Kathmandu, Mar. 5 : RPP central member and MP Buddhiman Tamang chaired the meeting today of the committee constituted by the party to maintain contact with His Majesty’s Government  in order to solve the Maoist problem and make distribution of relief materials to the victims in an impartial and transparent manner.

The meeting decided to prepare an extensive report on the loss of life and property caused by Maoist voilence in the country since Falgun 1, 2052 B.S. to date.

It also decided to urge His Majesty’s Government to make an impartial distribution of relief materials to the victims and displaced families, and make immediate arrangement to rehabilitate them.

The party will monitor the government action carried out in this connection and will  play an active role in providing guarantee of security to the general public.

The meeting also decided to hand over a memorandum to the Prime Minister and the Home Minister on behalf of the party urging them to take concrete steps towards normalising the daily life of the general people by resolving the Maoist problem which has terrorized the people in many districts of the country.

Nepalgunj, Mar. 5: Minister of State for Population and Environment Bhakta Bahadur Balayar  has said the cooperation of all the sectors is necessary for minimising the growth rate of population and extending the fruits of development to the people of the rural areas.

Inaugurating the mid-western regional seminar on “Population and Development” organised by the Ministry of Population and Environment here today, Minister of State Balayar  said that the participants of the seminar should give attention towards the fact that confusion in programmes will prevail until the consciousness is developed among the people and the standard of education is improved in the country.

Expressing the view that development programmes initiated by the government would be affected by the population growth, Mr. Balayar  said the need of the day is to check the growth of population and protect the environment.

At the seminar chaired by Banke DDC chairman Omjung Rana, joint secretary at the Ministry of Population and Environment Ananta Raj Pandey, under secretary Upendra Adhikari, chief district officer Shyam Prasad Mainali, mayor of Nepalgunj Municipality Dhawal Shamsher Rana and rpp representative Krishna Kharel also expressed their views on population and environment.

The seminar is being participated in by about 60 persons including the regional directors of various offices in the mid-western development region, representatives of various political parties and non-governmental organisations, journalists, teachers and employees from various offices.

Gulmi, Mar. 5: CPN-UML standing committee member Bharat Mohan Adhikari, declaring open the sixth Gulmi district convention of the party, said his party would counteract any attempt from any quarters to undermine democracy and the constitution.

Mr Adhikari, who is chief whip of CPN-UML, alleged that the law and order situation in the country was grave and said the people should wake up against corruption, price hike and Maoists.

At the inauguration function chaired by CPN-UML Gulmi district secretary Bom Bahadur Khadka, the party’s central member Pradip Kumar Gyawali, mp, gokarna Raj bista, mp, and Fatik Bahadur Thapa, mp, and ex-mp kamal Raj Shrestha spoke on the current situation of the country.

Kathmandu, Mar. 5: Speaker of the House of Representatives Taranath Ranabhat left here today at the head of a 7-member parliamentary delegation to visit Australia at the friendly invitation of the parliament of Australia.

Talking to the press at the vip lounge of the Tribhuvan International Airport on the eve of his departure, Speaker Ranabhat said that during the visit, the Nepalese delegation would have meeting and talks with chairmen and members of both the House of the Australian Parliament, leaders of opposition parties, Ministers, personalities of business organisations on various topics on expanding relations between Nepal and Australia.

Present at the airport to see off the delegation were chairman of the National Assembly Dr. Mohammed Mohasin, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Mrs Chitralekha Yadav, high officials of the Australian Embassy and the officials of the parliament secretariat.

The delegation includes wife of the Speaker Mrs Narmada Ranabhat, vice chairman of the National Assembly Chiranjibi Prasad Rijal and mps Mohan Bahadur Basnet, Raghuji Panta and Rajendra Mahato and under secretary at the parliament secretariat Manohar Prasad Bhattarai.

Kathmandu, Mar. 5: Rajparishad Standing Committee Chairman Dr. Keshar Jang Rayamajhi, inaugurating the talk programme organised here today by Brahmakumari Rajyog Upasewa Kendra to mark the Mahashivaratri festival, said that the only way to resolve the conflict and animosity in the world is peace.

Mp shankar Prasad Pande said, “one need not go far away places for self-realisation and change in heart will lead to resolving all the problems.”

On the occasion, Dr. Rayamajhi unfurled the Shiva flag.

Brahmakumar Suratbhai spoke on the importance of Shivaratri festival and Brahmakumari Kusum Bahini on Rajyog at the programme chaired by director of the Kendra Brahmakumari Rajdidi.

Rasuwa, Mar. 5: Rasuwa district has many scenic spots that can be exploited from touristic point of view, but due to lack of infrastructural development, many people there remain out of jobs.

The local villagers who are jobless and so facing sustenance problem pin their hope on help from outside in the development of its tourism potential.

A remote himalayan region located 118 km north of Kathmandu, Rasuwa can be reached after about 12 hours’ bus ride from Kathmandu’s gwongabu bus park.

In Rasuwa is located Gosaikunda, the famous Hindu pilgrimage site, where thousand of pilgrims visit every year to venerate Lord Shanker. Besides, it is also a tourist attraction centre.

That is not all, Ganesh Himal, lead mines, 20 megawatt Chilime Hydel Project and its mineral waters, deposits of various minerals, many site of exquisite ponds and cataracts and other natural beauties are associated with Rasuwa.

The tourists who once visit Rasuwa return with indelible of stamp of its natural and cultural heritage.

Its ethnic mosaic consists of Tamangs  in the northern part and Brahmins, Kshatris, Tamangs, Gurungs and Newars in the south.

Its waterfalls  echoes on the lush green forest and hills in the north-west and the expanse of surpentine Trisuli river. The reverberation reaches its climax as one experiences levitation by the amazing sight of the Langtang range.

The mist that vanish and reapear off and on plays a hide-and-seek game here.

Rasuwa, old-timers say, ranks among the four Dhams, religious pilgrimate sites.  Gosaikunda and Uttar Gaya Betrawati are of as much importance. Not only Nepalese, Indians, too, frequent these places. The pilgrims who cannot make it to Gosaikunda may divert their course from Dhunche to Gatlang in the north by motor and visit Parbati Kunda (pond) with much befit.

Dhunche, perched on 6,400 feet altitude, is a northern trading post, an important seat of Tamang culture. Here, one can survey some dipalidated remains of the Durbar of Ghale Raja on the way.

The mythical Gosaikunda (14,100 feet altitude) is about 14 miles’ steep walk from Dhunche. The Hindu mytohology has it that when Lord Shanker swallowed the  lethal poison spewing out during the churning of oceans he could not bear the intense heat generated by it. He went to himal and struck in the ground with his trident and there spurted a jet of icy cold water which cooled down his heated body. The waters of Gosaikunda which did just that is regarded as much sacred to this day.

Devotees in large number throng Gosaikunda fair that takes palce during Jestha Shukla Ekadashi and Ganga Dashahara  in the month of Jestha (May-June).

The pilgrims may show symptoms of altitude sickness  after the they reach Lauri Binayak and so, medicines for altitude sickness are used when one is on the journey further afair from lauribinayak, says Dr. Vijaya Khanal.

The journey may be through foggy condition, which sometimes reduces the visitbility to a few feet.

Lamas and Jhakris (witch healers) add spice to the journey with their regular drum beat and dances along the way.

The waters from Gosaikunda feed Bhairav Kunda that lies on the way. Bhairav Kunda is an interesting pond that has a typical legend behind it.

Once a Jhakri, as the legend goes, resolved to wage a battle against Naga (divine serpent). He counselled his wife to remain on the bank of the pond  and keep beating the drum until he reappear. He also advised her not to forget to hurl a handful of grains over him whevener he re-emerge from the pond. But as the duel between the man and the Naga raged on the former appeared above the water with his body entwined with the serpent. This scared off the woman, who ran away in panic, leaving the drum and grains behind. Unfortunately, the man overpowerd by the serpent, met his watery grave. The pond is a forbidden place to this day.

The waters from the ponds and Rauchuli phed mingles into the confluence of Phalak which is known as Uttar Gaya.

During the thulo Ekadashi every year and Ausi (new moon day) people come here to offer annual memorial service to their deceased parents.

Kathmandu, March 4:Mr. Prakash Lama and Major Vijaya Moktan were declared first and second with 36 and 35 points respectively in the Nabil Cup Golf Tournament held on Saturday at Tilganga Golf Course at Pashupati.

Madhav Acharya, M.P. Kesvan, Mrs. Rupy Singh, Master Ram Karki, S.K. Singh ( 2 birdies), Rudra Pun, Madan Rana and Dr. D.B. Shahi were declared best gross score, senior 65 and over, ladies winner, junior winner most birdies gross, longest drive (hole No 13), nearest to the pin (hole No 17) and nearest to the pin (hole No. 6), respectively.

Distributing prizes to the winners of the golf, tournament Executive Director of Nabil Bank D. C. Khanna expressed his view for the development of golf tournament in Nepal. Club President Y.P. Lohani and Captain of the Club Deepak Rajbhandari appreciated to the Nabil Bank of conducting the golf tournament since 1999.

Dhangadhi, Mar 4:The District Irrigation Office Kailali is to initiate the work of repair and consolidation of the Rajabadhuwa Irrigation Project at Sadepani VDC in the current fiscal year under the Nepal Irrigation Sector Programme (NISP).

The irrigation project to be repaired and consolidated at a cost of Rs 21,109,848 will irrigate 368 hectares of land belonging to 600 households in Ward Nos. 2 and 3 of the VDC.

Under the project a dam will be constructed at Bahuraha Khola at Sadepani VDC and the old canal will be repaired. Similarly, the Sonaha Ajaraili irrigation project of Munuwa VDC, Banbehada Irrigation Project in Chaumala VDC, and Patreni Irrigation Project in Mahanyal VDC will also be repaired under the same programme.

The Ajaraili Irrigation Project to be repaired at a cost of Rs 7,985,000 will irrigate 80 hectares of land belonging to 97 families at Ward No 6 of  Munuwa VDC.

Under the project, a dam will be constructed at Kulariya Khola and the old canal reconstructed.

Similarly, under the Banbehada Irrigation Project at Chaumala VDC, a dam will be constructed at Banbehada Khola near the East West Highway and the old canal repaired.

The irrigation project to be repaired at a cost of Rs 2,767,490 will irrigate 40 hectares belonging to 90 families in Ward No 8 of Chaumala VDC.

Similarly, the Patreni Irrigation Project is to be consolidated at a cost of Rs 1,349, 276, a dam will be constructed at Rajma Khola and the old canal repaired.

The project will irrigate 24 hectares belonging to 74 families at Ward No 8 of Mohanyal VDC.

Under the plans of the NISP launched with World Bank loan assistance and people’s participation, work on the projects will be completed within the next fiscal year.

Bhadrapur, Mar 4: Doctors at local Mechi Zonal Hospital have removed a massive goitre from a patient without the use of anesthesia.

Senior surgeon at the hospital Dr. Prakash Rayamajhi conducted the operation for the removal of the goitre.

According to hospital sources, it took nearly 45 minutes for Dr. Rayamajhi to extricate the goitre of  Mrs. Urdi Chaudhari, 50, from Chandragadhi VDC, Ward No. 2 Deunia.

Dr. Rayamajhi, who has performed such operations on some 60 patients so far, said although he uses anesthesia for the operations, this case was quite different.

He said the operation on Mrs Chudhari was performed without the use of anesthesia taking into consideration the poor economic condition of the patient and the shortage of the chemical at the hospital. Although it costs much for the operation, Dr. Rayamajhi has been conducting such operaions on economically poor patients for Rs 3-4 thousand only on grounds of humanitarian services.

Kathmandu, Mar 4:Ms. Mahima Singh of Nepal Adarsh High School, Ganabahal was adjudged the winner of the Inter School Painting Competition organised by Organisation for Children Development (ORCHID-Nepal) here Thursday to mark its third anniversary.

In the competition participated in by thirty-one (31) students of various schools of the Kathmandu Valley, Saroj Shrestha of Annapurna Higher Secondary School, Inbahal bagged the second prize while Ashish Tamrakar of Saraswoti Kunj Secondary School, Gyaneshwore stood third.

Similarly, the consolation prizes of the contest went to Suresh Prasad Shrestha of Bal Sewa Secondary School, Jhochhen and Ms Rakshya Shrestha of Saraswoti Kunj Secondary School, Gyaneswor.

Nepal’s well renowned artists Krishna Manandhar, Rakesh Chandra Shrestha, and Ms. Chanda Shrestha were in the panel of judges that decided the winners of the painting competition.

The theme of the painting competition was ‘Garbage Problem in Kathmandu Metropolitan City.’

“In view of the pressing garbage management problem in the metropolis, the need of the our is to create awareness towards it among our children, the pillars of the nation.

The present painting competition is one step towards this direction,” ORCHID-Nepal president Trilochan Shrestha highlighted the purpose of the art competition. He was speaking at the prize distribution function organised after the competition at the premises of Shree Mahankal Secondary School.

At the same function, famous artist and campus chief of Fine Arts Campus Krishna Manandhar underlined the need for organising such art contests for children as they also contribute to enhancing their intellectual capabilities right from their childhood.

Coordinator of the painting competition Rabin Shrestha delivered a  vote of thanks in the programme where Rajesh Shrestha was the Master of Ceremony.

Letters of Participation were also given away to all the contestants. ORCHID-Nepal president also handed over to the students various stationary items donated by Kusumoto Mutsuko group (Kobe) and Aoishi Kazuhisa group (Tokyo).