News Notes (Spotlight Weekly)

Sharma Sacked, Shukla Appointed GM Of NTV

In what is seen as outright violation of election code of conduct, Minister for Information and Communications Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta has sacked general manager of state-owned Nepal Television (NTV) Durga Nath Sharma and appointed Tapanath Shukla in his place. Shukla, who has served as general manager of the NTV for eight years in the past, is allegedly drawing Rs 25,000 per month as consultant from proposed Kantipur Television, SPACE TIME daily reported, quoting sources. Shukla was an advisor at the NTV before being appointed as its general manager. Interestingly, Minister Gupta decided to bring in Shukla at the executive post even after the Election Commission refused to grant permission for new appointment at the NTV. Compiled from reports.

Indian Envoy Singh Dies

Dr. Indu Prakash Singh, Ambassador of India to Nepal, passed away in London early Saturday at the age of 71. Dr. Singh, who was appointed Indian ambassador in Kathmandu in December last year, was taken to London a few months back for treatment of his tongue cancer. Prior to joining the Indian Foreign Service in the year 1955, Dr. Singh was a lecturer in philosophy at the Allahabad University. He had also served as India's Ambassador to Sudan, Spain and Myanmar. A scholar diplomat, Dr. Singh had authored four books," added the statement. The embassy said a condolence book will be kept open for the public at the Embassy on Monday. Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and acting President of Nepal Sadbhavana Party, Badri Prasad Mandal, have expressed sorrow over the untimely demise of Dr. Singh describing him as a "true friend of Nepal." Compiled from reports.

Nepal To Be Sold As Int'l Cricket Destination

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) and Percept D'Mark (PDM), India, have signed a 10-year deal to manage and market Nepal as an international cricketing center, CAN officials said. "In the coming years, Nepal will host official and concept events, all aimed at making Nepal an international cricket destination." The neutral status of Nepal along with the ideal weather conditions and natural scenic beauty besides a host of other attractions make the venue and future very promising.†The dream is to see test players competing and Nepal playing one day internationals by 2007," said President of CAN Jay Kumar Nath Shah. Facilities for Cricket tourneys are being developed in Kathmandu, Pokhara and Birgunj. Compiled from reports.

Govt. Authorizes Civil Servants to Run The Show

The Council of Ministers on Thursday has decided to hand over all the local bodies to government employees to run their day-to-day administration, reports said Friday. According to KANTIPUR daily, Local Development Officers (LDOs) will head all 75 district development committees in the country. LDOs will run the show with the help of other officials from different government departments. Similarly, Secretaries at the municipalities and Village Development Committees have been authorized to look after the business of the concerned local bodies. The government's decision is yet to be made public. Nearly 4,000 VDCs, 58 municipalities and 75 DDCs had remained in a state of confusion after the government refused to extend the tenure of elected representatives as their term expired in mid-July this year. Compiled from reports.

Govt. To Set Up Int'l Peace Award

The government is going to set up US$ 50,000 International Peace Award to disseminate the message of peace and non-violence around the world, a senior government official said. Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Bal Bahadur K. C. said Wednesday that the government will set up a permanent fund of Rs 10 million for this purpose. The 50,000 USD prize will be handed over to an individual or organization in every five yeas who contribute to promote peace in the world. The Minister made this announcement while heading a preparatory meeting to organize the second International Buddhist Summit in Lumbini in December this year. Kantipur daily reports.

Hearing 'Drama' Goes On The EC

Representatives of the parent Nepali Congress have come down heavily on the on-going hearing at the Election Commission (EC) to find out the genuine leadership of the party and termed it as a ëfutile exercise.' Joint general secretary of the GP Koirala-led NC, Govinda Raj Joshi, told the `ijlas' (court set up by the EC) Wednesday that his party was not interested in the drama anymore. Senior advocate Mukunda Regmi, who was speaking on behalf of Koirala Congress, said the EC was wasting its time by conducting hearings on the illegal party convention called by premier Deuba. Earlier, lawyers representing Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, however, said their party was the "genuine" NC as the majority of the "convention members" had `elected' the new leadership some two months back. The EC hearing will continue on Thursday. Compiled from reports.

Nepal Considers Export Of Power To India

With the 144 MW Kaligandaki-A project, the biggest hydropower project in the country, successfully starts its operations in full swing beginning Wednesday, officials are now considering selling excess power to neighboring India, reports said. With the commissioning of KGA, total power generated in the country has reached 527 MW with nearly 100 MW remaining excess to the domestic demand. "We are preparing to negotiate with India regarding selling excess power and are also considering other alternatives to consume excess power," Dr. Janak Lal Karmacharya, managing director of the state-owned Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) told KANTIPUR daily. "The Indian side is open to procure power from Nepal but wants to enter into a long-term deal," he said. He said that officials from both the countries will be meeting in Kathmandu sometime next month. Nepal and India now have an agreement to exchange up to 150 MW of power on the basis of their need. Compiled from reports. z

Deuba Named 'Predator Of Free Press'

In what has come as a disgrace to the caretaker Deuba government, a Paris-based free press watchdog has named prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba as one of the four "predators" of press freedom in Asia, agency reports said. Reporters sans Frontiers (RSF) on Tuesday added names of four new "predators of press freedom" in Asia including Islamic militants in Pakistan, Bangladeshi interior minister Altaf Hussein Chowdhary, Philippine security forces and the Nepalese prime minister. The agency alleged that Mr. Deuba covered up human rights violations by the security forces, especially those against the press, since the imposition of the state of emergency in November last year. Mr. Deuba has turned Nepal into the "world's biggest prison for journalists," RSF said adding more than 140 journalists had been arrested since last November, some of them victims of torture, AFP news agency reported Tuesday. Nearly two dozen journalists and media professionals are still behind bars in Nepal. A RSF fact-finding mission had visited Nepal early this year and also called on premier Deuba. Compiled from reports.

Number Of Heart Patients Doubles In Five Years

There has been a dramatic surge in hypertension and cardiac diseases in Nepal, with a cent per cent increase in the number of heart patients in the last five years, experts said. Cardiac patients that comprised only 5 percent of the total patients seeking treatment in hospitals five years ago have doubled to 10 per cent, Cardiologist Dr Prakash Raj Regmi said. He was addressing an interaction program organized by Nepal Heart Club in Lalitpur Saturday. The number of hospitals with cardiac intensive care units has gone up from two to ten, and the diagnostic centers with color echo-cardiograph facilities has increased from one to 25 during this period. Similarly, facilities for close as well as open heart surgery have also been increased, he said. Compiled from reports.

"Asian Brown Cloud? Poses New threats

The "Asian Brown Cloud," a 2-mile-thick blanket of pollution over South Asia, may be causing the premature deaths of a half-million people in India each year, deadly flooding in some areas and drought in others, according to the biggest-ever scientific study of the phenomenon, Associated Press news agency reported from London Monday. The grimy cocktail of ash, soot, acids and other damaging airborne particles is as much the result of low-tech polluters such as wood- and dung-burning stoves, cooking fires and forest clearing as it is of dirty industries, the U.N.-sponsored study found. More than 200 scientists contributed to the study, overseen by the U.N. Environment Program in preparation for the World Summit on Sustainable Development opening Aug. 26 in Johannesburg, South Africa. They used data from ships, planes and satellites to study Asia's haze from 1995 to 2000. The dense cloud of pollution - also caused by auto emissions, factories and waste incineration - cuts the amount of sunlight reaching the ground and the oceans by 10 percent to 15 percent, cooling the land and water while heating the atmosphere. That phenomenon appears to have altered the region's monsoon rains - increasing rainfall and flooding in Bangladesh, Nepal and northeastern India while cutting back needed seasonal precipitation in Pakistan and northwestern India. Compiled from reports.