ELECTION OF TIBET GOVT. FOILED

FORMER UML LAWMAKER SENTENCED

Kathmandu, 21 March: Former UML lawmaker Dol Bahadur Karki waa sentenced by a special three member bench of a special court to six months imprisonment among with a fine of Rs. 100,000 for attempting to use his influence to secure a government for a person.
The man had given Karki Rs. 100,000 for securing the job.
The legislator was immediately sacked by the party when the incident came to light last year.
Bhramananda Swamy, who was also involved, was sentenced to four months imprisonment along with a Rs. 100,000 fine as well.
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MAOIST VICE-CHAIRMAN DR. BABURAM BHATTARAI ON NATION-WIDE TOUR; SUPPORTS LARGE INDIAN AIDED HYDRO PROJECTS

Kathmandu, 21 March: Maoist Vice-chairman Dr. Baburam Bhattarai told supporters in Baitadi Monday he’s on a tour of all the nation’s 75 districts to inform grassroots of his thoughts amid an internal party gag order from the establishment sidled by Chairman Prachanda.
Prachanda and another Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya have control over party integration.
Bhattarai was boycotted by the Prachanda faction in the UCPN
Maoist) in Baitadi Sunday.
Bhattarai began his nation-wide tour from the far-West in Dhangadi Saturday.
The establishment faction in the party unsuccessfully attempted this month to stop Bhattarai from entering Gorkha—a district from where he was elected to parliament with an overwhelming vote—the largest vote collected by anyone in the 601-member parliament.
An angry third ranking party leader immediately reacted by saying he was ready to die for the country’s good like Bhimsen Thapa who slit his throat and committed suicide in confinement,
Bhattarai, who holds a degree in architectural engineering, Sunday lent his support for large dams—especially the Mahakali and Pancheshow river projects—being undertaken jointly with India.
Maoists have opposed such projects the party has even intervened to disrupt hydro power projects awarded by Government to India.
Critics charge Bhattarai—considered a liberAl in the eparty-- for
pro-Indian stance in the party.
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SUPREME COURT SUMMONS FORMER IGP

Kathmandu, 21 March: Supreme court division bench Sunday reopened a a corruption charge case against former IGP Pradip Shumshere Rana, his wife and son by summoning them to the apex court.
They were summoned after the court sentenced former minister and NC leader to fail sentence along with a fine and confiscation of property on corruption charge filed by CIAA.
The case was settled after eight long years.
Supreme court charged Rana in 2005 for possessing unaccountable wealth to tune of Rs 40 million.
Rana was cleared by the apex court on technicality.
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POLICE INTERVENE, STOP ELECTION OF TIBET GOVT.

Kathmandu, 21 March: Police Sunday thwarted an attempt by Tibetans in the Valley to conduct elections for a government- in- exile based in India where the spiritual and temporal leader Dalai Lama lives in exile.
No vote was conducted after the intervention.
The aging Dalai Lama has said he wants to give up his political powers.
Elections were held Sunday by the Tibetan community outside Tibet to elect a government chief.
The Tibetan settlements mainly in Baudha, the Refugee Center in Lalitpur and Syambhunath were closely monitored.

Government keeps a close watch on activities on the community and intervenes to stop any perceived anti-China activity.
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MORE DETAILS ON MADESH OPPOSITIONTO EXTENSION OF CA TENURE

Kathmandu, 21 March: Immediately after retuning home Sunday after top level political consultations with Indian political party and government officials, MJFD Chairman Bijaya Gachedhar said a front of terai-based parties oppose another extension of the constituent assembly (CA) tenure if a constitution isn’t promulgated by the second 28
‘We are united to seek a fresh mandate,” he said.
‘If an attempt is made in the name of majority to extend the mandate, we may go for protests,” he warned.
RPP-Nepal has already said it hold protests against extending a CA tenure and has called for fresh elections.
Chairman Mahanta Thakur of TMLP and Chairman of NSP Rajendra Mahoto didn’t return home Sunday with Gachedhar even though the three flew for New Delhi collectively on Indian government invitation for political consultations.
A repot said the three leaders met leaders of three armed terai groups in the Indian capital.
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BRITISH ASSISTANCE TO NA FOR INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS

Kathmandu, 21 March: Fifteen officers of Nepal Army (NA) recently received training from British government in intelligence analysis.
This was revealed by the NA.
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50% SELF-SUFFICIENCY IN DRUGS

Kathmandu, 21 March: Nepali drug manufacturers have enlisted under “self sufficient” category 70 different medicines that can be produced in any volume to meet the domestic demand, Ashok Thapa reports in Republica.

Association of Pharmaceuticals Producers of Nepal (APPON) has proposed to Department of Industries (DoI) to halt import of the medicines under the self-sufficient category to encourage domestic drug manufacturers.

Chairman of APPON, Umesh Lal Shrestha said, “We have proposed to the government to halt the import of the drugs that can be produced in abundance by local manufacturers.”

He said the enlisted drugs range from antibiotics, tonic and vitamins to more specialized drugs including those for diabetes, cholesterol and heart problems.

According to APPON, the drugs that are manufactured by at least five companies and can be produced in abundance locally have been enlisted as self sufficient drugs.

“There are 42 drug manufacturing companies at present,” continued Shrestha, “And most of them produce the same kind of drugs.”

Shrestha also said that domestic pharmaceutical companies produce drugs worth Rs 6 billion a year adding, “The drugs under the self-sufficient category meet 50 percent of the domestic demand.”

Shrestha also claimed that domestic manufacturers are now in the position to replace around 70 to 80 percent of drugs imported from overseas.

“The government should encourage local manufacturers,” he said, claiming that they are capable of producing medicines at the lowest price.

“In other nations including Bangladesh, the government doesn´t import drugs which are produced in abundance locally,” he informed.

According to APPON, drugs worth Rs 8 billion are imported annually. “We are compelled to import some 20 to 25 percent of drugs worth about Rs 3 billion as we cannot produce them,” said Shrestha.

Hari Bhakta Sharma, deputy director of Deurali Janta Pharmaceuticals, said, “It is negligence on the part of government to spend billions of rupees on the import of drugs that can be produced locally.”

Radha Raman Prashad, the head of Department of Drugs Administration (DoDA), said the APPON´s enlistment of drugs under the self-reliant category is reliable. “However, I am not satisfied with the way the association has approached the government,” he said.
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