Photographs taking for ID cards on increase

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Birgunj, Dec. 25: After the Election Commission office here decided that voters’ identity cards would be given to all listed a year ago as voters – those with or without citizenship certificates— the number of people taking photographs for their ID cards is increasing in different wards of Birgunj Sub-Metropolitan City (BSMC).

One reason for the rush is that eligible voters are not obliged to present their citizenship papers or educational certificates for purpose unlike before. Earlier, about 25 per cent of the city dwellers could not submit the papers and, as a result, failed to obtain the ID.

The BSMC had even seized ID cards issued to 20 local businessmen as they lacked the Citizenship certificates, according to the Election Commission.

"The Commission decided to provide ID cards to non-Nepalese as per the decision of an all-party meeting," said Suresh Adhikari, an official at the Chief District Office here.

Adhikari informed that the non-Nepalese would cease to be voters unless listed in revised list next year i.e. 2059 B.S.

Since every person can take the ID cards under the current provision, there are many cases in which one person has more than one ID cards.

NEWSROOM CHATTER

Pleasure And Pain

AS it has its charms and fun moments, the newspaper business also has its moments of difficulties. Apart from the late hours of work and mind breaking writing exercises, some bad moments also arise because of some news or views that we have published.

However, even if we have to eat our own words sometimes, we, as real professionals, still publish corrections, the other side of the view and also personal opinion in the Letters column.

Yet, in spite of such flexibility, once in a while there are some people who feel they can clobber us by their threats, either blatantly or in some subtle form. These sort of people should realise by now they must stop banking on such methods to try and cow down professional media people, as such ham handed tricks not only do not work, but they could be counter-productive as well. (LDT)

‘Exclusive’ Problem

PARTIALITY is one thing that people abhor. But it’s the fashion. For example, there are newspapers and periodicals which take out what is known as "exclusive interview". But, can any interview be exclusive just because it hasn’t been published in other broadsheets. That’s the misunderstanding that exists among those involved, especially among the people working in the print media. Who is to be blamed for this state of affairs? It’s the journalists themselves. If they get an interview of the most elusive person whether involved in politics or the medical field or anything else, that just can’t be called exclusive. But it becomes a exclusive interview if the paper that you’re working for is chosen among all the others. Well, it is a gimmick that makes the paper sell. But going for something unethical cannot help the paper. TRN has the guts to meet any challenge. The nerve here is far better that at any private sector newspaper. The pay packet, at the end of the month may not be substantial, yet it’s what we receive for our honest work and loyalty, of course. (PNK)

Wishful Thinking

YOUR head is heavy and you are sneezing all the time. Food has no taste, as your taste buds are no longer functioning. You’ve caught cold and you are unwell but you often have to tell others that you are fine. Others too think that you are perfectly fine as they see you working steadily as usual. Hey! What on earth is this all about? This is nothing more than the miracle of the duty roads and smoky environment. I do not know for sure, but I was told by those visiting abroad that one never catches cold in the first world. This could be partially true because the streets there are free from dust and vehicular emissions. Alas! Only if Kathmandu could be the same then many would not have to sneeze all the year round (AM)

Coordination Lacking?

A RECENT news report had it that media persons were denied entry into the Singha Durbar premises, the pumping heart of the country’s politics and bureaucracy. The new security measures that have reportedly been enacted at Home Ministry’s bidding have invalidated the press passes issued by the government’s Information Department. When asked, the concerned official at the Information and Communications Ministry expressed ignorance about it. It is of course good to take up a better security arrangement in a place that controls the whole of the country’s affairs. But isn’t it contrary to the government’s policy of free flow of information? It also shows a lack of coordination among the government bodies, especially at such a critical state when everyone concerned has to render honestly and responsibly. (GB)

Repent At Leisure

THOSE who artificially shrink the real estate prices in papers with a clever aim of evading revenue feel extremely bitter when the land comes under government acquisition. The authority pays compensation as per the papers. The ‘Gossip Empire’ recently reported that the landowners at Maitighar roundabout had to repent a lot for using the same craft. As the land concerned was in the first grade, the amount of revenue to be paid at the time of transaction would be naturally hefty. One was not so futuristic as to foresee the possibility that the road-surrounded plot would be acquired one day and the Mayor would come to pay almost the same amount mentioned in the papers.

In the villages, where revenue rate is low, the trend is the other way round. If someone wanted to sell the land to someone else and not to the nearest rightful kin, the price is artificially inflated in papers. (BT)

Forge Unity

BROADER Democratic Alliance. The idea sounds fine. However, for laymen, it is enigmatic to decipher the debate. Why, how and for whom? Speaking frankly, Prime Minister Deuba is handling many issues as per the national consensus among different political parties. If the issue was for the change of government, it cannot be justified on any ground since the ruling Nepali Congress is in power with comfortable majority.

The more puzzling scene appears when the bosses of the party are divided on the issue. It is time to show up strong unity not only among NC functionaries but also among other political parties.

Unfortunately, the NC chieftains seem to be quarrelling for something hidden and mysterious. Certainly, it will not send a positive message to the people in and outside the country. Take this lesson: forget bickering and forge unity. (RRS)

New Face Lift

KATHMANDU municipality deserves a pat on the back for rebuilding new landscape of the valley after all these years. However, over the past decades many had come up with many slogans to give a face-lift to the valley, but their words were never materialized as the years passed by. Ongoing pet projects of the municipalities might not have seen the day had there not been the 11th SAARC summit slated to be held within to days in the capital. This writer has been wondering, why on earth the Municipalities had to wait all these years to make the valley a better place to breath in? To keep the things rolling, the Municipalities must go with the same pace that it has now so that they may not have to wait for yet another big occasion to beautify the city. (ASR)

Events Matter

COME 11th SAARC Summit, and the authorities hurry to give a good look to the Capital. Three years back they had started widening the roads and constructing gardens at various points as a preparation for the Summit then. As the Summit was postponed all of a sudden, the authorities also postponed the capital’s face-lifting campaign. Almost for three years they appeared nowhere. They even did not bother to protect the flower plants sown in the drum-like pots kept on the either sides of the road from Maitighar to Tinkune. Instead, those big flowerpots became good tools for the demonstrators, to create chaos in the Capital. And this time the authorities have come up with a grand plan to beautify at least a portion of the City. Had Nepal not organised the 11th SAARC Summit this time, there would never have been gardens at Tinkune and Maitighar Kathmanduites, if you want to see a clean and beautiful Kathmandu, now you needn’t worry. Just force the government to organise a high level international meet, then you will surely have a nice and more beautiful Kathmandu. (BG)

Amazing Tempo

THANKS to the upcoming 11th SAARC Summit that has made the concerned government authorities blacktop the bumpy and dusty Kathmandu roads and clear away all the houses and ugly looking constructions which were eye teasers for everybody. With the cabinet decision the authorities cleared the buildings of Maitighar junction and Tinkune and are going to demolish old buildings at the southern face of Rani Pokhari. After the gardens and parks are made in such places, the roads are pitched, posters and bad stuffs are removed, street barriers are painted green and lanes are made clean, the face of the capital will certainly be not lesser than that of a beautiful bride. However, many people fear that after the SAARC Summit, which is just round the corner, the valley would again go uglier. What if the concerned authorities maintain the present spirit forever? (KPS)

Education Gone Amiss

Nepal follows a unique pedagogical system, if it can at all be called by that name. You start cramming a foreign language when you have not yet got used to your mother tongue. Once in a school you are either not taught anything - if you are in a high… (yawn) school - or overloaded with so many things - if you go to a boarding or boring (?) school that you tend to lose interest in studies. In both the cases your curiosity and creativity is nipped in the bud. In government colleges, regular classes make news. The exams do all but test the true worth of a student. And the evaluation mechanism is worse. What else do you need to increase the unemployed lot? (RL)

Use of plastic, aluminum wares hit Kumales’ lives

BY OUR CORRESPONDENT

Udaypur, Dec 25: The increasing use of plastic and aluminum wares in the eastern district of Udayapur has threatened the local community of Kumale, the traditional makers of earthenwares. Nearly 200 families scattered across the terai belt of the district are finding it tough to make a living with their traditional occupation – sale of their clay pots is dwindling and the illiterate artisans can not switch over to new profession.

"We are dexterous, no doubt, but we can only make clay pots," says Setu Ram Kumal, a local villager. "Our pots cannot compete with the plastic and aluminum wares that flood the markets these days."

The Kumale people lament that they have not received any support, financial and otherwise, to help them find a new means to eke out their living.

"We don’t have enough money to start a new business," says Kumal.

Locals benefit from Rural-Urban partnership

Nepalgunj, Dec. 25 (RSS): The development schemes run by entrepreneurs' group under the Rural-Urban Partnership Programme have created employment opportunities for the local people and contributed to mitigating the widespread poverty existing in the Nepalese society.

In addition, the programme is also seemed to be highly instrumental in directly involving the local people in the development works being carried out at the local level in their respective towns and villages.

Under the programme, a total of 188 entrepreneurs' groups have been formed at the initiative of the Tole (local) development units in Nepalgunj Municipality, Khajura, Betahani and Kohalpur. Altogether 266 woman and 437 men are associated with these units.

Out of the total loan of Rs. 4,652,600 floated to such units so far, Rs. 3,532,330 has been deposited at the municipality's bazaar development fund after the entrepreneurs reimbursed the loans.

A total of 703 persons are making a living after involving themselves in self-employment availed after injecting investment from such entrepreneurs' groups and their economic status is said to have been raised by 22.07 per cent following the start of the programme, according to the Village-Town Partnership Programme Office.

The local entrepreneurs have been able to save Rs. 1,270,673 in Nepalgunj Municipality, Rs. 154,103 in Khajura Bazaar and Rs. 48,600 in Betahani Bazaar whereas a fund of Rs. 1,132,803 has been mobilised in Nepalgunj Municipality, Rs. 160,610 in Khajura Bazaar and Rs. 36,000 in Betahani Bazaar through the tole development units.

Some 577 women and 426 men have undergone skill development, technology transfer, managerial skill, leadership development and human resources development training run under the village-town partnership programme, it is stated.

Statue of Late Bhupi Sherchan to be installed

Kathmandu, Dec. 25 (RSS): On the occasion of the 66th birthday anniversary of the late poet Bhupi Sherchan, Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolis Keshav Sthapit today laid the foundation stone of the statue of the late Bhupi Sherchan to be built jointly by Literary Journalists Association and Kathmandu Metropolis Ward No. 1 at Narayanchowk.

Born at Thakkhola Tukuche of Mustang district, late Bhupi Sherchan had lived at Narayanchowk of Kathmandu Metropolis.

Kathmandu Metropolis has named the one kilometre road linking Naagpokhari with the Bal Mandir as the Bhupi Sherchan Marg.

Speaking on the occasion Mayor Sthapit said that the buildings a round Rani Pokhari area would be demolished to combine Rani Pokhari, Ratna Park and Shahid Manch under the Kathmandu Metropolis Beautification Programme.

The mayor stressed the need to install the statue of Manjushree, the creator of Kathmandu Valley at Tinkune of Koteswore.

From the chair academician poet Bairagi Kainla, critic Dr. Taranath Sharma, wife of late Bhupi Sherchan Mrs Kanti Sherchan, son Bhupesh Sherchan, president of the Literary Journalists Association Narendra Bahadur Shrestha and general secretary Radheshyam Lekali, chairman of Kathmandu Metropolis Ward No. 1 and convenor of the statue construction committee Yogendra Kumar Shrestha and literatteur Prakash Sayami said that the country only knows how to honour the creators.

A cassette of the poems of the late Bhupi Sherchan recited by various litterateurs will be issued in near future.