The government has decided to go for alternative means to minimize the load-shedding as the crippling hours of outage continue to hit industrial production and makes things difficult for households.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday decided to take immediate and long-term steps to end load-shedding.
Communication minister and government spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said the cabinet discussed possible measures to resolve the problem. He said diesel-operated thermal plants would be set-up in order to increase power supply.
According to Mahara, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal gave direction to Water Resources Minister Bishnu Poudel to find “immediate solution” to load-shedding.
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is currently enforcing 45-hour load-shedding a week following substantial decline in power-generation capacity of its hydropower plants due to decreased water level in rivers and the reservoirs. nepalnews.com mk Dec 17 08
The government has decided to go for alternative means to minimize the load-shedding as the crippling hours of outage continue to hit industrial production and makes things difficult for households.
Prime Minster Puspa Kamal Dahal (center) and cabinet members during a meeting of the Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar on Wednesday, Dec 17 08.nepalnews.com/NPA
Prime Minster Puspa Kamal Dahal (center) and cabinet members during a meeting…
A meeting of the Council of Ministers on Wednesday decided to take immediate and long-term steps to end load-shedding.
Communication minister and government spokesperson Krishna Bahadur Mahara said the cabinet discussed possible measures to resolve the problem. He said diesel-operated thermal plants would be set-up in order to increase power supply.
According to Mahara, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal gave direction to Water Resources Minister Bishnu Poudel to find “immediate solution” to load-shedding.
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is currently enforcing 45-hour load-shedding a week following substantial decline in power-generation capacity of its hydropower plants due to decreased water level in rivers and the reservoirs. nepalnews.com mk Dec 17 08
Eminent writer Ramesh Bikal passed away at the age of 81 in Kathmandu on Wednesday.
Ramesh Bikal
Suffering from asthma and diabetes since long time, Bikal took his last breath at the Nepal Medical College in Jorpati at around 3:30 pm today. He had been admitted to the hospital three days ago.
Born in the year 1927 at Arubari in Jorpati VDC of the capital, Bikal received instant fame after receiving the prestigious Madan Puraskar for his short-story collection Naya Sadak Ko Geet in the year 1960-61.
During his long, distinguished career as a writer, he authored more than two dozen books. He was more famous as a short-story writer and for his children books, but he experimented with all literary genres.
‘Abiral Bagdacha Indrawati’ is his most famous novel.
With his death, Nepal has lost one of its most cherished writers.
He is survived by his two sons and four daughters. nepalnews.com Dec 17 08
A report by Finnish forensic experts has stated that they found traces of human remains – minimum one male individual – from among the samples they took from Shivapuri to Finland lab for further tests a year ago.
Finnish forensic expert Prof. Helena Ranta (L) answering the queries of media persons during a press conference held at the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) regarding the findings of an investigation in the suspected burial site of disappeared persons in Shivpuri jungle, Kathmandu, on Wednesday, Dec 17 08. Also seen in the picture is NHRC member Gauri Pradhan. nepalnews.com/ANA
Finnish forensic expert Prof. Helena Ranta (L) answering the queries of media…
The samples were taken from Alle area in Shivapuri forest where the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had initiated investigation after receiving complaints that the site could have been a burial place for some of the disappeared persons.
“The tests in Finland have confirmed there were human remains – at least of one male – from among the samples,” said NHRC member and spokesperson Gauri Pradhan.
“However, the report rules out the possibility that there could be mass grave in that area,” he said.
Pradhan said NHRC will now initiate further investigation to find out if the remains belonged to any of the 43 people said to have been disappeared from Bhairabnath and Yuddha Bhairab battalion of Nepali Army (NA) and whose whereabouts are still unknown.
“We have submitted a technical report. From among six samples, we could successfully extract a DNA from one,” said professor Helena Ranta of University of Helsinki who along with Professor Pekka Saukko of University of Turku had conducted tests in modern facilities. nepalnews.com sd Dec 17 08
Bhutanese refugee leaders have reiterated their request to the world community to stress on the right to return instead of resettlement to third countries, as the permanent solution of the refugee crisis.
Speaking at Reporters Club on Wednesday marking Bhutan’s national day, Bhutanese human rights leaders Tek Nath Rizal said repatriation is the best option that refugees have been looking for a permanent solution of the two-decade long crisis.
Rizal, who was released about a decade ago from Bhutanese jail, expressed commitments to continue struggling until ‘real democracy’ is established in Bhutan and called on international democracy fighters to extend support.
D. K. Rai, who arrived in Nepal last month after serving 17 years of jail term in Thimphu portrayed a worse picture of human rights violations prevalent in Bhutan despite the democratic changes this year.
The chairman of the National Front for Democracy repeated his usual comment that the Bhutanese king is mocking with the international community by saying democratic changes have been adopted in that country. He said excluding many citizens – living as refugees – from using their right to franchise would not bring real democracy.
He said Nepal must push ahead for repatriation of the refugees in their homeland. Since early this year, USA, Canada, Australia, Norway, Denmark, New Zealand and Netherlands have started taking refugees for resettlement. According to IOM, around 8,000 refugees have so far been resettled in these countries. nepalnews.com ia Dec 17 08
Making a mark with their four consecutive win in the ACC U-19 Women’s Cricket Championship Wednesday, Nepal entered semi-finals of the tournament.
Nepal beat Kuwait today by four wickets in Chang Mai, Thailand. Earlier, Nepal had registered emphatic wins against Bhutan, Malaysia and Singapore.
Needing a victory target of 37 runs, Nepal made it in 12.2 overs losing six wickets. Nari Thapa scored an unbeaten 12 while Sabina Karki, Binu Budha Magar and Sita Rana Magar scored four runs each.
Kuwait was sent to bat after losing the toss at Gymkhana stadium and was bowled for 36 runs in 14.2 overs. Rekha Rawal took three wickets while Keshari Chaudhary and Sonu Khadka took two each.
Today’s win led Nepal to the top of Group B with eight points from four games. Nepal will face China Saturday. nepalnews.com ia Dec 17 08
Indian Ambassador Rakesh Sood called on Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal at the latter’s official residence in Baluwatar Wednesday morning.
Progress in drafting the new constitution, army integration among other pertinent political issues featured in the brief meeting, it is learnt. Likewise, there was also discussion on the Koshi embankment reconstruction.
During the meeting, Sood offered India’s assistance for drafting the new constitution in time.
The meeting is significant in that it has come a day after the Constituent Assembly panels formally began drafting the new constitution. nepalnews.com Dec 17 08
Cadres of Jwala Singh faction of Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-J) shot dead CPN-UML activist Rama Saha in Dhanusa district Tuesday night.
Police Inspector Jayanta Thapa of the Area Police Office, Yadukuwa, said Saha was shot at point blank range by JTMM-J cadres at around 10 in the night while he was sleeping at his residence in Dhawauli VDC-8.
Saha was declared dead upon arrival at the hospital.
Police informed that JTMM-J cadres Indra Goit and Devendra Goit have been arrested in suspicion of their involvement in the murder of the UML cadre.
Meanwhile, a police patrol team arrested Vidyananda Jha, father of Rajan Mukti, chief of another JTMM faction. Police also arrested Mukti’s brother Manoj Jha and uncle Chandrakishor Jha.
Police said the three have been arrested on charges of their involvement in various murders in Dhanusha district. nepalnews.com Dec 17 08
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Wednesday said it completed renovations in Kathmandu Central Jail and Nawalparasi District Jail undertaken in cooperation with the prison authorities to improve the living conditions of detainees.
Issuing a press release, the ICRC said it will officially hand over the completed work to Bhola Prasad Shivakoti, director-general of prison management on 17 December, and Pradeep Jyoti Shrestha, Nawalparasi district jailor, in Nawalparasi on 18 December.
In Kathmandu Central Jail, upgrades to the water network, including the installation of pumps and tanks, have greatly improved access to water for detainees, ICRC said, adding that it has also provided training to ensure proper maintenance.
In Nawalparasi District Jail, the water storage capacity has been increased and improvements have been made to kitchen and dining facilities.
The ICRC carried out the work in cooperation with the Urban Development and Building Construction Division Office.
“The authorities’ active participation in this project demonstrates their concern for detainee living conditions and their determination to take action,” said Mary Werntz, head of the ICRC delegation in Kathmandu.”Greater government involvement is essential since it is only the authorities who can ensure humane conditions of detention for all inmates in Nepal.” She added that the ICRC will gradually scale back its assistance to detention facilities in 2009.
In 2008 the ICRC completed six renovation projects in detention facilities across Nepal. nepalnews.com Dec 17 08
The 14 committees of the constituent assembly have started their consultation with specific experts on constitutional provisions from Wednesday.
Since most committees have only members with political backgrounds, the committees have started seeking experts before setting on the path to write the new constitution.
Additionally, the committees today are also scheduled to discuss on nomination of their chairperson and working guidelines. Until the election of the chairperson, the committees will work under the chairmanship of oldest member, K.B Gurung.
The committee members formally began works on Tuesday after taking oath of office. nepalnews.com ia Dec 17 08