Three killed in Arniko Highway road mishap

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 16: Three persons died on the spot and four others sustined injuries in a road accident involving a van (Na. 2 Kha. 4112) at Khanba of Kabhrepalanchok district along the Arniko Highway.

The deceased were the driver, his handyman and a passenger. The injured have been rushed to Model Hospital in Kathmandu from Dhulikhel Hospital for treatment.

Likewise, Shrawan Kumar Gupta, 40, of India, who had been staying at Teku, succumbed to his injuries while undergoing treatment at Bir Hospital after being knocked down by a motorbike (Ba 9 Pa l772) at Kalimati.

'Health is wealth for women'

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: Know thyself first. This saying applies especially to women. The issue of property rights has overshadowed what is more important to women - their health, a key factor in their empowerment in the society. They can stand up for their cause in society only when they are physically and mentally able.

Renchin Yonjan, Social Marketing Consultant at the industrial house Chaudhary Group, believes awareness is the key behind their empowerment. It begins with a woman's health... her internal power. Education, property and other rights come later," says Yonjan.

She is now applying this idea through Sanjeevani, a radio programme on nutrition and health for women.

Funded by the Chaudhary Group, the programme has been on the air on Radio Sagarmatha and seven other community radio stations across the county since last December.

The programme aims at promoting the crucial role women play in developing a physically and mentally healthy society, said Yonzon at a press meet here today.

"We believe women are the epicentre of a healthy society. We want to create a better understanding of the relationship between mind, body and nutrition by providing specific information about women's health issues, prevention and care of ailments related to certain periods of a woman's life as well as highlighting indigenous food habits and practices," she said.

A woman's first need and right was a nutritious diet, she added.The rustic audience is the target of the programme. Everyday 12 women die due to health-related problems. The programme digs into the reasons why they die.Women constitute 52 per cent of the country's total population. Most of the women, especially in the far-flung parts, are deprived of their basic health and education rights.
"We want to promote local health problems inflicting women," she said.

Radio Himchuli in Pokhara, Radio Lumbini in Lumbini, Radio Manakamana in Hetauda, Radio Swargadwari in Dang, Koshi FM in Biratnagar, Kanchanjunga FM in Birtamod and Radio Madanpokhara in Palpa broadcasting Sanjeevani.

These radio stations will air 52 episodes in a year of a specialised women and health magazine as well as specialised information, which can be reproduced in print and audio format at the end of year.
Health issues for the bride and groom, adjusting in the family for the newly weds, cold weather ailments, malnutrition, food and family health are some of the areas Sanjeevani is focusing on.
"We have received good feedback from our listeners," said A.S. Sidhu, senior general manager, sales and marketing, of the Chaudhary Group. "It is just a beginning."

Managing a business also means social service and responsibility. This is why the Chaudhary Group is involved in the social cause, he added.

Monarchy symbol of unity: TUVC

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KATHMANDU, Feb.16: Newly appointed Vice-Chancellor of Tribhuwan University Dr. Govind Prasad Sharma has said no one should be doubtful about or distrust Nepali nationalism and Monarchy.
Speaking on the Nepal Television talk programme 'Chintan Manan' yesterday, Dr. Sharma said Monarchy should be taken as a meeting point for nation building and as a symbol of Nepali unity.
Recalling the contributions of the Shah Dynasty in nation- building at every turn of history, Dr. Sharma said no one should drag the Monarchy into debate as it has united the Nepali people of every caste and creed and safeguarded national identity.

He also welcomed the ceasefire between the government and the Maoists and prayed for long lasting peace.

Dr. Sharma said special priority will be given to discipline, competence, efficiency and good management to make education at the university, where 95 per cent of the country's students of higher education study, competitive internationally.

About an election date for the Free Students Union (FSU), he said Tribhuwan University is compelled to hold students' election which has already been postponed twice as there is no provision for postponed for a third time.

However, if the majority of student organisations agree to it or if the country's interests call for it, the election can be postponed for some time longer, he said.

CNI stresses boosting export to India

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb 16: The Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) - an apex body of Nepalese industrialists - has stressed the need to pave 'new avenues' to expedite exports of Nepalese products to India.

Speaking at a programme today in the capital, president of the CNI Binod Chaudhary affirmed that the export trade could be promoted by establishing mutual ties with organisations like the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII).

The CNI has been taking initiatives to enter into an active 'collaboration' with the CII. The CNI is establishing its relations with the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MICCI) of Bangladesh and Ceylon Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka next month.

Talking to journalists, he said that the CNI was making efforts to prop up the country's industrial development through enhanced relations with the private sector of other countries.

The export trade this year has witnessed a harrowing fall owing to lack of initiatives on our part, he said.

Bhutan's party warns donors

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 16: A Bhutanese political party in exile has urged Bhutan's donors to provide aid only on condition that Thimpu agrees to a speedy resolution of the Bhutanese refugee problem and protection of their human rights.

The party has warned that it will launch a Satyagraha movement in an appropriate time if the ongoing Nepal-Bhutan process fails to give an amicable solution to the 12-year-long refugee problem.
A round-table meeting of Bhutan's donors, including India, to discuss aid to Bhutan, is scheduled for this week in Geneva. There are more than 100,000 Bhutanese refugees of Nepali origin living in seven UNHCR-administered camps in eastern Nepal.

R.B.Basnet, president of the Bhutan National Democratic Party (BNDP), said that India had the moral responsibility to help find a sustainable solution to the humanitarian and political issue. India is one of Bhutan's major donors.

Basnet warned that both the governments, responsible for resolving the more than a decade-long refugee problem, were moving in opposite directions.

Dr. DNS Dhakal, General secretary of the BNDP, said that the recently concluded 12th round of ministerial level meeting between Nepal and Bhutan was a tactics of Bhutanese diplomacy to satisfy its donors during the round table meeting in Geneva.

The 12th ministerial level meeting had decided to begin categorisation of the refugees who have been verified in one of the camps at Khudunabari from February 24 in Thimpu. The 12,000 refugees were verified more than a year ago by a joint verification team.

Bhutan's Citizenship Act 1985 and the Bhutanisation of its citizens of Nepalese origin are two major factors creating the Bhutanese refugee problem, he said.

Categorisation of the verified refugees only serves the vested interest of the Bhutanese government. The agreement to categorise the verified refugees into four groups -bonafide Bhutanese, voluntary migrants, non-Bhutanese and Bhutanese involved in criminal activities - was a serious mistake, he added.

The decision to categorise the refugees as voluntary migrants was a mistake as they were forcefully evicted from Bhutan using inhuman means, said Basnet.

"The repatriation and rehabilitation of the refugees should be conducted under the aegis of the UNHCR. It should not be left at the mercy of the Bhutanese government," a press statement issued by the party today reads. "All refugees should be guaranteed citizenship prior to their repatriation."
H e also called on the international community to monitor the protection and guarantee of human rights in Bhutan.

Chakra Prasad Banstola, leader of the Nepali congress; Pratibha Rana of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party; Uday Raj Panday of the Nepal Communist Party United Marxist -Leninist and Chetendra Jang Himali of Nepal Hariyali Party were present at the meeting.

'Joint efforts important for corruption control'

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BIRATNAGAR, Feb.16: Chief Commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) Suryanath Upadhyay has said HMG's organisational arrangements and the joint efforts of civil society at the local level will be important for the eradication of abuse of authority.

He was inaugurating a workshop entitled 'Joint Action Against Corruption' organised by the Transparency International Assistance Group, yesterday.

The commission has worked out strategy for its institutional development, and its main objectives will be to create a positive impact in the next five years by minimising abuse of authority and running intense programmes in some districts.

President of the advisory council of Transparency Nepal, Sribhadra Sharma said a social movement is necessary to stop widespread corruption in politics.

From the chair, chairman of Transparency International, Nepal Assistance Group Biratnagar and ex-minister of state Radha Prasad Ghimire stressed corruption control for improvement of the socio-economic condition of the country.

Reader Krishna Pokhrel presented a working paper on 'problems of corruption in Nepal and their solution' whereas Elite Club Biratnagar president and reader Baijanath Thapaliya and Nepal Bar Association central vice chairman Chudamani Acharya commented on it.

At the function, Regional Administrator Bishnu Dutta Upreti and Morang CDO Dolakh Bahadur Gurung also shed light on activities to conrol abuse of authority at the regional and district level.