Lalitpur, Mar. 20: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed between Rural Energy Development Progamme/UNDP and the University of Flensburg in Germany under their degree course on ‘Sustainable Energy System and Management’ (SESAM) for academic collaboration. The MoU was signed between the two organisations in recognition of the importance of sustainable development and exchange of experience at international level. With this agreement, the two organisations have entered into  a partnership that will foster academic, technical and intercultural exchange in the areas of mutual interest.

Both institutions according to UNDP have agreed to collaborate in academic and research programmes. The assistance focuses on cooperation in capacity building, cooperation in the R&D of suitable rural energy technology, the publication of related results and experience in books and journals, establishment of mutual research project, and research on the impact of Micro Hydro Schemes on socio-economic development of villages and other projects considered pertinent by both institutions.

As per the proposed collaboration, REDP will provide access to its experience on rural energy achievements in the districts as the ‘field lab’ SESAM, SESAM on the other hand will help in building skills and capacity and provide professional expertise.

Degrees relevant to international cooperation and development have been taught at the University of Flensburg for 15 years. The concept of SESAM is oriented towards the requirement of rural development with a focus on the  design, extension of appropriate technologies as well as the renewable energy sources of energy and management of projects. From the beginning an interdisciplinary approach was selected.

REDP is implemented to enhance better rural livelihoods and preserve the natural environment by supporting micro-hydro, solar and biogas as entry points forl rural energy systems’ development UNDP has been supporting the His Majesty’s Government of Nepal through REDP since August 1996.

REDP supports the government in institutionlisation of a rural   energy    development agency and formulation of polilcies, capacity building at the district level to plan and manage rural energy systems, and mobilising community organisations and private entrepreneurs to plan, implement and operate rural energy systems.

The programme is based on decentralised management of development efforts with emphasis placed on community organisations or private  entrepreneurs to manage rural energy development. The guidance for community-managed efforts is provided from the district level with the involvement of the DDC, VDCs line agencies, private sector organisations and NGOs.

At present REDP is working in more than 70 VDCs of 10 hilly distircts of the country.

Meanwhile, REDP has been presented the Energy Globe Award 2000 at Linz, Austria. More than 900 projects and initiatives around the world participated in the competition. The awards were given in four categories, i.e. commercial sector, housing, campaigns, and public investment projects.  In the public investment projects category, REDP was placed second amongst 900 applicants in all four categories. Nepal and China were the only Asian countries that made to the final list of 15.

The Energy Globe Award is an award for sustainable energy solutions and honours successful projects and initiatives around the world in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources. According to Energiesparverband, Austria, an organisation that promotes renewable energy technologies and has instituted this award, the call for submisssions met with very high interest worldwide.

Kathmandu, Mar. 20: Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka, speaking at a farewell programme organised at the Home Ministry today, said that he had played an active role in eradicating corruption, smuggling and commission mongering during his tenure.

A task force is involved in presenting suggestions for forming an armed police service to make the home administration more capable of providing good services, the process of amending the concerned act to make provision for “Chhetrapal” in the development regions is underway, and the task force under the convenorship of the home secretary is working for forming a seperate home administration group and specialisation of the Department of Immigration, Mr Khadka said, assuring that he would extend active cooperation to materialise these matters.

Urging the civil servants present to fearlessly analyse  and evaluate the works carried out during his tenure and to present a report to him as soon as possible, Mr Khadka said that it would be very useful for him.

The principles of chain of command advocated by him while taking over the  the post of Home Minister should be followed, he said, adding that leadership of any organisation should be provided by a single person for uits success.

The Home Minister directed all the units of the home administration  to work honestly to check corruption.

He urged the civil servants not to execute the orders of the political leaders which are motivated by selfish interests and against existing laws, and to present their views clearly.

The Home Minister also expressed gratitude for the cooperation extended to him by everyone involved in the home administration.

Home secretary Padma Prasad Pokherel said that progress had been made in providing a clean administration to the people during the Home Minister’s tenure.

The senior officials of the Home Ministry, Inspector General of Police Achyut Krishna Kharel and the heads of various departments under the Ministry were present on the occasion.

Kathmandu, Mar. 20: President of the Nepali Congress (nc) and newly elected nc parliamentary party leader Girija Prasad Koirala today met with party mps.

On the occasion, party president Koirala called upon the mps to work giving priority to ending violence, maintaining law and order and preventing corruption, according to Nepali Congress party spokesman Narahari Acharya.

Stating that his objective was not just to become Prime Minister, Mr Koirala expressed his determination to move ahead with a national outlook and deal with national issues.

According to spokesman Acharya, party president Koirala gave directives to the mps to unite to fulfil the commitments made and assurances given to the people during the elections.

Stating that all mps should not aspire to become ministers, he directed them to work with a national outlook in line with the policy of the party to face issues and challenges, according to the spokesman.

Rajbiraj, Mar 20:   Govinda Prasad Saha “Ajad” of Rajbiraj Municipality, Ward No. 4 who set out on an All-Nepal Bicycle Tour on February 29 with the message” The 21st Century- a century of art and peace” reached here Sunday after starting his tour from Ilam.

Mr. Azad said he reached here after completing the first leg of his journey which took him to Ilam, Birtamod, Damak, Itahari and Dharan also. He said he organised an exhibition of his paintings in Ilam and Dharan.

The youth was given a hearty welcome by the Rajbiraj Jaycees when he arrived here on completion of the first leg of the six-month tour.

Saha says he intends to wrap up the tour in Kathmandu after reaching Tanakpur of Mahendranagar. He intends to complete the tour in six months.

Saha says he went on the tour to promote brotherhood and fraternity among the Nepalese with the message of conservation and promotion of art and culture.

Hetauda, Mar 20: The “Pranayan” literary magazine, a quarterly published from here organised a nationwide open short story writing contest on the occasion of its first anniversary.

Sama Thapa of Kailali came out first, Chhatra Chhitiz of Jhapa second and Nimesh Likhit of Sarlahi third in the national level story writing contest.

Senior litterateur Nirmohi Byas gave away prizes and certificates to those coming out first, second and third in the competition.

On the occasion, senior lyricist Bhim Birag, litterateurs Padam Raj Lamichhane and Miss Pramila Bidari were felicitated on behalf of the “Pranayan” literary quarterly magazine.

At the programme presided over by the president of the Pranayan group, Makwanpur, Mr. Rishi K.B., Mayor of Hetauda Dormani Pokharel, senior lyricist Bhim Birag, litterateur Sagrib Acharya, Ghanshyam Neupane, Madhav Kafle, Shital Giri and Kumar Timilsina expressed their views.

In all fifteen short stories of the participants were selected for the contest, it is learnt from the organising committee.

In Kapilbastu, the Kapilbastu Literary Society has selected Dr. Bishnu Raj Atreya for this year’s “Bhikshu” award.

The award, set up in memory of the late Bhawani Bhikshu, a reknowned prose and fiction writer, is given every two years to literary personalities.

Dr.    Atreya   has   been   selected   for    the   award   this   year in recognition of his outstanding contribution   to   the   promotion of    Nepali   and   Sanskrit   language by publishing important books in both languages and his special contribution for the uplift of Sanskrit.

The award carries a purse of Rs 5,000 and a copper plaque. The decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the Kapilbastu literary society presided over by society president Hari Raj Sharma on Sunday.

Modnath Prashrit and Kulmani Devkota are the other recipients of the award.

The award will be presented to Dr. Atreya on the occasion of the Bhawani Bhikshu Memorial Day in May.

Kathmandu, Mar 20: Rajparishad Standing Committee Chairman Dr Keshar Jung Rayamajhi said that poor economic condition and social backwardness are mainly responsible for the high infant mortality rate (IMR) in the country. “Without sustainable development approach  and beter nutrition provision, we can not decrease IMR in the country” he added.

Dr Raymajhi made this remark recently in the 10th Congrees of Nepal Paediatric Society on “Integrated Approach to the Child Care in the Next Millennium” here.

Dr. Raymajhi further said that although there has been tremendous developments in the realm of medical science, from both qualitative and quantitative perspective around the world, child and women mortality rate have not been reduced as expected.

“Child mortality rate is the indicator of social and economic status of women in the country”, he said.

Dr Raymajhi stressed on uplifting the socio-economic status of the people for better child health care service in the new millennium. He also called upon the medical professionals to devote themselves in research works and apply the findings in their respective fields.

Dr Raymajhi also pointed out the need of  co-operation from all concerned to achieve the goal envisaged by the Society.

President of the Society Dr. Achyutmani Acharya said that an increased rate in infant mortality is matter of concern for all. Dr. H. K. Baskota and Dr. Kulesh Thapa also expressed their views at the programme participated in by representatives from WHO, UNICEF, UN and India, Japan and Thailand.

Meanwhile RSS report from Kapilbastu, a local non-governmental organisation called “Public Awareness for Development” organised a day-long training on child rights and hygiene at the Sri Gautam Buddha Primary School in Tilaurakot VDC recently.

On the occasion, the participants were imparted knowledge on Children’s Health and hygiene, prevention of diseases, the international convention on child rights, the Child Rights Act-2048 B.S. and other subjects related to the seminar topic.

Sixty-three children attended the training.

Rajbiraj, Mar 20:Dom community gathering programme ad hoc committee, Federation of the Non-Governmental Organisations and Sarswati Community Development Forum of Saptari jointly organised a gathering of the community here Saturday.

Various speakers at the programme said that the local bodies should be serious on liberating the oppressed, exploited, and downtrodden classes from the evils of social discrimination and untouchability and the oppressed classes should also improve their conduct.

As Dom community is bearing the brunt of social segregation and their social, economic and political condition is also quite backward, the interaction programme has been oranised to launch campaign to raise people’s awareness the uplift of the community, constitute its an organisation, eliminate the prevailing out-moded customs and unite the oppressed classes to sensitise against untouchability.

The population of Dom community in the district is 1,700.

On the occasion, a memorandum was submitted to the Chief District Officer, demanding creation of environment for the entry of the Dom community in the temples to offer prayers and worship like any other community as enshrined in the Constitution of the Kingdom of Nepal, 1990.

Action should be taken against persons involved in illegal activities such as beating up, imposing fine or giving physical punishment to the Dalits  as a result of the practice of untouchability. The memorandum also seeks legal action against those practising untouchability in public places and hurting the self-respect of the oppressed.

Superintendent of Police Sanandan Prasad Kurmi, president of the Federation of Non-Governmental Organisations of Saptari district, Baidya Nath Jha, Sushil Sewa of the Nepali Congress, Manohar Pokharel of the CPN-UML, advocate Narayan Prasad Sah, Govinda Bika and Baldev Ram also expressed their views at the programme chaired by Dayawati Marik (Dom) of Daulatpur VDC.

Kathmandu, March 20:His Majesty King Birendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev has appointed Nepali Congress’s President and newly elected Parliamentary Party Leader Girija Prasad Koirala the new Prime Minister.

His Majesty has also thanked former Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai and the members of his cabinet for carrying out works entrusted to them during the last nine months, according to a Royal Palace circular.

Koirala’s hard-won appointment came two days after he was elected the NC’s Parliamentary Party Leader following the resignation by his predecessor Bhattarai on March 16, a day after he resigned as the Prime Minister.

Bhattarai had resigned following a renewed pressure from 69 rebel Congress lawmakers who moved a no-trust motion against him for the second time in a month.

In mid-February, 58 MPs had moved a similar no-trust motion that had prompted 11 ministers to quit under moral grounds ‘since the majority of the MPs from the ruling party had said they had lost confidence in the Prime Minister.’

Koirala received just as many votes (69) against his rival Sher Bahadur Deuba’s 43 in the House of Representatives where the party controls 113 seats.

Some of dissident lawmakers, who had teamed up against Bhattarai and signed the motion, defected to Deuba as he made up his mind to contest against Koirala.

Koirala is now expected to announce a cabinet shortly.

Korala’s latest take-over as the elected Parliamentary Party Leader has ended, at least temporarily, the debates in the ruling party that the Congress leadership should be transferred to younger Congress leaders as argued by Bhattarai in his departing speech that was televised nationally. Bhattarai announced his decision to quit as the PM in that speech.

With the latest take-over through first-ever democratic exercise, Koirala comes back to power for the second time when his party controls a comfortable majority in the 205-member Lower House of Parliament.

However, Koirala’s journey to the highest public office began in his mid sixties when he was elected the unanimous Congress leader at the House on May 22nd 1991 after his election to the House from two constituencies early that month.

That year, Koirala was sworn in as the first democratically elected Prime Minister in over three decades to head a majority government until November 1994, when the country went to an early poll 18 months ahead of the schedule.

The mid-term poll that year created a hung parliament with no party securing a majority in House. The Communist Party of Nepal (UML), which had won the largest number of seats, formed a minority government.

As a political strategist, Koirala courted Rastriya Prajatantra Party which controlled crucial 20 seats which were required to sack UML, and engineered the Communist government’s exit from power in nine months over largely “populist budget.” Nepal Sadbhavana Party with three seats also joined the campaign to oust that government.

The ouster of UML government paved the way for the premiership of the Congress’s youth Leader Deuba, who had won Koirala’s trust as Home Minister for three and half years.

As the first second generation leader Deuba took the reins of power in September 1995 and continued till early 1997. Deuba, under pressure from the opposition to seek a vote of confidence in the House, lost by two votes and this distanced him from Koirala.

Koirala returned to power in early 1998 under a pact with mainstream Rastriya Prajatantra Party and remained in power until the general elections of 1999 that restored Congress’s majority as vowed by him between 1995 and 1999.

In January 1999, Koirala proved his political acumen again when he made a surprise announcement: Bhattarai is the next Prime Minister, a statement that re-united the Congress ranks and file who had been divided into the group of 74 and 36, who abstained from the House bringing down Koirala’s government over a crucial motion of thanks to the King.

A militant in nature in the early days, Koirala’s political career started in the 1940s when he ignited total class conscious in by organising the Jute Mill strike in Biratnagar, his home town. He was arrested and made to walk for 45 days to reach Kathmandu by the Ranas for this.

That could never be a reason for him to quit politics and look for alternatives. Koirala the youngest of four brothers was born to the late Krishna Prasad Koirala in 1925 in Tadi, Saharsha district of Bihar in India where his family was forced into exile.

The Prime Minister’s childhood saw an era of turmoil in the Indian subcontinent and he grew up in a political atmosphere of revolt against the oppressive Rana regime in Nepal and the births of Raj in India.

Before completing his higher education he jumped into active politics and involved himself in the Indian independence movement and the revolution of 1950-51 in Nepal to overthrow the Rana regime. It was during this period when he orchestrated the first industrial revolt in Biratnagar jute mill, which ignited labour unrest all over the nation.

The royal coup of 1960 saw the end of nascent democracy and he again saw the walls of prison along with his brother late B. P. Koirala, late Ganesh Man Singh and Bhattarai, the then acting Congress President.

He has spent seven years in prison and was released in 1967 after 21 days of hunger strike. Soon after his release from the jail, the death of his wife Sushma Koirala in 1968 plunged him into deep personal tragedy.

However, Koirala did not feel deterred and continued re-organising the NC and worked for the restoration of the multiparty democracy. In 1971, he went in exile in India along with senior NC leaders and workers where he spent eight years.

After five years of armed struggle against the Panchayat system and with the new philosophy of national reconciliation propounded by late B. P., the future Prime Minister returned to Nepal under general amnesty in 1979 just before the national referendum.

Kathmandu, Mar. 19:  The Fagu festival or Holi is being celebrated today by smearing “Abhir” of red vermilion powder and throwing  colour and water filled balloons on each other.

An important festival of the Nepalese people, the Holi begins on the eighth day of the Lunar calendar of the full moon and ends today with the burning of the “Chir’ on a full moon day. The festival is celebrated in the hilly areas including Kathmandu valley today and in the Terai region tomorrow.

In the  capital today, people danced in groups and smeared colours on each other in the streets and tourists watched the scene with fun.

The festival of Fagu or Holi is a government holiday throughout the country.

The festival has the myth that demon king Hiranya Kashyapu ordered his sister Holika to enter a fire with Pralhad, the son of the demon who was a follower of Lord Bishnu, in  her lap so that Pralhad could not have chanted prayers in the name of Lord Bishnu with the belief that his sister wouldn’t burn herself because she had received a boon that she wouldn’t burn in fire.

But it so happened that Holika was burned in the fire whereas Pralhad remained safe and alive and came cut of the  fire chanting prayers in the name of God.

From this onwards, the festival is celebrated by smearing colours in enjoyment.

There is also a saying that Lord Brahma had told Holika that the boon she had received would be meaningless if it was misued.

Elders believe that any premonitions can be avoided if the “Tika” of ash made out of the ‘Chir’ which is installed earlier is put on one’s forehead or kept in one’s own house.

The madness of enjoying by dousing dirty water and pelting water filled balloons at pedestrians from the windows of houses usually marks the festival.

The Fagu festival is also celebrated in Italy, the United States of America, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Burma, Thailand, Japan, Sumatra, Greece and Egypt in different ways besides Nepal and India.

Kathmandu, March 18: A scorching twenty-yard power packed right footer from ace striker Hari Khadka in the 79th minute enabled Mahendra Police Club (MPC) to exact an upset victory over fancied Manang Marshyangdi Club (MMC) to capture this year’s Khukuri Gold Cup title.

The MPC completed its sweet revenge against its archrivals MMC for its 1-4 defeat in the Birthday Cup soccer tournament held in January this year.

This is the fourth title that MPC, the premiere football club, have won titles this year. They have earlier won the Tej Bahadur Amatya Gold Cup in Birgunj, Buda Subba Cup in Dharan, Coca-Cola-ANFA Cup in Kathmandu before lifting today’s glittering Khukuri Gold Cup and receiving the highest prize money— two hundred and ten thousand rupees— in the Nepalese football tournament so far.

The runners-up, MMC, took away one hundred thousand rupees in cash prize. However, the favourites MMC had a consolation as their striker Basant Thapa was got  ten thousand rupees  for the highest scorer’s award for his  seven goals scored during whole tournament played on league-cum-knock-out basis which was earlier won by Tribhuwan Club in 1998 and Rani Pokhari Club in 1999.