NEWS NOTES (Spotlight Weelky)

Princess Prekshya Dies In Chopper Crash

Late Princess Preyksha

Less than six months after her husband, Dhirendra Shah, died from injuries sustained during the June 1 shoot-out in the royal palace, Princess Prekshya died on Monday in a helicopter crash in Rara lake in Mugu district. She was traveling in a Fishtail Air chopper along with five other people. Palace official Dan Bahadur Shahi, Iswor Basnet, an acquaintance, and the pilot, Rabin Kadaria, are missing and presumed dead. The remaining two, Lt.-Col. Dr. Rishi Khatri and Sharada Singh Suwal, the personal physician and personal attendant of the princess respectively, were injured and flown to Kathmandu for treatment. The police, army and local officials have launched an intensive search operation. According to initial reports, the royal party chartered the helicopter early on Monday in Nepalgunj for what appeared to be a sight-seeing tour of Rara lake and surrounding areas. It first flew to Shey Phoksundo lake in Dolpa district and then went to Rara lake. From there, it took off at 11:25 am for Surkhet, but immediately crashed into the lake. An eyewitness told reporters that the helicopter had taken off from the nearby army helipad and crashed two minutes later, after one of its propellers hit the water. Princess Prekshya is survived by three daughters. The late princess had been in Nepalgunj for a few days with her two daughters. She had gone there to settle a dispute in the Laxmi Rosin and Turpentine Industry, which she owned. Leading dailies report Nov. 13.

Ganga, Jamuna Arrive In Kathmandu

Ganga and Jamuna, the Nepalese Siamese twins who underwent the world's first successful separation surgery at a Singapore hospital last year, arrived in Kathmandu Sunday morning. Family members and close relatives, amid a crowd of reporters and photojournalists, welcomed the twins at the Tribhuvan International Airport. The twins returned home after doctors in Singapore said they were medically stable. Accompanied by their mother, grandparents and a doctor, Ganga and Jamuna were rushed to their temporary residence in the Nepalese capital after their arrival aboard a Singapore Airlines plane. The twins' father, Bhusan K. C., said he was elated to receive his daughters back in good condition. Dr. Basanta Panta, chief of the Department of Neurosurgery at the Kathmandu Model Hospital, who accompanied the twins from Singapore, said the children did not have any major complications. They would mainly be provided with rehabilitation services, he added. Dr. Panta said no special medical care was required for them. Born at the Maternity Hospital in Kathmandu 18 months ago, the twins were taken to Singapore in October last year where surgeons separated the babies conjoined at the head. In a nearly 100-hour-long operation in April, surgeons at the Singapore General hospital detached the two babies, creating medical history. The babies were then discharged to the Intensive Care Unit in the same hospital for postoperative management. Dr. Panta said a medical team would supervise the health of the twins regularly in Kathmandu and would keep in touch with the doctors in Singapore. Doctors said the children would need to go back to Singapore within six months to one year in order to reshape their skulls. Leading dailies report Nov. 19.

US May Provide 10 Helicopters

RBB

The US government has promised to provide Nepal 10 modern helicopters to fight terrorism, according to a senior Nepalese official. "As a part of its effort to eliminate international terrorism, the United States has promised to provide us with 10 modern bullet-proof helicopters," said Devendra Raj Kandel, Minister of State for Home. Addressing a party gathering in the western town of Pokhara, Kandel said, "Those helicopters are being sought to protect the nation's integrity, and they can also be used against the terrorist activities of Maoists." He said negotiations to this effect were moving on positively with the US government and that Nepal was fairly confident of acquiring them. "Even if the US does not provide us the choppers, we will buy them anyway." He said the acquisition of the helicopters would help end the practice of chartering helicopters for police operations. Leading dailies report Nov. 12.

US Firm Gets RBB Management Contract

The board of directors of Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank, has selected a US company, Deloitte Foichu Tomatsu, to run the loss-making state-owned bank, the Rastriya Banijya Bank (RBB) under a management contract initially for two years. According to a daily newspaper, the US company had demanded US$ 5.9 million in its financial proposal as management fee from the government as against the proposal of US$ 8.1 million by Arthur Anderson, a British company. The management contract is part of the government's financial-sector reform program being launched under a US$ 25 million loan assistance from the World Bank. The process of handing over the management of Nepal Bank Limited, another loss-making state-owned bank, is also under way. Space Time Nov. 19.

Solar-Powered Villages In Tanahu

The use of solar power for electrification is gaining popularity in villages of Tanahu district. While most people are using electricity for lighting and running fans, radios and other light appliances in Raipur Village of the district, 25 families are watching colour television using solar power. In the village, 61 houses have installed solar sets and there is a demand for another 50 sets. In some of the mid-western and western districts of the country, such as Tanahu, Syangja, Kaski, Baglung, Parbat, Myagdi, Gulmi, Arghakhachi, Lamjung, Gorkha, Palpa, Chitwan, more than 2,000 people have benefited from some 15,000 solar sets. A home photovoltaic system costs between Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 40,000 per set. The government provides a subsidy of Rs. 8,000 per set for remote areas, Rs. 10,000 for moderately remote areas and Rs. 12,000 for very remote areas. In addition, the customers also get regular maintenance services along with a two-year guarantee for the solar equipment and a 25-year guarantee for the solar panel. Nepal Samacharpatra Nov. 8.

Vehicles Use Kerosene Instead Of Diesel

Vehicles

According to petroleum dealers and some vehicle entrepreneurs, more than 50 percent of the trucks and buses in Birganj are using kerosene instead of diesel. Although Nepal Oil Corporation officials admit that vehicles are using kerosene in place of diesel and say they are authorized to impose strong penalties on those doing this, no action has been taken. Most petrol pumps are openly supplying kerosene to buses and trucks. As the price of kerosene, which is subsidized by the government, is Rs. 8.50 less than diesel, this practice has resulted in lower operating costs and reduction in fares. Previously transportation of goods from Birganj to Kathmandu used to cost up to Rs. 9,000 per ton. Now it has gone down to Rs. 6,000 or Rs 7,000 per ton. Close to 500 buses and trucks depart from Birganj to different parts of the country every day. Although the use of kerosene reduces the operating costs, it damages the vehicles and increases emissions. Kantipur Nov. 8.