With a 'botched' first innings, will Dahal deliver in second stint as PM?

(By Pritam Bhattarai)
Kathmandu: Going against the long 'customary practice' requiring Nepal's Prime Minister to pay his or her first official visit to India, then Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in 2008 chose to make his first official visit to China instead.

This act turned out to be harmful for Dahal, apparently angering New Delhi and helping keep his considerable distance from the southern neighbour. This also contributed to the fall of his government reportedly with the upper hand of India in the process, following the sacking of then Nepal Army Chief Rookmangud Katawal.

Over the period since, ideological differences took place within the Maoist party, splitting it many times.

However almost eight years later, Dahal is once again poised to become PM second time as per the agreement between the Nepali Congress (NC) and CPN (Maoist Centre) struck to overthrow the KP Sharma Oli-led government. Here, New Delhi reportedly gave a helping hand in toppling Oli-led government and promised to back Dahal to become PM.

In the power game, apart from Dahal's perception that he would feel better secured with the NC as coalition partner in the government, it is reported that there is a deal between Dahal and New Delhi. New Dehli is reported to have assured Dahal to help him in the war era cases, the issue Dahal and his party leaders and cadres are afraid of for long. This was also one of the reasons of Dahal's pulling out of the Oli-led government.

And in return, India also wants Dahal to settle long-standing disputes--Madhes issue and accommodate Madhesi people in the constitution. Most importantly, it wants to increase its presence in Nepal's affairs, the kind that it to some extent failed to do during the Oli-led government.

Dahal's 'dithery nature'

Given that Dahal is said to be with vacillating nature and his left origin, India believes little in him as much as it does with NC President Sher Bahadur Deuba, the man who is agreed upon to lead the next government after the nine month's tenure of Dahal as PM. Deuba is also said to be one of the favorites of New Delhi.

However, in his desperate bid to convince New Delhi administration, Dahal, was trying to correct his past mistakes and making promises to strive for balanced foreign relations with neighbours India and China. This was when latest political development took place leading to the overthrow of the Oli-led government and his proposition as next PM.

In an interview to Hindustan Times recently, he expressed his commitment that Nepal would not use one country against the other. He also went on to say, "Last time, I was inexperienced in the ways of competitive democracy. We still had a war mindset from the insurgency years. It took us 10 years of war to understand the nature and rules of war. Now, after 10 years in open politics, I have learnt the rules of competitive democracy. I have more experience and maturity."

He was referring to the time when he failed to rule exceeding nine months after he assumed office as PM in 2008 following his party's sweeping victory in the first Constitution Assembly elections just two years after the Maoist entered mainstream politics, ending the decade-long conflict.

Only time will tell how successful will Dahal's second innings become. However, it seems that Dahal is now well aware of the extent of India's 'interference' in Nepali politics and Nepal's relations with India and China.

India's desperate bid to change Oli's administration

As reported by the media, India was clearly dissatisfied with Nepal's constitution that, it said, failed to accommodate the aspirations of Madhesi people and other ethnic groups. The displeasure resulted in the around-five month long border blockade imposed by India. Ever since, Oli became PM, the rift between Nepal and India grew much. Oli's courage to stand up to the 'bullying' blockade and his supposed 'tilt' towards China in the form of signing of various agreements including fuel trade between Nepal and China infuriated India further.

And to end all these and increase its presence in Nepal's affairs, India was looking forward to a better opportunity to unseat Oli. To serve India's interest, Dahal turned to be a suitable person. And in return, Dahal, who felt insecure with Oli in terms of various matters including conflict-era cases, their competition for the same voters and UML's growing popularity, agreed promptly.

Challenge and opportunity for both NC and CPN (Maoist Centre)

Although the much-awaited constitution was promulgated under the NC-led government, the NC, being the largest party in Parliament, feels that it is yet to take full credit until the constitution is implemented under its direct participation being in the government.

The NC has also to retain its good image that was eroded to some extent when the late then NC President Sushil Koirala, in a breach of the agreement with the CPN-UML, fielded his candidacy for the post of PM in the eleventh hour, also an issue that drew criticism from within the NC and other quarters.

Most important issues are Madhes issues, bringing the disgruntled Madhes-based political parties and various ethnic groups on board, implementing the constitution properly, speeding up the post-quake reconstructions, holding three elections in time and controlling growing inflation and thriving black marketeering. The responsibility to carry out these tasks obviously falls on the shoulder of the next government.

It is also important to note that various agreements the Oli-led government inked with China including fuel trade deal should not take a back seat. However, in this regard, Deuba already said that he would prioritise all the agreements between Oli's government and China.

There is also a good opportunity for the Maoist to correct its past mistakes and steer the country in the right direction while maintaining cordial relations with both neighbours. RSS

Rupa Lake at the risk of extinction, crying for \conservation

Basudev Poudel

Pokhara, July 29: Rupa Lake, an attraction for tourists to the south-east of Pokhara, is at the high risk of extinction as various factors like human encroachment and uncontrolled spread of invasive plant species have threatened its existence and beauty.

Pollution, unmanaged tourist activities and rampant spread of water hyacinth has also degraded the beauty and water quality of the lake, shrinking it at a considerable level.  Likewise, deposition of mud and various particles through water released from flooding and landslide has also caused the lake's bed to rise up.

"The lake is shrinking every year. Its depth has also reduced considerably," says Dina Nath Dhakal, chairman of the Rupa Tal Conservation and Tourism Promotion Committee.

The report made public by the Lekhnath Municipality recently says that of the total 163.9 hectare of land belonging to the lake, only 121.76 hectares are occupied by the lake while crops are grown on 33.43 hectares. Likewise, 8.75 hectares is occupied by wetland area.  

"If the lake shrinkage continues at this rate, it will be at a serious risk within a decade," he says.

He says that the ongoing construction of tracks surrounding the lake has also threatened it. "Soils used to construct the tracks will loosen and slide down into the lake when it rains, thus contributing to the shrinkage."

So conservation of the lake should be taken into account while constructing such tracks, he says, adding that it is also the responsibility of the local people to create pressure on concerned authorities to complete the construction of tracks surrounding the lake in time.

Similarly, Chairman of the Rupa Tal Punarsthapan and Matsya Palan Sahakari Sangh, a cooperative for the restoration of the Rupa Lake and fisheries development, Kul Prasad Adhikari is also concerned over the degrading beauty of the lake.

He stresses the need for concerned authorities to do the needful to conserve it, pointing out the need for building an embankment around the lake. "Alongside the construction of embankment, cultivation of crops in the area should be banned," he says.

Included in the Ramsar list and located at the border of Rupkot, Hansapur and Majhathana in Kaski, the lake covering an area of 1.35 Square Kilometre, serves as one of the famous tourist destinations. It also provides a great source of income to local people. Local people are earning their daily livelihood by operating boats and running fishery in the lake. The freshwater lake has a catchment area of 30 Square Kilometres.

Besides its beauty and scenery, tourists including domestic and foreign visit the lake for fishing as well. Around 150 kilograms fish are caught on a daily basis, a local resident says.

Likewise, 19 boats are in operation on the lake to tour visitors including foreign tourists around while tourists visit the lake for swimming and fishing as well.

The lake is also serving as a dating spot for couples of late, apart from people taking an interest in enjoying viewing the activities of birds and scenery also visit the lake. The area is home to 134 types of wild animals and birds, 361 types of vegetation and 175 types of forest medicinal herbs.

Meanwhile, in a bid to conserve lakes, including the Rupa Lake, concerned authorities and local people have joined hands and pulled up their sleeves.  Likewise, works are underway to construct an international-standard zoological garden in Lekhnath Municipality on the banks of the lake on the initiatives of local United Club Pokhara and with the participation of the locals, says the Club chairman and coordinator of the Zoological Garden Construction Committee, Himalaya Bakhrel.

He believes that the construction of the zoo would help attract as many as tourists including domestic and foreign to the area housing the lake as well.

With the nine lakes including Rupa in Kaski enlisted as Ramsar sites, the government has made preparations for the management and conservation of the lakes. And the Conservation Development Foundation under the Hariyo Ban Programme has been entrusted with preparing a plan for this purpose.

The foundation chairman Shailendra Pokharel says that his office is working to prepare the plan after holding consultations with the concerned authorities. RSS 

Of impulsive leaders, erratic governance and an unstable Nepal

(Manoj Karki)

KATHMANDU: Forms of governance was one of the major contentious issues in course of the almost six-year-long constitution making process that began in Nepal following the 2008 Constituent Assembly elections. The design of the federal units, the judiciary and the electoral system were other sticky points among the major political parties that led to the delay in the constitution making process, originally planned to be completed in the first two years’ term of the Constituent Assembly.

The Constitution of Nepal has already been promulgated, even though the design of the federal units or restructuring of the state continues to be a problem with the Madhesh-based parties calling for a review of the proposed design of dividing the country into seven federal units. As a result, the exact demarcation of the proposed federal units is yet to be done, and there is still a probability of the number or boundary of the proposed provinces being changed.

The debate over the forms of governance though dealt with in the new constitution has once again come into the fore, with the recent turn of events leading to a sudden change in the government leadership in mere nine months in office. As it was discussed in course of the constitution making process, the form of governance has again been blamed for the instability that continues to plague the Prime Minister’s Office in Singha Durbar.

Nepal has so far been practicing the parliamentary system, with the party securing a majority in the parliament getting the opportunity to lead the government. However, no government to date in Nepal has completed a full term, right from the first people’s elected government in the 50s. We have already had eight governments in the past 10 years alone, with the 11th in the making currently.

It is these very points that were raised when the then UCPN (Maoist) and CPN-UML raised their voices for adopting a newer form of governance, that would give Nepal a much-needed political stability, which remains elusive so far.  The parties also argued that political stability, most probably in the government of the country was inevitable for Nepal to move ahead towards the path of economic prosperity.

UCPN (Maoist) in fact went to the people seeking for votes in the first as well as the second CA elections for a directly elected president. The Maoist party, as expected, was for a presidential system until last moment of the deal reached to seal the constitution making process. Likewise, the UML, as a communist democratic party, was in favour of a directly elected Prime Minister. It had the same arguments to make about unstable governments to voice for a Prime Minister directly elected by the people and not based on the majority garnered inside the parliament.

Same old system

However, the Nepali Congress was adamant to continuing with the same old parliamentary system that has been practiced in the country so far. The party raised suspicions over autocratic and feudal regimes with the adoption of a directly elected President or Prime Ministers. Hence, when it came down to a compromise among the three major political forces of the country, the forms of governance was agreed at a ‘reformed’ parliamentary system.


To deal with the concerns of unstable governments and instability brought by a majority government, the parties came up with a few provisions that could discourage making and breaking of governments at will. Accordingly, the provision to allow a no-confidence motion against a government only after two years of being elected and the party or group of parties bringing the no-confidence motion to come up with the name of the next prime minister were inserted in the constitution.

As envisaged in the Constitution of Nepal, “Article 100 (4) reads, ‘One-fourth of the total number of the then members of the House of Representatives may table a motion of no-confidence in writing that the House has no confidence in the Prime Minister.

Provided that a motion of no confidence shall not be tabled until the first two years after the appointment of the Prime Minister and until another one year after the date of failure of the motion of no confidence once tabled.

Furthermore, Article 100 (5) states, ‘A motion of no confidence to be tabled under Clause (4) shall also indicate the name of a member proposed for the Prime Minister.’

The above provision would ensure that a government lasts for at least two years. However, the leaders are now taking turns of nine months each to go against the spirit of that provision they agreed on with the objective of giving political stability to the country. As it has come to the fore now, it would also not have allowed our age-old 'big brother' and ‘good’ neighbour to work behind doors to bring down governments that dare to stand shoulder to shoulder against one of the 'largest democracy’ of the world.

The decision however to give KP Oli only nine months in Singha Durbar and then agree on a similar nine months each to Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Sher Bahadur Deuba has been taken benefitting from the transition clause in the new constitution. The new constitution also limits the number of ministries, rightly so, to just 25, but that was ignored by the Oli-led government and will be done so by the new turn-by-turn governments citing the same ‘we are still in transition’ provision.

Hence, despite of the progressive provisions made in the new constitution learning from their own past experiences, it seems unlikely that our leaders will give up their ‘impulse’ of jumping into the Prime  Minister’s Chair even knowing that one would serve the same fate as his predecessor. And then there is always our good old neighbour that will make sure that our leaders have that impulsive blood running in their veins, to thereby keep Nepal as unstable as ever. RSS

Gargi Gurukula: Cradle of Vedic learning for girls

(Anjali Ramtel)

Kathmandu, April 4: The Gargi Kanya Gurukula at local Naxal is a place where young girls can learn the Vedas and oriental culture.

There are 14 girls of 12 to 13 years age learning the slokas from the Hindu scripture, Veda. A visit to the school will offer one the rare sight of these young girls chanting the Vedic mantras in perfect harmony and intonation.

It is the only Sanskrit school for girls in the country. Here, the teaching-learning takes place in a different environment than in other schools. The girls wake up at 5 in the morning and after the morning wash attend yoga classes.

Talk to these energetic girls and they are so very definite about their aim in life - to promote Sanskrit teaching, yoga and Vedic philosophy.


"Although other subjects are taught at schools in our village, Sanskrit is not taught. So, after finishing my school and higher studies, I will go back to my village and teach Sanskrit," said Chetana Wagley, a fourth grader, who comes from Okhaldhunga district. She says that everyone respects the Sanskrit teacher.  To put things in perspective, she also recited a Sanskrit sloka about the importance of education.

Sunita Batala of Kalikot who studies in grade 5 also wants to become a teacher and she wants to teach the Veda. Apeart from Veda, she wants to become a yoga instructor and propagate it.

Bijaya Khanal of Ilam has the same goal. She also wants to become a Sanskrit teacher in future. She chanted some hymns from the Bhagavad Gita.

Besides Sanskrit, other subjects as Nepali, English, Science and Mathematics are also taught at the Gargi Gurukula. Similarly, yoga, art and craft and music and dance are also taught as co-curricular activities.

As part of the core Sanskrit paper, the girls are also initiated into the recitation of the Rudri scriptures.

The Gargi Gurukula is the brainchild of noted educationalist Dr Angur Baba Joshi. Worried at the gradual extinction of the Sanskrit language and decline in oriental values, Dr Joshi opened the Gargi Gurukula after the name of Gargi, a woman scholar of Sanskrit. Not only Dr Joshi, she is supported by the likes of Dr Kamala Subedi, Dr Nirmala Pokharel and Mana Kafley among others in her endeavours of reviving Sanskrit education and especially girls education in Nepal.

The Gargi Gurukula was established four years back and within this short time has been able to make its mark in girl education. In a break away from tradition that only Brahmin boys are to study the Veda, the Gargi Gurukula has selected girls from various castes and ethnic groups from different districts across the country. RSS

Driven by will of achieving different identity women in income generation

(Pabitra Guragain)

KATHMANDU: Bebi Thulung Rai of Nagdesh of Bhaktapur feels a kind of satisfaction in  return of her  Dhaka (traditional textile made of cotton thread) weaving  business that she started some two years ago with a nominal investment, as  this business is paying off a net profit of up to Rs 25,000 to her in a month.
More so, as a mother of two children, she feels proud of having herself not limited to household chores and also encouraging other interested women to join Dhaka weaving as a form of small-scale enterprise. She mainly produces Dhaka women garments including shawls, saree and  Kurtha Salwar piece.    

Thirty-seven years old Rai can be just an example of those women who are engaged in income generating activities  in an effort  to broaden the horizon of their identity and are driven by the  will of  becoming  economically self-dependent.

Rai has employed some 11 women through her Dhaka weaving business.  Needy women especially single women (widows), women neglected by their husbands and whose husbands are into alcoholism are her first priority as she wants to make their life somehow easier by involving them in her business.

She has realised that women need to be become financially self-dependent if they want a status equal to men, as economic factor one of the major tools for women  to achieve a parallel position to men.

She said the starting of small –scale enterprise like Dhaka weaving does not require much investment. It can be started with small investment, but will power, determination and eagerness is a must to get into the business. In her view, women who do not have time for 10-5 office duty and are deprived of employment opportunity can be the best means of making money.



Likewise, Ganga Tuladhar,30, who has been engaging her hands in providing beauty treatments earns up to Rs 80,000 in a month in pick season. Besides, she provides beautician training to the interested and is totally satisfied with the profession she is with for the past six years. Mother of a seven-year-old boy, Tuladhar is balancing her household duty and business, which is actually a challenge for the majority of the working class women.

Yashoda Shrestha from Pattharkot of Lalbandhi in Sarlahi who is presently  living in the capital is waiting  to send her son to  kindergarten  so that  she can resume her tailoring business  in full-swing.  The Plus Two graduate Shrestha ,25, had to give a break to her business from which she used to earn Rs 18,000-20,000 in a month after marriage. She limited her business indoors and takes orders on personal contacts. Her husband is in Malaysia in course of foreign employment, but she does not want to survive on his sole financial support.  Instead she is driven by the will of utlilising her sewing skills for the income generation purpose.

Weaving carpet from morning to evening inside a hut made of corrugated zinc sheets every day is a routine of   Poornima Tamang , 25, from Jalbire of Sindhupalchowk. Poornima along with colleagues from her village are seen keeping their hands busy in weaving carpet  in her  rented hut where she had to shift from the nearby rented shelter  after the April 25 Gorkha earthquake.

Though her monthly income from carpet weaving rarely exceeds Rs 10,000 for working almost 10-12 hours in a day, she still has no qualms about her life. A mother of two daughters, she knows that at least she has kept herself engaged in income generating activities and also supporting the family financially.
Her husband collects orders for Tamang and her group from the market. She has been weaving carpet for the past one decade and sees no alternative to it as of now. Her husband Man Bahadur Tamang, a former Maoist combatant, takes pride in seeing his spouse utilising their skills for earnings. It is better for them and for men to toil at home instead of toiling hard in foreign land, he argues based on his stint of an abroad job.  It may be noted that as per the official data, around 1500-1700 Nepalis (five per cent women) leave the country  in course of foreign employment in a day.

But he insists that government should promote the women into income generating act with the determination to become economically empowered.  
Rai sounds the similar tone as she sees the need that the government should promote the women interested in getting involved in small scale business,  help  women who are already in this by finding a better market for their products, modify the business with the adoption of available advance technology and ultimately make their journey towards self dependency easier as  small but genuine efforts lead to a big achievement. RSS

Patan folks to foreigners over the moon to see Prince Harry

(Rosha Basnet)

Kathmandu, March 20: The news of the Royal arrival far from the oceans had already filled the air with jubilation and excitement in the ancient Patan city of the Kathmandu Valley. Yes, it was the day today (Sunday) the august arrival was made by British Prince Harry to up cheers on everyone- from the locals to foreigners.

It was mid day at the Patan Durbar Square in Lalitpur. The curiosity and excitement of the mass peaked as the clock ticked 12: 30pm, and emerged the Prince Harry into the World Heritage.

British Prince Harry, who arrived in Nepal on a five-day official visit on Saturday, chose Patan Durbar Square as the first site where he took stock of the restoration of quake-damaged ancient temples and palace.

The visit, taking place at the request of her Majesty Queen of England, is to mark the bicentenary bilateral relations between Nepal and the UK.

The Royal, fifth in the line to throne, seemed 'nervous' initially, recalled Maiya Maharjan, one of the Pancha Kanyas who received Prince Harry with garland and flower. Maiya, along with four other young ladies, was also exuding little bit of nervousness to welcome the British Royal.

"He just greeted with 'Namaste' and thanked us and went to Mul Chowk (the main court) in the palace," shared 25-year-old Maiya who was waiting for the Prince Harry in desperation for two hours.

Dr Rohit Ranjitkar, Director of the Kathmandu Valley Conservation Trust, escorted the visiting Prince to various other Chowks (court) inside the palace and briefed about the historical significance of such open shared areas among the houses.

Outside, many including Anais Bouteyre, a French teenager were anxiously waiting for the Prince to re-emerge in the site so that she could assert her adoration to the Prince. Accompanied by her friends who study political science in Hong Kong along with her, she feels fortunate to have come Nepal at the time her 'Prince Charming ' was coming.

"I like his personality. He is a royal but still chooses to stay close to people," added Maxim Beysecker, a fellow French teenager who had given up on his launch in quest of a glance of the Prince as he reached the site at around 12:30 pm.


The teenagers apart, the elderly, both- locals or foreigners- were also cheerfully waiting for 31-year-old Prince.  Sannani Maharjan, 55, had just heard the stories of the Queen Elizabeth II's visit to Patan in 1961. The local was elated to see the grandson of the same queen coming to see her locality- more so, when he managed to intermingle with them spontaneously.

Tirtha Maya Khan feels lucky to have seen both the Elizabeth II and Prince Harry. "The queen had come in a buggy and rolled in the buggy" shared Tirtha Maya, who saw the Queen's grandson got off a British Embassy-owned car and walked through the Square. "The security had kept the Queen aloof back then. This time it is more flexible," compared Tirtha Maya who saw Prince from near this time.

Angela, an elderly from Austria, was over the moon as the Prince stopped by her to speak during a stroll around the Square after visiting the palace.   The Austrian elderly took that occasion to introduce her and the project working on post-earthquake relief operation in Kavrepalanchowk.

A group of girls and boys in school uniform were freaked out as they managed to shake hands with Prince Harry. They reached the site in their school uniform just to secure a glance or handshake with their role model' Prince Harry  

"I have deep admiration for him", admitted Samriddhi Rayamajhi, a 11th grader from a local boarding school. She confided that anything about Harry takes her fancy. "I like everything and anything about Prince Harry, be it his hairstyle or personality or sporty nature," explains the teenager who jumped for joy as she secured a handshake. "Oh, I could just touch him," her school mate chimed in.

The cheers of 'We adore you Prince Harry' kept punctuating the air as Prince Harry kept on strolling around Square and the girls exuded extreme joy as Harry, drifting his attention from the briefing on quake-stricken Taleju Temple, responded  the cheering crowd with smile.

Moreover, 70-year-old Ram Maharjan was also very elated to see Prince Harry from close quarter. Although hard of hearing, he said that he could clearly feel the pure joy in the face of locals for the rendezvous with the Royal and for the graceful response of the Prince towards their cheer.

Before making his way to 2,000-year-old Golden Temple in Nagbahal after spending around and hour and half in the Durbar Square, the visiting British Prince managed to stop by the same Panchakanyas who received him during the arrival.

Before seeing them off, as another Panchakanya, Alisha Awale, narrates, the Prince who himself was clad in casual wear, asked the ladies if their dress- Haku Patashi- was a cultural one. When the ladies replied in affirmation, he quipped, "I am so jealous that I can't wear this dress." RSS

Manpower agents revert to old dispute under pretext of police action

(By Kiran Bhattarai)

Kathmandu, March 20: The foreign employment agents – who shutdown manpower offices protesting a police crackdown on their fraudulent activities – have now diverted their attention to use the opportunity in hand to push for amending the provision for free visa and tickets to migrant workers.

A team deputed from the Metropolitan Police Crime Division on February 24 carried out raids in at least 18 manpower offices and arrested some proprietors. The manpower companies shutdown their offices on March 6 in protest, but now their context has changed.

The manpower agents shutdown their businesses under the pretext of police crossing over its jurisdiction, but now they have disinterred an old dispute and demanded correcting decisions taken by the then State Minister for Labour and Employment, Tek Bahadur Gurung.

The agents now are demanding a correction of the decision taken on July 5 to provide cost-free visas and tickets to the aspiring migrant workers. In this way the manpower agents have ended up in what seems to be a bargain or 'price haggling' with the Ministry of Labour and Employment.  

The manpower companies are now insisting that the provision allowing them to draw 'only' Rs 10,000 from a migrant worker will not be 'profitable', when foreign companies have shied away from providing promotional expenditure.

They are pressing the Ministry to get at least a month's salary from the workers' earning through promotional expenditure.

The manpower companies are also making effort to influence the International Relations and Labour Committee under the Legislature-Parliament to achieve their objectives.

The Committee meeting held today has seemingly sided with the manpower companies by calling for reviewing the provision of providing Rs 10,000 in promotional expenditure when sending a worker abroad.

Lawmakers including Chudamani Jangali expressed support for reviewing the provision. On the occasion, Nepal Association of Foreign Employment Agencies (NAFEA) Chairman, Bimal Dhakal, called for raising the amount received from a migrant worker to Rs 20,000 if not a month's salary.

Meanwhile, some quarter of lawmakers vehemently opposed the proposal. Lawmaker Binod Shrestha said that the government which had stipulated the minimal wage for a labourer at Rs 9,700 could not take a decision on drawing Rs 10,000 from each worker for the manpower company.

Lawmaker Ashok Kumar Mandal questioned what would happen if migrant workers and youths that have been swindled in the country and abroad started protesting like the foreign employment companies that have made the police arrest a matter of false dignity.

He added that how can it be that only such agents have dignity while the youths heading abroad for work do not have any dignity. RSS 

Ensuring Africa’s Continued Rise

By Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
LAGOS, March 18 : Africa’s rise is in danger of faltering. After years during which the continent’s economy grew at an average annual rate of 5%, global uncertainty, depressed commodity prices, and jittery external conditions are threatening to undermine decades of much-needed progress. Ensuring the wealth and wellbeing of the continent’s residents will not be easy; but there is much that policymakers can do to put Africa back on an upward trajectory.
First and foremost, policymakers must secure the financing needed to pursue sustainable development in an uncertain global environment.


The World Bank estimates that Africa will require at least $93 billion a year to fund its infrastructure needs alone. Climate-friendly, sustainable infrastructure will cost even more. And yet, as long as global growth remains weak, Africans cannot count on developed countries to fully honor their commitments to help attain the Sustainable Development Goals.
Africa must rapidly develop its own resources, beginning by nearly doubling tax revenues. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, tax revenues account for less than one-fifth of GDP, compared to more than one-third in OECD countries. This means there is plenty of room for improvement. From 1990 to 2004, for example, Ghana reformed its tax system and raised revenues from 11% to 22% of GDP. Admittedly, such progress is difficult; in Nigeria, we saw an opportunity in raising non-oil tax revenues, but struggled to seize it.
Another source of domestic resources is the roughly $380 billion in pension assets held by just ten African countries. Policymakers should be leveraging these considerable sums.
At the same time, African countries will have to find a way to diversify their economies. Diversification requires investment in the future, in the form of education and well-developed infrastructure, including telecommunications, power, roads, rail, and water.
There are plenty of models to follow: Dubai, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Mexico, Indonesia, and South Korea are all admired by Africans as economies that managed to transform themselves. Dubai, for example, set out more than three decades ago to prepare for a future without oil. The government implemented a step-by-step transformation of the country into a service economy, putting in place the infrastructure and incentives necessary to build up financial services, tourism, medical services, real estate, media, arts, and culture. South Korea and Singapore, which had few natural resources on which to rely, are no less inspiring.
The secret behind these countries’ success is relentlessly focused leaders, whether entrenched but benign dictators or democratically elected politicians with a shared vision of a broad-based economy. Sub-Saharan Africa has paths for diversified growth that many of the trailblazers did not: value-added agriculture and agro industry, the processing of mineral resources, petrochemical complexes, manufacturing of durable and consumer goods, tourism and entertainment, and an emerging information-technology sector.
As the necessary measures for diversification are implemented, policymakers must ensure that the economic growth they are pursuing creates jobs. Sadly, this has not always been the case. Much of the recent growth has benefited only a few, leaving many behind – most notably young people and women. From 2006 to 2013, inequality rose in many of the continent’s most important economies, including South Africa, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, and Rwanda.


These were challenges that we were starting to address in Nigeria when I was finance minister. We knew that we needed not just to secure growth, but also to improve the quality of that growth.
To that end, policymakers must ensure that growth is channeled into sectors that create jobs, such as agriculture, manufacturing, and services. They may also have to redistribute income and strengthen social safety nets to protect better those at the bottom of the ladder.
Matching skills to job opportunities will be crucial. Some 70% of Africa’s population is under 30, and the continent is home to half the world’s primary-school-age children who have been deprived of the opportunity to study. Offering Africa’s children basic reading, writing, and technology skills, as well as vocational, technical, and entrepreneurial training, must be a top priority.
Weak health-care systems must also be strengthened in order to tackle the endemic diseases that sap productivity, such as malaria, as well as improving preparedness for outbreaks of deadly epidemics. The stakes are high. The World Bank estimates the Ebola outbreak shrank the economies of Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Liberia by 16%.
As the world economy sputters, African countries will have to develop trade with one another. In 2013, African goods and services accounted for just 16% of trade within the continent, and just over 3% of world trade. One problem is that most African countries produce the same type of commodities and trade them with very little value-added. Policymakers must encourage greater specialization; differentiated goods and services will add value and volume to trade.
Logistics pose another obstacle to intra-African trade. Policymakers must make it easier to move goods across borders, by improving connectivity between countries and reducing bureaucratic hurdles and administrative costs. For example, road transport tariffs across Africa are estimated at $0.05-$0.13 per ton-kilometer, compared to the average of $0.01-$0.05 for all developing countries.
The Rift Valley Railway project, which will eventually link Mombasa on the Kenyan coast to Kampala in Uganda, is a good example of the benefits that investments in transportation could provide. The African Development Bank estimates that it will double the volume of trade between the two countries, while reducing marginal costs by 30%.
As they make these investments, policymakers must not forget that much of Africa’s recent growth can be credited to good macroeconomic policies and sound economic management. Extending the continent’s rise will require strengthening the continent’s economic fundamentals.
This means ensuring that prices in the economy are correct, starting with the exchange rate.


Some countries may need temporary controls to curb damaging capital outflows, but policymakers should aim for a market-based exchange rate and a solid plan for governing inflation, debt, foreign-exchange reserves, current accounts, and fiscal balances.
Africa’s potential can hardly be overstated. The continent is well placed to build diversified economies based on low-carbon, sustainable infrastructure. But policymakers cannot simply assume that Africa’s rise will continue. They must take the right steps to ensure that it does.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala is a former finance minister of Nigeria, and a distinguished visiting fellow at the Center for Global Development.

SAARC Council of Ministers concludes stressing on effective role

Basudev Poudel)

Pokhara, March 17: The 37th meeting of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Council of Ministers concluded in touristic city, Pokhara, on Thursday in a grand manner.

Various important decisions were made in the meeting held for the first time outside the Kathmandu Valley.

This time too all the member-nation expressed concern over the failure to attain the objectives of the establishment of the SAARC. They also univocally spoke the importance of making its role effective for poverty alleviation and development in the region.

It was visible that the meeting this time too was under the shade of the big countries. The breakfast meeting between Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Sworaj and Pakistani Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz became the matter of concern and conversation.

In the sideline bilateral meeting, Indian External Affaris Minister Sworaj underscored the need of Indo-Pak collaboration in the region.

Likewise, after the meeting, Pakistani PM's advisor Aziz commented the conversation between the two countries as important.
In the inaugural session of the Council of Ministers, Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli said the poverty was the key bottleneck to the development of the SAARC. He also stressed the need of mobilizing available resources together with mutual coordination to make poverty a history in the region.

Indian Minister Sworaj also highlighted the need of coordination and cooperation among the SAARC nations for prosperity and development of the region.

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Kamal Thapa, who chaired the SAARC Council of Ministers, said that the meeting enforced the decisions taken by the last Summit held in Kathmandu and also took important decision concerning the timing of the SAARC Summit.

The meeting in Pokhara endorsed the report of the SAARC Standing Committee and decided to establish the SAARC Environment Disaster Management Centre in New Delhi, India. A decision was also taken to merge the energy centre into the SAARC Environment component in Islamabad, Pakistan.

DPM Thapa also said that a decision has been taken to hold the SAARC Summit henceforth in every two years and in the month of November. This will, however, has to be endorsed by the upcoming SAARC Summit.

The next SAARC Summit is being held in Islamabad, Pakistan from November 9-10, 2016. Pakistan has also proposed its candidate to replace SAARC General Secretary Arjun Bahadur Thapa, upon the expiry of his term, which will be endorsed by the Summit to be held in Islamabad.

Making the SAARC's role more effective was the concern of all member states and the meeting held serious discussions about meeting the goal and targets of the establishment of SAARC.

Integrating the scattered projects and programmes and implementing them with the goal of improving economic status of the people in the region were raised with priority in the meeting, DPM Thapa said. The SAARC special guests admired high support of the Pokhara folks in hosting the SAARC Council of Ministers meeting in the town.

The Programme Committee meeting was held on March 14 and 15, while the Standing Committee meeting took place on March 16.

The meeting of SAARC Council of Ministers was inaugurated by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli amidst a special ceremony in the morning today.  It was held amidst tight security and a large number of media persons from home and abroad were present for the news coverage of the regional event.

The holding of this type of high-profile conference in Pokhara was very crucial from the perspective of tourism promotion, said Chairperson of Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and industry Bindu Kumar Thapa. He added the successful organization of the event has excited the locals, tourism entrepreneurs and traders here. RSS
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Dalit women in South Asia still facing caste-based discrimination

(By Sushil Darnal)

Dhaka (Bangladesh), March 16: Manisha Balmiki of Haryana in India is fighting against caste-based discrimination and untouchability ever since she started understanding society.

Apparent day-to-day caste-based discrimination aside, the ill practice would find its way even to everywhere be it public places and her school, making it difficult for her to battle it and carry on with life.

“Even teachers would address me in low regard, asking ‘are you a child from Bhangi’?” she recalls. Bhangi is regarded as low caste.”I had to face difficulties all the way to school as a child from Dalit community,” she shares.

Balmiki’s case is just in point. Many Dalit women in South Asia are forced to face such racial discrimination just for coming from the Dalit community.

Balmiki shares her predicaments at a recently concluded programme on ‘Social inclusiveness and regional issue of Dalit women’ jointly organised in Bangladesh by the Samata Foundation Nepal, National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights, India and the Nagorik Udhyog Bangladesh, an organisation working for the welfare of Dalit community.

“The sufferings I have undergone may be a normal phenomenon for others as I am from Dalit community. However, many Dalit women have become victims of rape in India while some have been burnt alive in some cases. But they are denied justice,” Balmiki says.

Such incident goes to the extent that some victims of such discrimination take their own lives, unable to endure such ill practice. The news of a Dalit student Rohit Bemula of India taking her own life being unable to endure caste-based discrimination recently made newspaper headline, attracting the attention of many.

Ruth Manorama, president of the National Federation of Dalit Women in India (NFDW), an organisation working for the welfare of Dalit women, says that laws and acts related to caste-based discrimination and untouchability are made in India to provide justice to Dalit women, but a failure to implement them has made the matter worse.

She says that there is rampant caste-based discrimination against Dalit women and untouchability in India as opposed to Nepal. According to the available data, eight percent of the total population of India constitutes Dalit women.

The case is no less appalling in Nepal though. Amar Bishwokarma of Banke was displaced just for he got married outside his caste.

Bishwokarma, who is currently living in Kathmandu with his wife, says that he is still facing threats to his life. More than half a dozen Dalit youth lost their lives in the past four years due to incidents of caste-based discrimination, while dozens of others were displaced.

According to Women’s Rehabilitation Center (WORCE Nepal), seven percent of the total women population who has become victims of rape in Nepal constitutes Dalit women.

Moni Rani Das, a Dalit rights activist of Bangladesh, shares that mostly Dalit women become easy targets of rape in Bangladesh.

Although the exact data on the population of Dalit women in Bangladesh is yet to be established, various non-governmental organisations said that the number puts at around 4.5 million with around 2.5 million being women Dalits.

“Dowry system in Dalit community poses major challenges in Bangladesh, apart from child marriage. Participation of Dalits should be ensured in decision-making level to end such practices,” Das says.

Dalit rights activists from Bangladesh say that caste-based discrimination against Dalit women in South Asia could be eradicated once Dalit community becomes independent financially.

UN Women Bangladesh representative Tapali Shah views that it is the responsibility of all to eradicate caste-based discrimination against women as the issue is related to human rights.

In Bangladesh, the bill of Dalit reservation and untouchability currently is tabled at Bangladeshi parliament for discussion. Bangladeshi lawmaker Nurjahan Begum said that rights of Dalit community in Bangladesh would be ensured in act.

“Caste-based discrimination is prevalent in Bangladesh as in Nepal and India. But Bangladeshi government is not much concerned over the issue comparatively,” says Dalit rights activist Padam Sundas, also chairman of Samata Foundation Nepal.

Dalit community cannot lodge their complaint directly with the state in Bangladesh. However, Dalit and non-Dalit organisations in Bangladesh are helping with the issue of Dalits in coordination of and with the support from various Dalit organisations of different countries lately.

 
“The degree of caste-based discrimination is the same in Bangladesh, Nepal and India. However, Dalits in Nepal and India are a step forward in terms of education and employment opportunity,” says Dalit rights activist of Nepal, Bhakta Bishwokarma.

However, for better move, regional conference on the issues of Dalits of Nepal, India and Bangladesh is held every year ever since the formation of the Asia Dalit Rights Forum by Dalit rights activists from South Asian nations.

Envisioned in 2001 and formed in 2014 with an aim to eradicate caste-based discrimination and untouchability in South Asia, the forum has been playing a leading role in bringing the issues and problems of Dalits of South Asia to light and helping them get justice.

So far three regional conferences have been held each in Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

Likewise, the Asia Parliament Forum on Dalit concerns, an organisation established by Dalit rights activists from South Asian countries in 2014 to look into the issues of Dalits, has also concluded its regional conferences on Dalit issues in Nepal, India and Bangladesh.

The Asia parliament has also been playing an important role in making states responsible to provide rights to Dalits through an initiative role in the formulation of policy related to the rights of Dalits. RSS (Translated by Pritam Bhattarai)

SAARC suggested to emphasise economic development and environment protection

(Basudev Poudel)

Pokhara, March 16: Foreign relations experts have suggested the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to prioritise the collective economic development and resolution of the common problems in the region, as the SAARC Foreign Ministers' meeting gets underway here.

They have emphasised that the collective development of the countries of the region should be the primary agenda of SAARC for the overall development of the region since many of the SAARC member countries have not been able to lift themselves up from the status of least developed countries, although India was making strides in economic development.

Former ambassador Tanka Karki said that although India is rising in the SAARC in terms of economic development, the rest of the countries in this regional grouping are still least developed and there is urgent need of improving their economic status on a collective basis.

"The 21st century is dubbed the age of Asia's resurgence and the need of the day is to make collective efforts for the overall development of the region through stronger relations among the member states," Karki suggested.

He is of the view that SAARC should now rise above regional petty politicking and make the maximum use of the available resources among the member states by managing the bitter history.

"Priority should be given in SAARC to reducing the impact of climate change which has been escalating in the recent days," Karki said.

Foreign affairs expert Hiranya Lal Shrestha believes that the SAARC member countries could move ahead on the path to economic prosperity if they are able to maximally utilise each others' resources.

"SAARC has so far brought the countries of the South Asia region closer and concerted effort of all is required for achieving economic prosperity and development," he said.

Referring to the problem of global warming, he suggested SAARC to take the issue seriously and work towards minimising its impact.

Shrestha viewed that Saarc should prioritise issues including the conservation of forests to miniminise increasing global warming.

He said that concerns of Maldives at the risk of being sunk due to the rising sea level with the rapid melting of snow in the Himalayas and other challenges posed by global warming should also be taken into mind.

Likewise, foreign affairs expert Suresh Raj Chalise said that Nepal as current chairman of SAARC should play an effective role for the economic development of the region.

He pointed out the need for collective efforts among SAARC nations to minimise the impact of global warming like food insecurity as it is not possible to fight alone for the same cause.

He also said that Asian countries are at high-risk of earthquakes and minimising such risks should be prioritised.

Similarly, joint secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mani Prasad Bhattarai said that issues on the overall development of the region would be discussed in the ongoing SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting in Pokhara. RSS

Young generation fighting for meaningful space in the NC

(Pritam Bhattarai)

Kathmandu, March 16: Two candidates vying for the topmost post of general secretary in recently concluded 13th Nepali Congress General Convention—Dr Shashanka Koirala and Gagan Thapa—were zoomed in throughout the jamboree. Speculations and curiosity found their way to every nook and cranny of the country over who would manage to secure the coveted post.

Having won seats from the both erstwhile Constituent Assembly elections, Koirala, son of NC founder BP Koirala, belongs to influential Koirala clan, which has so far dominated NC leadership. On the other hand, Thapa is no less weak player in Nepali politics either.

Thapa won a seat in second CA elections from Kathmandu and was elected as NC Central Working Committee member with highest votes in 12th NC General Convention. He is also popularly known for his progressive opinion within party and stunning speeches. He has also managed to garner support from youth in particular.

However, Thapa's defeat in the elections of the convention has raised most talked-about question whether NC fails to prioritise young generation in the decision-making level of its CWC. Thapa is considered an inspiring youth leader. Youth NC leaders said that it will be difficult to have influence of young generation in the party's policy-and-decision-making processes until youth leaders are provided with at least one position in party seven-member office bearers of the CWC.

Earlier, youth leaders like Gagan Thapa, Pradeep Poudel and Bishwa Prakash Sharma had launched a campaign to ensure at least a youth leader in the CWC office bearers so they would make influence in party-decision-making process.

Unlike in the past, in 12th NC General Convention, a large section of youth leaders were elected as CWC members. However, the party leadership did little to handle the party properly in the last six years. The late Sushil Koirala came under criticism for failing to perform well as the head of the party, while groupism and factionalism were rife. Likewise, elections to a majority of NC sister wings are yet to be held and party departments yet to get full shape.

Be it during various past people's movements including 2062-63 or time of any natural disasters, it is students and youth political leaders, who come to the forefront to shoulder the responsibility and make it a success.

It may be noted during the people's movement in 2006, youth participation helped the movement get a success and the monarchy was overthrown, establishing republic. Likewise, restoring democracy in 1990, youth also came to the forefront to make the movement a success.

However, the youth are used only as an instrument to get to power, said a NC student leader Naresh Rijal, who pursues his master's in English at Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus.

He said that young generations are not being prioritized in the NC as opposed to CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) which has given space to youth leaders in party decision-making level. Yogesh Bhattarai is UML secretary while Ghanashyam Bhusal holds the position of deputy general secretary. Both Bhattarai and Bhusal represent the youth in their party.

However, some NC leaders blame youth leaders for failing to come together on any issue and that their involvement in groupism only to secure their position is a matter of concern. "It is not age that carries out reforms in any party, but idea and policy is necessary. Rather than blaming each other, young generation should consider their weakness and come forward with a clear vision," said NC's student wing Nepal Students Union (NSU) leader UP Lamichhane.

Some however argue that old generation is hesitant to prioritise young generation in the party’s decision-making level. According to reports, Thapa fielded his candidacy for general secretary in the convention from Krishna Prasad Sitaula camp after president candidates Sher Bahadur Deuba and Ram Chandra Poudel denied him top positions.

Political analyst Manamohan Bhattarai, who himself is a NC leader, has a different take on the matter. He dismisses the idea of failing to giving space to youth leaders. He said that a large section of youth leaders have become CWC members and the same number of youth participated in the convention as representatives. They could make their presence felt if they come up with a noble agenda, he said.

He, however, said that old generation has sacrificed their whole life in politics and in shaping the party. So it is natural for them to claim a large portion of their share in party. RSS

SAARC meeting rejuvenates hopes of tourism comeback

(By Basudev Poudel)

Pokhara, March 15: The 37th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Council of Ministers' meeting underway in Pokhara is expected to shore up the lake city's unparalleled reputation of being a tourist haven.

The SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting itself is being held for the first time outside of the capital city of a host member state.

Pokhara, which does not need to be redefined for its beauty embellished with the crest of Mt Machapuchhre at the north, was recently struck with a slump in the number of visiting tourists following the massive earthquake and the blockade at the southern border. The unprecedented development was gaining a pernicious hold on the Pokhara's tourism entrepreneurs' energetic demeanour, but the SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting has revived hopes of opportunity to bounce back.


The SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting is being held in tourism hub, Pokhara, which is essentially a place blessed with bounties of nature, and such an event being hosted here is a matter of pride, said, Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN), Pokhara Chairman, Gopi Bahadur Bhattarai.

Bhattarai added that the government should make arrangement for the visiting top officials of the SAARC member states to go on sightseeing tours to observe the real beauty of Pokhara. He stressed the government should make maximum utilization of the opportunity at hand to promote tourism in SAARC countries.


"Along with allowing the officials to go on sightseeing tours in Pokhara, the government must present the possibilities of promoting tourism in Nepal as an agenda at the SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting," Bhattarai argued.

Tourism expert, Nilkantha Sharma, also insisted on letting the foreign officials attending the meeting to relish the tourism façade of the scenic city. He termed the natural infrastructure of Pokhara as an 'unrivalled gift of nature', and said the meeting provided an opportunity for an official promotion of the city in the SAARC member countries.

"Pokhara has a rare type of diversity in weather and environment in the world," Sharma pointed out adding, "From Pokhara the Himalayan range is very close and there is a cultivation of bananas at the same place, and in the world you cannot find such a place where the mountain and banana cultivation is so close."

Pokhara Tourism Council Chairman, Som Thapa, said the SAARC Council of Ministers' meeting ushered in new avenues for promoting tourism.

Nepal Tourism Board former member, Tikaram Sapkota, said the current meeting helped convey a message that such special meetings can take place in Pokhara.

Foreign Ministry's Deputy Chief of Protocol, Rajaram Bartaula, said the government did have plans to take the officials on a sightseeing tour of Pokhara, but lamented the meeting's calendar was extremely busy with tight schedules. "We plan to take them on sightseeing tours as far as possible if the time allows," he said. RSS  

Stranded Nepali migrant workers implore for help

(By Bharat Pradhan)

Dammam (Saudi Arabia), March 13: Complaints have been pouring in over the Nepali Embassy's apparent lack of concern towards the deteriorating plight of migrant Nepali workers stranded in Saudi Arabia.

The Embassy's doors have been repeatedly knocked by the victims seeking to be saved from a legal conundrum in which they fell due to purposeful or inadvertent negligence shown by manpower companies in Nepal.

At least 10 Nepali migrant workers had arrived at the 'Amjad Faisal Otaibi Establishment for Construction' company at Jeddah area lying at the western part of Saudi Arabia some 22 months ago through the Al-naseer Overseas Pvt based in Kathmandu only to find out that the company was on verge of closure.

Numerous appeals have been made to the Consulate General of Nepal based at Jeddah for intervention, but it has fallen on deaf ears, according to Kamurdin Miya of Sunsari district. "It has been years since we have knocked on the Consulate's door, but the employees there only give us assurances," Miya said, adding "We are crying here whereas our family members are crying back at home, but who will listen to us?"

The company was put on a red list by the Saudi government after which the migrant workers have not been able to receive residential permit. The company did not provide the workers with mandatory identity papers due to which the Nepali workers have been stranded.

The workers that have fallen ill are not even receiving medical attention as they do not have residential permit papers. Unless the company under red list does not take steps for reformation, it will be barred from making any transactions or undertaking any activities and be allowed to shift the workers to other companies.

Prem Narayan from Rajbiraj charged the manpower company based in Kathmandu of tricking them into working for a company nearing closure. The workers – branded as illegal – will be forced to cough up around 17,000 to 20,000 Saudi riyals or Rs 500,000 to 600,000 in fine to return home.

They are subjected to repeated arrests by the police, which increase the amount of their fine. They have implored for help as they will not be able to return without making such huge payment which is invariably beyond their capacity.

Meanwhile, Consulate General, Rewati Raman Poudel, at the Consulate office at Jeddah says efforts are on to rescue the workers. Poudel related the problem to paying up huge sums in fine as a reason for creating hurdle as the workers have stayed in the country for long on illegal status. RSS

Acute shortage of medicines in Tarai districts due to banda

Mahottari, Sept 23: Six districts in the Janakpur Zone are reeling under an acute shortage of medicines including the life saving drugs due to an indefinite banda (shutdown) called by various groups in the Tarai. 

Shambhu Prasad Bhattarai, vice chairman of the Chemists and Druggists Association (DEA), Mahottari said that districts like Sarlahi, Mahottari, Sindhuli, Dhanusa, Ramechhap and Dolakha are facing an acute shortage of the medicines. 

He said that mainly the medicines required by the blood pressure, diabetes and heart patients are in short supply in particular. 

"My pharmacy lacks medicines including life saving drugs for past one week," said Mandira Bhattarai, who runs a drug store in Bardibas in Mahottari. 

She added that 100 patients of pressure and diabetes visiting her pharmacy on a daily basis were forced to return empty handed in lack of medicines. 

Naresh Prasad Gupta, proprietor of Nishanta Pharmacy, in Gaushala, Mahottari, said that his medical store lacks saline solution too for the past 15 days, adding that store of other types of medicines is also depleting fast.   

The Tarai districts have been shut for the past 40 days due to the agitation, halting the supply of medicines and daily essentials and affecting locals in various ways. 

The drug entrepreneurs said that the supply of medicines has been affected due to the road blockade in main transit points in areas including Birgunj and Bhairahawa, causing the shortage. Most of the medicines are supplied from India, it is said. 

"The road has been obstructed for long, thus halting the supply. It is impossible to supply the medicines by air as planes are reluctant to ferry medicines due to its full bookings," said Ganesh Prasad Sah, chairman of the DEA.  

Dipendra Parajuli, chairman of the National Consumers Forum, said that medicines are very sensitive and essential things to save human life, stressing the need to make environment conducive for smooth supply. RSS 

Khanidanda Airport runway crumbles  

Khotang, Sept 23: The runway at the Manmaya Rai Khanidanda Airport in Khotang district has started peeling off all over although it was blacktopped some four months ago.

Furthermore, the 590-metre-long and 20-metre wide runway has also developed potholes, causing trouble in landing and takeoff of the airplanes, according to Airport Construction Consumer Committee Chairperson, Durga Prasad Ghimire.

Chairperson Ghimire said that construction of such a mediocre runway was due to the negligence of the contractor. He drew the attention of the authority concerned towards it.

The airport was built at a cost of Rs 700 million, mostly from the fund raised from the public and labor volunteered by the locals. The Chanmilga JV Construction Company was contracted for its construction. 

 Chief District Officer, Govinda Sapkota shared that an instruction was issued to the concerned body to repair the runaway at the earliest. "We are holding talks with the Project Chief, we take action against them if they fail to do the needful," he said. RSS

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Rally in Humla to welcome new constitution 

Humla, Sept 23: Welcoming the promulgation of the new constitution, local people, and leaders and cadres of various political parties organised celebration rallies in various parts of the district. 

Organised by the local Peace Committee, the rallies were held in Kalinchowk, Ekatachowk, Kathechuli, and Dhupi Chautara among other areas. 

People from different walks of life including school teachers, traders, social workers, intellectuals and journalists participated in the rallies. 

Likewise, Chief District Officer Dr Krishna Bahadur Ghimire and leaders and cadres of various political parties including Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN (Maoist) also attended the programme.  RSS 

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Taplejung district opened from 11:00 am today

Taplejung, Sept 23: Teplejung district, which remained closed for the past three days, is opened from 11:00 am today after consensus was forged between the Federal Limbuwan Party Nepal and Taplejung Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

The consensus was forged after entrepreneurs and locals urged the bodies concerned to create environment conducive to open market, saying the strike and shutdown have disturbed their business. 

Chairman of Taplejung Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Taranath Ghimire, said that an understanding was made to allow opening markets and educational institutions in the district from 11:00 am in view of upcoming festivals.  

Meanwhile, private schools in the district would be opened from Thursday, said Private and Boarding Schools Organisation, Nepal (PABSON), Taplejung. However, community schools and transport services would remain closed, said Taplejung Chairman of the Federal Limbuwan Party Nepal, Kirtiman Maden. 

The Limbuwan Struggle Committee and Federal Limbuwan Party Nepal have called the banda (shutdown) in nine districts east of the Arun River from Sunday to protest against drafting of the new constitution without Limbuwan province. RSS

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Number of Influenza A patients up in Chitwan

Chitwan, Sept 23: Number of people suffering from fever, cold and cough caused by Influenza A virus has increased at different hospitals in Chitwan district due to the change in weather. 

Dr Kalidas Adhikari at the Bharatpur Hospital said that now some 200 patients visit the hospital everyday while it was around 140 daily two weeks ago. 

The hospital has run out of space and health workers have been treating patients keeping them on floor, said Medical Superintendent at the Hospital, Dr Keshav Raj Bhurtel. 

Not only at the government hospitals, the number of patients has also increased at private hospitals and clinics, added Dr Adhikari.

Similarly, some 30 patients also visit the emergency ward at the hospital everyday with the increase in the number of the patients. People from Chitwan, Makawanpur, Nawalparasi, Tanahun, Gorkha, Bara and Parsa also visit the hospital. RSS

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Nepal’s constitution unique in the world: Speaker Nembang

Kathmandu, Sept 23: Speaker Subas Chandra Nembang has said the Constitution of Nepal, 2015 made from the Constituent Assembly was unparalleled in the history of the world.

Speaking in a tea reception hosted by lawmakers from the Dolakha District here on Wednesday to mark the promulgation of the new constitution from the CA, the former Chairman of the Constituent Assembly described the new constitution drafted from the CA in Nepal’s constitutional history was unique in the world.  

“Nepal’s constitution which has been formulated on the basis of the long struggle of the people is unparalleled in terms of the inclusive principle,” he said, adding that it is highly inclusive as it has been signed and approved by over 85 per cent CA members from various background as some belonging to political party that launched armed struggle, the Madhes-centric parties and through the participation of the women, Muslims, linguistic communities and indigenous nationalities. 

Expressing happiness over the materialization of the aspiration of the Nepali people of writing constitution by own representatives dating back to 1949, Speaker Nembang said the CA was successful in issuing the constitution because of the unity among the all the parties  and the determination of the people from the mountainous, hilly and Tarai region. 

“There were questions whether the constitution is delivering until the morning the day the constitution was slated to be promulgated,” he said, but we defied every odd and now the constitution is issued and there is celebration across the country. 

Speaker Nembang said although there is celebration, some reservations remained in some part of the country and urged the party leaders to resolve the dissatisfaction.

Lauding the joint efforts of the Constituent Assembly members to draft the constitution, Chairman Nembang urged the lawmakers to be united and effortful to accommodate the dissenting parties.

He clarified that the new constitution was progressive as well as flexible from every angle unlike the 1990 constitution. "Although every issues raised by everyone could not be incorporated in the newly promulgated constitution, including mine, it could be amended if need be," affirmed Nembang.

Stating that it was certainly a challenge to implement the new constitution in an easy and convenient way, Nembang recalled that he was urging the disgruntled CA members till the last hour of the promulgation of the new constitution by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav.

He urged one and all for the successful implementation of the new constitution that incorporates features like the federal republic, secularism, federalism, inclusiveness and unifying quality from Terai to the Hill region. RSS

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commentary: New constitution foundation for a matured democratic practice

(Mahendra Subedi)

Kathmandu: Elated with the materialisation of nearly 70-year-old dream of getting a democratic statute through the popularly elected body, the entire country, except some classes and groups, is in a jolly mood following the endorsement of new constitution on September 20. Stating that the Constituent Assembly (CA) used its sovereignty and it refused to bow down before any external forces, the top leaders, lawmakers, intellectuals and professionals have added thrill to the public celebrations in the country and abroad. 

Likewise, international recognition for the constitution’s endorsement from around the world has also indicated a semblance of legitimacy of the charter. The United Nations Secretary- General Ban Ki-moon has acknowledged the adoption of new constitution while the United States of America (USA), China, Russia, Norway, Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Germany and other neighbouring countries have welcomed the new constitution by terming it as an ‘important milestone’ in Nepal’s democratic journey. The friendly countries have also congratulated the political leadership and folks in Nepal for guiding the nation into a new chapter in its history. 

Now, Nepal has expected diplomatic courtesy and gesture from India in the recognition of the new constitution. The political leadership, diplomats, intellectuals and professionals have expressed their hope that India would soon offer its warm felicitation for the new statute in Nepal, a dream of Nepalis that comes true nearly 70 years after. 

With this glorious achievement, Nepal has stepped ahead into the new era with its implementation. Besides multiple reasons, the new constitution should be hailed for breaking the terrible political impasse, and institutionalisation of republicanism and federalism—the twin achievements of the historic People’s Movement-II and decade-long Maoist insurgency. 

What next? 

The constitution in itself does not yield anything as such. Propriety of the actors    matters more for the successful implementation of the constitution and political stability and lasting peace depends on the same. But, it has paved a clear way for establishing foundations for the country’s socio-economic prosperity.   

An eminent columnist Narendra Jung Peter observes that Nepal has shifted into a new historical phase of political exercise after the new statute. “Constitution would largely help to stop anarchy in the country. It is a document that has legitimized the federal republican and justified the Maoist rebellion.” He, however, expressed dissatisfaction for India's lukewarm response after the constitution’s declaration and argued that it is both the possibility and challenge for the country.

Given the volatile situation and rising voices of extremism in the Terai belt, situation seems somehow aggravated but not beyond the control of the political parties provided that they sit for talks sincerely to hammer out concerns of the disgruntled parties. The genuine demands of the Tharu, Madhesi and indigenous groups should be incorporated even by amending the constitution. This should be done as the constitution is flexible and a living document. On the other hand, the leaders of the Madhes-centric parties too should do away with the politics of bargaining and protest. Equal seriousness is demanded on their part too. 

Analysts believe that the widespread tension for more than a month and the disgruntled parties’ denial of the ownership of the constitution amid the CA boycott is a matter of serious concern and that should be taken into considerations to deal it with the high level of seriousness. 

"This constitution is a good platform for all to fight further for their respective rights. This has opened up some avenues albeit some flaws. The leaders are required to quit their arrogance and prejudice as well as offer equal treatment to opponents, Peter adds.

The top leaders of the major political forces have already pledged to incorporate the concerns of the agitating parties though they were not on board the constitution writing process in the last phase. As the constitution is not flawless, the Dalits have also not received all rights they were demanding and so is the case with the women and Muslims too. But, it’s not the time to be oblivion because the existing rights are not less and with the evolutionary process of the constitution can grant all the requisite dignity and social standing to all those remaining in margin. 

So, effective implementation of the new constitution with sharing of power in all three levels of government namely federal, provincial and local for the empowerment of all community is appreciative. Let us bring under an ambit of system to all including the politicians and lay foundation for a matured democratic practice. RSS