PARBAT: Locals have closed down the construction of mid-Modi hydropower project (14.5 MW) being carried out by Chaudhary Group (CG) at Modi rural municipality. Locals of Modi rural municipality-2 have halted the project construction works for an indefinite period citing the project ignored compensating the loss caused to houses of local people while digging out tunnel for the project.
Local people have come up with protest when their houses based in Modi rural municipality-2 have started falling apart. Struggle Committee Coordinator Sujan Pokharel said they had to resort to protest when the project remained apathetic to address victims’ demands despite signing of agreements to that end several times.
“We have been deceived several times”, he said, adding that, “The construction works would not be presumed until their demands are met”.
The explosions made during the tunnel construction had caused damages to the houses of Ram Kumari Pokharel, Meghraj Dhungana, Sher Bahadur Khatry, Kham Bahadur Khatry, Meen Kumari Khatry, Maya Khatry, Sabitri Pokharela and Ram Bahadur Khatry.
The project has affected 49 houses while one house was completely broken down. Locals have demanded that the project should construct new and safe houses for the victims.
CHITWAN: Four crusher plants being run by violating the existing laws have been ordered to shut down by the authorities of Bharatpur Metropolitan City, Chitwan. A joint team of chief administrative officer of Bharatpur Metropolitan City Netra Prasad Subedi and Revenue Department of Bharatpur asked three crusher industries of Trishuli river bank and one from Bharatpur Metropolitan City-21 to halt from extracting the materials since they were operated by violating rules.
Those crusher industries facing closure are Makawanpur Engineering and Manufacturing Company and Bhorle Metropolitan Sand and Crusher Industry from Bharatpur Metropolitan City-29 and Asfalt Crusher Industry run in Kabilas and Parbatipur of the town.
Subedi said that the industries were directed to shut down for not abiding by the laws adding that they were run without registration and procedures.
As per the recent laws enforcement, the crusher industries should receive license from the local level and should clear the taxes. Similarly, the crusher industries should be placed at least 100 metres away from the power transmission line and two kilometers from academic institutions, hospitals, dense forests, national park and religious sites and archeological sites.
Kathmandu : ‘Nepal Entrepreneurship Conference’ is to be held in the central capital Kathmandu on coming February 14. The conference aims to promote an industrial atmosphere in all seven provinces. The Ministry of Finance; the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies; Bishal Media Group and the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI) are jointly organising the conference to be attended by over 400 representatives who include business community, government representatives, experts, students and the province ministers from each province.
Information about this was shared at a press meet here today.
On the occasion, CNI President Haribhakta Sharma said the objective of the conference is to support build an industrial atmosphere in the country. The national-level event will be followed by a provincial conference (in every province). Finance Minister Dr Yuba Raj Khatiwada; Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Matrika Prasad Yadav; National Planning Commission former vice-president Dr Govinda Pokhrel; former Finance Minister Surendra Pandey; the province ministers; business community and experts will exchange their views on the issues.
LUSAKA: The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has selected Zambia as one of the 60 pilot countries for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Accelerator Labs, an initiative aimed at boosting the achievement of the SDGs, a UN official said Monday.
Ahunna Eziakonwa, UNDP director for the regional bureau for Africa, said this move was expected to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs, according to a statement released Sunday.
She made the remarks when she met Zambia’s Minister of National Development Planning Alexander Chiteme on the sidelines of the Third International Conference on the Emergency of Africa in Dakar, Senegal, saying Zambia was among the first countries to promote local content strategies for private sector development.
Eziakonwa further called for the need to grow local entrepreneurs into national champions, including creating an enabling environment for youth participation in private sector development.
She also assured Chiteme of her organization’s continued support towards the country’s development agenda.
Chiteme, on his part, called for continued collaboration between Zambia and the UNDP, adding that the country had mainstreamed about 86 percent of the SDGs in its national development plan. According to him, Zambia needs strengthened capacity in the implementation of its national development plan and the SDGs, as well as in monitoring and reporting systems.
Chiteme further asked the UNDP to help Zambia in the formulation of an SDG Baseline Report, which will provide preparation for the Zambia National Voluntary Review, planned for presentation at the 2020 High-Level Political Forum at the United Nations.