INDIAN TRAFFICKER ARRESTED Kathmandu, 25 Feb.: One Indian trafficker was arrested at Nirmal Basti following a three-hour gun battle between police and a group smugglers overnight in Parsa. One crude weapon was recovered along with 25kg. hash. Nnnn SIX-YEAR-OLD GIRL EMBROILED IN WARDSHIP ROW Kathmandu, 25 Feeb.: Rosa Tamara, a six year old Nepali girl, who was brought up by a British national in Kathmandu since her birth, is caught up in a wardship row after the Kathmandu district administration forcibly took away the girl from her caretaker saying that a foreign national can not bring up Nepali children without fulfilling legal procedures, Upendra Lamichane writes in Republica.. Rosa´s mother, an unmarried Nepali girl who had left for Saudi Arabia for employment returned home pregnant. The unwed mother was helped by British woman Megaly Menanteau to deliver the child six years ago. The mother of the girl then left the child to Megaly´s care and took her own way. In a dramatic turn of events after six years, the district administration took away Rosa from Megaly´s wardship and handed her over to Bal Mandir after a group of NGOs working for orphans, including Smile Nepal, lodged complaints stating that Megaly had been keeping the child against the existing laws. Megaly, who nursed the child as a mother has developed a close bond with Rosa, and is unhappy to lose her suddenly. “I have provided all the facilities, love and care to Rosa. Now the law has snatched all the things away from me and Rosa,” said Megaly stating that the police took away Rosa while she was playing in her lap. “She was forcing herself to come to me crying Mama! Mama! But, the law forcedly took her away from me,” Megaly added. Megaly also claimed that Rosa has been the victim of some people with ill an intention to win her custody. She also informed that she was not even permitted to meet Rosa in Bal Mandir. “I know, Rosa is waiting for me but I am unaware of the process I have to fulfill even to meet her,” said Megaly. Tula Kandel, Megaly´s lawyer said she should be given the custody of the girl as no any existing Nepali law prevents foreigners from bringing up Nepali children. “She should be provided the wardship of the girl as she has already filed for adoption. It is also a matter of emotions for both Rosa and Megaly,” Kandel added. Bal Krishna Dhungel, deputy director of Nepal Children Organization, informed that they received the girl on January 25 from the District Administration Office. He also informed that Rosa is not happy at Bal Mandir. Dhungel further informed that they have issued a notice to the girls´ parents to come to claim their baby. He also said Megaly can not take the girl legally but can sponsor her studies and upbringing. Megaly went to the Bal Mandir with Rosa´s aunt but to no avail. According to Kathmandu Chief District Officer Chuda Mani Sharma, the girl was handed over to Bal Mandir after receiving the complaints. “The British national does not have any legal base to take the child´s custody,” said Sharma. Nnnn ________________________________________ LOAD-SHEDDING BACK TO 14 HOURS Kathmandu, 25 Feb.: Brace yourself for two more hours of load-shedding because the Kaligandi A Hydropower Project in Syangja district will be shut from 1 March for about 10 days for maintenance, Santosh Pokharel writes in Republica from Pokhara.. The installed capacity of the run-of-the-river project is 144 megawatts but it is currently generating only 60 megawatts. The project officials said all three inlet valves of the project which carry the water from tunnel to the turbine have eroded and water has stared to leak so repair has become necessary. Officials also said the valves have not been repaired for the past eight years. Talking to Republica, a technician of the project said, "Since the water level is comparatively low in dry season, we have scheduled the maintenance this time around." The inlet valves of all the three electricity generating turbines of the project will undergo maintenance. "Among the three valves, one is nearly damaged and the other two are in need of repair," said the technician. The technician also informed that machinery parts needed have been imported from Japan and the project´s technicians themselves will carry out the maintainence work. "This is the first time the project is going to be shut for such a long time for maintenance," said the technician. Chief of the project, Awadesh Kumar Jha, said the valves should have been repaired 7-8 years ago, but they could not do so due to various problems including lack of funds as the parts are very expensive and have to be imported all the way from Japan. "All the parts have already reached Kathmandu and in two days we will receive them," added Jha. Nnnn