His Majesty felicitates Hu Jintao

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KATHMANDU, Mar. 15: His Majesty the King has extended sincere congratulations and best wishes to Hu Jintao on his election to the high office of the President of the Peoples Republic of China. His Majesty the King, on behalf of the government and people of Nepal as well as on his own, has wished him success in his new responsibilities and expressed confidence that the close and friendly relations so happily subsisting between the two countries will be further strengthened during his tenure of office.

His Majesty the King, in the message, has extended his best wishes for the personal health and happiness of Hu Jintao as well as for peace , progress and prosperity of the Peoples Republic of China.

Pay attention to consumers' rights, traders told

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LALITPUR, Mar. l5: Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Mahesh Lal Pradhan has said that as all the people in the country are also consumers, everyone should exercise sensitivity towards keeping them informed about their consumer.

Khapangi inspects monastery

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BIRTAMOD, Mar. 15: Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Gore Bahadur Khapangi has said that it is the main responsibility of the political personalities today to consolidate the democratic system and hand it over to the posterity.

At programme after inspecting the Buddha Monastery at Charali of Jhapa here yesterday, Minister Khapangi said that peace would prevail in the world if the every one adopt the messages propagated by Lord Buddha two thousand and five hundred years ago.

He said that the democratic system itself was not bad but as the character of those practising politics in the system was bad, it faced crisis. Man Bahadur Gurung presided over the programme.

Japanese envoy opens community study centres

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KATHMANDU, Mar. 15: The Khokana Community Study Centre and Bungmati Community Centre constructed with the cooperation of UNESCO Kathmandu was inaugurated here yesterday by Japanese ambassador Zenji Kaminaga. On the occasion, ambassador Kaminaga acquired information on the activities of the community study centres and said that it is by conducting the community activities that Japan devastated by the second World War stands as a developed country.

The two community study centres have been conducting programmes in skill development, education, culture, woodcraft, income generation and computer literacy for women.

Govt committed to maintain peace: PM

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DHANGADHI, Mar. l5: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has said that the government will take its stand bearing in mind the situation after the talks process with the Maoists gets under way formally.

The Prime Minister, who was responding to questions raised by journalists at a press conference here today, said the government will advance in accordance with whatever is raised during the talks. Pointing out that the government is committed to maintaining peace in the country, he said peace is the agenda of the government in its talks with the Maoists. He also asked whether it was right to boycott a meeting called by the government at a time when an atmosphere for peace had come about in the country.

Remarking that he was opposed to the tendency of looking upon things as being constitutional if one is in and as unconstitutional if one is out, he said, " instead of speaking about what is constitutional or unconstitutional they should call for Lokendra's resignation".

The Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Bus Operators Committee, the Construction Entrepreneurs Association, Far Western Literature Society, Tikapur Development Committee, the Public Service Monitoring Committee, office bearers of the Preparatory Committee for felicitating His Majesty the King and RPP workers met with the Prime Minister today.

Inauguration: Also in Dhangadhi, Prime Minister Chand inaugurated the bus terminal (park) of Dinesh Travels Pvt Ltd newly constructed at Dhangadhi Municipality ward No 2, at a function today. The bus park, the first in the private sector in the Far Western Region, was constructed at a total cost of Rs 3.5 million, apart from the cost of land.

Peace uppermost national agenda: Pun

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KATHMANDU, Mar. l5: Minister for Physical Planning and Works Narayan Singh Pun has said that since peace is the need of the country at present, the indigenous and ethnic communities should also strive to usher in long term peace.

Speaking at a function organised here today on the occasion of the third district convention of the Kirat Yakthung Chumlung, Kathmandu, Minister Pun said as Nepal is a meeting point between Aryan and Mongolian, the indigenous and ethnic communities should strive to uplift their own communities not by hurling abuse at other communities but through joint effort.

Minister Pun, who is also convenor from the government side in the talks with the Maoists, said conflict management is extremely difficult work that takes a long time, adding that it requires seeking out the underlying cause. He said 5l per cent of the issues to be taken up in the government-Maoists talks should concern women and 35 per cent, the indigenous and ethnic communities. Remarking that 50 per cent of the people in Nepal have to go to bed hungry and people die for lack of medical treatment, he said what the country needs today is a leader who can find a way out of all these problems.

Former minister Subash Chandra Nemwang, Royal Nepal Academy member Bairagi Kainla and others also spoke at the function chaired by Kirat Yakthung Chumlung district committee chairman Bijaya Sambahamphe. On the occasion, Minister Pun felicitated various individuals from the Limbu community who have made a distinguished contribution to society.

He also launched 'Kathmandu Chumlung' a souvenir published by the Kirat Yakthung Chumlung.

Awareness essential to check adulterated goods

By A Staff Reporter

KATHMANDU, Mar 15: In a country like Nepal where there are no adequate legislation and effective regulatory mechanism to monitor the quality of consumable products, the consumers should themselves be aware of adulterated products.

The government or regulatory bodies alone cannot check adulteration, said experts. Speaking at a programme on " Corporate Control of the Food Chain- The GM Link " organised by the South Asia Watch on Trade Economics and Environment (SAWTEE) they stressed the need to develop a controlling mechanism to curb the sales and manufacturing of such products.

Historical Tekan Baha Chaitya still in shadow

By Indra Adhikari

KATHMANDU, Mar. 15: In a city that once boasted 'as many temples as there were houses' it is not surprising for a shrine like chaitya, no matter how significant, to get lost in the maze of buildings and shops.

A chaitya, Bodhiprasthana Vihara, at Kamalachhi, just a few yards away from the historic Rani Pokhari, but hardly anyone is aware of its existence. Even the families who live next door do not seem to know of its significance. The chaitya is in Tekan Baha of Ko Naye Tole in Kamalachhi. The people living around the place do not even know that the place was originally called Tekan Baha. Kathmandu Valley Vol. I, a book by Carl Pruscha, a UN Heritage Specialist, says that the chaitya is made out of a single black stone. The black stone is different from that of Budhanilkantha and other religious statues making it unique among other chaityas found in other places of the Kathmandu Valley.

Professor Dr. Gyanendra Tuladhar, a tourism promotion consultant at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) says it is the only chaitya in the world made out of a single stone. He believes the chaitya dates back to the time of King Pratap Malla in the 17th century. The chaitya is small; just about 6 feet tall with a square base measuring 4 by 4 feet. Adorning the top of the chaitya is a gajur. There are six-storied concrete buildings on its three sides and an old house that houses the shrine of the patron deity, on the western side. The chaitya lies in a small courtyard measuring about 10 feet by 10 feet.

Dr. Tuladhar found the chaitya during his heritage walk around the old city of Kantipur about three months ago. He has devised heritage tours that pass through various such sites of the old city.
"The style of the chaitya's construction reveals that it is a Malla period edifice," says Sukra Sagar Shrestha, chief archaeology officer at the Department of Archaeology. John K. Locke in his book Buddhist Monasteries writes, the Chaitya was probably constructed in 1651 AD, but gives no basis for the date. The chaitya bears no inscription, today. The Department of Archaeology does not have record of when or who built the chaitya.

The doorway of the shrine is surmounted by wooden toranas (tympanium) with carved images of various deities. "The toranas over the carved doorways depict Dharma Chakra Manjushri," writes Carl. Toranas are wooden beams overhead the doorway of shrine with carved images of gods and goddess.
The chaitya has finely carved windows on the first storey while the second storey has a carved hanging balcony with the replica of living quarters. The gajur lies on the pinnacle of the chaitya. The four sides of the chaitya have carved dharmapalas (associate gods) in their aashanas (postures). The entire complex comprising the chaitya is in ruins. With the construction of new concrete buildings, these carvings and the toranas have been badly affected.

The shrine used to house the statue of Amoghapasa Lokeswara, one of the 108 Buddhas, but it has disappeared.  Until 1965, there were statues of gods and edifices, but they have disappeared in the last four decades," said Dr. Tuladhar.

Rosha Koirala dies at 72

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KATHMANDU, Mar. l5: Mrs Rosha Koirala, freedom fighter in Nepal's democratic movement and wife of the late and noted writer Tarani Prasad Koirala, died at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital at 3.45 am today. She was 72. The late Mrs Koirala had also made an active contribution to the labour movement of 2003 Bikram year.

She made an active contribution in the revolution of l950/5l as a member of the group providing treatment and care to those wounded in the fighting. Her contribution to the democratic movement in 20l7 Bikram year and thereafter was also significant.

Mrs Koirala was sister-in-law of NC president Girija Prasad Koirala and the late BP Koirala. She was cremated at Pashupati Aryaghat later today. Party president Koirala offered tribute by placing the party flag on her mortal remains.

Pandey urges parties to support peace process

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POKHARA, Mar. l5: Minister for Information and Communications and spokesman of His Majesty's Government Ramesh Nath Pandey has said that at a time when the government is striving to turn the cease-fire with the Maoists into permanent peace, the main political parties should give up their obstinacy and help to establish permanent peace.

Addressing the concluding function of the Western Regional Trade Fair-2003 here today, Minister Pandey said at a time when sturdy efforts are being made to end the situation of strife and jeopardy for the country and to usher in permanent peace, it is unfortunate that the main political parties are on a path of confrontation over unconstitutional or non-issues like restoration of the dissolved Parliament or forming of an all party government.

To call for the restoration of a House of Representatives dissolved on the recommendation of a prime minister with a majority in the house , a move which the entire Supreme Court endorsed, is not to heed the Constitution or respect the legal supremacy of the Supreme Court, he said.
Alluding to the threat to resort to a movement if an all party government is not formed under Article l27, he asked when such a government formed under Article l27 is to be considered constitutional how can the current government formed under the same article as per the need of the country not be constitutional.

Asking what is wrong with a government that has brought peace, stability and good governance to the country after seven years of strife and destruction, he said the political leaders should not delay in realising that we are not prepared to return to the l2 years of ill governance, corruption and political aberration.

Remarking that His Majesty the King wishes the good of the people under multiparty democracy and the progress of the country and holds regular consultations with the political leaders giving due importance to the parties, he referred to His Majesty's confidence in multiparty democracy and his view that isolating the political parties will not be in the interest of democracy. He also spoke of the danger that may be posed to a small country like Nepal in the present fraught situation in the world.

In such difficult circumstances national unity and understanding are more in need, that is why a system of governance committed to the country and the people should be established in keeping with the glorious tradition of looking to the Monarchy as the point of unity and by refining the multiparty democratic exercise.

On the occasion, Mr Pandey gave away prizes and certificates to companies participating in the fair which were considered outstanding and to those taking part in various other competitive activities and folk songs.

DPM highlights civil society's role for peace

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KATHMANDU, Mar. 15: Deputy Prime Minister Badri Prasad Mandal has pointed out the need for the civil society to be aware of some political parties and persons seeking to disrupt the peace talks to be held between the government and the CPN-Maoists to transform the cease-fire into durable peace.

Deputy Prime Minister Mandal was releasing a book on collection of poems entitled "Anshu Chhachalkida" composed by Meena Suvedi at a programme organised by World Hindu Federation Hindu Women Awareness Nepal National Women Committee here yesterday. He further said that as peace had been felt after the cease-fire,