GOVT, OFFICES TO REMAIN OPEN FOR FIVE DAYS ONLY IN WINTER TO SAVE POWER Kathmandu, 29 Aug.: Government is planning to open offices in the winter for five days a week only with looming power shortage , Laxman Biyogi writes in Nepal Samacharpatra reports. Energy ministry is making final plans. nnnn NC, UML DENY PM BHATTARAI CHARGE THEY RESPONSIBLE FOR GOVT. FAILURE Kathmandu, 29 Aug.:- The Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML have rejected the PM's accusation that they were the reason for his government's failure, Bhadra Sharma writes in The Kathmandu Post. In his televised address to the nation on Tuesday, Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai termed the opposition parties as status-quoists and said his efforts to deliver peace, constitution, prosperity and relief to the people had failed because of their non-cooperation. The two parties protesting for the formation of a consensus government by replacing the incumbent one say Bhattarai's accusation was nothing more than a tactic to hide his failure and remain in office forever. "Blaming us is motivated by his hidden interest of extending the government's tenure," said NC leader Minendra Rijal. Taking serious exception to the PM's remarks, the parties say Bhattarai was mainly responsible for the dissolution of the Constituent Assembly. The CA disbandment without a constitution and the delay in the peace process, according to the opposition parties, were planned for the sake of power. "The prime minister termed us 'dogmatic' or 'status quoists' and blamed us for his failure. Then, what is his role? Just to blame others?" asked CPN-Maoist Spokesperson Pampha Bhusal. A group of Maoist leaders had formed the CPN-Maoist party by defecting from the UCPN (Maoist) accusing PM Bhattarai and party Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal of dissolving the CA against national interests and the spirit of the popular movement. Bhattarai called the splinter group a dogmatic force and said this faction also obstructed the peace process. During his one-year term, according to opposition parties, Bhattarai's signing the Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with India, initiating the process to hand over management and upgradation of the Tribhuvan International Airport to an Indian firm, dissolving the hard-earned CA without constitution and declaring new elections were against national interests. Additionally, they charged, the Bhattarai-led government's decision to bulldoze squatter's settlements, misuse the state coffers to appease coalition partners and “serve Indian interests” were anti-national. "The government is at the height of its failure and the prime minister is talking elections just for the sake of power," added Rijal. Bhusal, one-time comrade of Bhattarai, said she had never seen such an anti-national and irresponsible government since the establishment of democracy in the country. According to her, the Matrika Prasad Koirala-led government was termed anti-national for the “unequal” Koshi Treaty, Bishweshwor Prasad Koirala for the Gandak Treaty and Girija Prasad Koirala for Tanakpur Treaty. "But Baburam set a record in endorsing anti-national treaties. The decisions to sign the BIPPA, preparation to hand over airport management to an Indian firm, among others, have proved his as the most anti-national government," said Bhusal. Parties protesting against the government said that the Bhattarai-led Cabinet had promoted corruption, weakened national sovereignty, dissolved CA without constitution and declared fresh elections without legal arrangements for the sake of power. The government's plan to hold new CA elections in November was denied by the Election Commission citing a lack of electoral laws and protests from the opposition parties. The UML has already made public 41 wrongdoings of the Bhattarai government. A four-page document released on Sunday states that Bhattarai's stay in government was fruitless. "When Baburam came to power, people thought that life was impossible without him but now they are desperate about his exit for survival," said UML leader Ramnath Dhakal. The NC and the UML, together with other parties, are agitating against the government while the PM has been reiterating that he would not leave without handing reins to another "legitimate" government. nnnn PASSENGER TRAFFIC THROUGH TIA TO JUMP 36 PERCENT BY 2015 Kathmandu, 29Aug.: Passenger movement at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) is projected to reach 5.85 million by 2015, a jump of 36.62 percent from the figure for 2011, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), Sangam Parsain writes in The Kathmandu Post. According to its forecast, aircraft movement is expected to swell 13.47 percent to 115,800 by 2015. CAAN’s forecast shows the number of domestic and international air travellers growing more than two-fold to 9.31 million by 2028 compared to the movement recorded in 2011 while aircraft movement is estimated to increase to 232,750 by 2028. In terms of international passenger movement, it is expected to touch 3.91 million within four years, up 44.88 percent against 2011. Domestic travellers are projected to grow 22.54 percent to 1.94 million by 2015. CAAN officials said that the forecast is based on the past 10-year cumulative growth rate. Currently, the country’s sole international airport has been operating with a severe space crunch and limited infrastructure. It handled 4.28 million passengers in 2011. According to TIA, international carriers flew 2.70 million passengers in 2011 while domestic airlines served 1.58 million travellers. Similarly, air traffic movement increased to 101,993 in 2011 from 99,281 in 2010. Nepal’s skies handled 22,791 international flights in 2011 compared to 19,864 in 2010. On an average, TIA handles 63 international and 217 domestic flights daily. According to CAAN, TIA’s improvement project is being carried out with funding worth US$ 80 million (US$ 70 million in loans and US$ 10 million in grants) from the Asian Development Bank. Under the first phase of the expansion plan, the runway will be extended to 3,350 m from the present 3,000 m towards the south. By 2028, TIA will be expanded to 90,000 sq m. The airport is presently spread over 36,000 sq m with the international terminal occupying 32,000 sq m and the domestic terminal the rest. Meanwhile, aviation analysts said that the fast rising passenger traffic and aircraft traffic movement had strained TIA to near saturation point. And judging from the forecast, the planned improvement will not be able to keep pace with the growth. “It’s a real forecast based on the projected growth in tourists and Nepali migrants workers,” said aviation analyst Kumar Chalise. “Constraints of both airspace and land at TIA will not be able to accommodate the projected growth,” he said. Development of three regional airports in Bhairahawa, Pokhara and Janakpur was planned on the basis of the potential growth in passenger and aircraft movement, he added. The government has also proposed to develop a second international airport (SIA) in Nijgadh, but it has not made any definite move yet. “The SIA is the only way to address the congestion at TIA, and it should be developed for future growth of the aviation industry in Nepal.” Analysts also said the country was likely to witness tremendous growth in helicopter services in Nepal due to the large number of planned hydropower projects and tourism potential. nnnn BANGLADESH JAILS 665 SOLDIERS FOR 2009 MUTINY Kathmandu, 29 Aug.: A Bangladesh court Tuesday jailed 665 border guards for their role in a bloody 2009 military mutiny, bringing the total number of soldiers imprisoned for the unrest to over 5,000, a prosecutor said, AFP reports from Dhaka. Fifty-seven senior army officers were killed during an uprising that began when soldiers at the Bangladeshi Rifles (BDR) headquarters in the capital Dhaka went on a killing spree, later dumping victims´ bodies in sewers and shallow graves. A special military court in Dhaka found 665 border guards from the force´s 44th Battalion guilty of "masterminding, joining and leading the mutiny", state prosecutor Lieutenant Colonel Zakir Hossain said. "Of the 673 soldiers charged, eight were acquitted and the rest were handed out prison terms starting from four months to seven years. A total of 113 soldiers were sentenced to maximum seven years in jail," Hossain said. The mutiny spread from Dhaka to BDR posts across the country, with thousands of guards taking up arms against their commanding officers. Dozens of special courts -- run by the military using a mix of martial and civilian law -- were set up to prosecute mutineers, with the first verdict, which saw 29 soldiers convicted, being handed down in April 2010. In all, 5,203 BDR soldiers have now been convicted, Hossain said, in what prosecutors say is the biggest case in the country´s history. Those convicted include hundreds of nurses and sportsmen who represented the country internationally. The courts, headed by military officers, do not allow defendants to have lawyers and there is no right of appeal. Seven years in jail is the maximum penalty they can impose. The BDR has since changed its name to the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) in an effort to distance itself from the mutiny. Soldiers accused of more serious offences -- including murder -- are being tried separately in civilian courts and could face the death penalty if convicted. Of the 665 soldiers convicted on Tuesday, 129 still face murder charges, said Hossain. nnnn