Kathmandu, Apr. 8:Inaugurating the 17th central convention of the Nepal Disabled Association here today, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has said that he would raise the issue in Parliament to mobilise cooperation for meeting the demands put forth by the Association.
From the chair, Central President of the Association Surendra Bahadur Basnet said nothing could be done through the initiative of a few social organisations alone for the arrangements of proportionate employment as well as for the rights and duties unless the programmes to be carried out in the multifaceted development of the disabled are not included in the national policies of the government.
Central member of the Association Lok Raj Thapaliya said the responsibility for social security of the disabled falls not only on the individual and the society but also on the government.
Another central member Mrs. Gita Rana said as there is a lack of skilled manpower for the training of the disabled it is difficult to rehabilitate them. The government has to assist the Association financially, she added.
Member of the International Cooperation Agency (CIA) for the disabled in Sweden Mrs. Ulla Lindberg said her organisation has been cooperating with the Nepal Disabled Association in the Community based Rehabilitation Programme (cbr) since the last 10 years.
Bhaktapur, Apr. 8 : The nine-day international conference on “Culture, heritage management and tourism” organised by the Bangkok based unesco regional headquarters with the cooperation of Bhaktapur Municipality began here today.
Inaugurating the international conference at the Bhaktapur Durbar Square at a function today, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Paudel said that His Majesty’s Government would extend cooperation in formulating necessary laws to declare Bhaktapur as a cultural city.
Stating that the legacy left behind by our ancestors as well as the cultural heritage and natural beauty have proved to be a boon for Nepal, Mr. Paudel said that even though Nepal lagged behind in the field of modernization, nepal has become a center of attraction for tourists because of her religion, culture and art.
Noting that Nepalese would not have to remain poverty stricken if we can safeguard our our existing art, property and heritages, Mr. Paudel wished the international conference success.
President of the Nepal Workers and Peasants Party and mp Narayan Man Bijukchhe called on His Majesty’s Government to make necessary arrangements for water and sewerage system and to develop Bhaktapur as a place for touristic destination in order to safeguard the city’s heritage.
Stressing the need to to carry out heritage conservation works by maintaining coordination between offices of land revenue, Water Supply Corporation, Department of Archeaology, Sewerage Development Corporation and Bhaktapur Municipality in the district, Mr. Bijukchhe expressed the view that other municipalities would follow suit if Bhaktapur was developed into a model city.
Ms. Kris Endresen of Nordic World Heritage Centre said that the heritage should protected in time as it cannot be restored to its original state once it is destroyed.
Additional contribution can be made to the tourism sector if the cultures of the countries of Asia and Pacific region can be safeguarded properly, unesco Regional Advisor for Culture Richard Engelhardt said, adding many tourism related job opportunities could be generated by safeguarding the cultures and heritages of these countries.
Speacking from the chair Mayor of Bhaktapur Municipality Prem Suwal said that the municipality was committed to developing Bhaktapur city into the cleanest city of the Kingdom of Nepal and a monument and cultural city in the Asian continent.
Deputy mayor Chaitya Raj Shankya, representative of the Norwegian Embassy R. Jensen and others wished for the success of the conference.
Earlier a team of the representatives of the participating countries and experts had walked through Bhaktapur city.
The conference is being participated in by representatives of the nine cities of Nepal, People’s Republic of China, Sri Lanka, Laos, Vietnam, Republic of Korea, Fiji, Malaysia and the Phillipines enlisted in the World Heritage List.
Kathmandu, Apr. 8:Chief Justice Keshab Prasad Upadhyaya today said that the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal 1990 envisioned a competent and independent judiciary and stressed on Bar-bench co-operation toensure justice to the public.
Upadhyaya also said that it was necessary to discuss the issues relating to quick disposal of cases so that justice is delivered to the needy. He referred to the initiatives undertaken to overcome bottlenecks in the process of administration of justice, and appealed to act in concert to achieve the goal of quick and accessible justice.
“The public should not suffer due to our weakness,” Upadhyaya told the inaugural session of a one-day workshop on ‘Enhancing Efficiency of the Justices’ here this morning.
Supreme Court Justice Laxman Prasad Aryal presenting his working paper said that the present Constitution upheld the concept of an efficient judiciary, adding that the justices should make every effort to enhance their personal as well as institutional efficiency.
Aryal further said that inefficiency on part of the judges would give the public an impression that the judiciary was not fair. “The judges should take personal initiatives to develop a clean image of the judiciary.”
The non-governmental organisations can work with judiciary to make significant contribution for enhancing the efficiency of the justices, said Aryral.
Supreme Court Spokesman and workshop co-ordinator Kashi Raj Dahal said that the justices needed to keep themselves updated with the new legal concepts and trends.
Dahal said that the workshop would focus on important judicial issues related to justice rendering such as hearing management and sentencing criteria.
Rural Development Foundation (RDF) President Krishna Man Pradhan said that his organisation is committed to good governance and interested to work to facilitate the process of people’s access to justice. The foundations is working to help develop alternative measures of dispute settlement, he added. He assured of the Foundation’s cooperation in executing activities to enhance social justice and good governance.
Organised jointly by the Judicial Council Secretariat and RDF, the workshop aimed at discussing various issues related to justice dispensation so as to ensure people’s access to justice. At the workshop four senior judges of the Supreme Court Laxman Aryal, Kedar Nath Upadhyaya, Hari Prasad Sharma and Krishna Jung Raymajhi presented working papers on different substantive and procedural issues relevant to efficient administration of justice, Senior advocate Ganesh Raj Sharma also presented paper on the theme of case hearing with particuliar reference to the role of lawyers.
The workshop was participated in by over 40 lawyers and judges from the supreme court, appellate courts and district court.
Kathmandu, Apr. 8:Inaugurating the 17th central convention of the Nepal Disabled Association here today, Speaker Taranath Ranabhat has said that he would raise the issue in Parliament to mobilise cooperation for meeting the demands put forth by the Association.
From the chair, Central President of the Association Surendra Bahadur Basnet said nothing could be done through the initiative of a few social organisations alone for the arrangements of proportionate employment as well as for the rights and duties unless the programmes to be carried out in the multifaceted development of the disabled are not included in the national policies of the government.
Central member of the Association Lok Raj Thapaliya said the responsibility for social security of the disabled falls not only on the individual and the society but also on the government.
Another central member Mrs. Gita Rana said as there is a lack of skilled manpower for the training of the disabled it is difficult to rehabilitate them. The government has to assist the Association financially, she added.
Member of the International Cooperation Agency (CIA) for the disabled in Sweden Mrs. Ulla Lindberg said her organisation has been cooperating with the Nepal Disabled Association in the Community based Rehabilitation Programme (cbr) since the last 10 years.
Kathmandu, Apri. 8: A workshop on civil service reform, jointly sponsored by His Majesty’s Government (HMG) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), was held here today.
The workshop was organised to discuss the findings and recommendations of a technical assistance project, funded by ADB, to formulate an action plan on civil service reform in Nepal. About 135 representatives of HMG, ADB, donor agencies, and civil society attended the workshop. Participants provided comments and views on the proposed programme for civil service reform as contained in the report.
The objective of the civil service reform programme is broadly to enhance policy development and service delivery by reforming the organisation and management of the civil service. Possible initiatives under the proposed programme will seek to (i) develop more effective leadership for change management at all levels of the civil service, (ii) enhance civil service efficiency, (iii) strengthen anti-corruption measures, (iv) develop a capable and motivated civil service, and (v) develop a performance-oriented and accountable civil service.
Proposed actions under the reform programme will include reorganisation of government ministries, strengthening of constitutional oversight bodies, legislative reform to improve the transparency and accountability of the civil service, reforms to provide additional incentives to civil servants, and introduction of standards for customer service in key service delivery ministries. It is proposed that the first phase of reform programme will be implemented over a five-year period to begin in 2000.
The overarching objective of ADB’s Country Operational Strategy for Nepal is to achieve a sustainable reduction in poverty. A major difficulty in achieving this objective has been the lack of efficiency, predictability, transparency, and accountability in key development and market institutions. Since capacity building for improved governance is a critical success factor for achieving the overarching goal of a sustainable reduciton in poverty, civil service reform has been identified as one the key areas for governance reform.
ADB approved the technical assistance in December 1998, with a value of $630,000, to assist the government to prepare a series of measures that would provide the groundwork for a broad civil service reform programme in Nepal. The government’s 1992 Administrative Reforms Commission report was the basis of the work conducted under the technical assistance. The experts under the technical assistance began work in June 1999, and initiatives under the technical assistance included conducting a civil service census, establishing a computerised personnel database, undertaking a functional review of ministries, and consideration of a range of alternatives for fiscal decentralisation. Based on these activities, a timebound action plan for civil service reform has been prepared.
A Civil Service Programme Loan, under which the action plan will be implemented, has been proposed for approval by ADB in 2000, with a value of $20 million, depending on HMG progress in taking a number of key preliminary actions prior to the loan. An ADB Mission that has been in Kathmandu from 28 March 2000 to discuss in detail the scope of the action plan and subsequent loan with HMG attended the workshop.
Nepalgunj, Apr. 7:Farmers of Banke district are facing difficulties in adopting intensive cropping or extension of cash crops and other suitable crops due to the shortage of irrigation.
According to the Agricultural Development Office, Banke, out of a total 57,252 hectares of arable land in the district, irrigation is available only for some 2,414 hectares or 7.7 percent the portion of land that has irrigation throughout the year is minimal.
Demands for irrigaiton in the district have been made every year. The Thapuwa Tirtihiriya Irrigation Project is to commence in view of the growing irrigation demand. Upon completion, the project will irrigate about 100 hectares.
Similarlfy, an initial survey has been conducted at Chisapani, Raniyapur, Kushum and Shamshergunj and survey work completed at Titihiriya and Ghigauranala, it is learnt.
The Ghijari bagesal Project at Mahadevpuri with an irrigation capacity of 80 hectares, the Rajkulo Irrigation Project at Banipur, Banauna Irrigation Project with a capacity of 640 hectares and Betahani project with a capacity of 150 hectares are under implementation in the district.
An underground water resources development project and the Sitapur Underground Irrigation Project with the capacity of irrigating 935 and 480 hectares respectively are the two old irrigation projects of the district.
Kathmandu, Apr. 7: A discussion programme on why a cleanliness drive should be launched was organised recently by Kaski DDC and Nepal Environmental Journalists Group jointly.
During the discussion, Dr Achyut Bhattarai of Teku Hospital presented the main human development indces for Kaski district based on a report prepared by new era and the Health Services Department. Discussions held in groups focused on toilets with and without water and cleanliness and tradition.
Participating in the programme chaired by DDC member Rajendra Subedi were 55 persons including the DDC Vice-Chairman and other members, local journalists, the district public health officer, the district women’s development officer, UNICEF regional and district representatives, representatives of NGOs involved with health and cleanliness, a representative of the district drinking water corporation, the Mayor of Lekhnath Municipality, a representative of Pokhara Sub-Municipal Corporation and VDC chairmen.
Meanwhile in Bhadrapur, a number of parasites have been found in the stomachs of 77 percent of children at Bhrikuti Lower Secondary School.
According to the environmental and health service centre, Damak, out of 105 students given check-ups, hookworm was found in 12 and other parasites in others. Medicines were distributed free of cost to the students who are suffering from the parasites due to polluted water, consumption of vegetables which had not been cleaned properly, biting of finger nails and failure to wash hands and feet properly, chairman of the centre Narendra Bhattarai said.
A large number of children were also found suffering from parasites during health check-ups carried out by the centre at Dhukurpani Highschool in Damak Municipality, Ward No. 6.
At a health camp held under the chairmanship of centre chairman Bhattarai, a host of speakers including Mayor Romnath Oli and chief of Amda Hospital Dr. Shankar Prasad Chhajadar lauded the role played by the centre in controlling parasite-borne disease and creating awareness against such disease. During the camp, Amda Hospital, Lifeline Health Care and Damak sub-health post provided technical support as well as medicines free of cost.
In Charikot (Dolakha), the district forest office Dolakha has organised a three day seminar on medicinal herbs and their traditional use. The seminar was aimed at preserving traditional knowledge about the identity and use of medicinal herbs. Traditional healers and shamans participating in the seminar exchanged their knowledge about herbal uses.
The seminar discussed the use of l3 herbs now on the brink of extinction, 45 herbs which are available and l7 others which are common.
Participating in the seminar were Maheshwar Bhakta Shrestha of the Rural Health Development Project, Kaviraj Bhakti Prasad Ghimire, assistant forest officer Narayan Shrestha, Ranger Ishwar Prasad Upadhyaya and Bhabeshwar Das as well as traditional healers and shamans who practice in the district.
Likewise in Amargadhi (Dadeldhura), the “B.P. with the Poor” development programme district level coordination and follow-up committee, Dadeldhura, organised a day-long introductory seminar about the programme here recently.
President of the ” B.P. with the Poor” district committee Hari Prasad Bhatta shed light on the objectives of the programme.
Chief district officer Dilli Prasad Shivakoti spoke on the important role of the different sectors in making the programme successful.
Chiefs of different district-based offices, representatives of political parties and local bodies took part in the seminar.
Mahendranagar, Apr.7: Fires started inadvertently by shepherds grazing their livestock inside the royal Suklaphanta Wildlife Conservation area and the resulting environmental pollution have impacted adversely on the nests of different varieties of birds and also on the health of rare wildlife.
Haphazard discarding of matches by the local shepherds after lighting cigarettes and bidis recently started a fire which spread from Mangal Shera to Radhapur post in the conservation area and destroyed the natural habitant of rare birdlife. The fire is spreading gradually to other parts of the conservation area, chief conservation officer Megh Bahadur Pandey told RSS.
Recent fire has also destroyed the habitat of other wildlife in the conservation area renowned throughout the Asian continent for herds of barasinghe deer, and also destroyed rare grass species.
Employees of the Conservation Area and army personnel are trying to put out the fire with the help of tree branches and leaves as there is no water.
Meanwhile, with local residents at the core of the conservation area grazing cattle haphazardly, the natural wealth there has been adversely affected also.
It is estimated that some 40 mammal species, 14 different varieties of fish and 332 local and rare birds shelter in the area. Besides this, 60 different varieties of trees and plants and 27 varieties of shrub grow there. The place is well known for a spotted tiger, barasinghe and other deer, pythons, cranes and a number of butterfly species.
It is feared that the recent fire will harm the rare python also.
The fire is being extinguished at the initiative of chief conservation officer Pandey despite the shortage of manpower and transportation.
Bhadrapur, Apr. 7: The indigenous Rajbanshi community inhabiting Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts in the eastern parts of the Terai are bracing up for the celebration of their biggest cultural festival “The Siruwa”.
The first day of the “Siruwa” which is celebrated for three days with the start of the Nepalese new year is called the “Jal Siruwa” during which the revelers splash each other with water, the second day is called the “Kadah Siruwa” which is celebrated by playing mud and the last day is celebrated by throwing colour and is called the “Rang Siruwa”.
According to the bengali calendar the Jal Siruwa falls one day before the new year, the Kadah Siruwa on the new year’s day while the Rang Siruwa falls a day after the new year. However, according to the Bikram Era the festival begins on the new year’s day and is celebrated for three days in a row.
The last day of the festival is also called “Bisuwa” by the Rajbanshis during which they worship their ancestral god “Salkumari” and hang garlic and onion at their homes as an offering to the god and play with water.
In the evening the same day a special preparation of rice called “Panta Bhat” is prepared. The “Panta Bhat” is dried rice mixed with curry prepared from fish, sajiwan, jute leaves, mango, potato, fern shoot and pineapple. The rice is cooked and immersed in water in the evening. The next day, it is dried and mixed with curry before consuming.
The second day of the Siruwa festival is celebrated as the “Kadah Siruwa” by the Rajbanshis. This day is also the new year’s day for the Rajbanshis. On this day people throw mud at each other and revel in merry-making.
The excitement associated with the Kadah Siruwa which was seen at the Rajbanshi settlements in the past is no more the same these days. The festival seems to have lost its sheen with changing times.
Says Ganesh Rajbanshi, a local of Chandragadhi- “it’s difficult to get the right kind of soil to make mud from and many Rajbanshi youths these days don’t like to play in mud due to changing lifestyles.”
In the evenings on the day of the Adah Siruwa, the Rajbanshi women perform what is called the “Tistawuri Puja” near the banks of rivers or at the wells or water sources. They worship their ancestral make offerings of bananas, puffed rice, gram, onion, garlic and other items and eat it as auspicious food.
The last day of the Siruwa festival called “Rang Siruwa” is celebrated by the Rajbanshis by smearing colour on each other. Rang Siruwa is more akin to the holi, the festival of colours celebrated by the Hindus.
Traditional dances amid the playing of community musical instruments marks the Rang Siruwa. The festival is formally called off for the year until the next Siruwa on this day.
The Rajbanshis, Tajpuriyas, Gangais, Ganeshas, Tharus, Chaudharis, Haris, Kangois and Haluwais all celebrate Siruwa festival according to their own traditions.
Although the Rajbanshis of this area also celebrate the Jatra (Dashain), Ubanshi (Tihar), Dol (Fagu), Jituwa and Dadikodo festivals, the siruwa is the most celebrated and a great festival which evokes great response of the Rajbanshis.
Obviously demands have been made with His Majesty’s Government by various institutions and organisations of the rajbanshis for granting a holiday to all the Rajbanshi employees working at government offices on this day.
Bhumi Raj Rajbanshi, who has been associated for a long time with the socio-economic upliftment of the Rajbanshis and the promotion of the Rajbanshi language, literature and culture opines that the government should show special interest in protecting and preserving the national identity of the Rajbanshis and upliftment of their economic condition. The Rajbanshi population which was about 35,000 according to the census of 2011 B.S. has increased to 85,58 as per the census data of 2048 B.S.
Besides Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts of east Nepal, the Rajbanshis are also settled in Bihar, Assam and Bengal of India as well as in Bangladesh.
Kathmandu, Apr. 7: Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said economic diplomacy has become an integral part of our foreign policy.
Mr Koirala made this remark while addressing a reception held in honor of honarary consuls of Nepal at the Prime Minsiters residence in Baluwatar today.
Stating that democracy does not flourish in poverty and so we are making all possible efforts to alleviate poverty and improve the living conditions of our people, Mr Koirala expressed confidence that trade and commerce plays a key role in uplifting the economy of a nation.
Globalization may have certain benefits for Nepal but it may also put us in certain difficulties, he said, adding our ability to compete in the global free market is not at par with that of the developed nations.
Noting that Nepal is not very well known around the world as yet and that is because it remained isolated from the rest of the world for a century until 1950, the Prime Minsiter said that even when it opened its door to the international world, the process of our communication was rather slow during the last 50 years.
Thanks to the revolution in communication technology, we are on the internet, he further said.
On the occasion, the consuls and consul generals had presented their suggestion and opinions to the Prime Minsiter.
Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi who is also looking after the foreign affairs portfolio, Minister for Industry and Commerce Ram Krishna Tamrakar, Minister of State for Industry and Commerce Narendra Bikram Nemwang and senior officials at the Ministries of Industry and Commerce, and Foreign Affairs were also present on the occasion.