Tourism students compete in report writing

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Jan. 8: Writing a 35-page project report on tourism potentials and challenges of the Changu Narayan area, one of the most attractive World Heritage Sites in Bhaktapur, and presenting it in slides and pictures, Brookfield International College (BIC) won a purse of Rs. 5,000, trophy, medals and certificate of appreciation.

V. S. Niketan Higher Secondary School was second besting four other competitors. In their reports the BIC, V. S. Niketan, Kathmandu Don Bosco and Himalayan White College students explored the historical and environmental mien of the historical site in Bhaktapur which was included in the list of World Heritage Sites by the UNESCO in 1969.

Of the 16 colleges, which applied for participation, six colleges - host BIC, VS Niketan, Himalayan White House, Kathmandu Don Bosco, New Summit and Raktakali - were selected for the report writing competition, and were sent to observe and study the site last month. All these colleges have launched travel and tourism in their academic curricula. The BIC has been organising the contest since 2001 with a view to making the college level students, who take up hotel management and travel and tourism as major subjects, explore the potentials of historical sites for attracting tourists.

"As such academic programmes help develop the creative aspects of students, the College is committed to organise such events in the future also," said coordinator of the competition and principal of BIC Gopal Krishna Shrestha during the prize distribution ceremony. "It was a life time experience - going for field work, talking to people, collecting facts, and writing them in the form of a book and present it before a gathering including a panel of judges who are experts in the country's travel and tourism industry," said Tara Poudel, a participant from Himalayan White House College.

Executive director of Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management Meena Khanal distributed the prizes to the winning students and said that the students needed to be exposed to the realities of tourism industry.

Delegation meets PM

RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan 8: A nine member delegation of Budhi Kulo Users' Committee, Bardiya met Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand today at the latter's office at Singhdurbar and requested for the early construction of the kulo (canal).

The delegation demanded permission for the construction of the canal, as it passes through Bardia Wilf Life Reserve and necessary arrangement for the construction of the canal.Former MPs Saligram Chaudhari and Daman Dhwoj Chand were also in the delegation.

Film industry team

RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan. 8: A delegation from the National Film Coordination General Committee met Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand at his office today and drew his attention to current issues relating to national cinema.

The delegation voiced its disagreement in policy with the Ministry of Information and Communications advertising publicly for filling the post of chairperson of the Film Development Board and called for representation and participation of all national film workers in the board. Prime Minister Chand, on the occasion, said the government would give serious attention to the views of the delegation and pointed out that the criteria for selecting board chairperson was 10 years' contribution to Nepali cinema. This criteria was intended for co-opting someone from among the film workers themselves, he said.

The delegation led by the committee's coordinator Basundhara Bhusal also handed over Rs. 53,920 collected by the film artistes in aid of the fire victims of Myanglung. The amount has been deposited at the Home Ministry for that purpose, according to the Prime Minister's office.

Anti-graft campaigners back CIAA's moves

RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan. 8: The National Anti-Corruption Campaign Committee, Kathmandu organised a sit-in outside the premises of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) and the Special Court here today and raised slogans against corruption. According to the organisers, the sit-in was held with the objective of pressing for bold and effective legal action against the corrupt.

The participants of the protest programme chanted slogans such as 'Let's boycott the corrupt socially', 'Nationalise the property amassed illegally by the corrupt', 'The corrupt should be put behind bars', 'The commissioner unable to take action against the corrupt, resign', 'The corrupt colluding and helping in the release of the corrupt, resign' etc.

The protest committee also demanded the formation of a high-level powerful commission to investigate and try corruption cases, make details of the income and expenditure of political parties public, nationalise illegal property held in the name of persons in high level political posts and their families, inform the people about the accounts of expenditure of assistance granted by donor agencies and friendly countries and declare the corrupt financial terrorists.

Member of the anti-corruption campaign committee Mohan Niraula pointed out the need for investigating other corruption-related scandals and taking genuine action against the corrupt.
The committee has planned a week-long anti-corruption protest programme including organising of demonstrations and protest rallies.

'Fiscal ordinances must focus on sick industries'

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Jan. 8: The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI), reacting to the fiscal ordinances issued Monday, says the ordinances must see to the revival of sick industries. FNCCI says it is concerned about the issue relating to tax administration which, it says, the Economic Reform Programme-2059 has failed to address.

The Financial and Planning Division of the Communist Party of Nepal Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) has also shown its reservations for giving continuity to the Fiscal Ordinance issued during the time of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba.

Meanwhile, RSS adds that the CPN-UML, in a statement today, said as the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal-1990 has given the power to spend and allocate funds from the state exchequer only to the House of Representatives, the continuity given by the present government to the budget introduced by the previous government through ordinance is unconstitutional.

"This government used to talk big about programmes like the Economic Reform Programme-2059, relief to the people and implementation of the 10th Plan and the mid-term expenditure framework, but its position, ability and responsibility towards the country and people have become clear from the continuity it has given to the previous ordinance", says the statement.

The ordinance budget has made it clear that this government does not have the capacity to run and reform the economy and has also proved the necessity of an all-party government and speedy reforms for resolution of the grave problems facing the country, it added.

High level team visits Jumla

RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan. 8: Vice-chairman of the National Planning Commission Shanker Prasad Sharma, Chief Secretary Bimal Prasad Koirala and other HMG secretaries made an on-site inspection visit to Jumla today.

On the occasion, Vice-chairman Sharma directed the Jumla reconstruction committee to immediately reconstruct the physical infrastructure and establish social services.

The CDO of Jumla and members of the reconstruction committee were present on the occasion.
Physical infrastructure at Jumla district headquarters had suffered huge damage in the attack by Maoists on November 14.

Prisoners freed

RSS

KATHMANDU, Jan. 9: On the occasion of the auspicious Annaprasan of His Royal Highness Nawayuvaraj Hridayendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev, 43 inmates of various jails in the Kingdom were today amnestied the remainder of their prison terms and set free, in accordance with the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal l990, it is stated by the Department of Prison Management.

Nine accused of terror acts released

By Our Correspondent

SIRAHA, Jan. 8: Nine persons, including a journalist, who were detained on charges of being involved in Maoist activities, were released on Tuesday. According to Chief District Officer Bhola Prasad Siwakoti, the nine accused were directly or indirectly involved in Maoist activities in the past. "They were released after they surrendered to the district administration and pledged never to involve in any terrorist activities and comply with the prevailing laws and order of the country," CDO Siwakoti said.

Dev Kumar Yadav, one of the nine released, was the Siraha correspondent of the Janadesh vernacular weekly. Yadav was also elected as convention delegate of the Nepal Journalists' Federation from Siraha branch. Yadav was deprived of his journalist allowance while in jail for being a Maoist. Others released were Dhyani Mahato and Kuleshwar Mahato of Anima, Raghunath Mahato of Dhangadhi VDC, Israfil Sarjug Gaderi and Sivaji Gaderi of Sirlowa Pachhawari VDC, Jogendra Yadav of Gauripur and Jogendra Raj Dhobi of Pokharminda VDCs.

Meanwhile, the Human Rights Organisation of Nepal (HURON) has expressed concern over the kidnapping by the Maoists of Jayanti Rai, central committee member of Nepal Women's Organisation and former deputy president of Bhojpur VDC; Surendra Udas of UML's Bhaktapur district committee, and Nanda Bahadur Kathayat from Achham district. HURON said that it was against international norms to kidnap anybody on the basis of their political belief and professions, and has demanded for immediate and safe release.