Vishwa Shanti rally

RSS

KATHMANDU, Apr. 6: A peace rally was organised here on Saturday wishing for the success of the 'Vishwa Shanti Birat Mahayagya-2060 BS' or the World Peace Grand Religious Offering Ceremony-2003.

The rally, taken out under the aegis of the Akhanda Jyoti Baba Swami Kamal Nayanacharya Charitable Trust, started from the Ganesh Temple at Kamaladi and converted into a congregation upon reaching Bhrikuti Mandap after passing Ason, Hanuman Dhoka, New Road and Bhadrakali.
The rally was participated in by hundreds of people from different religious and charity trusts as well as people from various sections of society.

Royal message welcomed

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DHANGADHI, Apr. 6: Social workers, intellectuals and common people have welcomed the Royal message conveyed on the occasion of civic felicitations offered to Their Majesties King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev and Queen Komal Rajya Laxmi Devi Shah on behalf of the people of Far-Western Region on Friday last.

Talking to RSS social worker Dharma Singh Thapa said it is the good-fortune of the people of Far-West to be addressed by His Majesty.

Chairman of Far-West Regional Culture Preservation and Promotion Committee Bhuvan Chand said the interest shown by His Majesty as expressed in the Royal message regarding the establishment of permanent peace in the country is positive and inspiring.

Padam Bahadur Chand, a local resident of Baitadi district, expressing his pride over the opportunity he got to perform their cultural show in front of His Majesty says that the Royal visit of this sort will be instrumental in promoting the local arts and cultures.

'We were granted the direct audience of our beloved King and we are ecstatic to see him in person,' says surendra Bahadur Singh of Bajhura, 'We are highly optimistic and feeling relieved to listen his expression over the restoration of peace in the country.'

Likewise, Dilli Raj Agasti, a farmer from Kailali, said that the Royal message conveyed on the occasion of civic reception has contributed in further consolidating the long existing intimacy and good-will between the monarch and the people.

Senior teacher Jib Nath Ojha opined that the monarch's expression over the development of far west is commendable and encouraging.

Likewise, the Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) has termed His Majesty's reiteration to the unflinching commitment of the institution of the Crown functioning as per the wishes of the people and the statement 'our only wish is to make the people happy, to assure the youths of a bright future and to give Nepal the pride of place in the world community through the multiparty democracy' made by His Majesty the King while addressing the civic reception function accorded Their Majesties in Dhangadhi as encouraging.

In a statement signed by its spokesman Mukti Nath Mandal, the NSP also welcomed His Majesty's exhortation that the countrymen were entitled to good governance, an administration free from corruption and a government of the people responsible to the people and that not a single village district, community or ethnic group should feel neglected.

Khapangi stresses representation of disabled

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SIRAHA, Apr. 6: Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Gore Bahadur Khapangi has said that His Majesty's Government should constitute a National Disabled Commission for the rights and welfare of disabled persons just as it has constituted various other such bodies.

Inaugurating the six-day Nepali sign language national workshop seminar organised by the Nepali sign language national development committee in Siraha today, he stressed that the government should formulate policies keeping in mind the demands of the disabled.

Stating that amendments are being made in the near future in the Civil Service Act, he said parties which till now have had representation in Parliament of only people other than the disabled should henceforth make arrangements for electing the disabled also to Parliament.

Ninety-five deaf sign language specialists from 19 districts, members of the sign language committee, professors and foreign sign language experts are taking part in the seminar that will last six days.
The seminar is also to discuss a working paper to be presented by linguist Dr. Novel Kishor Rai of Tribhuvan University.

Altogether 1,900 sign language words are being used in Nepal so far and the seminar will hold discussions on 500 additional words which will be brought into use after being ratified by the seminar, according to Ramesh Bhattachan, central advisor of the Nepal National Federation of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

At the inaugural function of the seminar presided over by president of the Federation Raghav Bir Joshi, former minister Krishna Charan Shrestha, deputy co-ordinator of the Nepali Sign Language National Development Committee Bikas Dangol, member secretary of the committee Deepawali Sharma, Prof. Basudev Kafle, David Hans from the UK and chief district officer Bhola Prasad Shivakoti said that the development of sign language has made communications much easier for the deaf.

Also today, addressing the chiefs of district-based offices, Minister Khapangi said for political parties to launch a movement at a time when the people are yearning for peace is against the spirit of democracy.

He said we should expedite development by rising above personal interests and keeping the welfare and the interests of the country and the people supreme.

At the programme, the chiefs of offices had put forth the problems faced by their respective offices.
Chief district officer Bhola Prasad Shivakoti presided over the programme.

Ojha stresses quality eudcation

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BHAKTAPUR, Apr. 6: Minister for Education and Sports Devi Prasad Ojha today gave away medals and prizes to the distinguished students securing first division in the SLC examination - 2058 from Basu Secondary School and other students placed first, second and third in different grades.
Highlighting the need of quality education in getting knowledge and insight of human life and constructing cultured manners, Minister Ojha said the school-level students are most vulnerable and they need to be provided with appropriate education with caution.

The Minister, impressed by the performance made by Basu Secondary School, has given words to donate his half-month's salary for the construction of the school building.

Speaking on the occasion director of the Mid-Regional Education Directorate Gajendra Lal Pradhan said that the government schools too are to give priority on practical and vocational education.
Chairman of the school management committee Lakshmi Narayan Duwal presided the programme.

Govt, Maoist firm to solve dalit's problems

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Apr. 6: His Majesty's Government and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists) have said that they would make all effort to solve the problems facing the oppressed communities (dalits) during the peace talks.

At a press conference organised today by 14 dalit communities, formed to put pressure both on the government and the Maoists, they said that they had approached both the government and the Maoists to look into their plight.

The group had met with Narayan Singh Pun and Dr. Babu Ram Bhattarai, coordinators from the government and the Maoist sides, respectively.

They also presented their 10-point agenda to both the teams which include their respectable representations at the government level, total abolition of any kind of racial and communal discrimination and public disclosure of the members of the dalit communities who were killed, are missing or were subjected to torture. For that, a high level commission should be formed to look into the issue, the representatives said today.

They also demanded punishment for the perpetrators, responsibile for suppressing and sexually abusing dalit women. They also want land for the landless dalits and short and long-term programmes to raise the status and living standard of the dalits.

The dalits have also demanded for a special court to look into cases related to untouchability and for the empowerment of the National Dalit Commission.

At the press conference, coordinator of the dalit communities Padmalal Bisworkarma said that the people should be sovereign, and that this was possible only through the election of a constituent assembly.

Member of the group Ambika Gajmer said both the sides were positive about their demands.
At the press meet, it was disclosed that more than 500 members of the dalit community have been killed in the 7-year-long insurgency.

Solar power in Sarlahi

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SARLAHI, Apr 6: Indian Ambassador Shyam Sharan yesterday inaugurated the solar electrification system constructed in local Parsa VDC with the financial and technical assistance of the government of India.

The system constructed at a total cost of Rs. 21.9 million is said to benefit some 550 households of the VDC.

The VDC, situated in the remote part of the district, was devoid of facility of electricity for long.
The power distributed to each household can light four tube lights and operate a TV set at a time.
The ambassador pointed out the need for both the countries to move hand-in-hand in their efforts of national development.

Chairman of Jyoti Solar Power committee Ram Naresh Raya presided.The programme was participated in also by CDO Ratna Raj Pandey and LDO Bharat Kumar Regmi of Sarlahi district.
Meanwhile, Ambassador of India to Nepal Shyam Saran has said that familial, religious and cultural relations have been existing between Nepal and India since ancient time.

Addressing a public reception organised in his honour by the friends of Janakpur here on Saturday, he said Their Majesties' visit to different pilgrimage sites in India makes it amply clear that both countries have deep mutual religious and cultural ties.

Ambassador Saran said that the problem over the Mahali Sagar Dam could be resolved with experts from both countries sitting together.

On the occasion, Assistant Minister for Local Development Dr. Asarfi Shaha said that all should think seriously over His Majesty's address delivered in Dhangadhi and take it as a guiding principle for national development.

Expounding upon Nepal-India friendly relations, he said India has played an important role in Nepal's development endeavours.

Central member of the CPN-UML Ram Chandra Jha stressed the implementation of the Kamala embankment project.

At the programme presided over by chairman of Friends of Janakpur Bajrang Prasad Shaha, Chief District Officer Baburam Lamichhane, Nepali Congress Dhanusha district president Ram Krishna Yadav, Nepal Sadbhavana Party district president Bijaya Lal Das, Newi Naddaf of the Nepali Congress (Democratic), Udaya Kant Thakur, Amresh Singh And Jaya Chaudhari of the RPP also spoke.