DR. RAJENDRA PRATAP PANT THANSFERRED TO THIMI FROM CENTRAL REGIONAL HEALTH SERVICE Kathmandu, 5 Aug.: Dr Rajendra Prasad Pant has been appointed the new director of National Centre for Tuberculosis –Thimi, by the cabinet. .Dr. Pant was previously chief of Central Regional Health Service Directorate. nnnn CHOLERA TRIGGERS EXODUS FROM DIPAYAL Kathmandu, 6 Aug.: The villages in Doti district hit by cholera epidemic are witnessing an exodus, with villagers migrating to highlands to save their lives, Tikendra Deuba writes from Dipayal . Cholera hit Doti in early June and has claimed 14 lives so far. Thousands of locals from worst hit areas, including Bagalek, Kadamandau and Sanagaun VDCs, have temporarily moved to the highlands, along with cattle. Biramal Saud of Bagalek said in the past week 53 families from Bagalek’s Badi and Machantola have shifted to Jhigadana-based pasture. Others from Bagalek, Kadamandau, Gauragaun, and Sanagaun VDCs have shifted to the surroundings meadow of Khaptad National Park. Kadamandau VDC secretary Bhim Bahadur Bogati told this correspondent, “Most villagers have sheds in highlands and have shifted there.” According to Ram Prasad Upadhaya of Gauragaun, while some village students have moved to Dhangadhi and Mahendranagar, a number of villagers have even crossed over to India. Dipayal-based Saileshwori Transport Entrepreneurs Association’s Doti Chairperson Hikmat Singh Chopada said up to 2,000 youth from Kadamandau, Bagalek, Basudevi, Khirsain, Pokhari, Gajari VDCs have left for India in the past two weeks. Gopal Aauji of Kadamandau has advised his son, who is in India, not to return home for the Gaura festival. “I have sent two other sons to India,” he added. Only disabled and elderly persons are left behind. Cholera first confirmed in Bagalek in the beginning of June. It later spread to Dipayal Silgadi municipality, Bagalek, Kalena, Sanagaun, Kadamandau, Jagari, Pokhari, Khirsain, Basudev, Ranagaun, Barbata, Durgamandau and Gaguda VDCs. Senior Public Health Officer at District Health Office Mahendra Dhowj Adhikari said district-based private and government hospitals were crowded with cholera and diarrhoea patients. Nepali Congress’ Doti President Bir Bahadur Balayar said, “The government has not shown any concern about Doti’s woes.” District Health office has treated more than 645 cholera and diarrhoea patients in the past month and a half. Claims two more lives Cholera claimed two more lives in Doti on Saturday night, taking the death toll since the outbreak of the disease about two months ago to 14. Gaguda VDC’s eight-year-old son, Birendra Chand, and Khatiwada VDC’s 70-year-old Harke Saud died of cholera, informed District Health Office. Dr Shreeram Tiwari of Sugunj Hospital said cholera patient Dhouli Saud of Dipayal Silgadi municipality was seven-month pregnant and had to undergo abortion due to the disease. Nnnn ULI CHIEF GURUNG PRODUCED IN COURT Kathmandu, 6 Aug.: Metropolitan Police Range, Jawalakhel today [Sunday] produced Kashiram Gurung, chairman of the now defunct Unity Life International, before Lalitpur District Court on fraud charge, The Himalayan Times reports from Lalitpur.. Though he was nabbed from Pashupatinagar of Ilam on Wednesday, his presentation before the court was delayed due to three successive days of public holiday. SSP Rajendra Man Shrestha, MPR in-charge said Gurung was brought back to police custody as the court’s hearing on charge was not complete and so it was not possible to decide whether or not he should be granted bail. The top gun of the illegal network business that swindled millions of rupees from its unsuspecting clients had gone into hiding to evade justice after the Supreme Court in May 2010 outlawed ULI’s banking, insurance and cooperative businesses. Nepal Police had put Gurung on its most wanted list. ULI — a pyramid scheme — had cheated 40,141 identified members at home and abroad and collected Rs 3.79 billion from them by promising handsome returns, life insurance and medical facilities. The network business was being operated without Nepal Rastra Bank’s permission. Two other promoters of ULI — Bishnu Bahadur Chhetri and Krishna Bahadur Chhetri of Parbat — are still at large. nnnn