Nepalese team back from global meet on leprosy

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 9: Minister for Health Dr. Upendra Devkota returned here today after taking part in the third meeting of the Global Alliances for Elimination of Leprosy held in Yangon, the capital of Myanmar, from February 6 to 8.As the World Health Organisation (WHO) had set 2005 as the deadline for wiping out leprosy from the world, HMG has also set the same target date for eliminating it from Nepal.

Replying to queries posed by journalists upon arrival here, Minister Devkota said that the elimination of this disease can be certified only if there is less than one leprosy patient in every l0,000 population.
At present there are three leprosy patients in the country for every l0,000 population.

Delegates from l2 countries of South and South-East Asia including Nepal participated in the conference.

Director General of the Department of Health Services Dr. Laxmi Raj Pathak and Director of the Leprosy Prevention Division Dr. Joy Prasad Baral were the other members of the Nepalese delegation.

'Govt firm to maintain peace, stability'

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NEPALGUNJ, Feb. 9: Minister for Land Reform and Management and Forest and Soil Conservation Badri Narayan Basnet has said that the present government is committed to maintain peace and stability in the country.Speaking at a function here today he said the cease-fire made in accordance with the interests of the Nepali people would be successful.

Stating that the king should have a role in the Constitution he said the problem of the country could be resolved jointly by the King and the people.

Meanwhile, Minister for Land Reforms and Management Badri Narayan Basnet has directed office chiefs to immediately rehabilitate the freed Kamaiyas on the land allocated to them in Fettepur VDC of Banke district. Minister Basnet was speaking at a joint meeting of the CDO, and the chiefs of DDC and land reforms, forest and land revenue offices in Nepalgunj, today.

He said the Kamaiyas should be given timber for building their houses, and the applications of Kamaiyas who were left out finalised.

Minister Basnet today also inspected Muktinagar, a newly built settlement at Bankhet of Bachewa VDC ward No. 4 in Banke.

Altogether 901 Kamaiya families have been identified so far and a relief and rehabilitation programmes has been run for them in Banke district.

Transporters warn unfair pact against Nepal's interests

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 9: Even as Nepal and India hold third rounds of talks on direct transport services between the two countries, the Federation of Nepalese Transport Entrepreneurs (FNTE) has asked the government not to take any decision that would adversely affect the interests of Nepal.

This would be unfair for the nation and its entrepreneurs as they cannot compete with their Indian counterparts, said Bishnu Siwakoti, chairman of the FNTE, today.

"The private sector has invested more than Rs. 63 billion in the transportation sector and has provided employment to hundreds of thousands. A treaty that allows Indian vehicles to enter Nepal freely will put our businesses at risk," he said.

"The financial sectors, including national revenue, will be badly hit with such a decision," he added. "Besides, the Nepalese government should not compromise on this issue in exchange for linking Indian railways with the dry-port at Birgunj."

Instead, the FNTE wants the government to take up the problems that Nepalese vehicles have been facing in delivering services in India. Nepalese vehicles must replace their registration plate numbers with Indian ones to run their services on Indian roads. Otherwise they are often destroyed or go missing.

Siwakoti also said that Nepalese entrepreneurs must deposit Rs. 50,000 per vehicle and submit insurance papers to the Indian Embassy for permission to operate on Indian highways, whereas Indian vehicles have to deposit only Rs. 300 for using Nepalese roads for 72 hours for transporting fruits, vegetables, medicines and the like.

These discriminatory regulations should be abolished, stress Nepalese transporters. Furthermore, the special provision that allows Indian vehicles to operate in Nepal has been abused time and again as all sorts of vehicles are allowed to run under this provision. This will only encourage vehicle smuggling and create problems for the nation due to over pressure of Indian vehicles, he said.
Any treaty that allows free cross-border transportation will pose a security problem for Nepal. "If the government wants to sign the treaty, services between only some major cities should be allowed," he said.

Cooperatives should be geared against poverty

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 9: Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has said that the cooperatives movement should be geared towards resolving the problems of poverty and unemployment.

The Speaker was inaugurating the l0th annual general meeting of the National Cooperatives Association Limited here today.

Speaker Ranabhat said that as Nepal is predominantly an agricultural country, the cooperative societies should pay attention towards the Development of Cottage Industries also.

Former Minister Radha Krishna Mainali, Registrar of the Department of Cooperatives Binod Kumar Adhikari and other guests also spoke on the occasion.President of the National Cooperatives Association Dipak Prakash Baskota presided over the programme.

Enforcement of relevant laws emphasised

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POKHARA, Feb. 9: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan has said that a campaign of informative publicity that everyone can understand should be carried out to safeguard the health and economic interests of consumers protect them from irregularities and adulteration in consumer goods and services.

Speaking at a Mid-Western Region level seminar concerning the rights and interest of the consumer, Minister Pradhan pointed out the need for effective enforcement of the relevant laws and for launching a mass awareness campaign for the prevention of adulteration in consumers items.

Director General of the Department of Commerce Krishna Hari Baskota, former president of the Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) Ananda Raj Mulmi, general secretary of the Consumers Forum of Nepal Prem Lal Maharjan and a host of others speakers also expressed their views at the programme chaired by regional administrator Bal Krishna Prasai.