Koirala’s Bold Programmes To Cleanse The Mess

-By Our Correspondent

The newly appointed Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has unveiled his government’s policies and programmes, saying maintaining law and order and providing security to the people, controlling corruption and providing good governance will be the top priorities of his government.

The new government of Koirala was sworn in on Wednesday after he was elected the Nepali Congress’s leader in the parliament. Koirala had got ‘ayes’ from 69 of the party’s 113 MPs in the House of Representatives with his rival former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba winning 43 votes in the election for the party’s parliamentary leader.

Addressing the joint session of the parliament immediately after taking over the reins of the government, Koirala announced the measures his government would take to fulfill his promises.

Looking at the programmes announced by the new government, it becomes clear that the government has assigned itself with challenging tasks of ending the violence perpetrated by the Maoist insurgents, controlling corruption and providing good governance. Looking at the gravity of the problems the Prime Minister has indicated that he was willing to take the bull by the horns.

Regarding the Maoist problem, Koirala said the government is open for talks with the Maoists, provided the Maoists lay down their arms. So, this government has also made the shunning of violence by the Maoists as a precondition for talks. With the Maoists also hinting that they are willing for talks, finding a peaceful solution to the five year old problem there are good chances of the with some positive signals from both sides, finding a peaceful solution to the five year.

So, the change in the leadership of the government should not affect the progresses made in finding a peaceful solution to the most serious law and order problem the country has faced for the last five years.

As an attempt to cushion the effect of the Maoist violence, the government has announced relief measures including education and employment to the families of the victims of the Maoist violence.

Meanwhile, the most difficult task for the government could be controlling corruption and providing good governance.

In his attempt to curb corruption, the Prime Minister has announced that it would take several drastic steps, such as disclosure of the properties of those in the government, MPs and other government officials. The Prime Minister even declared that any property not substantiated with the source of income will be deemed as illegally acquired and will be confiscated.

This will be the boldest step in combating corruption if it is put into practice in the real sense.

Several governments in the last 10 years, including that of the Nepali Congress, too, had made provision for the disclosure of the property of the ministers. Many even did so. But those disclosures had become only a sort of publicity stunt, without them being verified and checked whether they are authentic or not.

This announcement may be particularly important that many of those in power and posts, in the last 10 years, were being alleged for building palatial homes and buying expensive vehicles — two of the most overt signs of a sudden upsurge in their ‘living standard’. The Prime Minister himself has accepted that the scrooge of corruption has ramified in every nook and corner of the government and bureaucracy. So, cleaning up the mess poses real challenge for the government.

To meet the challenge the government must begin from within itself, with ministers and the top bureaucrats to show that the government is serious on its words.

Over steps announced by the Prime Minister to make the government and the bureaucracy lean and efficient include the reduction in the number of the ministries to 19 from the present 26, and forming monitoring units to make the bureaucracy efficient.

Meanwhile, one of the most important thing the Prime Minister has said that he would introduce bill in the parliament to manage the political parties and to make their financial accounts transparent. If he succeeds then it would be a big step towards reforming the political parties, whose financial status and their sources of funding have so far been shrouded with mystery.

With the announcement of several bold and even radical steps, Koirala may have tried to reform the political and economic sector of the government. For this he needs an iron will and firm determination on his part and cooperation from others, including the opposition parties.

Now, with the announcement of such bold programmes, Koirala has put his credibility at stake and if he does not succeed, then people may not see the rationale of him taking the reins of the government in his own hands.

When Will Pvt. Airlines Go International?

-By BMD

After the Indian Airlines suspended its flighs to Kathmandu, causing a severe dent on Nepal's tourism industry, tourism entrepreneurs have begun to demand for a reliable airline at home. They are demanding for the strengthening of the RNAC, the country's flag carrier, and also allowing the private airlines to operate flights in the international sector.

At a press conference last week, the executives of Nepal Association of Travel Agents (NATA) reiterated the same demands. They urged the government to provide licenses to the interested private sector air operators to fly in the international sector, especially India.

Bhola Bickram Thapa, President of NATA, said private air companies like Buddha Air and Necon Air are willing to fly across the border. Thapa said that the tourism sector wants to see Nepalese private air operators and RNAC to be strong and efficient to meet the present demand.

Now our focus should be on operating our own airlines rather than stressing on the resumption of the flights of Indian Airlines, he said.

(Meanwhile, an AFP report, citing a Nepali newspaper, quoted Minister for Foreign Affairs Chakra Prasad Banstola saying that the Indian Airlines will resume its flights to Kathmandu within two weeks.)

Similar are the demands of the private air operators. But are they efficient enough to operate international flights? Some years back, three Nepalese private airlines— Necon Air, Nepal International Airways and Alpine Air— had taken the Air Operating Certificates (AOC) and licenses to fly to different Indian cities. The air companies were allocated 610, 880 and 600 seats respectively.

But only the Necon Air has been operating flights to the Indian city of Patna five times a week. The flights cover only 50 per cent of the total seats it has been given. Despite this, the airline has been demanding for more sectors to operate flights.

Rajesh Pant, advisor to the executive chairman of Necon Air, claims the company has crew members even for operating Boeing 757.

"We can even operate flights to Singapore, Bangkok and even European countries if we get approval from the respective countries, Panta boasts.

Presently, the company has five planes, which include three Avros, one ATR and one Cessna (for cargo flights).

Panta also informs that the company has been trying to have an approval from the Indian side to operate flights to Benaras and Lucknow that are considered to be more lucrative sectors.

As per the Air Service Agreement reviewed in 1997, Nepal has been allowed to bring in 6,000 passengers per week from India, and the RNAC has been utilising half of that.

Alpine Air was also allowed to operate flights to Rome and Munich via Sarjah. Later, it was also given permission to operate flights to Myanmar. However, it has been unable to operate flights.

Ang Tshering Sherpa, one of the promoters of the Alpine Air and Managing Director of Asian Trekking (P) Limited, says that the government had allowed the company to fly to Munich and Rome three flights every week.

"But when we took the license, many foreign international airlines started to fly to Nepal from Europe. We thought we could not compete with such airlines. So, we have asked for permission to operate regional flights, Sherpa says.

He says his company was provided only 600 seats for Delhi. That means it will have to bring in a jet plane, and such a plane needs to be in the air for at least 280 hours a month. Flying four flights, i.e.12 hours a week, is not profitable," he says. He feels the necessity to change some provisions in the government's aviation policy.

The term of the licenses should be extended to at least one year so that the private airlines can equip themselves for such international flights, he says.

Nepal International Airways has also the similar type of story. It had to start flying to India about two years ago. But before it could bring in plane for the operations, its license expired. Now, it is again seeking permission from the Indian side.

Meanwhile, Nagendra Prasad Ghimire, Director General at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), is of the opinion that the private air operators interested in flying to international sector must have professionalism and a sound financial position.

It needs a huge amount of resources to operate international flights. Many have shown interest to fly in the international sector. But it is not an easy job, Ghimire says.

According to him, inn the name of international flights, even Necon Air has just
crossed the border and it has not been able to fly to other Indian cities.

Keeping in mind the present condition of the private airlines, the government has to review the course of action.

Another high level official at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation says there has not been seriousness among the private sector air operators to fly in the international sector.

The official, who does not want to be identified, says that the private airlines have not brought any concrete proposals.

They are opening air companies just to earn royalty. Apart from RNAC, only a single private airline can be viable to operate international flights, the official says.

Ghimire also says there may be the problem of market if more private airlines target international sector.

He says that efforts should be made to free the RNAC from the shortage of equipment. The RNAC has necessary infrastructure and manpower. Once it has necessary aircraft, it can be the most reliable airline of the country.

Nepal has already conducted Air Service Agreements (ASA) with more than 30 countries worldwide. Fourteen international airlines, including RNAC, have been flying to and from Nepal.

When the government took up an open sky policy in 1992, the country witnessed an unprecedented rise in the number of private sector airlines. Till now, a total of 28 private airlines have received the Air Operating Certificates (AOC) to operate flights in the domestic sector. Several of them folded up after their planes crashed or they failed to bring plane. Some of them failed to take off even once. Now, about one dozen airlines are in operation now.

UML Calls For Bandh Tomorrow

-By Our Correspondent

The CPN-UML, the main opposition party in the parliament, has called for a country-wide bandh (closure) tomorrow (Monday) as part of its month-long protest programme.

With this the main opposition party has again come down to the streets.

During the last month the UML has been organising various protest programmes including protest march,sit-ins, torch processions and gheraowing different government offices.

The party has said that the protest programmes are against the government for not being responsible towards a number of problems, such as price hike, Maoist problem, corruption and others being faced by the people.

The party has also said it would boycott the parliamentary session on the very day and has called other opposition parties to show solidarity with it.

Meanwhile, the CPN(Maoist), which is waging a five-year-long insurgency campaign, has also called for an 'armed' bandh for the next Thursday (April 6).

Like many such bandhs in the past, this coming bandh may also affect the life of the common people.

More importantly, the tourism people fear it portray a negative impact on the country's already beleaguered tourism industry.

It is important for the government to see that no untoward incidents happen during the bandhs.

Housing People

-By K. P. Sharma

Nepal needs to construct 2.5 million new houses by 2015 if all the Nepalese are to have a roof over their heads. Of them 17 per cent of the houses should be built in the urban areas.

According to a study done by the government, the demand for houses in the urban areas will grow by 53 per cent till next year, and for the next five years the demand for residence will grow by five per cent each year.

Already cities in the country are facing severe housing problem. This is more so in Kathmandu and some other urban centres because of the migration of people towards the urban centres.

The migration towards Kathmandu valley is most pressing, for being the administrative, business, education and business centre, and housing already is a big problem.

Almost half a million people in Kathmandu live in rented houses.

Ramesh Ghimire, a government employee, has been living as a tenant in Kathmandu for the past few years. For him living in rented rooms is almost a torture. Besides the unavailability of proper physical facilities, such as water, transportation, electricity and communication, the lack of laws regarding rent and others pose a big problem to the tenants.

You have to leave the house, whenever the house owner wants you to move, he says.

Again, building a house in Kathmandu is a far-fetched dream.

For low income group it is very difficult to build a house in the cities. The cost of land is exorbitantly expensive and so are the raw materials, Ghimire says.

Due to shrinking land, accommodating more people could also be a difficult proposition.

Keeping in mind the growing problem of housing, the government is now planning to introduce apartment system in the Kathmandu valley.

The idea, however, is not new. Some 15 years back a businessman had constructed some houses in Chabahil for apartment purpose. But the venture had failed with no one willing to invest on apartments.

But now the situation is different. People of the low income group may be attracted in buying the apartments if they are cheaper, well facilitated and organised, Indra Kumar Shrestha, urban planner of the Kathmandu Valley Urban Development Committee established under the Ministry of Housing and Physical Planning, says.

The committee has even started a pilot project. It plans to construct common apartment blocks at Sainbu, Bhainsepati in Lalitpur, under the Sainbu Housing and Service Development Project. The government has already acquired 30 ropanis of land and the project aims to complete the construction work within two years. This is a part of the land the government has planned to construct the apartment blocks for the MPs.

The plan is to construct 12 apartment blocks of three different categories.

According to Shrestha, u nder Type A there will be five three-storey blocks for three families on each floor. In Type B, there will be six three-storey blocks consisting of two apartments in each floor. And under Type C there will be only one block with three stories for three families in each floor.

Each apartment will have a living room, a master bed room, one bed room, a kitchen plus dining room, a bathroom and a verandah.

The foundation stone for a Type B apartment block was laid the previous week.

The whole area will be provided with road, electricity, drinking water and telecommunication facilities.

There will also be an open theatre, a small market within the periphery, a play ground, library, community place (designed for parties and gatherings), temple, parking area and telephone booth and others.

Each apartment costs a minimum of Rs. 8,46,000. But the apartment will be sold in auction, Shrestha said.

However, one major problem for such apartment system is the lack of laws. Shrestha sees a number of things to be included in the Housing Act, currently in the parliament.

The act should properly and clearly speak about the rights and the responsibilities of each flat-owners.

It would be better if the Act also has provision for a consumers’ committee, which will oversee things like maintenance and others, he says.

Meanwhile, there government also plans to build apartments for the MPs in the same area. The government has already set aside 280 ropanis of land for the same purpose.

But we are looking for the funding for the construction of the apartment for the MPs, Shree Krishna Gautam, Secretary at the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs told Sunday Despatch.

He, however, denied the rumours that the government is planning to give the contract for the construction of the MPs' complexes to an Indian firm.

Dr. Devkota's Another Feat In Microsurgery

-By Our Correspondent

A team of surgeons headed by renowned Neuro-Surgeon Dr. Upendra Devkota carried out a succesful Aneurysm Surgery at the Norvic-Escorts’ on March 19. This is the first time such an operation was carried out in Nepal.

The whole operation was telecast live for viewers outside the OT at the hospital.

This is the second time in one month, doctors in Nepal have made a breakthrough in carrying out complicated microsurgey of the brain.

The patient Mrs. Nar Maya Rai, 45, had been suffering from severe headache for almost a decade. Rai was even taken to New Delhi for treatment in 1993. There, she was given only a temporary treatment with T.P. Shunt (Theco-Peritoneal Shunt).

But her headache persisted, and she also suffered from fainting bouts, excessive weakness and paralysis of the left part of her body.

This is said to be due to bleeding from a micro aneurysm, which is due to the weakening of an artery leading to the brain.

Mrs. Rai even had a brain hemorrhage and several fainting attacks. When she was brought to the Norvic-Escorts Heart Care and Treatment Centre at Thapathali, Kathmandu, her condition was serious.

Doctors first stabilized her condition before her cerebral angiography was done to confirm and localize the abnormalities in the arteries of the brain. Then she was operated. It took the doctors six hours.

The Aneurysm Surgery involved the ‘clipping’ of the right internal carotid, one of the two major arteries which supplies blood to the brain.

According to Dr. Devkota, Ninety-nine per cent of such cases are hereditary and can be easily detected with Cerebral Angiography.

The operation was completely successful with no residual defects or deformity. Rai is currently recovering from the operation. More importantly, her condition is expected to be perfect with no headache and with paralysis gone.

The team led by Dr. Devkota has successfully carried out 45 such operations at the Bir Hospital in the last 10 years.

The team of surgeons, headed by Dr. Devkota, included Dr. U.P. Devkota, Dr. Prakash Bista and Dr. Ajay Gupta.

Shailaja Aspires To Be NC President

By Our Correspondent

Shailaja Acharya, a second generation leader of the Nepali Congress and former Deputy Prime Minister, has announced her candidacy for the post of President in the upcoming 10th General Convention of the party.

She also said she was given the go ahead by Prime Minister and NC President Girija Prasad Koirala.

She has informed that she has already started consultations with former Prime Ministers Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and Sher Bahadur Deuba and Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel.

The 10th general convention of the Nepali Congress will be held in Pokhara after seven months.

Acharya has already worked as the Vice-President of the party. She said she would be starting her campaigns for the same from Baisakha, the New Year.

I will be starting the campaign from the Sundarijal jail which is a sacred site that symbolises our movement. After the collapse of democracy in 2017 B. S., B. P. Koirala and other political prisoners were imprisoned in the Sundarijal jail. That house harbours the soul of the Nepali Congress, the energetic leader said.

She has plans to restore the Nepali Congress which stood for values that the late leaders BP Koirala and Ganeshman Singh devoted themselves and thousands of other sacrificed their lives. She said she will give a new lease of life to the party after she heads the party.