India involved in water disputes with South Asian neighbours

Kathmandu, 21 Nov: India is now engaged I resolving water-related disputes with all its neighbours- Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and China, Saurabh Sukha writes in India Today 24 November issue in an article entitled ‘Rivers of Conflict’.
In the case of Nepal too, war issue continue to plague bilateral relations. The Maoist Government, led by Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal, has been demanding the dismantling of existing water treaties, dubbing these as unequal.
For India and Nepal, it maybe a mutually –beneficial relationship if the two countries are able to create a series of hydropower projects that will bring power to India and economic benefits to Nepal, but political issueas have derailed any progress.
Nepal and India signed the Mahakali Treaty in 1996, but despite ratification by the Nepalese Parliament, the treaty remains stalled.
Currently, the two countries are engaged in discussions for three big projects—the Pancheshwor Multipurpose project, Saptakosi high dam project and the Karnali project.
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Maoist national meet to discuss people’s republic

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 21 Nov: Nearly 1,100 national workers of the CPN (Maoist) will meet later Friday to approve either a transitional republic or revolt immediately and declare a people’s hard-line Stalinist state.
The national workers will meet after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Pradchanda and Organization Chief Mohan Baidya Kiran furnish replies Friday morning to points raised by 35 central committee members in an extended meet Wednesday/Thursday.
The meeting discussed whether to go gradually for a people’s republic through transitional republic and democratic federal republic as proposed by Prachanda or immediately declare a people’s republic pushed by Baidya.
The central committee failed to adopt a common integrated political stance incorporating suggestions of Prachanda and Baidya.
A decision will now be taken by the national meet; the issue could even be referred to a broader general convention.
The party central committee met early Friday ahead of the replies to be furnished by two top leaders to adopt a common agenda to be prepared at the national meet.
“Only after their replies, it will be decided how to move ahead with the proposal,” Maoist spokesman Krishna Bahadur Mahara said.
The ongoing discussions in the CPN (Maoist) has been called a ‘great debate’.
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Colgate Palmolive India Ltd withdraws

Kathmandu, 21 Nov; American multinational company Colgate Palmolive India Ltd. is withdrawing completely from Nepal, Annapurna Post reports.
The company, manufacturer of popular toiletry products, has sold all its shares to Everest Hygiene P Ltd, a Nepali company.
A sale agreement has already be signed.
The company withdrew after industrial unrest and a decision was announced following the installation of a Maoist-led government in Nepal.
General Manager Ramesh Rathore called a meeting of workers in Hetauda and informed them of the sale.
CPN-UML Youth Force, at the request of workers, overpowered Rathore after the meeting and handed him over to police in Simara.
Youth Force also delivered the party’s accountant to the police.
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Private schools closed for fourth consecutive day

Kathmandu, 21 Nov; Private schools in the Valley remained closed for the fourth consecutive day Friday.
Nepal Institutional School Teachers’ Union called the strike demanding an end to anarchy in schools and the reinstatement of a sacked teacher.
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Nepali slips rupee further against the dollar

Kathmandu, 21 Nov: The dollar continued its relentless gain in the money market Friday and for the first time in more than four years fetched Rs 81.10 to one greenback crossing the Rs 80 mark.
The dollar gained Rs 1.20 in two days; the greenback was selling for Rs 79.90 Wednesday.
The Nepali rupee is pegged to the dollar and theprice is floated daily while the exchange rate of the Nepali currency is fixed with the Indian rupee which lost ground to the dollar impacting Nepal.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“If Maoists continue staying in government, claim to be the largest party and carry on criminal an murderous activities simultaneously, UML has to reconsider its relationship, which will surely create distance between them.”

(ICPN-UML General Secretary Jhalanath Khanal, The Kathmandu Post, 21 Nov.)