Rishi Panchami today

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KATHMANDU, Sept. 11: Rishi Panchami, a part of the special festival of Hindu women Teej or Haritalika is being celebrated by offering worship to seven Rishis across the country today.On the occasion, women take holy dips at various rivers and ponds in the early morning and worship the Rishis by brushing of their teeth with 365 sticks of Datiwan, a sacred plant.Married women offer bangles, hair band, sindoor or vermillion and pote for good fortune and happy married life.According to the Babhisya Puran, celebrating the festival is also believed to wipe away guilt and increase one's fortune.

Marking the occasion, a special fair is organsied at the Risheshswor Mahadev temple or the Rishisthan at Teku, Kathmandu.The fasting for Teej comes to an end following completion of the Panchami Puja or worshipping.

Terrorists free 77 abducted in Arghakhanchi

By Our Correspondent

POKHARA, Sept 10: Maoist terrorists freed 77 people, including an Assistant Chief District Officer, whom they abducted Sunday night after attacking the police and army posts in Sandhikharka, Argakhanchi in mid-west Nepal.

Those freed today included Assistant CDO of Arghakhanchi Kashinath Sharma, 47 civilian policemen, including two inspectors, 19 Royal Nepalese Army men, 10 armed police personnel and one driver.
The regional police headquarters here confirmed that altogether 60 people-17 soldiers, 32 civilian policemen, nine armed police personnel and two officials lost their lives in the second major strike by the Maoists since the emergency was lifted on August 28.

The bodies of the dead security personnel are being sent to the homes of the deceased. Meanwhile, five more security men injured in the incident were brought to Pokhara where they are undergoing treatment.

Earlier, on Saturday night, the terrorists killed 49 policemen at the Bhiman police post, 90 kilometres east of the capital.

Japan provides grant assistance

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KATHMANDU, Sept.10: The Governament of Japan has agreed to provide a grant assistance of Japanese yen 115.049 million (equivalent to about Rs.75.80 million) to His Majesty's Government under the former's debt relief measures.

Notes to this effect were signed and exchanged between His Majesty's Government and the Government of Japan at the Ministry of Finance today, according to a press release from the Ministry of Finance.

The grant assistance is in lieu of repayment of the principal and accrued interest on outstanding loans extended by the Government of Japan to His Majesty's Government.

Japan has been providing such grants to Nepal under its debt relief measures since fiscal year 1978.
Grant assistance from the Japanese Government under debt relief measures is used to procure commodities, which are essential for various development works.

The grant assistance under the notes exchanged today is the second portion of Japanese grant under debt relief measures for the Japanese fiscal year 2002.

The notes were signed by secretary at the Ministry of Finance Dr. Bimal Prasad Koirala, and Ambassador of Japan to the Kingdom of Nepal Zenji Kaminaga on behalf of their respective governments.

His Majesty's Government has expressed sincere appreciation to the Government of Japan for the assistance and for its keen interest in and continued support for the socio-economic development of Nepal.

CDOs given power to impose curfew

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KATHMANDU, Sept.10: The chief district officers have, in accordance with clause 6 of the Local Administration Act-2028 B.S, been given powers to impose a curfew on a fixed date, time and place for maintaining law and order for the welfare of the people and preventing untoward incident from taking place.

At present, the chief district officers have been enforcing curfew in some of the districts.

The Home Ministry has requested all concerned not to leave their premises during the period of curfew as the security personnel can make arrest and the person violating the curfew can be sentenced to jail.

The Ministry has requested everyone not to leave their houses or organise meetings and processions or disobey the orders of the security personnel or carry out any activities that creates suspicion for the security personnel during the curfew period.

The Ministry has requested the persons who have to leave their home for very important work during the curfew period to carry a document that clearly identifies himself and go to the nearest security personnel assigned to the area and take permission from them for leaving by apprising him of the important work.

The Ministry has also requested the people to carry out their necessary daily work while the curfew is being lifted, to inform the nearest security personnel about any suspicious activities taking place near their homes and help the security personnel in maintaining law and order.