Delegations meet Chand

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 14: A delegation led by acting president of Rastriya Janamukti Party Shrawan Kumar Limbu today called on Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand at the latter's office and sought continuous political interaction between the government and the party in the days ahead.
The delegation also demanded to ensure the participation of the party also in the proposed round table conference and the all party dialogue, and also in political communications between the government and other political parties. Meanwhile, a delegation led by chairperson of RPP district working committee, Kanchanpur Binod Bista called on Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand and demanded immediate construction of the Brahmadev motor road and Mahakali Irrigation Project (Third).

The delegation also demanded constitution of a committee to investigate the removal of people from Royal Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve and make arrangement for their settlement and distribution of loan to small farmers from the Far Western Regional Bank units of Rastriya Banijya Bank.
The delegation comprised among others Surya Bahadur Chand, Patiram Chunara, Kalawati Yer, Dhirendra Dagaura.

PM receives donation for fire victims

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 14: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand was presented a sum of Rs 22,222 raised by Nepal Scouts and Nepal Junior Red Cross circle constituted at the Adarsha Vidya Mandir Higher Secondary School Manbhavan and meant for the families of fire victims at Myaglung Bazaar of Terhathum district.

The sum to be provided to the fire victims has been deposited at the home ministry, the Prime Minister's office has stated.

Oath of office administered

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 14: Rajparishad Standing Committee Chairman Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi administered the oath of office membership of the Rajparishad to Inspector General of Police Shyam Bhakta Thapa.

Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand, Chief Justice Kedar Nath Upahdyaya, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat and National Assembly Chairman Dr. Mohammad Mohsin were also present at the swearing-in ceremony.

Also present on the occasion were Rajparishad Standing Committee members Lama Pasang Sherpa, Karna Bahadur Bhandari, Bhadra Kumari Ghale, Bir Bahadur Lama and Chief of the Army Staff Pyar Jung Thapa were also present on the occasion.

NSP convention in April

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RAJBIRAJ, Feb. 14: The fourth national general convention of Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) will be held on April 10, 11 and 12 in Rajbiraj in Saptari district.The decision to that effect was taken by a meeting of the NSP national working committee today, spokesman for the party Mukti Nath Mandal said.

A 31-member general convention organising main committee has been constituted under the chairmanship of acting president of the party and Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal for making preparations for the general convention. All the central members of the party are included in the main committee.Similarly, a management committee has been constituted under the convenorship of joint general secretary of the party Mrigendra Kumar Singh, a party statute draft preparation committee under the convenorship of central vice-president Laxman Lal Karna, a declaration preparation committee under the convenorsip of joint general secretary Khusi Lal Mandal and a finance committee under the convenorship of party's acting president Mandal.

Likewise, an international liaison committee has been constituted under the convenorship of general secretary Devendra Mishra and a publicity committee under the convenorship of central member Dilip Dhadewal.Discussions on the present political condition of the country and the party's internal condition would be held in tomorrow's meeting, spokesman Mandal said.Acting president and Deputy Prime Minister Mandal chaired the meeting. Twenty-one office-bearers and members of the 31-member working committee of the party attended the meeting.Addressing a press conference held after the meeting, acting president and Deputy Prime Minister Mandal said the leadership role for the ceasefire agreement between His Majesty's Government and the Maoists was first taken up by his party.

He said the NSP from the very beginning had been saying that the Maoist problem was a political problem and it could be resolved only politically.Stating that the beginning of the talks in the past and present were different, he said His Majesty's Government was confident that the talks would be successful as extensive home work was being done to move the talks ahead.

The Deputy Prime Minister added that the government wished that the talks would be successful although there was some delay in the talks as the letter from the CPN (Maoist) talks team has not been officially received.Replying a query from the journalists, he said there were no differences in the party. He added that although there might be ideological differences in democratic exercise, the party was one in policy matters.

He said as the general convention is the supreme body of the party, it would end petty differences and make important decisions.

Nepal possible venue for mountaineering training

By Ballav Dahal

KATHMANDU, Feb. 14: Nepal could be the perfect venue for international-level mountaineering training. Mountain tourism here could get a further boost if such training courses are launched, say foreign as well as Nepalese mountaineering experts.

"As Nepal is a well-known mountaineering and trekking destination, mountaineering schools must be set up to attract more and more trainees and climbers from various parts of the world," Denis Poncelin, director of ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme), told The Rising Nepal.

ENSA, a national mountaineering training institute of France, has been working together with the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) in producing manpower related to mountaineering since 1984.

Denis, who is on a visit to Nepal, said that mountain guides must be familiar with new techniques to ensure the safety and security of mountaineers. He says ENSA would extend support to Nepal set up a mountain school to offer diploma level courses.

Since 1979, the NMA, with support from Slovenia and the Austrian NGO, Eco-Himal, and ENSA, has provided basic and advanced mountaineering training to 1,016 people. Of them, 15 trainees from Singapore received basic mountaineering training in Nepal in 2000.

Padam Singh Ghale, an instructor, says that the concerned government body must chart a plan to establish a mountain institute to impart knowledge of different levels on mountaineering to students.
"Since mountaineering training is very technical and requires lots of funds, government effort is needed," Ghale said. Training a mountain guide requires about Rs. 200,000 to 300,000.

Ghale said Nepalese mountain guides are very competent and efficient. But they are not recognised by the Union of International Association of Mountain Guides due to lack of theoretical knowledge in mountaineering.

Ang Norbu Sherpa, founder member of Nepal Mountaineering Instructors' Association (NMIA), says that Nepal's mountain guides could be salable in the international market once they get some theoretical skills.

Sherpa says that his association is planning to incorporate ski in its training component to help promote Nepal as a ski destination.

Umesh Kumar Singh, Under Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), says that efforts must be made to develop Nepal as a haven for mountaineering training.
"Once we are able to offer higher level mountaineering courses, we can not only sell Nepal as a training venue, but also as a proper destination for mountaineering," says Singh, who is the executive director of the newly established Mountain Academy.

Ang Tshering Sherpa, the NMA President, says that efforts must be made to enhance the theoretical knowledge of Nepalese mountain guides to enable them to compete with their counterparts in the foreign countries.

Pointing out the need to set up a mountaineering institute for higher level training in Nepal, Sherpa says Kakani was a possible site.

France provides one more seat for training

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 14: Ambassador of France to Nepal Claude Ambrosini announced today that his embassy would provide high level mountaineering training to one more Nepali mountain guide from this year.

Envoy Claude made the announcement while distributing certificates to the participants of a five-week advanced mountaineering course, which was conducted in Langtang recently.

Organised by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), with the support from ENSA (Ecole Nationale de Ski et d'Alpinisme) of France, 20 participants took part in the training. Lauding the NMA-ENSA cooperation, he asked the trainees to pay attention to the safety and security of climbers.

ENSA has been providing high level mountaineering training to three Nepalese mountain guides annually. From this year, the number of Nepalese mountain guides to receive the training will stand at four.

On the occasion, ENSA Director Denis Poncelin, chief French instructor Jean Coudray, NMA President Ang Tsering Sherpa, General Secretary Bhumi Lal Lama, instructor Padam Singh Ghale, trainee Nima Dawa Sherpa, among others, spoke about the various aspects of mountaineering training.

Use of tech in farm production emphasised

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 14: Experts have emphasised the need for utilising modern technologies in the national agricultural system in order to bring changes in the agricultural production, which often is not equivalent to the invested capital and labour.

The application and use of modern agricultural technologies should be extended up to rural level so as to issuing a better agricultural product, which is essential to strengthen the national economy and help alleviate poverty in the country, they pointed out.At a symposium organised by the Ministry for Science and Technology to discuss the final draft of science and technology policy - 2003 being prepared by His Majesty's Government, the participant speakers suggested the maximum utilisation of modern developments in science and technology to enhance the agricultural and industrial production in the country.They emphasised the need to formulate appropriate policies and regulations for the sustainable development of available means and resources in the country using effective technologies.

Declaring open the symposium Minister for Health and Science and Technology Dr Upendra Devkota said it is always better to develop our own technologies and make them known in the international markets rather than imitating foreigners in each and every matter.

"Other people have advanced technologies but we have unique resources and herbs, through which we can identify ourselves and our nation in the world provided we are able to exploit the resources in proper way," Minister Devkota said.

Minister on the occasion informed that the government is preparing for formulating balanced policies considering the fact that national development is impossible without the development of science and technology in the country.

Vice-chancellor of RONAST Professor Dr Dayananda Bajracharya demanded of the government to be serious in implementing the commitments made in the 10th plan to develop science and technology in the country.

Member of National Planning Commission Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada stressed the need to formulate policies in such a manner that rural people should be benefited more from the technologies and consequently contribute in the gross agricultural production.

Also speaking on the occasion were secretary at the Ministry for Science and Technology Mahesh Lal Shrestha, chief scientific advisor of the ministry Prof Dr Kedar Lal Shrestha and others.
The draft of the policy after giving it a final form will soon be presented to the council of ministers for approval, it was said on the occasion.

His Majesty's Government has already started the construction work of Information Technology (IT) Park in Banepa in accordance with the policy of developing in the field of science and technology, and inter-net facilities will be availed in more than 1500 VDCs in the Kingdom by the end of the 10th plan, it was informed on the occasion.

The government also has adopted the policy to provide computer education to all by 2010.

Everyone's support needed for peace, says Khapangi

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DHANGADHI, Feb. 14: Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Gore Bahadur Khapangi, at a meet the press programme, said that as HMG was active in making the ceasefire between the government and Maoists successful, the government would receive cooperation from everyone concerned.

At the same programme, Assistant Minister for Population and Environment Gopal Dahit pointed out the need for cooperation from political parties, civic society, and human rights activists to provide continuity to the peace prevailing in the country at present.

Replying to journalists, Minister Khapangi said that as the Maoists did not mete out the same treatment to the present government as they had meted out to the previous one, the ceasefire will be durable.

Chairman of Far Western Regional Committee of the Rastriya Janamukti Party Narbir Pun presided over the programme.

In response to another question, Minister Khapangi, who is also the general secretary of the party, said that the policy of his party is to have proportional representation at the parliament on the basis of the ethnic population.