Maoists’ path wrong: Nepal

Nepalgunj, June 22 (RSS): General Secretary of CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that a wish of the Maoists to snatch away power by terrorising people and perpetrating violence in the country can not be fulfilled in today’s world.

Unveiling the statue of the founder general secretary of Communist Party of Nepal late Puspalal installed by Nepalgunj Municipality here on Friday, general secretary Nepal urged one and all to be attentive towards equal opportunities provided for by the Constitution for organising people in a peaceful manner and for forming government at the central level by winning mind and heart of the people.

Referring to the need for unity among all the political parties to safeguard the essence and spirit of the people’s movement of 1990, he called on the Maoists to follow the path of peace by giving up murderous activities.

Mr. Nepal expressed the view that the forthcoming election should be held for the sake of peace, good governance, impartiality in administration and control of corruption in the country.

As everybody has a right to express their views openly, complain against grievances and point at wrongdoings, all should take initiative from their respective quarters to give stability to the democratic system.

General secretary Nepal initiated renovation works of Salyani and Dailekhi bungalows to be carried out by municipality and inaugurated a building for weight lifting within Mahendra Stadium.

Nepalgunj mayor Dhawal Shumsher Rana informed that the statue was installed at a cost of Rs. 360,000.

The function was presided over by municipality ward No. 1 chairman Dambar Thapa.

‘Shraddha’ ritual held

Kathmandu, June 22 (RSS): The first annual ritual of "Shraddha" of His late Majesty King Deependra Bir Bikram Shah Dev was solemnised at Narayanhity Royal Palace in accordance with the Hindu Vedic Traditions, today.

His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Paras Bir Bikram Shah Dev, Her Majesty Queen Mother Ratna Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah and other members of royal family were present on the occasion.

Also present on the occasion were the Prime Minister, the Chief Justice, the Speaker, the chairman of the National Assembly, the chairman of Raj Parishad Standing Committee, ex-prime ministers and the heads of other constitutional bodies.

Enhance faith of people on court: CJ

Kathmandu, June 22 (RSS): Chief Justice Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya has expressed the view that the faith of the people towards the court increases only if we work for the people in a service oriented manner.

While addressing the third conference of the gazetted first class officers of the Nepal Judiciary Services, Judicial Group and the Appellate Court registrars, Chief Justice Upadhyaya said our attention should be focused on the fact that we can achieve the targeted goals if we work with a common spirit.

Govt to promote local medicines:

Kathmandu, June 22 (RSS): Minister for Health Sharat Singh Bhandari has said that His Majesty’s Government is steering together a special programme to make the country capable of producing at least 50 per cent of essential medicines of its requirements.

Minister Bhandari made this remark while addressing a seminar on "opportunities for pharmacists and the challenges" organised on the sideline of the 6th general meeting of the Graduate Pharmacists’ Association (GPA) Nepal in the capital, today.

Hoping that a majority of the problems plaguing the pharmaceutical sector would be resolved after the endorsement of a bill concerning health institutions which is under consideration at the parliament, he said a separate cell to look into the issues relating to drugs had already been set up at the ministry.

Minister of State for Health Mohan Bahadur Basnet pointed out the need of able and professional manpower in the pharmaceutical sectors that is directly linked with public health.

Director of Department of Drug Administration Bhupendra Bahadur Thapa expressed the hope that Pharmacy Council Regulations will be implemented after approval from the Ministry.

GPA chairman Ajudev Shrestha urged the government to pay heed to train manpower in pharmaceutical sector.

Around 200 graduates are said to have associated with pharmacy and about 27 per cent of essential drugs is said to have been met through indigenous products.

On the occasion, Minister Bhandari also presented letters of appreciation to pharmacists completing 25 years of service in this sector.

Press Chautari honours journalist

Nepalgunj, June 22 (RSS): General Secretary of the CPN-UML Madhav Kumar Nepal felicitated senior journalist Purna Lal Chuke for his significant contribution to journalism, literature and social service from Banke district for a long time.

At a programme organised by Press Chautari Nepal to honour the senior journalist, General Secretary Nepal said that the system of honouring the persons working actively and continuously for the promotion of journalism would motivate journalists to make further contributions in the field.

The split in the Nepali Congress has made the CPN-UML the largest party inside and outside the Parliament and has provided it opportunity and challenges to resolve the problems confronting the country.

Stating that the country was in need of a responsible government at this juncture, General Secretary Nepal pointed out the need of cooperation from one and all to create peaceful environment for free and fair elections.

Chief District Officer of Banke Dhruva Raj Wagle and journalist Resham Birahi expressed their views at the programme chaired by Chairman of Press Chautari Banke Krishna Adhikari.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML General Secretary, at a special interaction programme organised by Press Chautari Nepal here today, said as the government has expressed commitment to hold the forthcoming elections in November in a free and fair manner, there was no reason to doubt the statement of the government.

Lauding the commitment for cooperation expressed by the governments of various countries including India and China to prevent the series of violence, murder and terror unleashed in the country, General Secretary Nepal emphasised that the cooperation should be for positive objectives such as peace, development and dialogue and not for fomenting disputes among the Nepalese people.

Polls to sort out anomalies, says Gautam

Janakpurdham, June 22 (RSS): Member of Standing Committee of the CPN-UML Bamdev Gautam says that the forthcoming elections to be held on November 13 is meant to usher in peace instead of violence and murder the country is facing now.

Speaking at a meet-the-press organised by Press Chautari, Dhanusa at Janakpurdham today in the purview of current political situation of the country, Gautam expressed the confidence that as the Election Commission seemed to be ready to hold elections and security personnel started necessary arrangements for security in the country, the election would be held within the stipulated time frame.

Accusing the Maoists of perpetrating murderous activities in the country for the last six years in the name of politics, he noted that politics based on violence will never succeed.

All the political parties should come to unison in order to safeguard the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal -1990, he further added.

Referring to the CPN-UML, Gautam said the party is determined to bringing about radical changes in the country and making its people prosperous.

Postal delivery faces problem in Surkhet

Surkhet, June 22 (RSS): Ordinary and registered letters as well postal matters sent by the Regional Postal Directorate Surkhet to Kalikot District have been stranded at Surkhet Airport due to lack of air services for the past three months.

These postal goods coming from Kathmandu and Nepalgunj as well as other countries are stranded because such goods if transported land route are looted and torn by the Maoists, the office said.

These goods were returned from Nepalgunj and Jumla because there were no helicopter services to Kalikot since mid-April because of the situation arising after imposing of the state of emergency.

The goods which could not be handed over to the helicopter operators or the concerned offices were also returned from Jumla and Kalikot and were stranded at the airport in Surkhet, chief of Regional Postal Directorate Dinanath Lamsal told RSS.

The goods will be sent to the concerned places soon, as agreement has been signed with the foodgrain transporting helicopter to transport the 40 postal packs stranded here to dispatch to Kalikot, Mugu, Dolpa, Humla and Jumla districts, it is learnt.

Over 100 people donate blood

Kathmandu, June 22 (RSS): Minister of State for Health Mohan Bahadur Basnet presented 110 people who had donated their eyes posthumously with the letters of appreciation at a function organised by Mitra Yuba Samuha on the occasion of 2546th Buddha Jayanti.

He also released a book about anchoring and oratory skills written by Sugat Ratna Sindurakar, Associate Editor of Nepal Bhasa weekly "Deshaymaru Jhyaa", and gave away certificates to the trainees of anchoring, oratory skills, communication and interview training.

On the occasion, Minister of State Basnet called on social organisations to devote themselves in the task of national development.

He also advised the participants to put the knowledge gained during training into action correctly and timely.

Samuha chairman Kumar Dev Manandhar presided over the function.

NFTA hails giving Yuan convertibility

Kathmandu, June 22 (RSS): The Nepal Foreign Trade Association (NFTA) has welcomed the agreement between Nepal and China on inclusion of Yuan as a convertible currency.

The Association said the inclusion will make bilateral trade more smooth and help increase trade activities thereby lowering the trade deficit and that Chinese citizens will be able to visit Nepal with Chinese currency from which the Association expects positive impact in tourism sector.

If the draft, cash and T.T. are issued in Chinese currency instead of US dollars, it will make the trade with Tibet regular and bilateral trade will be further promoted, the Association said.

NC-CWC meet

Kathmandu, June 22 (RSS): The Nepali Congress central working committee (CWC) is to meet tomorrow at 8:00 in the morning at the Prime Minister’s residence.

According to the party, all central members of Nepali Congress are requested to be compulsorily present at the meeting to be held under the chairmanship of the NC-CWC chairperson Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Basudev award given away

Kathmandu, June 22 (RSS): The Basudev Bhattarai Memorial Institution has awarded translator Mukunda Sharma and teacher Krishna Bahadur Manandhar on the occasion of the 114 th birth anniversary of late Basudev Bhattarai.

The Pandit Basudev Bhattarai award given each year to the best translator from other languages to Nepali was given away to Mr. Sharma and the award given to the best personality in school level teaching ‘master Basudev Bhattarai Award to Manandhar.

The award instituted in 2053 B.S consists of a purse of Rs. 11,101.

Speaking on the occasion, academician Satya Mohan Joshi said proper evaluation of translator Bhattarai has not been made so far as he was also the translator of such an important work as the Bhagawat Mahapuran.

Member secretary of the Royal Nepal Academy Dr. Tulasi Bhattarai said he had made great contributions in Nepali literature through translation of Balmiki Ramayan.

Also speaking on the occasion were secretary of the organising institution Jaya Dev Bhattarai, the awarded personalities translator of Ramayan Champu Kavya Mukunda Sharma and teacher Krishna Bahadur Manandhar.