Cine artist Biraj Bhatta dancing with other artists during the shooting of a Nepali Movie 'Chino' directed by Sovit Basnet at the Seti river bank in Pokhara on Tuesday.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
UML-led govt formation still in limbo
KATHMANDU, May 12 - Negotiations between Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and United Madhesi Democratic Front (UMDF) hit a snag Tuesday night as the Front stuck to its guns: amend the Interim Constitution to address the eight-point agreement signed between the government and UMDF on 28 February 2008. Thus, the government formation process appears to drag on, mired in a politically fluid situation.The prospects of a Congress-UML-led alliance continues to hang in a balance even though a UML-led government appeared completely feasible earlier in the day. At one point, the democratic alliance, widely touted as a multi-party coalition was optimistic it would garner 341 votes in Madhav Kumar Nepal's favour.
At the meeting with NC and UML on Tuesday, UMDF constituents -- Madhesi Janadhikar Forum (MJF), Tarai Madhes Loktantrik Party (TMLP) and Sadbhavana Party (SP) -- were reportedly ready to support the NC-UML-led alliance after the latter pledged to address the UMDF demands by incorporating them into the Common Minimum Programme of the coalition government.
Talking to journalists, TMLP leader Ram Kumar Sharma said, “We have received positive response from the NC and UML on our eight-point demand, so the UMDF is going to hold a joint meeting in the afternoon and decide to extend support to the new alliance.”
Immediately after the meeting, NC Acting President Sushil Koirala and UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal sent a paper to the UMDF expressing commitment to implement the eight-point agreement. “But issues related to the constitution will be decided through the Constituent Assembly,” the paper read. However, a meeting of UMDF leaders failed to take a final decision. Instead, they floated a precondition telling the NC and UML to address their demands immediately by amending the Interim Constitution.
MJF Chairman Upendra Yadav said UMDF favoured a broad democratic alliance to lead the nation and they were positive towards the new alliance and UML's leadership. “But the new alliance should make its stance clear on certain issues,” he said wi-thout elaborating the issues.
UML leader Raghuji Panta said, “We will hold dialogue with UMDF leaders and sort out issues tomorrow and reach a final agreement to form a coalition.”
Meanwhile, CPN-ML leader Chandra Prakash Mainali handed over the signatures of his party's nine lawmakers to Nepal extending support to lead the new government. Rastriya Prajantantra Party Chairman Pashupati Shumsher Rana, Rastriya Janashakti Party Chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa and Chitra Bahadur KC of National People's Front have directed their lawmakers to vote for Nepal in the prime ministerial poll fray.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Maoist politburo members part ways to meet again
BHAKTAPUR, May 7 -
The Politburo meeting of the Unified CPN (Maoist) held on Thursday to decide its future strategy after the party's disengagement from the government was put off until Saturday.
At today's meeting that lasted for about seven hours at Training Center of Agricultural Development Bank in Bode, Bhaktapur, Maoist politburo members reported about the latest political situation.
Echoing with the party's earlier stand, the politburo members reiterated that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav's decision to reinstate Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal was unconstitutional and urged the party leadership to take forward other procedures only after President Dr Ram Baran Yadav retracts his decision.
The politburo members sought the leaderships' attention to stick its stance on thwarting the parliamentary business and the government formation unless the president corrects his decision, Maoist Politburo member Devendra Poudel said. However, the Maoists, who are infuriated after its pursuit to sack CoAS Katawal was not supported even by its coalition partner CPN-UML, has not formulated any line of attack against its political rivals.
Earlier, the Maoist Secretariat meeting had decided that the politburo would finalise the party's future strategy.
The 45-member politburo is the powerful body of the Maoists after its secretariat. Claiming that the status quoits and regressive powers have began forging alliance to launch, in its own word, "counter revolution" with the support of foreigners, the Maoists are said to make a solid plan to intensify their struggle from the parliament and the streets.
The Maoists have been staging struggle from the streets and the House saying that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav's order to reinstate Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal, whom the Maoist-led government coalition had given retirement, is 'unconstitutional' and was against the civilian supremacy.
The former rebel Unified CPN (Maoist), which emerged as the single largest party in the CA election last year after joining a peace deal in 2006, said that they pulled out of the government eight months after joining it, saying that President's "unconstitutional" move has breached the civilian supremacy and has created a parallel authority.
Posted on: 2009-05-07 07:35:32
The Politburo meeting of the Unified CPN (Maoist) held on Thursday to decide its future strategy after the party's disengagement from the government was put off until Saturday.
At today's meeting that lasted for about seven hours at Training Center of Agricultural Development Bank in Bode, Bhaktapur, Maoist politburo members reported about the latest political situation.
Echoing with the party's earlier stand, the politburo members reiterated that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav's decision to reinstate Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal was unconstitutional and urged the party leadership to take forward other procedures only after President Dr Ram Baran Yadav retracts his decision.
The politburo members sought the leaderships' attention to stick its stance on thwarting the parliamentary business and the government formation unless the president corrects his decision, Maoist Politburo member Devendra Poudel said. However, the Maoists, who are infuriated after its pursuit to sack CoAS Katawal was not supported even by its coalition partner CPN-UML, has not formulated any line of attack against its political rivals.
Earlier, the Maoist Secretariat meeting had decided that the politburo would finalise the party's future strategy.
The 45-member politburo is the powerful body of the Maoists after its secretariat. Claiming that the status quoits and regressive powers have began forging alliance to launch, in its own word, "counter revolution" with the support of foreigners, the Maoists are said to make a solid plan to intensify their struggle from the parliament and the streets.
The Maoists have been staging struggle from the streets and the House saying that President Dr Ram Baran Yadav's order to reinstate Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rookmangud Katawal, whom the Maoist-led government coalition had given retirement, is 'unconstitutional' and was against the civilian supremacy.
The former rebel Unified CPN (Maoist), which emerged as the single largest party in the CA election last year after joining a peace deal in 2006, said that they pulled out of the government eight months after joining it, saying that President's "unconstitutional" move has breached the civilian supremacy and has created a parallel authority.
Posted on: 2009-05-07 07:35:32
Parijat awards today
Kantipur Report
Parijat Memorial Centre, Kathmandu has announced its annual prizes given out in three different fields. Accordingly, Parijat Creation Award -2065 has gone to Ninu Chapagain, Parijat Struggle for Women Award-2065 to Kamala Naharki and Parijat Art Award-2065 to Ramkrishna Bhandari. The award ceremony as well as Parijat memorial is being held today at Nepal Tourism Board, Exhibition Road.
The award is given in the memory of writer Bishnu Kumari Waiba alias Parijat who published three poetry collections and ten novels in addition to many short stories. Born in 1937 in Darjeeling, she is best known for her novel "Siris ko Ful."
Posted on: 2009-05-08 22:19:27 (Server Time)
Parijat Memorial Centre, Kathmandu has announced its annual prizes given out in three different fields. Accordingly, Parijat Creation Award -2065 has gone to Ninu Chapagain, Parijat Struggle for Women Award-2065 to Kamala Naharki and Parijat Art Award-2065 to Ramkrishna Bhandari. The award ceremony as well as Parijat memorial is being held today at Nepal Tourism Board, Exhibition Road.
The award is given in the memory of writer Bishnu Kumari Waiba alias Parijat who published three poetry collections and ten novels in addition to many short stories. Born in 1937 in Darjeeling, she is best known for her novel "Siris ko Ful."
Posted on: 2009-05-08 22:19:27 (Server Time)
Nepal crisis may hit Pancheshwar dam
Shishir Prashant / New Delhi/ Dehra Dun May 07, 2009, 0:23 IST
The 6,000 megawatt dam planned on the Indo-Nepal border likely to be delayed.The ongoing upheavals in Nepal in the wake of the resignation of Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ can further delay the proposed 6,000 Mw Pancheshwar dam on the Indo-Nepal border.
“We view the developments in Nepal very disturbing as far as the Pancheshwar dam is concerned,” an official here said.
Prachanda, who had shown keenness in developing the Pancheshwar dam, had visited the 2400Mw Tehri hydel project, an engineering marvel, last November to understand the problem of rehabilitation. He also went inside the powerhouse of the dam, which is the highest in Asia, and watched various mechanisms of the project.
After visiting Tehri, Prachanda also had a luncheon meeting with chief minister BC Khanduri in Dehra Dun where the two leaders discussed matters related to the Pancheshwar dam, which is being jointly developed by Nepal and India with an estimated investment of Rs 30,000-40,000 crore.
At that time, the Maoist leader had also told Khanduri that Nepal was looking forward to work with India on more hydel projects.
Significantly, Uttarakhand, which had opposed big dams for a long time, gave its consent for the Pancheshwar hydel project.
For the development of the mega dam, a separate Pancheshwar development authority comprising top officials from both Nepal and India was also in the process of being set up. The Uttarakhand power secretary is a member of the authority established to expedite matters related to the project as well as its detailed project report. The project was proposed on the basis of the 1996 Mahakali Treaty.
Initially, after the formation of the Maoist government in Nepal, doubts were being raised over the future of the hydel projects sharing border with Nepal. But after the visit of Prachanda to India, the air of uncertainty had been removed largely, the official added. Now, all depends on the situation in Nepal and future government at Kathmandu, the official added.
The Pancheshwar hydel project, thrice the size of the Tehri dam, is being proposed on the Kali river in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts of the state along with some parts of Nepal. The project, having 12 units of 540 Mw each, would uproot hundreds of people from Pithoragarh and Champawat districts and submerge a large area in the region. Nearly 80 percent of the catchment area would be in India and rest in Nepal.
There are reports that the height of the Pancheshwar dam has been increased from 238 metre to 315 metre. Besides, a huge reservoir is being planned for the Pancheshwar dam in which over 100 villages would be submerged completely. But the sources here said as compared to the potential of the dam, the number of people being uprooted would be far less.
There will be two underground power projects in the proposed site. Most of the areas in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts are ecologically very fragile as well as earthquake prone.
The project has also come under fire with social activists saying they do not want another Tehri-like experiment in the state again.
The 6,000 megawatt dam planned on the Indo-Nepal border likely to be delayed.The ongoing upheavals in Nepal in the wake of the resignation of Nepalese Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ can further delay the proposed 6,000 Mw Pancheshwar dam on the Indo-Nepal border.
“We view the developments in Nepal very disturbing as far as the Pancheshwar dam is concerned,” an official here said.
Prachanda, who had shown keenness in developing the Pancheshwar dam, had visited the 2400Mw Tehri hydel project, an engineering marvel, last November to understand the problem of rehabilitation. He also went inside the powerhouse of the dam, which is the highest in Asia, and watched various mechanisms of the project.
After visiting Tehri, Prachanda also had a luncheon meeting with chief minister BC Khanduri in Dehra Dun where the two leaders discussed matters related to the Pancheshwar dam, which is being jointly developed by Nepal and India with an estimated investment of Rs 30,000-40,000 crore.
At that time, the Maoist leader had also told Khanduri that Nepal was looking forward to work with India on more hydel projects.
Significantly, Uttarakhand, which had opposed big dams for a long time, gave its consent for the Pancheshwar hydel project.
For the development of the mega dam, a separate Pancheshwar development authority comprising top officials from both Nepal and India was also in the process of being set up. The Uttarakhand power secretary is a member of the authority established to expedite matters related to the project as well as its detailed project report. The project was proposed on the basis of the 1996 Mahakali Treaty.
Initially, after the formation of the Maoist government in Nepal, doubts were being raised over the future of the hydel projects sharing border with Nepal. But after the visit of Prachanda to India, the air of uncertainty had been removed largely, the official added. Now, all depends on the situation in Nepal and future government at Kathmandu, the official added.
The Pancheshwar hydel project, thrice the size of the Tehri dam, is being proposed on the Kali river in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts of the state along with some parts of Nepal. The project, having 12 units of 540 Mw each, would uproot hundreds of people from Pithoragarh and Champawat districts and submerge a large area in the region. Nearly 80 percent of the catchment area would be in India and rest in Nepal.
There are reports that the height of the Pancheshwar dam has been increased from 238 metre to 315 metre. Besides, a huge reservoir is being planned for the Pancheshwar dam in which over 100 villages would be submerged completely. But the sources here said as compared to the potential of the dam, the number of people being uprooted would be far less.
There will be two underground power projects in the proposed site. Most of the areas in Pithoragarh and Champawat districts are ecologically very fragile as well as earthquake prone.
The project has also come under fire with social activists saying they do not want another Tehri-like experiment in the state again.
Bad Omens For Nepal’s New Government
KATHMANDU, NEPAL, May 4, 2009:
When King Gyanendra’s army-backed reign ended three years ago followed by the abolition of monarchy in the world’s only Hindu kingdom, it did not come as a surprise to the Himalayan nation’s devout Hindus. “It was on the charts,” says Upendra Dahal, a Brahmin priest who also dabbles in astrology at the revered Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. “The Gods were against him and sent him omens.”
There were several omens. An annual procession during which the Kumari was disrupted after an axle broke; a second chariot procession for Rato Machhindranath, God of rains, was halted; a famous deity, Bhimsen, began to sweat in a Kathmandu temple. The people of Nepal took these signs to heart.
Now a year after the exit of the king and his former arch enemies, the Maoist guerrillas, there are fresh divine rumblings. On Sunday, the procession of Rato Machhindranath came to a standstill once again as the immense chariot almost keeled over.
As the spectre of a no-trust vote and a humiliating defeat hangs over the Maoist government, people are also talking of the former rebels’ professed disdain for religion.
In the Sunsari district in southern Nepal, which was hit by major floods last year, discontent is visible. “The prime minister took the oath of office in the name of people and not God,” a villager said. “It was his disbelief that brought about the flood.”
When King Gyanendra’s army-backed reign ended three years ago followed by the abolition of monarchy in the world’s only Hindu kingdom, it did not come as a surprise to the Himalayan nation’s devout Hindus. “It was on the charts,” says Upendra Dahal, a Brahmin priest who also dabbles in astrology at the revered Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu. “The Gods were against him and sent him omens.”
There were several omens. An annual procession during which the Kumari was disrupted after an axle broke; a second chariot procession for Rato Machhindranath, God of rains, was halted; a famous deity, Bhimsen, began to sweat in a Kathmandu temple. The people of Nepal took these signs to heart.
Now a year after the exit of the king and his former arch enemies, the Maoist guerrillas, there are fresh divine rumblings. On Sunday, the procession of Rato Machhindranath came to a standstill once again as the immense chariot almost keeled over.
As the spectre of a no-trust vote and a humiliating defeat hangs over the Maoist government, people are also talking of the former rebels’ professed disdain for religion.
In the Sunsari district in southern Nepal, which was hit by major floods last year, discontent is visible. “The prime minister took the oath of office in the name of people and not God,” a villager said. “It was his disbelief that brought about the flood.”
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