STUNNING REVELATION
No coordination between WFP, agriculture ministry: Spokesman Hari Dahal

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 31 Aug: In a stunning revelation, Agriculture Ministry Spokesman Hari Dahal said there’s hardly and cooperation with his ministry and WFP which is work implied is working independently in Nepal.
The revelation comes at a time when the UN WFP has been charged by National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), a government appointed body and INSEC, a NGO, also blamed WFP for causing deaths of several hundred people in the mid and far-West by distributing sub-standard food, lentils and edible oil.
The distribution worsened the epidemic impact.
EFP denied the INSEC but not the NHRC claim.
WFP has drawn the government into controversy and threatened to withdraw from Nepal is government doesn’t certify the quality of food the UN agency distributed in Nepal.
The agency has stopped food distribution in worst-affected Jajarkot district.
Dahal made the claim in an interview published in Nepal newsmagazine.
:Our concept is clear. A responsible organization like the United Nations should distribute standard foodstuff to our people.
“Whatever has happened is wrong. This is a serious issue,” Dahal said on reports of distribution of sub-standard grains.
“UN should also investigate. Where and who have made mistake should be found.:
“WFP and agriculture ministry cooperate from time to time when bringing out bulletins on market surveys. WFP officials come to the ministry to present their analysis on where there are inadequate food supplies and shortages.
“Besides that, there’s no information of their work<’ Dahal said revealing there’s almost no coordination between the WFP and his ministry.
“International agencies while working of food related work, in this country and with this country’s citizens, should inform us. They should work according to the country’s rules and directives.
“But we have no role but to attend their meetings,” Dahal went on to add..
“But in many cases, WFP escapes out,” he admitted while accepting government and its agencies should be responsible for quality control of food supplies.
“It’s probably better to say there’s no proper coordination. Some government agencies may have been informed but agriculture ministry hasn’t been told.” Dahal said.
He said independent work of donors in creating problems.
“Food security law should be introduced. Right now, donors give information on their own;, they present a grim picture and food is being distributed.
“This has created to dependency and food production has declined.
“We say 395,000 need food assistance WFP says requirement there’s need for 3.5 million. We have objections to their data.
“What I say, region and quantify for food to be distributed should be prescribed.
“Food distribution anywhere and in any amount shouldn’t be permitted.”
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PM Nepal unhappy with UNMIN role

Kathmandu, 31 Aug: Foreign advisor Rajan Bhattarai of the prime minister said Madhav Kumar Nepal Sunday told Karin Landgrin not allow the repetition of the Kapilvasthu last Monday when armed and uniformed Maoists walked out of a camp, Rajdhani reports.
Landgrin accepted shortcomings of the part of UNMIN.
Bhattarai said necessary altaerless will be adopted in the coming days.
Landgrin asked the prime minister to call a meeting of a special integration committee to discuss the issue and said it hadn’t been reorganized.
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Maoist women say beauty contest shouldn’t be held

Kathmandu, 31 Aug: A Maoist women organization said a planned beauty contest in the capital planned ‘after 31 August’ should be stopped.
“”Concerned agencies should stop all work in time. We oppose the programme,” All Nepal Women’s Association Revolutionary Chairperson Jayapuri Ghartimagar said in the statement.
Maoists protested and disrupted past annual contests.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

“Nepal appears today to be like a lost ship without a captain. Those who were entrusted with the task of building a new Nepal with an efficient and transparent administration have forgotten their pledge given to the people.”

(Kirtinidhi Bista, newsfront, 31 Aug.)
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