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  • Tuesday, 19 November 2024

Role of Democratic Thought Society vital in consolidating democracy: Deuba

Published Date : May 16, 2024

Kathmandu, May 16: Nepali Congress President and former Prime Minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has said that the Democratic Thought Society has an important role to play in making democracy strong and robust.

Addressing to the Society’s 26th General Assembly and Democracy Fighters Honour Programme here today, the NC President stressed on the need of forging ahead by consolidating democracy. He said the former minister Yog Prasad Upadhyaya had played an important role in making democracy and the NC’s organization stronger.

“Yog Prasad jee(honorific) is not only the senior leader but a big leader of the political movement. I am pleased to honour a person who fought for democracy in course of the 1960 movement, remaining abroad,” he added.

On a different note, the main opposition party leader said that the decision on the Giribandhu Tea Estate was taken during the time when UML was in the government and not when the NC was in the government. “The NC should not be blamed for (misappropriation of the land belonging to the Giri Bandhu Tea Estate),” he said.

Nepali Congress leader Dr Shekhar Koirala said the NC was raising the issue in parliament what the people have been raising on the streets. “The NC that was not cowed by the King’s threats will not be intimidated by the threat of any political party,” he said.

Stating that the country is in a complex situation of late, Dr Koirala said the Nepali Congress should come forward to bail the country out of this situation. He urged Deputy Prime Minister and Home Affairs Minister Rabi Lamichhane, who also handles the police administration, should cooperate in investigations into the cooperatives fraud in which he is also implicated.

Koirala opined that the current electoral system has invited instability in the country and suggested reforming the election system, paving the way for a single party securing majority votes in the parliamentary elections.

NC leader Arjun Narsingh KC said the Congress has called for formation of a parliamentary investigation committee to address the voice of the hundreds of thousands of the cooperative victims. He said the parliament would not be allowed to carry out its business  until a parliamentary probe committee is formed, reminding that the UML had also obstructed the parliament’s proceedings for 22 days calling for formation of an investigation commission to probe the ‘gold scam’.

Pradip Poudel said the party needs the Society’s ‘important’ suggestions for making the party stronger. “We had to include in the constitution several topics that we did not like while drafting the constitution. Now, we need to move ahead correcting these,” he said.

Constitution expert Dr Bhimarjun Acharya shared o the occasion that a report prepared in 2023 put Nepal in the 71st position globally in terms of the effectiveness of constitution implementation. “The country which makes frequent changes to the constitution never attains stability,” he said, adding that democracy is weakening as, according to him, there are people selected and send by parties in the courts.

Former Minister Suresh Malla called on the Society to forge ahead to make democracy stronger when it is in crisis while the Society’s immediate past president Dr Kedar Narsingh KC urged for taking forward the Society as the party’s ideological forum.

On the occasion, NC leader and former minister Yog Prasad Upadhyaya was honoured with the ‘Democratic Fighter Honour’. He was awarded Rs 25 thousand and presented with a copper plaque.

Society president Kula Chandra Wagle said the Society has been moving ahead promoting democratic culture and system. The Society was established in 2052 BS.

Home Minister Lamichhane instructs TIA to prioritise passengers’ interests

Kathmandu, May 16: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs, Rabi Lamichhanne, has instructed Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) management to prioritise the best interest of passengers.

The Deputy Prime Minister who reached the country’s first international airport today to bid  farewell to those embarking on Haj pilgrimage, gave this instruction after inspecting the various units at TIA.

Similarly, the Home Minister urged the airport management to focus on enriching the elegance of arrival and departure chambers. He also wanted the promotion of the use of information technology in its services.

The Deputy Prime Minister also visited boarding counters, immigration counters, customs units and luggage management unit among others.

As said by Airport security chief Senior Superintendent of Police, Krishnahari Sharma, they briefed the Home Minister about the given responsibilities, workforce status, delivery system and other professional challenges.

The minister called for highly acknowledging the passenger concerns, security sensitivity and making the immigration services more technology- friendly.

Chief Minister Sodari gets vote of confidence

Sudurpaschim, May 16: Chief Minister of Sudurpaschim Province, Dirgha Bahadur Sodari, has won a vote of confidence in the Province Assembly.

In the second meeting of Sudurpaschim Province Assembly held today, Chief Minister Sodari presented the proposal seeking a vote of confidence, where 28 votes were cast in his favour, which is the majority, said Speaker Bhim Bahadur Bhandari. 

Chief Minister Sodari got the vote of confidence amidst the slogan chanted by PA members of the Nepali Congress and Nagarik Unmukti Party. Soon after the beginning of the meeting, the PA members of the opposition parties chanted slogan. 

CM Sodari presented the proposal regarding vote of confidence with the permission of Speaker Bhandari where he got the motion of trust.  The Speaker presented the proposal presented by the Chief Minister through voice vote as the decision in the meeting.

With this, 18 PA members of the Nepali Congress, five of Nagarik Unmukti Party and one of Rastriya Prajatantra Party moved out from the meeting without participating in the voting process.

While exiting from the meeting after getting the vote of confidence, CM Sodari said the government would get full shape within a couple of days.

Earlier, PA members of the opposition parties protested standing from their seats soon after the beginning of the first meeting. 

Ghanshyam Chaudhary of the Nagarik Unmukti Party, during the time allotted by Speaker Bhandari to put forth the opinion to opposition party, questioned on government formation process.

In today’s PA meeting, five members of Nagarik Unmukti Party were in opposition bench while two had supported the CM Sodari.

Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development, Kailash Chaudhary, and Minister for Land Management, Agriculture and Cooperative, Tika Thapa, cast vote in favour of the CM. 

Sodari was appointed as Chief Minister on April 18. The 53-member PA has 18 members from the Nepali Congress, 10 except the Speaker from the CPN (Maoist Centre), 11 from the CPN (UML), seven from the Nagarik Unmukti Party, four from the CPN (Unified Socialist), one from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party and one independent member.

Rs 15 million collected in UK for humanitarian services

Kathmandu, May 16: Senior social worker and singer Ani Chhoing Drolma has returned to Nepal after collecting Rs 15 million for humanitarian support, organizing various events, including concert in the UK.

The famous singer Drolma, who has been spreading the message of peace around the world through music, went to Britain to support the humanitarian organisation, Manavseva Ashram to rid Nepal of people living in the streets by rescuing and rehabilitating them within 2082 BS.

Singer Drolma said that the support for the ease of service of Manavseva Ashram was collected from the ‘Inner Melody for Inner Peace Live Concert’ and the ‘Meet and Greet’ programme organized at different places in UK.  A great event was organized on May 5 in the hall of the Country Club in Camberly, UK.

Expressing her happiness to accompany the ashram in humanitarian works and help in the promotion of humanity, she promised to accompany the ashram in humanitarian work in the future as well. Out of the amount collected, Rs 5.2 million was collected from ticket sales, Rs 2 million from sponsors and Rs 841 thousand from the sale of her autobiography book, ‘Phool Ko Aankhama’.

Along with the concert, ‘Meet and Greet’ programmes were organized at the Nepalese Embassy in the UK, at Glasgow and Edinburgh in Scotland, at the Aldershot Monastery, Reading Monastery and Plumstead Monastery, Shiv Mandir Aldershot and Sri Lankan Embassy in the UK. Manavseva Ashram UK chapter coordinator Sunilbabu Khadka said that famous singer Ani Choying Drolma’s concert and the UK tour will help in the service delivery of Manavseva Ashram.

Media’s role significant in addressing climate change crisis:  Minister Sharma

Kathmandu, May 16: Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, has said media could interfere significantly in information and education sectors to minimise potential crisis from climate change and augment to disaster resilience.  

In her address to an interaction entitled “A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of Environmental Crisis” organised by the Sancharika Samuha Nepal here today, the Minister urged media to increase is role from the dissemination of pre disaster warnings to the risk assessment.

Media role is vital in sharing about the knowledge of risk, its monitoring and data analysis, information  flow about the risk and making citizens aware of all these, according to the government Spokesperson. 

As she said, globalization of disasters taking place in the Hindu Kush region should be the major agenda of media, she said. “Climate change has appeared as a significant global challenge and the mountain region has been the affected most. Nepal is highly vulnerable to climate change consequences.”

She also urged media to be aware of gender gaps increased by the climate change crisis and give a due coverage to such issues.  

The Minister further said the government has pursued a policy of addressing the concerns of that community in discrimination.

Taking reference of increasing phenomenon of torrent and drought, the consequences of climate change, the Minister expressed concerns over the loss of life and property in such incidents.

Sancharika Samuha President Bimala Tumkhewa said study shows women suffer the most worldwide from the consequences of climate change.   She stressed that the earth should be saved for our future generation.

Chairperson of Federation of Nepali Journalists (FNJ), Bipul Pokhrel, said environment impact issues should get media coverage with much priority.   “We are responsible for escalating t he incidences of natural disasters as we are not practicing environment-friendly lifestyle.”

International Alert National Director Rabina Shrestha said media role is vial in building an atmosphere for the mitigation of environmental impact.

She underlined the need of combined efforts to mitigate risk of climate change consequences in Nepal.

This year, the World Press Freedom Day (May 3) was observed with the theme of ” A Press for the Planet: Journalism in the face of the Environmental Crisis.”

Forward-looking national force should be brought to decisive role: Chair Oli

Kathmandu, May 16: CPN (UML) chairman KP Sharma Oli has emphasized on the need to bring national power in a decisive level to promote national interest, good governance and rapid development. On the 31st Memorial Day of Madan-Ashrit, former Prime Minister Oli said that the UML is establishing itself as an invincible power by defeating all kinds of attacks.

 In an event organized to pay tribute to then general secretary of UML Madan Kumar Bhandari and UML organization department chief Jeevraj Ashrit, here in Madannagar, Balkhu in the capital chair Oli opined so.

Chairman Oli said that the movement that they have taken forward is being directed by the People’s Multiparty Democracy propounded by the people’s leader Madan Bhandari. He argued to materialize the dream of leader Bhandari and Ashrit with massive reforms in the governance and state.   Former Prime Minister Oli recalled his past premiership when there was blockade in Indo-Nepal border and he fought against it. 

On the occasion, former head of the State Bidya Devi Bhandari senior Vice Chairman Ishwar Pokharel, Vice Chairs Yuvraj Gyawali, Ashtalakshmi Shakya and Bishnu Prasad Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel, Deputy General Secretary Pradeep Kumar Gyawali and Prithvisubba Gurung, Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai, Advisory Council Chairman Amrit Kumar Bohara, Standing Committee Member Krishna Gopal Shrestha, wife of Ashrit Maya Gyawali among other leaders of the party expressed their tributes to them.

Government reappoints Khadka as chairperson of MWFC

Kathmandu, May 16: The government has reappointed journalist Sangita Khadka as the Chairperson of Minimum Wages Fixation Committee (MWFC).

A cabinet meeting held at Singha Durbar today took the decision to this effect, shared Minister for Communications and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma.

The government had, in accordance with the Working Journalists Related Act-2051 and Regulations 2053, formed the committee in 2064 BS to carry out activities like determining wages of working journalists, staffs and workers in media houses and organisations, reviewing the wages, classification of posts as well as monitoring of media institutions. 

The meeting also appointed Prof Dr Lekhnath Sharma to the post of executive chair of Policy Research Institute Development Committee.

Similarly, the cabinet decided to promote Loknath Poudel to the Gazetted Special Class under Nepal Administrative Service, and Rajendra Prasad Mishra to Gazetted Special Class under Agro-Forest Service, added Minister Sharma.

The government also took the decision to approve around 13 million Euros grant assistance to be provided by Finland for the implementation of climate change adaptation programme.

Former CoAS Thapa passes away

Kathmandu, May 16: Former Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Dharmapalbar Singh Thapa passed away today at the age of 85.

Suffering from lung disease for long, he died in course of treatment at Birendra Military Hospital, Chhauni, according to the Nepali Army. 

The final rites of former CoAS Thapa would be performed at Pashupati Aryaghat today itself, according to the family source. He served as CoAS from 2052 BS to 2056 BS. Thapa is survived by three sons and a daughter.

British Embassy provides Rs two billion 181 million for recovery of quake-affected areas

Kathmandu May 16: The British Embassy in Kathmandu has provided GBP 13 million (equivalent to Rs two billion 181million) for the recovery of the earthquake affected municipalities in Western Nepal.

The assistance was granted under the Joint Recovery Action Plan (JRAP) for the Western Nepal Earthquake in February 2024 by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) and the Humanitarian Country Team, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), it is stated in a press note today.

“The Joint Recovery Action Plan was developed to respond the needs of the disaster-affected communities and to build resilience,” said Hanaa Singer Hamdy, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nepal.

She thanked the UK for their support through a Multi-Partner Trust Fund (MPTF) to advance a coherent and joint approach across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus in Nepal and help the realization of the UN Reform at the country level. 

 The support will be given through a joint programme of IOM, UNFPA, UNICEF, and WFP under the leadership of the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (UNRCO) to ensure effective and close coordination among the various components of the project.

It is reported that funding will address the water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), nutrition, protection, shelter, and food security needs of approximately 50 thousand earthquake-affected people in western Nepal. Integral to the implementation of these initiatives is a strong commitment to accountability to the affected population (AAP), ensuring that resources are utilized judiciously to maximize benefits for the earthquake-affected communities in Jajarkot, Rukum West and Salyan districts.

 “This new £13m commitment builds on the immediate support the UK provided of £0.5m for immediate humanitarian relief after the earthquake,” said Pippa Bird, Development Director at the British Embassy Kathmandu.

On November 3, 2023, Nepal’s deadliest earthquake since April 2015 struck Jajarkot, West Rukum and adjoining districts in Karnali Province. The 6.4 magnitude earthquake, which was followed by over 300 aftershocks of more than 4.0 magnitude, killed 154 (84 females and 70 males, including 81 children), injured 366, and displaced tens of thousands of people, forcing many to sleep outside in freezing overnight temperatures for fear of aftershocks.

 On the occasion, NDRRMA Chief Executive Anil Pokhrel said, “FCDO has been consistently supporting the Government of Nepal’s Humanitarian Response including reconstruction and recovery. The NDRRMA welcomes the additional financial contribution from FCDO which will help address the critical needs of the earthquake-affected municipalities in Karnali Province.”

World Peace Flame sent to Everest base camp

Bhairahawa (Rupandehi), May 16: The world peace flame to be lit at the inauguration of the ‘Everest Marathon’ held every year on Everest Day (May 29) has been sent from Lumbini, the birthplace of Buddha, to the Everest base camp today.

Himalaya Expedition, the organizer of Everest Marathon, organized a programme and handed over the ‘Jyoti of Shanti Deep’ in Lumbini to Baikuntha Manandhar, the record runner of marathon in South Asia, through the spiritual adviser of Lumbini Development Trust, Bhikkhu Maitreya.

In the event, Buddhist monks recited the Buddhist scriptures and the ‘peace flame’ was lit in torch and handed over to Himalayan Expedition founder and President Bikram Pandey. He said that this journey from Lord Buddha’s birthplace Lumbini to Mount Everest has given a new identity to this region.

Two Ugandans and an Indian arrested for nexus with drugs smuggling

Kathmandu, May 16: The Narcotic Control Bureau of Nepal Police has arrested three people – two from Uganda and one from India – for their involvement in the drugs smuggling.

The arrests were made from Thamel of Kathmandu metropolis-17 and the arrested, all females, are Kevina Mugala and Lillian Susan Wanyenze from Uganda and Dewajani Pal, 33, from India.  The Ugandans took a Qatar Airways flight from Ethiopia to land in Kathmandu. They were made public today. 

According to Bureau Spokesperson and Superintendent of Police, Rameshwor Karki, among them, the Indian allegedly arrived here to receive the contraband weighing two kilos 654 grams.

The market value of the contraband is 79.6 million. They are being investigated under The Narcotic Drugs (Control) Act, 2033 BS (1976).

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