Far-west prepares for civic reception

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DHANGADHI, Feb. 27: Preparations have started here to offer civic felicitations to Their Majesties the King and Queen on behalf of the citizens of the Far-Western Region in the near future.

Their Majesties have already been submitted a request to visit Dhangadhi at a convenient time, said Dhan Bahadur Shah of the civic reception main committee.

A gathering held here recently had adopted a resolution to request Their Majesties to visit Dhangadhi in the first or second week of Chaitra for a civic reception.

A 1,001-member civic reception main committee has been constituted with Raj Parishad member and former minister Nain Bahadur Swar as the convenor and with representation from all the areas while the process of constituting the other committees and sub-committees has also gotten under way.
During the course of the preparations, the repair and maintenance of damaged structures and also cleaning up have intensified.

Meanwhile, Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the regional offices of PABSON and Nepal Human Religion Services Committee have extended their full cooperation for the felicitation of Their Majesties.

Annan condoles peacekeeper's demise

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 27: Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan today expressed his heartfelt condolence over the untimely demise of Krishna Bahadur Sarki, a Royal Nepalese Army soldier. Sarki, an army member of Shree Barda Bahadur Battalion, III contingent, had died on February 10 in an accident while he was on duty in Sierra Leone.

Condolence

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 27 : Speaker Taranath Ranabhat and chairman of the National Assembly Dr. Mohammad Mohasin have expressed deep sorrow over the sad demise of researcher in the Nepali language and literature, explorer of Nepali history, culture and archaeology and scholar of Sanskrit Yoginarahari Nath and extended heartfelt condolences to his bereaved followers.

In separate condolence messages here today they said the demise of Yogi is an irreparable loss to the nation.Likewise, president of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party Pashupati Shumsher JB Rana has expressed deep sorrow over the death of Yogi Naraharinath.

In a condolence message, chairman of the Nepal Praja Parishad Ram Hari Sharma has said that the Yogi will be remembered for his patriotic feelings and spiritual awareness.

President of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the demise of the Yogi is an irreparable loss to the whole Hindu community and paid tributes to the departed soul.

Snow house to offer shelter to Kanchanjangha tourists

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TAPLEJUNG, Feb. 27: The Kanchanjangha Conservation Area Project (K-CAP) is to build a special snow house at a place in the high mountain belt covered by the conservation area in Taplejung district for the protection of tourists and porters.

According to the K-CAP sources, such a house will be built at Deuralidada which is the midpoint between Lelep and Yamphudin VDCs as tourists most often get stranded in the area due to its remoteness. It requires a whole day's walk to reach a village in the high mountain belt of the district.
Many tourists get buried under snow while trekking in the region during snowstorms and avalanches, according to Dudup Sherpa, a resident of the area.

The snow house to be constructed at Deuralidada will benefit tourists going trekking to the Kanchanjangha base camp via Chhiruwa, Jaubari and Ghunsa as well as those travelling towards the base camp via the Pathibhara-Yamphudin route.Similarly, the project is also to construct such a house at Pangpe.

Noise pollution 'alarming' in capital

By Prakriti Adhikari

Lalitpur, Feb. 27: Noise pollution in the Kathmandu Valley is excessively high, a study carried out recently by the Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST) has shown.

According to senior scientist and environmentalist at RONAST Dr. Trinetra Man Pradhanang, noise pollution within the Kathmandu Valley is serious.

Noise pollution levels recorded in the different places of the Valley are much higher than the standards set by the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO warns people to use ear protection aids if noise pollution levels exceed 85 decibels.

The study has revealed that noise pollution is above 100 decibels in all major parts of the city: 105 decibels at Putalisadak, 108 decibels at New Baneswor, 109 decibels at Kalanki Chok, 104 decibels at Koteshwor, 106 decibels at Narayan Gopal Chok and Balkhu Chok, 105 decibels at Sat Dobato and 103 decibels at Tripureswor.

The level of noise pollution recorded at 24 different places both inside and outside the Ring Road has been found to be about the same. If noise pollution outside the Ring Road was found to be 103 decibels, it is 101 decibels inside.

Noise pollution levels in the different places of the Kathmandu Valley have increased by three to 12 decibels since 1997, the study has shown.

Dr. Pradhanang attributes the increase in noise pollution to the growing traffic in the Kathmandu Valley. "The growing traffic and the echo of the sounds from the buildings lining the streets are responsible for the excessive noise pollution," the study says. According to the Transport Management Department, if 28,280 new vehicles were registered in 2056/57, the number increased to 40,995 in 2057/58.

A study carried out by RONAST a few years ago had found that noise pollution levels in nine per cent of the industries located at the Balaju, Patan and Bhaktapur industrial estates were between 70-80 decibels. It was 80-90 decibels in 45 per cent of the industries, 90-100 decibels in 39 per cent of the industries and 100-110 decibels in 3 per cent of the industries.

Research done by Pulchok Engineering Campus found that noise pollution levels at the ENT (Ear, Nose, Throat) ward of Bir Hospital were 81 decibels, Male Medical ward (75 decibels), and Female Medial ward (80 decibels). Similarly, noise pollution levels at the Male Medical ward of Maharajgunj Hospital were 75 decibels and in the Female Medical ward 85 decibels. This showed that the hospitals were also not free from noise pollution.

The recent study by RONAST has shown that Putalisadak is particularly exposed to high noise pollution as well as heavy traffic. Noise pollution at Koteshwor is also high due to the Tribhuvan International Airport located nearby.

In the course of the investigation, 100 persons also underwent medical examination. Among them, 60 per cent were found to be suffering from tension, 56 per cent had lost their decision-making capability while 52 per cent had lost self-confidence.

A member of the study team, Reader of the Environment Science Department at Trichandra Campus Harihar Kandel says that noise pollution was impacting the mental health of the people. In a bid to lessen the impact, he suggests banning pressure horns, widening roads and managing them and allowing only as many vehicles as the roads can carry.

AMARC meet endorses right of information exchange

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 27: The 8th conference of the Broadcasters Association of Community Radio
( Amarc) being held in Kathmandu concluded today.The week-long conference has endorsed the right of information exchange.During the conference, a 15 member AMARC South Asia Committee was formed under the chairmanship of senior journalist of Nepal Bharat Dutta Koirala.

The conference also decided to establish an AMARC South Asia secretariat in Kathmandu.
More than 250 participants of various countries of the world have stressed the need to take the right to information and human rights mentioned in the Charter of the United Nations to the community in a transparent and responsible manner.The conference has accepted that Community Radio is the real medium of information for the poor people of the world.

The conference has accepted nearly one and half dozen proposals including on simplification of the community radio registration process and equal involvement of women in community communications presented by participants of various countries during the conference.

The representative of the American National Federation of community broadcasters said most of US media has focused their attention on commercial benefit but community radio represents the voice of the common people.

The representative of the Independent Communication Authority of South Africa said community radio is very effective for social change and stability in African countries.

NC wishes to see lasting peace: Koirala

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KATHMANDU, Feb. 27: Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said his party wished to see the government-Maoist cease-fire turn into lasting peace.
At a press meet with representatives of foreign and national news media today, president Koirala remarked that further confusion has been created as the government has failed to make a code of conduct public.

Stating the Maoist problem needed a political solution, he made it clear that the Nepali Congress has emphasised on the reinstatement of the House of Representatives for resolving the same.

He said the Nepali Congress has laid stress on the reinstatement of the House of Representatives as it is the main representative body that would provide answers to such questions as to who should call the said round-table conference, what would be its framework and its agenda and as to who should ratify the topics passed by such a conference.

Referring to the efforts aimed at resolving the Maoist problem initiated by the Nepali Congress while it was in government, president Koirala said an all-party government is the wish of all the political parties and it was necessary to reinstate the Lower House even for fulfilling this wish.

Only a government formed through this process can solve the problems besetting the country, he added.

Wishing success that the cease-fire would turn into durable peace, Koirala said the all-party joint movement has not been moved ahead for the time being.

He added that the Nepali Congress would convene an all-party meeting of parties represented in the Parliament in the near future.

Gall stones curable sans surgery, claims Raut

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 27: An Ayurvedic doctor claims that he can cure patients with gall stones without surgery."I have invented herbal medicines that help treat patients with gall stones," said the Vaidhya doctor Ganesh Bahadur Raut.

Raut said that the herbal medicines transform the stones into liquid through chemical reaction and they are excreted from the body," said Raut at a press meet here today.

He said that patients need to take one to three courses of the medicines for a period ranging from one month to a year. It depends on the nature of the disease.

"Raut's medicines cured me from gall stones after I took them for two months," said Mohan Krishna Ghale of Dharan. He said that the allopathic doctors had advised him to have surgery after he had gall bladder four years ago. "When I heard that there is Ayurvedic treatment for the ailment, I went to Raut and he cured me.""Some patients are cured after a month-long medication while some cases take more than a year. Up to now I have treated 3,999 patients aged between 6 to 93 years old," Raut claims.

He has been involved in the treatment of gall stones patients for the last 8 years. Patients have to pay Rs. 5,000 for treatment.In the medical science gall stones are treated only through surgery. Science has yet to prove that the gall stones can be dissolved.

"I worked hard to invent this medicines. This type of medicine and has not been recorded in the list of the international discoveries," he claims. "Due to the lack of the patent rights I could not produce the herbal treatment in public."

He said that he had informed this to the Royal Nepal Academy for Science and Technology and the Ministry for Science and Technology, but they did not take me seriously.

Speaking at the function, senior Ayurveda and yoga physician Dr. R.R. Koirala said that many valuable native herbs have been smuggled into other countries and stressed the need for patent rights on them due to the lack of copyright laws in the country.

"There is a need for national documentation of native herbal medicines. The media should not disseminate premature information on herbal medicines," Koirala said.

Gender equity prerequisite for development

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Feb. 27: Gender equity is prerequisite for achieving the national development goals of Nepal. Women's access to land and their participation in decision-making is essential for gender equality, said Ananta Raj Pandey, secretary at the Ministry of Land Reform and Management (MoLRM).

Pandey was speaking at a three-day workshop on "Gender Sensitisation in the World of Work" organised by International Labour Organisation (ILO) at Nagarkot. The workshop, which began on February 26, ends Friday. Altogether 26 senior officials from MoLRM are attending the workshop, according to an ILO press statement, today.

"The Ministry is considering ways of ensuring women's access and participation," Pandey is quoted as saying.The workshop is a direct response towards the implementation of the strategies in poverty reduction within the 10th five-year plan of Nepal, said Leyla Tegmo-Reddy, Director of the ILO office in Kathmandu.The Tenth Plan focuses gender equality for poverty reduction. ILO is working in close association with MoLRM for the sustainable rehabilitation of former bonded labours, she said.

Dr. Jyoti Shrestha, senior gender specialists of the ILO, stressed on the need to institutionalising gender capacity efforts in Nepal. Gender equality is the top priority issue within the ILO mandate, she said.