Kathmandu, Mar. 3: A joint meeting of representatives of different human rights organisations and senior human rights activists organised by the Informal Sector Service Centre (Insec) today welcomed the initiatives for talks taken by both the Maoists and the government and underlined the need for human rights activists, intellectuals and various sections of society to make efforts from their respective places for creating a favourable situation.
The meeting also concluded that His Majesty’s Government and the Maoists should be honest and flexible in putting an end to violence and terrorism which has been raging on for the last four years, adding that attempts to dilute the present environment should not be made from all quarters.
The need of a “talks concern committee” was also felt at the meeting to help realize the talks between the Maoists and government.
Present at the meeting were Damannath Dhungana, Padmaratna Tuladhar, Sushil Pyakurel, Kapil Shrestha, Gauri Pradhan, Dr. K. B. Rokaya, Arjun Karki, Rabindra Bhattarai, Devi Niraula, Shivahari Dahal and Kumar Sapkota.
Kathmandu, Mar. 3: The People’s Volunteers Nepal today launched the programme of collecting donations for the families affected by the Maoist insurgency.
Under the programme, a procession which began from Ratna Park today went past Ason, Thamel, Chhetrapati, New Road, etc and collected donations.
The first phase programme held under the leadership of director general of the People’s Volunteers Nepal Pradip Nepal, Dr. Mangal Siddhi Manandhar and Asta Laxmi Shakya collected cash and cloths worth Rs. 197,000 from Tibetian Wool Crafts.
According to Mr. Nepal, donations thus collected will be distributed to the victims in a transparent manner and the programme will continue till March .
Chitwan, Mar. 3: A 12-kilogram tumour was extracted through surgery from the stomach of 70-year-old Chandra Kala Magar of Banglung at B.P. Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital.
According to director of hospital Sampurnananda Dhungana, it took about three and half hours to extract the 7 pieces of the tumour covered by thick hairs and other semi-liquid substances.
The surgery was done by surgeon at the hospital Bhaktaman Shrestha with the help of a team comprising Chinese surgeons C.U. Linko and Liko, surgeon Dayaram Lamsal and anaesthetist Abha Prasai.
The patient who had been suffering from pain in abdomen since the past l0 years had developed about a kilogram of tiny bones in the abdomen.
Kathmandu, Mar. 3 : Chairman of the Rajparishad Standing Committee Dr. Keshar Jung Rayamajhi inaugurated a joint exhibition of paintings by youth artists Ramesh Bista and Rajendra K.C. at Nepal Art Council Gallery, Babar Mahal today.
Twenty-nine paintings prepared on Nepali paper using water colour and oil are on display at the weeklong exhibition.
Speaking on the occasion Dr. Rayamajhi said as art and culture are the property of our society and nation, it’s our responsibility to protect and promote it.
Litterateur Tulasi Diwas also spoke on the occasion.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the Rajparishad Standing Committee Dr. Rayamajhi has underlined the urgent need of spiritual thinking in order to contain the increasing violence, terrorism and the arms build-up in the global context.
Dr. Rayamajhi expressed the opinion while inaugurating a three-day classical and devotional songs meet organised on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the Shree Pashupati Sangit Kala Pratisthan and the Maha Shivaratri Festival-2056 B.S. here on recently.
On the occasion, Dr. Rayamajhi also felicitated senior musicians Nara Raj Dhakal and Krishna Man Dangol who have made significant contribution in the field of Nepali classical music by presenting them with shawls and letters of appreciation.
From the chair, patron of the Pratisthan and member of the Rajparishad Standing Committee, Dr. Swami Prapannacharya expressed concern over the gradual decline in the number of pilgrims during the Shivaratri Festival as a result of the increasing pollution in and around the Pashupatinath temple and the holy Bagmati river.
Programme coordinator Pandit Homnath Upadhyaya, member Laxmi Prasad Giri and others spoke on the Hindu religion and cultue.
Dr. Rayamajhi also on the occasion released an audio cassette album “The Tulsipaj Bhajan Sangraha” by Ramkrishna Kandel.
Kathmandu, Mar. 3: Education secretary Jataram Giri and us Ambassador Ralph Frank signed an agreement to initiate the Global Programme (global learning and observation to benefit the environment) at the Ministry of Education today.
The Global Programme is a woldwide programme developed by top flight scientists and educators in the united States of America and administered by the united States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to teach children about atmosphere and environment through hands-on scientific research.
To date 88 countries including Nepal have joined the Global Programme.
His Majesty’s Government will nominate a country co-ordinator to organise the programme and select pilot schools for the programme.
The programme will be a collective effort of the ministries of education, and environment and population, the U.S. Embassy and other interested non-governmental organisations.
As part of the Global Programme, Nepalese students will be able to collect data and learn about their environment as well as compare the climatic conditions of their area with that of the rest of the country and the world.
Kathmandu, Mar. 3: A meeting of the local development and remote area development committee held under the chairmanship of committee chairman and local development Minister Chiranjibi Wagle today approved of a Rs. 1.51 million-programme for further discussion at the national planning commission and the finance ministry.
At the meeting committee chairman and Minister wagle stressed the need for the sectors concerned to focus on programmes which help the people of the remote areas to raise their income while formulating remote area development programmes.
The next important step is allocation of available resources on the basis of feasibility analysis of the region, he said.
According to the committee, the programme for the next year includes implementation of community-based small hydro electricity project, construction of roads and bridges, promotion of irrigation, preservation and promotion of medicinal plants cultivation and tourism development programmes.
Kathmandu, Mar. 3: Japanese ambassador mitsuaki kojima called on deputy Prime Minister and Minister for information and communications ram chandra paudel at the latter’s office in singha durbar today.
Matters concerning mutual cooperation and friendly relations were discussed on the occasion.
On the occasion, deputy Prime Minister paudel appreciated japan’s cooperation and goodwill to Nepal.
They also discussed the possible areas for future Nepal-japan cooperation.
Also today, a delegation including programme manager of asian development bank headquarters ali shah and resident representatives of the bank richard vokes called on deputy Prime Minister paudel.
On the occasion, they expressed satisfaction with the progress of adb-aided projects in Nepal.
The delegation also apprised Mr. paudel of its willingness to assist in poverty alleviation, melamchi Drinking Water Project, human resources and administrative reforms and strengthening of projects and various other projects in the years to come.
Kathmandu, Mar. 3: The three-member ronast regulations committee headed by Vice-Chairman of National planning Commission prithvi Raj ligal presented its report to Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai today.
The committee formed as per the decision of the 10th academic assembly of ronast held under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister and Chancellor of ronast Bhattarai had academician Dr. Ramman Shrestha and academic assembly member and T.U. Vice-Chancellor Navin Prakash Jung Shaha as members.
Prime Minister and ronast chancellor Bhattarai asked ronast vice Chancellor Dr. Dayananda Bajracharya to present the report at the next academic assembly meeting for decision.
Kathmandu, Mar. 3: Their Majesties the King and Queen have expressed condolences to vice-chancellor of Kathmandu University Dr. Suresh Raj Sharma and other bereaved family members on the demise of Dr. Sharma’s father Bishnu Prasad Upadhyaya, according to family sources.
Kathmandu, Mar 3: Home Minister Purna Bahadur Khadka inaugurated a fuel station newly built in the premises of the Police Headquarters amid a function this evening.
The “Police Welfare Trust Petrol Pump” that was constructed by Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) at the cost of about 20 million rupees is said to the first fuel station equipped with modern facilities in Nepal, the IOC officials said. “The world class retail outlet consists of multi-product digital dispensing pumps that ensure speedier service.”
Minister Khadka in his inaugural speech said that the project was “small but beautiful,” which could a landmark in the history of Nepal-India relationship and mutual co-operation. “The construction of the station by IOC is evident that we have prospects of bilateral co-operation in development activities and people’s welfare,” he said.
He lauded the Police Welfare Trust (PWT) for carrying out activities for the welfare of the family of police personnel who lost their lives while fulfilling their responsibilities.
Indian Ambassador to Nepal K. V. Rajan said that although the project was a small one, it could be extended and diversified in response to people’s need. Stating that the construction of the station was a beginning of such assistance, he said, “A lot more can be done.”
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Achyut Krishna Kharel thanked IOC for the construction of the oil station that would provide services round the clock and said that he expected further help of this kind.
Additional IGP Ram Kaji Bantawa shed lights on various activities being carried out by PWT in the areas of education and health with a view to help the family of the economically underprivileged police persons.
IOC Marketing Director O. N. Marwaha gave a detailed description of the newly built fuel outlet and said that they had been in dialogue with Nepal Oil Corporation about setting petroleum pipeline from India’s Raxaul to Nepal’s Amlekhgunj to reduce transportation cost.
IOC had been supplying its petroleum products to Nepal for last three decades, he said. “IOC will continue to lay considerable emphasis on Nepal in its future investment plans and this outlet which has been built as per exacting international standards is an example of that commitment,” he added.