SIX KILLED IN COLLISION OF VEHICLES N SUNSARI

SIX KILLED, A DOZEN INJURED IN MINIBUS, BUS COLLISION IN SUNSARI

Kathmandu, 7 Nov.: Six persons were killed and more than a dozen others injured in a micro bus, bus collision at Madhesa-4 , Sunsari, Monday
morning.
The injured are undergoing treatment at hospitals in Dharan, Inaruwa and
Biranagar.
A microbus going to Ghaighat from Biratnagar, collided with a
heading to Itahari from Inaruwa.
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CHOPPER WITH RUSSIAN TOURISTS MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AS AIRLIFT OF SRTANDED TOURISTS STARTS
UPDATE

Kathmandu, 7 Nov 7: A Fishtail Air helicopter evacuating stranded
tourists out of Lukla, Soluknumbu, madde an emergency landing at Charikot, Dolakha, following technical problems with the chopper.
The Russian tourists were being ferried to the capital.
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7-POINT AGREEMENT TO EXPEDITE DEVELOPMENT: PM





Kathmandu, 7 Nov.: Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai Sunday said that the recent agreement, signed among the parties, would be crucial to end the political instability and speed up the development
Works, The Rising Nepal writes.
Prime Minister Dr. Bhattarai said this while addressing the 24th meeting of National Development Problem Resolution Committee in Kathmandu.
The PM admitted that political instability and the weaknesses in the formulation of policy and implementation and monitoring of the projects were responsible behind slow pace of development.
"Although the nation is nearing to bring an end to obstacles of development caused by the instability, reforms in other sides need to be continued for the economic development," he said.
Stating that the clear strategic thinking was necessary to pick up development works, he said that the developmental activities should be handled appropriately so as to institutionalize the political achievements gained through the sacrifices of thousands of the people.
PM Bhattarai, who is also the chair of the Committee, noted that there was tendency to compete for the grab of big projects but the contractors show indifference to their implementation after securing bids.
"This attitude must be stopped."
He said that the government would sign a contract with the contractors and put the system of reward and punishment in place.
The PM said that there were complaints about the misuse of local development budget.
We will seek alternative to channel the budget until the local elections are held, he added.
The PM directed the ministers and bureaucrats to be cautious about the development projects from the phase of their selection to their implementation within the time-bound framework.
"All should heed to the outcomes

of the projects rather than the expenditure of budget allocated for them," he said.
Dr. Bhattarai said that the government would discourage the tendency to show progress in papers but not executing the project works in the field.
He called for mobilization the community in the projects so that the locals would take up their ownership and the development structures would be sustainable.
He also drew the attention of the concerned sides to involve the vast amount of youth workforce in the construction works, thereby generating job opportunities for the unemployed.
Most of the participants blamed the instable government behind the lackluster performance.
Ministers had apprised the PM about the progress and challenges of their ministries, and pointed out the need to increase additional budget for them.
The meeting of the committee sat after one-and-a-half year. It should take place in every four months.
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DOCTOR RECRUITMENT OBSTRUCTED AMID LEGAL AMBUIGITY





Kathmandu, 7 Nov.: Due to the misinterpretation of concerned Act between the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) and Public Service Commission, vacant posts of doctors have remained unfulfilled for the last six years, The Rising Nepal reports.
Out of the 1,000 posts of doctors under the ministry, more than 200 are lying vacant. Another 250 doctors are on study leave.
According to the Health Act 2006, a doctor should serve in remote areas at least once at every level for his promotion eligibility.
However, doctors are on against such provision. They said that working in remote area in every level was not possible. Even Health Ministry officials agree to this.
There are around 150 posts of doctors in the 11th level (first class officer) across the nation and among them more than 100 posts are vacant.
However, ninth and 10th levels (second class officer) are not eligible to apply for the eleventh level under Public Service Commission (PHC) because they are barred on the ground that they did not serve in the rural areas.
Ironically, there are no posts of such senior level (first class and second class) for serving in the remote areas even if they are ready to go there.
Dr. Baburam Marasini of Health Ministry stated that this situation has adversely affected the delivery of health services.
"In other countries if such senior posts remain vacant for such a long time, related minister and secretary would have been sued" Dr. Marasini said.
However, the PSC has misinterpreted the issue although there is no such specific word in the Act, he added.
Many senior doctors working under the ministry are leaving government service as they are frustrated by this Act, he said.
Dr. Kedar Nursingh K.C., former president of Nepal Medical Association, said that if this Act and government’s attitude does not change, all government doctors’ posts will fall vacant within next 10 years.
Some years ago, plastic surgery unit at Bir Hospital collapsed in the absence of expert physician, Dr. Marasini said. However, the government has not amended the provision.
Last year, some four senior doctors working at Bharatpur Cancer Hospital resigned en masse as they were not eligible to apply for promotion even after serving for a long time.
Some posts like that of neurologists and cardiologist are created only at Bir Hospital and not in the remote areas. Then how can they serve in the remote area?, Dr. Marasini questioned.
As the date for applying for promotion draws near this year, doctors are not applying because they are not eligible.
On the other hand, the government has not added a single post of doctor at the government hospitals for the past 18 years. The existing number of doctors is inadequate to give health services as the population is increasing by the day.
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