Itahari, Jan. 3 :  His Royal Highness Crown Prince Dipendra Bir Bikram Shah Dev inaugurated the Dharan Centenary Festival by hoisting the national flag and lighting an oil-fed lamp amid a function at the play grounds of the B.P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences today.

HRH the Crown Prince also cut a cake to mark the completion of 100 years of the modern settlement in Dharan.

HRH the Crown Prince witnessed with keen interest tableux diplayed by various ethnic and cultural groups depecting their respective cultures and ways of life. HRH the Crown Prince also received an address of felicitations presented by convenor of the centenary festival organising committee Manoj Kumar Meyangbo on behalf of the committee.

At the same function, HRH the Crown Prince presented letters of commendation to distinguished persons making significant contribution to the educational, social and various other sectors in Dharan. Minister of State for Kocal Development Suresh Malla felicitated them by wrapping them with shawls.

At the Public Secondary School premises, HRH the Crown Prince viewed a flower stall, science and health exhibitions, a photo exhibition depicting development activities that have taken place in Dharan during the last 100 years and an exhibition of local cottage and industrial products.

At the inaugural function, Minister of State for Local Development Malla stressed the need for other municipalities also to emulate the integrated development activities that Dharan Municipality is carrying out by mobilising local people’s participation.

Stating that the government has brought into effect the Local Self-Governance Act to fully implement the principles of decentralisation, he said the government is committed to consolidating local bodies through gradual updating of some impractical clauses in the local self-governance act.

MP Mrs Kunta Sharma and reader Kumar Bahadur Karki of Mahendra Multiple Campus, Dharan also expressed their views.

Mayor of Dharan and convenor of the festival organising committee Manoj Kumar Meyangbo presided.

The festival will continue till January 9.

Earlier, a rally of various ethnic and cultural groups accompanied by musical bands went round the town displaying tableaux depicting their culture and traditions before reaching the inaugural function venue.