Trust needs to be more serious about resolving the remaining problems in the area.

He said while trees around the Pashupati area are being cut down on the pretext of conservation and forest maintenance, nothing has been done to protect the newly-planted saplings.

In the course of the inspection, employees of Pashupati Area Development Trust said that 250 families illegally occupying old houses, sheds and monuments in the area have been removed and a number of temples and shrines within the complex renovated or given a face-lift.

Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sabadhan Rai was also present on the occasion.