THIRD DAY OF CHATTH BEING OBSERVED MONDAY Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: Residents mainly in Mithila worship the setting sun on the third day of Chatth Monday. The festival concludes Tuesday Government has declared Monday a public holiday, nnnn MISSING MAN FOUND DEAD Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: Lal Bahadur BK, 40, of Silgaun Municipality in Dipayal Silgadhi,has been found dead hanging from a tree near his house. He went missing four days ago. nnnn BUYER SOUGHT FOR NEPAL EMBASSY IN LONDON Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: Even as the erstwhile parliament was continuing debate whether to maintain or sell away the most expensive properties Nepal owns abroad, caretaker government led by Baburam Bhattarai has expedited the process to sell away multi-billion dollar worth properties belonging to Nepalese embassy in London, Kosh Raj Koirala writes in Republica.. A source familiar with the development said a Survey Committee formed last month by the cabinet is due to leave for the UK shortly to expedite the process apparently taking advantage of absence of parliament and almost vacant anti-graft body in the country. Sources said the Committee has been asked to submit a detailed report on the status of embassy´s properties, determine the price that Nepal may receive and legal complications and their remedies to sell the properties within one month after it starts actual work. Though the Committee was originally set to leave the country immediately after Tihar, the visit was deferred for a few days as two joint secretaries in the Committee were transferred from their office in a recent bureaucratic reshuffle. The Survey Committee comprises of joint secretaries, one each from Auditor General´s Office and Finance, Foreign and Law ministries. While Nepalese envoy to the UK Suresh Chalise has been named as coordinator, two other Nepalese envoys - Suresh Pradhan (Germany) and Mohan Krishna Shrestha (France) - are also the members of the Committee. Issues like this would reach the parliament for public scrutiny when there was a functioning parliament, but the government has so far kept secret the formation of Survey Committee. Officials claimed that though the real intention behind this is to sell the properties in London, the Committee has also been asked to make a detailed study on Nepal´s properties in Bonn in Germany to divert public attention. The embassy properties handed over to Nepal in 1938 by UK government in recognition of the dedication shown by the Gurkhas in the British Army is the most expensive property the country owns abroad. As per the bilateral agreement reached between the two governments, Nepal shall pay 100 pounds annually as lease amount for the first 25 years, 1,000 pounds for 25-50 years, 1,500 pounds for 50-70 years and 2,000 pounds a year as lease fees for 75 to 99 years. The latest government move comes in the wake of Nepalese embassy in the UK demanding Rs 120 million for the maintenance of embassy building--- lease of which will expire after 68 years as per the renewed lease agreement with the UK government in 1980. "We would better think seriously whether we can buy similar property for the embassy in such a prime location before actually selling away the embassy building in London," said a foreign ministry official, asking to be unnamed. Officials argue that selling away of the crown properties located in the Kensington Palace Gardens would greatly hurt the sentiment of Nepalese Gurkhas as they have special attachment and legacy to this building. "The maintenance cost as it has been estimated does not seem to be that high for a nation. If we take into account of the cost our government may have to bear for acquiring new embassy building and apartments for diplomatic staffs including ambassador in the long run, it is in the larger interests of the country to maintain the building," said a retired diplomat, who also served at Nepalese mission in London. The diplomat added that since it is difficult to acquire new building in the prime locations such as Kensington Palace Gardens the selling away of the existing property would mean relocating the embassy to suburb areas --- something unusual in case of the location of an embassy. The issue whether to sell away the embassy building in London had even reached the erstwhile parliament. A meeting of the Public Account Committee (PAC) held on May 25, two days before the dissolution of the parliament, had instructed the government to first repair the properties even as the top officials from foreign ministry apprised the committee that maintenance of the building would be very expensive and process too tardy as the building was in a run-down state. Sources said the Survey Committee has also been given responsibility to make a detailed study on the properties of Nepal in Bonn in Germany. Nearly 30,000 square feet of land including then residence of ambassador and chancery building are lying idle for over a decade after the embassy was moved to Berlin following the re-unification of the Federal Republic of Germany and German Democratic Republic and subsequent shifting of the capital of the country to Berlin in July 20, 2000. Nnnn NEPALI WORKERS ASKED TO REAPPLY FOR SOUTH KOREAN JOBS Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: The South Korean government has sent names of around 5,700 candidates out of around 9,000 candidates who failed to get jobs under Korea´s Employment Permit System (EPS) to reapply at EPS-Nepal office to retain their candidature in job roster of Human Resource Department (HRD) of Korea, Prabhakar Ghimere writes in Republica.. Responding to the move by Korea, the government has initiated the process to re-register applications of those who couldn´t get opportunity for Korean jobs even after getting registered in roster of HRD in 2011. EPS-Nepal Office has publicly called 3,693 job hopefuls as randomly selected by the HRD Korea to re-register their applications to refresh their bid for the jobs in the Asia´s fourth largest economy. Of those notified for the re-registration, around 700 are female job seekers. “We have opened the re-registration of applications of 3,693 job seekers who were listed in the job roster and have not yet got an opportunity to sign job contracts so that they can continue their candidature for jobs in Korea under EPS,” Gyan Nath Dhakal, acting chief of EPS-Nepal Office told Republica on Sunday. A high level source at the Ministry of Labor and Employment (MoLE) told Republica that HRD Korea has also sent a list of around 2,000 more candidates to EPS Nepal to initiate the process to re-register them in the roster. “We will also notify 2,000 more candidates soon for renewing their applications for EPS jobs,” said the source. HRD Korea has been randomly selecting the names from the job rosters to call for re-registration of the application. Situation to reregister the applications of those already included in the job roster emerged as their medical reports, which is valid for a year, has either expired or are expiring soon. As per the existing provision, names of candidates will be de-registered from the roster once their medical reports´ validity expires. Those, who want to quality for EPS jobs again, have to pass medical test and re-fill the job application at EPS Nepal Office. Data shows that 15,500 youths registered in HRD´s job roster after qualifying through the Test of Proficiency in Korea (TOPIK)- Korean language test and heath check up to vie for Korean jobs in 2011. However, only 6,039 of them have actually signed labor contracts, meaning around 9,000 candidates would have to re-register. “To keep their hope still alive for Korean jobs, remaining workers who couldn´t get contracts offer have no option but to re-register their application,” said Dhakal. Under EPS, the validity of TOPIK certificate is set for two years. But the Korean government can delete the names of the job seekers after a year of their registration in the job roster. EPS-Nepal office has set November 27 deadline for the candidates to complete their health check up and re-register their application by December 1. Most of the Nepali workers who left for Korea for EPS jobs since 2008 are employed mainly in agriculture and manufacturing sectors. Nepal and Korea had signed EPS deal on July 23, 2007 to send Nepali workers to Korea through the government level. To deal with scarcity of labor force, Korean government introduced EPS in 2004 allowing domestic firms to hire foreign workers. Korea has signed EPS pacts with 15 countries to source the workers for five sectors- agriculture, manufacturing, construction, fisheries and services. Nnnn PRESIDENT MAKING FORMAL CALL TO AVOID POLITICAL VACUMN Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: After five months of efforts to bring about consensus among major parties failed, President Ram Baran Yadav will make a formal call in accordance with the Interim Constitution to avert a political vacuum after November 22m Kuvera Chalise/ Prakash Acharya write in The Himalayan Times.. The President told party leaders today he would begin a formal initiative to deliver results within a specific timeframe, according to the President’s press adviser Rajendra Dahal. At a meeting with leaders of four key political forces — UCPN-Maoist, Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and United Democratic Madhesi Front — the President said time was running out not only for the budget but also for consensus and parties did not have the luxury of time to contemplate different alternatives. He “Emphatically” told leaders to reach consensus in the next two or three days. According to Dahal, the President said the country was heading towards dreadful political vacuum as the CA polls declared for November 22 were not being held. If the parties failed to find a solution by then, the President would make a formal call in accordance with the provision of the interim constitution, Dahal said, adding that once the process begins it will not stop without a result within a specific timeframe. Dahal, however, clarified that the President was not threatening but was driven by serious concern about preventing the vacuum. Despite political bickering, the parties had agreed to face elections but a date has not yet been fixed, and this will create vacuum. The President has again called leaders of the four political forces, including the Prime Minister, tomorrow morning as part of his informal attempt to seek consensus. After the meeting, UCPN-M Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal said attempts were being made to find a solution through formation of a consensus government to give an outlet to the longstanding stalemate within the next few days. NC president Sushil Koirala said the deadlock had been protracted despite the President’s rigorous efforts because of Maoist obstinacy. UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal said consensus government was the only outlet but the Maoists had blocked it, whereas Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum (Democratic) Chairman Bijay Kumar Gachhchhadar said parties would make their best efforts to give an outlet to the deadlock. The deadlock among political parties is forcing the country to witness yet another one-third budget under the interim constitution 96 (A), which would neither propel economic growth nor help create employment. Though, UCPN-M Chairman Dahal had suggested three options at the meeting, the opposition — NC and UML — rejected them, asking him to forge consensus first. The three options are: Bringing the budget under the National Planning Commission ceiling of Rs 429 billion, giving continuity to the programme and policies brought by former Finance Minister Bharat Mohan Adhikary and bringing a one-third budget like the caretaker government did on July 15 in the absence of Parliament after May 27. The one-third budget for regular expenses and interim expenditure management includes budget for running mega projects, salaries for public servants, police and army, and day-to-day recurrent expenditures till mid-March. The prolonged political deadlock had made the government bring a special one-third budget of Rs 161.24 billion on July 15 for four months till Mid-November. But the parties neither could forge political consensus nor could reach agreement on the full budget in the last five months. Meanwhile, the Prime Minister is planning to send the budget ordinance to the President on Tuesday and is trying to forge consensus tomorrow. But the opposition says the ruling parties must first agree to a package deal that includes the budget. Ruling parties to address concern A meeting of ruling parties on Sunday concluded that a full budget was needed but the government would show maximum flexibility in accommodating the opposition parties’ concerns. Minister of Information and Communications Rajkishor Yadav said, “The government is conscious that it should not do any thing that could have negative impact on the process of forging consensus. The government is equally concerned about running the economy in uninterrupted manner,” he said. The government will keep in mind the President’s concern if he has any reservation on the full budget and may bring a budget without new programmes, sources added. “We do not favour confrontation with the President,” Yadav said. Nnnn KHUM BAHADUR KHADKA’S VEHICLE CONFISCATED Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: After three months of the Supreme Court verdict, the Kathmandu District Court (KDC) on Sunday confiscated a private vehicle owned by former Home Minister Khum Bahadur Khadka, who was convicted of graft on August 14, Ananta Raj Luitel writes in The Himalayan Times.. The KDC will now initiate the process of auction of the green Mitsubishi motor (Ba 2 Cha 9555). “We received Khum Bahadur Khadka’s private vehicle today,” Punaram Khanal, chief of the Verdict Execution Directorate at KDC, told The Himalayan Times. According to him, the confiscation took time owing to the due process. In its final verdict on the high-profile corruption case, a division bench of Justices Kalyan Shrestha and Baidhyanath Upadhayay on August 14 had slapped an 18-month jail term and a fine of Rs 9.4 million on the former minister and Nepali Congress leader. The justices had ruled to confiscate the vehicle, worth Rs 2.4 million, registered in Khadka’s own name and 33 tola gold and 2.93 tola silver. The Mitsubishi motor (Ba 2 Cha 9555), registered in Khadka's name, was confiscated and brought to the Kathmandu District Court after three months of the Supreme Court verdict. Photo: Keshav P. Koirala Also, the apex court had decided to confiscate Rs 2.5 million deposited in his wife Sheela Sharma Khadka’s account in the Everest Bank Limited, and several plots of lands in Lalitpur registered in her name. Khadka had surrendered to the KDC on August 22. He is currently doing his time in the Dillibazaar prison. He submitted Rs 7.5 million to the court--claiming a concession of 20 per cent on the total fine of Rs 9.4 million slapped on him as he surrendered to the court himself. With a 20 per cent discount in the term also for cooperating in execution of the verdict, Khadka will serve 14 months and nine days in the jail as per the Section 42 of Punishment and Fine Chapter of Muluki Ain. Nnnn SPECIAL EXAMS FOR POSTGRADUATE DOCTORS Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: The Nepal Medical Council (NMC) will begin the first of kind special examinations for postgraduate medical doctors on December 1, The Kathmandu Post writes.. The examination was initially planned to be held on July 28 but was postponed after 18 doctors filed a writ in the Patan Appellate Court asking to scrap it. Following the writ, the court had issued a stay order to withhold the examination until further notice. With the final verdict of the court on their side, the NMC came up with new date of the examination. According to NMC Chairman Dr Damodar Gajurel, doctors who have completed their three-year master's degrees after February 10 this year will take the examination. Initially, 160 doctors in 22 specialty subjects, who completed their Doctor of Medicine (MD), Master of Surgery (MS) and Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) studies abroad and in the country, were supposed to appear in the examination. Dr Gajurel said with the postponement of the initially slated examination and registration process opened till Tuesday, the number of applicants is likely to increase. Dr Gajurel said the exam will ensure that only quality doctors with special training in their respective fields will go out among the public. He said the NMC, regulatory body of medical studies and practitioners, will not register doctors as specialists if they fail the examination, meaning they will only be allowed to practice as MBBS doctors and not as specialists. "We decided to hold the examination after many doctors began to go abroad for their specialisation degrees upon completion of their MBBS," said Dr Gajurel, adding that a majority of students who have completed their MBBS from abroad did not make it through the council examination. This test will make sure that the foreign degree holders are also competent like their counterparts in the country. "We are not sure of the quality of study they pursued abroad. As in the case of Nepal, we all know the curriculum and hence it is easy for us to judge," he said. "We will certify only those who pass the examination. This certification will become a strong document for them to present to their respective fields and also for legal cases, if any, in the future." Until now, students who have completed their MBBS are mandated to appear for an entrance examination conducted by the NMC before they are licensed to practise medicine. Nnnn ISRAEL, HAZA IGHTING RAGES Kathmandu, 19 Nov.: Israel bombed Palestinian militant targets in the Gaza Strip from air and sea for a fifth, Reuters reports from Gaza, Jerusalem, straight day today, preparing for a possible ground invasion while also spelling out its conditions for a truce. Palestinian fire into Israel subsided during the night but resumed in the morning, with rockets targeting the country’s commercial capital Tel Aviv for a fourth day. Two missiles were shot down by Israel’s Iron Dome air shield. Speaking shortly after the attack, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was ready to widen its offensive. “We are exacting a heavy price from Hamas and the terrorist organisations and the Israel Defence Forces are prepared for a significant expansion of the operation,” he said at a cabinet meeting, giving no further details. Some 51 Palestinians, about half of them civilians, including 14 children, have been killed since the Israeli offensive began, Palestinian officials said, with hundreds wounded. More than 500 rockets fired from Gaza have hit Israel, killing three civilians and wounding dozens. Israel unleashed intensive air strikes on Wednesday, killing the military commander of the Islamist Hamas movement that governs Gaza and spurns peace with the Jewish state. Israel’s declared goal is to deplete Gaza arsenals and press Hamas into stopping cross-border rocket fire that has bedevilled Israeli border towns for years and is now displaying greater range, putting Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in the crosshairs. Air raids continued past midnight into Sunday, with warships shelling from the sea. Two Gaza City media buildings were hit, witnesses said, wounding six journalists and damaging facilities belonging to Hamas’s Al-Aqsa TV as well as Britain’s Sky News. An employee of Beirut-based al Quds television station lost his leg in the attack, medics said. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the strike had targeted a rooftop “transmission antenna used by Hamas to carry out terror activity”. International media organisations demanded further clarification. Three other attacks killed three children and wounded 14 other people, medical officials said. Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi said in Cairo, as his security deputies sought to broker a truce with Hamas leaders, that “there are some indications that there is a possibility of a ceasefire soon, but we do not yet have firm guarantees”. nnnn