HM's birthday celebrated with various programmes

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JANAKPURDHAM, July 8: On the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, a grand religious programme was organised Sunday in Sabaila village of Dhanusha district.

On the occasion, Minister for Water Resources and Nepali Congress joint general secretary Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar wished His Majesty the King good health and a prosperous reign.

He said the main concern of the people in the present situation is restoration of peace when the entire country, the birthplace of the apostle of peace Gautama the Buddha and of the ideal of womanhood Janaki, has been wracked by violence.

The Minister noted that the Nepali Congress has changed its leadership and installed Sher Bahadur Deuba as the party president in order to restore the old glory of the party and instill the norms and values of democracy in it.

Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) general secretary Hridayesh Tripathi said that the state should brace up to face every challenge as the country was in a serious crisis.

Former MP Braj Kishor Singh, programme co-ordinator Kishori Shaha, Hetauda Municipality Deputy-Mayor Haribol Mahat and others also expressed their respective view at the programme presided over by VDC chairman Ramwali Saha.

On the occasion, Minister Gachchhadar also felicitated 56 senior citizens of the village by presenting them with shawls.

Similarly, in Kathmandu, on the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kadel inaugurated the auspicious birthday national duet song competition 2059 organised here Sunday by the Nepal Folk Culture Preservation Center.

Participating in the contest were six teams including the organising team and one team from each of the five development regions.

The Western Region team stood first in the contest, with the Mid-western Region standing second and the Eastern Region third. The organising team took the consolation prize.

Cash prizes totaling Rs 42,500 including Rs l2,000 for the first team, Rs 9,000 for the second, Rs 6,000 for third and 4,000 for consolation prize as well as medals and certificates were distributed on the occasion.

Patron of the center Bishnu Bahadur Khadka was on the chair.

Similarly, news reports are being received of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty the King celebrated by organising various programmes in different parts of the country.

In Biratnagar, the auspicious birthday celebration began with hoisting of the national flag and garlanding of Their Majesty's portrait by the main celebration committee chairman and DDC chairman Khadga Bahadur Basnet.

A procession beginning from the premises of the Adarsha Secondary School went round various parts of the town.

The procession included the Royal Nepal Army, Nepal Police, police band, various pageantry, school students, industrialists and businessmen, social workers, civil servants and representatives of various political parties and social organisations.

Marking the same occasion, CDO Dolakh Bahadur Gurung handed over the sports goods presented by the Morang Traders Association to the inmates at the local men's prison.

In Janakpurdham, a procession organised by the main celebration committee, dhanusa went round various parts of the town before turning into a gathering.

Addressing the gathering, representatives of various political parties shed light on the contribution of the monarchy in the development of the country and wished His Majesty's good health and long life.
In Gorkha, procession and talk programme was organised.

Speaking at the programme, DDC chairman Chetman Shrestha, district judge Yagya Prasad Basyal, CDO Madhav Prasad Ojha and other speakers shed light on the personality of His Majesty the King.
Earlier, a procession went round the historical Gorkha town.

The Dohori geet prathisthan also organised an open Dohori geet competition.

In Kapilvastu, a programme was organised at the district headquarters Taulihawa.

A procession including students, civil servants, teachers, social workers and businessmen went round the town and converged into a gathering at Mahendra Manch.

At the gathering, CDO Mohan Krishna Sapkota, additional district judge Ram Krishna Bhatta and other speakers shed light on monarchy and multi-party democracy.

On the occasion, DDC chairman Ramesh Sharma distributed sports item to inmates at Kapilvastu prison and to the sick at Prithivi Bir Hospital.

In Banepa, the SCI Nepal Women's Group, Banepa organised an open blood donation programme.
Altogether 81 persons donated blood at the programme initiated by CDO himnath dawadi.

Similarly, His Majesty the King's 56th auspicious birthday was celebrated in a grand manner in Salyan.

A rally beginning from bhimsensthan in the district headquarters Khalanga went through Khalanga Bazaar, Ganeshthan, Lamachautara and converted into a gathering at Tundikhel.

At the gathering held under the chairmanship of DDC chairman Udaya Bahadur Bohara, ex-MP Prakash Jwala hoisting the national flag extended best wishes for His Majesty's good health and long life.

NC district secretary Ganesh Chandra, CPN-UML secretary Harisharan Acharya, RPP district president Kesarsingh Gharti and other speakers also spoke on the occasion.

Likewise, CDO Rudranath Basyal distributed fruits to inmates at the district prison and the sick at Salyan Hospital. Various sports competition and health programmes and an exhibition was also organised on the occasion.

HM's birthday marked abroad

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KATHMANDU, July 8 : On the occasion of the 56th auspicious birthday of His Majesty the King, Charge d'Affaires of the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Dhaka of Bangladesh Arun Prasad Dhital hosted a reception at the embassy premises on Sunday.

Bangadeshi Minister for Water Resources L.K. Siddiqui and Minister for Commerce Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury attended the reception.

Also presented on the occasion, were ambassadors and heads of diplomatic missions based in Dhaka, members of parliament, representatives of political parties, high ranking government officials, industrialists, businessmen, bankers, journalists, social workers and intellectuals were present on the occasion.

Nepalese expatrates and students studying in Bangladesh were also present.

Likewise, in Qatar, the Royal Nepali Ambassador to the State of Qatar Shyamananda Suman organised a diplomatic reception in Doha Sunday.

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs of Qatar Ahmed Bin Abdullah Al-Mahmoud atteded the reception and extended congratulations to His Majesty the King.

Residential ambassadors in Doha, representatives of the international and regional organisations, officials of the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, intellectuals, journalists and other dignitaries attended the function.

Embassy officials and a large number of Nepali nationals living in Doha were also present on the occasion.

On the occasion, a special supplement was publised in the Gulf Times, the most prominent daily newspaper of Qatar.

Similarly, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Badri Prasad Khanal hosted a reception at the Riyadh Palace Hotel in Riyadh on Sunday.

On behalf of the government of Saudi Arabia, HRH Prince Sattam Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, vice governor of Riyadh graced the reception.

High ranking Saudi government officials, foreign diplomats, friends of Nepal and Nepali people in Saudi Arabia were also present on the occasion.

Earlier, at a function organised at the embassy, ambassador Khanal and other staff of the embassy offered bouquets to the portrait of His Majesty.

Court to help wipe out human rights violations

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TRIBHUVANNAGAR (DANG), July 8: The workshop on "Human Rights National Workplan Formulation" organised jointly by His Majesty's Government and the United Nations Development Programme concluded here recently.

The workshop was organised with the objective of providing inputs in the forthcoming five-year plan.
Speaking at the workshop, chief judge of Appellate Court, Tulsipur, Sharada Shrestha said human rights is the inherent rights of humans and the court would help wipe out violation of human rights.
District judge Birendra Kumar Bataju said the court should give due attention to ensure that human rights is maintained.

Ex-chief secretary Tirthaman Shakya said every work carried out should be based on human rights.
Dr Shanker Kumar Shrestha of the human rights workplan hoped that the conclusion of the workshop would be incorporated into the 10th five-year plan.

DDC vice-chairman Khatraraj Pandey was of the view that illiteracy, backwardness and poverty are the chief reason for violation of human rights. Mayor of Tribhuvannagar Amar Bahadur Dangi presided.
In Butwal, a national action plan formulation workshop on human rights was organised by the Human Rights National Action Plan Formulation Project here recently.

Participants of the workshop stressed on formulating necessary new laws as well as making reforms in existing laws to protect the rights of the backward class, minority, Dalit community and the disabled and to remove unequal treatment to women.

The participants emphasised on activating the local bodies, NGOs and Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare for effective implementation of laws formulated on child labour and exploitation of children.

They also called for minimum human living standard in jails and protection of women, sick and unable to stop violation of human rights.

The speakers also called for agreements with foreign countries to provide welfare to Nepalese workers working in different countries and to stop social struggles and promote human rights culture.
Ex-chief secretary Tirtha Man Shakya said ninety per cent of Nepalese have been deprived of human rights and called for efforts of all for a human rights culture.

Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission Dr. Shankar Kumar Shrestha said the government is more positive now as regards human rights and called for fulfilment of basic needs as the society today is rights oriented.

INSEC General Secretary Subodh Pyakurel said the sorry state of human rights is because of lack of implementation of agreements on human rights.

Rupandehi District Court Judge Ram Krishna Khanal said we should give attention on the sensitiveness of human rights.

CDO Sthaneswor Devkota called for change in working styles of persons as it has worsened the human rights situation.

Superintendent of Police Nawaraj Dhakal said the police organisation has also safeguarded human rights in many instances even if some errors are made in some actions because of human weaknesses and the level of society.

Netrajyoti Sangh prepares five year action plan

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KATHMANDU, July 8: The 9th general meeting of the Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh (NNS) concluded here, other day.

Speaking on the occasion, central president of the Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh Dr. Ram Prasad Pokharel said that Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh had set up the Eye Hospital by maintaining coordination with and mobilising cooperation from local and foreign agencies.

Dr. Pokharel said that medical services were being provided to one million patients by the hospital and 25 eye treatment centres every year.

More than 100,000 eye patients had gained eyesight through cataract and other operations, he added.
Presenting the annual progress report of the Nepal Netrajyoti Sangh, central general secretary Madhusudan Dhakal said that the sangh had formulated a five year action plan to fulfil the objectives of the World Health Organisation of preventing blindness by 2020 and handed it over to the Ministry of Health.

Dhakal said that under the five year action plan, the number of cataract operations would be increased, 'Khasre' disease reduced by 50 per cent, a special awareness programme launched for prevention of child blindness.

Central treasurer Dr. Govinda Raj Agrawal presented a budget for the fiscal year 2059/60.

Summer crop strategies, recommendations discussed

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KATHMANDU, July 8: A three-day 23rd national summer crop research workshop and the 6th national outreach research workshop seminar organised by the Nepal Agriculture Research Council (NARC) concluded at Khumaltar, Lalitpur recently.

The seminar was organised to make recommendations on future strategies after holding consultations on research tests at the centre and farmers' farms conducted by the council on summer crops.
Discussion and interaction was held among the participating scientists, technical officers, disseminators and other participants and 40 working papers were presented on various crops by the council.

Participating in the seminar were 130 persons from NARC and underlying offices, the crop research programme, disciplinary divisions, the regional agricultural research stations, the agriculture research stations, and the offices under the Department of Agriculture, the Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science, the donor agencies and national and international NGOs.

Forty-three crops have been launched and registered after research in the past four decades.
Such crops are not recommended unless positive result is shown by the technology as the research centre and the farmers' farm differ. The council's external research division does the bridging between the research centre and the farmers.

At the end of the programme, information was provided on the recommended as well as advanced agro-technology after many years of research by the council The seminar stressed on participatory crop fertilisation, participatory selection of species, publicity of recommended varieties and commercialisation of agriculture.

On the occasion, Director General of the Department of Agriculture Bhairav Raj Kaini said that the living standard of the farmers has increased because of the increase in productivity and production, and co-ordination between concerned bodies.

Acting executive director of NARC Raghunath Prasad Sapkota stressed on co-ordination between the research and development bodies, environmental and sustainable agro-technology, commercialisation, mechanisation and low cost technology development.

The programme was co-ordinated by senior scientist and chief of the NARC communication, publicity and record division Bholaman Singh Basnet.