AUTHORITIES OF KATHMANDU Metropolitan City (KMC), Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City (LSMC), Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilization Center (SWMRMC) and Okharpauwa landfill site main coordination committee have signed an initial agreement valid for two years allowing the dumping of wastes from KMC and LSMC to Okharpauwa sanitary landfill site located some 60 km to the northwest of Kathmandu in Nuwakot district. Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had provided Rs 10 million worth of assistance to build the landfill site in Sisdole of Okharpauwa. “The agreement allows the dumping of wastes from Kathmandu and Lalitpur,” said Surya Man Shakya, general manager of SWMRMC. The two cities produce 300 tons of wastes every day. The site in Okharpauwa has been identified as a long-term site, which can be able to absorb waste for 60 years. But, at present, the agreement has only been signed for two years. Efforts are on to sign a long-term agreement.
THE GOVERNMENT IS CONSIDERING reviewing the royalty rates it imposes on mountaineering expedition teams on various mountains. This was informed by Buddhiraj Bajracharya, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Speaking at a program organized to felicitate mountaineers who have successfully scaled Mt. Makalu, Minister Bajracharya said that although the total number of tourists visiting Nepal this year has declined, there were 54 different expedition teams who came here to scale different mountains in this spring season. On the occasion of the golden jubilee of the first successful ascent of Mt. Makalu, 13 summiteers from different countries were felicitated on Sunday at a civil felicitation program organized by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC). Late Jean Couzy and Lionel Terray of French expedition team led by Jean Franco were the first team to scale the peak on May 15, 1955. So far, 227 climbers have scaled Mt. Makalu. The government has announced the celebration of golden jubilee of ascent of all mountains above 8000 meters. The golden jubilee of Mt. Kanchenjunga is being celebrated on May 25.
IAN MARTIN, THE HEAD OF THE Office of High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Nepal, said that his team will start their mission of human rights monitoring from next week. Addressing a press conference on Wednesday (May 11), Martin said that his team will monitor and probe the incidents of human rights abuses by both the state as well as non-state actors. He informed his team would also look into the incidents of political detention and restriction in movement imposed since February 1. He said that anybody can directly make a complaint of human rights abuse at his office. He expressed hope that improvement in the situation of human rights would pave the way for resolution of the conflict. Responding to a query regarding the deaths of civilians in Tuesday’s fighting between the security personnel and the Maoists, Martin said that such incidents occurring repeatedly show there are violations of human rights. He said that his team would also set up offices in five development regions for effective monitoring.
IN A HISTORICAL MEDICAL RECORD IN Nepal, quadruplets were born at Om Hospital & Research Center. “Both the mother and babies are doing fine,” said Dr. Bhola Rijal, leader of the team that delivered the baby through Caesarean operation. Pramod Bajracharya and Urmila Bajracharya became the proud parents of three boys and one girl. Dr. Rijal said it was natural to have multiple babies in the In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) cases. However, he added, it was unusual to have quadruplets. Urmila had been wanting to conceive a baby for the last 10 years but could not do so due to certain gynecological factors.
ACCORDING TO A WORLD BANK REPORT, the situation of good governance has deteriorated in Nepal in the last five years. This was revealed after analyzing the good governance indicators of 209 countries including Nepal. According to the report, indicators related to political, civil and human rights situation; accountability; political stability; effectiveness of government; quality of government service; regulation; rule of law; and corruption control have all deteriorated in Nepal in the period. All of these indicators are negative for Nepal. The ‘Voices and Accountability’ index has dropped from negative 0.14 in 1996 to negative 1 in 2004. Likewise, the political stability index has dropped from negative 0.35 to negative 1.74; the index for government regulation has dropped from negative 0.22 to negative 0.6; and the government effectiveness index has come down from negative 0.38 to negative 0.9. Furthermore, the rule of law index has dropped from negative 0.36 to negative 0.82; while the corruption control index has declined from negative 0.28 to negative 0.61.
RAJENDRA KHETAN, NOTED INDUSTRIALIST and active business leader, has been honored with the National Order of Portugal "Official da ordem do Infante d. Henrique" by President of Portugal Jorge Sampaio. Khetan, who is honorary consul general of Portugal in Nepal, received the recognition for his contribution in enhancing the relations between the two countries.
ON THE OCCASION OF THE 5TH annual meeting of the General Assembly of the China Study Center (CSC), the center hosted a dinner on May 13 at its central office. Diplomats, officials, journalists, businessperson and others attended the dinner.
