His Majesty visits Myanglung, instructs govt for quick relief, reconstruction

By Our Correspondent

MYANGLUNG, Jan. 4: His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has given His Majesty's Government the responsibility of reconstrucing and development of Myanglung Bazaar.

His Majesty the King has also instructed His Majesty's Government to provide loans at discounted rates from the Agriculture Development Bank, and to formulate plans to provide employment to the youths of Myanglung.

His Majesty the King gave the instruction while inspecting fire-ravaged Myanglung Bazaar. During the inspection, His Majesty had inquired about the damages caused by the fire on December 8, and about the people who were displaced by it.

The fire had destroyed 85 houses and caused losses worth about Rs. 2 billion. Altogether 211 families were displaced by the fire. His Majesty the King also talked to the victims and inquired about their conditions.

During the visit, His Majesty had visited the Bhagwati temple and the famous Singhabahini temple at Myanglung Bazaar, and accepted flowers and prasad of the Goddesses.

Speaking at the function, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand informed that His Majesty the King had added Rs. 1 million from His Majesty's own purse to the Rs.1 million donated by the Federation of the Nepal Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) for the reconstruction of Myanglung Bazaar. The money has been handed over to the government for the reconstruction and long-term development of Myanglung, said Prime Minister Chand.

Prime Minister Chand informed that His Majesty has also instructed the government to provide loans at a discounted rate and to formulate employment plan for the youths of the place.

The Prime Minister said that His Majesty's Government will formulate special package for the reconstruction, assist in the industries, and for the employment of the youths.

At the programme, His Majesty the King was offered a felicitation letter by Laxmi Kant Dhungana, chairman of the welcome committee.

His Majesty the King was also presented a petition by Govinda Prasad Dhungana on behalf of the fire victims, and Local Development Officer Bhuvan Prakash Bista, who is also secretary of the reconstruction committee, spoke about the progress report. Bhupati Lal Shrestha expressed gratefulness on behalf of the fire victims to His Majesty for visiting Myanglung.

HM to visit Rajbiraj today

RSS

LAHAN, Jan. 4: His Majesty the King is scheduled to visit Rajbiraj, the headquarters of Saptari district tomorrow.During the visit, His Majesty is scheduled to pay homage and offer Pooja at the religious and historical Sakhara Bhagwati Temple in Chinnamasta VDC of the district, said CDO of Saptari Ram Krishna Bhurtel.

Civic reception strengthens Monarch, people ties: Chand

By Ritu Raj Subedi

BIRATNAGAR, Jan. 4: Prime Minister and Chancellor of the Purbanchal University Lokendra Bahadur Chand said that the civic felicitation of Their Majesties had further strengthened historic, cultural and spiritual relations between the Monarch and the people.

"His Majesty the King is committed to rule the country as per the tradition of the Shah Dynasty and the wishes of the people," Prime Minister Chand told the first convocation programme of Purbanchal University here Saturday.

Conveying the message of Their Majesties, Premier Chand said that Their Majesties have thanked the people of the region for organising the first civic honour for Their Majesties.

Stating that His Majesty the King has called upon the people to consolidate democracy in the civic reception, Chand noted, "The Monarch has reiterated His Majesty's commitment to multi-party democracy and constitutional monarchy."

Chand said that Biratnagar has not only developed in the industrial sector but also it has made significant contribution in the education sector.

He asked the students, who graduated today, to utilise the knowledge they gained, their skill and efficiency for the larger interest of the nation, he said.

Prime Minister also urged them to uphold good moral character. Prime Minister Chand also hailed the opinion of Professor Dr. Roland Von Bothmer, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the Swedish University of Agriculture Sciences, who was the chief guest at the programme.

Dr. Von Bothmer in his convocation address talked about 'Biodiversity: Promises, Possibilities and Responsibilities'.

Addressing the function, Dr. Bothmer said that Nepal has magnificent natural resources, beautiful landscape, which are excellent prerequisites for eco-tourism.

"The future demands a human welfare based on sustainable development. The university here has a big role to play for sustainability and global welfare," he added.

Toran Bahadur Karki, Vice-Chancellor of Purbanchal University, said that the university, since it was established eight years ago, was committed to generating skilled and professional manpower capable of facing the challenges in the new century.

At the convocation Prime Minister and Chancellor of the PU Chand presented graduate certificates to 189 students, who passed the BA, B. Ed., BBS and Bachelors in Computer Application. Chand also gave away gold medals to seven students securing the highest position in the examinations. More than 5,000 students are studying at Purbanchal University.

Govt firm to hold polls: DPM

By Our Correspondent

BIRATNAGAR, Jan 4: As mentioned by His Majesty King Gyanendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev to make concerted efforts to tackle the country's burning issues in the address at the civic reception on Friday, Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal has urged all to realise the aspirations of His Majesty by reuniting efforts for the country's development.

Deputy Prime Minister Mandal, speaking at a programme, pointed out the need for common ground where everybody can work for peace and development of the country. He also urged all to shun violence and work for peace and economic development. "The government, through the human rights activists, has repeatedly tried to initiate dialogue with the Maoists," Mandal said.

If they (Maoists) continue to undermine the requests of the government, the government cannot halt its actions, he asserted. He also said that the government is soon going to announce the date for the general and local elections, but the dates are yet to be decided.

The present government wants to hand over the power to the elected government as soon as possible, he added. However, he said, nobody should be allowed to ruin the country at the cost of power and personal interests.

Deputy Premier Mandal also informed that the human rights activists have made progress in creating an atmosphere for dialogue. But he declined to talk about the 'price' put on the heads of Maoist leaders. "I have no idea about it," he said.

He claimed that democracy had been further consolidated with the leadership of His Majesty the King. The massive turnout at the civic reception is an example of what people think about the monarchy, he said.

In fact, politics should not be for politics, it should be for the people and country. False assurances to the people in the name of democracy do not help strengthen democracy, he added.

The programme was organised by the Reporters' Club.

Royal Address welcomed

RSS

NEPALGUNJ, Jan. 4: Former speaker Damannath Dhungana has welcomed the emphasis given by His Majesty the King to talks for resolution of the Maoist problem in the Royal address made in Biratnagar on Friday.

Speaking at an interaction programme on "consensus campaign for peace" organised by the Institute for Parliamentary Studies and Development here today, former speaker Dhungana said His Majesty should now constitute an elected government and then go for dialogue through the government.
The extreme rate of violence, corruption and violation of the constitution is pushing the country deeper into unending violence, the national economy is becoming loan-oriented and development activities have been obstructed, Dhungana said adding that, both the government and the Maoists have to give serious thinking towards putting an end to the fighting.

"Extreme communism is impossible in today's world", Dhungana said and added that change is not possible through the ongoing violence carried out by the Maoists.

Ex-MP Hiranya Lal Shrestha expressed the view that fighting should be stopped in order to resolve the Maoist problem and pointed out the need for a dialogue between the King, parliamentarians, the Maoists and the civic society for maintaining lasting peace in the country.

Likewise, National Assembly members Bijul Biswakarma and Ganga Dutta Joshi pointed out the need to make democracy and human rights the main agenda for the talks.

CDO of Banke Dilliraj Joshi said strong public relations is essential at the people's level between Nepal and India in order to check the possible supply of arms and other goods from India as a result of the open border.

Local human rights activists, intellectuals, journalists, legal practitioners, university and school teachers took part in the interaction programme.

Road safety messages: business firms sponsor them

By Schuman Saurav

Silent area, don't blow horn!Cross the road carefully! Give preference to the pedestrians!Negligence may cost your life!No parking!All these are the public messages given by business institutions on behalf of the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Office (KVTO). The cooperation between the KVTO and the business houses is some sort of symbiotic relationship. For the traffic police, it helps to get its messages across to the people. For the business houses the logos and trademark that comes along with those signs and messages is advertisement in a different way. One may call it social service, but charity does not always come without motif.

Business houses have come out with a bang sponsoring traffic signs, managing traffic lane divider and even taking care of the gardens and flower beds on traffic islands. One can even see a Sipradi Trading signboard welcoming the visitors at the main gate of the KVTO office at Bagghikhana, near Singha Durbar. Within the premises of the traffice office there is a big hoarding board with of traffic signs donated by Gorakhkali Rubber Udhyog, and another one provided by Coca-Cola at the gate of the canteen.

The KVTO says it is a relation for the good of both. "With the limited budget we have it is impossible to put those message for the public," said a traffic police officer "Therefore, there is no other way than to invite the business houses."

Sub-Inspector Prem Joshi, who looks after administration of the KVTO, also agreed that the budget they have is not sufficient for the public awareness activities. But he did not forget to add that the sponsors have come voluntarily but not by force.

Says a high ranking traffic police officer, "Often it is the business houses who come with the proposals. We see that the logo does not cover more than one third of the board, and the board should not obstruct other signboards." When asked if those business houses seek any kind of favour, he said that there is no undue influences over the traffic office because of the sponsorships. "If they are found involved in any traffic violations rules will prevail, and they will not receive any preferential treatment.

Even if they invite the business houses to help in public awareness champagne, the KVTO does not have records of how many business houses are helping them. Most of the time the consent given to the business houses to put on the boards are verbal.

The traffic police can give permission to put boards and signs carrying traffic messages. But when it comes to lane separating work or building a traffic island it is metropolitian council which has to give permission. Business houses call it social service coupled with business. Jawlakhel Distillery, which is involved in making several traffic islands, lane separators and hoarding boards, believes that doing something for society is also a kind of advertisement but in a different way.

"Advertisement is just advertisement, but advertisement through social work is appreciated by all," said the Marketing Manager Ek Narayan Sharma. "Sometimes traffic police or the metropolitan office ask us to sponsor those messages and signboard, and sometimes we propose them," he said.
"This is the new style of advertising - advertising with music," says Marketing Manager Amar Jyoti Ranjit of Nepal Overseas Trading Concern, the dealer of Castrol lubricants.

"Castrol is spending 800,000 a year in sponsoring traffic symbols and traffic islands. They asked us to help and we did," he said. He recalled once the traffic police asked for 36 portable lane dividers but they gave only 10.

But the metropolitan office does not seem too happy with the 'cooperation' going on between the traffic office and the business houses. It even suspects that the business houses are eager to sponsor the traffic signs to avoid paying to the metropolis.

Accounts Officer Surya Tamrakar of the Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City said that by hanging hoarding boards in the name of the traffic police, they escape from paying charges to the metropolitan.
"We charge Rs. 50 per square feet for all personal signboards, but we do not any from those signboards which has traffic message on it," she said. "So the intention of the business houses looks dubious even if they are contributing some of their income for public interest."

Her skepticism may have some reality as some of the boards have the advertisements more prominent than the traffic signs. There are also signs hanging on the poles at New Road, which should have contained two parts - one for the traffic signs and the other for the advertisement - but many of those pieces have the traffic signs missing.

Five killed in ambush set by terrorists

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Jan. 4: Two armymen and three armed police personnel died when they were trapped in an ambush set by the terrorists at Gawar of Banke district on January 3, the Ministry of Defence said today.

The security forces were returning from defusing bombs placed to disrupt the Mahendra Highway traffic.

Several others, who were injured in the incident, have been brought to Kathmandu for treatment.
Meanwhile, according to our correspondent, about half a dozen armed terrorists vandalized and torched the office of the Panchkhal Village Development Committee on Friday evening. The terrorists who had barged into the office at about 6:30 P.M. had taken all the documents and furniture out of the building and set fire to them.

According to the locals, the terrorists have also warned the VDC office not to carry out their works.
The terrorists had fled after the security forces reached the site, and a massive hunt for the terrorists is being carried out.

UML meet continues

RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan. 4: At the CPN-UML central meeting here today, nine central members of the party presented their opinions and suggestions on the political and organisational report to be presented by general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal at its seventh national convention.

Those presenting their opinions and suggestions were K. P. Sharma Oli, Mahesh Mani Dixit, Vishnu Rimal, Yogendra Shah, Guru Baral, Ghanendra Busnet, Urba Dutta Pant, Kamal Koirala and Prem Bahadur Singh. The meeting will continue tomorrow.

Also today, the meeting denounced the abduction of Bhojpur district committee members Jayanti Rai and Surendra Udas last Thurdsay by a gang of Maoist terrorists from Chamdi, and Nanda Bahadur Kadayat of Achham district committee secretariat and demanded their immediate release.
Stating that the abduction of the party activists launching awareness campaign against the retrograde measures has raised a question as to against whom they were working for, it was stated at the meeting that this kind of irresponsible activities would only bolster the retrograde elements.