UML STUDENTS ON PROTEST Kathmandu, 7 May: ANNFSU, Ratna Rajya Laxmi (RR) Campus enforced Chakkajam on Monday demanding release of its activist, RSS reports. The CPN-UML-aligned student organization enforced an hour-long Chakkajam in front of RR Campus gate at Exhibition Road this morning demanding release of ANNFSU Secretariat Member Bijaya Budha, who was arrested in course of scuffle with Nepal Students Union at Pashupati Campus in Chabahil on April 20. Addressing the gathering after chakkajaam programme, ANNFSU, RR Campus unit chairperson Netra Mainali warned of launching strong agitation if their colleague Budha was not released immediately. nnnn MAOIST CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEET PUT OFF UPDATE Kathmandu, 7 May: A scheduled emergency meeting of the Maoist central committee was postponed Monday with the busy schedule of leaders. New date for a meeting wasn’t announced. nnnn. LIVER TRANSPLANT POTENTIAL IN NEPAL Kathmandu, 7 May:: Medics from Medanta Institute of Liver Transplantation and Regenerative Medicine, Gurgaon, India underlined the high possibility of liver transplant in Nepal, The Himalayan Times reports. The institute is ready to take the initiative if Kathmandu Medical College (KMC) provides us a favourable environment to start transplantation, said Dr Arvinder Singh Soni, chairperson of the institute. He said the team from Medanta will provide technical support if KMC is able to establish the unit. Every liver transplant is an amalgam of the highest level of expertise in liver, biliary and vascular surgery, as well as advanced support from several other disciplines, he informed. A three member team of the institute has come to Nepal to evaluate the feasibility of the project. Dr Prabin Bikram Thapa, associate professor at Department of Surgery, KMC said it is an expensive technology and will cost more. The Medanta Institute charges around IRs 23 lakhs for transplantation. He said it will take five more years to prepare a team in the country. Liver transplantation is not easy. A lot of assessment has to be carried out for both recipient and donor before an operation is scheduled.Another important thing is essential infrastructure which include liver doctors, liver surgeons, a hepatalogist, a pathologist and an anaesthetist and other trained medical staff who can handle and manage the complex medical procedure of liver transplant. Nnnn IMPORT VIA TATOPANI DROPS Kathmandu, 7 May:: The overall import from Tatopani customs point has dropped by approximately 25 per cent, according to chief at Tatopani Customs Office Nirmal Hari Adhikari. “The customs office has been able to collect duty according to the Finance Ministry’s projection due to an increase in the value of the US dollar though the quantity of import has declined,” he said, The Himalayan Times reports. “The main reason behind the fall in import is because the yuan has become stronger compared to Nepali rupees.” The exchange rate of 1 yuan was approximately Rs 11 till a year ago but it has reached Rs 14 at present, he said, adding that the stronger yuan has impacted on trade with China.Similarly, traders have to face transportation hurdles while importing goods from China, he informed. “Traders have to ferry goods in trucks from the concerned cities of China to Khasa –– Nepal-China border district,” he said, adding that there is a greater problem while ferrying goods from Tatopani to Kathmandu. “Transporters charge up to Rs 95,000 for a trip from Tatopani to Kathmandu whereas the transportation cost from Birgunj to Kathmandu is between Rs 20,000 to 25,000.”The customs office can meet the target this year but it will be tough to meet the target next year if the trend continues, according to Adhikari. Taking advantage of the shortfall in import, traders are blaming the existing tax structure for the decrease.Traders blame the constant evaluation of customs duty, mandatory provision of declaration of some goods and other reasons for the drop in import, he said. “But, these accusations cannot justify the drop in import because the customs offices have not adopted even a single method that is demoralising for importers,” chief of Tatopani Customs Office Nirmal Hari nnnn