NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

PM To Visit India, Mukerjee New Indian Envoy

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is paying an official visit to India in the second week of May, BIMARSHA weekly reported on Friday, quoting sources. A formal announcement to this effect is expected within a few days, the report said. During his five-day long visit, Koirala will also visit South Indian states. Koirala's visit is taking place at a time when bilateral relations are said to have cooled off in the aftermath of the hijacking of IC 814 flight of Indian Airlines in December last year. Meanwhile, Foreign Ministry said on Friday that Deb Mukharji has been appointed Indian ambassador to Nepal. A career diplomat, Mukharji was Indian envoy at Dhaka. He will be replacing K. V. Rajan who has served for more than five years in Nepal. Compiled from reports.

Koirala To Contest For Congress Presidentship

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala is likely contest for the post of President of the ruling party in the party's upcoming general convention later this year. In an interview, Nepali Congress spokesman and a close aide of Koirala, Narahari Acharya, hinted that Koirala would not vie for unopposed election for the party's slot. "He is very much in favor of allowing the constitutional process to take its course," he said. Acharya's comments have come within two days of former Prime Minister K. P. Bhattarai's announcement to contest elections for the party's Presidentship. Bhattarai had said on Tuesday that his cooperation was crucial for this government as he commanded support of more than 40 MPs in the ruling legislative party. " I am always in favor of `one person: one post' principle," he said. Koirala now occupies both the posts of executive chief and ruling party chief. Bimarsha weekly reported on Friday.

Cabinet Ratifies Package For Reforms

On the eve of the Nepal Development Forum meeting scheduled to be held in Paris from Monday, the Council of Ministers has ratified the economic reforms package containing restructuring the country's economic and fiscal sector, decentralization, improvement in civil service, effectiveness of foreign aid and the role of civil service, among others. The package has been ratified with the objective of effecting radical changes in the state machinery and economic policy in view of the widespread slackness in socio-economic sector of Nepal. The ratified package will be presented at the Paris meeting, RSS news agency reported today. Leading dailies report April 16.

Koirala In Favor Of Mobilizing Army

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has reiterated that he is in favor of mobilizing Royal Nepalese army personnel to control growing violent Maoist activities in the country. Addressing a talk- program organized by the Elite Club in his hometown Biratnagar on Saturday, Koirala said nobody should fear of the government's decision to mobilize army by activating the National Security Council. "The Maoist rebels should give up their arms and return to their homes to take care of their families," said Koirala. "The government is committed not to allow them to unleash terror in the country any more," he said. Koirala said he would not run away looking at the heap of problems facing the country. "I have become Prime Minister with an objective to do something for the country and people," he said. Compiled from reports April 16.

Temba Chhiri Leaves For The Everest

14-year-old Temba Chhiri Sherpa left Kathmandu on Thursday to set a record by becoming youngest climber atop Mt. Sagarmatha — the highest peak in the world. A student of Grade 7 at a Kathmandu school, Sherpa plans to scale the peak on May 18, Lord Buddha's birthday. " I want to place a bronze idol of Lord Buddha at the peak and pray for peace in the world," Temba said, talking to reporters before flying to Lukla in the Everest region. Temba is trying to break a record set by another Nepali, Shambhu Tamang, who remains the youngest climber ever to Sagarmatha. Tamang had scaled the peak in 1973 at the age of 17. Leading dailies report.

Handicraft Exports On The Rise

The export of handicrafts is on the rise for the last few years. According to Handicraft Association of Nepal (HAN), Nepal exported handicrafts worth Rs 2.70 billion in the first four months of the current fiscal year. The trend is quite encouraging looking at the total exports worth Rs 1.29 billion in the last fiscal year. Earlier, nearly 80 percent of the handicrafts produced in Nepal were consumed within the country. Now, nearly 60 percent of total handicraft productions is exported. Kantipur daily April 14.

Sis Policemen And A Civilian Confirmed Dead

A total of seven people, including six policemen, travelling in a mini-truck have been confirmed dead when a landmine laid down by the suspected Maoist rebels went off at the border of Salyan and Surkhet districts on Wednesday afternoon. According to Chief District Officer of Surkhet, Dhruba Prasad Sharma, the police team was on its way to Birendranagar, the district headquarters, after delivering questions papers of SLC exams at a local high school. Six policemen and the driver of the bus were also injured in the incident. Leading dailies report April 14.

Kantipur Online Launched

Kantipur Publications Pvt. Ltd, the leading private media house in the country that publishes Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post dailies, has launched the Kantipur Online, an Internet Portal, from today. The new venture (HYPERLINK http://www.kantipuronline.com <www.kantipuronline.com>) aims to harness the power of the Internet to bring news, information, business links and directories directly to the people, the Publications said. Compiled from reports April 13.

Kokad Nepal Stops Its Production

Kodak Nepal (Pvt.) Ltd, a joint venture between Kodak US and Kodak India, has stopped its production after the government of India refused to allow its products preferential entry into her market. The factory, which had gone into production five months ago, has so far exported only three truckloads of photography paper to Singapore. The US President Bill Clinton had, during his recent visit, requested India to allow Kodak products into her market. The Indian government is, however, yet to decide in this matter. Kodak Nepal says that its products should get duty free access into Indian market as per 1996 trade treaty between Nepal and India. Indian officials maintain that the Kodak products are not liable to get such concessions Kantipur April 13.

Dispute In HRC Formation

One reason for the delay in the formation of Human Rights Commission (HRC) could be the political dispute in the appointment of its office-holders. The HRC Act provides for one chairman and four members. But thanks to the difficulties in identifying proper appointees, the Commission is yet to take shape even though nearly four years have passed since the parliament passed HRC Act. Successive governments had pledged to form the Commission but none kept its word. The recently ousted Bhattarai government had time and again promised to set up the commission but in vain. Samakalin April 13.

Para-Military Against Maoists

As the underground rebels have started beefing up their operations against the security forces, the government is mulling the formation of para military force to tackle the insurgency. A committee formed recently to recommend the ways t deal with the security situation had recommended for the formation of a separate armed police wing. If the committee's recommendations are implemented, separate organization of para military force will be heavily armed and sent to battle the insurgents. Deshanter April 16.

Why Weather Forecasts Are Not Dependable?

The only government organization that forecasts weather conditions of the country is losing its credibility thanks to the lack of modern scientific equipment. The Department of Metreology does not even has the Radio Sound system, an equipment that helps in making weather forecasts. The department is only able to make weather forecasts for two to three days. Even then many of its forecasts are not correct. The officials at the department claim the lack of resources and difficult geographical terrain of the country as being responsible for the faulty forecasts. Ghatana Ra Bichar April 12.