NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

Danish Govt. Stops Aid To NTC

The government of Denmark has decided to stop its aid to the state-owne Nepal Telecommunications Corporation (NTC) as the latter is going to be privatized soon. Charge d' affaires at the Danish embassy, Lars Hormann said on Thursday that the decision has been taken as per the decision of the Danish government not to assist a privatized entity. The Danish government had provided assistance worth US$ 55 million to install and operate latest technology at the NTC since 1986. Regional manager at the NTC, S. R. Kansakar said the NTC had procured latest and most sophisticated technology available in the world with Danish assistance. "Now we will be forced to acquire the cheapest technology for NTC as per the Financial Regulations," he said. Kantipur July 7

20-Year Master Plan For Kathmandu Valley

The Nepal government is going to formulate a 20-year master plan for the integrated and long-term development of Kathmandu valley, officials said. Addressing a seminar organized here by the Kathmandu Valley Development Committee on Thursday, participants suggested that a body vested with necessary power be set up for the development of Kathmandu valley. The conceptual plan prepared on the basis of the mapping in 1997 and aerial photographs taken in 1998 has covered the measures to be taken with regards to the likely population growth, the demand for employment opportunities and physical infrastructure, officials said. RSS news agency reports July 7.

Indian Petroleum Policy To Affect Nepal

The Indian government's recent decision to remove administered pricing mechanism in the sales of petroleum products beginning April this year has affected Nepal, officials said. Acting managing director at the state-owned Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) Madan Raj Sharma said the Corporation has reached into an agreement for import of petroleum products from Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) for a period of one year only, instead of the previous practice of entering into agreements for five years, looking at the new developments. "As the situation in the petroleum sector in India would be different after 2002, we need sometime to foresee its probable implications in Nepal," he said. NOC imports diesel and kerosene from abroad and exchanges the excess of it for aviation fuel, petrol and other petroleum products with IOC. Sharma said NOC is considering to import crude oil from 2002, which it might sell or exchange for purified products from IOC. Kantipur July 7.

Maoists Hold Local Elections In Their Strongholds

The Maoist rebels have been conducting local elections in their strongholds, reports said. Maoists are implementing their plans to hold local level elections in all 340 VDCs in 11 districts. Elections have already taken place in 60 VDCs, sources close to the Maoist party said. Interestingly, some political workers said to be close to Nepali Congress, UML and other political parties have also been elected at the local level whereas majority of the seats have been captured by the Maoist activists themselves. The rebels have claimed that nearly 80 percent of the eligible voters in those areas have participated in such elections. Aparanha daily July 5.

Dr. Lohani Sworn In, Rival Goes To Apex Court

After being declared the winner of the last year's general election from Nuwakot 1 constituency by the Special Election Court, Dr. Prakash Chandra Lohani of Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) was sworn in on Wednesday as the MP by the Speaker of the House of Representatives Tara Nath Rana Bhat. Dr. Lohani, who has regularly represented the constituency in all the post-democratic elections, was declared winner by a single vote on a recount by the Special Election Court ousting the UML MP Rajendra Prakash Lohani. With the overturn of the result, the RPP now has 12 members in the Lower House while UML is left with 68. In another development, Rajendra Prakash Lohani, on Wednesday, filed a petition at the Supreme Court re-appealing against the decision reached by the Special Election Court. The UML had tried to stop the swearing-in ceremony requesting it be held only after the case was decided by the apex court. But the Speaker decided otherwise saying it was UML's right move to the court while it was his duty to comply with the verdict. Leading dailies report July 6.

Hotel Radisson To Float Its Shares

The Radisson Hotel has decided to float its 1.25 million shares worth Rs 125 million for the general public starting July 12. According to B.K. Shrestha, Managing Director of the Oriental Hotels Ltd which has the ownership of the Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu , the amount of shares to be floated will be equivalent to the 25 percent of the total investments. The Radisson Hotels and Resorts now has a chain of more than 400 hotels in 53 countries with another 55 in various stages of development. The Radisson Hotel, Kathmandu was opened eighteen months ago. According to Shrestha, the hotel had the occupancy rate of sixty percent at present and was striving to emerge as a leading hotel among those in the same category. "Any hotel with 30 percent of occupancy rate will be at break even and as we already have 60 percent occupancy, we are doing reasonably fine," said Ian Barrow, the General Manager of the Hotel. Leading dailies report July 6.

NSP Protests The Nepal-India Accord

The terai-based Nepal Sadbhavana Party (NSP) has protested the recent agreement between the Nepali and Indian officials to make it mandatory for people of both the countries to show certain identification while traveling by air from one country to another. In a statement issued here on Saturday, the party said at a time when nearly four million 'madhesis' (people of terai origin) do not have either citizenship certificate or an I-D card issued by the Election Commission, the provision could add hassles to them to fly to India. "The open border between Nepal and India is not the only thing that has created problem," said the Party. "The problem has been created due to unethical and irresponsible actions of the administration." During their meeting in the Nepali capital last week, Home Secretaries of Nepal and India had agreed to introduce the provision of 'travel documents' for air travelers of the two countries beginning from October 1, this year. Himalaya Times July 9.

Petition Against Corruption At UCF

Padam Prasad Dangi, a local resident of Triyuga municipality in eastern district of Uadaypur, has filed a petition to the Commission for Investigation on Abuse of Authority (CIAA) through Chief District Officer of Uadyapur alleging seven senior officials at the state-owned Udaypur Cement Factory (UCF) of indulging in corruption. Dangi has alleged, the officials at the factory including deputy general manager K. K. Neupane made massive irregularities while procuring equipment for the factory. Dangi alleged that the officials procured 'chain blocks' for the factory at the rate of Rs 5,4500 per tonne from the supplier, Rajbiraj-based B. N. Traders, as against its market rate of Rs 4500 per tonne. When asked about the deal, general manager at the UCF Tej Kant Jha said nobody should take interest in the internal affairs of the factory. "Such things do take place in a huge factory like UCF and these won't have any adverse impact upon us," he said. Gorkhapatra July 9.

Trekking Agents Protest The NMA Decision

The Trekking Agents Association of Nepal (TAAN) has protested the decision of the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) to hike fees for climbing mountains in Nepal from January 2001. "The decision will encourage illegal climbing of peaks and discourage genuine trekkers," the Association said, in a press statement. TAAN's protest followed NMA's decision to hike fees for climbing 18 peaks in two categories. Trekking groups are allowed to climb the peaks after receiving permission from the NMA. Royalty for four peaks has been hiked to $ 350 for four climbers with an additional charge of $125 for every additional climber. Climbers will be charged $300 for four persons with an additional $100 for every additional person for 14 peaks in the second group. Previous charges were $ 300 and $ 150. NMA runs different activities from the fund collected from royalty. Kantipur July 8.