PM Prachanda Discontent Over Negative Portrayal By Media
Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has expressed discontent over the negative portrayal of the government activities by media. Speaking at a program organized by Revolutionary Journalists’ Association, Saturday (Feb 28), Prachanda claimed that such negative reporting had jeopardized the process of constitution writing and federal republic. “I am working from 5 am in the morning till 8 pm in the evening. Nobody writes about the positive aspects,” he said, adding, “But they jump at stories like the cost of bed.” “Once the country is prosperous, they can write as much negative stories as they want to. But this is not the time….The republic is like a newborn baby, and the large media are trying to kill it,” he said. He also accused that the media would treat any issue indicating rift in the party like a celebration. “They are bent on dividing the party,” he blamed. Kantipur daily reports
Dozens Hurt After YCL Clash With Other Party Cadres In Rukum
Over two dozen persons including the security personnel have been injured after the CPN-Maoist youth front Young Communist League (YCL) clashed with other political party cadres at Musikot, the district headquarters of Rukum district, on Sunday (Mar 1). The district administration has decided to clamp curfew in the area to take the situation under control after it became tense following the clash. According to our correspondent, the clash ensued after the YCL cadres—all of a sudden, attacked the demonstrations carried out by active leaders of the district including the ruling CPN-UML and the Nepali Congress (NC), saying that the Maoist lawmakers, who had gone to collect people's views, for the drafting of new constitution, did not work in coordination with them. Police opened fire into the air to contain the agitated mob. Preliminary report suggest that over two dozens including NC district member Nanda Bista, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Mukund Shah, Rastriya Janamorcha leader Ram Prakash Puri and Khem Raj Khadka have been said. Police said that around five police personnel have been hurt. The demonstrating five party leaders were dissatisfied with the Public Opinion Collection team no 28 deployed to the district to collect the people's opinion that would be taken into consideration in the new constitution in the making. Compiled from reports
NAC To Resume Direct Flights To Mumbai
In what is certain to provide a shot in the arm of tourism sector, the national flag carrier Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) is resuming direct flight from Kathmandu to Mumbai beginning from April. The NAC had stopped its flight to Mumbai two years ago due to lack of fleet. According to BK Singh, NAC Regional Director, the NAC is planning to operate three flights a week. The NAC will be the only airlines to operate direct flight between Kathmandu and Mumbai. Tourism entrepreneurs expect this will increase tourist inflow from Indian states of Maharastra and Gujarat. Leading dailies report
NOC Repays Rs 2.5b In Five Months
Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has repaid loans amounting to about Rs. 2.5 billion since October last year when it started making a profit for the first time since the fiscal year 2002/03. “NOC still owes Rs. 13.41 billion in loans,” said Mukunda Dhungel, spokesperson of NOC on Friday (Feb 27). It plans to pay off all its debts in the next 27 months if the price of oil does not rise significantly. NOC owes Rs. 8.57 billion to the government, Rs. 3.79 billion to the Citizen Investment Trust and Employees Provident Fund and Rs. 1.05 billion to five different commercial banks. The banks that it owes money to are Rastriya Banijya Bank, Bank of Kathmandu, Machhapuchhre Bank, Everest Bank and Agricultural Development Bank. While the interest rate for government loans is 3-4 percent, the interest rate for loans taken from commercial banks ranges from 8-9.5 percent. NOC has been setting aside more than Rs. 500 to 550 million per month for debt servicing. Out of the Rs. 77.50 that a customer pays for a litre of petrol, Rs. 31.26 goes towards the cost price and Rs. 24.58 to government revenue. Similarly, out of the retail price of Rs. 57.50 for a litre of diesel, the cost price is Rs. 30.52 and revenue is Rs. 8.51. Out of the selling price of Rs. 1150 for a cylinder of liquefied petroleum gas, the cost price is Rs. 680.53 and revenue is Rs. 135.88. “Besides the cost price and revenue, there are other expenses like insurance, administrative expenses and expenses due to stock loss, shrinkage and evaporation,” said Dhungel. In the past few months, the NOC has also been replenishing its stock. While the total storage capacity of NOC is 71,000 kilolitres, at present it has a stock of 42,000 kilolitres of various petroleum products worth Rs. 2.22 billion. The monthly consumption of diesel and petrol in the country is about 42,000 kilolitres and 10,000 kilolitres respectively, Dhungel said. Earlier this week, the United Nations World Food Programme said that food prices would continue to remain high in 2009, and one of the ways to bring them down was to pass on the fall in international oil prices to consumers. The price of crude oil is about US$ 37 per barrel. In mid-February, NOC bought refined petroleum for US$ 56 per barrel, diesel at US$ 49 per barrel and kerosene and aviation fuel at US$ 58 per barrel, said Dhungel. While NOC had been cutting petroleum prices to match falling international oil prices, Dhungel said that transporters had not reduced their rates proportionately. Compiled from reports
Oli Sees 'Fake Representatives' Behind His Defeat
KP Sharma Oli, who was defeated in the race for chairmanship of the CPN (UML), has alleged that his defeat was due to the fake convention representatives from the other camp. In a separate press meet in Butwal on Wednesday (Feb 25), Oli said there were around 500 such fake convention representatives from across the country. Conveying wishes for successful tenure of newly elected chairman Jhala Nath Khanal, Oli said he hasn’t felt that he was defeated in the race. It is my failure not a defeat, Oli said. Expressing happiness that policy he had been pressing since the seventh convention for multiple posts in the party has been adopted, Oli claimed UML is only real communist party of Nepal that has cleared hardliners from mainstream politics. He reiterated his commitments to remain as an active leader in party politics even after defeat. Oli is likely to be elected as central committee member of the party. Compiled from reports
New Indo-Nepal Extradition Treaty Finalized
Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday (Feb 25) said a new extradition treaty has been finalized with Nepal, in view of the changes in the nature of crime and revised international norms of extradition, according to a report in 'The Week'. The text of the new treaty has been finalized between the two Governments, which would strengthen the bilateral legal framework to combat cross-border terrorism and crime, he said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, the report said. He said an extradition treaty had been signed with Kathmandu in 1953 and needed to be revised as it was proved to be inadequate in view of changes in the nature of crime and revised international norms. Mukherjee said the new treaty had been initiated in January 2005 and awaits formal signature. The Himalayan Times daily reports
Former King Gyanendra Leaves For India
Former King Gyanendra Shah left for India, Wednesday (Feb 25), on his first ever visit abroad after the abolition of monarchy in the country. According to officials at the Tribhuwan International Airport, the deposed king left for New Delhi on a Jet Airways flight this afternoon. Sources said that the ex-King would attend a wedding ceremony in Orrisa. Wife Komal and few relatives accompanied the ex King, sources said adding that he would be in India for around two weeks. Leading dailies report
Ministry Readies Bill To Ban Public Smoking
Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) has submitted to the Cabinet an anti-tobacco bill that prohibits smoking in public places. Health Secretary Dr. Dirgha Singh Bam, however, said tobacco firms and beneficiaries would prevent the bill from being enacted, saying the bill would create huge unemployment, loss in income and so on. “The bill might have been delayed due to hindrances created by various groups,” said Dr. Bam. “Therefore, we urge the media and civil society to create strong pressure so that parliament will pass the bill for the betterment of public health.” At a program organized by Resource Centre for Primary health (RECPHEC) and Society of Health concern Journalists (SOHEJ) here, executive chairman and director of RECPHEC, Shanta Lal Mulmi said that the international and national tobacco producers might create hindrances in enacting the bill. Moreover, some people could argue that the bill violates their right to smoke, media houses could argue that it would lead to loss of income source and some might say that the economy would be affected and some would argue taking employment concerns as a talking point and so on. “But, there is urgent need to enact the bill to save huge loss to economy and health of society as a result of tobacco consumption,” said Mulmi. The proposed draft bill provisions that tobacco products should be packed in such a way that they do not attract children (below 16 years of age) and the anti-tobacco warning message “smoking is injurious to health” should cover at least 30 percent of packaging space. Likewise, sellers should acquire permission to sell tobacco products and there should be complete ban on program sponsorship by tobacco firms, according to the draft. Compiled from reports
ADB Assistance To Raise Awareness On Climate Change
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a technical assistance grant to raise awareness through the media on the serious threat that climate change poses to hundreds of millions of people in the region. According to a press statement issued by the bank, a grant of US$450,000 from ADB’s Climate Change Fund, together with $271,000 provided by the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU), will go towards providing technical training and improving knowledge of broadcast journalists reporting on climate-related issues for national broadcasters in Asia and the Pacific. Four workshops will be held in India, China, Philippines and Thailand, and it is expected that participants will generate more than 100 short television news features for national broadcast on issues such as climate proofing, disaster risk management and clean energy, the statement added. As part of the project, ADB and ABU will organize live television coverage and satellite feeds of stories and interviews from the High Level Dialogue on Climate Change in June 2009, and the subsequent Clean Energy Forum at ADB headquarters in Manila. They will also hold a workshop for radio journalists in a bid to reach communities without access to television, and will offer grants for documentaries and longer productions that provide in-depth coverage on the subject. Compiled from reports
