NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

Bhaktapur To Increase Tourist Entry Fee

Bhaktapur Municipality has decided to raise the entry fee for tourists visiting the medieval town by 100 percent with effect from January 1, 2001. The Municipality, led by communist Nepal Workers and Peasants Party, has fixed the fee at US$ 10 for tourists of non-SAARC countries and at Rs. 50 for those from SAARC nations. Local travel trade operators and businessmen have criticized the municipality's decision saying that the move would prevent tourists from spending more on their purchase while visiting this town. Mayor of Bhaktapur, Prem Suwal, said the earnings from the entry fee would be mobilized to provide additional services to the tourists. Bhaktapur Municipality has collected over Rs. 174 million over the last seven years as entry fee from tourists.

Compiled from reports Dec. 28.

Three Policemen Killed

Three policemen, including a police sub-inspector, were killed in an ambush laid down by suspected Maoist rebels in a remote village in the western district of Tanahu last week, reports said. The rebels are believed to have laid down the ambush to prevent a 20-member police team from rescuing a school teacher, Basanta Giri, at Ramjakot VDC. The rebels had attacked and broken hands and legs of Giri for allegedly spying of Maoist activities on behalf of the Police.

Compiled from reports Dec. 27.

PAC Asks Govt To Take Action

Nemwang

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the House of Representatives has asked the government to take stern action against those involved in the controversial Lauda Air deal. After reviewing the case for the past several weeks regarding alleged irregularities while leasing a jet liner from Lauda Air, an Austrian airlines, by the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (RNAC), the Committee issued directives to the government Monday. "There have been clear irregularities in the deal," said chairman of the Committee, Subash Newang. The PAC had summoned Prime Minister, Civil Aviation Minister and senior RNAC officials to clarify their positions on the deal. The state-owned airlines has leased the plane for a period of 18 months without calling global tender.

Compiled from reports Dec. 27.

Nepal To Raise Voice For Debt Relief

Ligal

Nepal is going to raise voice for the implementation of the debt relief schemes during the third international conference on the Least Developed Countries due to be held in Brussels in May next year, a senior government official said. Vice Chairman at the National Planning Commission Prithvi Raj Ligal said Tuesday that it was a matter of injustice for countries like Nepal that were paying their debts regularly not to be included in the debt relief scheme. Addressing a workshop organized by the National Preparatory Committee for the international conference, Ligal said the money that goes into paying debts could be invested in social sectors.

Compiled from reports Dec. 27.

Entrepreneurs Demand Long-Term Strategy

Carpet entrepreneurs have asked the government to formulate long-term strategy, a separate labor law, flexible duty structures and adequate infrastructure to promote carpet industry in a competitive environment. Addressing the 11th annual general meeting of the Carpet Industries Association of Nepal (CIAA) here Tuesday, Prime Minister G. P. Koirala said the government would do everything to provide stability and security in the country. Carpet industry is one of the top foreign exchange earners in the country.

RSS reports Dec. 27.

Govt. Constitutes Special Tribunal

The government has set up a special tribunal with judge at the Appellate Court, Rajbiraj Mohan Prakash Sitaula as its chairman and judge at the Appellate Court Ilam Gyanendra B. Karki and judge of the Appellate Court Pokhara Jagannath Pathak as its members, RSS news agency reported Tuesday. According to a notification published in Nepal Gazette Monday by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, the special tribunal has been vested with the authority to undertake hearings and give judgement on the court cases related to Foreign Exchange (Regulations) Act 2019 B. S., Human Trafficking (Prevention) Act 2033 B. S. and Offense against State and Punishment Act 2043 B. S. The tribunal will have its headquarters in its Kathmandu and is authorized to set up its benches anywhere in the country.

Compiled from reports Dec. 27.

FNCCI Asks Govt. On Duty Drawback

FNCCI building

The Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has recommended the government ways and means to quickly settle the refundable amounts to business houses. In a memorandum submitted to the government last week, the apex private sector body has also alleged that the One Window Committee formed by the government to provide facilities to exporters under the same roof has turned out to be grossly inefficient. The Federation has asked the government to streamline the duty drawback system, which the government has been practicing for the last several years. The government is expected to owe nearly Rs one billion as duty drawback to exporters in the country by the end of this fiscal year whereas it has allocated only Rs 200 million in this year's budget. According to the Industrial Enterprises Act, exporters get the duties paid on the imports of raw materials back after producing documents verifying that they have earned foreign currency from the exports using the same raw materials.

Leading dailies report Dec. 26.

NSU Convention Postponed

Amid power struggle within the ruling Nepali Congress party, the national convention of the Nepal Students' Union (NSU), student wing of the NC, has been postponed for one month. The convention was slated to kick off at Chitwan from Sunday. President of the NSU, Govinda Bhattarai, said in a statement that the convention was postponed as per the instructions of Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala. The convention has been rescheduled for January 26-29, next year in Narayangarh.

Compiled from reports Dec. 31.

Indian Tourists Standed At The Border

A large number of Indian tourists heading toward Nepal to spend the New Year holidays have been stranded at various points along Nepal-India border due to reports of violence in Nepali cities. Over 1,500 Indian nationals, including State Minister for Urban Affairs at the Punjab State Government, Ranjit Singh, have been camping at Gorakhpur Railway station, 95-km south of the Nepali border town of Sunauli, reports said. "We are hesitating to enter Nepal as Indian newspapers reported that people of Indian origin are unsafe there," Singh told a reporter working for a Nepali daily in Gorakhpur. Reports said hundreds of other Indian tourists cut short their trip to Nepal and returned homes amid reports of misbehavior against Indian nationals. Indian tourists comprise nearly one-third of total tourist arrivals to Nepal. Nepali authorities have, however, said they will provide adequate security to Indian nationals residing and visiting Nepal.

Compiled from reports Dec. 30.