PM LAYS FOUNDATION STONE OF 25MW MADI HYDRO PROJECT Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: Prime Minister Friday laid the foundation of the 25MW Upper Madi Hydro Project in Sildujure in Kaski. The project is situated at Sildujure VDC, Chansu in the district andis expected to be completed in 30 months.. The project is a joint undertaking of Madi Hydro and China’s Three Gorges Corporation. nnnn. NEPAL WOMEN SQUAD FOR ACC CRICKET Kathamandu, 29 Dec.: Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Friday selected a 18-member preliminary squad for the ACC Women’s Championship scheduled for January 21-31 in Thailand. Rubina Chhetri (Belbasi), Saraswoti Chaudhary, Karuna Bhandari, Sarita Magar, Rashmi Sharma Chaulagain, Shilu Rijal, Indu Verma, Trishna Singh, Rekha Rawal, Shova Ale Magar, Mamata Thapa, Sangita Gauchan, Madhu Thapa, Nira Rajopadhyaya, Sonu Khadka, Nery Thapa, Roshani Bohara and Sita Rana Magar have been selected.. Nnnn HOTEL BARAHI WIN 9TH ELEPHANT RACE Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: Bahadur Gaj representing Hotel Barahi Pokhara won the title of 9th elephant race held at Sauraha, Chitwan, RSS reports from Chitwan. Gaj clocked 1 min 6 sec to win the 300-meter race. Similarly, Ekatakali from the Chitwan National Park and Suraj Kali representing the Coldfeet Adventure, England secured the second and third positions respectively. A total of 24 teams including the international teams participated in the tournament. Likewise, the same Ekatakali from the Chitwan National Park won the 'Elephant Beauty Contest', another attraction of the Elephant Festival. Kali clinched the title leaving behind Prakriti Kali and Pinki Kali. Similarly, the bull-cart belonging to Hotel Wild Life Camp won the bull-cart race competition organised on the sidelines of the Elephant Festival. Likewise, horse-cart of Wild Expedition Service won the title of horse-cart competition. The festival kicked off on December 26. Nnnn CAPITAL MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FALLS TO 1 DEGREES CELSIUS Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: The capital’s minimum temperature fell to 1 degrees Celsius in the last 24 hours. Saturday morning’s temperature rose to 2 degrees Celsius amid tick mist. Mercury is expected to rise to 19 degrees in the afternoon Saturday. Terai is covered by think fog. Nnnn SHIWA MURDER CASE GETS MURKIER Kathmandu, 29 Dec.: The murder of the teenaged girl of Bardiya, Shiwa Hashami is getting more confusing with each passing day after Siwa Hasmi’s mother and brother backtracked on their earlier statements following their detention, The Himalayan Times reports from Nepalgunj.. The family members, who had earlier accused their neighbour Babu Khan of burning her to death, have now expressed their ignorance as to who set her ablaze. Police had detained Shiwa’s mother Hasina and youngest brother Suddhu about 10 days ago after an FIR was filed at the District Police Office, Bardiya, claiming family’s hand behind the murder. According to DSP Yamuna Rajak, the detained family members are now expressing their ignorance over the incident. “We did not see the person who set her on fire, neither did we hear about the person involved in the incident,” DSP Rajak quoted the detained family members as saying in their statement to police. Earlier on December 7, Siwa Hasmi, 16, was burnt alive at her home in Gulariya. She finally succumbed to her injuries and died while undergoing treatment at a hospital in the Capital. Meanwhile, the Muslim community and civil society members have staged demonstrations in Gulariya claiming that the family was responsible for Siwa’s murder. Nnnn Kathmandu,29 Dec.: Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai today [Friday] once again rubbished the opposition allegations that he was the stumbling block to consensus and said the parties in opposition were ‘levelling charges against him to tarnish’ his image. Sildujure . Even as the country struggles to get rid of the prevailing crisis, blame is the name of the game in Nepali politics. “The biggest lie in the world at this time is to say that I am a hindrance to the much-desired political consensus. In fact the opposition, which has been taking undue media advantage, is spreading a completely wrong message,” said Prime Minister Bhattarai while addressing a programme after laying the foundation stone of the Upper Madi Hydro Project in Sildujure, Kaski. “The opposition rant is nothing but a ploy to besmirch my reputation. If there has been no consensus despite the parties’ claims that they are quite close to it, then there is no point accusing me of playing the spoilsport.” It has been more than a month since the President first asked parties to reach a compromise to form a consensus government, but the parties have been squabbling over several issues and have invariably failed to strike a deal. In the last more than four weeks, opposition parties have been accusing Prime Minister Bhattarai of refusing to pave the way for consensus while the latter has stood his ground, saying his resignation would only create a political vacuum. “I have given my commitment that I will quit the moment there is consensus. Opposition is blaming me for its failure,” said Bhattarai. “I have my resignation letter in my pocket. The moment the parties forge consensus, I will put in my papers.” Stating that he has no other concern except ensuring successful completion of peace and constitution-making processes, Prime Minister Bhattarai said he wished for an early consensus among parties. Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai said on Friday that President Ram Baran Yadav has no right to formally call for the formation of a consensus government and extend the deadline for the same. He said the Council of Ministers has already reacted to the President’s move, and therefore, the Head of State should desist from acting further on the issue. The Cabinet had termed the presidential call for the formation of a consensus government under Article 38 (1) of the Interim Constitution ‘unconstitutional.’ Stating that he will not be an obstacle to consensus, Bhattarai said all the doors for consensus were open. “Revival of the Constituent Assembly is the last option. The first option is to hold fresh election by forging consensus,” Bhattarai said at a programme organised by Tarai Madhes Democratic Party on its fifth anniversary. “Those who aspire to lead the government should be ready to strike a deal in a package.” nnnn