NATIONAL10 [RELIGION (Spotlight Weelky)]

Safety First

Women pilots from around the world call for greater aviation safety

By A CORRESPONDENT

As Nepal grapples with serious aviation safety issues triggered by a series of bird hits at Tribhuvan International Airport, women pilots from different parts of the world descended on the country last week to discuss global air safety issues.

Inaugurated by former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, a three-day World Aviation Education and Safety Congress adopted resolutions urging the authorities to take steps to improve air safety.

The congress deliberated on aviation education and air safety, future of the aircraft industry, development of air transportation and communication network, security of international airports, survey of future CNS\ATM and GPS.

Sponsored by the International Women Pilots' Association (the Ninety-Nines, USA) and organized by Indian Women Pilots Association, Nepalese delegates joined participants from Australia, Thailand, Egypt, France, Germany, Britain, Japan, Korea, the United States and India.

"At a time when the present dynamic of aviation has become entirely different from the last decade, more and more discussions are required," said Chanda Budhabhatti, chairperson of the World Aviation Education and Safety Congress.

The congress provided a useful opportunity for the growing number of women pilots in Nepal to share experiences with their foreign counterparts.

The timing of the congress was particularly significant. The rise in the number of private airlines in Nepal has encouraged a growing number of Nepalese women to become pilots, a trend that was noted at the gathering.

"We are very proud to see that a fairly large number of women are flying aircraft in Nepal," said Budhabhatti.

WWF CONFERENCE

Exposure To Nepal

As the international media portrays Nepal as a model of urban and environmental mismanagement, the World Wildlife Fund for Nature Conservation (WWF) hopes to uncover the country's many hidden success stories in conservation.

The WWF is preparing to hold its annual conference in Nepal with a variety of programs.

The conference will begin on November 13 with a global call for nature conservation. Officials will start one more wildlife translocation program in Nepal.

Nepal is the first country which has successfully translocated rhinos. In the 1980s, several rhinos were transferred from Royal Chitwan National Park to Royal Bardia National Park.

The results have been successful. In the 1970s, there were fewer than 150 one-horned rhinos and experts believed the species was on the verge of extinction. Today that number stands at more than 550.

"Four rhinos will be translocated to Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve in Kanchanpur and six rhinos to Royal Bardia National Park," said Dr. Chandra Gurung, country representative of WWF-Nepal.

If the translocation in Shukla Phanta Wildlife Reserve succeeds, Nepal will be the first country to have provided an alternative habitat for rhinos.

An important feature of the conference will be the participation of more than 60 religious leaders representing Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Jews, Sikhs, Taos, Bahais, Shintos, and Zoroastrians.

More than 600 people from 60 countries are scheduled to participate in the conference. "Nepal's continuous commitment to nature conservation is the reason behind the selection of the country as the conference venue," said Dr. Gurung.

According to Dr. Gurung, nearly a dozen elephants and several wildlife experts will be mobilized in the translocation program organized by WWF. BBC and CNN plan to telecast the inaugural ceremony.