GOVT. INVITED TENDERS TO CONTINUE WORK ON MELAMCHU AFTER CHINESE WITHDRAWAL Kathmandu, 1 Dec.; Following withdrawal pf a Chinese contractor and with the approval of Asian Development Bank (ADB), the head of a consortium, government Saturday invited bids to continue work on head works and diversion of Melamchi Drrinking Water Project. When completed the project will supply drinking water to Valley resident by diverting water from Melamchi river. nnnn INDEPENDENT COMMUNIST LEADER BIJUKCHHE ACCUSES BIG PARTIES Kathmandu, 1 Dec : Chairman of Nepal Workers´ and Peasants´ Party, Narayanman Bijukchhe has accused the major political parties of ignoring people´s interests and expectations, RSS reports from Bhaktapur.. Opening the first annual general meeting of Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ), Bhaktapur Chapter on Saturday, leader Bijukchhe said problems arose in the country as the big political parties concentrated themselves on just getting into state power. "The major political parties have started losing people´s trust as they failed to realize sentiments of the people", he said, adding, "Nepotism and selfishness are the priorities of the parties which are enjoying power". Seeking government´s significant role to guarantee professional rights of journalists, he accused the political parties of providing patronage to those people posing treats to journalists. Journalists should make the government aware of rights, he said, urging them to fight against possible dictatorship in the country. Chief District Officer Ekmani Adhikari, FNJ former President Dharmendra Jha, central vice chairperson Yashoda Timilsina, members Prakash Chandra Pariyar and Dilip Thapa Magar, former secretary Poshan KC pointed out the need of government´s seriousness journalists´ rights. Nnnn DPM SHRESTHA CALLS FOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF AGRICULTURE Kathmandu, 1 Dec : Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha has said national economy could not be strengthened without commercializing agriculture, RSS reports.. At a programme organized by the Ichchhumati Saving and Credits Cooperatives in the capital today, DPM Shrestha said government was committed to formulating necessary policy to modernize the agricultural market and management and rights of the agricultural entrepreneurs. On the occasion, he appealed to all political parties to forge consensus as quickly as possible because the country had no option but to hold election within coming April/May. "The Constituent Assembly had no alternative to institutionalize the republic, federalism, inclusion, secularism and others," he stressed. The paid up capital in the Cooperatives has reached Rs 6.6 million in the fiscal year 2011/012. The Cooperatives has invested in the productive and income generating sectors. Nnnn FIVE JAILED IN JHAPA Kathmandu, 1 Dec.:Five convicts punished from District Court Jhapa have been remanded into custody in Chandragadhi jail. Those remanded for murder are Ran Bahadur Chongbang, 72, Bhim Shrestha, 42, Jiwan Nembang, 29, and Sim Prasad Tumbapo, 53, of Jalthal-9, on Friday, the District Police Office Jhapa said. They were convicted of murder of Netra Bahadur Samsuhang, 23, of Jalthal- 7, twelve years ago and sentenced to 20 years in prison each three years ago. nnnn