Kathmandu: A week long Goan Zatras Festival will be held at the Himalchuli Restaurant in Soaltee Crowne Plaza from 22 April until 28 April, 2000, in association with Embassy of India and the Government of Goa State of India, and with the support of B.P. Koirala India-Nepal Foundation.
This festival will bring the best of Goan cuisine and culture ever to Kathmandu for the first time and is intended to highlight the potential and prospects of cooperation between the two favourite tourist destinations in South Asia – Kathmandu and Goa, according to an Indian Embassy statement. The festival has been appropriately named after “Zatras” which are popular Goan village fairs. These Zatras are held all round the year in Goa to celebrate various festivals of both Hindu and Christian origin.
For the festival, master chefs from Goa have been specially flown in to create the culinary magic. The ambiance will be further enhanced by the exotic dances performed by a Goan cultural troupe, the Embassy release said.
Picturesque Goa will be showcased in terms of both food and culture in the Himalchuli restaurant for eight days presenting a wonderful opportunity for Kathmanduites and visitors alike to sample a piece of Goa in the Himalayas. Goa, the ancient Goamanchala of Vedic fame, was under the Portuguese for nearly 451 year until 1961 and the result of this great mix of cultures is today a happy blend of Eastern and Western cultures. The Goan cuisine also reflects the mixing of predominantly Indian way of cooking with Portuguese influence.
The habitat being predominantly coastal, there is naturally a heavy use of sea food and fishes in the dishes. Wowever some of the most famous dishes today, including Pork Vindaloo and Sorpotel, are made out of pork. The original flavour of the Goan dishes are retained through controlled seasoning. l Creative blends of spices and cooking methods bring out the best and create a distinctive Goan cuisine.
Music is a way of life with the Goans. While traditional music still remains strong in the rural areas, the urban areas have taken to more modern music styles and genres. During the Zatras festival, the visiting Goan cultural troupe will be performing some of the well known traditional dances such as Dekhni Ghodemodni Kunbi Khel. A high level delegation led by the Chief Minister of Goa Francisco Sardinha will be here in Kathmandu from April 24, 2000 to attend the function.
The festival will remain open to public from 22 April until 28 April, 2000 at the Himalchuli Restaurant of Hotel Soaltee.
Itahari, Apr. 20: National Assembly Vice-Chairman Chiranjibi Rijal has said that the lack of morality and a sense of responsibility among human beings has led to the increasing anomalies and aberration in the country.
Mr Rijal was addressing the 31st establishment day of Nepal Students Union (NSU) and a felicitation programme organised by Mahendra Sanskrit University (MSU), Vidhyapeeth Pindeswor, NSU unit here recently.
MSU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Madhav Raj Gautam said youths have a major responsibility to play for the balanced progress of our country marked by geographic, economic and social remoteness and disparity. NC youth leader Ananda Acharya, NSU central member Basu Koirala and other speakers also expressed their views on the occasion.
At the function vice-chairman Rijal felicitated Vice-Chancellor Prof. Gautam by wrapping a shawl around him and also released the Nepal magazine published by Nepal Students Union.
Earlier, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Gautam laid the foundation stone for a residential building for professors and employees to be constructed on the premises of the Vidhyapeeth at a cost of about Rs. 550,000.
Kathmandu, April 20:The faded away theatrical performances seem to be gaining new life now in the capital. After the Sanskritik Sansthan’s Kunjini, a poetic drama that was presented a few months ago in Kathmandu, it is Arohan Sanibar to resume performance at the capital theatres. Arohan Sanibar, after a decade of rest, resumed its theatrical journey with Kumari, written by Ashesh Malla and directed by Sunil Pokharel at the Royal Nepal Academy yesterday evening. Kumari, the drama tells the pathos and anger of a former Kumari covering all the rituals related to establishing and replacing the Kumari.
“We are now ready to present you a drama on 7th and 8th every two months from Baishakh. Or we will show you six Nepali and foreign dramas on 7 and 8 of Baishakh, Ashad, Bhadra, Kartik, Push and Magh,” said Rajendra Salabh, the Programme Coordinator of Arohan Sanibar yesterday evening, welcoming the audience at Royal Nepal Academy.
With the joint effort of Royal Nepal Academy and Arohan Sanibar, the popular club of the dramatists in the capital, Nepalese dramatists and actors are now ready to resuscitate life to the Theatre. Arohan Sanibar had started a campaign of presenting dramas regularly at French Cultural Centre a decade ago. But with the advent of democracy it could not continue its campaign. Instead, many of the actors involved in drama started making films.
“Despite love from the audience and our commitment, we could not continue our campaign mainly due to the lack of necessary resources,” Salabh explained.
The crowd, especially of academicians and noted literati, that thronged to the Royal Nepal Academy yesterday to observe the drama is a testimony that Kathmanduites’ interest in drama has not faded away. Moreover, the pin-drop-silence that prevailed in the hall while Kumari was being performed clearly indicated how spellbinding the presentation of a drama is for local theatre visitors.
On the occasion, Satya Mohan Joshi, the noted literateur was honoured by Arohan Sanibar. Kamal Mani Dixit honoured him by wrapping a shawl around him.
Kathmandu, Apr. 20: The proposed site for animal slaughter house which the Kathmandu Metropolitan City was to construct at local Hyumat Tol has been found unsuitable in view of the public health and the environmental consideration in the area, according to the Department of Livestock Services.
The department said although the area was located on the side of the Bishnumati River, it was not suitable for the abattoir because of the dense settlement and the shortage of water.
Kathmandu Metropolitan City had called for tender bids for construction of the slaughter house in February last year in the National Gorkhapatra daily.
The department of livestock services had then written to Kathmandu Metropolitan City informing it that the place was not suitable site for construction of the slaughterhouse in view of environment and the adverse effects it would have on the public health and other technical reasons.
The waste produced from the slaughterhouse on the banks of the Bishnumati River which is itself no more than sewerage would pose other environmental and health problems in the area. The animal bones and other waste from the abattoir would be hard to manage in a dense settlement area like this, Dr. S.A. Mahato, chief of the deDpartment of Livestock Services said.
Abattoirs are generally constructed in areas with abundant supply of water, but Hyumat has no such facilities, he said.
Not a single large cities in the world have slaughter house constructed in the middle of the city, he claimed, adding it has become necessary to construct a modern and well-managed abattoir in Nepal for hygienic selling of meat.
According to the department of livestock services, big and standard hotels in Kathmandu do not buy meat from the local bazaar and the situation here is such that it is difficult even for the foreigners living here to consume meat from the local market.
Even the standard meat products manufacturing units in Kathmandu do not use local meat.
It is learnt that 17-18 tonnes of buff, 100 tonnes of pork, 50 tonnes chicken and 70 tonnes mutton is imported annually in Kathmandu to cater to the demands of big hotels and the foreigner communities living here.
500-600 buffaloes, over 2,500 goats, 200 pigs and more than 25,000 chickens are slaughtered in a day in Kathmandu.
Says Dr. Purushotam Mainali of the department, “While buffaloes are slaughtered on the ground floor of makeshift slaughterhouses, they are cleaned and cleared in dirty water anywhere. So the meat available here cannot be considered hygienic.”
As slaughter of female animals has been prohibited by the country civil code, some of the butchers are found to slaughter female animals and sell its meat clandestinely inside their houses.
Nepal is the only country in South Asia where the act pertaining to meat examination and certification is ineffective, said Dr. Baikuntha Parajuli of the Department of Livestock Services.
In a brief interview to RSS, Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperatives Baldev Sharma Majgaiya said that while it was a welcome idea on the part of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City to construct a slaughterhouse here, the proposed site was unfit for the purpose because it was the most unhygienic of locations in the whole of the Kathmandu Valley and also lacked in basic facilities for the abattoir.
He said His Majesty’s Government would soon introduce a legislations on quality control and checking of meat and meat products. Stating hide worth Rs 65-70 million was exported annually from the country, he said the country’s exports too would increased if the processing of hide could be made more systematic and its quality improved.
According to the animal health division, more than 150,000 buffaloes and over 500,000 goats are imported annually from India to meet the demand of meat here.
Minister of state Majgaiya also said that the government was committed to constructing a modern and systematic slaughterhouse in Kathmandu.
The animal health division is also learnt to have organised a study tour of some slaughter houses in India for large scale meat sellers in Kathmandu sometimes back in connection with raising their awareness on the hygienic sale of meat to consumers.
Chautara, Apr. 20: Recent incidents of lightning and fire at various VDCs of Sindhupalchok district have damaged property worth millions, according to the district administration office.
According to the office, lightning that struck at the house of Tanka Bahadur Bhandari of Phulpingkot VDC Ward No. 4 completely destroyed two houses and five head of livestock perished, causing a total loss of over Rs 700,500.
Likewise lightning struck at the rice mill of Vakil Bahadur Thapa and damaged property worth Rs 150,000. Property worth Rs 100,000 was damaged when lightning struck at the house of Machhendra Prasad Neupanay of Mangkha VDC Ward No. 4.
Similarly, a buffalo perished while Mrs Maili Thakuri and 15-year-old Bimala Thakuri sustained injuries when lightning struck at the house of Krishna Bahadur Thakuri at Sangachok VDC Ward No. 8.
The house of Bishnu Bahadur Thakuri of Ward No. 8 was damaged and a buffalo died in another lightning hit.
Property worth Rs 150,000 was gutted in fire that broke out at the house of Subhash Singh Tamang of Ward No. 5, Haibung VDC, it is also learnt.
Kathmandu, Apr. 20: A delegation led by National Assembly members Bijul Kumar Biswokarma and Ratna Bahadur Biswokarma Wednesday met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and requested him to implement the resolutions adopted by His Majesty’s Government for the uplift of the downtrodden people.
The delegation comprising, among others, vice-president of oppressed development committee Ganesh Pariyar, central member of Nepal University Teachers Association Basanta Biswokarma, chairman of Baglung district Constituency No. 1 of the Nepali Congress Padma Singh Biswokarma and director of oppressed development committee Sambhu Hazara Paswan sought the representation of the downtrodden people in the Council of Ministers, constitutional bodies and other decision making bodies.
The delegation also demanded the constitution of a powerful and independent oppressed council, priority for the admission of the downtrodden students in the technical schools, immediate provision for appointment of at least one eligible oppressed teacher in every high school.
Likewise, the delegation also demanded the formation of a high level commission for eradication of the caste discrimination, conducting programmes at governmental level against caste segregation and untouchability, passing of “Oppressed Bill” in the forthcoming session, and appointment of the downtrodden in the governmental and semi-governmntal organisations, including commissions and boards.
Likewise, a delegation of Okhaldhunga district headed by former minister and NC central member Bal Bahadur Rai today met Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and demanded that the centre of higher secondary being shifted to another place should be retained where it was earlier, and apprised him of various problems of the district including that of transport, roads, bridges, health, education, irrigation and upper Sagarmatha.
The delegation comprised MP Homnath Dahal, DDC chairman Prem Narayan Premi, NC Okhaldhunga district committee secretary Deep Prasad Khatiwada, treasurer Dilli Prasad Khanal, NC general convention representative Ramhari Khatiwada and DDC member Netra Bhattarai.
Kathmandu, Apr. 20:Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has underlined the need to make local bodies effective to expedite development works.
Mr Koirala was inaugurating the sixth council and the third convention of the federation of district development committees in Lalitpur today.
Stating that the present government has given top priority to maintaining consensus among all parties for the country’s development, the Prime Minister remarked that all the people’s representatives no matter which party they belong to should work with a feeling that politics is for democracy and development is for people.
The process of decentralisation has been given a push to extend the fruits of development to the grassroots, he reiterated that he will not lag behind in taking hard decisions to control corruption and maintain law and order.
Minister of State for Local Development Suresh Malla noted that the present government is determined to carry out development and construction work through local bodies.
CPN-ML president Sahana Pradhan and MPs Yubaraj Gywali and Pari Thapa also spoke at the function chaired by federation president Madhav Paudel.
Kathmandu, Apr. 20:The Jana Abhinandan Samaroha Samiti (People’s Felicitation Committee) felicitated senior leftist leader Nirmal at a function here today.
Mr. Lama, a freedom fighter and one of the architects of the present constitution is now undergoing cancer treatment at Teaching Hospital. He is in critical condition.
He is now living on saline water after his oesophagus failed to work.
At the programme, former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said Mr Lama has the qualities what a good man should have and he has been honoured today because of his dedication to the nation and the people.
Stating that Mr Lama was a leader no matter which party he took to, Mr Bhattarai observed that the new trend of honouring individuals while they are alive may inspire others to work for the nation and the people.
CPN-ML president Mrs Sahana Pradhan said Mr Lama, after he joined the communist party, has all along been working in favour of the nation and the people.
Senior advocate Damannath Dhungana noted that Mr Lama earned great respect and love from the people because of his judgement that organization is above power and ideology is above the organization.
A host of other speakers including CPN-UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari and member-secretary of the Nirmal Lama treatment committee Amik Sherchan also spoke at the function chaired by convenor of the committee Padmaratna Tuladhar.
Kathmandu, Apr. 20:Patron of the Nepal Olympic Committee His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev granted audience to International Olympic Committee (IOC) Solidarity Project manager Mrs Betrix Hurse and Solidarity manager of Olympic Council of Asia Mr Haider Abbas Farman here today.
Chairman of the Nepal Olympic Committee Rukma Shahsher Rana was also present on the occasion.
Likewise, Mrs Hurst and Mr Farman also paid a courtesy call on Minister for Education and Sports Amod Prasad Upadhyaya at the latter’s office today.
During the meeting, Mrs Hurst and Mr Farman said that IOC would continue to provide assistance for development of sports in Nepal through the Nepal Olympic Committee.
Mrs Hurst and Mr Farman are on a five-day visit to Nepal at the invitation of the Nepal Olympic Committee.
Mrs Hurst held three rounds of talks with the NOC chairman and NOC general secretary and attended the meeting of the NOC executive committee.
She also met member-secretary of the National Sports Council (NSC) Binod Shanker Palikhe and the NSC coaches and instructors.
NOC has apprciated the works being carried out by Mrs Hurst and Mr Farman for development of sports in Nepal and expressed confidence that it would receive more cooperation in future.
Mrs hurst and Mr Farman are scheduled to return tomorrow.
Kathmandu, Apr. 20):Minister for Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ramkrishna Tamrakar has said that private investment of Britain is expected for industrial development, export promotion and improvement of the national economy.
In a brief chat with RSS, Minister Tamrakar referred to the encouragement and promotion of foreign principles for economic development as mentioned in the directive principle of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal and said that legal provision had also been made for the protection and promotion of foreign investment after pursuing the open and liberal economic policy after the restoration of democracy.
He called upon the British government to extend cooperation to Nepal for development of technology, industrialisation, infrastructure development, trade and commerce.
Minister Tamrakar informed that Nepalese and British private sectors had established 16 industries while the British multi-national companies had set up seven industries in Nepal.
Mr Tamrakar said that foreign investment had been attracted in Nepal because of unrestricted access of Nepalese goods into India, the possibility for exporting Nepalese goods to Tibet autonomous region and transit facility through Bangladesh.