Army chief leaves for India

By Bhola B Rana

Kathmandu, 11 Dec: Army Chief Gen Chatraman Singh Gurung embarks on a week-long India visit Friday heading a nine-member delegation of top officers and civilian officials.
The visit marks the normalization of relationship between the armies of the two countries snapped during the royal regime before 2005,
India suspended military supplies then.
President Prathiva Patil will confer the title of honourary general of the Indian army to Gen Gurung who will also be chief guest at a passing out parade of cadets at the Indian Military Academy in Dehra Dun.
The army chief will hold security discussions with top Indian officials.
Officials of the two countries last week held discussions in the Nepalese capital.
Resumption of military supplies, training of Nepalese army personnel in India and construction of a helipad in Surkhet figured in discussions.
Gen Gurung is visiting India on his second foreign tour after first visiting USA.
Maj Gen Toran Bahadur Singh, who has yet to be promoted by the cabinet despite recommendation of the defence ministry, will be officiating chief. The government of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has been pressurized by several forign governments not to promote Singh for alleged involvement in human rights abuses.
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Maoists declaring autonomous republics Friday

Kathmandu, 11 Dec: Maoists will begin declaring 13 autonomous republics Friday despite objections from other parties.
The announcement is part of the third phase of anti-government and anti-president protests without agreement between three big parties to end a six-month political deadlock.
Two autonomous regions of Limbuwan and Kochila will be declared respectively in Myanglung and Birtamod in the East.
Thousands of YCL have been deployed for the declaration.
Chairman Prachanda rejected charges the declaration was against the comprehensive peace agreement and the interim constitution.
A new state structure has to be incorporated in the constitution after abolishing monarchy.
There’s no agreement on such a federal structure.
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Daily load-shedding increased two hours

Kathmandu, 11 Dec: Daily load-shedding will be increased by two ours every day from Friday in mid-winter, Nepal Electricity Authority said.
The power cut was announced with increased electricity demand and receding level of water of rivers that powers hydro plants.
Daily outage will last four hours.
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