Tourism, industry plans for Dolakha urged

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CHARIKOT: Dolakha DDC ex-chairman Lal Kumar K.C. inaugurated the 12 th annual general assembly of Dolakha Chambers of Commerce and Industry here Tuesday. On the occasion, he called for tourism and industry development programmes for Dolakha.

The assembly passed a budget of Rs. 733, 397 and 13 point annual action plan.

At the function presided over by chamber president Hari Bahadur Thapa, various other speakers including chief cottage industry officer Ghanaraj Pant, Bhimeswor Municipality executive officer Madhav Prasad Subedi, Ramechhap Chambers president Narayan Das Shrestha, DDC advisor Mahesh Nepal and DDC ex-vice chairman Shiva Prasad Bhandari also expressed their views.

Held for misappropriating funds

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BIRATNAGAR: The district administration office Morang has informed that it has arrested chairman of the Satya Om Sai Savings and Credit Cooperatives Pitambar Aryal and Basant Koirala and Murari Prasad Koirala for misappropriating amounts deposited by the customers.

The action was taken by taking them into custody after 15- 20 depositors filed petitions saying that the cooperatives had been dilly-dallying for some months when they went to take their savings money, said assistant CDO Kailash Nath Kharel.

WIPO's Madrid Agreement vital for emerging economy

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Oct 30: Although Nepal became a member of the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) in 1997, it has yet to ratify the Madrid Agreement and Protocol and the Hague Agreement on marks and industrial design.

If Nepal ratifies them, it can generate large amounts of revenue to support its ailing economy, say WIPO experts. They also noted that a least developed country (LDC) like Nepal would reap huge benefits by ratifying both agreements by levying charges on various international brands entering Nepal.

Boris Khavirov, senior counselor at the Sector of Cooperation for Development, WIPO, talking to The Rising Nepal, said that a country like Nepal can benefit extensively by registering the international brands that come into the Nepalese market.

"The ratification would simplify the procedures of obtaining the protection of the mark in the shortest possible time at the lowest possible cost," he said.

Earlier, speaking at a two-day workshop on "The International Registration Systems of Marks and Industrial Designs," here today, Director General at the Department of Industry (DoI) Bharat Bahadur Thapa said that patent protection, industrial design and marks were essential tools in promoting trade. The Madrid and Hague Agreement and Protocol, therefore, attached great importance to them.
As Nepal is in the process of joining the World Trade Organization (WTO), we are making serious efforts towards simplifying the process and reducing the cost involved, he added.

Rajesh Kazi Shrestha, president of Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), said that knowledge about the importance of marks, industrial designs and their international registration system was vital. He also pointed out the need for common efforts of the government and the private sector. Speaking on the occasion, WIPO expert Khavirov said that both the Madrid and Hague agreements play a vital role in promoting trade across the world.

The international Bureau of WIPO administers the Madrid system, which is governed by two treaties - the Madrid Agreement and the Protocol. Any state party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property may become a party to the Agreement or the Protocol or both.

As of 2001, more than 51 countries had ratified the Madrid Agreement. Since the Madrid Agreement came into force in 1991, more than 700,000 international registrations have already been carried out. The International Bureau of WIPO carries out every month 2,500 international registration, according to WIPO officials.

Experts and bureaucrats are expected to discuss the various facets of the Madrid and Hague Agreement and Protocol.

The workshop is being jointly organized by the DoI, WIPO and NCC. Around 50 people from various organisations are participating in the meeting.