Sindhuli, Mar. 30: The Seti mudslide located at Ward no-4 of Lampantar VDC in Sindhuli district has been a matter of concern for people living in adjoining areas since the past 44 years.
The mudslide began in 2012 B .S. and assumed alarming proportions in 2023 B.S. when 10 houses in the area were burried.
Spreading over an area of 19 hectares the mudslide has laid waste 625 hectares of arable land in Bhimasthan, Beldhari, Jarayotar and Lampantar VDCs to the detriment of thousands of farmers in seven VDCs in the Kamalakhoch region of the district, says a preliminary technical report of the local DDC.
Tinpatan area has been the most affected by the mudslide and the entire area may soon be converted into desert if the mudslide is not controlled in time, say the locals.
Meanwhile, a mudslide control committee constituted under the chairmanship of DDC member Eklal Shrestha has begun work towards controlling the mudslide.
Preliminary control efforts have been made through a bio-technology method under which huge bamboo baskets filled with sand and rock are placed at the base of the mudslide hill.
The committee has requested cooperation from DPDP, an international non-government organisation working to control water-induced calamities.
Since the hill is made up of soft natural material like limestone, slate and soft stone, experts are finding it difficult to control the slide. As the mudslide is very huge and impossible to control through district level projects, it should be included in central level projects, said DDC chairman Ramesh Karki.
Rautahat, Mar. 30 : Transmission of Nepali movies by the Sangrila Day TV channel of Nepal Television since the past few months is said to have had an adverse affect on local cinema halls.
The number of cinema-goers has declined sharply following daily transmission of the Nepali movies. It has also resulted in a decrease in the number of students going to school.
Low turn out among cinema-goers has also led to lower revenue for the Nepal Motion Picture Corporation, and cinema hall owners are finding it difficult to pay their staff, said Sashikant Jha, manager of Bhawani Cinema Hall in Chandranigahapur.
All five cinema halls in Rautahat which used to run full house throughout the week are now facing shut down.
“Who will go to the cinema and buy tickets when you can watch the same thing on TV free of cost everyday?” Questions Kishore Kumar, manager of Om Chalchitra Mandir.
Parents have also expressed concern over the daily transmission of movies as this may affect children.
Meanwhile, Kalanidhi Indira Sangeet Mahavidhyalaya has decided to present the Kalanidhi Sangeet Sanman to Ramola Devi Shah “Chhinnalata,” Rangarao Kadambari Sangeet Sanman to Sangeet Pravin Nara Raj Dhakal and Balkrishna -Balkumari Smriti Sanman to Music Nepal.
Likewise, the Kirateswore Kalanidhi Sangeet Sanman is to be awarded to tabla player Purna Prasad Manandhar and the Mathuradevi Sangeet Sanman to Mrs Shanti Maskey.
The decision to this effect was taken at a meeting presided over by chairman of the Kalanidhi Indira Sangeet Mahavidhyalaya Indira Shrestha.
Kathmandu, Mar. 30:His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev today gave away cash prizes to various sports associations and coaches for their performance in the 8th South Asian Federation Games held in the capital last year.
Eleven national sports associations and 68 native and foreign coaches of eleven games included in the regional sports meet received the cash prizes at the function organised here this evening.
The associations that bagged gold medals were given a purse of 300 thousand rupees each while the second and third ones were given a hundred thousand and 50 thousand rupees each respectively.
Similarly, the chief coaches who stood first received a purse of 50 thousand rupees each whereas the second and third ones got 35 thousand and 20 thousand rupees each respectively.
Likewise, first, second and third coaches and assistant coaches were given 25 thousand, 17.5 thousand and ten thousand rupees each respectively.
The foreign coaches who were judged first, second and third received the cash prizes of 35 thousand, 20 thousand and 15 thousand rupees each respectively.
Education Minister Aamod Prasad Upadhyaya expressed his gratitude to the Crown Prince for patronising Nepal’s sports and inspiring the players to win home medals. “HRH the Crown Prince’s encouraging instructions led the SAF games to a great success and placed Nepal in the second position,” he said.
Since sports activities have earned international prestige to the country, the present government is committed to promote and make them more professional and disciplined in the days ahead, he said.
Nepal was placed second with 31 gold medals in the mega sports events held in the capital from September 25 to October 04 last year.
Rautahat, Mar. 30 :The cpn- uml has protested and expressed regret over the incident of arson and raid by an armed terrorist group engaged in Maoist activities at the house of Minister of State for Forest and Soil Conservation Mohammad Aftaf Alam at Rajpur Farahadawa in Rautahat district on Tuesday night.
A press statement published today by the party says that the party has at its 34th central committee meeting declared the activities of the Maoists as extreme leftist and terroristic.
The party has expressed anguish over the police inaction in tracing the terrorists despite efforts of the local people even though the police office was very near to the spot.
Likewise, the party has protested and demanded immediate release of nine persons including its district committee deputy secretary who was arrested without warrant because of political prejudice.
Similarly, the statement also demands that the culprits be arrested and stern action taken against them.
Condemning the kidnapping of its elected Ilaka No.8 member Jaya Prakash Kaushal, the statement says that he was kidnapped in a government vehicle by 10 unidentified gunmen in the presence of the administrative officer from the ddc premises in broad daylight today.
Kathmandu, Mar. 30 :The Supreme court has stated that there has been remarkable progress in the clearance of the writ petitions filed during the last three months.
Details of the progress published by the Supreme Court here today to mark the completion of the 100th day of the taking over of the post of chief justice by Mr Keshav Prasad Upadhyaya states that arrangement has been made for hearing of the application made for the revision the cases on which judgement has already been delivered once the very next day and the clearances of such applications have also been increased.
Talking to rss, Supreme Court spokesman Kashi Raj Dahal said that over two hundred writ petitions had been cleared during the period.
The Supreme Court also issued 10-point action plan for speedy functioning of the court and a 13-point directives had been issued on the day Chief Justice Upadhyaya assumed office.
Directives have been issued to and commitment made for the judges not to take part as chief guests in any conferences and seminar other than law and justice so that the society could feel the principle of criminal justice that it is not enough to administer justice but it is equally necessary to feel that justice has been administered.
Arrangement has also been made to give priority to take details of the persons imprisoned with the order of the court and whether or not imprisonment had been made for more than the specified time.
In districts having more than one judge, arrangement has been made to specify the case-list through lucky draw only after the accused is present at the court and the police report has been received.
Necessary directives have been issued and circulars sent to the records section for the effective implementation of the verdicts.
From next month onwards, specified number of court cases will be taken up for hearing according to schedules and will be presented to the benches on different dates according to the nature of cases.
Members of the judicial council and judges of appellate courts will inspect the subordinate courts. Directives have been issued to implement the points mentioned in the report, it is stated.
Likewise, provisions for training have been made at all the courts to implement the time-limit and guidelines of the court procedures published and distributed to bring uniformity in the functioning of the courts.
Works like organising trainings, seminars and workshops have been initiated through the judicial council to enhance the efficiency of the judges.
The task of receiving the details of the assets have been initiated in accordance with the regulation of the judicial council and special provision made to make the budget formulation process of courts scientific.
Provisions for regular get-togethers and consultations have been made in order to make the relations between the bar and the bench cordial and the task of re-publishing the “Nepal Kanoon Patrika” has been initiated to make available its old issues, according to Supreme Court Spokesman Dahal.
Kathmandu, Mar.30:The Nepal-India talks on the resumption of Indian Airlines flights has reached the final stage and will conclude tomorrow, Nepali delegation members taking part in the dialogue said here today.
“The text comprising the issues related to the IC flight resumption will be made public tomorrow,” Rajesh Dali, Manager of the Tribhuvan International Airport told reporters at the end of today’s talks that have continued for the third day today. “We are positive on the resumption of the Indian Airlines flights.”
According to Dali, who has been a member of the Nepali-delegation in the bilateral talks, many issues have been discussed in the joint-secretary level meet between the two neighbouring countries. “We cannot spell out the issues now but they will be made public by tomorrow.”
Another Nepali delegation-member participating in the talks said that the meeting did not discuss about deploying armed Indian security personnel at the TIA. “The talks have been focussing on issues like aviation security, access control, among others.”
Asked whether the official level, that has been holding talks, will be able to make the final decision on the IC flight resumption, Dali said that the joint-secretary level committee has been authorised to do so. “We will sign the final agreement though we may not be able to fix the date for the flight resumption.”
The six-member Nepali delegation is headed by Hari Bhakta Shrestha, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation. The three-member Indian team, headed by Sunil Arora, Joint Secretary at the Indian Civil Aviation Ministry, arrived here on March 27. Officials from Indian Embassy have also been taking part in the talks.
Indian Airlines suspended its inbound flights after the hijacking of the IC 814 on December 24 last year. The Indian Airlines’ scheduled passenger flight was hijacked in the Indian aerospace a little more than half an hour after it took off from the TIA.
While Indian Airlines suspended its Kathmandu-bound flights on security grounds, a high level investigation committee formed by the government earlier this year concluded that TIA did not lack any security arrangement on the day when the hijack took place.
Kathmandu, Mar. 30:Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya has said that the report of the revenue leakage joint parliamentary investigation committee will be implemented on the basis of the report of the task force constituted by His Majesty’s Government.
Replying to queries concerning his ministry at question-answer hour at the meeting of the House of Representatives today, Finance Minister Acharya said that it was not true that an office of the Small Farmers Development Project was being established at Thulo Lumpek of Gulmi district.
He said there was a programme for opening a sub-branch office of Nepal Bank Limited at the headquarters of Dailekh district this fiscal year.
Those seeking replies from Finance Minister Acharya were mps Phatik Bahadur Thapa, Nar Bahadur Hamal and Prakash Jwala of the cpn (uml).
Likewise, replying to queries concerning his ministry, Minister for Education Amod Prasad Upadhyaya said although there was no programme for granting permanent status to temporary secondary schools at Ambote, Lumti, Swalpa, Mahadev Dada, Sirthauli and Ladabhir of Sindhuli district in the current fiscal year, such secondary schools in the district would be gradually made permanent on priority basis depending on the resources of His Majesty’s Government.
He said although there was no programme as such at present for the establishment of a far-western regional university, the government was focusing all its efforts towards this end.
Those putting queries to Minister Upadhyaya were mps Ganga Prasad Nepal, Bijaya Subba and Gorakh Bahadur Bogati of the cpn(uml) and mp ramesh Lekhak of the Nepali Congress.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya presented details of agreements pertaining to foreign cooperation which were concluded between july l7, l999 and February l2, 2000, at the meeting of the House of Representatives today.
At the meeting, chairman of the State Affairs Committee Hom Nath Dahal presented the Nepal Citizenship (sixth amendment) Bill 2056 along with the committee’s report.
Similarly, Minister of State for Health Tirtha Ram Dangol presented the Martyr Gangalal National Heart Center Bill 2056.
The next meeting of the House will be held at ll am tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya, replying question raised by the mps at the meeting of the National Assembly today, said poverty alleviation is not possible until the economic growth rate is increased from existing two to three per cent to seven to eight per cent.
Stressing the need for attracting private sector investment in tourism and telecommunications sectors as government investment is inadequate for attaining high economic growth rate, Mr Acharya said that investments should be increased in the education and health sectors for development of human resources. Private sector participation can be involved in a few areas of these sectors, he added.
The finance minister said internal and foreign loan assistance have to be mobilised as investments have to be increased because the national savings rate stands at 11 per cent and gross domestic production stands at about 18 per cent.
Stating that foreign assistance had not been mobilised properly as a result of the decline in the morale of the bureaucracy caused by political intervention, and development programme implemented with foreign assistance not being carried out on the basis of the state’s priority, Mr Acharya said that improvements had to be made in the administration and policy relating to foreign assistance formulated for this purpose.
The finance Minister said that the possibilities of bringing about changes and extending development programmes to the people can be attained only through consensus between the prolitical parties, the civil society and the private sector.
Mr Acharya also assured the mps of the Upper House that the procedural problems encountered in the distribution of funds to the mps for carrying out development programmes in their respective constituencies would be solved to save it from lapsing.
Meanwhile, Minister for Information and Communications Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta has said the nc government is active for privatisation of state-owned publishing and broadcasting bodies since the Congress party from the very beginning of its inception has upheld the view that operation of newspapers by government is not practical and cannot be justified.
Responding to issues concerning his ministry pointed out in the third report of the delegated legislation committee (2056) at the National Assembly today, Mr Gupta noted that it is with a view to transferring broadcasting body to the private sector that private sector participation has been encouraged in telecommunications and radio services.
If the private sector carries out its responsibility honestly, it will also be allowed to operate national broadcasting services, he added.
The report also points out shortcomings seen in several acts and regulations and recommends various suggestions for improving this sector, the Minister said, adding the suggestions forwarded by the committee will be instrumental in preparing a draft of the act.
Similarly, Health Minister Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, responding to issues pointed out in the report concerning his ministry, said the process for amending the act concerning Nepal Medical Council and health services is underway.
Stating that and His Majesty’s Government will gradually rectify the shortcomings pointed out in the report, Dr. Yadav made it clear that health tax is collected keeping in mind the adverse impact on health of alcohol and other nicotine items.
Minister for Land Reforms and Management Siddha Raj Ojha noted that geometric system will be made more effective in order to minimize land-related problems.
Dual ownership on land will be ended as early as possible, he added.
Likewise, Finance Minister Mahesh Acharya remarked that the government will seriously study the report and soon amend the acts in order to remove shortcomings, adding that acts, regulations and by-laws should not contradict each other.
Cpn-uml’s Ram Chandra Bhattarai, Uttam Kumar Mahat, Devendra Ghimire and Surendra Prasad Pandey had taken part in the discussions.
Chairman of the delegated legislation committee Basudev Bhatta said the committee had prepared the report after studying various by-laws framed by different offices under His Majesty’s Government and 18 different acts.
Meanwhile, Balaram Ghartimagar of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, speaking during special time at the National Assembly today, said law and order situation is utterly dismal in the country and the people have been displaced from their own villages.
Cpn-uml’s Lal Bahadur Bishwokarma noted that even in the 21st century Dalits are living a neglected life.
NC’s Arvind Kumar Thakur noted that people are yet to enjoy the fruits of democracy in the field of education and agriculture, adding that the nation should respect the martyrs.
Bir Bahadur Singh of the cpn-uml said the helpless people are being harassed both by the police and the Maoists and strongly denounced the incidents of arsenal, looting and rapes by police at different vdcs of Rukum district.
NC’s Tilak Prasad Neupane complained that though Nepal owes us $ 4.6930 billion loan during the past five decades, people are growing poorer and poorer every day.
Cpn-uml’s Surendra Prasad Pandey demanded strong action against some persons of the Nepali Congress who today kidnapped Rautahat ddc chairman Jaya Prakash Kaushal from his office.
NC’s Bhim Bahadur Shrestha demanded that the government make policy to declare Chitwan a pollution-free and health city.
Shukra Raj Sharma of the same party expressed grief over the death of 93-year old Min Bahadur Gurung, a democratic fighter of the Nepali Congress and expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
Pokhara, Mar. 30:Senior Nepali Congress worker Min Bahadur Gurung, who had been active in the Nepali Congress since 2004 B.S. passed away at his own residence in Pumdi Bhumdi Vdc Ward No 1 this afternoon. He was 96.
The late Gurung had been suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes and was being treated by doctors at his own residence.
Late Gurung was elected to the House of Representatives from Constituency No. 99 in the general election of 2015 B.S. and was made the defense vice Minister in the council of Ministers led by the late B. P. Koirala.
He had served jail sentences 14 times during his political career.
His body will be cremated in accordance with the Gurung culture tomorrow at the local Chihandanda (cremation ground).
His son is the former mp Krishna Bahadur Gurung.
The late Gurung is survived by his younger wife Basanta Devi Gurung. She too has been suffering from high blood pressure and diabetes.
Meanwhile, Nepali Congress President and Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said he is deeply grieved by the death of Mr Min Bahadur Gurung.
In a condolence message today, Mr Koirala noted that the late gurung was the first generation leader and remained as a pillar for the sake of the party.
Stating that contribution of the late Gurung to the 2007 B.S. revolution has remained as an unforgettable chapter of the Congress party, the Prime Minister remarked that the late nc leader who performed a remarkable role in 2015 B.S. general elections was the Assistant Minister for Defence in the Council of Minister formed under the leadership of B. P. Koirala in 2016 B.S.
The late Gurung who suffered torture in jail after 2017 B.S. never deviated from his loyalty to democracy, Mr Koirala said, adding that his death has caused a great loss to the nation and democracy.
The Prime Minister expressed deep condolence to the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.
Similarly, deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Local Development Ram Chandra Paudel, in a message, said that the late Gurung, a commander of the 2007-B.S. revolution and dedicated leader of the western region, was a source of inspiration for all of us and his death has caused a great loss to the democratic movement of Nepal.
Mr Paudel also extended condolence to the bereaved family including his son former mp krishna Bahadur Gurung and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.
In a similar message, former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai expressed grief over the death of leader of the 2007 B.S. revolution and his contribution to the Nepali Congress and the people will never be forgotten.
Likewise, former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that the late Gurung’s courage, selflessness, honesty and spirit of sacrifice had made outstanding contributions in the restoration and consolidation of democracy.
The loss suffered by the country as a result of his death was indescribable in words and he was a living witness of the history of the democratic movement of Nepal, Mr Deuba said, expressing heartfelt condolences to specially the bereaved family and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul.
Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi, in his condolence message, has expressed profound grief at the demise of an active freedom fighter and former assistant Minister Min Bahadur Gurung who had won by overwhelming majority in the general elections of 2015 B.S. and said that the country had lost a great personality and the Nepali Congress a historic man and a good leader.
Minister Joshi also prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and expressed heartfelt condolence to the bereaved family including late Gurung’s son former mp krishna Bahadur Gurung.
General secretary of the Nepali Congress Sushil Koirala, in his condolence message, said that he was shocked to hear of the demise of Min Bahadur Gurung, and prayed for eternal peace to the departed soul and expressed heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family.
In the message, nc general secretary recalled the outstanding contributions of the late Gurung for the sake of democracy saying that he was a source of inspiration for everyone in the political movement for the restoration democracy.
Kathmandu, Mar. 30:Private school operators today said that they suffered due to lack of clarity in matters of investment and ownership and demanded that the government take initiatives to give this sector a certain direction.
The government has failed to define investment and ownership criteria of the private schools despite Private and Boarding Schools’ Organisation Nepal (PABSON)’s repeated appeals in the past, Central PABSON president Rajesh Khadka told a press conference here this afternoon. “We demand that the government implement the suggestions forwarded by Dr. Tirtha Khaniya led Advisroy Council constituted in 2055 B. S,” Khadka told the press meet organised to make public the resolutions taken by the Fourth Special National Convention of PABSON held in Lalitpur recently.
The convention passed an eleven-point resolution that, among others, demands the government allow the concerned schools to conduct the exams of class five and eight that is currently conducted by the District Education Office as level termination exams. “This is impractical and unscientific,” Khadka said.
The resolution says that the present academic calendar too is unscientific and proposes that the academic year should begin in mid-April.
Besides, it calls for serious consideration on part of the government in matter of registration, operation and management of the private schools.
Established nine years ago, PABSON has over 4000 private schools under its umbrella. There are about 7,500 private schools nation-wide covering about 35 per cent of the demand of school education.
Kathmandu, Mar. 30:Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala today said that the government was fully committed to promote the country’s industry and commerce.
“I, on behalf of the government, assure you of total co-operation and total support,” Premier Koirala said inaugurating the six-day industrial and commercial fair ‘Tradex–2000’ at Bhrikuti Mandap this morning.
“The government will extend full co-operation to the private sector to construct the exhibition centre,” Koirala said. “The government, traders and industrialists should work hand in hand to develop necessary exhibition infrastructure.”
Koirala also told the traders and exhibitors that the government would work towards simplifying laws relating the movement of goods in or out of the country for the purpose of exhibition.
Emphasising the importance of economic diplomacy in the present day globalised context, Koirala said that the private sector had to play a crucial role to expand export trade.
Minister for Industry and Commerce Ram Krishna Tamrakar said that the government was ready to assist the private sector in developing exhibition infrastructure by bringing in the donors.
“Nepal as a least developed country has appealed to the donor agencies that they should assist her in developing exhibition infrastructure and they are positive about it,” said Tamrakar. Minister Tamrakar said that the government was expecting a proposal on behalf of the private sector for the development of exhibition infrastructure.
Tamrakar said that the government was working to promote country’s trade and commerce. He said that Commerce Ministry was organising a seminar next week in collaboration with the private sector with a view to discuss the prospects of export trade.
President of Nepal Chamber of Commerce Mahesh Kumar Agrawal called for initiatives that would ensure the development of trade and tourism in which he said Nepal had comparative strength.
On behalf of the organisers, Everest Exhibitions (EE)’s managing director Bhaskar Raj Rajkarnikar said that they always tried to make the fair a consumer-oriented event in the past in line with the nature of Nepalese market. Rajkarnikar however said that the traders and exhibitors faced problems due to the lack of exhibition infrastructure.
From the chair, President of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Pradeep Kumar Shrestha stressed on implementation of the existing policy for the growth of industry and commerce.
The fifth annual fair has traditional as well as modern consumer goods on display. Besides, it features a competitive show of two wheelers and four wheelers. Modern garden in Nepalese tradition is another aspect of the fair, which the organisers expect, would attract women.
The fair also features the selective exhibition of decorative items, construction materials and industrial products.
The fair that aims at promoting and popularising new products from home and abroad comprises 100 stalls.
The organisers said that they had made necessary arrangements for communication service, advertising and marketing agencies, official travel agency and carrier service as well as insurance and entertainment programmes. The event sponsored by Tuborg Beer, Nepal-Bangladesh Bank, Quality Icecream and Professional Advertising can be accessed through Internet.