Fear of epidemic in Bharatpur

By Our Correspondent

Bharatpur (Chitawan), June 9: An outbreak of typhoid and malaria in Bharatpur Municipality and the surrounding areas two days ago has yet to be controlled, and the locals blame the concerned authorities for not paying due attention. They fear an epidemic might break out as two more people died today, bringing the total number of dead to four.

The district education committee has decided to close down all private and public schools of the district from Tuesday for one week.

Meanwhile, two more persons, 9-year-old girl Buddhimaya Gurung of Bharatpur Municipality ward No. 8 and 6-year-old boy Bam Bahadur Gurung of Shailung VDC of Tanahu district, died today of the diseases. Two nurses of the medical college had succumbed to malaria on Friday, while six more nurses of Bharatpur Hospital and two of the medical college have been hospitalised.

According to Laxmi Raj Regmi, record-keeper at Bharatpur Hospital, more than 1,300 people have visited the hospital in the last 16 days. Today alone, 150 patients came. An estimated 2,000 people are said to be suffering from the diseases.

As many patients have been visiting the private clinics and the hospital of the medical college. Blood tests of the patients show that 54 per cent of those with high fever have typhoid and 10 per cent malaria.

Dr. Kalidas Adhikary, Medical Officer at Bharatpur Hospital, said that out of 100 blood samples, 8 showed malarial infection. Similar tests at the College of Medicine on 90 patients showed that 10 persons were suffering from malaria.

Although the fear of an epidemic in the district is increasing, the Ministry of Health and the Department of Health Services have not been paying much attention, say officials. Medical Superintendent of Bharatpur Hospital Dr. Brij Narayan Chaudhary said the Department had been apprised of the diseases, but there seems to be no urgency in dealing with them.

He said the number of patients has far outnumbered the hospital beds. He said it was important to open health camps at places where the diseases are most severe, but this cannot be done due to lack of medical personnel.

Chief District Officer Bishnu Raj Kusum said the local administration is preparing to launch public health awareness programmes in coordination with the Public Health Office of the district.

Elections cannot be held in state of emergency: UML

Bhairahawa, June 9 (RSS): General secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that the mid-term elections cannot take place as long as the state of emergency is in place.

Speaking at a "Meet the Press" programme organised by the CPN-UML district publicity department here on Sunday, general secretary Nepal pointed out that the government should be creating a conducive environment in the country along with the announcement of the elections.

Protesting the government's move in further extending the state of emergency simultaneously with the announcement of elections, he contended that elections and a state of emergency cannot go together.

The main way of resolving the Maoist problem is through dialogue, he said and accused the Maoists of cashing in on the government's weakness in coming to talks without doing the necessary homework.

Stating that it would be difficult to conduct the elections unless the Maoists first laid down their arms, the CPN-UML general secretary stressed good-governance, national stability, corruption control, an end to violence and killings and social change for resolving the existing problems in the country.

He said regardless of whether the Parliament is reinstated or not, the nation, nationality and democracy should not get undermined.

China positive towards Nepal: Koirala

Kathmandu, June 9 (RSS): Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala has said that China's leaders and people are very positive towards Nepal.

Talking to journalists at Tribhuvan International Airport after returning home today from a visit to the People's Republic of China, NC president Koirala said China has committed any kind of assistance needed for Nepal.

During his visit, Koirala had talks with Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji as well as other senior Chinese leaders on various topics of mutual concern, including issues of bilateral interest.

Koirala, who went to India on private business after his China visit, said that while in India he paid a courtesy call on Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Asked about the contents of his talks with the Indian Prime Minister, he said talks of a general nature that usually transpire on such occasions were held during the meeting.

In reply to a question regarding solution to the problem that has cropped up in the Nepali Congress, he said that the problem would be resolved after consultations with friends.

He said that there had been many problems during the 55 years of the party's history, and that they had been all duly resolved.

Answering a query on how he took Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba's petitionthat the disciplinary action against him be withdrawn, the NC president said "Deubaji has made the petition as per the party's statute, and I thank him for that."

He made it clear that the party's central working committee meeting would settle the matter.

He also said that the central working committee would be meeting very soon.

Regarding the writ petition filed at the Supreme Court by 56 former Nepali Congress MPs seeking the reinstatement of the House of Representatives, the NC president said whatever the Court decides would be acceptable.

Koirala had left for Beijing, China, on June 1 at the invitation of the Chinese Communist Party.

Present at the airport to receive NC president Koirala were Nepali Congress central committee members, MPs, former MPs and party workers.

Meanwhile, former foreign minister Chakra Prasad Bastola, who accompanied Koirala on the China visit, said that extensive discussions were held on wide-ranging issues of bilateral and regional concern during the meetings with the Chinese leaders.

He said talks were also held on the global war against terrorism.

He said the Chinese leaders expressed hope that since the Maoist terrorists were Nepal's internal problem, this would be solved internally by Nepal.

UML discusses 'Vision Nepal'

Kathmandu, June 9 (RSS): The CPN-UML has started discussions with experts to formulate its policy in line with the concept of "Vision Nepal 2020" adopted by the party two years back.

The vision covering 30 different topics, including communications, economy, education, health, literature, culture and arts, is expected to be ready by mid-April next year.

The vision is being formulated with a view to raise and implement the topics when the party is in opposition or on the treasury benches, head of the central publicity department of the party Pradeep Nepal said here today.

Speaking at an interaction programme on the topic of mass communications organised by the party, representatives and experts from the concerned field drew the attention of the party to matters such as guaranteeing press freedom, right to information, safety of working journalists, editorial freedom, prevention of foreign investment in journalism, transparency of investment, right to advertisement, rural journalism, emphasis on gender equality in communications, autonomy of the communications organisations, accessibility of telecommunications in the rural areas, marketing Nepali movies in the international market and attraction of foreign film producers.

The participants expressed their views on audio-visuals, print media, encouragement to the private sector, promotion of information technology and other relevant topics.

Those attending the programme included Taranath Dahal, Devendra Gautam, Hari Lamsal, Hem Bahadur Bishta, Bandana Rana, Suresh Kumar Pudaisini, Uddhav Paudel, Kulchandra Wagley, P. Kharel, Bijaya Chalise, Binaya Kumar Kasaju and Suneel Pokharel.

Secretary at the department Rajendra Gautam and party spokesman Nepal also expressed their views on the occasion.

17 terrorists killed in latest operation

Kathmandu, June 9 (RSS): Seventeen terrorists have died in the latest operations by the security forces.

According to the Defence Ministry, six armed terrorists were killed yesterday in an encounter with a patrolling team of the security forces at Kotake Loharkhola area of Dailekh district.

The security forces have recovered from the site arms including bombs and equipment used in detonating underground explosives.

Three terrorists were killed during an encounter with the security forces at Malika Ilaka of Baglung district.

Socket bombs, explosives and equipment used in detonating underground explosives have been recovered from the deceased.

Likewise, two terrorists died on the spot in action by security forces at Nanglibang in ward No. 1 of Parvat district.

One terrorist died at Sarautha VDC and two on the bank of the Bagmati river in Rauthat district in other operations by the security forces, according to the Ministry.

Two women terrorists at Daiji VDC of Kanchanpur district and one bearing the name Bhuvan Bishta died during operations by security forces at Beldadi Ilaka of Kanchanpur district. Weapons and terrorist literature possessed by the terrorists were seized from the site.

The arms, ammunitions and explosives seized by the security forces in the operations against the Maoists were put on display at the Royal Nepal Army Pavilion on June 8 and 9 and the display has been extended till the 10th from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, our staff adds: In Syangja, a group of armed Maoist terrorists exploded bombs and set fire to two private secondary schools at Bayarghari bazaar. Shyam K.C., an eyewitness, who works for the District Education Office, said the terrorist group attacked the Adharsha Boarding School and Baljyoti Boarding School at about 10 P.M. Saturday night. In the attack, four classrooms and furniture of Adarsha Boarding School were damaged, causing damage worth of Rs. 300,000.

The explosion at Baljyoti caused damage to the school building. After the explosion and arson, the terrorists also locked the classrooms.

Earlier, the terrorists had set fire to a school bus of a private school in Waling and had damaged another school at Phedikhola with bombs.

RPP ready for mid-term polls says Chand

Bhaktaur, June 9 (RSS): Former prime minister and leader of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Lokendra Bahadur Chand has said that all concerned should move ahead with restraint for the consolidation of democracy, to ensure peace and justice to the people and maintain nationalism and national unity.

At a district level gathering of the RPP activists organised by Bhaktapur district committee of the party here today, he said that his party was ready for mid-term polls that should be held in a free and fair manner.

RPP general secretary Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana said that the people would not believe the party and the government that did not understand the feelings of the people.

Party vice-president Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani said that the entire people should be made to unite for the economic and social transformation of the country.

National Assembly member and former minister Balaram Ghartimagar said that the government and the Maoists should go to the negotiating table with restraint and the need of the day was to guide the country along the road of peace.

RPP central member and former minister Rabindra Nath Sharma and a host of other speakers expressed their views at the programme chaired by RPP Bhaktapur district committee president Surendra Pratap Shah.

FNJ takes policy decisions

Kathmandu, June 9 (RSS): A meeting of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) that was held in Dhulikhel, on Saturday has taken important policy decisions regarding the organisation, economic and contemporary topics related to journalism.

The meeting has prepared 11 policy priority points in connection with implementing the proposals adopted by the 20th FNJ general convention.

Policy priority points set out at the meeting include protection of the freedom of press and expression, implementation of the Working Journalists Act; legislation relating to right to information; adherance of the code of conduct; individual and professional protection of journalists, national advertisement policy and concrete action; formulation of a new information policy; mobilisation of the press in the social development sector; enhancement of the skills of journalists; development of the media village and guarantee for the unhindered transportation of press matter and its unrestricted distribution.

Similarly, the meeting also constituted 16 different committees for carrying out the federation's policies and programmes in a systematic manner.

The newly-constituted committees are the 11-member advisory committee comprising the former central president of the federation and other senior journalists, the 7-member policy and programme committee with FNJ president Taranath Dahal as the convenor, the 11-member foreign relations committee, the 7-member Journalists Welfare Trust steering committee and the 10-member Code of Conduct follow-up and Complaints redress committee.

Similarly, the FNJ meeting has constituted a 7-member publication committee and a 17-member newspapers and magazines promotion committee under the convenorship of vice-president Gopal Budhathoki, a 29-member local journalism promotion committee under the convenorship of vice-president Badri Binod Pratik, a 9-member organisation committee and 17-member working journalists regulations implementation monitoring and legal aid committee under the convenorship of general secretary Bishnu Nisthuri and 5-member press freedom monitoring committee under the convenorship of secretary Mahendra Bista.

Likewise, the other committees constituted are the 20-member finance committee under the convenorship of treasurer Shiva Gaunle, the 9-member women journalists' committee under the convenorship of member Nirmala Sharma, the 9-member elctronic media promotion committee under the convenorship of member Poshan K.C. and the 3-member communications facilities committee under the convenorship of member Hemanta Kafle.

The meeting also approved the organisational programme presented by general secretary Bishnu Nisthuri and the financial programme presented by treasurer Shiva Gaunle.

The meeting demanded that the government make arrangements for the unhindered transportation and distribution of Nepali newspapers and communication materials in foreign countries especially India.

It also expressed serious reservations at the reimposition of the state of emergency in the country that has put restrictions on the fundamental rights of the people, including freedom of expression and thought.

The meeting, likewise, expressed serious concern at acts of continued house-arrests of journalists.

It drew the attention of the authorites concerned to relax the restriction put on the people's fundamental rights and press freedom at the earliest and also to release all the journalists under detention.

The meeting has decided to convene the national meeting of the presidents, secretaries and treasurers of the FNJ branches and associate institutions in the month of Bhadra.