SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES BANNED FROM SUNDAY

TWO TERAI PARTIES REGISTERED

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Two terai parties that split have been registered by election commission Thursday.
Madeshi People’s Right Forum- Republican (MPRF-R) and Federal Sadbavana Party (FSP) have been registered,
MPRF-R led by Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta split from its mother party 23 May while FSP led by former General Secretary Anil Kumar Jha of NSP split from mother party19 July.
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SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES BANNED FROM SUNDAY

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Smoking in public places will be banned from Sunday following the enforcement of Tobacco Control Regulation Act.
Fine of Rs 100 to Rs 100,000 can be slapped—first with a warning.
An anti-smoking campaign was lunched in the capital Thursday to cover 52 of 75 districts by Speaker Subash Nemwang.
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NA TEAM LEAVES FOR CHINA VISIT

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: A seven-member good delegation led by Director General of Military Operations Daman Bahadur Ghale left for China Thursday.
The team will visit Tibet and Chengdu .Military Command
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MAN WHO MURDERED HIS YOUNGER BROTHER AND FAMILY ARRESTED

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Rajendra Sah, who was on the run after murdering his brother, his pregnant wife and daughter Monday at Padariya VDC in Sarlahi, was arrested Thursday by police in Parsa.
The murder suspect escaped along with two sons and family.
The brothers were living together.
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MEDIA GOOGLE

‘The signature campaign [to replace NC parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel with Sher Bahadur Deuba] is futile and will hurt the party’s reputation.”
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VAT TAX EVASION ESTIMATED AT Rs.5 MILLION

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Altogether 518 firms and business houses evaded more than an estimated Rs 5 billion in VAT bills according to an updated first estimate of Inland Revenue Office (IRO),Nagarik reports.
An estimate of 216 firms have been completed until 31 July and an evasion of Rs,2.78 billion has been recorded, a senior official of the IRO said.
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SECRETARY DOTEL RESIGNS AMID DIFFERENCES WITH MINISTER

Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Expressing serious dissatisfaction over mounting pressure and unilateral decisions coming from Minister for Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture Khagendra Prasad Prasai, Culture Secretary Modraj Dotel on Thursday tendered his resignation, Bimal Gautam writes in Republica.

"I felt that someone is trying to curtail my personal freedom through unnecessary pressure," admitted Secretary Dotel to Republica, adding, "So, I tendered my resignation. I am feeling absolute relief after tendering my resignation at the Prime Minister´s Office (PMO)."


Dotel registered his resignation at the chambers of Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimire at the very last hour on Thursday.

"I have mentioned my differing opinions in my resignation letter," he said, adding, "However, I don´t want to comment on details concerning this matter."

According to a source, Minister Prasai has long been pressuring Dotel to sign a final document to pave the way for a Chinese NGO--Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and Exchange Foundation-- to launch a three billion dollar project in Lumbini.

However, Secretary Dotel has been refusing to allow the Chinese NGO to initiate the project, citing issues of national sovereignty, security and sensitivity.

"The willingness of Chinese NGO Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation and Exchange Foundation (APECEF) to invest US$3 billion is not in our national interest," the source quoted Secretary Dotel as saying at a recent meeting with Minister Prasai at the Culture Ministry, adding, "We must not allow the Chinese NGO to run the project without adequate homework."

Dotel has been arguing that there could be serious ramifications for Nepal if the Chinese NGO is allowed to go ahead with its project in Lumbini.

Another high-level source at the ministry informed Republica that Minister Prasai, at a recent meeting participated by a majority of ministry officials, openly pressed Secretary Dotel to act in favor of the Chinese NGO and provide it various facilities, arguing that the proposed project is in the national interest.

"Dotel flatly refused the minister´s proposal and said his nature doesn´t allow him to work under anyone´s pressure," the source added.

According to the source, Minister Prasai, a few days ago, warned Dotel to either work in his interest or face problems.

According to the source, Prasai wanted to provide land to the Chinese NGO at the earliest to run its project but Dotel flatly refused this.

The Chinese NGO recently expressed a wish to raise the world´s largest statue of Lord Budhha in Lumbini.
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TALKS BETWEEN BIG THREE AND UDMF ON FEDERAL STRUCTURE INCONCLUSIVE

Kathmandu, 5 Aug. The talks between the three major political parties and the United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) over the formation of state restructuring commission on Thursday ended inconclusively after both the sides refused to budge from their respective stances.

The UDMF -- an alliance of five Madhes-based parties -- stated that the proposal for setting up such a commission is just a ploy to defer the task of state restructuring, while the major parties contended that the commission is a must to resolve the contentious issue.
“The meeting ended inconclusively as Madhes-based political parties categorically rejected the proposal for setting up the commission on state restructuring,” said NC parliamentary party leader Ram Chandra Paudel who was present at the meeting held at the initiative of CA Chairman Subas Nembang.

“The commission is not meant to take a final decision on federalism. It can only make recommendations on the issue of state restructuring,” added Paudel. “But Madhesi parties turned down the proposal.”

“It is our common understanding that formation of a commission to resolve the issue of state restructuring will have no relevance. A committee of experts should be formed to make recommendations on the issue,” said Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta, Chairman of Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Republican (MPRF-R). He also said the major three parties were conspiring to promulgate the new constitution without resolving the issue of state restructuring.

UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the issue of state restructuring should be resolved through national consensus taking all the political parties into confidence. “Such an issue can not be resolved without taking the UDMF into confidence.

But as the Madhes-based parties have rejected the idea, we should now discuss an alternative,” Gupta quoted Dahal as saying.

Prime Minister and Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal reiterated that formation of the commission is necessary to finalize the issue of state restructuring. However, he stressed on the need for further discussion on the issue.

Meanwhile, leaders of Madhes-based political parties asked CA chairman Nembang to take the initiative to form a committee of experts to finalize the issue. They stated that the constitution cannot be drafted until the issue of state restructuring is resolved.
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