GROUP DICUSIONS OF DAHAL’S REPORT CONTNUES MONDAY Kathmandu, 4 Feb.: Group discussions on Maoist Chairman Dahal’s political report continues for the second day at Hetauda Monday. Its presentation at the closed session was delayed until Sunday evening because of differences over delegates. The seventh conventionin 21 years concludes Wedesday following which new leadership will be elected. Nnnn .TIGER COUNT BEGINS MONDAY Kathmandu, 4 Feb.: A three-month tiger census begins Monday. The count will be held at all nature reserves and Chure range simultaneously. A 2012 census showed there were 176 endangered wild cats. nnnn MONDAY’S MINIMUM TEMPERATURE EXPECTED AT 10 DEGRES CELSIUS Kathmandu, 4 Feb.: Monday’s minimum temperature in capital is expected to fall to reach 10 degrees Celsius. Mercury is expected to rise to 18 degrees Celsius. Nnnn DAHAL PRESENTS POLITICAL PAPER AT CONVENTION Kathmandu, 4 Feb.: : UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Sunday presented his political document during the closed door session of the party´s ongoing seventh general convention, Kiran Pun writes in Republica from Hetauda. . The closed session, which was scheduled for 11 am on Sunday, began in the evening due to dispute over selection of representatives from the three factions led by Dahal and Vice-chairmen Baburam Bhattarai and Narayankaji Shrestha. The dispute arose as the three leaders pressed for selection of representatives for the general convention from their own factions. The party had earlier decided to nominate five percent of the total number of representatives for the general convention. Around 3,500 representatives, including volunteers, are participating in the general convention. “The leaders tried to select own relatives and aides,” said a central committee member. As the top leaders were involved in the dispute over selecting representatives from their own factions, the cadres spent time criticizing their own leaders for their “double standards”. But party Spokesperson Agni Sapkota claimed that the convention was delayed to the technical problems. “The closed session was delayed due to technical problems and nothing else,” said Sapkota at the press meet. Sapkota informed that the representatives will be divided into 60 groups, each comprising 50 members, to discuss Dahal´s document. Each day the closed session will be held from 8 am to 12 noon and again from 2 pm to 5 pm. Likewise, there will be press meet at 1 pm and then 5 pm every day. The five-day convention, taking place for the first time in 21 years will conclude on Wednesday. 15-member presidium The UCPN (Maoist) has formed a 15-member presidium to oversee the closed session of the ongoing seventh general convention. A meeting of the general convention organizing committee has formed the presidium under the leadership of Krishna Bahadur Mahara. According to party Spokesperson Agni Sapkota, Dinanath Sharma, Nand Kishor Pun, Hisila Yami, Ninu Chapagain, Bhim Bahadur Kadayat, Dharmashila Chapagain, Padam Bishwakarma, Shashi Shrestha, Ram Charan Chaudhari, Tashi Sherpa, Purna Kumari Subedi, Satya Pahadi, Ram Kumar Sharma and Hakikulla Khan are members of the presidium. Nnnn PREPARTIONS AFOOT TO SELL EMBASSIES UK, GERMANY Kathmandu, 4 Feb.: - Despite the absence of a Parliament and the lack of proper domestic laws, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) is gearing up to sell two prime properties in London and Bonn, currently owned by the Nepali missions in the United Kingdom and Germany respectively, Anil Giri writes in The Kathamandu. Post.. The government has already constituted a panel headed by Joint Secretary at the MoFA Ambika Devi Luitel and comprising various other government representatives. The panel also includes three concerned ambassadors--Suresh Chalise of the UK, Suresh Pradhan of Germany and Ram Mani Pokhrel of Belgim--who have been summoned to the MoFA on February 13 and 14 to discuss the exact situation of the properties and the process to sell or repair these dilapidated structures. The meeting will deliberate on the amount the properties can be sold at and the funds required to repair the buildings in case the bid to sell them fails, according to MoFA spokesperson Arjun Bahadur Thapa. However, several government officials, including a few at the MoFA, are against selling the properties in the absence of a parliament and domestic laws allowing the selling of such governmental property. "Currently, we only have procurement laws and none related to selling property. Given that, we doubt these properties can be sold as it concerns billions of rupees and no one wants to get their hands dirty," said a senior government official. There has long been a strong lobby to sell off the Nepali mission's UK property, located in London's prime Kensington Palace Gardens, given its poor condition and the massive amount of funds required for its repair. Panel members will soon visit the UK and Germany to inspect the properties, learn local practices of property management and report back to the government. Recently, a property agency associated to the British Royal family submitted a report to the Nepali Embassy in London stating that it would cost around 2.2 million pounds sterling (Rs 300 million) to repair and renovate the embassy building at current market rates. "Although the building is in a sorry state, it is not that dilapidated. It just needs regular repair and maintenance," said the report submitted by the agency. Last May, the Public Accounts Committee had instructed the government to sell off the London building after carrying out maintenance work and evaluating the property along international standards. The five-story building, filled with ancient art and sculptures, could fetch 300 to 500 million pounds sterling if sold through a competitive bidding process, according to officials. Although technically 'Crown' property, meaning that the building is legally owned by the British Royal Family, London's embassy building lease was handed over to Nepal in 1938 in recognition of the dedication shown by Gurkhas in the British Army. According to a bilateral agreement, Nepal would pay 100 pounds annually as lease for the first 25 years, 1,000 pounds for the next 25-50 years and 1,500 pounds for the next 50-70 years. Nepal renewed the lease agreement for the first time in 1980, which is set to expire in 68 years. In Germany, Nepal had purchased land and built a chancery building and a residence for its ambassador in Bonn. After the unification of Germany, Nepal relocated its mission to Berlin, leaving the Bonn building to fall apart. "Until last year, a local person was given the responsibility of looking after the building. There were several attempts to sell the building but no government official or Nepali ambassador has dared to go all the way through," said an official at the MoFA. The Bonn building is also considered prime property and could potentially fetch millions of euros if sold at current market prices, said the official. Nnnn NO INTERIM ORDER BY SC ON TRISHULI 3A Kathmandu, 4 Feb.: The Supreme Court today barred the government from upgrading the capacity of Upper Trishuli 3A Project from 60 to 90 MW, The Himalayan TOImes reports.. A division bench of Justices Kalyan Shrestha and Girish Chandra Lal today stated that despite the government decision to upgrade the capacity of the project, which is being handled by the China Gehouba Group, there was no ground to issue interim order as NEA had not taken any decision to upgrade the capacity of the project. “It is the duty of NEA to complete the project on the basis of the existing contract, so there was no ground for escaping from the construction by citing anything,” the order stated. The Supreme Court was responding to a writ petition filed by advocate Loknath Chaulagain. Citing that the 644th NEA board meeting had decided not to hinder the construction of the project for any reason, the apex court said even NEA cannot go against the commitment already expressed in the contract signed with the contractor company. The ruling noted that NEA cannot go against the existing contract, as it has not taken any decision yet despite the principle decision of the Cabinet on December 3 to upgrade it. After that the NEA board meeting could not take any decision, but sought the advice of the management committee. The government had granted approval to NEA board to upgrade the project amidst protests by all trade unions at NEA. Former energy ministers of opposition parties had also asked Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai not to implement the decision. Nnnn LICENCES OF 14 HYDRI POWER PLANTS CANCELLD Kaathmandu, 4 Feb.: In a bid to discourage the trend of occupying rivers after obtaining licence of hydro projects, the Department of Electricity Development has started scrapping the licences of hydro projects, The Himalayan Times reports.. DoED has cancelled licences of at least 14 projects (total capacity 611MW) in the last 11 days for failing to submit the necessary progress reports and not paying the renewal fee. Three of these projects had already applied for generation licences. DoED’s information Officer Gokarna Raj Pantha said they had followed due process of seeking clarification, engaged in repeated correspondence and issued 35-day public notice in newspapers asking licence-holders to appear at the DoED and complete renewal in time. Some other projects will also be facing the same action, he added. The DoED issues survey licence to developers for two years. After that the latter must renew the licence every year till a total of five years and then apply for generation licence together with valid survey licence. However, it was found that licence-holders intended to linger on with the project, rather than work. “The new renewal fee implemented from October 1 made it easier to stick to the decision,” added Pantha. Survey licence holders have to submit the progress report of feasibility study, Environmental Impact Assessment and connection agreement from time to time during the survey period. Project developers have to furnish Environmental Impact Assessment/Initial Environmental Examination report, connection agreement or Power Purchase Agreement, Letter of Intent of Financial Closure and feasibility study reports for obtaining generation licence. By amending the Electricity Regulations in October the government increased the annual renewal fee up to 20 times by categorising according to capacity. The annual renewal fee for 1-5 MW projects was made Rs 1 million from Rs 50,000. The renewal fee for 5-10 MW project was made Rs 2 million, 10-25 MW - Rs 3 million, 25-100 MW - Rs 4 million, 100-500 MW - Rs 5 million and above 500 MW - Rs 6 million. Pantha argued they had increased the renewal fee as the previous fee structure was very low and it prompted licence holders to occupy river, rather than develop the project. This trend also discouraged genuine developers by keeping them away. Former Energy Secretary Surya Nath Upadhayaya said licences were distributed wrongly without assessing the capacity and intention of applicants. He was of the view that all the projects should be awarded only after open competition to whoever would construct the projects at the lowest rate. nnnn