PRESIDENT AGAIN SUMMONS PARTY LEADERS FRIDAY Kathmandu, 16 Oct.: President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav has again summoned leaders of political parties Friday morning to find an outlet to a deadlock as Tuesday’s deadline presidential wasn’t met. “He has summoned party leaders Friday morning. What he’s going to tell them is an old agenda. FIng a consensus soon,” Pres Aide Rajendra Dahal told Ngagarik. The presidential earlier gave 20 parties—ruling coalition and opposition—until Tuesday to find a solution amid warning the ceremonial head of state could act to break the unending deadlock. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai and some ministers immediately condemned the threat arguing Dr. Yadav can only give suggestions to an executive prime minister., But some opposition parties have been pressing for presidential intervention foir a solution. nnnn by , the DIG SURENDRA BAHADUR SHAH RECEIVES POLICE BATON Kathmandu, 16 Oct.: ( DIG ) of Nepal Police Surendra Bahadur Shah Monday received the Police Baton award from Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai on coinciding with seven-day celebrations to mark Police Day. Shah is chief of the Eastern Regional Police Office in Biratnagar. The Police Baton is awarded every year to the best police officer adjudged the best. nnnn ANOTHER NAC ATTEMPT TO PURCHASE AIRCRAFT Kathmandu, 16 Oct.: Nepal Airlines Corporation (NAC) has begun another fresh process in its seemingly endless quest to buy aircraft. The move by the national flag carrier to expand its skeleton international fleet follows the Cabinet’s go-ahead on Aug 1 to procure narrow-body jets.. Sangam Prasain writes in The Kathmandu Post. The airline’s board on Friday directed the management to conduct a route, market and business analysis before placing an order for the planes. The government has agreed to be guarantor for the planned purchase. Meanwhile, the old procurement process that is stuck midway will be scrapped. “The government is positive about buying jets as soon as possible, but there can be legal complications if the old process is not terminated,” said a board member. “We are making our very best efforts to expedite the process.” The board has decided to collect suggestions from legal experts and the stakeholders concerned on how the old process can be dumped. On Oct 26, 2009, the NAC board had decided to purchase two aircraft from Airbus—an Airbus A320-200 (narrow body) and an A330-200 (wide body). However, as the purchase plan ran into dispute, the now defunct parliamentary Public Accounts Committee directed the government to cancel the deal on Dec 28, 2009. Subsequently, on May 25, 2010, the Ministry of Finance directed the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) to scrap the purchase process. The plan was revived on Dec 29, 2011. NAC has not been able to induct new aircraft into its fleet for the last two decades as every procurement effort has got mired in controversy. NAC is now down to five planes from 19 more than two decades ago. The first of NAC’s two Boeing 757s arrived in 1987. MoCTCA officials said that operating 757s had become economically unviable due to their high maintenance costs compared to the revenue they generate. As political interference in NAC has been cited as the main reason for its ailing position, the government is currently engaged in appointing a managing director through free competition. The Chief Executive Appointment Recommenda-tion Committee headed by the chairman of Public Service Commission has recommended three names to the Cabinet from among five shortlisted candidates after evaluating their presentations. This is the first time the government is appointing the chief at NAC through free competition. The Cabinet will appoint one from among the three for the top post. Nnnn COMPANIES SHOW INTEREST IN TAKING UP MELAMCHI Kathmandu, 16 Oct.: As the Melamchi Water Supply Development Board (MWSDB) is preparing to call a fresh bid to recruit new contractor for resuming the tunnel construction work at Melamchi Drinking Water Project (MDWP), more than half a dozen international companies have showed willingness to take over the task, Ashok Thapa writes in he Kathmandu Post.. So far eight international companies including, Hyundai Constructions (South Korea), Impregilo (Italy), VINCI Construction (France), IL&FS (India) and China Water and Engineering (China), have approached the board to take over the tunnel construction works at the project. Similarly, some other companies from Singapore, Japan and the UK are also making queries as regards the remaining construction works at the project, according to board officials. “This is really a positive sign for a successful implementation of the project,” said Krishna Prasad Acharya, director general of the MWSDB. The board is preparing to call a bid for new contract after the termination of the contract with the Chinese contractor, China Railway 15 Bureau Group. In its action plan made public a week ago, the government had rescheduled the project’s completion date to March 2016. It was supposed to be completed by 2015 as per the earlier estimate. The MWSDB has called all the interested companies for a meeting on October 30, according to Acharya “We have also asked these companies to make a site visit of the project and suggest us if the project needs any revision in its design,” he went on. “After collecting their suggestions, we will float a new expression of interest on November 9.” MWSDB, the project implementing agency, has already asked more than 15 companies to make the visit of the project site. “Representatives from some of the companies have come to meet us, while others have been inquiring over email and telephone,” said a board official. “Some companies have also been requesting the board to award them the tunnel construction tasks on the basis of mutual agreement.” The board also has uploaded information on the project’s status on its official website as well as those of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the association of international tunnel constructors. The board said that it would sign a contract with a new firm on Jan 7, 2013 to resume the task. The signing of a new contract means the project will be further delayed, resulting in a spiralling cost which is expected to rise as much as by $ 100 million. Both the MWSDB and project’s major donor ADB are committed to select the better contractor to ensure the completion of the the project within the newly scheduled date. nnnn