Dahal says fresh elections vague, risky idea

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PAGE 2 www.thehimalayantimes.com THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012
THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2012 www.thehimalayantimes.com CAPITAL • IN BRIEF Woman stabbed LALITPUR: Police arrested Sanjeev Hamal (30) of Dhobighat for knifing Rita Aryal (22) of the same area on Wednesday. Aryal has sustained injury on the hands. Nanda Kishor Yadav, a police constable, was also injured in the incident while trying to defend Aryal. — HNS Jailbird dies THT Participants in a signature campaign demanding revocation of death sentence on Hari Bahadur Ghale in Malaysia, in Kathmandu, on Wednesday. KATHMANDU: Mohammad Iqbal (45), a Pakistani national doing time in Central Jail on the charge of smuggling fake currency notes, died while undergoing treatment in the emergency ward of Bir Hospital on Tuesday night, police said. He was admitted to the hospital eight days ago after he was diagnosed with heart disease. — HNS On wrong side of law KATHMANDU: An on-duty police constable landed in trouble after he tried to make a motorcyclist cough up money in Kapan on Tuesday night. Ganesh Mahat, a cop in Kapan, misbehaved with Deepak Budhathoki for refusing to pay him Rs 200. Budhathoki was heading home when Mahat stopped him ‘for security check’. Budhathoki had his driving licence but had forgotten to carry the bill book. But the cop asked him for Rs 200. Budhathoki lodged a complaint with Police Control Room and Mahat was caught on the wrong side of the law. —HNS Bishnu Prasad Aryal Kathmandu, October 10 The government has plans to complete the Melamchi drinking water project by March 2016 and it is likely to call for fresh bidding on November 9. Dissatisfied with the Chinese contractor selected to execute the Melamchi Water Supply Project for supplying water to Kathmandu Valley, the government had terminated the contract with the company on September 25. “The government has planned to call for fresh bids on November 9. The Chinese company, whose contract was cancelled, will not be allowed to bid next time,” said Krishna Prasad Acharya, executive director of Melamchi Water Supply Development Board (MWSDB). “The project agreement will be signed in March 2013 and completed by March 2016,” he added. The government planned to assess the project performance and achievement within two weeks of termination Students demand 45 pc fare discount Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, October 10 Nepali Congress aligned Nepal Students Union (NSU) today submitted an eight-point memorandum to National Transport Entrepreneurs Federation demanding 45 per cent concession for students travelling on public transportation. • WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY Stigma impeding treatment Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, October 10 Psychiatrist Dr Deep Prakash Malla today urged people to seek help from specialists if they are suffering from any mental illness. Dr Malla of Norvic International Hospital said very few people see psychiatrists due to the stigma attached to depression. “Although there are effective treatments available for depression, access to treatment is a problem in a country like Nepal,” said Malla. Addressing a programme at the hospital, he said depression is the most common mental illness affecting more than 350 million people worldwide irrespective of age, sex or community. October 10 is marked as World Mental Health Day to promote greater public awareness and understanding of mental health and mental illness. The theme of World Mental Health Day this year is ‘Depression: A Global Crisis’. A press statement said more than 50 per cent of mental illnesses start at around 14 years of age and Govt to call for fresh bids in November NSU said passengers should be carried on the basis of seat availability and the fare rate should be pasted at every bus stop and on hoarding boards. Students also demanded action against those who show fake student identity card for discount on public vehicles. Students sought special discount on transportation during festive is more common among females. A minimum of ten per cent of the country’s population is suffering from one or another type of mental illness and depression is the most common among them. “While depression is the leading cause of disability among both males and females, the risk is 50 per cent higher in females. In fact, depression is the leading cause of disease burden for women in both high-income and low and middle-income groups in Nepal”, said the statement. “Myths and misconceptions about these disorders still persist, leading to stigma and discrimination against those who suffer,” said the statement. Depression can be controlled through consultations with psychiatrists, psycho therapists and taking medicine as advised. It can also be controlled with healthy life style, avoiding alcohol, smoking, caffeine, taking proper diet, exercise, adequate sleep, laughing, deep breathing exercise, giving time to family and friends, balancing work and personal life and having a sense of purpose in life. • MELAMCHI DRINKING WATER PROJECT and begin the rebidding process. However, assessment began only yesterday due to lack of cooperation from the terminated contractor, according to sources at the Ministry of Urban Development. “The contractingcompany, which has asked for time till October end, delayed handing over documents,equipment, project plants and performance details to be evaluated,” said officials. “The engineers, however, agreed and allowed the contractor the time sought.” On the behalf of Nepal Government, MWSDB and the Chinese joint venture China Railway 15 Bureau Group Cor- Dangers of melting Himalayas highlighted Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, October 10 Experts and authorities on security and climate issues today highlighted the impact of climate change on South Asia’s socio-economic life and security. At a programme organised jointly by the Institute of Foreign Affairs and Frederich- Ebert Stiftung in the Valley today, Christian Wagner, Senior fellow of German Institute for International and Security Affairs, said as South Asia is amongst the most vulnerable in view of climate change, it needs to address the crisis through intracountry, inter-country and inter-regional cooperation and concerted efforts. “Climate change causes natural disasters, which only accelerates and intensifies the already degrading political-security situation in the region,” Wagner said, pre- senting his concept paper on “Climate Change as a Security Risk in South Asia”. He further made a presentation on the impact of climate change on three main areas — water, agriculture and health and expressed the need to preserve these sectors. Speaking at the function, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Keshab Man Shakya said as far as climate change is concerned, Nepal is among the most vulnerable countries. He said the melting of the Himalayas should be seen not only as having an impact on climate change and global warming, but also as inevitable risk to the socioeconomic and political security of the entire region. FES-Nepal chief Dev Raj Dahal said climate change impacts ultimately lead a society towards violence, conflict and even war. seasons. They also demanded that the syndicate system in transportation be scrapped and implementation of past agreements between student unions, government and the Department of Transport Management. NSU cadres have given 48-hour ultimatum to fulfil students’ demands. poration and China Machinery Industry Construction Group Inc signed the contract agreement on February 19, 2009, promising to complete the project by September 2, 2013. The Chinese contractor on September 18 sought extension of the project till end of 2015, but the government cancelled the contract. However, only 6.5 km of the 26.5 kmlong tunnel of the project has been completed till now. The project was delayed due to protests from locals and negligence on the part of the contractor. Although the estimated budget was six billion rupees, the Chinese company had bid Rs 4.28 billion. Acharya said that the ceiling of budget for a fresh contract was yet to be finalised. “It will certainly increase due to infla- tion, rise in dollar price and variation costs,” he said, adding, “If the new contractor completes the project before the contract period expires, it will be rewarded with bonus of six months and be punished for taking longer time,” he added. The project is expected to partially address the drinking water problem of Kathmandu Valley by supplying 170 million litres of water per day to the Valley. The daily demand of drinking water in Kathmandu valley is estimated at 320 million litres, but Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited has been able to supply only 88.8 million litres per day including 32 per cent from ground water and 67 per cent from the surface during dry season. Around 118.4 million litres per day, including 29 per cent ground water and 71 per cent surface water is supplied during the wet season. Data shows a water deficit of 78.5 per cent during dry season and 63 per cent during wet season, according to a report. Representatives of political parties at a meeting called by the Election Commission at its office in Kantipath, Kathmandu on Wednesday. Probe panel gets details from TIA Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, October 10 Airport security guards today submitted all files related to investigation into the October 5 seizure of illegal foreign currency notes from an Indian citizen to the high-level probe panel led by AIG Bhisma Prasai. A source said the files were submitted to the high-level committee upon demand. Binod Kumar Soni (35) was held with illegal foreign currency notes with face value of Rs 12.4 million on board a Fly Dubai plane. Nepal Police Headquarters had formed the investigation panel after police employees were found involved in assisting Soni to sneak the illegal money into TIA. The police head constable, who has been accused of helping Soni to evade security check points at the airport to take the money into the plane is still at large. Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, October 10 With Dashain just around the corner, police have started making use of loudhailers in the centres and on the outskirts of Kathmandu to raise awareness against crime — especially use of drugs, robbery and burglary. SSP Jaya Bahadur Chand, in-charge, Metropolitan Police Range Hanumandhoka, said the public awareness drive was launched to warn denizens against rising property crimes in the city. “It is during the festive season that the city becomes vulnerable to property crime due to increase in financial transactions ,” he warned. “Keeping in mind the likelihood of property crimes, loudhailers are being used to alert people to the need to cooperate with the law enforcement agency to prevent any untoward incident. Through the awareness campaign, on-duty cops have been asking people to dial the toll free number 100 in order to call the police when they come across persons showing suspicious behaviour in their areas.” Chand added. Police have also urged people to arrange lighting, which they called an PAGE 3 SC tells MoFA to accept Notary Public documents Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, October 10 The Supreme Court today directed the Foreign Ministry to recognise documents certified by the notary public. A division bench of Justices Sushila Karki and Bharat Raj Upreti noted there was no legal obstacle in counter-verifying and authenticating notary publicdocuments for the consulate section of MOFA and declined to issue interim order to revive the authority of Nepal Law Book Management Committee to translate public documents for foreign purposes. The SC also said that since the decision of the Notary Public Council to cease the authority of the committee some four months ago was for implementation of the Notary Public Act, 2006, the demand to reinvest authority on the committee was not proper. Stating that some diplomatic missions have not been recognising notary public documents, advocate Meena Khadka Basnet and a few aspirants trying to go abroad had filed a Public Interest Litigation on September 24 demanding apex court intervention. She had demanded that either notary public documents be recognised or the committee’s service be resumed to do away with obstacles faced by people. During the hearing, Notary Public Association had intervened demanding court order to MoFA to recognise legal documents forwarded by notary public lawyers. Anti-crime messages on mikes THT inexpensive crime deterrent, on the premises of their houses, to not wear jewellery in a flaunting manner and not to keep huge amounts of cash in their houses, especially during the festive season. “Never keep your house unattended. When it needs to be so, inform your trusted neighbours and the nearest police station,” SSP Chand said, adding that most incidents of burglary and theft occur in unattended houses. Police also warned people against accepting food and drinks offered by strangers, citing incidents of drugging and robbing.
Page 1: Nepal’s No. 1 English Daily Turke
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Dahal says fresh elections vague, risky idea

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