Rahul Gandhi Tweet राहुल गांधी ने एक बार फिर प्रधानमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी पर सीधा वार किया है. राहुल ने...
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Monday 31 December 2018
फेसबुक पर लाइव जाकर हरियाणवी सिंगर ने खाया जहर
हरियाणा में एनी बी के नाम से मशहूर अनामिका ने आरोप लगाया कि उसने यह कदम अपने पति के...
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Lion kills worker after escaping locked area at conservatory
from World | The Indian Express http://bit.ly/2EZ63kH
“Nepali Congress will not mix religion with politics”
KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress, one of the oldest democratic institutions, will stay away from mingling politics with religion as concluded by the party Mahasamiti meeting.
The party’s agenda is not religion, and it will mix politics in the name of religion, viewed the Mahasamiti meeting participants at a press conference organised after the meeting here on Sunday.
Speaking on the occasion, party President Sher Bahadur Deuba said the NC being inclusive and transparent would treat all equally. On Nirmala Panta murder case, he demanded the arrest of the culprit(s) to ensure justice to the bereaved family, while calling for journalists to play a constructive role in this case.
Opposing to the idea of mixing politics with religion, senior leader Ram Chandra Poudel said the party will continue to stick to its own principle.
General Secretary Dr Shashanka Koirala viewed the definition of socialism of the NC and the leftist as different. Vice President Bimalendra Nidhi presented party’s coming strategy as opposition including that the party would increase its role as opposition in the House of Representatives and parliament and continue efforts to prepare to win next elections.
The post “Nepali Congress will not mix religion with politics” appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2GLeSAQ
Elderly man killed in Udayapur elephant attack
File – A wild elephant forages in Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, in Saptari district, on Thursday, November 17, 2016. Photo: Suresh Chaudhary/THT
GAIGHAT: An elderly man has been killed in an elephant attack in Triyuga Municipality-1 of Udayapur district.
The deceased has been identified as Sabitra Rai (78) of Khaijanpur in Triyuga Municipality-1 in the district.
According to the deceased’s daughter Binda Rai, a rogue elephant attacked and killed her mother at 9:00 am today while she was collecting foliage in the jungle beside Luhale Khola near her home.
Meanwhile, the body of the deceased has been kept at the District Hospital, Udayapur for the postmortem, Superintendent of Police (SP) Chandra Dev Rai at Udayapur District Police Office informed.
Police have also informed that a herd of elephants have destroyed a dozen houses in Tapeshwari, Bhagalpur and southern region of Triyuga Municipality in the district.
Just a month ago a person was killed by an elephant inhabiting the KTWR, in Tapeshwari area of Belaka Municipality in the district.
The elephants inhabiting the nearby Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve (KTWR) have remained menace in the area surrounding Chure forest for the past one month.
It has been learned that the wild pachyderms appear near the human settlements mostly during the rice harvest every year.
The post Elderly man killed in Udayapur elephant attack appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2BPjQHl
India vs Australia 3rd Test: Players react to elusive MCG win
from Sports | The Indian Express http://bit.ly/2VjuJtO
‘Was not disrespecting Indian cricket’: Kerry O’Keefe writes open letter on controversy over ‘canteen staff’ jibe
from Sports | The Indian Express http://bit.ly/2VlXEO3
All sports Yearender: King Kohli, Magnificent Mary make 2018 their own; India discovers new stars too
from Sports | The Indian Express http://bit.ly/2TgaN9m
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Delhi Metro Pink Line राजधानी दिल्ली वालों के लिए मेट्रो की ओर से नया तोहफा आया है. दिल्ली मेट्रो...
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Xiaomi Redmi 6A 5,999 रुपये की शुरुआती कीमत वाले शाओमी के बजट स्मार्टफोन की सेल आज है.from आज तक http://bit.ly/2RqJpIm
देवगौड़ा ने दी कांग्रेस को चेतावनी, गठबंधन ‘धर्म’ के उल्लंघन से बिगड़ेगी बात
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जब कादर खान की एक्टिंग से इंप्रेस हुए ट्रेजिडी किंग दिलीप कुमार
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19 injured in Dasdhunga bus-truck collision
CHITWAN: As many as nineteen passengers were injured after the bus they were travelling on collided with a truck in Dasdhunga along the Narayangadh-Mugling road section of Chitwan district on Sunday night.
Among the injured, six are said to be in critical condition.
According to Chitwan District Police Office, the incident occurred when the bus (Na 5 Kha 8044) en route from Surkhet to Kathmandu collided head-on with the truck (Ga 1 Kha 8577) heading to Kathmandu from Bhairahawa at 11:25 pm yesterday.
The injured were rushed to Bharatpur-based College of Medical Sciences where they are undergoing treatment, police informed.
It has been learnt that a total of 35 passengers were travelling on the bus.
Meanwhile, further investigation into the case is underway, said police.
The post 19 injured in Dasdhunga bus-truck collision appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2RrbejY
Tribhuvan University
The post Tribhuvan University appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2RrN5tq
NC celebrating 43rd National Unity and Reconciliation Day today
KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress is celebrating the 43rd National Unity and Reconciliation Day across the country with various programmes today.
The Day of Nepali month of Poush 16 marks the return of the first democratically elected Prime Minister BP Koirala and other NC leaders like Ganesh Man Singh, Shailaja Acharya and Khum Bahadur Khadka from their exile in India with a proposal of reconciliation with the then king Birendra in order to establish and safeguard sovereignty of the country.
The NC’s Mahasamiti meeting that was held from December 14 to 29 in the capital decided to observe the Day.
As part of the occasion, various programmes like mass gathering and seminars will be organised across the country, the party spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma told Rastriya Samachar Samiti, adding that the NC has also deployed its central representatives in all 77 districts to this effect.
The post NC celebrating 43rd National Unity and Reconciliation Day today appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2TjgbZj
Rs 900m Masterplan for promotion of Mahadev Dham in Dang
GHORAHI: A master plan has been formulated for the development of tourism at Pandaveshwor Mahadev Dham on Dang district.
The master plan amounting to Rs 900 million to develop and promote the religious spot Pandaveshwor Mahadev Dham at Dharapani in Dang district.
According to Pandaveshwor Mahadev Dham’s Secretary Bishnuram Acharya, some works relating to construction of physical infrastructures have been completed under the master plan. Acharya further said that earlier they had prepared Rs 700-million-master plan where some plans were left out.
As per the new master plan, the forest surrounding the Mahadev Dham would be protected and an artificial lake would be made in the area stretching across four bigha areas towards the north of the Dham.
A 31-quintal bell would be constructed at Sunkot Dando, two kilometres upward the Dham and a proper track with 4,963 stairs would be constructed to reach Sunkot.
Construction of 107 taps and plantation of Banyan and sacred fig saplings in and around the Dham area have been completed as of now, Acharya added.
He said that legal process for the master plan has been forwarded. The provincial government of Province 5 has allocated Rs 50 million for the tourism promotion of Dharapani Dham.
—-
The post Rs 900m Masterplan for promotion of Mahadev Dham in Dang appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2CGvMN3
Elderly man crushed to death by bus in Ilam
MANGALBARE, ILAM: An elderly man was killed after being run over by a passenger bus at Phakaphokathum Rural Municipality-1 in Ilam district today morning.
The deceased has been identified as local resident Som Prasad Dahal.
According to police, some passengers were boarding the stationary bus when suddenly it moved forward as brake failed and hit Dahal killing him on the spot before overturning, at Lungsungdang this morning.
It has been reported that no passengers aboard the bus are hurt. However, police have taken under control the driver Sandesh Poudel for further investigation.
The post Elderly man crushed to death by bus in Ilam appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2TjgyTH
Japan to provide over Rs 9m to Netra Jyoti Sangh, Udayapur
GAIGHAT: Japanese Embassy in Kathmandu has extended monetary help to build a new building for Nepal Netra Jyoti Sangh, Udayapur.
President of the organisation in Udayapur, Bhagawat Raut and Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Masamichi Saigo signed an agreement amid a programme organised in the district. According to the agreement, Japanese government will provide Rs 9,050,000 for the building construction.
Construction of the 24-room building will be completed within the next three months, claimed Srijana Danuwar, Vice President of the Sangh, Udayapur.
The Sangh, which has treated a total of 126,832 eye patients since its establishment in 2065 BS, is operating in a rented building belonging to Triyuga Municipality.
The post Japan to provide over Rs 9m to Netra Jyoti Sangh, Udayapur appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2CIwRnP
PM asks MoPIT to complete three highways in 4 years
A tractor moves in a rural road section of the under construction Postal Highway which connects 20 districts in Terai belt. Photo: Ram Sarraf/Birgunj
Kathmandu, December 30
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has directed the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) to complete three national pride projects under the ministry within four years.
PM Oli has directed MoPIT to complete the 1,776-kilometre long Pushpalal Mid-Hill Highway, 1,792.42-km long Postal Highway and 1,200-km long Madan Bhandari Highway within four years at any cost.
Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Raghubir Mahaseth, informed that PM Oli while speaking during the first quarter review meeting of the ministry today asked the ministry to complete the aforementioned highway projects within the government’s tenure.
As per MoPIT, it has been able to complete construction of 86 km of dirt (mud) roads, 162 km of gravelled roads and 99 km roads have been blacktopped. According to Mahaseth, the ministry has completed construction of 25 bridges.
At present, the Department of Roads (DoR) has completed construction of 30 km gravelled roads and 14 bridges along Pushpalal Mid-Hill Highway. Fourteen kilometres of roads have also been blacktopped along this highway.
Meanwhile, DoR has completed construction of 20 km of gravelled roads and 75 bridges along the Postal Highway. Similarly, it has completed blacktopping 32 km of roads and 84 bridges are under construction along this highway.
Likewise, DoR has completed construction of 69 km of gravelled roads and 85 km of dirt roads along the Madan Bhandari Highway. Moreover, the Dharan-Chatara section of this highway is being blacktopped at present.
As per Minister Mahaseth, the 112-km long Narayanghat-Butwal road section will be developed into a four-lane fast track project. The tender for this project has already been finalised and construction works will start soon, he said. The project is being funded by the Asian Development Bank.
Moreover, the process to select the contractor for the much-hyped 2.45-km long Thankot-Naubise tunnel has already started and will soon be
finalised.
As per the first quarter review, 94.8 per cent progress has been achieved in 23 projects, which have been termed ‘excellent’. Likewise, seven projects have achieved 64.11 per cent work progress and have been termed ‘good’. Similarly, five projects have completed 41.57 per cent of works and have been categorised as ‘unsatisfactory’ and another 47 projects for which works have not yet started have been classified as ‘worst’ projects.
Meanwhile, MoPIT has said that the Department of Railways has conducted the detailed project report (DPR) of the 638-km long Kakarbhitta-Bardibas-Simara-Tamsariya-Butwal section of the electrified railway project and it will be finalised soon. Likewise, 95 per cent works regarding DPR of the 409-km long Butwal-Gaddachauki section of railway project have been completed.
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NEA scraps contract with Chinese firms
Kathmandu, December 30
Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has cancelled the contract for the New Khimti-Bahrabise 400 kVA transmission line, which is the first section of the Tamakoshi-Kathmandu transmission line project. NEA has said that the Chinese contractors that were responsible for construction of the project have violated the terms and conditions that govern the agreement.
In a press statement issued by NEA today, the power utility has mentioned that it took this step of cancelling the contract as the Chinese firms had failed to not only meet certain conditions but also failed to carry on with construction works as per schedule.
The contract to construct the New Khimti-Barhabise section of the transmission line project had been jointly awarded to China-based Guangxi Transmission and Substation Construction Company and the Shenzhen Clou Electronics Co Ltd.
According to the statement, NEA had terminated the contract a few days ago and also seized the 10 per cent of the works executions securities.
“We have seized $1.45 million, which is 10 per cent of the total construction cost, and also the performance guarantee amount of Rs 61.67 million that the contractors had submitted,” said Navaraj Ojha, project chief of Tamakoshi-Kathmandu transmission line project.
“Likewise, we have also seized $1.45 million that the contractors had deposited as advance payment and Rs 61.67 million that had been deposited as bank guarantee,” Ojha stated.
NEA had signed the contract with the two companies on September 27, 2016 and the transmission line project was expected to be completed by May 2019. The contract was awarded at a cost of $14.54 million and Rs 616 million.
According to NEA, despite the completion of 74 per cent of contract time, the companies had completed only eight per cent of works and failed to begin the works related to tower design, foundation and insulator, among others.
Kul Man Ghising, managing director of NEA, has stated that the Tamakoshi-Kathmandu transmission line project is a strategic one for the country but the Chinese contractors had failed to perform.
Meanwhile, the aforementioned Chinese companies had also won the bid to construct the 220/132 kV substation in Bahrabise. As per Ojha, the works of the substation are also not satisfactory and NEA may terminate the contract if the contractors fail to do works as per schedule.
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Dairy sector contributes 9pc to GDP
Surkhet, December 30
The dairy business has nine per cent contribution to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).
Statistics supporting this fact were unveiled at the 20th National General Assembly of the Nepal Dairy Association (NDA), which concluded in Birendranagar. Dairy companies in the country annually pay revenue of Rs one billion to the government. As per the association, rural areas supply milk worth Rs 30 million on a daily basis to urban centres.
At present, five million litres of milk is produced every day in the country and farmers themselves consume around 50 per cent of the production. Most of the people associated with the dairy business lamented that despite the valuable contribution to the GDP, the dairy business is yet to get due recognition from the state.
General Secretary of NDA Prahlad Dahal, said 500,000 families of farmers are associated with the dairy industry and over 30,000 are directly employed in it. He expressed his concerns over the government’s decision to withdraw the 50 per cent value added tax exemption facility given to dairies, thus making it difficult for them to compete with imported products.
Meanwhile, situation of dairy business in Karnali Province is not encouraging. As per NDA, in Karnali Province the production can meet only 50 per cent of the market demand.
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Rana stresses good governance in judiciary
Kathmandu, December 30
Chief justice nominee Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana told the Parliamentary Hearing Committee today that he would adopt zero tolerance policy towards corruption if confirmed for the post of chief justice.
“Good governance in judiciary alone can help promote people’s faith in the judiciary,” he added. He said he would form monitoring units to discourage middlemen from influencing court cases, and check corrupt practices in the judiciary.
Expressing his commitment to implementing the new constitution, Justice Rana said he would try to enhance the Supreme Court’s capacity to handle federalism related cases and would also take seriously the concerns expressed by the public about justice.
“We need to introspect in the light of public concerns on judiciary,” Justice Rana said without elaborating it.
The chief justice nominee also said that he would not ignore the government.
“We should not allow anybody to spread lies about the work of the state organs,” he said.
Justice Rana said if confirmed as the chief justice he would try to make efforts to effectively implement the new civil and penal codes and increase efficiency of court staffers.
Rana also said that he would try to ensure poor people’s access to justice and speedy delivery of justice.
He said he had adjudicated 6,438 cases at the Supreme Court and 4,500 cases in the lower courts since he joined the judiciary.
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Taxi drivers seek increase in fares
Kathmandu, December 30
Cabbies across the country have launched a campaign demanding that the government form a joint task force, comprising all stakeholders, to set up a scientific fare determination system.
All the cabbies in Kathmandu valley are required to provide service on fare-meter, but very few are found doing so. Cab owners and drivers have expressed dissatisfaction with the fare rates determined by the government.
Organising a press meet in Kathmandu, cabbies said they would not follow the fare-meter if the government did not revise the rate set in 2012.
Rajendra Sharma, vice-president of All Nepal Transport Workers, said the government was defaming the cab industry while turning a deaf ears to their demands. He said, “It is not that we don’t want fare-meter system to be implemented properly, but we want the government address our demands.”
Cabbies said the fare rate set six years ago needed to be revised. They said a taxi that cost Rs 1.2 million
then cost Rs 1.6 million now. They said the government should reconsider the fare rate keeping in view market inflation.
The government has set a fare of Rs 39 per kilometre for cabs and an additional Rs 14 on the total fare.
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Home ministry signs performance contract with CDOs
Kathmandu, December 30
The Ministry of Home Affairs concluded performance contract with chief district officers of three districts — Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur — today.
Home Secretary Perm Kumar Rai entered into the performance contract with Kathmandu CDO Ram Prasad Acharya, Lalitpur CDO Premraj Joshi and Bhaktapur CDO Narayan Prasad Bhatta amid a function organised at the MoHA.
As per the performance contract, the Ministry of Home Affairs will evaluate the overall performance of the CDO in six areas — peace and security, good governance and service delivery, social reforms and transformation, disaster management, coordination and facilitation, and integrity and financial discipline.
The full mark for performance appraisal of chief district officers is 100. The ministry will provide marks on the basis of their achievement.
Secretary Rai directed the chief district officers to fully comply with the indicators referred to in the performance contract and carry out their duties and responsibilities to achieve cent per cent results.
The ministry will strongly enforce the performance contract to develop a system of evaluating the performance of district administration offices and chief district officers, he informed.
Point No 26 of the Home Administration Reforms Action Plan, 2018 made public by Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa states that the Ministry of Home Affairs will conclude performance contract with departmental heads, chief district officers, and chiefs of security agencies under it to make them more competent, strong, service-oriented and responsible by bringing about reforms in service delivery mechanisms.
Secretary Rai said the performance contract would help the ministry develop and adopt reward and punishment policy.
“With the signing of performance contract, the chief district officer should think that their performance is being monitored and evaluated by the line ministry and I strongly direct the concerned parties to fulfil the duties and responsibilities referred to in the contract,” he said.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, it will conclude performance contract with all chief district officers within the a few days.
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No letter notifying MP’s suspension received: Yadav
Deputy Prime Minister and the Chairman of Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Upendra Yadav speaking at a press meet organised in Birgunj, Parsa, on Sunday, December 30, 2018. Photo: THT
Birgunj, December 30
Deputy Prime Minister and Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav today said Hari Narayan Rauniyar had not been suspended from the House of Representatives.
Speaking at a press meet organised by Madhesi Journalists’ Society Parsa, in Birgunj, Yadav held that his party had not received any letter notifying the suspension of Rauniyar as a member of the federal Parliament.
He claimed that news of Rauniyar’s suspension carried by the media was bogus. “Rauniyar was not suspended and would attend the winter session of the Parliament from Tuesday,” Yadav said.
Yadav also said that Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara had told him that Rauniyar was not suspended as member of the Parliament. “The Parliament Secretariat has not sent any suspension letter to Rauniyar till date,” Yadav said.
Owner of Pappu Construction Rauniyar was elected to the HoR from Federal Socialist Forum-Nepal.
As many as 12 persons, including Rauniyar, had been accused of corruption over bridge construction at Bardiya’s Babai Jabdighat.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority had filed a corruption case against them at the Special Court on October 2. After the case was filed, Parliament Secretariat had issued a notice saying that Rauniyar was suspended as member of Parliament.
Yadav said the government was according top priority to construction work and expansion of infrastructure in the federal and provincial levels. He argued that Nepal Communist Party should move ahead with amendment of the statute as his party had extended support to NCP on the condition that it would amend the statute.
Yadav, who is also Minister of Health and Population, said his ministry was working to bring out various plans and projects to make delivery of health service effective in the country.
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EDITORIAL: Career concerns
Provinces will be able to fulfill the shortfall of employees through Provincial Public Service Commission once federal Parliament enacts an umbrella act
Dissident civil servants are in agitation for the last three weeks over the newly-enforced Civil Servant Adjustment Ordinance which was tabled in the first meeting federal Parliament which commenced on December 26. The civil servants who had been working under the central government till the country switched towards federal structure are especially worried that the prospect of their “careergrowth” would be curtailed if they are deployed either at provinces or at local levels. Minister of Federal Affairs and General Administration Lalbabu Pandit has assured of addressing their concerns duly when the government tables a replacement bill to the ordinance which came into force on December 9. However, the bureaucrats who are considered to be the permanent body of the government are not convinced with what the minister has said so far. One of the major concerns of the civil servants is that they should not be prevented from being transferred to the centre once they are adjusted either to the provinces or the local levels. However, the ordinance, which was enforced suspending the Civil Servant Adjustment Act enacted last year, is silent on the transfer issue.
This is the main issue over which the civil servants are in agitation. The federal parliament should clear this confusion when it starts discussions on thebill to replace the ordinance within 60 days of its tabulation. The government claim is that the ordinance had to be issued to adjust various levels of bureaucrats in seven provinces and 753 local levels for the time being until the provinces and local levels are able to hire their own employees as per the law they enact under the purview of umbrella law passed by federal parliament. An estimated 137,371 employees (47,920 at the centre, 22,685 at provinces and 66,766 at local levels) would be required to make the three tiers of government fully functional. There is still a shortfall of around 14,000 employees. Provinces will be able to fulfill the shortfall of employees through Provincial Public Service Commission once federal Parliament enacts an umbrella act to this effect.
Before the country switched to the federal structure all civil servants and police force were working under direct control and command of the unitary government, no matter wherever they got transferred. The prospects of their careergrowth were not blocked even if they were transferred to serve in remote districts. The grievances redressal panel formed by the government should allay fears of the civil servants until the ordinance is replaced with a new act. The civil servants who are transferred to the provinces or local levels will not perform well if they are forced-transferred. There must be an unequivocal legal provision under which all civil servants shall get an equal opportunity to attain the highest post of bureaucracy – chief secretary – as per their qualification and performance. When the lawmakers from both the aisles discuss the replacement bill of the ordinance they must pay heed tothe genuine issues – the natural rights tocareerdevelopment – raised by the civil servants. The replacement bill also must envisage giving more incentives to those employees who serve in the lowest level of government and in the remote areas.
Nursing service
The Ministry of Health and Population is planning to appoint a nurse in each local level throughout the country. Spokesperson of the ministry Mahednra Shrestha said nurses would be appointed in all 753 local levels. The purpose of appointing a nurse in each of the local levels along with health officials is to make proper planning and monitoring of the health sector at local levels where general people get basic health services and maternity and childcare services.
This provision will create more jobs at local levels with effective health services. More than 5,000 nurses are produced in the country every year. But they were not getting proper placements due to the government’s poor planning. According to World Health Organisation 2.5 medical staff (physician, nurses and midwives) per 1,000 population are needed to provide adequate coverage with primary care interventions. Studies have shown that nurses, midwives and health assistants have played a significant role in reducing child and maternal mortality rate in the country, especially in rural areas where doctor’s service is still a luxury. This is a welcome move.
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Resolution for 2019: Balance work with life
Self-care can be practised in many forms through the way we treat ourselves: the time we give and dedicate ourselves to work and rest; the energy and space we dedicate to undressing and dislodging the knots that we carry from our daily struggles. When we learn to give ourselves quality time and attention we can be healthy and happy and make contribution to society that will last long
Illustration: Ratna Sagar Shrestha/THT
Many women heath and right activists are too busy to maintain their own health. After a point of time their body gives up; and then they start to visit doctors and yoga gurus for treatment. Only if they would have taken care of their health while working, many problems could have been avoided.
Why do women activists have time for others’ problems and health issues but no time to care for themselves?
Many even when they are sick continue their work. In the long run they ruin their own health. Back pain, knee pain, overweight, mental stress and anxiety become part of their life and they have to stop to work. If someone asks them why they do not pay attention to their own health, most of them have the same answer: “Too busy”. How can one carry out one’s work, activism, teaching if one is sick?
I feel that women – whether they are activists or actors or leaders or office-goers or homemakers – must manage time for self-care. Activities, such as, dancing, exercising, yoga, singing also help enjoy life. Work-life balance is extremely necessary for all, and even more for the women activists.
We are so focused on “achieving more” that we often end up jeopardizing our health and, later on our career because we work without proper rest.
Not long ago, I met one health and human rights activist. She was walking with difficulty because she was having backache.
Clearly, the backache was a result of working on the computer and long working hours. Her commitments, she said, wouldn’t allow her to rest. Reports, training and travel within and outside of the country were already lined up for the next few weeks, she said.
After some time she informed some of her friends and me that she was going to leave her hectic work as it was not possible for her to continue the job. Apparently, she was “ordered” by her doctor to have a long rest. She also had to stop working on the computer as her wrists hurt badly. She could not fly long hours nor was she able to walk properly. “I am depressed and do not know what to do. I wish I had taken care of my health when I was working. I should have listened to my friends who had suggested me stopping working, when sick and take rest. Now I am paying the price for my negligence to my mental and physical health. I am not sure If I will be able to work actively again”. She is one of a few women in Nepal, who is successful, has created her own space in society but while working very hard to achieve something, did not pay attention to her own physical and mental health. She did not have time for exercise and yoga, let alone playing or walking or running for fun. She was too busy. The situation is completely reverse now.
We, women, forget that self-care and wellness is also a leadership issue and associated with our confidence. Perhaps we are less confident about ourselves, we want to work more. We tend to forget stress from work and fatigue contributes to a lack of wellbeing and develops in us rather unhealthy lifestyle like overeating, craving for junk food, drinking a lot of coffee and tea, taking sleeping pills at night. We just have no time for a walk or rest in between our long working hours and social/ professional commitments. In the long run, our obsessions to achieve more only make us more unhappy. Worse, it’s often hard to come out of this situation. So what is the solution? Let’s take a new year resolution for “Self-care”
I understand that it mean to commit ourselves to work better without sacrificing other important parts of our professional life. Self-care can be practised in many forms through the way we treat ourselves: the time we give and dedicate ourselves to work and rest; the energy and space we dedicate to undressing and dislodging the knots that we carry from our daily struggles. When we learn to give ourselves quality time and attention as much as we do to our professional work and activism, we can be healthy and happy and make a contribution to society that will last long. Long time ago, I had read a book “What is the point of revolution if we cannot dance?
This book taught me that it is very important to take care of oneself to be mentally and physically fit in every condition. Ever since I have taken care of myself without feeling guilty and I tell my friends, women relatives and colleagues to eat properly, rest enough and enjoy without having any guilt. In any case, what is the point, no matter what we achieve after struggle, if we cannot dance freely, if we cannot sing aloud, or if we cannot walk without pain, if we cannot sleep properly?
So, how about this resolution: Come 2019, we women will take care of our health and maintain a good balance between work and life?
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‘Report on allegations against envoy being studied’
This undated image shows Nepal’s Ambassador to Australia Lucky Sherpa. Photo: THT
Kathmandu, December 30
Minister of Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali today said the ministry was studying recommendations of the report submitted by a team formed to investigate the allegation of human trafficking levelled against Nepal’s Ambassador to Australia Lucky Sherpa.
Ambassador Sherpa’s former driver Wongchhu Sherpa has accused her and her husband of human trafficking saying he had collected money for them from some people promising them safe passage to Australia.
Ambassador Sherpa arrived in Kathmandu on December 8 after the ministry summoned her as part of the investigation being carried out by the ministry’s three-member team. She is presently in Kathmandu.
The team presented its report to the ministry three days ago, according to Gyawali. “We have just received the report and are studying its recommendations,” he told The Himalayan Times.
When asked why the ministry was delaying its decision in the matter, Gyawali said it was imperative take a decision only after carefully studying such a sensitive issue.
“It will not be wise to take a decision when the team is studying the matter. Now that it has submitted its report, we will soon reach a conclusion,” he said. Ambassador Sherpa has maintained that Wongchhu’s allegation against her and her family is fabricated.
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Search stepped up for persons missing from Bamjan’s asharam
Hetauda, December 30
Police in Makawanpur have intensified the search for two persons said to have gone missing from the ashram of Ram Bahadur Bamjan, a self-styled ‘godman’ based in Halkhoriya forest of Bara.
Citing the disappearance of Fulmaya Rumba, 30, of Hatiya in Hetauda and Sanchalal Waiba, 51, of Banaspati in Hetauda for long, Fulmaya’s brother Bijaya and Sanchalal’s son Mahendra lodged a joint compliant at Makawanpur District Police Office a few days ago seeking police help to find their missing kin.
Acting on the complaint, Makwanpur District Police Office has intensified their search for the missing persons.
“While we have corresponded with police units in respective districts, where Bamjan has his ashrams, in connection with the case, we are also collecting details about the missing persons from their kin,” said Makawanpur police Chief Superintendent of Police Buddhiraj Gurung.
Aspiring to be a nun, Fulmaya had left home for Bamjan’s ashram in Halkhoriya seven years ago. According to her family, she has been out of contact since they last had a word with her four years ago.
Similarly, it’s has been five years since Sanchalal left home and three years since he went out of contact.
“As he didn’t return home, we went to Bamjan’s Sindhupalchowk ashram on April 10 the same year. There we were told that he had left the ashram just a day before. Then we went to Halkhoriya to search for him and other places but to no avail. We decided to turn to police for help after our attempts to find him went in vain,” Mahendra said.
Meanwhile, two other persons, Nuwakot’s Karma Waiba and Bara’s Suresh Kumar Ale Magar, are also reported to be unaccounted for ever since they left home wishing to give themselves up to the service of the ‘guru’. According to Karma’s sister Gangamaya, Karma has been missing for the past five years.
Family members of Suresh, 34, of Jitpursimara Sub-metropolitan City on the other hand, have also filed a complaint at the District Police Office, Bara, regarding the disappearance.
He is said to have been missing for the past three years.
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Bill to amend 108 laws sent to Cabinet
Kathmandu, December 30
The government will register, within a week, a new bill in the Parliament Secretariat seeking to amend 108 laws that contradict the constitution.
Secretary of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Rajib Gautam told THT that the bill seeking to amend the contradictory laws had already been sent to the Cabinet for its nod. This bill will have to be endorsed by the Parliament by March 5, a deadline set by the constitution.
Article 304 of the constitution states: “All laws in force at the time of commencement of this constitution shall remain in operation until repealed or amended, provided that laws inconsistent with this constitution shall, to extent of inconsistency, cease to operate one year after the first session of federal legislature in accordance with this constitution.”
“The bill was discussed in a Cabinet committee on Friday,” a minister told THT. According to him, the legislative committee of the Cabinet held a meeting today. “All the contradictory laws will be repealed by the Parliament by March 5 and adjustments will be made in those laws,” Gautam said. The government has already registered a bill in the Parliament proposing to repeal 56 contradictory laws after the Cabinet okayed the bill.
MLJPA had initially stated that the government might have to amend 339 laws, but it found out that only 174 laws needed to be repealed or adjusted as per the new constitution.
According to the law ministry, the parliamentary panels discussing the bills will also repeal or adjust 12 contradictory laws. According to an MLJPA official, the ministry sent 12 reminders to the ministries concerned, but they did not send the draft bill seeking amendment to contradictory laws, following which the MLJPA drafted all the bills itself and sent them to the Cabinet for approval.
Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli had also directed the ministries concerned to draft urgent bills as per the constitutional provision and Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been reminding the government to register urgent bills in the Parliament so that the House could have enough business.
A meeting of the government secretaries held on November 30 had asked the ministries to send the draft bills to MLJPA by March 4. Government sources said this was also a reason why the ministries concerned did not hurry up to draft the bills.
The government’s ill preparation to draft bills led to a situation in the budget session when the Parliament had to suspend its regulations to pass urgent bills, particularly the bills related to fundamental rights, through a fast-track process. Lawmakers had complained that they passed those bills without even seeing their content.
“The contradictory laws have to be amended by March 5, after which they will cease to exist,” Gopal Yogi, secretary at the House of Representatives, said. “The ministries concerned need to send urgent bills to the Parliament pronto. For example, the Federal Parliament has to replace Legislative Parliament in the draft of the laws. Without amending that provision, the Parliament cannot function,” said Yogi.
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PHC hearing put off as staff refuse to work overtime
Kathmandu, December 30
The Parliamentary Hearing Committee conducted confirmation hearing for chief justice nominee Cholenedra Shumsher JB Rana, but failed to complete the proceedings due to lack of time.
PHC Chair Laxman Lal Karna postponed the hearing till 11:00am on Tuesday, saying he could not continue the proceedings today as the staffers of the Parliament Secretariat would not stay after 4:00pm. The staffers, who were denied overtime pay, have refused to stay after office hours.
Members of the Parliamentary Hearing Committee who spoke today posed tough questions to Rana seeking clarifications from him on complaints lodged against him.
Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmaker Shiv Kumar Mandal wondered why Rana said in one of his verdicts that card game ‘Marriage’ was a game of intellectuals and not a crime of gambling. He also sought Rana’s response on the accusation that he blackmailed former chief justice Surendra Prasad Singh to get appointed as a judge.
Mandal sought Rana’s clarification on his decision to allow Pramod Bikram Shah of Parsa to hold the title of ‘a public pond’ spread in four bigha land and to allow former princess Prerana Rajya Laxmi Devi Singh to hold the title of 15 ropani and one ana land in Chhauni that was gifted by her father former king Gyanendra.
Another NCP member, Suman Raj Pyakurel, wanted to know Rana’s views on a decision passed by the SC bench comprising Justice Sushila Karki and Tarka Raj Bhatta that had ordered the Judicial Council to take action against Rana and two other judges of the Special Court for ‘wrongly acquitting’ former minister Jay Prakash Prasad Gupta.
Another NC lawmaker Gyanendra Bahadur Karki wanted to know why there was divergence in SC verdicts in cases of similar nature.
Another NCP lawmaker Yogesh Bhattarai asked Rana what he would do with a justice who was still working at the SC disobeying the PHC decision. He was referring to Justice Deepak Raj Joshee who was rejected by the PHC for the post of CJ in August.
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One-horned rhinos dying natural deaths
One-horned rhinos seen near Lamital in Chitwan National Park, in Chitwan, on Sunday, November 26, 2017. Photo: Tilak Ram Rimal/THT
Chitwan, December 30
The recent increase in the number of one-horned rhinos dying of natural causes in Chitwan National Park has worried conservationists.
Poaching has been consistently zero in the past few years according to the data provided by reports. However, the death of rhinos due to natural causes has spiked in recent years. Protecting rhinos from death due to natural causes has posed the biggest challenge to conservationists.
According to data, 21 rhinos have died due to natural causes in Chitwan National Park and District Forest Office areas this fiscal.
Assistant Conservation Officer and Information officer at the park, Gopal Ghimire, said 20 rhinos died in the park while one died in the district forest due to natural causes. He said 11 rhinos died due to old age, five died in fighting, two sank into the quicksand, one was buried in a soil mound and one died after it could not give birth to a calf. Similarly, one rhino died in fighting in Panchakanya Community Forest.
Chief conservationist of the park Bed Kumar Dhakal said the number of rhinos had increased in the park while the number of deaths due to natural causes had also increased at the same time. The park has formed a task force to probe the death of rhinos due to natural causes. The task force reached grazing land, visited water resources and quicksand areas, among other places, while conducting a study on December 17. Dhakal said the task force would submit its report by March.
According to the census report of 2015, there were 605 rhinos in the park. The statistics of the park shows that as many as eight rhinos had died due to natural causes in 2014, 15 in 2015, 14 in 2016, and 24 in 2017.
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PAC panel finds faults in NAC aircraft deal
Kathmandu, December 30
A sub-committee under the Public Accounts Committee of the Federal Parliament has found irregularities in Nepal Airlines Corporation’s deal to purchase two Airbus 330-200 series wide-body aircraft.
The sub-committee has found that the NAC board did not properly follow the Public Procurement Act and bought planes that did not match the weight specified in the initial request for proposal.
The PAC had formed a seven-member panel on December 13 with lawmaker Rajendra KC as its coordinator to probe possible anomalies in the wide-body aircraft procurement process.
The sub-committee stated that thorough investigation was conducted into the issue. “We have found many irregularities related to the plane purchase, payment process and establishment of a fake company,” KC told THT.
“We also looked into why NAC amended its procurement guidelines and included a provision whereby it would purchase only Airbus aircraft.”
According to KC, the committee found that the NAC board had purposefully decreased the maximum takeoff weight to 230 tonnes from 242 tonnes in RfP. “Just in this weight issue we have found irregularity worth Rs 940 million.”
PAC Chairman Bharat Kumar Sah has accused Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal of not monitoring the specifications while inspecting the planes in the factory and when they arrived at Tribhuvan International Airport. “We directed CAAN today morning to provide the exact specifications of the planes as per the RfP within 24 hours.”
According to Sah, both CAAN and NAC had provided incomplete documents to the committee. “On Friday, we sent a letter to NAC to provide necessary details of the wide-body purchase agreement and they submitted the document this morning. It is different from the initial RfP document.”
According to Sah, the committee will make its report public soon and take necessary decisions based on its findings.
Earlier, the Public Procurement Monitoring Office and the Office of the Auditor General had mentioned that NAC exploited loopholes in the Public Procurement Act and the corporation’s bylaws while acquiring the wide-body aircraft. PAC had mandated the sub-committee to investigate the issue and prepare the report on the basis of the findings of PPMO and OAG.
The PPMO recently outlined a number of faults in the aircraft purchase deal, including that NAC purchased the aircraft without conforming to the provisions of the Public Procurement Act.
Interestingly, on December 26, Auditor General Tanka Mani Sharma said he neither met Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari nor advised him on the procurement of the two wide-body aircraft for Nepal Airlines. Sharma’s comments came a day after Adhikari told lawmakers investigating allegations of corruption during the procurement that Sharma had given his nod to the wide-body aircraft purchasing process.
But Sharma has refuted Adhikari’s claim. “I never told him anything about the purchase deal,” he said during a PAC meeting, adding that he neither visited the minister’s office nor gave him any opinion on the procurement process.
Meanwhile, NAC defended its decision stating that it had duly followed the laws while procuring the two aircraft.
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from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2Tk5MfY
‘Maha Samiti meeting did not end factionalism’
Panchthar, December 30
Nepali Congress Co-general secretary Prakash Sharan Mahat today claimed that the party leadership was still guided by factional interests even after the recent maha samiti meeting of the Nepali Congress held in Kathmandu.
Speaking at a programme organised by his party in Phidim of Panchthar, Mahat said that many party leaders motivated with the prospects of attaining power and leadership positions in the party had given more importance to consolidation of the factions concerned than making the party organisation more powerful.
As a result, the Maha Samiti had not ended the competition between the factions in the party. Instead it had intensified the factional struggle in the party.
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from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2CIUsob
Amended statute should be executed immediately
The main opposition Nepali Congress recently concluded its Maha Samiti meeting. Although the major agenda of the gathering was to amend the party’s statute in line with the country’s new federal set-up, the jamboree was also expected to instil new energy in the party. However, the ruckus in the Maha Samiti over the leadership’s failure to table the statute in time exposed the deep rooted factionalism in the party. It also raised serious questions on whether party members were convinced about the leadership’s ability to drive the party to victory in the next general elections. Roshan S Nepal of The Himalayan Times talked to senior NC leader Prakash Man Singh about the achievements of the Maha Samiti and the party’s future plans. Excerpts:
Interview with Nepali Congress leader Prakash Man Singh at his residence in Thamel on Saturday, December 29, 2018. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT
The Nepali Congress recently concluded its much-awaited Maha Samiti meeting. What are its achievements?
The Nepali Congress led the promulgation of the country’s constitution. However, its own statute was not compatible with the new constitutional provisions of federalism, republicanism and inclusivity. So the major achievement of this Maha Samiti was that the party’s statute was amended to make it compatible with the country’s federal set-up. As per the party’s statute, the gathering should be held every year, but the meeting had not been held for almost three years after the 13th general convention of the party. So, holding of the Maha Samiti was in itself an achievement.
Does the revised statute address the problem of factionalism that has historically plagued the party?
This statute is a compromise document. Some were of the view that the party president should be made stronger and a presidential system should be put in place, while others were for collective leadership with election of all office bearers. We will come to know how effective this statute is only after its implementation. If we find some impractical clauses in the course of time, we can always amend them as a democratic party.
So the office bearers should formulate regulations and execute this statute as soon as possible. The party seems to be ineffective, lethargic and demoralised. To address these issues, the organisation must be made robust.
The new statute in line with the new federal set-up has brought the opportunity to strengthen the organisation. Earlier, there were 240 electoral constituencies, now there are 165. There are provinces and new local bodies. The party’s organisational structure is being transformed. So to address the present stagnation and make the party dynamic, we need to form new bodies as per the amended statute as soon as possible. Although the existing central working committee still has around one-and-a-half year’s tenure left, we can put in place some interim arrangements after holding conventions in provinces and local levels whose borders have been changed. But these things should be done immediately. We should not sit idle assuming that the communists will fail to deliver and we will again get a chance.
As far as factionalism is concerned, it is the responsibility of the president to bring everybody together. But if the president only favours people close to him/her and considers all others as opposition, it will not help. To address factionalism, the president should be the president of the party, not of a certain group. All in all, if the president abides by the statue, factionalism will end.
The Maha Samiti was to run for five days, but it was extended by another five days because of disagreement over amended statute provisions, resulting in a ruckus. Was it able to instil new energy in the party and its members as envisioned?
The office bearers failed to do proper homework. Had they readied all the documents and made necessary preparations before the gathering, this debacle could have been avoided. But the leadership took everything lightly and did not hold necessary consultations with all stakeholders. It is the party president’s responsibility to bring people with different viewpoints to the talks table and reach an agreement. But the president took everything for granted, resulting in this debacle. In a nutshell, the president and office bearers have undermined the party statute, so the desired results are not being realised and party workers are demoralised.
Now that the Maha Samiti has concluded and leaders say internal matters have been sorted out. How will the party move ahead from here?
For a party to continue to remain vibrant, it has to be institutionalised in the true sense. No matter how glorious and colourful the party’s past is, if it fails to work in keeping with the changed context, it will take no time for the party to become irrelevant. To institutionalise the party, all members, from the central to the booth-level, should strictly abide by the statute.
People’s rights have been guaranteed after all these political transformations under the leadership of the Nepali Congress. But only ensuring rights is not enough, we should also ensure prosperity for the people. The party should understand the aspirations of the public — youths, women, senior citizens and people from all sections of society — in the present context and formulate economic policy accordingly. The party has to assure that it can lead the country towards prosperity.
We need to train our party workers. Leaders and workers need to reach people’s doorsteps, understand their needs and grievances and work to address them as soon as possible.
The Nepali Congress led the promulgation of the constitution, which could not be done by four communist governments. Three tiers of election were held successfully and peacefully under the Nepali Congress’ leadership. But the party was defeated in the elections. This shows that no matter how good the achievements and contributions are, if the party fails to meet minimum aspirations of the people while leading the government, people will look for options.
A party goes to the election under the leadership of its chief. So s/he is responsible for success or failure in the election in a democratic system. But in the NC’s case, the president shrugged off the responsibility. This has raised the question whether the leadership is abiding by democratic norms.
So the party needs a leadership that can drive it in such a way that it can gel well will the general public and instil confidence in them.
The Nepali Congress strongly objected to the recent Asia Pacific Summit stating that a secular government could not promote a specific religion or faith. But in the NC Maha Samiti, members strongly raised the issue of Hindu state. Even the party’s general secretary is publicly saying that a referendum should be held on the issue. Aren’t these things contradictory?
It is true there was a signature campaign advocating Hindu state during the Maha Samiti and signatures were also handed over to the party president. But it is also true that the government violated the concept of secularism by co-organising the Asia Pacific Summit with a controversial organisation. The government move fuelled fear among the public that it was trying to promote a certain religion that would result in social disharmony and the Hindus would fall into minority in due course of time.
The constitution has clearly stated that secularism means traditional relations and culture should be protected and promoted. It has stated that people can practise their religion, but cannot irritate or antagonise people following other religions. There are also strict provisions against conversion.
Secularism means the state does not have any religion, but citizens can follow their religion without causing a situation of conflict.
As for the advocacy and signature campaign for Hindu state during the Maha Samiti, those are personal opinions. The party is always committed to the country’s constitution.
How do you evaluate the performance of this government?
It has been 10 months since the government was formed. During the election campaign, KP Sharma Oli made huge commitments and people believed him, but the government has failed to deliver. Nirmala Panta rape and murder case has shown how feeble the law and order situation is. The murder of former ambassador Kehsav Jha in Kathmandu has remained a mystery. People don’t feel safe.
In the economic front, the government has been able to spend just around eight per cent of the development budget. How can a government, which has even failed to spend the allocated budget, materialise its goal of ‘Prosperous Nepal Happy Nepali’? The government’s major responsibility is to institutionalise federalism, but the issue is not in the government’s priority. Formulation of new laws is being delayed. Civil servant adjustment is being delayed.
In the foreign policy front, the BIMSTEC Summit exposed the government’s weakness. After the summit, the government said it would send the army to take part in BIMSTEC military drill in India, but later retracted. The government has failed as far as economic diplomacy is concerned. It has not been able to attract desired foreign investment and assistance. It has not been able to receive even the investment and assistance already pledged by donors.
You just said the government has failed to deliver. But why have you, as the main opposition, failed to effectively raise the issue in the Parliament and outside?
Effective opposition does not always mean breaking tables, manhandling a finance minister in the Parliament or breaking railings at Ratna Park as was done by the communists before. We are a responsible opposition. We have been raising all the issues — national and international concerning the general public — in the Parliament. So I request the media to properly disseminate the issues we have raised so as to make them more effective.
This winter session, we will press the government to enact laws and finalise civil servants adjustment to institutionalise federalism. Poor law and order situation and poor development budget expenditure are other issues we will focus on. Environmental pollution and pollution of the river systems in the valley that directly affect people will also be raised strongly.
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from The Himalayan Times http://bit.ly/2Tk5IwK
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