Regional meet on women empowerment

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KATHMANDU, Oct 29:Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Gore Bahadur Khapangi today inaugurated the Fifth Regional Meeting organised to discuss the documents approved during the review of Beijing conference held five years ago.

The meeting was organised by the Forum for Women, Law and Development in order to review the Beijing Declaration and the action plan formulated after the announcement of Nepal’s commitment to the Declaration in 1995.

The Forum had earlier held similar regional conferences in four development regions and had also prepared a report. On the occasion, experts had discussed women empowerment, women’s literacy, health, women in politics and violence against women and women’s rights as human rights.

"We have just prepared a draft yesterday that indicates all the discriminatory laws against women, and we will make necessary reforms. But before that women have to be ready for social reforms as well", he added.

Nepali envoy opens flood control retention wall

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KATHMANDU, Oct 29:A one and a half kilometre flood control retention wall built by the side of the Toga River in Toga village,Toyama prefecture of Japan was inaugurated by Royal Nepalese Ambassador to Japan Kedar Bhakta Mathema and Mayor of Toga village Hirotaka Yonezawa amidst a fuction in Toga village on October 25.

The wall, the foundation of which was laid by Ambassador Mathema and the former mayor of Toga village on June 22, 1997 was built in Nepali style with assistance from Nepali masons from Tukuche village.

Later at the function, Ambassador Mathema highlighted the century-old friendship between the people of Nepal and Japan and added that Nepal-Japan relations are getting stronger every day.

Toga village in Toyama prefecture in Japan has sister relations with Tukuche village in Nepal, according to the Royal Nepalese Embassy in Tokyo.

Fringe parties support King

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KATHMANDU, Oct 29:Some 31 fringe political parties have flayed major political parties for demanding restoration of the dissolved House of Representatives and formation of all-party government at the end of the meeting on Tuesday.

" It is the parties which were at the helm during the last twelve years which were responsibile for inviting the scenario in which His Majesty King Gyanendra was left to take charge under article 127 of the Constitution," the statement issued at the end of the meeting said.

The parties have also said that the way out of the crisis was holding elections to the House of Representatives with a view to restoring it. " This incidentally is the progressive step," the statement said, undermining the demand coming from major political parties for "progressive reforms in the current constitutional arrangement.

The parties have also lamented the current posture adopted by the parties which had representation in the dissolved House of Representatives in which they had undermined the importance of fringe political parties.

"All the political parties should have equal say at a time when the Parliament has been dissolved. This is an injustice to us," the statmement further said, adding that the parties were going towards regression by flaunting the past status. The meeting was chaired by the Rastriya Prajatantra Party
( Nationalist) President Rajeshwore Devkota.

RONAST signs MoUs with INSA,CSIR

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KATHMANDU, Oct 29:The Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST) has signed memorandums of understanding with the Indian National Science Academy (INSA) and the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) of India, renewing the scientific cooperation between RONAST and the Inidian institutions for the next five years.

The agreements were signed in New Delhi on separate occasions by Vice Chancellor Dr. Dayananda Bajracharya on behalf of RONAST and by President Dr. M.S. Valiathan on behalf of INSA and Director General Dr. R.A. Mashelkar on behalf of CSIR.

The areas of cooperation include exchange of scientists, short and long-term training programmes, conducting workshops and seminars and carrying out joint research projects in areas of mutual interest.

Vice Chancellor Dr. Bajracharya is currently in New Delhi to attend the 8th General Assembly of the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS) and the Asian Regional Inter-Academy Panel Seminar on Science Education held there from October 19-25.

In recognition of his contribution in the field of cell biology research and promotion of science in Nepal, Prof. Bajracharya was recently elected a fellow of TWAS.

Prof. Bajracharya and other newly elected fellows were inducted to TWAS amidst a special function held in New Delhi.

Prof. Bajracharya is so far the only Nepali scientist to be elected a fellow of the prestigious TWAS, according to a RONAST press release.

Police crack down on Tihar fireworks

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KATHMANDU, Oct 29:The Valley Crime Investigation Branch (VCIB) said today that the office has made a special arrangement to control the supply of firecrackers and other explosives in the valley during the upcoming Tihar festival.

"We have posted 30 policeman in civilian dress in different places of the Valley to curb possible smuggling of firecrackers and other explosives," said Ramchandra Khanal, chief of the VCIB.

Khanal added that the office has made arrangements to control illegal gambling and card games during Tihar.

The office has been working for the last four months on controlling firecrackers during the festival, according to another officer at the VCIB, K.P. Sharma. "We have learned from our past failures and are better prepared to control the supply of explosives during the festival," Sharma added.

In the past people, especially children, exploded firecrackers to celebrate Tihar and have fun. The popular source of entertainment is actually highly dangerous. Fires, severe burns and hearing loss were common problems during Tihar celebrations in the past years

The firecrackers are also harmful for the environment. They create noise pollution and add a lot of smoke to the valley’s already polluted air.

The police are urging Tihar celebrants to refrain from setting off firecrackers entirely.

Health centres sans medicos in Nuwakot

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NUWAKOT, Oct 29:Despite the installation of a Primary Health Centre (PHC) in two constituencies of Nuwakot district, the locals are deprived of health services due to required manpower, according to sources.

Four years ago a PHC at constituency number three targeted for 17 VDCs of Deurali and another at Khairenitar aimed to serve 23 VDCs were established. While both PHCs have provisions for 14 employees including a doctor, only around six junior employees are in service and both PHCs lack a doctor.

"In absence of a doctor, most of the patients are sent to the district hospital," said Buddhi Khadka, an employee at the Deurali PHC.

After its establishment, the Ministry of Health had appointed Dr. Kedar Narsingh KC, as the Medical Officer of the PHC in Deurali. However, Dr KC who is serving in the District Public Health Office (DPHO) in Rasuwa on deputation, has not visited the PHC even once, according to DPHO source.

Deurali area has the highest number of TB patients. However, the PHC does not have enough water to clean the laboratory. The PHC receives only 200 litres of water per day, sufficient for the employees. The PHC also lacks proper sanitation facilities.

The PHC at Khairenitar is in much the same state. "The locals here have no faith in the medicines given by the employees at the PHC, and would rather go to hospitals in Kathmandu," said Rudra Narayan Khanal, a local at Khairenitar VDC-2.

However, the PHC at Deurali is providing DOTS and other general treatment facilities to locals, according to a junior employee.

House construction spree in Dharan

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DHARAN, Oct 29:House construction in the dense settlements of Dharan, mainly by those involved in foreign jobs, especially in the army, has gone up by 35 percent.

There were 385 applications for new house constructions in the year 2000/2001, this fiscal year 2001/2002 the number increased to 521. Most applications are within the growing residential complexes coming up in Dharan. In previous years applications numbered at around 200 per year.

But now due to developments in communication, health and education services, increase in tourist arrivals, and the growing popularity of religious and heritage sites, new constructions are increasing at a higher rate, said some entrepreneurs involved in building and construction.

"Dharan, home to a majority of Limbus and Rais, is experiencing a surge in house constructions by ‘lahures’ (Nepalis employed in foreign armies)," says a source at the blue-print section of the new houses division.

A majority of the new houses are two and half-storey. Speaking to The Kathmandu Post, Baudha Maan Limbu, Vice-chairman of the Ex-Gorkha Army Servicemen’s Association, said that the Lahures spend around Rs. 15,00000 to 25,00000 to finance a residential house.

Though most houses built in the market areas are more commercial in nature, private houses are well planned incorporating some of the latest equipment and furnishings. A few, belonging to long serving lahures are ultra-modern and designed along the lines of houses in Europe and Brunei. The Dharan Municipality has an annual award for the house with the latest and unique design

Dharan situated at the junction of the Terai and the mountain region has 19 wards, among which, the more than 8,0000 newly constructed houses are concentrated in wards 10, 11, 15, 16 and 17.

However, less than 10 percent of the new houses are earthquake proof, said an organisation studying earthquakes.

Maoist rebels reportedly working to strengthen leadership

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KAILALI, Oct 29:The underground Maoist party has lost eight prominent members in clashes with the security forces in different parts of far-western Nepal after the government withdrew emergency some two months ago.

Following the heavy loss, the party is now working hard to strengthen its organisation, according to concerned sources.

Soon after the Far-Western in-charge Janam Baral was killed in clashes with the security forces at Tikapur of Kailali district, the party lost Binod Chaudhari and the Chief of the so-called Public Government in the region.

A total of 32 Maoist rebels including Jaya Raj Bhatta the district leader of the party were killed in clashes with security forces in Doti district.

The party also lost Rukum Singh Kuwar, the party commander for Darchula district in clashes with the security forces at Jogbudha of Dadeldhura district while Nain Singh Bohora and Mahadev Giri, the Section Commanders of the party were killed in clashes at Shankarpur of Darchula district.

Maoist party sources have revealed that the party also lost Pushkar Sharma, the commander for Kanchanpur district in the incident at Jogbudha.

The security forces have also lost some high-ranking officials in the incidents.

Over 1,000 people have been killed in the Far-Western region alone since the outlawed party waged so-called ‘People’s war,’ according to sources at INSEC.

Police officer allegedly refuses hotel bill

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DANG, Oct 29:A police officer threatened hotel owner and his son after they requested an over-due payment.

Gambhir Chand, the Chief at the District Traffic Police Office (DTPO) in the district headquarters, Ghorahi, had been staying at local Sangrila Hotel. He shifted his residence after the hotel owner demanded payment for the room.

On Monday, Gehendra Devkota, the hotel owner sent his son to ask for the due amount from Chand. However, Chand stated that he owed nothing to the hotel and sent Devkota’s son with a harsh rebuke.

The same night, even as Ghorahi was under curfew, Chand entered the hotel with other police personnel and barked at the hotel owner and its guests who were having dinner. He also threatened Devkota to leave the area the next day.

"My son has been away the whole day for the fear of Chand’s threats," said Shiva Devi, Gehendra’s mother.

Historical ponds of Bara on verge of extinction

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BIRGUNJ, Oct 29:Ancient ponds of historical Simraungadh in Bara district have reached at the verge of extinction owing to the lack of proper preservation and renovation works.

Simaraungadh, often quoted as ‘the village of ponds’ encompasses more than a dozen ponds each covering an area of 3 to 25 hectares, which are said to have constructed by the Karnatbanshi rulers of medieval era.

Situated at a distance of about 12 km south-east of KalaIya, the district headquarters, Simraungadh has been taken as a remnant fossil of medieval Mithila kingdom having archaeological and historical importance.

The area with beautiful ponds and lavish cultural heritage needs to be preserved and maintained so as to develop it as a tourist site, opine the locals.

The ponds could be used for fish keeping as well as attracting tourists if they were cleaned and maintained, said outgoing DDC Chairman Chhath Prasad Yadav.

The door of possibility for Simraungadh as a main tourist spot, especially to be visited by Nepalese and Indian tourists, remains open owing to its location in the border area.

Indian hospitals deny treatment to ID-less Nepalis

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NEPALGUNJ, Oct 29:Doctors in India have stopped treating Nepali patients not holding proper identification or reference documents. The result of a recent agreement between the governments of Nepal and India, Indian doctors have started asking for reference letters from hospitals, or recommendation letters of concerned government authorities from Nepal.

The agreement actually pertains to only to those seeking treatment for injuries from bullet wounds, in any part of the body, whereby patients are required to show the recommendation letter or reference from the Nepal Police.

Gokarna Bahadur Pal, Superintendent of Police in Banke, reiterated that only persons with bullet wounds are required to provide a police report while seeking treatment in India, while no other agreement had been signed regarding recommendation letters for general public seeking treatment in India for other ailments.

However, this agreement between the two countries, meant to control possible Maoist elements seeking treatment in India, has affected ordinary Nepalese patients with various other diseases from receiving treatment in India.

Indian doctors have been asking Nepalese patients visiting Indian hospitals for letters from the government or hospitals creating many inconveniences. This has alarmed patients who opt for Indian hospitals where the treatment is more affordable compared to the high cost of specialist treatment in Nepal and cheaper than going abroad.

Five Nepalis who had gone for treatment to the Gandhi Hospital at Lucknow in India on Sunday were made to return without treatment when doctors there declined to treat them for not having any reference letter from a hospital in Nepal.

According to the husband of the patient Deepa Khadka from Rukum Khalanga Ratamata, Maan Bahadur Khadka, after they were unable to provide the recommendation of the concerned district and the reference of the treatment from the hospital at their home town, they were averted from getting admission to Gandhi hospital.

Deepa Khadha who had gone for treatment to Lucknow for her nerve problem in the stomach after spending quite a big sum of money condition has worsened drastically after being denied the treatment.

Many people in the mid and the far-western region of Nepalgunj prefer to go to India for serious maladies. Khambu Shahi, a patient from the region who went to a private clinic in Lucknow was denied treatment because he didn’t have a referral letter. The doctors told him they have strict orders from security personnel not to treat Nepali nationals without proper referral letters.

Unless a patient has proper identification and referral letters Indian hospital staff must refuse treatment and refuge in case the patients is part of the underground Maoist rebel group.