GULMI DISTRICT JAIL INMATES AGITATE

GULMI DISTRICT JAIL INMATES AGITATE
Kathmandu, 4 Nov.: Inmates languishing at Gulmi district jail have resorted to agitation citing dissatisfaction for not providing them with the services and facilities rendered by the state, RSS reports from Dhurkot.

The inmates came up with agitation saying jail in-charge Krishna Prasad Adhikari demanded bribe while recommending for the release of jailbird completing 50 per cent of the jail term and they were not provided the state-announced services and facilities.

The irate inmates started 48-hour-long relay strike from Thursday under the first phase of their agitation. The detainees chanted slogans and padlocked the prison office.
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DRI LOSES RS. 2.56 BILLION IN IC MISAPPROPRIATION

Kathmandu, 4 Nov.: Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) has estimated a total collection of Rs 2.56 billion — including tax and fine — from Indian Currency misappropriation scam, The Himalayan Times reports.

The department today completed its primary entry of all fake customs declaration forms and estimated that they had misappropriated IRs 800 million through fake customs declaration forms, director at the department Mohan Bahadur Chand said.

The actual revenue collection could be double since the department will charge fine equal to fraud amount to the firms and enterprises, he informed.

The amount includes all the fake transaction of fake customs declaration forms made by eight firms, he said, adding that they have found eight firms — Laxmi Traders, Rehant Traders and Mahalaxmi Enterprises, Shyam Galla Store, GS Traders, Maxwell Computers, Digital World and Jay Mata Di International — involved in the fake customs declaration form scam.

The issue of fake customs declaration forms had come into the light after police on August 29 nabbed five persons with fake customs declaration forms from Birgunj.

They were trying to get more than Rs 7.52 million transferred to India on the basis of the counterfeit documents. Following the arrest, police had frozen the account that they had in the bank.

The department has also discovered a sheer negligence from the part of banks in fake customs declaration form scam since they have released the Indian Currency without filling foreign currency exchange forms according to Nepal Rastra Bank’s rule.

After fake VAT scam, the illegal money transfer Hundi and IC misappropriation have hurt the revenue mobilisation.

Due to increasing informal economy on the bordering towns and fake VAT scam, the government is going to not meet the the current fiscal year’s revenue mobilisation target too.

Last fiscal year too, the government has failed to meet the revenue mobilisation target by above Rs 6 billion due to various scams.
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DPR FOR ELECTRIC TRAIN BETWEEN BARDIBAS/SIMARA
Kathmandu, 4 Nov.: The government has started negotiations with Chungsuk Engineering Company of South Korea to carry out the detailed project report (DPR) of the Bardibas-Simara section of the Mechi-Mahakali Electric Railway and its Simara-Birgunj link, The Kathmanndu Post reports..
Of the three shortlisted firms for the DPR, Chungsuk Engineering had scored the highest. Other two firms are Scott Wilson of India and Systra FA of France. A total of 16 international firms had submitted the expression of interest for the study.
A team of Chungsuk Engineering is scheduled to visit Nepal on November 10 to discuss the matter. The government is likely to select a consultant for the delayed DPR within a week. “Hopefully, we will select a firm by the next week,” said Ram Kumar Lamsal, director general of the Railway Department. He said if the government fails to negotiate with Chungsuk, it will start talks with the second highest scorer—Scott Wilson of India.
The department is negotiating with Chungsuk on various issues related to taxes, consultancy fee and technology to be adopted for the study, among others. If the government selects Chungsuk within a week and provides additional fund for the DPR, work will start by December or January next year, according to the department.
Although the government is undergoing final preparations to select consultants for the feasibility study of the Mechi-Mahakali Electric Railway sections and Metro Railway System or Mass Rapid Transit System (underground and elevated railway of 75 km stretch) in the Kathmandu Valley, the department is facing resource crunch for both the studies with only Rs 100 in its pocket.
“The DPR and feasibility study are estimated to cost around Rs 400 million, however the fund we have is only Rs 100,” said Lamsal, adding that work on railway development will get delayed further if the government does not provide additional fund for the studies and land acquisition.
Earlier, the government had targeted to start the study by August and complete by May next year. It is expected to take 9 to 12 months to complete the study.
The department is also evaluating proposals submitted by Chungsuk, RITES Limited of India, Systra FA of France and TEAM Consulting Engineering and Management of Thailand for the feasibility study of the Metro System in the Kathmandu Valley. “By the next week, we will start negotiations with the highest scoring firm for the Metro Railway System,” said Lamsal.
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US LAWMAKER THREATNS NEPAL WITH AID CUTOFF

Kathmandu, 4 Nov.: A US lawmaker threatened Thursday to strip Nepal of its millions of dollars in US aid unless it permits refugees fleeing Chinese rule in Tibet to transit through the country, AFP reports from New York.

Nepal is the main route for Tibetans who seek to go into exile, but the country has increasingly cracked down on Tibetans' movement and activities out of fear of upsetting its giant neighbor to the north.

Representative Frank Wolf, who sits on the House Appropriations Committee that determines US funding, said he would try to block funding to Nepal unless it grants exit visas to Tibetans who seek refuge in the United States.

"We're not just going to cut them, we're going to zero them out," said Wolf, a Republican from Virginia and outspoken critic of China.

"If they're not willing to do it, then they don't share our values and if they don't share our values, we do not want to share our dollars," he told a congressional hearing on Tibet.

Wolf said he would propose the aid cutoff if Nepal's record does not improve by the time the United States looks at foreign aid funding next year.

Human rights groups have frequently accused Nepal of arbitrary arrests and harassment of Tibetans. In July, Nepal prevented its 20,000-strong Tibetan community from celebrating the birthday of spiritual leader the Dalai Lama.

The United States has supported Nepal as the Himalayan nation recovers from a bloody decade-long civil war.

The US Agency for International Development says it sought $57.7 million for Nepal in the 2010 fiscal year and that its efforts to provide the developing nation's children with Vitamin A have averted some 15,000 deaths a year.
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