KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has stopped the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) from demolishing Bagdurbar and construct a new one in its place.
The historic building was destroyed by the Gorkha Earthquake in 2015 that claimed over 10,000 people and demolished several infrastructures. The KMC has faced a legal hurdle in its decision to rebuild the palace.
A division bench comprising judges Anil Kumar Sinha and Sapana Pradhan issued the order to stop KMC from demolishing the building. The apex court was responding on a writ filed at SC.
The order also cancelled a tender granted to demolish the palace building. “The KMC has the right to use the property, but not its ownership,” the SC stated in its order. The SC issued a mandamus to form a team of experts under the convenorship of Director General of Department of Archeology within the next 15 days of the order for the protection of Bagdurbar.
The KMC had planned to undertake the rebuild project at a cost of 1.5 billion.
According to historian Dinesh Raj Pant, the original building of the Bagdurbar was build in around 1868 BS and the present three-storeyed structure spreading in 18 ropanis of land is not the original one. The original structure was spread in a larger area.
KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress leader Dr. Shekhar Koirala has said the country will not in any way deviate from federalism and republicanism.
Instead, he said Nepali Congress should shoulder the responsibility of institutionalizing the federalism and republicanism, not look behind.
Speaking at a program in the capital today, Dr. Koirala said religion and politics should be seen separately. He suggested to finalize the issue of secularism through an act.
He also smelt rat on the current activities of the President, who is ceremonial. “We are worried, seriously with the role of the President and the activities,” he said adding that the country would undergo unfortunate circumstances if the President tried to be active.
PARBAT: Chicken will be no longer imported in four districts – Parbat, Baglung, Myagdi and Mustang. The decision was taken following detection of bird flu in neighboring districts including Kaski, Chitwan and Makawanpur.
‘Checking has been stepped up at transit points to the districts along Pokhara-Baglung road,’ said vet Ramji Prasad Poudel of Kushma Municipality.
On Wednesday, two vehicles transporting chickens from Chitwan and Pokhara have been returned, he said. The chickens were taken for sale in Kushma, Myagdi and Jomsom.
High alert has been issued in the districts following manifestation of bird flu in the neighboring districts, stated Chief District Officer, Parbat, Gurudatta Dhakal.
DHADING: Police have arrested an Indian national with 164 kilograms of hashish during security check along the Prithvi Highway.
Nawaraj Dhungel, Inspector of Area Police Office, Gajuri, informed that the huge cache of contraband was confiscated Friday morning while being ferried to India in a truck bearing Indian number plate, UP19T5171.
Police seized eight sacks of hashish concealed inside a false bottom of the truck. Mau Mahatap, 25, a local of Utter Pradesh State of India was arrested from Gajuri Rural Municipality-1 along with hashish.
Police said further investigation into the incident is underway.
BUTWAL: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli is scheduled to inaugurate two big projects in Rupandehi district today. The projects are the Government Medical College Office and Upgrading of Butwal-Narayangadh section under the East-West Highway. The Prime Minister will inaugurate the Government Medical College Office at Naya Mill, Tilottama municipality-1 at 11 am, the office chief Man Bahadur Ghimire said.
Also on Friday, PM Oli will lay the foundation for the project to upgrade Butwal-Narayangadh section of the East-West highway near Butwal Mandap at Butwal Sib-Metropolitan City-8 at 12.30 pm.
Nepal Communist Party (NCP) general secretary and former Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel had made special contribution in bringing both projects in the district. The feasibility study of the road upgrading project has already been carried out.
The 113 kilometres long Butwal-Narayangadh section of the highway would be improved within the next three and half years and works have been planned accordingly, said Suresh Neupane, the chief engineer of the Project’s west section.
The road distance would be reduced nearly by half the present distance between Butwal and Narayangadh with the completion of the road upgrading project. It is three hours’ drive from Butwal to Narayangadh at present. This distance can be covered in at least one and hour to 1 hour 50 minutes by vehicle once the 113 kilometers road section is upgraded into a four-lane road.
The road upgrading project would be completed at an estimated cost of approximately Rs 17 billion. Eighty-five per cent of the cost would be covered by the concessional loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the remaining cost would be borne by Government of Nepal.
The ADB Road Directorate under the Department of Roads has signed an agreement with the China State Construction Company for the road upgrading project.
GORKHA: A group of dogs has killed a leopard at a jungle of Palungtar Municipality-9 in Gorkha district on Thursday.
Imanath Poudel, chief of the Gandaki State Division Forest Office, said that a dog also died in the incident. He said, ‘A group of dogs killed the leopard that had come to a goat farm in search of food.’
The dogs attacked the leopard as it was chased back into the nearby jungle, from where it came. A leopard and a dog were found dead in the jungle, added Poudel.
Six dogs had reportedly chased the leopard from the goat farm run by a local Fuchung Lama. Similarly, two dogs were also injured in the incident.
KATHMANDU: Application forms for Korean jobs have been opened from Friday.
Youths have lined up awaiting their turn to pay exam fee for the Korean Language Test (KLT) to be held under the Employment Permit System. It will remain open until March 31.
Nepali youths including University grads can be seen in a long line in front of Nepal Bank Limited, Kirtipur branch.
Youths can been seen in front of the counters of Global IME branches. The longest line can be seen in front of Nepal Bank Ltd., Kirtipur branch.
KLT will be held on June 8-9. The Korean government is taking 10,050 Nepali workers for the year 2020.
KATHMANDU: The parliamentary State Management and Good Governance Committee has formed a nine-member sub-committee to find a way out on the process of acquisition of naturalized citizenship.
The members in the sub-committee include Yashoda Subedi, Bijay Subba, Devendra Raj Kandel, Navraj Silwal, Raj KishorYadav, Ram Sahaya Prasad Yadav, Prem Suwal, Laxmi Chaudhary, and Meena Pandey.
Committee Chairperson Shashi Shrestha informed that the sub-committee has been entrusted to prepare a report within two weeks.
KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration has instructed all local levels to have fire engines round-the-clock.
The instruction has been made keeping in view the onset of stormy season.
The Ministry has instructed the local levels issuing a six-point directive.
The local levels have also been urged to repair the existing fire engines on time and mobilize them as soon as the fire breaks out.
KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) said it will ask all schools in Kathmandu to install the national flag. The KMC will also ask the schools to have their name plates written in the Devanagari script.
The KMC said it is making this provision since several schools have been found using English names.
According to KMC spokesperson Ishwar Man Dangol, all schools, both private and community, have to fly the national flag at the school courtyard. This has been aimed at promoting patriotic sentiments, he said.
A total of 91 public schools and around 643 private schools are in KMC.