BRIEFS (Spotlight Weekly)

Nepalese celebrated "Nagpanchami" (serpent festival) pasting posters of snake at door.

THE LOWER HOUSE OF THE Indian parliament that opened for a month-long monsoon session last Monday was adjourned after paying tribute to the deceased King of Nepal, Birendra Bir Bikram Shah. According to AFP news agency, the tribute was expected as neighboring Nepal and India enjoy friendly relations.

THERE IS ACUTE SHORTAGE OF nurses in Nepal with one nurse serving nearly 4,000 people in the country, experts said. This is very low in comparison to the World Health Organization’s standard of at least one nurse for 500 people in developing countries and one nurse for 1,000 people in developed countries. At present, there are only 6,000 nurses serving at different medical institutions all over the country. Experts said Nepal still needs 20,000 more nurses to meet the WHO standard.

AFTER GETTING APPROVAL FROM the Electricity Tariff Fixation Commission, the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has announced hike in power tariff by up to 18 percent beginning mid-August, this year. As per the new tariff structure, the price for up to 20 units of electricity consumption has been increased by 2.56 percent. Those consuming over 250 units per month will have to now pay at the rate of Rs 9.90 per unit instead of Rs 9.25 per unit earlier. The NEA said the tariff hike had been effected to meet the growing demand for electricity in the country, expanding rural electrification, making power supplies reliable and strengthening the electricity production, transmission and distribution mechanisms. Meanwhile, the main opposition, UML, has demanded that the government immediately withdraw its decision.

THE FEDERATION OF NEPALESE Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has protested against the hike in power tariff, which is scheduled to come into effect from August 17, saying it would worsen the situation of the country’s industries and businesses which are already in grave crisis. In a statement issued Thursday, the apex private-sector chamber said the price hike would lead to further deterioration in the competitive edge of the nation’s industries and businesses. The rapid increment of up to 80 percent in electricity demand tariff paid by industries and businesses can in no way be considered appropriate based on any standards. Nepal Chamber of Commerce, another business organization, has also demanded immediate withdrawal of the proposed power tariff hike.

THE NEPAL STOCK EXCHANGE (NEPSE) index fell by 9.63 points as the transactions at the country’s only stock market closed last week. According to NEPSE, 40,947 units of share were traded for the total amount of Rs 21.2 million. The decline in the overall NEPSE index has largely resulted from the substantial slump in the prices of the shares of leading banks, analysts said. In the first week after the budget, the NEPSE index had seen a whopping 25.49 points rise but continues downward slide since then.

NEPAL HAS BECOME SELF-RELIANT in the production of chicken and eggs, experts said. The annual production of chicken in Nepal is nearly 35,000 metric tons. According to Nepal Poultry Farmers Association, more than Rs 25 billion has been invested in poultry business in 42 out of 75 districts in the country. About 55,000 families depend on poultry farming as their main source of income, studies said.

THE SUPREME COURT HAS issued a mandamus to the government not to provide citizenship against provisions of the constitution and the law through the formulation of working guidelines. In a ruling delivered on Monday, a joint bench of the justices comprising Laxman Prasad Aryal, Govinda Bahadur Shrestha and Kedar Prasad Giri ruled that the authority to provide naturalized citizenship is vested in His Majesty’s Government and the authority delegated to the Home Ministry and the citizenship distribution team is to be scrapped. "Though the apex court has given many rulings in this regard, the citizenship has been provided in contravention of the provisions of the laws," the court said. The court verdict came in response to a writ petition filed by advocate Bal Krishna Neupane more than four years ago.

ONE PERSON HAS DIED and up to 20 people are reported missing after floods and landslide hit the western hilly district of Myagdi, authorities said Sunday. According to a local District Development Committee official, at least 13 persons were missing and presumed dead in Armani VDC alone due to landslide caused by heavy downpour Saturday night. A rescue team, comprising policemen, had not been able to reach the area till late Sunday as the flood in a local river had swept away a bridge along their way, reports said.