Kathmandu, Mar. 8: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Information and Communications Ram Chandra Poudel inaugurated the fifth session of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (ipcc) third working group  here today.

Participating in the eight day meeting being held with the objective of discussing and seeking solutions to the problem of atmospheric pollution arising from technology transfer, factories and vehicular traffic  are experts involved in the study of climate and climate change from l00 of the more than l79 member countries of the World Metereological Organisation (wmo).

The meeting is being conducted in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish, a first in Nepal.

Addressing the inaugural  function, Deputy Prime Minister Ram Chandra Poudel said the discovery of hole in the ozOn layer, the erratic weather patterns we now experience, the misery of industrial and vehicular emission and the enormous amounts of toxic water generated in the process of mass manufacturing to appease our hunger for ever increasing consumerism makes one wonder if the present development model followed by modern civilization is the right one.

Despite tremendous technological advances, the gap between individuals, developed and developing nations and the affluent and deprived members of society appears to be ever widening, he said.

It is high time for scientists, technicians, economists and also political leaders to critically review our achievements and failures before a great calamity threatens to eliminate our very existence and the balance of our delicate ecosystem, he said.

It is the grinding poverty of the people that has contributed to degradation and unsustainable energy use, he said adding that poverty   forms a vicious cycle which in turn increases green house gas emissions.

The expanding cities and towns of the developing countries are compelled to use cheap and old vehicles, and people in the towns tend to blindly follow western civilization’s luxury and comfort, which again helps pollute the environment, he observed.

Refering to the recent government decision to restrict the import of vechiles to Nepal which do not meet the Euro 1 standerd and the displacement of three wheeler diesel operated vikram  tempos from Kathmandu, he said our community forest programme is beginning to reveal symptoms of success in the middle hills and mountains of Nepal.

These measures are not sufficent, and climate change has already indicated its presence in the Himalayas of Nepal with significant addition in the snow and glacier melt runoff, he said.

Also speaking on the occasion, Minister for Agriculture Chakra Prasad Bastola said global warming and climate change are no  longer a myth but a scientifically observed fact, and it influences different sectors like water resources and agriculture, and has a great inpact over the life on earth.

All over the world, lives of residents of lowlands, marginal lands and densely populated areas will be dramatically threatened by this global warming, he said.

Nepal possesses diverse biological resources and various climatic patterns and may be an excllent laboratory for study and research in this vital subject, he observed adding however that many of the natural resources are now being depleted due climate change, and biodiversity, a vital factor for human survival, is also at risk.

Minister of State for Population and Environment Bhakta Bahadur Balayar said Nepal is fully aware of the disastrous impact of climate change and has taken several precautionary measures towards abatement of green-house gases.

In this regard he referred to the enforcement of the Nepal Vehicle Mass Emission Standard 2056, which have been based on the paramenters prescribed by the Euro 1 standards, adding that actions have been initiated to improve the air quality of the Kathmandu Valley.

Acting secretary at the Ministry of Science and Technology Mohan Bahadur Karki said the problem is not in transferring technology only but “environmentally sound technologies” to developing countries including expertise and other necessary tools.

Director general of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology Adarsha P. Pokhrel said even though the effects of global warming have been observed globally, regional peculiarities have been very conspicuous like the retreat of the Himalayan glaciers.

The Tsho Rolpa glacier lake in Dolakha district which was a tiny dot during the l950’s extended to such an extent that His Majesty’s Government had to take immediate mitigation measures to save the lives of thousands of people living in the downstream areas from a potential glacier lake outburst flood, he observed.

Ipcc chairman Dr Robert Waston and ipcc co-chariman Dr Ogunlade Davidson also spoke on the occasion.

Kathmandu, Mar. 8: The United States government sponsored conference on energy in South Asia concluded in the capital today, that the organisers said was aimed at complementing President Bill Clinton’s visit to the region scheduled for later this month. The participating private companies demanded private sector friendly policies without delay for the increment of private sector participation in the “huge and untapped” South Asian energy sector.

Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai in his inaugural speech Tuesday said that Nepal gives high priority to power development and encourages the participation of private sector, both national and international, in the power sector. He also assured of more liberal attitude towards international companies to attract foreign investment in the sector.

(RSS adds: There is a big potential for the development of hydropower in South Asia, and if it could be harnessed, the economic condition of the region would improve a lot resulting in the improvement of national economy, he added.

In the present age of economic liberalisation and globalisation, private sector has been encouraged to make investment in the energy sector, Prime Minister Bhattarai said, adding that the government is active in launching new power projects.

Stating that after the implementation of big projects such as Pancheswar and Karnali Chisapani, the hydropower capacity of Nepal would rise tremendously, Prime Minister Bhattarai expressed the conviction that the conference being held in Nepal would help in harnessing the abundant water resources of the country.)

“Nepal is in the process of reforming the power sector so as to increase participatiuon of the private sector,” assured Bishwo Nath Sapkota, the Secretary with Water Resources Ministry.

According to the US officials here regional co-operation in the energy sector will be a major point of discussion during the President Clinton’s visit to India and Bangladesh slated for March 20-25, therefore, the conference hold “special meanings” for the region. The President’s visit is expected to boost US economic ties with the region.

Representatives of nearly 40 US companies and agencies involved in various projects in the region and 60 regional companies participated the two-day coference.

“If serious US energy companies are not involved in South Asia, then they are making a serious mistake,” J. Joseph Grandmaison, Director of the US Trade and Development Agency told during the inauguration of the conference on Tuesday. “The energy is here and market is here. It is just the policy that is delayed.”

South Asia accommodates nearly one-fourth of the global population, but its people consume only 3.8 per cent of the world’s total energy. Only 40 per cent of South Asians have access to reliable electricity. The percentage is mere 15 per cent for Nepal.

Nepal’s total hydroelectricity potentiality is calculated to stand at 83,000 mw, while production of about 40,000 mw is studied to be economically viable. Presently Nepal produces 253 mw of electricity that is only 0.3 per cent of the total potentiality. According to the official data demand for electricity in Nepal increasing by 8 to 10 per cent annually, meaning yearly 40 to 50 mw of additional electricity is needed to meet the demand.

Kathmandu, Mar. 6:Tribhuvan Club won all the top honours in the 12km cross-country race and other events organised by the Nepal Amateur Athletic Association (NAAS) the other day.

Yam Bahadur Pudasaini with the timing of 38 min 16. 94 sec came first while Puran Singh Dhami came second  by clocking 39.29.84 sec. Ram  Bahadur with the time of 39.34.51 sec finished a distance third .

Meanwhile, in the team events, Tribhuvan Club with 90 points came first followed by Lalitpur Sports Development Committee and Central Region Sports Development Committee. They collected 60 and 30 points respectively.

In the men’s  Junior 8 km  cross- country race, Kiran Prajapati of Bhaktapur Athletics Club with the time of  28min25.48 sec came first while Sansar Lal Vaidya of Lalitpur came second with the time of 29min 16.83 sec.

Raju Awal of Bhaktapur with the time of 29.18.35 finished third. In the team events Bhaktapur  Athletics club with 82 points came first while Mid-Western Development region with the points of 67 and  Lalitpur   Sports Development Committee with 63 points came second and third respectively.

Similarly,  in the women’s 6 km cross-country race, Kanchi Maya Koju of Bhaktapur Athletics Club came first with the time of 23min.44.65 sec while Nirmala Bharati of Mahendra Club with the time of 23 min59.76 sec came second whereas Radha Shrestha   of Kathmandu by clocking 28min 06.75sec finished third.

Likewise, in the women’s team events Bhaktapur Athletics Club with 41 points came first while Kathamndu District Development Committee and Central Development Region came second and third respectively.

Min Bahadur  Bista and Gajharaj  Joshi the runners of 1959   Delhi Asian Games gave 
the medals to the winners amidst special function.

A glimpse of MPC Vs Banke’s New Danfe Club soccer match, Monday.

Kathmandu, Mar. 6: In an one-sided affair, Mahendra Police Club trounced Banke’s New Danfe Club 7-0 in the second semi-final of the Women Football Committee organised WFC-Mangala Devi National Women Soccer League today. The winner of today’s semi-final will play against Kailali’s Youth Sports Club on Wednesday, March 8th.

From the onset of the match, MPC girls took total command and were immensely added by unforced blunders from Banke defenders and goalkeepers. So marauding were the attacks of MPC girls that six goals came within the first half, three of them were scored within ten minutes of the first half.

All three goals could have been saved if the Banke Custodian had shown some goal-keeper-like agility beneath the bar. Following the initial blunders, keeper Chitra Shirish was substituted by Alina Chaudhary who, however, had nothing in herself to check the easy flowing MPC players and had torrid times stopping their attacks.

During their feast of goal-making, MPC girls Kiran Bajracharya, Shaukar Rai and Pema Lama gave their rivals little time to regroup. Bajracharya, Rai and Lama each scored twice for while Inkar Oli scored once to complete their whitewash of the lowly Banke girls who lacked cohesion in offence, midfield and defence. The vanquished never looked threatening the title favourites MPC.

In fact, the MPC girls scored all seven gaols at leisurely pace. Inkar Oli opened the account in the fifth minute of the game. Shaukar Rai added two more in 8th and 11th minute. Within another 27 minutes of second half, Pema Lama ran riot to score two more gaols, one each  in the 20th and 38th minute. Captain Bajracharya added one more goal in the 43rd minute to make the socre 6-0 in the first half.

Having scoring freely in the first half, the confident MPC went on making more raids in the second half. Amidst many inroads inside the rival’s citadel, the seventh and final goal for MPC came from captain Bajracharya in the 62nd minute. In the scond half too, the Banke girls’ attempts to get a breakthrough were fizzled in front of MPC defenders, Bina Shrestha and Manju Shrestha, both of them are also known as good sprinters of the Nepalese athletics team.

Kathmandu, Mar. 6: An artistic Linga (phallus) has been found engraved on black rock at Hariharpur vdc ward No. 4, the west of historical Simaraungadh fort in Bara district.

The Linga has an image of a lotus flower as its pedestal and the finding was made during while farmers were digging the field for agricultural purposes on September 21. The local people has named it Kamaleshwar Mahadev.

An artistically engraved trunk of elephant-headed Ganesh ( the god of wisdom) and a portrayal of Parbati on stone wall have also been found along with the Linga.

Brahma Narayan Shaha, a local resident, quotes an Indian astrologer as saying that gems and jewellery worth millions of rupees could be buried beneath the place where the phallus was found.

But local people has a grouse that cooperation is forthcoming from the local police in protectiing the idols.

A few strangers are reported to have tried to tempt the idols into selling the idols, while some other have even tried to carry them off, according to Mr Shaha.

Kathmandu, Mar. 6:The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has granted permission to 30 expedition teams from 11 countries to climb 12 different mountains in the spring season (March 1 to 31).

According to the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, 12 teams have been given permission to climb Mt. Sagarmatha (8848m) via south-east ridge, while two more teams have been allowed to scale the highest peak of the world via south pillar route.

Likewise, the Ministry has given permission to four teams to climb Mt. Amadablam (6812m), two teams each to climb Mt. Annapurna i (8091m) and Mt. Pumori (7161m), one team each to climb Mt. Baruntse (7129m), Mt. Chamlang (7319m), Mt. Ganesh ii (7111m), Kumbhakarna (7710m), Mt. Manaslu (8163m), Mt. Lhotse (8156m), Mt. Makalu i (8463m) and Mt. Tilicho (7134m).

The Nepalese women’s Millennium Everest Expedition is one of the expeditions, which will be scaling Mt. Sagarmatha in the spring season.

Pokhara, Mar. 6: A two-month old baby girl has been found abandoned at the main gate of S.O.S. Children’s Village at Ram Bazaar of Pokhara Sub-metropolis.

According to the S.O.S children’s village, the babe was left there last Monday night by an unidentified woman who disappeared at once.

When a ‘mother’ at the S.O.S Children’s Village heard the babe crying she took it to the village for its proper care.

The babe is now a darling little one getting love and affection of all family members of  one of the fifteen blocks of the S.O.S. Children’s Village.

Kathmandu, Mar. 6:  Impartial Justice and Good Governance: Our Challenge, Our Dedication is the main theme for the eighth All Nepal Legal Practitioners Conference to be held in Biratnagar from March 10.

Altogether 97 working papers on matters relating to the constitution, judiciary, legal profession, economic development and law, self-governance and social justice etc. will be presented at the three-day conference to be organised by Nepal Bar Association.

Speaking at a press meet organised here today to inform about the conference, association president Harihar Dahal said rampant corruption and anomalies in the country has raised a question over good governance and since the judiciary also comes under good governance the conference is aimed at making the judiciary a sacred temple of   justice.

Kathmandu, Mar. 6:Minister of State for Women and Social Welfare Mrs. Kamala Devi Pant inaugurated a two-day workshop on child rehabilitation: Present state and challenges and future programmes organised jointly by Nepal Children’s’ Organisation and Nepal Girls Care Centre here today.

Speaking on the occasion, Mrs. Pant said that institutions working for the rehabilitation of street children should not only bring them up but make them capable earning a living in the society by providing them education and skill oriented training.

Representative of kdk-Sweden Anna Lenna Hedikson gave assurance that the institution will continue its cooperation to the orphan and helpless children of Nepal.

President of Girl Care Centre Mrs. Devi Lama shed light on the objective of the seminar at the function chaired by general secretary of   Nepal Children’s’ Organisation Ganesh Bhakta Shrestha.

Kathmandu, Mar. 6: His Majesty’s Government is angered by the fictitious and malicious publicity purported to accuse the government of raising obstacle to adequate increase in the pension amount of ex-British Gurkhas and thereby dampen the cordial relationhip and understanding between Nepal and the British Gurkha.

The baseless and misleading publicity on the increment made by the Biritish Government in the pension amount for ex-British Gurkhas in December 1999 has drawn the Foreign Ministry’s attention, the Ministry of Foreign   Affairs said in a press release, alerting all against such baseless propaganda and asking all to cooperate with the government in its continued efforts for the promotion of the rights and well-being of  British Gurkhas.

His Majesty’s Government is ever committed to promoting the rights and well-being of British Gurkhas, the Ministry said, adding as a result of the government’s continued effort, the Biritsh Government has already effected an increment in such a manner as to provide equal salary and perks to incumbent armymen bearing in mind the historical cordial relations existing between Nepal and Britain, and the important contribution of British Gurkhas to Britain.

Likewise, it was as a result of His Majesty’s Government’s continued efforts that the British Government in 1999 effected judicious increment in the pension of ex-British Gurkhas in recognition of their service and sacrifice and their economic condition, the Ministry said.