Damak, Jan. 18: In the absence of any legal provision to regulate the custom of cremation prevaeent in most of the communities of Nepal, it has been felt that environmental and social problems have arisen.

The concerned forest offices and environmental institutions and organisations have expressed concern at the haphazard increase in the practice of burying the dead at public forests and open spaces in Jhapa, Morang and Sunsari districts of eastern Nepal.

Following initiation of the Surung community forest products area and Kankai river west Ratuwamai afforestation project in Jhapa district, the Shrikhala cemetery on both sides of the East-West highway has become visible from Sattasidham, Damak, Lakhanpur, Topgachhi, Pathari, Belbari, Salakpur, Itahari and Dharan.

The dead of the Rai, Limbu, Magar, Tamang, Muslim, Teli and Santhal communites are customarily buried.

As per the custom, a tomb is built high so that nobody’s shadow should fall on it, according to Lal Bahadur Rai of Lakhanpur village.

Local teacher Sujan Rai says that at present religious belief has become distorted. There is something like competition among the families of the dead to construct very big tombs for them.

Project chief of Ratuvamai afforestation project Surendra Raj Bhakta Nepali says that the cemetrey has been a hurdle for the project in achieving its set target.

He says that as it is not proper to say anything to grieving pallbearers when they come with their dead for burial in the forest area, request has been made to the village development committee and the municipalities to reach an understanding to resolve the problem.

But the local vdc and municipalities are avoiding any responsibility stating that the burial of the dead is not within their jurisdiction.

However, chairman of Ward No. 3 of Lakhanur Vdc Kamal Sangraula says that the vdc has set aside ten kattha of land for the construction of burial sites.

The Bhutanese refugees have also aggravated the probem. If a refugee in the community which also buries its dead dies, it is written on the grave, “even if I have died in a foreign country, let my offspring be able to go to their motherland,” according to Hamsesumse community forest products committee.

Though the refugees have the right to follow their customs in the country in which they have taken refugee, international law is silent on the right of refugee to occupy land to construct permanent graves and cemetaries, according lawyer Leela Prasad Sapkota. But they should be allowed to cremate on humanitarian grounds, he adds.

Chief district officer of Jhapa Dilli Ram Regmi says that it is necessary to formulate laws to organise the system of cremation but occupying of government forest land and public sites for burial should not be allowed.

It has been found that intellectuals in the concerned communities are also of the view that the concerned vdcs and municipalities should set aside specific areas for burial.

Ilam, Jan. 18: There are about 500 Nepalese girls at a brothel in Khalpada of Siligudhi, India. Most of the girls have been sold there by their own relatives and so-called lovers, it is learnt.

The Ilaka police office here has stated that six of he girls have escaped from the brothel and returned home. They said that they had been trafficked and have sought action against the culprits.

One of the girls who returned has already died an untimely death, it is learnt. The girl who had gone to Kathmandu to work in a carpet factory had disappeared suddenly, and returned home after six months.

By then she was in a critical condition. She died while fighting for her life at a hospital in Darjeeling, India. It came to be known later that she had contracted aids, the dread disease.

Likewise, another girl of the same village sold by her own husband was able to return after l5 hectic days through the efforts of her brothers. The husband who sold her is, however, at large.

The victimised girl said she had never imagined that her husband would be so mean. She said that she had fallen in love with him and married him. The two had then remained separated for a few months after which he wrote to her asking her to live together with him again. He subsequently sold for Rs 25,000 at Siligudi.

She lodged a complaint at the local police station and the case was transferred to the ilaka police station. But nothing happened after that.

Another Girl, from Banjho village development committee (vdc), who was also sold at Siligudi, was likewise able to return home and tell her tale. She was drugged by a man called Indra Bahadur when she had gone to attend a marriage ceremony at a relative’s home. She was then sold to a brothel.

According to her statement to the police, she was expelled from the brothel after she became infected with the aids virus. The story of another girl, from Chulachuli vdc, who escaped the horrible life at Khalpada, Siligudi is almost the same.

Her own uncle, Devi Prasad Tamang, sold her at Siligudi for Rs 40,000 last September. The uncle had lied to her that his wife was undergoing treatment at a hospital at Siligudi.

The victim says that on reaching Siligudi, her uncle introduced her to another woman and asked her to accompany the woman. On the third day, she learnt that she had been sold for rs 40,000.

She said, “the uncle then came with another wife. I was successful in making that aunt run away. Tamang had told the latter that they were going to trade in clothing. He had also brought another girl, from Jitpur, and I helped her also to escape”.

The girl from Jitpur who managed to run away says she was in love with a local youth but Tamang did not allow her to marry her lover.

According to the girls who returned from Khalpada, there are still 500 girls from Ilam, Phidim, Biratnagar and other places there. The owner of the brothel, Asha Chhetri, has a house in Biratnagar also.

Nepalgunj, Jan. 18 :Minister for Housing and Physical Planning Bal Bahadur K.C. has said the present Nepali Congress government is committed to wipe out corruption, irregularities, dilly-dallying and mafia activities from the country.

Speaking at a talk programme regarding the constitution of Khajura Town Development Committee organised at Khajura vdc by the drinking water consumers and cleaning committee, khajura today, Minister k.c. said everyone should help the government without any political prejudice in development works of the nation.

nc general secretary Sushil Koirala said carrying out development works is the first responsibility of the government and people’s participation and contribution is essential for this purpose.

Chairman of drinking water consumers and cleaning committee Uttam Ghimire presided.

Also today, Minister k.c. visited Gulariya of Bardia district and accquired information about the present state and problems regarding law and order, administration, drinking water, sewage, etc.

Kathmandu, Jan. 18:Speaker Taranath Ranabhat inaugurated the joint conference of Parbat-Syangja district liaison Samiti of “Nepali Jana Sampark Samiti” in Chandigarh of India today.

Speaking on the occasion Speaker Ranabhat said that Nepalese people have rendered great contribution to the cause of democracy in Nepal not only from within the country but also from abroad.

He also praised the contribution of the Nepali Jana Sampark Samiti to the instutionalisation of democracy.

According to the Royal Nepalese Embassy, New Delhi, Lok Sabha member Pawan K. Bansal, mp Dilliraj Sharma and other speakers also spoke on the occasion.

Earlier, speaking at a seminar on Nepal towards 21st century, late b. p. koirala, literacy and Indo-Nepal relation, Speaker Ranabhat shed light on the various aspect of bp’s thought and their practical relevance in the 21st century.

Kathmandu, Jan. 18:Minister for Local Development Chiranjibi Wagle chaired a meeting held here today to implement the work plan received from the suggestion committee concerning development works in Syuchatar landfill site and affected areas with top priority.

The representatives from National Planning Commission (npc), concerned ministries, municipal and sub-municipal corporations, guthi sansthan and other concerned bodies took part in the meeting.

The meeting today agreed to implement with top priority the development action plan for areas affected by the landfill site received from the suggestion committee.

Kathmandu, Jan. 18: Commitment to change the social attitude and jettison the gender biased bromides are the first and foremost condition to empower women in the real sense though there are a host of other problems to be tackled with appropriate programmes, said women legislators who also included a cabinet member today.

At a colloquium on “Role of Women Legislators for Women’s Empowerment” held by the Management Association of Nepal (MAN), some speakers blamed the Women Ministry for failing to launch programmes for women’s development and building coordination with the women lawmakers, while the government side admitted that lack of efficient management had contributed to make the plight of women worse. But on top of all, equal treatment to both son and daughter was called for so that women could be equal partner in the mainstream of development.

Minister of State for Women and Social Welfare Ms. Kamala Devi Panta charged the male dominated society of non-cooperating the women who have ventured into politics and have represented the people. Pointing mismanagement as the chief culprit for backwardness in every sphere of the society, Panta stated that women parliamentarians need to be empowered before they can help other women become empowered.

The proportion of women’s representation in the Parliament is so slender that their voice is hardly heard, Panta said alleging that men MPs are far from willing to support the cause of their female counterparts. “It is for this reason that the bill on women’s rights is pending at the Parliament,” she added.

Complaining over the inadequate budget allocation in the social security sector, Panta said that this has resulted in our social backwardness. “When our situation is centuries behind, how can we successfully compete with the advanced countries ? she questioned.

National Assembly member Ms. Goma Devkota stressed the planned programmes for the development of women. Women empowerment programmes are hindered with the lack of budget, she said and pledged that she will spend the development budget under her disposal for women’s cause.

Another Upper House member Ms. Sarada Pokhrel said the society should be free from sex biased stereotypes as a step forward to empower women. She stated that women in Nepal will be able to place themselves at equal footing with men for which equal opportunities are necessary. Pointing at the lack of coordination between women MPs and the Women Ministry, she added that the voice of women MPs for the rights of women is continuing.

National Assembly lawmaker Ms. Gaura Prasai complained over the condition of women in jail with children and called for necessary jail reform. Urging Women Ministry to launch women development programmes in the villages, she said women MPs are aware about their responsibility towards their community.

Ms. Silu Pyari Karmacharya, Upper House member, said it is a matter of concern that the parliamentary representation of women who constitute 51 per cent of the population, is only three per cent. She alleged that women were discouraged to participate in the international forums.

Secretary at the Ministry of Women and Social Welfare Ms. Urmila Shrestha, presenting a paper on the theme of the talk programme, said it is necessary to implement the commitments made by the country in the international conventions on women in order to assimilate women in the mainstream of development. “For this the government has formulated action plans,” she added.

Shrestha said women MPs can play a pioneering role for empowerment of women. They can give financial and moral support by creating awareness, launching lobbying and advocacy and helping pass women rights bills.

Ms. Gosai K.C., Shiva Adhikari and Dinesh Adhikari of MAN also expressed their views on women’s empowerment at the programme.

Kathmandu, Jan. 18 : RPP leader and ex-prime minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand has said that the rpp and rpp (Chand) have been unified to emerge as a strong political force committed to nationalism and democracy.

At an interaction programme organised at the party office today, Mr Chand described as “misleading and malicious” the statement made by Rajeshwor Devkota decrying the constitutionality of the rpp unification after declaring himself the president of the rpp (chand) which has already merged with the rpp.

Rpp has been merged on the basis of a wider consensus of a majority of the rpp (chand) working committee, he said and appealed to all party workers to work for strengthening the party organisation bearing in mind the spirit of the party unification.

Twenty-two of the 31 rpp (Chand) working committee members had endorsed the party unification, he said, adding two more members endorsed the unification later.

In a statement issued at the meeting, Mr Chand said one is compelled to take the help of high sounding slogan to cover up one’s mean motive, conspiracy and wrongdoing. Rajeshwor’s slogan of nationalism also falls within this category, he added.

Rajeshwor Devkota, who is pointing a accusing finger now to what the government under my leadership had done three years ago, had fully supported the government’s decisions at that time and later joined the party under my leadership, he said, adding this shows what kind of a person he is.

Since his desire to become Deputy Prime Minister in the Council of Ministers headed by me after a negotiation had been reached with the organisers of the pro-democracy movement could not materialise, a maddened Rajeshwor decried the historic popular movement as a mob activity and the multiparty system as a system established through hooliganism, Mr Chand said.

Rajeshwor, who started harping on the slogan of democracy since the end of the last parliamentary session, might change the definition of his slogan of nationalism in any form tomorrow, he added.

According to another statement issued by rpp, the party is to organise district level party workers’ gatherings and public rallies throughout the country for strengthening the party organisation.

The party has also demanded that the government withdraw its decision to remove foodgrain depots from different parts of the country.

In the statement signed by party spokesman Kamal Thapa, rpp has alleged that irregularities are taking place in the distribution of relief assistance to the victims of Maoist violence and police excesses.

Kathmandu, Jan. 18: Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai inspected the agriculture Ministry today.

On the occasion Prime Minister Bhattarai accquired detailed information about the programmes and progress of the ministry, and expressed satisfaction over the progress achieved in increasing agriculture production.

Mr. Bhattarai directed the ministry to take necessary steps towards coordinating the implemention of the long-term Agriculture Perspective Plan (APP).

Stating that the ministry is also to lead coordination of the agriculture sector, Prime Minister gave assurances that proposals presented for necessary changes will be taken positively.

He also drew the attention of the ministry towards reviewing its policy, plan and programmes, and making the long-term Agriculture Perspective Plan timely in order to enhance the income of farmers by giving emphasis to milk, vegetables and tea production, market development and extending the services of agro-personnel at the village level.

On the occasion Minister for Agriculture Chakra Prasad Bastola and secretary Dr. Mukti Narayan Shrestha shed light on the activities being carried out under the ministry. Chief advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Narayan Khadka and press advisor Kishore Nepal were also present on the occasion.

Kathmandu, Jan. 18: Nepali Congress president and former prime minister Girija Prasad Koirala has said in order to institutionalise democracy we should be able to make all the people and communities feel that they have an equally important role to play in nation building.

nc president Koirala, who was inaugurating a seminar on “consolidation of democracy: Nepali Congress, intellectuals and professionals” organised by nc coordination department in Lalitpur today, stressed the need to work in accordance with the decentralisation policy so as to help democracy reach down to the grassroots level.

Untainted moral conduct among those at the helm of leadership is also a must for institutional development of democracy since leaders devoid of good moral conduct and character can never win the faith of the people, he observed.

Calling on intellectuals and professionals to ponder how institutional development and consolidation of democracy can be ensured, he asked them to give serious thought to the geo-political situation of the country, the ongoing games of various forces and the reasons behind the continuing instability in the country.

He also called upon one and all to think why the terrorists in the guise of Maoists are only making the lower level nc workers their targets.

nc coordination department chief Krishna Prasad Sitaula said the seminar was organised with the objective of collecting the views and opinions of intellectuals and professionals associated with nc for consolidation of democracy.

Member of the nc coordination department and Nepal Trade Union Congress president Laxman Basnet expressed the belief that after fruitful deliberations, the seminar will come up with some substantial conclusions.

Senior advocate Harihar Dahal spoke of the need to organise such a seminar at regional level also.

Tamghas (Gulmi), Jan. 16:Minister for Housing and Physical Planning Bal Bahadur K.C. laid the foundation stone for the Tamghas drinking water project run by District Drinking Water Office, Gulmi here today.

The project is expected to be completed within three years and at an estimated cost of Rs. 15 million. The project will benefit about 12,000 people in Tamghas vdc.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister K.C. said the present government is fully committed to providing clean and safe drinking water to all and expressed confidence that the project would help resolve the problem of safe drinking water in the district.

MPs Surya Prasad Pradhan and Jagannath Poudel, Regional Director of Drinking Water and Sewerage Department Biswamani Gyawali and other speakers also expressed their views at the function chaired by Tamghas vdc chairman Bhuban Prasad Shrestha.