Kathmandu, Apr. 19: The Ministry of Information and Communications has halted all broadcast activities by Space Time Network Pvt Ltd as the latter has not paid revenue owned to hmg.
According to the Ministry, Space Time Network owes hmg more than Rs 2,800,000 in revenue.
Under the National Broadcast Act 2049 and the National Broadcast Regulations 2052, Space Time has to pay hmg four per cent of its total income as royalty.
Space Time has not paid royalty for the period from fiscal year 2053/54 to 2054/55 nor for 2055/56 despite repeated notifications from the Ministry to pay its dues and renew its licensce, it is stated in a communique from the Ministry.
As the royalties have not been paid and the license could not be renewed , it was not in keeping with the law for Space Time Network to engage in broadcast activities, it is stated.
Bhaktapur, Apri.19: Nepali Congress, Bhaktapur district President Radheshyam Jonchhe has issued a press release protesting the dissolution of the NC district working committees of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Syangja and said that the measure is against the norms and values of democracy.
In the press release, he said that the decision of the NC central working committee to dissolve the district committees has shocked all who believe in the democratic system and traditions.
He expressed sadness over the dissolution stating that the decision which is against the recommendations of a probe committee has been taken without an impartial assessment of the performance of the Bhaktapur district working committee in the last three years.
The step has discouraged party workers, sympathisers and supporters and lent support to vested interest groups involved in creating disputes in the party organisation, it is added.
Tribhuwannagar, Apr. 19: Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperatives and Nepali Congress central member and chief of the organisation department Baldev Sharma Majgaiya has said that the Ministry of Cooperatives has been created with a view to expedite the agricultural sector on a long term basis.
Mr Majgaiya said this at an interaction programme organised here today by the Nepal Press Union (NPU) Dang Unit.
He noted that the Prime Minister has laid priority on three issues of national concern, law and order, good governance and corruption control, and the present government would move ahead on this basis.
He said that a mechanism would be introduced to control corruption as early as possible and the government is working on a legal basis since corruption cannot be wiped out merely accusing someone if the pertinent laws are not there.
In reply to a query, he said that a survey team would be deputed soon to set up a milk chilling centre in Dang.
Shortage of fertiliser will not surface this year, and the government will monitor the price and quality of fertilisers imported by the private sector, he said.
There will be no obstruction from the present government in the dialogue with the Maoists, he cleared.
Npu Dang unit chairman Ram Prasad Poudel gave the welcome address at the function.
Mahendranagar, Apr. 19: Jaya Ram Oda, a resident of Mahendranagar Municipality ward No. 4 has been insulted and beaten up just for sitting on the bed of others, in an apparent case of untouchability and communal discrimination.
He was carrying out some carpentry work at a local hotel owned by a person called Dhami near the bus park and he sat down on the bed alongside the doorsteps of a residence belonging to someone called Bhandari to rest for a while. For this reason, he was compelled to face punishment.
He was beaten up indiscriminately and his belongings worth Rs 5,000 seized.
He later lodged a complain against this mistreatment at the district administration office Kanchanpur, as the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal prohibits such treatment. Meanwhile, Nepal oppressed community emancipation society, Kanchanpur has issued a statement demanding that the guilty be punished and the victim compensated.
Achham, Apri.19 : A 17-year old Parvati Devi who is appearing in the on-going SLC Examination of 2057 gave birth to a baby in the examination hall at Betamaldu Highschool, Shreekot while writing her examination.
Kathmandu, Apr. 19: A meeting of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs and Human Rights Committee here today held discussions on the regional works of the Nepal-India border.
At the meeting Minister for Tourism and Civil Aviation and Culture Tarini Datta Chataut asserted that the government would not leave even an inch of Nepalese territory and border pillar would be erected at the specified areas in accordance with the treaty signed between the two countries.
MP Mangal Siddhi Manandhar pointed out that Mahakali river flowing through Limpiyadhura should be made the basis according to the Sugauli Treaty, and the government should give information on border encroachment at various places including Kalapani, Susta, Tilathi and Pashupatinagar.
MP Narayan Man Bijukchhe said encroachment of border at 65 places had been talked about at the parliament and the committee and details of the encroachment should be made available.
Joint secretary at the Ministry of Land Reforms and Management Punya Prasad Oli said there has been no border dispute between Nepal and India but difference has been seen in their behaviour and the map. Ad the details concerning border was not clear after the Sugauli Treaty, he added.
At the beginning of the meeting, director general of the Department of Survey Babu Ram Acharya, referring to the progress made by the joint technical committee so far, informed that there was no border dispute from the policy point of view at the places where border has been demarcated.
Likewise at the meeting of the House of Representatives Public Accounts Committee (pac), the secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation who was invited to the meeting said the Ministry had directed the Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation (rnac) to call tender to either purchase or lease aircraft, but it leased the aircraft by violating the aircraft.
A three-member committee has been formed to look into this and the rnac executive chairman has been called back to the Ministry by appointing another person in his place, he added.
Coordinator of the study sub-committee on the purchase of aircraft and rnac board member Shankar Prasad Koirala informed the meeting that purchase of a wide-bodied aircraft from a manufacturing company was recommended.
The meeting was chaired by committee chiarman Subhas Nemwang.
Meanwhile, chairman of the House of Representatives State Affairs Committee Homnath Dahal presided over the committee’s meeting here today.
The meeting held extensive discussions on the administrative irregularities pertaining to the parliament secretariat and the details received from the Ministry of Information and Communications in the context of holding discussions on administrative irregularities as mentioned in the annual report of the Public Services Commission.
Meanwhile, a meeting of the study sub-committee concerning works and transport constituted under the House Of Representatives Development Committee was held here today under the convenorship of sub-committee convenor Krishna Prasad Dahal.
At the meeting, detailed information were received on the activities being carried out so far by the department of roads, department of transport management, and national construction company of Nepal.
Kathmandu, Apr. 19: Officials of Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen’s Organisation (GAESO) said that they presented the issue related to their discrimination by the British government on perks and pensions at the 56th Session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR) being held in Geneva.
This is an issue of human rights violation, they said at a programme held here this afternoon.
Presenting the agenda at the meeting, Lecturer in Anthropology at Tribhuvan University Dr. Om Gurung said that there had been discrimination by the British government against the Gurkha soldiers of Nepal who were employed in the British Army since the First World War, said a United Press Release circulated at the programme. “Despite all the sacrifices and services that these soldiers had so valiantly provided to the British government and to the world community by serving as UN peacekeepers, the Gurkhas were blatantly and persistently discriminated against by the British Army on the mere fact of their national origin and of being non-white and non-European,” the press release said.
The issue discussed under UNCHR’s agenda item on “indigenous issues” was tabled on behalf of World Federation of Democratic Youth, according to the GAESO officials who hoped that it would enter the upcoming UN General Assembly for discussion.
They said that the main objective of taking the issue to UNCHR was to draw the attention of the world body for the resolution of the conflict.
“We want to fight this battle legally, so we will knock on the door of the International Court of Justice if need be,” said GAESO legal advisor Yubraj Sangraula, who arrived here today after taking part in the UNCHR meeting.
He said that the ex-Gurkhas would welcome British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook during his visit to Nepal. “We will be glad to put our views if he calls us for discussion on this issue.”
The ex-Gurkhas have been fighting for facilities at par with their British counterparts. They continued their movement even after a recent rise in their pension citing that it was still discriminatory.
Kathmandu, Apr. 19: Nepal joined the world to celebrate Earth Day 2000 with the commitment to check climate change, with the slogan clean energy for the solution of the problem created by climate change.
In a discussion programme held here today participants highlighted the importance and relevance of Earth Day. Environmentalist and officials of MoPE attended the programme organised by the Ministry of Population and environment (MoPE).
Dr Govinda Bhatta Secretary of MOPE stressed the need of social commitment to clean the environment. Every citizen should feel responsible in a way of cleaning the environment he said. He further added that more use of hydroelectrict power is the only answer to check the air pollution. Only with full cooperation between the government and private sector will be the success of green revolution.
Dr Dirgha Singh Bom, Director SAARC tuberculosis centre, urged the need to cure the disease spread by pollution. He also said environment pollution has changed life span of not only the human beings but also the other living creatures.
Bikash Pandey, energy expert, said the environmental out look for the future is not so bright. In other countries economic development goes in co-relation to environmental degradation but in Nepal while economic growth has not yet flourished, environmental deterioration has already increased to the alarming levels.
Environmentalist Heb Bahadur Khadka stated the need of stopping pollution contributing vehicles in phase wise. He further said that we should encourage the citizens to use vehicles less, which will be a contribution to clean the environment.
The Earth Day 2000 will continue for April 22nd. Various programmes including public rally and seminars are organised in this occasion.
Kathmandu, Apr. 19: Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta launched the novel “Saranarthi” or refugee by Krishna Dharabasi here today.
Releasing the book at a function organized by the Niyatra Publications, Jhapa here today, Mr Gupta said the book depicts the contemporary situation in a meaningful way.
Expressions given to experiences which the author underwent being in proximity with refugees will make us sensitive towards the refugees, he added.
Academician and senior litterateur Bairagi Kainla, from the chair, observed that the book will help promote nepalese literature.
Various other speakers including literatteur Bishnu Bibhu Ghimire and Dr Govinda Bhattarai also expressed their views on the occasion.
Ex-Minister Bhim Bahadur Kadayat recently released a book on Tikapur town profile published by Tikapur Municipality.
Information about industrial, commercial and educational sectors have been incorporated in the book edited by Damodar Pandit.
On the occasion, ex-minister Kadayat said that the Municipality had done a commendable work by informing the city dwellers about its features.
The function was chaired by Mayor Ratna Bahadur Sanjyal.
Kathmanu, Apr. 19: Former Commander-in-chief General Toran Shamsher J. B. Rana passed away at the Birendra Military Hospital, Chhauni on April 12, it is learnt from his family sources. He was 96.
Late Rana was decorated with earthquake service medal for his praiseworthy work in the relief and rescue operation in the devastating earthquake in 1990 B.S.
He was the commandent of the Srinath Battalion when the then government send eight battalions to help the British Government after the start of the second World War in 1996 B.S.
Decorated with various medals including Suprasiddha Manyabar Nepal Tara and Om Ram Patta, the late general Toran had served the Royal Nepalese Army for 40 years and then lived a retired life for another 40 years.
He is survived by his son and daughter.