PLASTIC BAGS BIRATNAGAR’S PROBLEM Kathmandu, 15 Oct.: Rampant use of low quality plastic bags have raised environment concerns in Biratnagar, RSS reports from Biratnagar. “Low quality plastic bags have negatively impacted the town’s environment”, said a local. Locals have stressed on the need of controlling the use of low quality plastic bags for keeping the environment clean and safe . Although, a meeting of plastic bags producers and consumers had already decided to control the use of substandard plastic bags, the decision has not come into effect yet. As per government provisions, production of plastic bags less than 20 micron and measuring less than 6 mm is not allowed. These provisions have not been implemented in Biratnagar till date. Following public complaints on low quality plastic bags in the town, the Standard and Metrology Regional Office Biratnagar has initiated process to determine the quality and size of plastic bags. There are 30 plastic bags industries in Biratnagar in which more than 300 people are employed. Nnnn PM PUSHES PEOPLE-ORIENTED EDUCATION Kathmandu, 15 Oct.: Prime Minister Dr. Baburam Bhattarai has claimed that educational development can be achieved only by people-oriented education policy, RSS reports from Kirtipur.. “Education policy, that will provide access to poor and backward class in the society should be adopted”, said PM while speaking at Tribhuvan University (TU) assembly on Monday . The Prime Minister also said that the TU should extend support to newly established universities. Also speaking at the programme, Vice-Chancellor of TU, Prof. Dr Hira Bahadur Maharjan claimed education provided by TU to be at par with international standards. The assembly amended the regulations of TU Teachers and Employees Service-1993 and TU Organization and Educational Administration Regulations- 1993. Similarly, the assembly also approved different nominations made earlier. Nnnn REFERENDUM TO DETERMINE STOTTISH INDEPENDENCE Kathmandu, 15 Oct.: Prime Minister David Cameron and nationalist Scottish leader Alex Salmond signed an agreement on Monday to give the Scottish people a referendum on independence in 2014, Reuters reports from .Edinburgh The referendum will ask voters whether they want Scotland to remain in the 305-year-old union with England. Cameron opposes a break-up of the union, arguing that Britain is stronger together, and opinion polls show only between 30 and 40 percent of Scots support independence. Scotland and England have shared a monarch since 1603 and have been ruled by one single parliament in London since 1707. In 1999, for the first time since then, a devolved Scottish parliament was opened following a referendum. nnnn