________________________________________ FIRE CONTINUES AT STORE OF INDUSTRY OF CHAUDHARY GROUP Kathmandu, 15 Oct. Firefighters continue Monday morning to control the biggest fire in recent times in the Valley Damage is estimated at millions of rupees. TV sets, refrigerators, mobile phones, DVD players and other factory produce of Chaudhary Group of Industries have been damaged. A fire started at the store of a factory shortly after 5.30 PM Sunday evening. The cause of the fire that started more than 14 hours ago hasn’t yet been ascertained. nnnn GRADE XII CHANCE EXAM. RESULT PUBLISHED Kathmandu, 15 Oct.:The Office of the Controller of Examinations of the Higher Secondary Education Board (HSEB) on Sunday published the Grade XII chance exam result in all the faculties. Altogether 32,938 candidates appeared for the test But only 28,806 or 87.46 per cent passed while three were expelled. Students who failed in one subject appeared for the examination The result can be seen on www.hseb.edu.np; and www.hseb.ntc.net.np. Nnnn TIA PREPARING FOR 24-HOUR SERVICE Kathmandu, 15 Oct.: Though Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) is preparing to start round-the-clock operations from October 20, it has not yet received any formal application from interested airlines, The Himalayan Times reports. “We have already decided to start 24-hour operations from October 20 for the peak season,” said general manager at TIA Ratish Chandra Lal Suman. He also informed that TIA might continue the 24-hour service throughout the year depending on demand and feasibility. Currently, TIA is operated for 18.5 hours. However, according to officials, none of the airlines have shown any interest till date. “Some have verbally shown an interest but they are yet to come forward formally,” said director general of Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal Tri Ratna Manandhar. “The extended hour is to ease the pressure being faced by both the airport and the airline companies during the peak season,” said Manandhar. “We planned to start round-the-clock operations to facilitate the airlines but if they are not interested we will also not bother them,” said Manandhar, adding that the authority is quite surprised at not receiving any formal application as a 24-hour operation was in high demand among the airline companies. TIA will be operated for 24 hours only if it receives applications for at least two flights for the extended hour. For an airline to operate during the extended hour, it must either start additional flights or shift its peak-hour day flights to night. CAAN developed the proposal in a bid to reduce air traffic congestion, and take off and landing delays. According to TIA officials, during the peak season there are more than 450 arrivals and departures, whereas in general, arrivals and departures is around 350. In 2010, TIA observed a total of 3.99 million passengers, which was 3.40 million in 2009. The only international airport of the country handles 30 international flights and seven regular domestic airlines that are Nepal Airlines, Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Tara Air, Sita Air, Guna Air, and Agni Air. CAAN states that air traffic has increased by 500 per cent in 20 years but the airport’s infrastructure is still the same. TIA passenger traffic has been a serious issue along with the increasing air passenger crowd. The airport generally has a huge crowd at the airport during holidays and festivals as there are extra flights. The additional international and domestic flights to meet passenger demand in the peak season have also added pressure on TIA. nnnn