JANAKPUR CIGARETTE FACTORY OFFICIALLY CLOSED DOWN

JANAKPUR CIGARETTE FACTORY OFFICIALLY CLOSED

Kathmandu, 22 June: Janakpur Cigarette Factory (JFC), facing a severe financial crisis, has closed down officially from Tuesday, Annapurna Post reports from Janakpurdham.
Production Chief Lalit Kumar Rayniyar wrote to informed the management in writing Tuesday
The factory is wholly government owned..
(Note: JFC was a gift of former Soviet Union to Nepal.)
Nnnn

BULLISH TREND CONTINUED FOR FOURTH CONSECUTIVE DAY TUESDAY IN NEPSE

Kathmandu, 22 June: Nepse gained 13.45 points as market closed 344.22 points as the market closed Tuesday.
The bullish trend continued for the fourth consecutive day.
The market gained 11.78 points the previous day Monday.
There was no trading Wednesday because of a public holiday.
Altogether 102278 shares were traded for Rs. 41.195 million in 835 transactions.
Stock prices hit a six-year low below 300 points and the market has recovered.
nnnn


INDIA’S NEIGHBOURS MOST FAILED STATES CLAIMS US REPORT

Kathmandu, 22 June: India’s neighbours—Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka—are featured in the list of the ‘most failed states’, the prestigious Foreign Policy magazine said in its latest annual ranking, PTI reports from New York.
Pakistan is at number 12, Myanmar is at 18, Bangladesh 225, Nepal 27, Sri Lanka 29 and Bhutan is at 50 in a list of 60 countries in which African countries dominate.
“Nepal is the poorest country in South Asia, according to the United Nations, and that’s unlikely to change until the peace process is implemented and security restored, There are signs that the Maoists may be losing patience—and thinking about going back to the trenches to fight for more,” the report said.
Nnnn

DAHAL PROPOSES GENERAL CONVENTION
Kathmandu 22 June: The hardline faction of the UCPN (Maoist) has opposed the proposal to hold a general convention to end factional disputes over the party´s political line and defuse an ongoing internal crisis, Post.B Rasnet and Kiran Pun report in Republica.

According to sources, Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal proposal the general convention during a meeting of the party´s top five leaders held at his residence at Naya Bazaar on Monday.

Vice-chairman Dr Baburam Bhattarai seconded the proposal, but Senior Vice-chairman Mohan Baidya, who leads the hardline camp, contended that the time was not appropriate for a general convention as the party finds itself at a very critical point in the peace process.

Baidya is for a constitution of a “People´s Federal Democratic Republic” and formation of a “national army” after integrating the PLA into the Nepal Army (NA), and for fomenting an urban insurrection if the party fails in its endeavors. He has stated that this is a time of heightened class struggle and the party should prepare for a final push for state capture.

Maoist leaders from the Baidya faction argued that they are not opposed to holding a general convention, which has been due for the last 20 years, if Dahal formally tables the proposal at the forthcoming Central Committee (CC) meeting.

“But the party should look critically at the current political scenario and evaluate the subjective and objective realities before going for a general convention,” said Kul Prasad KC, who is close to Baidya.

In fact the Baidya faction doesn´t believe that Chairman Dahal would hold a general convention even if the forthcoming CC takes a decision to that effect, according to party leaders. “Such decisions were taken many times in the past, but the party has not seen any general convention for the last two decades,” KC said.

The Maoist party has set June 23 for the Standing Committee meeting and June 24 for the CC meeting amidst the deepening internal crisis arising out of factional rifts. “The party is holding negotiations behind the curtain but differences are yet to be sorted out,” said Maoist leader Devendra Poudel.

The Baidya faction, which believes that the party deviated from the ideals of revolution after ending the “Protracted People´s War”, has threatened to split the party if the establishment faction makes any compromises over the cherished principles of the party.

“It is not necessary that theoretical and ideological issues are always settled through a method of majority/minority. The current debate is ideological,” said KC.

The party hardliners have lately been divided over their future course of action.

According to sources, the dominant group led by Standing Committee member Netra Bikram Chand is in favor of discussing the party´s bottom-line in the peace process and trying to reach an agreement for now as far as possible.

“It is not any ideological division, but there have been some minor differences over the way ahead,” said a senior Maoist leader.

But party Secretary CP Gajurel and Standing Committee member Dev Gurung are against making any such compromises. Both Gajurel and Gurung have their own personal scores to settle with Dahal.

The party´s three factions - led by Dahal, Baidya and Bhattarai - have been holding their separate campaigns within the party to consolidate their respective positions.

Lately, the internal meetings conducted by the party establishment have outnumbered those being conducted by the Baidya faction. On Tuesday, the Dahal faction held another meeting in Kathmandu.

According to sources, such meetings serve two purposes: 1) accusing the other faction of trying to split the party; and 2) threatening to move ahead in its own way and ignoring the other factions.

During such meetings, the Baidya faction told cadres that Dahal deviated from the party´s ideology and is now planning to split the party to fulfill his vested interests.

To counter this, the Dahal faction has also started holding meetings and has accused the Baidya faction of going against the party´s official line and plotting to split the party.

“It is a strategy to consolidate one´s hold in the party and justify one´s own activities, while blaming others of deviation and anarchy,” said a senior leader.
nnnn



________________________________________



CHITWAN EFFORT TO STOP DENGUE OUTBREAK
Kathmandu, 22 June: The District Public Health Office, Chitwan is set to search and destroy larva and pupa of mosquitoes transferring dengue here in a bid to control dengue outbreak in Chitwan, RSS reports from Chitwan.

The search and destroy programme will be in place as a campaign before the outbreak of dengue, informed vector control inspector of the Office, Ram KC.

Dengue broke out massively in Chitwan last year claiming four lives. Various efforts have been made this year to check dengue and its consequences.

Orientation and awareness creating programme have been organized in different places of the district, KC informed.

RDT kit has been made available to public for free examination of dengue in Bharatpur hospital and buffer has been put in stock keeping in mind the dengue epidemic.

At least 731 dengue affected patients were detected in Chitwan last year.
nnnn

DRESS CODE FOR CIVIL SERVANTSKathmandu, 22 June: The government is all set to make the dress code mandatory for civil servants from the upcoming fiscal year, The Himalayan Times reports.

The administrative committee of the cabinet today decided on uniform designs and colours.

As per the decision, male civil servants have to wear black-blue suit and black shoes or the daura surwal and cap. The coat is not mandatory in the Tarai, while a jacket can be an alternative to the coat in the mountain region.

Female employees will wear a suit and sandals or a sky blue saree with deep violet border and a blouse that matches the colour of the border. Women can also wear a sky-blue kurta salwar and a deep-violet shawl. Women working in the cold region may also use jackets. According to General Administration Minister Yubaraj Karki the dress code is mandatory.
nnnn