Kathmandu, Mar. 27:CPN-UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal has said that today’s Nepal Bandh call by his party is a programme drawn up during the time of the previous government.

The people had been agitated by defects and inconsistencies seen in the system of governance, politicalisation, lax law and order situation, growing corruption, bribery, commission-mongering, injustice, oppression, price hike etc. And under the circumstances, the oppositions staged the Nepal Bandh programme with a view to compelling the government to launch relief  programmes for the people, he said.

General secretary also urged the government to take seriously the issues and demands raised by the oppositions for the sake of the country and people and to run the system of state governance in such a way as to win the people’s confidence.

Replying to a query by Shital Koirala of Rastriya Samachar Samiti, General Secretary Nepal said CPN-UML had positive approach on the commitments Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala  made in principle to such things as good governance, peace and security, and control of corruption.

Mr Nepal said that before and after he took over the charge of Prime Ministership, Prime Minitser Koirala had clearly stated that the government leadership should be tough, dynamic and courageous enough to free the state from violence, terror, instability, injustice and the chasm of bad governance as well as to lead the people toward progress.

General secretary Nepal observed that socio-economic transformation could be brought in the contry only if the Prime Minister’s principled resolves were translated into action.

“Rhetoric alone won’t bring about national development; people want to see the performances of the government, he said. “We call upon the Prime Minister to translate his words into deeds.”

Mr Nepal pointed out that the government needed to act promptly for making laws on confiscation of the property earned illegally, bringing the corrupt ones to book, as well as laws pertaining to right to information.

“Let the government clearly state what kind of cooperation from the opposition it expected in preventing politicisation of the administratitive machinery, reducing the number of ministries and making the administration efficient, dynamic and productive and let things be done promptly in this connection,” he urged.

General secretary Nepal called for an end to the politicisation of the B. P. with the Poor programme and scrapping of the irregular appointments made by the previous government.

The goal of national development would be inconceivable unless and until revolutionary land reforms programme was introduced, agriculture commercialised, and water resources harnessing programmes, socialisation of politics and poverty alleviation were carried out, Mr Nepal noted.

“If those in high positions lack honesty and commitment, the country cannot march on the path of progress and prosperity,” he added.

Nepal Bandh peaceful despite minor incidents

Kathmandu, March 27:Today’s Nepal Bandh called by the Communist Party of Nepal (United Marxist-Leninist) remained peaceful except for the damage to some state owned vehicles and a few government offices, Home Ministry said in a press statement.

The protesters destroyed a state-owned jeep and a public truck in Biratnagar, one bus, two trucks, a tampo and two motorcycles in Kathmandu, a van of Patan Hospital, two taxies and a motorcycle in Patan. In Bhaktapur, a bus of Janak Education Materials Centre and a taxi were stoned. The protesters vandalised a taxi in Pokhara and two buses in Rupandehi.

Similarly, the protesters pelted and smashed the windowpanes of Department of Immigration (DoI), Department of Customs (DoC) and Nepal Water Supply Corporation. They also destroyed Telecommunications Office’s PCO booth located at Letang, Morang.

A female employee of DoC, two employees of DoI and a truck driver were injured during different incidents of stone pelting by the protestors.

The ministry said that the police were compelled to use force to stop a group of protesters from entering Hulas Wire Industries in Morang’s Tanki Sinuwari.

A total of 40 protesters have been arrested on charge of being involved in pelting and compelling the public to shut down shops. Sixteen of them were arrested from Kathmandu, eight from Jhapa, one from Morang, three from Khotang, one from Nawalparasi, eight from Dadeldhura and three from Kanchanpur.

Meanwhile, a press release issued today by CPN-UML said that the Bandh was successful throughout the country. It said the Bandh, chalked out during the tenure of the previous government, was organised as a protest against the “defects and inconsistencies seen in the system of the governance, politicisation, lax law and order situation, growing corruption and price hike among others.”

The party staged the Bandh with a view to pressurise the government to launch relief programmes for the people, the release said.

Kathmandu, March 28:A three day South Asian Weightlifting Coaching and Referee Course began at the Dasarath Stadium from today.

Inaugurating the training programme the president of the Nepal Olympic Committee Rukum Shumsher Rana stated that such type of programme would help to organise the World Junior Weightlifting event.

Meanwhile, chief of the British Weightlifting Federation and the general secretary of Commonwealth Weightlifting Federation Myrddin, John also stressed the importance of training. John arrived here Monday to conduct the training.

On the occasion, the president of Nepal Weightlifting Association Rajesh Kaji Shrestha highlighted the importance of seminar. There are altogether 33 participants from Nepal and two from Bangladesh.

Rautahat, Mar.  28 :Sahitik Parivar, Chandranigahpur held a special literary programme here recently in memory of the noted literary figure late Basu Shashi.

On the occasion, chief guest and literary journalist Rochak Ghimire gave away letters of appreciation to young poets of Narayani zone, namely Shital Giri, Amar Tyagi, Shama Dhakal, Gopal Ashka.

Writer Narayan Dhakal described late Basu Shashi as a dynamic and mainstream poet of the post-sharada period.

Writer Khagendra Sangraula deplored that the democratic governments ignored basu shashi who lead a struggle against the autocratic regime during the time of the popular movement of 1990.

Poet and Sajha Publication chairman Vishnubibhu Ghimire said the Nepalese people would cherish the memory of late Basu Shashi as a humanitarian poet.

A host of other speakers also expressed their views at the programme chaired by writer Madhav Kafle.

Meanwhile, the Nai Prakashan is to present the  Rs. 10,000- Nai Kalanidhi Youth Award  to folk singer  and musician Ram Thapa for his significant contribution to the Nepali language through the medium of songs and music.

The decision was made by the meeting of the Prakashan presided over  by its chair person Indira Prasain.

Meanwhile in Lamjung, a day-long health education motivation seminar was held here recently by the district health office.

The seminar aimed to review to the progress review of the projects launched this fiscal year and past years, identify the problems experienced during their implementation and find out solutions to them.

Forty-five health workers from the district health office, ngos and schools participated in the programme.

Biratnagar, Mar.28:”Say ‘No’ to plastic bags” is the catchword the environmentalists are using here as part of their environmental protection campaign.

The campaigners spearheaded by the Explore Nepal Group and Sipred Biratnagar, have selected Ward no. 12 of Biratnagar town as the first site of their drive against environmental degradation.

They are making door-to-door visit to local households telling them how to keep the environment clean and why they should prefer the use of biodegradable materials like jute bags, cotton cloth and papers to plastic bags.

In the course of the campaign they are also distributing needles on which paper and plastic bags can be collected.

Once the two-day campaign ends, the group looks forwards to fanning out to all other wards of the town. In this connection, a Public Interest Promotion Centre has been set up at ward nos. 15 and 16.

Kathmandu, Mar.   28:Nepal Commerce Campus, Minbhavan has described as baseless and misleading news report carried in section of the press alleging irregularity in the construction of a new building of the campus.

At a press conference here recently, the construction committee co-ordinator Madhav Prasad Nyaupane said, “The building was being constructed by mobilising its internal resources and 40 percent of the fund (of Rs 2.5 million) received from Tribhuvan University Higher Secondary Education Project.

All procudures regarding it had been completed and its construction was being built through a transparent procedure,  he added.

The contract for the 5-room building was awarded to the lowest bidder, Samanantar construction service, at Rs 5,618,702, he disclosed.

A communiqué distribution on the occasion says that the campus management has increased the monthly tuition fees for certificate, diploma and post graduate level (first year) students seeking admission from this year in order to meet its growing expenses and to enhance the quality of education.

Meanwhile in Mahendranagar, the daily activities of the Baitadi-Darchula roads project have been badly hampered by the absence of the project chief, according to the district administration office. The chief of the project situated at Gokuleshwor some 17 KM east of district headquarters Khalanga is carrying out project activities from his house at Kathmandu.

Project chief Ram Chandra Amatya was present at the project office only for 34 days in two years– 18 days in 2055 and 16 days in 2056.

The project employees have not even received their salaries for the past four months due to the absence of the project chief.

According to Darchula CDO Dev Prakash Lekhak, he has already written to the Home Ministry that the project chief has been spending more time at his home town Kathmandu rather than in project site.

Baitadi-Darchula Roads Project is a major project in the far western region.

Nepalgunj, Mar.   28: The Informal Sector Services Centre (INSEC) has been running the “government school programme” in seven districts of the mid-western development region with the objective of raising child rights awareness.

The programme which was launched in fiscal year 1996/1997 covers a total of 34 schools in the region including five each in Jumla, Rolpa, Salyan, Dang, Banke and Surkhet districts and four in Bardiya district.

Under the programme, a teacher at the school is designated as the patron and a child rights awareness group comprising  7 to 13 students is formed for implementation of the programme, according to Tanka Bhattarai, regional coordinator of the programme for the mid-western region.

Although students from the primary level had been incorporated in the child awareness groups in the beginning, only students from grade six to ten were incorporated in the group later.

The child rights awareness groups are responsible for propagating child rights among their peers, encourage children to organise and make them conscious about their problems.

Bhadrapur, Mar. 28:An indefinite Chakka Jam or transport strike organised at Maidhar on the Mahendra Highway near Surunga of Jhapa district has entered its sixth day paralysing daily life in the district.

The strike has been organised by the Kankai River Inundation Concern Struggle Committee in order to pressurise the government to control inundation caused by the Kankai River.

Speaking at a press conference organised by the committee here today, chairman of the committee Punya Prasad Dhakal said efforts have been made to call off the strike but it has been continued as no concrete steps have been taken to tame the river.

It is a sad thing that the national highway has been closed in order to pressurise the government, he said adding that the committee does not support such activities.

Transportation from Surunga in the east of the river to Jhilihile in the west has been blocked due to the strike the passengers have to walk about seven kilometers.

Hundreds of trucks carrying petroleum products and cereals to various parts of the district including the hilly areas in the east have also been stranded there causing rise in prices of essential commodities.

Meanwhile, the strike called by truck entrepreneurs running trucks in Jhapa-Taplegunj route has been called off.

Seven day strike was organised after transport trucks were obstructed in Phidim of Ilam district in protest of the provision of rotation system for trucks enforced jointly by Mechi Hilly Truck Entrepreneurs Association and Eastern Region Transport Entrepreneurs Association in order to bring uniformity in transportation cost in the hilly region.

Kathmandu, Mar. 28:Taking special time at the National Assembly today, Jeevan Prem Shrestha of Nepali Congress informed the meeting that the Nepalese delegation to the conference of members of the Upper House of 53 countries held in Paris recently presented its views on the importance, role and exercises of the National Assembly.

He also pointed out the need to make the Upper House the place for making bills and resolving national problems.

CPN-UML’s Surendra Prasad Pandey claimed that the “Nepal Bandh” held yesterday at the call of the party taking issues of corruption, price rise, law order and nationality, etc. was very effective and that during the Bandh CPN-UML leaders and workers were attacked and Nepali Congress constituted committees in two districts to counter the Nepal Bandh.

MP Laghudhan Rai spoke of the need to give special attention towards making the Upper House more effective and present the bill on bio-diversity preservation in the current session.

CPN-UML’s Shanta Manawi urged the government to take action against those involved in boycotting the “Chamar” community from the society in Siraha district.

Mahendra Kumar Mishra of Nepali Congress said everyone should be entitled to rights guaranteed by the constitution. Human rights of an individual cannot be violated in the name of constitutional rights, he added.

Kathmandu, Mar. 28:Home Minister Govinda Raj Joshi said the transfer and promotion of police employees will be made in accordance with the Nepal Police Act and regulations and on the basis of their work efficiency and qualifications.

Responding to questions from MPs during question hour at the House of Representatives today, Home Minister Joshi said there is no programme to set up an Ilaka administration office at Dudhauli of Sindhuli district this year.

Mr Joshi said the current fiscal year programmes does not include renovation and expansion of the district administration office and jail in Simikot of Humla district and the district jail in Dailekh district.

He was responding to queries from CPN-UML MPs Ganga Prasad Nepal, Gorakh Bahadur Bogati and Nara Bahadur Hamal.

Likewise, replying to query from Ananda Prasad Pokhrel of CPN-UML, Minister of State for Water Resources Ram Bahadur Gurung said budget has not been allocated for renovation of the Naya Pul in Dolkha district this fiscal year.

He also replied to queries from CPN-UML’s Ganga Prasad Nepal, Fatik Bahadur Thapa and Shankernath Sharma, RPP’s Netral Lal Shrestha and Hari Lal Joshi of Nepali Congress.