Naya Nepal Naya Blog

It sounds unbelievable that the rag pickers, who go around the city scavenging for rags, scrap and plastic wares in piles of waste, earn more than a gazetted first class officer of the country.

Presenting a study report about the scavengers conducted in 20 places of Kathmandu Metropolitan and Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City, Centre for Integral Urban Development (CIUD) said the professional pickers make more than Rs. 21,000 per month.

According to the report, one picker collects more than a hundred kg of trash including rags, plastic wares and scrap per day. These items are sold for Rs. 7 per kg in an average, which makes more than seven hundred per day, amounting to Rs. 21,000 monthly.

“Their earning is enough to manage the quality life but they don’t use it for their good and neither have the saving habit,” said Brinda Shrestha, one of the researchers. “They spend most of the income on alcohol and entertainment.”

According to Shrestha, more than 70 percent of the pickers are from indigenous communities out of which Tamang comprises over 20 percent. Around 12 percent pickers are Indian nationals.

The report has stated that 60 percent of the rag pickers are from economically active group—16 to 35 years. Seventy-seven percent of them are fully illiterate and the remaining can write their names.

Octogenarian leader Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, known by his near ones as Kishunji, is a celebrated name in Nepali politics. But, there is one more trait of him which makes him famous among his fellow leaders — his love for betel leaf (Paan).

According to Ameeta Kapaali, Bhattarai’s care taker, he chews three to four paans even these days. This is five times less than his earlier intake, all due to poor health. “He used to have 15 to 16 paans a day,” says Kaapali.

Since his health does not allow him to visit paan shops, Kaapali says she orders plain betel leaf usually from Pulchowk and prepare it hygienically at home.

Bhattarai’s love for paan has linked him with the sellers of paan too. His most frequently visited paan shop is at New Baneshor where he used to order paan until a year ago. The shop “Shree Ram Paan Bhandar” which has been running for 25 years now was Bhattarai’s preference even before the restoration of democracy in 1990. He used to visit a paan shop at New Road also which has now shifted from its spot.

“I remember him chatting with me for two hours before he had to attend a secret program during the Panchayat Regime. I was proud to have such a reputed personality as my regular customer,” said Shiva Narayan Shah, the shop owner.

According to Shah, Bhattarai’s favorite flavour was Maghai Patta, a flavour which uses small leaves of light-green colour, with tobacco. When the Nepali Congress party office was at New Baneshwor, he used to visit the shop at around 8:30 every Saturday. On other days, he used to come there as many times as he passed by. After he became Prime Minister of the interim government in 1990 and elected government in 1999, he used to come to the place on a vehicle and usually sent his security guard to the shop to get paan for him.

“Maghai patta become famous among others due to Bhattarai’s preference for it,” Shah said.

Sources say that Bhattrai is a paan addict right from his teens. When he was in jail, many of his friends used to take paan for him during visiting hours. “Many of his friends used to come with paan to meet him. Sometimes even the jail staffs used to get betel nut and leaves for him,” said Nepali Congress leader Ram Jeevan Singh, who was with Bhattarai in Nakhhu Jail for seven years (1973-1980).

Bhattarai was admitted to hospital last month after he had congestive heart failure and pneumonia.

Constituent Assembly (CA) Chairman Subash Chandra Nemwang is holding discussions with the heads of all the 14 thematic committees under the CA.

In the meeting underway at his office in Singha Durbar on Sunday, the thematic committee chairmen have put their views on technical and contentious issues of constitution drafting.

Nemwang held discussion with the thematic committee heads following an understanding, at a meeting with major three parties, to forge consensus on the CA calendar of events by tomorrow.

The activists of Matrika Yadav-led CPN (Maoist) smeared black colour on the face of Director General (DG) at the Department of Forest at Babar Mahal in the Capital on Sunday.

A group of about 20 Maoist cadres painted black on the face of DG Madhav Prasad Acharya in his own office. The group even chanted slogans against him in the office premises.

The group has accused Acharya of giving protection to the corrupt District Forest Officers (DFOs) and engaging in deforestation and embezzlement.

In a programme organised by CPN-UML at Baneshwor last Sunday, Acharya had criticised ex-minister Matrica Yadav as a corrupt minister and had praised the current Forest Minister Deepak Bohara.

Apparantly frustrated for failing in her Schools Leaving Certificate (SLC) exams, a student has committed suicide at Sataun Thulapokhari of Putalibazar Municipality here in the district on Saturday.

The deceased identified as Man Kumari Dhakal of Rajasthal Higher Secondary School was found hanging in the balcony of her residence. She might have killed herself after she failed in he SLC exams, District Police Office informed.

Dhakal was physically impaired too, family sources said.

An unidentified gang stabbed a youth to death in Bhadrapur, Jhapa, on Saturday night.

The deceased has been identified as Chhatra Bahadur Rai, 20, an employee at Mechi Zonal Hospital.

The gang of four persons who came on three motorcycles attacked Rai with sharp-edged weapon near the hospital at around 10 p.m. He died on the way to hospital.

Rai was a member of the Young Communist League’s Bhadrapur Municipal Committee, according to a Maoist leader, Hikmat.

He was killed while returning home after watching the World Cup football match with his brother.

Police have launched a massive manhunt to identify and nab the killers.

Police said few suspected persons have been detained for interrogation over the incident.

A person died after falling from a cliff in Chyamche of Taghring VDC-1 in Lamjung district on Sunday.

The deceased has been identified as Rajesh Sapkota, 28, a contractor of Beshi Sahar-Chame road construction. Sapkota is a resident of Sindhupalchowk.

Police who came from Bahundanda Police Post and locals are trying to retrieve his body from the cliff.

Tanahun VDC secretaries resigned en masse owing to the recent wave of threats against the local body employees across the nation.

A little-known underground outfit, Sanyukta Jatiya Mukti Morcha (SJMM), has been sending letters to VDC secretaries forcing them to quit their offices.

The secretaries submitted their resignations to Local Development Officer (LDO) Hari Prasad Dahal today.

33 VDC secretaries working in 46 different VDCs have resigned citing lack of security and the threats, VDC Secretaries' Welfare Protection Centre (VDCWPC) Chairman Buddhiman Shrestha informed.

VDC secretaries from different districts have been complying with the threats of SJMM by submitting en bloc resignation over the past few weeks.

Three-point deal includes:

--> Moving ahead with consensus and cooperation to take the peace process to a meaningful conclusion, to carry out all the remaining works related to the peace process, and to accomplish the historic responsibility of completing the task for writing the new constitution.

--> Extending the tenure of the Constituent Assembly by one year.

--> Forming a national consensus government and for that, the prime minister of the incumbent coalition government is ready to resign without delay.

Chairman of the Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) Mahanta Thakur said on Sunday that the failure to implement the written agreements has put the government formation process in limbo.

The inter-party rift is widening due to the failure to put in action the May 28 three-point agreement, Thakur said. He also underlined the need to implement the pacts for lasting peace.

The TMLP chairman, who arrived here in Piperia VDC to attend the 13th day death ritual of his slain party cadre Birendra Sah, said that the practice of not implementing the agreements has become a major problem.

While pointing out that nothing has been done on the crucial points of army integration and lasting peace, Thakur maintained that a permanent solution could not be sought unless such problems persist.

Thakur, while noting that Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal stepped down notwithstanding the House majority, said though paths have been cleared to move ahead in unity, the point of consensus is still elusive.

Confusion looms as there is no sign of a new government taking shape even in the wake of the president's mandate.

The TMLP favours consensus government and efforts should be made on the consensus system as the make of the Constituent Assembly beckons so, Thakur said.

Dhanusha district in-charge of Jay Krishna Goit-led Janatantrik Tarai Mukti Morcha (JTMM-G), an underground armed outfit active in the low-lying southern belt, was killed in what police describe as "retaliation" on Saturday night. The deceased JTMM-G cadre has been identified with his nom de guerre ‘Bombhola’ Yadav.

According to the District Police Office, Bombhola died during retaliation at Khajuri area, the eastern part of the district, while the police team was carrying out a routine patrol.

The dead body was brought to the Zonal Hospital in Janakpur for postmortem.

However, locals claim the police detained Yadav from Inarwa. The details of the incident are still sketchy.

Security personnel have stepped up security arrangement in both market and rural areas in Janakpur in the wake of recent crime wave.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal on Sunday accused the UCPN (Maoist) of taking a U-turn on its commitment to abide by the past agreement.

The Maoists, who had committed to conclude the remaining issues of the peace process right after the prime minister’s resignation, have drifted away from their words, Nepal said.

Speaking at a function in Kirtipur, Kathmandu today, the caretaker prime minister remarked that it would backfire on the Maoists themselves if the parties raise questions on their words and actions.

"I vividly remember the Maoist leaders saying that they would take up the issue of forming a national consensus government only after concluding the remaining tasks of the peace process within few hours and days after the PM's resignation," said PM Nepal adding," But nowadays Maoists have been saying that the tasks of peace process are meant to be take ahead gradually. They have taken 180 degree turn from the past commitment and agreement."

While saying that he had some expectations from Maoist Vice Chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai, Nepal said he was left stunned at Dr. Bhattarai’s cheap and defensive statements in recent times.

"Dr. Bhattari has started saying that the government should be formed at earliest and the peaces process can be taken ahead slowly," said PM Nepal. "This has raised serious questions on the credibility and honesty of the Maoist. All the parties have raised question on them."

Remarking that the Maoists have not been able to rise above the rebellion and totalitarian mindset, the outgoing prime minister urged all the parties to form a national consensus government.

Nepal said that it is the responsibility of parties to form the government by showing a two-thirds majority as he had resigned from the prime minister's post for broader consensus even when his government had the support of a majority.

Fringe parties represented in the Constituent Assembly (CA) on Sunday said that they would not accept a national consensus government formed with the agreement of big three parties—UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress, CPN-UML—alone.

A meeting of the fringe parties held at Singha Durbar in the capital concluded that the national consensus government should be formed on the consensus of all the CA parties.

“The consensus government in the name of major three parties would not be acceptable to the small parties,” said Chure Bhabar Rastriya Party Chairman Keshav Mainali, emerging from the meeting. “The next government should be formed with the consent of all 25 parties in the CA.”

The meeting also called for an immediate implementation of first point of the three-point agreement reached between the big three parties on May 28.

The meeting also concluded that both the consensus and majority government formed without the implementation of first point of the agreement would be meaningless.

According to Mainali, the fringe parties' meeting maintained that dilly-dallying in the name of consensus should not obstruct the peace process. He said no parties can claim the government leadership unless consensus is forged. “The leadership of the government cannot be had just by being the largest party,” said Mainali adding, “Whoever is capable of forging consensus can take the government leadership.”

Minister for Culture and Parliamentary Affairs Dr. Minendra Rijal said on Sunday that the national consensus government would not be formed due to the UCPN (Maoist)'s stubbornness.

He said the parties can get the president to extend the timeframe for the government formation if the chances of forming a national government come into vision.

There is still a possibility of the formation of a majority government, once again, due to the Maoists' self-righteous attitude, Rijal charged.

"If the political parties reach an understanding on national consensus, the president can extend the government-formation deadline by a day or two," said Rijal.

He was speaking at a press conference organised by Press Union, Morang today.

Minister Rijal, who is also the central member of the Nepali Congress (NC), claimed that his party will lead the new government. "The turn is ours as the Maoists and UML could not give a way out," said Rijal.

While saying that there is no dispute over the prime ministerial berth in the party, Rijal claimed that an agreement has already been reached on the leadership issue within the party.

Only yesterday Ram Chandra Poudel held discussion with Sher Bahadur Deuba and once the NC gets support from other political parties the party will float its candidate for the prime minister's post, Rijal said.

"The government which Dahal said would be toppled within two weeks lasted for 13 months and what would he do if the government he is challenging to topple within two months lasted till the end of his political career," sniped Rijal, who looked angered by Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's recent statement of toppling government within two months if his party does not get the government leadership.

Rijal also ruled out the possibility of UML-led government. "The turn of UML chairman, who has worked hard to oust Madhav Kumar Nepal, may come some day and he must be tired, he should take rest for now as the turn is NC's."

The eldest Nepali Congress (NC) leader and former minister, Bal Bahadur Rai passed away while undergoing treatment at TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj in the Capital on Sunday. He was 90.

Rai, a long time patient of diabetics, kidney and spine related complexities, was admitted at the hospital for the past four days. He was declared dead at 4:10 p.m. today.

His body will be kept at the NC headquarters in Sanepa, Lalitpur for the final tributes.

According to family source, Rai's body will be taken to his ancestral village in Okhaldhunga for the last rites as per his wish.

The nonagenarian leader was born on Feb. 17, 1921 in Moli of Okhaldhunga district. He had played an active role in major democratic and republic movements of Nepal since his early age. Rai had served as acting prime minister for 19 times. He joined active politics in 1947.

The major two allies of the outgoing coalition—the Nepali Congress (NC) and the CPN-UML—concluded on Sunday that the formation of a national consensus government is possible only after the implementation of first point of the three-point deal. The two parties have decided to initiate dialogue with the UCPN (Maoist), one of three signatories of the last-minute deal, on the same.

The second and third largest parties in Constituent Assembly (CA) set the conditions before the Maoists after Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal resigned as per the three-point deal between the major three parties signed in the midnight of May 28 that extended the Constitutional Assembly (CA)’s tenure which was due to end minutes after it was signed.

A meeting between the two parties held at the UML Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar today reached the conclusion that the Maoists should implement the agreement related to the peace process and statute-drafting.

Saying that the environment of forge consensus could not be created due to the Maoists, the NC and UML stressed on the need for forging an agreement by holding a discussion among the big three parties. They categorically stated that only the implementation of first point of the three-point deal will pave way for consensus as the other point has been implemented.

In a separate discussion held on Saturday, the NC and the UML had raised the issue of peace process as condition. Following the meetings, they had resolved that the formation of Maoist-led government could be considered only after the execution of three point deal.

NC Acting President Sushil Koirala, Vice President Ram Chandra Poudel, Senior leader Sher Bahadur, UML Chairman Jhalanath Khanal and General Secretary Ishwor Pokhrel, among other leaders, were present at today’s meeting.

Three-point deal includes:

--> Moving ahead with consensus and cooperation to take the peace process to a meaningful conclusion, to carry out all the remaining works related to the peace process, and to accomplish the historic responsibility of completing the task for writing the new constitution.

--> Extending the tenure of the Constituent Assembly by one year.

--> Forming a national consensus government and for that, the prime minister of the incumbent coalition government is ready to resign without delay.

Altogether four billion six hundred and ninety-six million seven hundred eighty-four thousand and eighty-one rupees have been released for the monthly allowances and salary of the Maoist combatants following the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and the UCPN (Maoist).

At present, five thousand rupees per month per person is provided to the combatants. Similarly, each combatant is provided Rs. 60 per day in places with road transport facilities and Rs. 75 per day to combatants living in cantonments in remote districts as subsistence allowance. Initially, the monthly allowance was fixed at Rs. 3,000 only.

Accounts officer at the Office of the Central Coordinator of the Cantonment Management at the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction, Bishnu Wagle said, so far Rs. 3.13 billion has been released under the monthly allowances head while Rs. 1.29 billion has been released under the subsistence allowance.

The data shows that in some years the subsistence allowances has outstripped the monthly allowances.

Ninety-two million and five hundred and fifty-six rupees have been spent under the monthly allowances in fiscal year 2006/07, Rs. 514 million and 488 thousand in fiscal year 2007/08, Rs. 1.855 billion in fiscal year 2008/09 and Rs. 938 million and 954 million in the current fiscal year 2009/10 under the monthly allowances.

Similarly, Rs. 173 million and 920 thousand was spent as the subsistence allowance in fiscal year 2006/07, Rs. 510 million and 751 thousand in fiscal year 2007/08, Rs 547 million and 544 thousand in fiscal year 2008/09 and Rs. 522 million and 193 thousand in fiscal year 2009/10 as subsistence allowance.

Accounts officer Wagle said although the expenses for the Maoist combatants are audited every year, distribution by the local offices by political instructions will also be considered as official expenses.

Deputy Secretary at the Office, Govinda Khanal said a total of Rs. 1.45 1 billion has been released for the allowances and subsistence allowance for the Maoist combatants until mid-May of the current fiscal year.

The total number of Maoist combatants verified by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) is 30,852. They have been kept at seven main camps and 21 satellite camps throughout the country. The number of combatants in the cantonments is said to have dwindled over the years.

Caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has accused the Maoists of making a complete 180 degree turn from their earlier commitment to complete the "remaining tasks of the peace process" following his resignation from the post.
Talking to media-persons in Kirtipur on Sunday, he said that the Maoists need to be careful as well as greatly improve their habit of saying one thing and doing just the other if they want to form a government under their leadership.

PM Nepal said the Maoist leaders had promised him that they will try to forge an understanding for a national consensus once they complete the remaining tasks of the peace process, but they failed to live up to their commitments.

In the three-point agreement of May 28 the Maoists agreed to extend the term of the Constituent Assembly (CA) and complete the remaining tasks of the peace process if PM Nepal resigns from his post to pave way for a national consensus government.

He also charged the Maoists of not being able to shed their totalitarian past and warned that if the Maoists keep the same attitude it will fall into trouble.

Senior Nepali Congress (NC) leader and Constituent Assembly member Bal Bahadur Rai, who was undergoing treatment at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) in Maharajgunj, has passed away at the age of 89 at 4:10 pm Sunday.

Rai, 89, who had opened the first House session as its senior most member following the restoration of civilian power by the former King Gyanendra, was suffering from various health problems including kidney failure, and admitted to the TUTH on June 30.

Meanwhile, NC leaders including acting president Sushil Koirala, vice president Ram Chandra Poudel and senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba have reached the TUTH.

NC will keep Rai’s body at its central office in Sanapa to pay him last tribute, a NC source informed. Then, the body will be airlifted to Okhaldhunga, his home district, for cremation.

Taken as a profiled leader of NC, Rai got several chances for holding ministerial portfolios.

Rai, who was born in 1920 in Moli VDC of Okhaldhunga, and is survived by two sons and two daughters. Earlier today, party's vice president Ram Chandra Poudel reached the TUTH to learn about his health condition.

The fringe parties have maintained that the "national consensus government" formed only after understanding between the three major parties won't be acceptable to them.

A meeting of 22 small parties represented in the Constituent Assembly (CA) held at the old national assembly building in Singha Durbar on Sunday stressed on the need to form a consensus government by garnering support of all the parties in the CA.

Talking to media-persons after the meeting, Chure Bhawar National Party chairman Keshav Prasad Mainali said that a consensus government formed only on the basis of understanding between three major - UCPN (Maoist), NC and CPN (UML) - would never be acceptable to other parties in the CA.

The meeting also urged the three major parties to implement the three-point agreement of May 28, adding that till it is not implemented there will be no meaning in trying to forge understanding for a consensus or majority government.

At the meeting, the small parties also called upon the major parties not to stall constitution drafting process by creating political turbulence while trying to forge consensus to form a government under their leadership.

Freedom Forum, a media rights watch dog, on Sunday said it denounced the vandalism carried out by cadres of Youth Force (YF), a youth wing of the Communist Party of Nepal--Unified Marxist Leninist (CPN-UML) in the office of Jhapa-based Janasamsad daily in the eastern plain of Nepal on June 1, Thursday.

A group of YF cadres led by Raju Karki, a central committee member,vandalised the newspaper office over a news story covered by the paper.

YF cadres attacked the newspaper's office as the paper published a story stating that the YF illegally took control over two motorcycles owned by Mahendra cooperative organisation in the region.

Similarly, Saroj Adhikari, a Pokhara-based journalist, was thrashed and looted by an unidentified armed group on July 1, Thursday.

Journalist Adhikari of Gandaki Media House was beaten nearby District Police Office, Kaski-a western district of Nepal. The perpetrators behind the incident are yet to be identified.

In yet another incident, staffers of Land Revenue Office (LRF) of Bhaktapur adjacent to Kathmandu attacked journalist Bhesh Bahadur Karki, an editor of Loktantrik Dabab Weekly, Bhaktapur.

Following a news item published in the newspaper regarding irregularities at the LRF, a group of staffers headed by Devraj KC threatened journalist KC of life.

Freedom Forum urged the government to take immediate action against those involved in incidents.

"This kind of activities by the cadres of ruling party is regrettable and is against the motives of free press. The Forum asks the concerned party to help investigate into the incident and bring the guilty to book and show commitment that such incident do not recur in the days to come," stated a press release issued by Freedom Forum on Sunday.

Similarly, the Forum also urged the local authority to identify and punish those involved in assaulting journalist in Pokhara. Further, the Forum called on the government to take action against government officials involving in abusing journalist in Bhaktapur.

The Ministry of Finance (MoF) has prepared a special budget of Rs 110 billion ready to be tabled at the parliament anytime to ensure smooth functioning of the government before the government to be formed presents a full budget.

Finance minister Surendra Pandey informed a meeting of the UML parliamentary board on Saturday that the size of the special budget would be Rs 110 billion.

According to Pandey, in the special budget Rs 53 billion had been earmarked for regular expenses, Rs 26 billion for development and Rs 31 billion for reimbursement of interest and principal on loans.

The MoF prepared a special budget as a caretaker government cannot present a full budget as per the provisions in the interim constitution. The Madhav Kumar Nepal led government has been relegated to caretaker status after Nepal resigned through a televised address on Wednesday.

A cabinet meeting on Thursday, one day after the government stepped down, had decided to present a special budget to address the contingency needs if a new government is not formed on time.

There are provisions the government can spend one-third amount proposed in the full year's budget as advanced budget. The size of the special budget was determined based on this provision.

A special budget was presented three years ago when Girija Prasad Koirala was heading a caretaker government following the elections to the Constituent Assembly (CA).

At least 19 passengers have been injured when a bus en route to Kathmandu from Nagarkot veered off the road falling 60 meters at Kharipati of Bhaktapur Sunday morning.

According to reports, five of injured passengers are critical. The critically injured have been identified as Keshab KC, Sanubabu Lamichane, Pramod Khadka, Sagun Gautam and Dilip Lamichane. The injured are undergoing treatment at Iwamura Memorial Hospital and Research Centre while some of them have been brought to other hospitals in the capital city.

The passenger bus (Ba 2 Kha 4662) overturned at Laptan Danda when the driver lost control of the steering, police informed.

Although not much damage has been reported, a socket bomb rocked Nepalgunj municipality building in Banke district Sunday morning. According to police, some walls of the building have been partially damaged and window panes have shattered.

According to eyewitness, an unidentified group of three people planted the bomb in the office premises and fled the scene at around 11 am this morning.

Police informed that they were also unaware of who planted the bomb. According to Banke police, no one has owned up the responsibility for the blast yet, and they are hunting for the offenders.

Dhanusha district in charge of Jayakrishna Goit-led Akhil Jantantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (AJTMM) Pradip Yadav, alias Bam Bhola, has been killed in police action last night.

According to District Police Office, Dhanusha, Yadav was killed in a shootout in Khajuri area of the district that ensued in the course of regular police patrol.

However, some locals have claimed police had arrested Yadav from Sunsari Saturday afternoon.

The trend of threatening businesspersons, government employees and others and extorting huge amounts of money from them is rising in Nepalgunj, Annapurna Post daily reported.

Various underground outfits including Jantantrik Terai Mukti Tigers, Terai Jantantrik Party Madhes, Bhisma Ekata Parishad and Nepal Marxist Ganatantrik Yuwa Tigers have been threatening businesspersons by exploding bombs and extorting from them.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Mahesh Bikram Shah of Banke said, the trend of asking for money through phone or letters and exploding a bomb if the ‘donation’ is not given is rising.

“At first, they ask for hundreds of thousands through letters or slips at business houses and factories,” said SP Shah. “They bargain for the amount and settle for even a few thousands. If the businesspersons don’t give anything, then they threaten them by exploding bombs.”

Businesspersons, government employees and general public are suffering due to the extortion. All the Village Development Secretaries (VDC)s of the district had resigned en masse recently due to security threats and extortion.

Underground outfits exploded bombs in Ganapur VDC office, Khanal Resin Company and a plywood factory, among others in the recent weeks.

According to SP Shah, the underground outfits call other businesspersons after exploding a bomb at one place threatening them of similar fate if they don’t give ‘donations.’

Everest Boarding School of Butwal has claimed its student Bibek Adhikari topped this year's School Leaving Certificate (SLC) Exams.

Bibek has scored 747 marks out of 800. His highest score is 99 in compulsory mathematics and lowest is 84 in social studies. Bibek’s average score is 93.39.

This is the highest score reported so far in the SLC exams this year. The Office of the Controller of Examinations (OCE) had published the SLC results on Friday.

Although, OCE used to publish the names of top ten students in the SLC in the previous years, it stopped publishing the list of toppers in the recent years after growing unhealthy competition among schools to feature in the top ten list.

In the SLC exams of 2060 BS, the school's student Bishal Khanal had topped the SLC exams.

SLC exams used to have a lot of importance in pursuing further education in the yesteryears. Although the government has changed its policy to make the 12th grade exams the final exams for high school level, the charm of SLC exams and its results has not reduced.

The possibility for the formation of new national consensus government has grown thinner following adamant stances of three key parties Unified CPN (M), Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN-UML.

In the separate parleys with NC and CPN-UML held on Saturday, the Maoists proposed the formation of the unity government under their leadership in the capacity of the largest party in the Constituent Assembly (CA). On the contrary, the NC-UML leaders have demanded implementation of past commitments by the Maoists for kick-starting new government formation process.

While talking to reporters after the meeting, NC Vice-Chair Ram Chandra Poudel said the new government formation process can’t proceed ahead till the Maoists put to action the first point of the May 28 pact concerning peace process.

The three big have intensified consultations with other parties to lead new government following Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s resignation on June 30.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav had earlier issued July 7 dateline to parties for constituting unity government as per article 38 (1) of the Interim Constitution.

Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) Dr Yuvraj Khatiwoda has rubbished out cash crunch in the nation for the next three years citing sufficient stocks of currency notes.

While inaugurating a function organized in Damauli Saturday by Tanahu chapter Federation of Industry and Commerce (FIC), Dr Khatiwoda said the general public could not withdraw cash from banks last year due to delay in governor appointment.

Adding that there is no possiblity of currency shortage during festivals this year, Dr Yadav urged the people to deposit their money in the banks without hesitation.

UML leaders have pointed a fingar at the party leadership behind Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal’s stepping down on Wednesday.

In the parliamentary party meeting held in Singh Durbar Saturday, the UML lawmakers criticized the party leadership for its non-cooperation with the government and also expressed concern behind PM’s resignation without any intra-party discussion.

Demanding the disbanding of the Maoist military structure, the participant lawmakers argued for taking initiatives for UML-headed unity government again or to lend a helping hand to the Maoists for the same.

UML parliamentary party leader and Chair Jhalanath Khanal has urged all lawmakers to present issues effectively in the upcoming meeting of Legislature-Parliament slated for Monday.

UML senior leader and caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal walked out amidst the meeting.

The government is on homework to announce a budget of nearly 350 billion rupees for the upcoming fiscal year 2010/11, Finance Minister Surendra Pandey revealed Saturday.
Speaking at a programme in the capital Saturday, minister Pandey said that 80 percent of the budget would be drawn from internal sources while the rest would be covered by foreign aid and loan.

He said agriculture, tourism and education would be given high priority in the upcoming budget and the successful programmes of the current fiscal year would get continuity.

The Finance Minister's projection comes at a time when economists are suggesting the government not to bring an over sized budget given the lack of capacity of state mechanism to spend the budget properly.

On the other hand, the main opposition Unified CPN (Maoist) has already declared that it would not allow the government to present the budget in the parliament. Some UML leaders have also said the government is in a caretaker position following the three-party agreement of May 28, which stated that the Prime Minister would resign from his post "at the earliest" to pave the way for a national unity government.

Despite laws in place to protect the rights of Dalits, a large number of them are still deprived of several fundamental civil liberties. Various steps taken by the government to abolish this inequity have proved failure as these oppressions are still observed in various parts of the country. Dalits’ freedom is impossible unless the acts of discrimination are criminalised by the state, experts say.

Addressing a programme here on Friday, UNDP Programme Officer and rights activist Tek Tamrakar stressed the need for free, fair and meaningful leadership to end discrimination against Dalits. “Reservations for Dalits and minorities are addressed in the constitution. However, they have not been implemented,” he said. “Reservations should be sensibly practised in order to provide opportunities to these repressed groups.”

Praising Dalits’ contribution to music and literature, experts said formation of a new Nepali identity is impossible without addressing their concerns. “Dalits have made enormous contributions to Nepal,” said Archaeologist Prakash Darnal.

Minister for Finance Surendra Pandey stressed on the need to develop the education sector by increasing the investment on Saturday.

He termed the education sector as the nation's asset.

Speaking at a function organised to mark the 48th anniversary of Bishalnagar Library here today; he said investment in the educational sector would benefit the nation.

During the function, Pandey gave way a letter of appreciation to Bishalnagar Hadigaun heritage society's Bharat Bahadur KC. The government is positive for the conservation of archeological heritages, he said. KC was feted for his contribution to making the people aware of the conservation of historic and archeological heritages.

Nepali Congress (NC) leader Dr. Ram Sharan Mahat said on Saturday that his party would support the forthcoming budget to be tabled by the government.

Speaking at a face-to-face programme organised by Reporters’ Club Nepal here today, Mahat said the government should introduce its policy and programs before the budget presentation.

Saying that import has been increasing due to a decline in national production, the former finance minister said the next policy and programs of the government should focus on increasing the national income.

Meanwhile, Devendra Poudel of the UCPN (Maoist) said his party would resist if the government presents budget in the current instable political environment.

Finance Secretary Rameshwar Khanal said the coming budget would give top priority to the agriculture sector, and targets to bring down import.

The Office of the Controller of Examinations, Sanothimi Bhaktapur is planning to publish the results of the School Leaving Certificate (SLC) exams conducted in between March 25 and April 2 this year within a week.

Controller of the Examinations (CoE) Chitra Prasad Devkota on Saturday informed that registration of the marks of all students is already over and the results will be published after the verification of marks is completed.

It has been said that the eight-day general strike called by Unified CPN (Maoist) caused some delay in publishing the results.

A total of 456,719 including 412,592 regular and 44,127 exempted students had taken this year’s SLC exams.

According to Devkota, the results will be published in the noon.

Four people including a police constable have been injured in a clash that took place at Dhungegade, meeting point of Gorkha Municipality and Finam VDC, on Saturday.

The injured have been identified as police constable Anil Thapa, Rolak Rawal of Masil-1, Sundar Kumar of Pandrom and Suraj Kumar Gurung.

All have sustained injuries in head. The police constable was hit by a rod and others with khukuris.

According to DSP Gorakh Singh Bhandari, the injured are undergoing treatment at the Gorkha Hospital. Additional police personnel have been deployed in the area to contain the situation.

Police constable Thapa was injured when he tried to take control of the situation.

The Politburo meeting of the main opposition UCPN (Maoist) on Saturday decided to take the army integration process and the statute drafting together along with a working calendar.

The Maoists' decision contradicts with the non-Maoist parties' stance to move for national consensus only after the army integration process is taken ahead with a definite work plan.

In a press conference organised by the Maoists to publicise the decisions of their politburo meeting today, Maoist Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the party will take the peace process and statute-drafting hand-in-hand

Dahal claimed that the Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) and the Interim Constitution has placed the Nepal Army (NA) and Maoists' PLA on an equal footing.

The national army will be formed after the integration process that follows the democratisation of the NA and professionalisation of the PLA, Dahal said.

The Maoist chieftain accused the other political parties of working against the spirit of CPA.

While saying that the meeting has decided to fight back against those working against the CPA, the Maoist leader claimed that the talk of finalising the number of Maoist combatants to be integration is against the peace accord.

The main opposition has also decided keep the government from tabling its budget, policies and programmes. "We won't let the government bring out its programmes and budget unless it transforms into a caretaker government as per the May-28 pact," said Dahal.

The politburo meeting only said that the party will take the government leadership. "For now, we have only decided that the party would lead the government, the candidate will also be selected when time comes."

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said on Saturday that the issue of quitting the government is a personal matter.

Saying that the incumbent government politically has the support and majority on its side, the prime minister maintained that he will not resign on someone's demand.

"Resignation is a matter of my wish," said PM Nepal.

He, however, said that he is ever ready to quit if a consensus is reached among all parties on to form a new national consensus government.

The Prime Minister, who arrived here in Bhaktapur to attend the first death anniversary of the father of General Administration Minister Rabinra Shrestha at his residence, said so talking to reporters.

"I will not be a hindrance to consensus and understanding," said PM Nepal.

The prime minister, hinting at the Maoists, pointed out that those who said the incumbent government's political stand is over are but wrong.

Also present, Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong said the prime minister will not put in papers unless the integration and rehabilitation process of the Maoist combatants is concluded.

An unidentified gunman fatally shot Hindu Rastriya Yuwa Sangh Chairman Kashinath Tiwari near Ashokbatika in Birgunj municipality Ward No. 13 on Saturday afternoon.

Tiwari, who had sustained three bullets, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital.

A motorcycle-borne assailant fired shots at Tiwari and fled the scene, according to locals.

Police have said investigation on the incident is on.

At a time when the Nepali Congress (NC) is busy holding intra-party discussion on the formation of a new government under its leadership, Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala, who is also NC central member, has said that the UCPN (Maoist) Chiarman Pushpa Kamal Dahal-led government could be accepted.

DPM Koirala, who arrived here in the capital after her visit to United Arab Emirates on Saturday, said Dahal's leadership could be accepted if the Maoists' disband the paramilitary structure of Young Communist League and return the seized properties.

At least 24 people were killed and 50 injured on Saturday when an overcrowded bus collided with a truck in eastern India, police said.

The bus driver lost control of the vehicle on a sharp bend near a market in Dhanarua village, 35 kilometres (22 miles) from Bihar state capital Patna, senior police official Amit Kumar Jain told AFP.

Jain said 21 bodies were recovered from the crash site and three people died en route to hospital.

The bus was carrying around 75 passengers, including some who were perched on the roof. It was travelling from Patna to the town of Gaya in Bihar.

Around two dozen of the injured were in a critical condition, Jain said.

The fate of the drivers of the vehicles was not immediately known.

India has the highest annual road death toll in the world, according to the World Health Organisation, with accidents caused by speeding, careless driving, poor roads, overcrowding and bad vehicle maintenance.

Luis Suarez scored twice as Uruguay beat South Korea 2-1 on Saturday and advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in 40 years.

Playing in swirling wind and rain, Suarez scored the winner in the 80th minute after sidestepping two defenders and curling a right-footed shot off the post from the edge of the area.

Lee Chung-yong had tied the game in the 68th on a header after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera left his line attempting to punch away a looping ball.

Uruguay took the lead in the eighth when Diego Forlan's cross from the left flank went across the goal mouth and Suarez put the ball in the net with a one-timer from a tight angle.

Uruguay will play a quarterfinal against the United States or Ghana, who play later Saturday.

While making public the decisions of politburo meeting that concluded Friday in a press meet at the party headquarters in Koteshwor Saturday, Unified CPN (M ) laid stake on leading the new national consesus governmednt ahead.

The Maoists have decided to continue consensus bid for the formation of national consensus government under the party leadership and intensify protest in the House if the government fails to abide by the May 28 pact. On the most contententious issue of PLA integration, the main opposition is for concluding the peace process as per the provisions of Comprehensive Peace Accord (CPA) together with new constitution-writing process.

The politburo meeting also took the decision to convene state and district level assembly in July/August and expanded central committee meeting in September in a bid to strengthen the organizational structure and ideological height of the party, read a press statement issued by the central committee Saturday.

Party, not a person, counts: Prachanda

Stating that the Maoists will head next unity government, the Maoist strongman Prachanda said what counts is not a person but a party to lead the new government.

While responding to queries from mediapersons after the press meet organized to bring out the politburo decisions, Prachanda said the Prime Ministerial candidate from the Maoists will soon be made public in right time.

An unidentified armed group has opened fire at the President of Hindu Youth Association Kashi Tiwari to his death on Saturday evening at Ranighat of Birganj.

Two assailants riding a motorbike came over to Shiva Parvati temple and shot two rounds of bullets at Tiwari, said police. Tiwari, who was critically injured by the gunshot, breathed his last while undergoing treatment at Narayani Sub-Regional Hospital. The dead body has been kept at the very hospital.

The motive behind the murder is yet a mystery as no group has owned up the incident. The security presence has been rendered thick in Birganj sub-metropolitan city following the incident.

The Hindu youth activists have flocked to the streets in protest of Tiwari’s broad day-light murder.

The culprits are still at large.

Everest Women Seven Summits Eco-Action, a nine member team of women, is scheduled to begin the first international leg of a mission to climb seven of the highest peaks of seven continents from July, 2010.

According to the team, the main aim of the expedition is to highlight the urgent issues of climate change globally. Besides, the project will be made carbon neutral via carbon offsetting.

The team has also focused on solar lanterns, bio-gas, and tree plantations in the Himalayan villages to balance the carbon emission from the project as a result.

The mission is scheduled to start from Australia on June 29 marking the Golden Jubilee anniversary of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Australia.

Sailee Basnet, coordinator of the campaign said that US $ 1.3 million is expected to be spent during the expedition.

They also expect to finish the expedition by the end of 2011.

The seven summits includes Mt. Kosciuszko (Australia), Mt. Elbrus (Europe), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Vinson Massif (Antarctica), Aconcagua (South America), Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania), and Denali (Noth America).

The members of the team are Asha Kumari Singh, Chunu Shrestha, Maya Gurung, Ngabang Phuti Sherpa, Nimdoma Sherpa, Pema Diki Sherpa, Pujan Acharya, Shailee Basnet, and Usha Bist.

The team members have already successfully climbed Mt. Everest in May 2008 and became the most successful women's expedition ever to summit Mt. Everest.

Home Minister Bhim Rawal has claimed the special security plan introduced by the government few months earlier has proved handy in improving the country's security situation.

Speaking at a programme organised on the occasion of International Day against Drug Abuse and Illegal Trafficking in Kathmandu on Friday, Home Minister Rawal claimed that the special security plan was heading towards success and that it would be given continuity in the coming year.

The Home Minister's claim comes a day after a broad daylight shootout at Maitidevi, Kathmandu and two days after a couple was shot and killed in Butwal.

In the last few months, a number of high-profile murders took place including that of media owners Jamim Shah and Arun Singhaniya. So much so, houses of two high-ranking police officers were robbed in Kathmandu.

The police administration failed to track down the criminals in almost all high-profile cases.

The business community has been constantly criticising the government for its failure to provide them security.

The government had introduced the security plan last year with an estimated outlay of Rs 4 billion. The security plan designed mainly to curb growing activities of armed groups in Terai has also drawn flak from Terai-based parties.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has critisized the previous Maoist led government of declaring only those of its activists killed during the insurgency as martyrs and ignoring the ordinary people who also lost their lives during the time.

In a meeting with the representatives of Maoists' Victims Association (MVA) at the PMO in Singhadurbar on Friday, PM Nepal informed that only because of his personal effort and constant lobbying by his party CPN-UML the commoners killed during the conflict period were declared martyrs by the government.

He also said that it is now the responsibility of the state to look after and help the Maoist victims lead a normal life.

At the meeting, the Maoist victims submitted a memorandum to the prime minister in which they complained that the Maoists haven't still returned the land and properties their seized during the conflict period despite their promises to do so.

On Thursday, the cabinet had decided 1626 people killed by the Maoist side during the conflict period as martyrs.

The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has expressed concern over the measure taken by Indian customs authorities to delay a 1,000 metric tonnes newsprint shipment bound for Nepal.

It said it joins its affiliates - the All-India Newspaper Employees' Federation and the National Union of Journalists (India) - in expressing concern over the incident.

"We urge the Indian authorities to clear the air in this matter and allow unimpeded passage for this commodity," IFJ Asia-Pacific Director Jacqueline Park said.

"We are alarmed by reports that the Kantipur group, which publishes the largest circulated dailies in both English and Nepali, may have to suspend operations if the shipment is further delayed," Park said. "We see it as very important that the media in Nepal should be allowed to function in an environment free of internal and external pressures, given the delicate political transition under way in the country".

The newsprint, which was imported by the Kantipur group, Nepal's largest print media organisation, has been held up in India's Kolkata port since May 27, reportedly for customs inspection.

Sources in India's Ministry of External Affairs have been quoted in the media saying that they have been unhappy with certain aspects of the Kantipur group's editorial stance. Top officials from the Indian embassy in Nepal have, however, denied that this has had any bearing on the customs authorities' decision.

The customs inspection in Kolkata is, in the words of the Indian embassy in Nepal, a "routine administrative measure" that transit consignments are occasionally put through.

Under a trade-and-transit treaty between the two countries, sealed consignments bound for landlocked Nepal can pass through Indian territory unimpeded by customs formalities, unless there are grounds to suspect contraband traffic.

The politburo meeting of the Unified CPN (Maoist) running for 11 days at the party headquarters in Paris Danda, Koteshwor, concluded Friday evening.

Party chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal answered the questions raised by the politburo members over his political document at the end of the meeting.
The politburo also passed Dahal's document.

Sources said a number of politburo members opposed Dahal's views particularly his argument that there is almost no possibility of a national unity government as successive talks between parties failed to break the deadlock.

Sources said the Maoist politburo was also divided on who should lead the proposed national unity government.

The party is to organise a press conference to disclose the decisions of the politburo meeting on Saturday.

The Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) of the legislature parliament has directed the government to take steps for the immediate release of Kantipur Publication's newsprint that currently remains held in the Kolkata port of India.

The parliamentary committee gave this direction after seeking clarification from the foreign and commerce ministers regarding the reason behind India stopping the shipment of over 1,000 metric tonnes of newsprint imported by Kantipur from Canada and Korea for the last 28 days and the initiatives taken by the government for its release.

PAC also directed the two ministers to take steps to resolve the issue of the blockade and to remain alert not to let incidents like these recur in the future. The committee also concluded that India has breached the Nepal-India Trade and Transit Treaty by stopping the shipment of the newsprint to Nepal.

Minister for Energy Prakash Sharan Mahat, who is fulfilling the responsibility of Foreign Minister in the absence of Sujata Koirala, Minister for Commerce Rajendra Mahato and secretaries of the two ministries were present at the committee's meeting in Singhadurbar.

Speaking at the meeting, Minister Mahat said that the government is serious regarding protecting Nepal's transit rights and informed that it had acted immediately after learning about the blockade of the newsprint. He also urged everyone not to arrive at conclusions without first learning the reason behind the delay in the shipment arriving to Nepal.

Foreign Secretary Madan Bhattarai said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had directed the Nepali Embassy in New Delhi and the Consulate in Kolkata to contact the Indian agencies regarding the hold-up immediately after learning about it.


Meanwhile, Minister for Commerce Rajendra Mahato claimed that India didn't stop the shipment of the newsprint to Nepal intentionally and urged lawmakers not to criticise India unnecessarily without first learning the facts or otherwise the relationship between the two countries will deteriorate.

He said that his ministry has already contacted the Indian commerce ministry regarding the hold-up hoped that the issue would be resolved soon.

However, lawmakers present at the meeting continued to criticise India holding up the newsprint of one of the most respected publication house of the country and said that this only shows how India wants to intimidate Nepal.

They also said that the transit facility to and from the nearest sea port is a fundamental right of a landlocked country like Nepal.

On Thursday, the lawmakers from the ruling and opposition parties expressed their outrage over the newsprint hold-up which led the parliamentary committee to decide to investigate the issue and summoned the foreign and commerce ministers to find out if any action has been taken to release the newsprints imported by Kantipur Publications

At a time when the UML-led government is preparing to bring the budget and the policies and programmes for the upcoming fiscal year, UML chairman Jhala Nath Khanal has claimed that a national unity government would be formed within a week.

Speaking to reporters at Biratnagar airport on his way to Dhankuta on Friday, Khanal said the national unity government would be in place in a week as the politics is moving towards consensus.

The UML chairman made it clear that the Maoists could lead the government provided they fulfil the preconditions-- including the immediate return of properties seized by them during the insurgency and dismantling of the paramilitary structure of their youth wing, Young Communist League (YCL).

He also maintained that government formed merely by the majority of the parliament cannot solve the problem facing the country and that only a government inclusive of all the political parties would be able to find solution to the deadlock.

Khanal's statement comes at a time when some leaders of his party are said to have been advising the Prime Minister not to resign now while few senior leaders including general secretary Ishwor Pokharel have started ruling out the possibility of a national unity government.

The UCPN (Maoist) is all set to pile pressure on the Prime Minister for resignation, as it has already announced it would not allow the government to present the budget in the parliament.

कान्तिपुरको न्यूजप्रिन्ट भारतीय अधिकारीहरुले रोकेको विषयमा पेशगत संस्थाका प्रतिनिधिहरुले कडा आपत्ति जनाएका छन् । त्यसको बिरुद्धमा उनीहरुले कान्तिपुरलाई कानुनीलगायतका आवश्यक सहयोग गर्न तयार रहेको जनाएका छन् ।

नेपाल बार एशोसिएशन, नेपाल पत्रकार महासंघ, चिकित्सक संघलगायत अधिकारकर्मीहरुको टोलीले शुक्रबार दिउँसो कान्तिपुर पब्लिकेशन्सको भ्रमण गरी कान्तिपुरको अडानप्रति एक्यबद्धता वनाउँदै आवश्यक सहयोग दिने बताएका हुन् ।

बारका अध्यक्ष प्रेमबहादुर खड्काले आफुहरु सधै मानव अधिकार र प्रेस स्वतन्त्रताको लागि लडिरहेको उल्लेख गर्दै आवश्यक परे कानुनी सहायताको लागि तयार रहेको बताए ।

'न्यूजप्रिन्ट रोकिएकोमा हामी गम्भीर छौं । यसले जनताको सुसूचित हुने अधिकारबाट बञ्चित गराउँदछ' उनले भने, 'जनताको मुख थुन्न खोजिएको छ । यस्तो गल्ती दोहोरिन दिनुहुँदैन ।'

उनले यसै बिषयमा बारको केन्द्रिय समितिको बैठक बसिरहेको उल्लेख गर्दै आवश्यक परे बारले काननी सहयोग गर्ने बताएका हुन् ।

नेपाल पत्रकार महासंघका अध्यक्ष धर्मेन्द्र झाले समस्याको छिटो, सहज र अधिकारीक रुपमा समाधान हुनुपर्ने बताए । उनले भारतले नेपाल-भारतबीचको पारबहन सन्धीको उल्लंघन गरेको उल्लेख गरे ।

'हामीले अत्यन्त गम्भीर छौं । यो खरिद-विक्रीको मुद्दा मात्र नभइ संविधान र अन्तरराष्ट्रिय कानुनहरुले दिएको प्रेस स्वतन्त्रताप्रतिको अतिक्रमण हो' उनले भने, 'जनताको सुचनाको हक प्रभावित हुन दिनुहुन्न ।'

उनले प्रेस स्वतन्त्रताको पक्षमा रहेका अन्तरराष्ट्रिय संघसंस्थाहरुले पनि चासो व्यक्त गरिरहेको उल्लेख गर्दै महासंघले यस मद्दालाई आफ्नो सञ्जालमार्फत अन्तरराष्ट्रिय मञ्चमा प्रवेश गराइसकेको बताए । 'सशक्त र स्वतन्त्र सञ्चार माध्यमको बाहक कान्तिपुरलाई निरन्तर अघि बढ्नै वातावरण बनाइयोस' उनले भने ।

चिकित्सिक संघका अध्यक्ष केदार नरसिंह केसीले पनि आफुहरु न्यूजप्रिन्ट रोकिएको घट्नाले स्तव्ध भएको उल्लेख गर्दै स्वतन्त्र पत्रकारिताप्रति कही कतै व्यवधान हुन नहुने बताए ।

जातीय द्वन्द्वका कारण कीर्गिजस्तानमा अलपत्र परेका २१ जना नेपाली विद्यार्थीलाई नेपाल सरकारले उद्धार गरेको छ ।

कीर्गिज सहर ओस र जलालअवादमा हिंसा भड्किएपछि राजधानी बिस्केक पुगेका २१ जना विद्यार्थीलाई सरकारी खर्चमा शुक्रबार त्यहाँबाट भारतको नयाँदिल्ली ल्याइएको नयाँदिल्लीस्थित नेपाली दूतावासले जनाएको छ ।

दूतावासका अनुसार छजनालाई शुक्रबार नै नेपाल पठाइएको छ भने बाँकी १४ जनालाई पनि शीघ्र उनीहरुका घर पठाइनेछ ।

माओवादी अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहालले सदस्यहरुले उठाएको जवाफ दिएपछि माओवादी पोलिटब्युरो बैठक शुक्रबार सकिएको छ । बैठकका निर्णय भने माओवादीले शनिबार पत्रकार सम्मेलन गरेर सार्वजनिक गर्ने भएको छ ।

असार १ गतेदेखि जारी पोलिटब्युरो बैठकमा अध्यक्ष दाहालले राष्ट्रिय सरकारबारे सदस्यहरुले उठाएको जिज्ञासाको जवाफ दिएका थिए । उनले पार्टीको भावी कार्यदिशाबारे पनि सम्वोधन गरे ।

बैठकमा अध्यक्ष दाहालले सदस्यहरुले उठाएको जिज्ञासाको एक-एक गरी जवाफ दिएको एक पोलिटब्युरो सदस्यले जानकारी दिए । दाहालको जवाफपछि पनि केहि नेताहरुले सम्वोधन गरेका थिए । गृहकार्य नपुगेको भन्दै असार १ गतेदेखि सुरु भएको बैठक पटक-पटक स्थगित हुँदै आएको थियो ।

माओवादीले अमेरिका भ्रमणमा गएका तीन नेतालाई फिर्ता बोलाएको छ ।

अमेरिकाको बोष्टनमा हुन लागेको एक कार्यक्रममा जान लागेका पोलिटव्युरो सदस्य अग्नि सापकोटालाई केही अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय गैरसरकारी संस्थाले विरोध गरेकोले भ‍मण स्थगित भएपछि माओवादीले गइसकेका अन्य तीन नेतालाई पनि फिर्ता बोलाउने निर्णय गरेको हो ।

'हाम्रो पार्टीको इज्जत र मर्यादामा आँच पुर्‍याउने उद्देश्यका साथ भएका यस प्रकारका कार्यप्रति असहमति जनाउँदै उक्त कार्यक्रममा भाग लिन गइसक्नु भएका कमरेडलाई तत्काल फिर्ता बोलाउने निर्णय गर्न बाध्य भएको कुरा प्रष्ट गर्न चाहान्छौं' प्रबक्ता दीनानाथ शर्माद्वारा जारी बिज्ञप्तीमा भनिएको छ ।

बिहीबार सचिव सीपी गजुरेल, स्थायी समिति सदस्य टोपबहादुर रायमाझी र पोलिटव्युरो सदस्य पम्फा भुसाल अमेरिका उडेका थिए । सापकोटाको पनि अमरिकी दूतावासले प्रवेशाज्ञा दिइसकेको थियो ।

कोलकाता बन्दरगाहमा करिब एक महिनादेखि रोकिएका कान्तिपुर पब्लिकेसन्सको ११ कन्टेनर न्युजप्रिन्ट छाडेको भारतीय दूतावासले जनाएको छ । शुक्रबार दिउँसो पब्लिकेसन्सका अध्यक्ष तथा प्रबन्ध निर्देशक कैलाश सिरोहिया र भारतीय राजदूत राकेश सूदबीचको छलफलपछि दूताबासले उक्त जानकारी दिएको हो ।

पब्लिकेसन्सका अध्यक्ष सिरोहियाले शुक्रबार साँझ विज्ञप्ती जारी गर्दै ३९ कन्टेनरमध्ये ११ कन्टेनर न्युजप्रिन्ट छलफलपछि छाडिएको जानकारी दिएका छन् । 'सूदसँग भएको छलफलअनुसार बाँकी २८ वटा कन्टेनर पनि आउँदो सोमबारसम्ममा त्यहाँबाट छुट्ने हामीले विश्वास लिएका छौं,' विज्ञप्तीमा भनिएको छ, 'भारतीय मार्गलाई 'ट्रान्जिट' बनाई तेस्रो मुलुकबाट आयात गरिने न्युजप्रिन्ट दुई देशको पारवहन सन्धिअनुसार विगतमा झैं भविष्यमा पनि बिना अवरोध नेपाल आउनेमा हामी निश्चिन्त छौं ।'

कान्तिपुरको न्युजप्रिन्ट रोकिएपछि उत्पन्न संकटप्रति सदभाव र सहयोग पुर्‍याउने पाठक, राजनीतिक दल तथा नेताहरु, सञ्चार माध्यम, पेशागत संघ-संस्था, व्यवसायिक समुदाय, नागरिक समाज, अधिकारकर्मीलगायत शुभचिन्तकहरुप्रति पब्लिकेसन्सले आभार प्रकट गरेको छ ।

यसैबीच, भारतीय दूतावासले शुक्रबार नै विज्ञप्ती जारी गर्दै राजदूत सुद र कान्तिपुर पब्लिकेसन्सका अध्यक्ष तथा प्रवन्ध निर्देशक सिरोहियाबीच छलफल भएको जनाएको छ ।

नेपालको प्रतिष्ठित शारीरिक सुगठन प्रतियोगिता धर्मश्रीका विजेता सानु गुरुङ दुईबर्षका लागि सबैखालका प्रतिस्पर्धामा सहभागी हुनबाट प्रतिबन्धित भएका छन् । करिब तीनहप्ताअघि उनी यहाँ आयोजित प्रतियोगिता हङकङ बडी बिल्डिङ च्याम्पिएनसीपमा सहभागी थिए

उक्त प्रतिस्पर्धामा उनले डोपिङ टेस्टका लागि गरिएको अनुरोध अस्वीकार गरेको र खेल मर्यादा पालना नगरेको आरोप लगाउँदै आयोजक हङकङ चाइना बडी बिल्डिङ एसोसिएसनले इन्टरनेशनल नेचुरल बडी बिल्डिङ एसोसिएसन (आइएनबीए) लाई कारवाहीका लागि सिफारिस गरेको थियो । सोही सिफारिसका आधारमा गत बिहीबार सानुलाई आइएनबीए हङकङले दुईबर्ष सम्मका लागि सबैखालका राष्ट्रिय तथा अन्तराष्ट्रिय प्रतियोगितामा सहभागी हुन नपाउने निर्णय सुनाएको हो । निर्णय पूर्व आइएनबीएले हङकङ नेपाली बडी बिल्डिङ एसोसिएसन (एचकेएनबिबिए) का पदाधिकारीहरु सँग स्पष्टीकरण सोधेको थियो ।

प्रतियोगितमा हङकङ नेपाली बडी बिल्डिङ एसोसिएसनका तर्फबाट पचहत्तर केजी र मास्टर्स समूहमा सहभागी सानुले दुबै समूहमा फष्ट रनर लगायत बेष्ट पोजिङ सहित चार उपाधि जितेका थिए । सानुलाई दोस्रो घोषित गरिएपछि उपस्थित दर्शकदिर्घाबाट सही निर्णय नभएको भन्दै होहल्ला भएको थियो ।

आइएनबीएका निर्णयकै कारण उनी गतहप्ता काठमाडौंमा आयोजित दक्षिण एसियाली शारीरिक सुगठन प्रतियोगिता खेल्नबाट वञ्चित हुनुपरेको हङकङ नेपाली बडी बिल्डिङ एसोसिएसनका अध्यक्ष मेख गुरुङले बताए । दश बर्षपछि घरेलु मैदानमा आयोजित दक्षिण एसियाली प्रतियोगितामा उनले १३ प्रतिस्पर्धीलाई उछिनेर आफ्नो स्थान पक्का गरेका थिए । अगष्टमा इरानको तेहरानमा हुने एसियाली शारीरिक सुगठन प्रतियोगितामा समेत उनी नेपालको प्रतिनिधित्व गर्दै सहभागी हुने पक्का भएको थियो । अब भने उनी उक्त प्रतियोगितामा समेत सहभागी हुन पाउने छैनन् ।

एसोसिएसनका अध्यक्ष मेख गुरुङले निलम्बनका विषयमा अपिल गर्न आफूहरुले कानुनी सल्लाह गरिरहेको बताए । आइएनबीएले निर्णयबारे नेपाली एसोसिएसनको धारणा चौध दिनभित्र राख्न पत्राचार गरेको समेत अध्यक्ष गुरुङले बताए । 'खेल हार्दा खेलाडी र दर्शक थोरै आवेशमा आउनु सामान्य कुरा हो,' अध्यक्ष गुरुङले भने, 'यति सानो विषयलाई लिएर खेलाडीकै भविष्य विगार्ने गरी निर्णय आउनु अत्यन्तै दुःखद कुरा हो ।' गतबर्ष यसै प्रतिस्पर्धामा उनले सत्तरी केजी तौल भन्दा माथिको नोभाइस र असी किलोग्राम तौल समूहको हेभीवेटमा सेकेण्ड रनर अप सहित वेष्ट पोजिङको उपाधि जितेका थिए

दक्षिण अफ्रिकामा भइरहेको विश्व कप फुटवल २०१० मा समुह 'जी' बाट ब्राजिल र पुर्चुगल नकआउट चरणमा प्रवेश गरेको छ

शुक्रबार साँझको खेलमा ब्राजिल र पुर्चुगलबीच कसैले पनि गोल गर्न सकेनन् । ६ अंक पाएर ब्राजिल समुहको शीर्षस्थानमा रहेको छभने पुर्चुगलको ४ अंक रहेको छ

समुह 'जी' को अर्को खेलमा आइभरीकोष्टले उत्तर कोरियालाई ३ बिरुद्ध सुन्यमा हराएको छ । यद्यपी दुवै टीम दोस्रो चरणमा प्रवेश गर्न सकेनन् ।