GERMAN HELD WITH 22KG HASH AT AIRPORT

GERMAN HELD WITH 22KG HASH
Kathmandu, 1 April: German national Bernd Klien Htimidt was with 22kg hash before boarding a flight Saturday of the capital’s TIA for Qatar.
The haul worth million on rupees in the international market concealed
in his luggage was discovered during a custons check.
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PARDON FOR SERIOUS CRIMES WILL REST WITH VICTIMS
Kathmandu, 1 April: There was an agreement between parties Saturday to
reserve of final pardon or otherwise for serious crimes during the 10-year
insurgency on victims, Madhav Dhungel reports in Nagarik
The provision was incorporated in a report of a taskforce of three parties for
formation of commissions on truth and reconciliation and disappeared persons.
The provision was included following increasing pressure those committing
serious crimes such as murder after capture, rape, abductions disappeared, abduction and abductions won’t be pardoned.
According to the agreement, officials of the law ministry have been empowered
to include the provision in a bill.
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FOUR COMMIT MASS SUICIDE IN FAR-WEST
Kathmandu, 1 April: Police investigation into Friday’s incident where three persons were drowned and two went missing in the Chameliya River of Drachula shows that they committed suicide en masse, Baburam Shrestha reports in The Himalayan Times
from Dandeldhura.

Parbati Bhatta (22), her sons Sunil (5) and two-and-half-year old Anil and her brother’s daughter Sarita of Ranishikhar VDC in Darchula jumped into the Chameliya River and committed suicide all together.

Dead bodies of Parbati, Sarita and Sunil were recovered yesterday, while Anil is still missing. According to police sources, the possibility of finding the missing alive is very slim.

DSP Dev Bahadur Bogati said the bodies were handed over to the family members after post-mortem.

Clothes of Parbati and Sarita were found on the banks of the river. Cash and ornaments belonging to Sarita and Parbati were found at Parbati’s house.

Inspector Shyam Bahadur Saud said Tulasi Bhatta, who informed police about the incident, has been kept in Gokuleswor police custody.

Saud said Tulasi told police that Sarita and Parbati had illegitimate ties with local trader Dhanjit Thagunna (25).

Police suspect that Parbati and Sarita might have killed themselves by jumping into the river fearing that their illicit relationship with Dhanjit might be exposed one day.

In the wake of death of his wife and children Parbati’s husband Rajendra Bhatta, who has been working in India, left for home today according to police.

Tulasi said Parbati had invited her to stay with her on Thursday night saying that she was alone at her house. Dhanjit and Sarita were also at home when Tulasi got to Parbati’s home, Inspector Saud said, quoting Tulasi.

“I was raped by Dhanjit with the support of Parbati and Sarita,” Saud quoted Tulasi.

Tulasi told police that she had informed police after she managed to escape from Dhanjit.

Tulasi’s health check has been conducted at a local health centre. She had bruises on her body and blood around her private parts.

Police are preparing to lodge a case against Dhanjit. In the course, police also grilled some locals about the incident. DSP Bogati said Dhanjit was on the run after taking Tulasi’s mobile set. Manhunt to nab the absconding is on, police said.
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IN RARE CAPITAL RALLY UDMF SAYS NO CONSTITUTION SANS FEDERALISM
Kathmandu, 1 April:: Senior Madhesi and indigenous leaders have warned of taking to the streets if the new constitution does not guarantee identity-based federalism, Republica reports..

Addressing the first ever mass gathering organized by United Democratic Madhesi Front (UDMF) at Tundikhel on Saturday afternoon, the Madhesi and indigenous leaders said they share common concerns and that they would work together for the realization of their goals.

Chairman of Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) Mahantha Thakur said the Madhesi and indigenous peoples will not accept the new constitution if it does not guarantee identity-based federalism. “We have joined hands as both the Madhesi and indigenous peoples have been made victims of discrimination,” said Thakur, adding, “If necessary, we will jointly launch a movement.”

Madhesi People´s Rights Forum-Democratic (MPRF-D) Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachchhadar, who is also the deputy prime minister and home minister, said the country would witness yet another movement if the new constitution is promulgated without dealing with the issue of federalism.



“I have reminded the leadership of major three political parties -- UCPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress and CPN-UML -- that there will be stringent protests if the issue of federalism is deferred,” added Gachchhadar. He also warned the three major political parties not to take their concerns lightly.

Similarly, Acting Chairman of MPRF-Republican Rajkishor Yadav said no force in the country can prevent Madhesi and indigenous peoples from securing their rights.
“We want to tell those who label us as anti-national that Madhesi and indigenous peoples have always been in favor of an integrated Nepal,” said Yadav.

Likewise, Sadbhawana Party (SP) Chairman Rajendra Mahato, who is also the health minister, said it took 22 years for them to make non-Madhesis understand their agony.



“Twenty-two years ago, our party had organized a mass gathering at the same place, but it was disrupted,” recalled Mahato.

TMDP-Nepal Chairman and Minister for Irrigation Mahendra Yadav accused the major three political parties of being anti-federalist.

Speaking at the same function, Parshuram Tamang, a leader from indigenous group, expressed solidarity with the Madhes-based parties. “We want to assure that indigenous peoples are with the Madhesi parties in the struggle for identity,” said Tamang.

Malla K Sundar, an ethnic activist, urged Madhesi leaders to strongly raise their concerns in the Constituent Assembly (CA).



Leader of the United Tharu Struggle Committee Surendra Tharu said the Madhesi and Tharu peoples will not fight each other as both communities share the same agenda - a new constitution that guarantees identity-based federalism.

Central members and lawmakers of five Madhes-based parties associated with UDMF had participated in the mass gathering.

Thakur and Mahendra Yadav addressed the program in Hindi while Gachchhadar and MPRF-R Chairman Yadav delivered their speeches in Nepali. Mahato addressed the event in both Hindi and Nepali.
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TOURIST COACHES ON POKHARA-CHITWAN ROUTE
Kathmandu, 1 April : Tourism entrepreneurs are starting luxury coach services from next week on Pokhara-Chitwan-Pokhara route in a bid to facilitate travel between the two major tourism destinations. The services will begin from Monday. Tour operators said they have brought in luxury coaches for the purpose, Santosh Pokhrel writes in Republica..

Pokhara Chapter of Nepal Association of Tours and Travels Agents (NATTA) and Regional Hotel Association in Chitwan took the initiative after tourists and other stakeholders repeatedly requested for better services for intercity travel.

“Initially, two tourist coaches will operate on the route every day,” said Santosh Pokharel, first vice president of NATTA. The coaches will operate between Pokhara and Sauraha.

We will add more coaches if the volume of passengers increases, he added. Operators have fixed one-way fare at Rs 500 per person. Same rate will apply for both domestic as well as foreign tourists.

Tour operators in the city currently operate 18 tourist coaches on Pokhara-Kathmandu-Pokhara route, ferrying around 900 tourists every day. Likewise, entrepreneurs have also been operating five vehicles on Kathmandu-Chitwan-Kathmandu route every day.

They have now decided to link the two major tourist destinations after a large number of tourists visiting Chitwan avoided traveling to Pokhara in the absence of direct tourist bus service.

“Similar complaints were coming from tourists in Pokhara as well. Both Chitwan and Pokhara draw a large number of visitors, but in the absence of direct connectivity, we have not been able to encourage visitors to travel from one city to another,” said Pokharel.

Though a large number of passenger vehicles operate between Chitwan and Pokhara, the quality of service remains poor.

With the start of intercity luxury bus services, entrepreneurs in Pokhara believe they will be able to bring in at least 20 percent of tourists visiting Chitwan to the Lake City. According to records, Chitwan sees arrival of 250,000 tourists every year. Domestic tourists make up 40 percent of that number.

“It will enable entrepreneurs to design combined tour packages as well,” said Shankar Sainju, president of Hotel Association, Chitwan.

Just as entrepreneurs in Pokhara, hoteliers in Chitwan, too, are optimistic that with the launch of direct tourist coach service they will be able to attract a large number of tourists from Pokhara as well.

According to entrepreneurs, Pokhara lures more than 550,000 tourists annually, of which around 300,000 are foreigners.
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CARTEL, SYNDICATE AFFECT REVENUE COLLECTION
Kathmandu, 1 April: Finance Ministry is planning to begin strict monitoring of the Tatopani customs point to control the rampant smuggling prevalent from China, according to ministry officials, The Himalayan Timesreports.

The government has identified some dubious trends at the Tatopani customs point which will ultimately hurt the overall business scenario of the country, said director general at the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) Shanta Bahadur Shrestha.

Customs points are the major sources for most of the revenue fraud cases, he said. “Many cases such as under-invoicing, bogus trading and ‘carrying’ business have thrived in the trade from Tatopani customs.”

The practice of syndicate and cartel systems among importers and entrepreneurs at the customs points has been blocking the entry of genuine business firms, according to an official at the ministry.

Outlets and entrepreneurs in different parts of the country are importing under-invoiced goods through cartel with bogus importers from Tatopani customs, he said. “Nearly all the import from Tatopani customs is controlled by some 20 bogus importers and the trend is affecting genuine business practices.”

All the financial scams including fake Value Added Tax (VAT) bill, hundi and other revenue leakage cases are directly linked with the trend of importing under-invoiced goods with the help of bogus importers, the official claimed. DRI had, last year, discovered the nexus between Value Added Tax-registered importers and Permanent Account Number-registered wholesalers, firms and outlets to evade tax compliances.

The department had also revealed that most of the importers in Tatopani customs do not have their own trading business and only supply to traders in the valley and other parts of the country to escape from tax burden.

There are many business firms and outlets in the valley that import goods on contract to evade VAT and other taxes but the government authority is yet to curb such trends.

Meanwhile, finance minister Barshaman Pun today directed concerned officials at the Tatopani customs to curb commercial frauds from the customs point. He also discussed about the issue with local traders and asked them to help the government control revenue leakages.
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