MoU signed to boost tourism

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, June 26: In a bid to enhance mutual cooperation for the development of tourism between Nepal and India, Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) and Hotel Association
of India (HAI) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The MoU was signed by HAN President Narendra Bajracharya and HAI President Lalit Suri on behalf of their respective associations, according to HAN.

At the signing ceremony, presidents of both the organisations expressed the hope that the present cooperation between HAN and HAI would help boost tourism in the two countries through increased exchange of tourists.

The Nepalese delegation met with Indian Civil Aviation Minister Shah Nawaz Hussain on Tuesday. The Nepalese delegation is part of His Majesty the King’s entourage to India.

HAN said the Nepalese delegation requested the Indian Minister to allow Indians with an Identity Card issued by the Central and State government of India to visit Nepal. During the meeting, the delegation also raised issues such as promoting regional tourism, allowing private airlines of both the countries to increase tourist flow between them and making arrangements by rail through special bogies such as ‘palace on wheels and air-conditioned coach’ to carry tourists up to the Nepalese border.

Moreover, the delegation requested the Minister to promote tourism between Nepal and India by starting flights on the potential Bangalore-Kathmandu-Bangalore sector. Discussions were also held on starting air services on the Kathmandu-Bagdogra- and Kathmandu-Guwahati routes, which are other potential sectors.

Indian Minister Hussain assured the Nepalese team that India would consider positively HAN’s suggestions. He informed the Nepalese delegation that arrangement has been made for air-conditioned coaches to visit the Indian city of Purniya, which is located near the eastern border of Nepal. He agreed to send a delegation of Indian Airlines to Kathmandu to discuss possible areas of cooperation regarding tourism promotion between the two countries.

The Nepalese team includes HAN President Bajracharya, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (FNCCI) Ravi Bhakta Shrestha, President of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce Rajesh Kazi Shrestha and Mahesh Lal Pradhan.

Their Majesties visit Shree Devi Kamachhi Temple

New Delhi, June 26 (RSS): His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Her Majesty Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah visited the Shree Devi Kamachhi Temple, Kamakoti at Aruna Asaf Ali Road and offered prayers this morning.

Her Royal Highness Princess Prerana Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah also offered prayers to the Shree Devi Kamachhi Temple.

Their Majesties also performed the "Pada Puja" (feet worship) of Aadi Shankeracharya under the convenorship of Jagatguru Shankeracharya Jayendra Saraswoti of Kanchikamakoti Peeth.

Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purna Bahadur Khadka and Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Bhesh Bahadur Thapa were also present on the occasion.

Meanwhile, Their Majesties King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah had a farewell tete-a-tete with Indian President K. R. Narayanan and Madame Usha Narayanan at the Rashtrapati Bhawan this morning.

Her Royal Highness Princess Prerana Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah was also present on the occasion.

Among others present were Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Purna Bahadur Khadka, Royal Nepalese Ambassador to India Dr. Bhekh Bahadur Thapa, Minister of State for Railways (minister-in-waiting) Digvijaya Singh and Indian Charge D’affaires Ashok Kumar.

Similarly, His Majesty King Gyanendra granted audience to former Indian prime minister P. V. Narsimha Rao and former Indian prime minister I. K. Gujral seperately at the Rashtrapati Bhawan this morning.

‘Define goals, scope of media commission’

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has expressed the view that the media has an important role to play in creating popular will.

Nepal made this remark at a national seminar on the topic ‘What for : The high level media commission?’ organised by Press Chautari Nepal in Lalitpur, today and participated in by senior journalists.

General secretary Nepal said that at a time when discussions are being held on the need of a media commission for orderly and institutionalised development of the press, we should ponder what should be the objectives and sphere of work and rights of the commission.

He called for free and fair elections as the country is already heading towards elections.

We should move ahead as per the election code of conduct as the election has been announced already, he said.

Senior journalist and ex-MP Raghuji Pant said in the perspective of challenges being put forth as regards the identity of small nations by the big nations because of advancement in the communications sector, the need for the media commission to formulate proper policies for the national interest arises.

FNJ vice president Gopal Budhathoki said the commission is necessary for the overall development of the press through the resolution of all problems.

Press Union president Kulchandra Wagle said journalists should be careful about journalistic norms while disseminating news.

At the programme presided over by Press Chautari Nepal president Shambhu Shrestha, central member Sri Om Shrestha said the discussion was held for a press commission to remove all shortcomings in the sector.

The participants discussed a concept paper on the press commission presented on the occasion.

‘Crime against women an alarming issue’

Lalitpur, June 26 (RSS): Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission Nain Bahadur Khatri has said that crime against women in Nepal is an alarming social problem.

At an interaction programme on crime against women in Nepal hosted by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) here today, he said that Nepalese women had to suffer a lot due to the torture and abuse that they had to undergo on allegations of practising witchcraft, and crimes such as girl trafficking and domestic violence.

Chairman Khatri referred to the plight of women because of social superstition, conservatism and illiteracy.

He said that a massive awareness campaign as well as commitment on the part of the state was necessary to free women from domestic violence and to protect their right to live with dignity.

NHRC member Susheel Pyakurel and Indira Rana said that unless domestic violence against women could be eliminated, their human rights would not be protected.

Advocates Santosh Giri and Sapana Malla, chairman of ABC Nepal Durga Ghimire, Murari Prasad Sharma and secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare Bijaya Raj Bhattarai also expressed their views on the occasion.

Additional portfolio

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): Chairman of the Council of Royal Representatives His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has, upon the recommendation of the Prime Minister, designated Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur KC to look after the Ministry of Health also in the absence of Health Minister Sharad Singh Bhandari. Bhandari today left for Bangalore, India, on a private visit.

This is stated in a notice published today by the Press Secretariat of His Majesty the King.

Two terrorists killed in army operation

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, June 26: Encounters during the search operation of the security forces Tuesday led to the death of two terrorists named Poshak Nath Pudasaini alias Shiva and Krishna Prasad Ghimire in Kumari of Nuwakot. Another terrorist alias ‘Birendra’ was killed in Chitwan. The Defence Ministry said today the forces found pistols, socket bombs, explosives and documents related to terrorism from the sites.

On the same day, the security forces arrested five terrorists in Thigan area of Makawanpur with two guns. In their search operation in Gorkha, the forces found solar panels, telephone set, battery and other logistics from Chipleti area of the district. The goods and equipment had been looted from the Bhumlichowk area of the district, the Ministry said.

‘CIAA gives clean chit to sacked minister’

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation has stated that information has been received from the CIAA that nothing should be done regarding Minister of State for Forest Surendra Hamal’s allegations of bribe taken by Minister for Forest and Soil Conservation Gopal Man Shrestha. Hamal had charged Shrestha of providing licence to Khanal Resin and Turpentine Pvt. Ltd. for collecting resin by accepting money.

The ministry said the CIAA came to the decision that only an environment was being created for investment to increase capacity under the criterion of existing laws.

106 houses gutted in Siraha fire

Siraha, June 26 (RSS): Fire which broke out in Kalyanpur Jabdi VDC, Siraha District Wards No 1,2 and 3 this afternoon gutted l06 houses of 33 families and inflicted damage amounting to Rs. l,500,000, according to the district police office.

The fire has left 278 people homeless.

The fire was brought under control by fire tenders from Lahan and Rajbiraj, the Royal Nepal Army at Mircheya, the police and local people.

Further details about the damage have not been received.

Relief material has been distributed to 35 affected families by the Nepal Red Cross district branch.

Strategy for APP implementation emphasised

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): The national consultative workshop on implementation of NARC Vision-2021 was organised jointly by Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) and Hill Agriculture Research Project (HARP) here today.

The 20-year Agricultural Perspective Plan (APP) is being implemented to meet the objectives of the APP and Tenth Five Year Plan by involving a large section of the population involved in traditional methods of farming in commercialisation of the agriculture sector.

The national consultative workshop is being attended by more than 100 representatives from the government, non-governmental and donor agencies.

The participants expressed the view that NARC could play a crucial role in resolving the problems caused by population growth, deteriorating situation of natural resources, environmental pollution and bio-diversity, and limited reach for food security.

They stressed the need for NARC to adopt a research system for developing and transferring new technology and mobilising necessary resources for implementation of research programmes to uplift the social and economic condition of the country.

Acting NARC executive director R. P. Sapkota, NARC Director for Livestock and Fisheries Research Dr. N. P. Shrestha, HARP advisor for Research Management J. Sutherland and NARC director for Planning and Coordination S. B. Pandey stressed the need to formulate an appropriate strategy for implementation of the 20 year agricultural perspective plan.

TU results

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): TU Institute of Engineering today published the results of the regular examinations and re-examinations of the proficiency level electrical, electronics, mechanical (Thapathali Campus) and automobile engineering second year first part. Also results of proficiency level refrigeration and air conditioning third year first part have been published.

The exams were conducted in Chaitra.

Similarly, Tribhuvan University Institute of Science and Technology has today published the results of the annual examinations of the post graduate level second year in statistics, botany, zoology, and microbiology.

Campus in remote Kalikot not a far dream

Surkhet, June 26 (RSS): Manma Campus, the first academic institution providing higher education in Kalikot, one of the remotest districts in Karnali Zone is to come into operation from academic year 2059/60.

The campus will be run with financial assistance of Rs. 850,000 from Kalikot DDC, Rs. 50,000 from each of then 30 VDCs of the district and through donations received from the local people, Kalikot DDC chairman Dip Bahadur Shahi said.

Necessary infrastructure is being built and some 500 ropanis of land in and around the ancient Durbar of King Maledharma has been procured for the establishment of the campus, it is learnt.

The classes will be conducted in a rented house until the construction of the campus building is completed.

The students from Dailekh, Achham, Bajura and Jumla are expected to benefit from the campus that aims at running proficiency certificate level classes under the Faculty of Education in the initial phase.

Relief fund

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): General Manager of Rural Housing Company Limited Buddhi Prasad Lamichhane today handed over a cheque of Rs. 38,130.95 which was deducted from company employees’ salaries to be deposited in the Prime Minister’s Relief Fund.

Drugs cause of many social evils

Kathmandu, June 26 (RSS): Minister of State for Home Devendra Raj Kandel has said that the government and non-governmental organisations should be involved in controlling drug trafficking as it was inhuman and against the welfare of the nation and the society.

Initiating the rally organised by the Department of Drug Control and Natural Disaster Management to mark the International Day against Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse-2002 here today, Kandel said it is a matter of great concern for the nation that youths, the foundation pillars of the nation, are involved in drug abuse.

The Minister of State stressed the need to launch awareness programmes against drug abuse in the urban, rural and remote areas as drug abuse increases sex-related crimes and diseases like HIV-AIDS and causes obstruction to development works in the society.

Speaking from the chair home secretary Tika Datta Niraula said that the bodies concerned with drugs should work with a sense of commitment to control trafficking of drugs as it was a very serious problem.

The Department of Drug Control and Natural Disaster Management set up under the Ministry of Home has been enforcing drug control laws and carrying out works to contain the demand for drugs as well as treating and rehabilitating drug abusers in the country.

Nepal has been implementing Drug Control Act-2033 B.S, National Drug Policy-2051 B.S., National Policy on control of HIV/AIDS-2052 B.S. and Drug Production and Distribution Act in order to control drug trafficking in the country.

The rally which started from Open Air Theatre had marched through Bhotahity, Indrahchok, Dharmapath, New Road, Mahankal and concluded after reaching the Open Air Theatre.