ADDITIONAL DETAILLS OF EXPANDED PM BHATTARAI GOVT.

ADDITIONAL DETAILS OF JUMBO GOVT. OF PM BHATTARAI

Kathmandu 14 Nov.: Twenty-seven members of the jumbo government of Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai are from six Madeshbadi parties,
The biggest ministry in Nepal history led by the UCPN (Maoist) has a majority in parliament with the support of Madeshbadi parties.
The government of Sher Bahadur Deuba of NC in 2054 of Pajero culture fame to buy support of legislators had 48 members.
Bhattarai expanded the government for the sixth time in more thanl two months.
Minister of State Omkar Prakash Yadav Guljari was charged for murder of a Maoist and a case was filed at the supreme court; Gulgari was
pardoned by government in an amnesty for Madeshbadi leaders t defuse the Madesh movement.
PM Bhattarai expanded the government Sunday as Communication Minister and Chairman of MJFN (Republican) Jayaprakash Prasad Gupta
leaves for a visit of South Korea Monday.
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ABDUCTED BOY IN SARLAHI FOUND DEAD

Kathmandu, 14 Nov.: A boy abducted in Sarlahi one week ago was found dead Sunday.
Body of Bijaya Raya, 28, was found near Tribhuvanagar on the Indo-Nepal. border.
Raya was abducted 5 November while returning home.
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EVEREST GAS DIRECTOR RELEASD

Kathmandu, 14 Nov. Director of Everest Gas Director Sitaram
Timalshina was released Sunday by Kathmandu district administration released after pay a surety of Rs300,000.
Timalshina was arrested last week on charge of marketing underweight gas cylinders.
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Kathmandu, 14 Nov.: Temperature Monday morning was 10 degrees Celsius on a cloudy morning in the capital.
Maximum temperature during the day is expected to rise to 20/22 degrees Celsius.
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KOREAN FIRM SELECTED FOR DPR of EAST-WEST
RAIL NETWORK

Kathmandu, 14 Nov.: A committee has recommended the name of South Korean consulting firm Chungsuk Engineering Company to prepare a Detail Project Report (DPR) for the construction of Bardibas-Birgunj section of Mechi-Mahakali Electrical Railway system and negotiations with the same firm are underway for the feasibility study of the proposed metro train service in the Kathmandu valley, Prabhakar Ghimere reports in Republica..

"We have recommended Chungsuk Engineering Company after studying the technical and financial proposals from Scott Wilson of India, Systra FA of France and this company.

We have also prepared a draft agreement to be signed between the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW) and the firm soon," Ram Kumar Lamsal, who is heading the seven-member recommendation panel told the Republica on Sunday.

The agreement would include date of completion, mode of payment, number of stations, bridges to be covered by the railway line, dispute settlement process, among others.

Around Rs 320 million would be paid to the consultancy firms for DPR of the 136-km section of the proposed east-west electrical railway project. The DPR would be completed within one year.

"The MoPPW will issue a Letter of Intent (LoI) - a go-ahead for conducting the study - once it decides to appoint the firm as the consultant for DPR," said Lamsal, who is also the director general of Department of Railway.

The proposed 1,100-odd km east-west railway network was pushed in a bid to narrow down travel time for long-haul passengers and make their journeys more comfortable.

Sixteen companies had submitted expressions of interest (EoI) in preparing the DPR for Bardibas-Simra-Birgunj section of Mechi-Mahakali railway line.

Similarly, the committee is engaged in final negotiations with the same Korean firm (Chungsuk Engineering Company) to finalize the contract agreement after evaluating its technical and financial proposals for the feasibility study of metro railway - a Mass Rapid Transit (underground and elevated railway) system for the capital.

The government pushed for a Mass Rapid Transit system in the valley about two years ago in a bid to manage the worsening traffic conditions in the capital due to unchecked rise in the number of vehicles and poor transport infrastructure. An estimated Rs 80 million is needed to complete the feasibility of the Metro railway line.

Chungsuk Engineering Company of Korea, RITES Limited (India), Systra FA of France and TEAM Consulting Engineering and Management of Thailand were short-listed and asked to submit their financial and technical proposals for the study.

The proposed railway network is expected to cover almost all major bus stops and connect the city with the outskirts, making commuter movement easier and faster.

Similarly, 16 companies had registered their EoI in conducting feasibility study for the metro that envisages a railway line within the core area of the valley and laying down of 75 km of railway track including 27 km along the Ring Road.
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BAIDYA FACTION SAYS SEIZED ASSETS WON’T BE RETURNED
Kathmandu, 13 Nov.: The Mohan Baidya faction of the UCPN (Maoist) on Sunday announced that it will not return 150 bigha (101.59 hectares] of land seized during Maoist insurgency to rightful owners despite a directive by the Maoist party to return the property, Chandani
Hamal reports in Republica from Chitwan..

The UCPN (Maoist) has already issued a circular to the party units to return the seized land by November 23 as per the seven-point agreement.


The Mohan Baidya faction organized a press conference in Chitwan on Sunday and warned that it will resist any move to return the property.

UCPN (Maoist) Chitwan district in-charge, Anil Sharma, who is from the Baidya faction, said the seized property won´t be returned until an alternative arrangement is made to settle thousands of squatters currently residinng on the property.

Around 150 squatters are residing in a 12 bigha plot (8.13 hectares), captured in 2004, that belongs to Shovit Kumar Agrawal. Similarly, 100 squatters are residing on a five bigha plot (3.39 hectares) belonging to Bhagawati Farm. Maoist had also captured 12 bighas belonging to businessman Dinesh Agrawal in 2002.

Additionally, 83 bigha (56.21 hectares) registered in the name of Mercantile Company, in eastern Chitwan is also under Maoist control.

Maoists haven´t returned 22 bigha (14.9 hectares) in Kurintar, 2.5 bigha (1.69 hectares) in Jutpani and 18 bihga (12.19 hectares) in Paihani in the district.

Baidya faction leader Bhumeshwar Kandel, who is the central secretariat member of the All Nepal Peasants Union-Revolutionary, at the press conference, said aforementioned are some of the examples of the seized land and more plots of land are under their control.

Authorities concerned should address the problems of landless squatters first and only then will we return the seized land, said Nar Bahadur Gautam, the president of Maoist-affiliated squatters union.
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