SONAM LOSHAR BEING CELEBRATED Kathamandu, 11 Feb.: Sonam Lhosar, a great festival of the Tamang people, is being celebrated with much fanfare across the country today. During this festival, people clean their houses and vicinity, hoist flags and conduct pujas by worshipping Lord Buddha. Similarly, the Lama and gurus gather at community functions where dances are performed, RSS reports.. Sherpa, Tamang, Gurung and Bhote communities in the mountainous region of Nepal celebrate the festival as New Year. The Lhosar are of three types, Tola Lhosar, Sonam Lhosar and Gyalbo Lhosar. The Talho Lhosar is marked in the month of Poush while the Sonam Lhosar is celebrated on Magh Shukla at the beginning of spring season. Similarly, the Gyalbo Lhosar is marked by the Sherpas a month later. On the occasion of the Sonam Lhosar today, Vice-President Pramanand Jha has given a message to all Tamang sisters and brothers of the country. In the message, Vice-President Jha has wished the festival would bring peace and prosperity among the Nepalis creating consensus and cooperation. Similarly, Prime Minister Dr Baburam Bhattarai has wished peace and prosperity among Nepalis on the occasion of the Sonam Lhosar. Unity in diversity, religious tolerance despite numerous caste, languages, cultures are Nepal’s specificities, PM Bhattarai said, adding it is the tradition of the Nepalis to respect every festival with equality. The festivals are for the protection and promotion for Nepal’s culture. Similarly, Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala has expressed best wishes to all Tamang people in the country and abroad and wished peace and prosperity. President Koirala has also lauded the role the Tamang community has played for the nationality and national unity. Nnnn PM TO QUIT IF ELECTION GOVT. FORMED Kathmandu, 11 Feb.: : Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has said that he is ready to step down if there is an agreement among the political parties to form a new government under the sitting chief justice for holding a fresh CA election. Kosh Raj Koirala writes in Repubica.. During a meeting with President Dr Ram Baran Yadav at Shital Niwas Sunday afternoon, Prime Minister Bhattarai argued that forming a new government under the sitting chief justice is the best alternative as parties have refused to accept either a political leader or an independent person as head of the government. The prime minister made his position clear in the wake of the opposition parties questioning whether the proposal of UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal to form a new government under the chief justice has the present government’s backing. Earlier last month, Chairman Dahal had backtracked on a deal reached with Nepali Congress and CPN-UML saying that he could not convince Prime Minister Bhattarai. Prime Minister Bhattarai maintained that though it is the primary responsibility of the political parties to forge consensus on forming a new government, both the president’s office and the prime minister’s office should be playing the role of facilitator for such a deal. Sources close to the president’s office said President Yadav has taken the prime minister’s statement positively. Talking to media persons after his meeting with President Yadav, Prime Minister Bhattarai said he made the proposal with the president as there is a dire need to hold fresh polls by May-end to resolve both constitutional and political deadlock. “So far, we saw various alternatives. It would have been better had there been an agreement to form a new government under a political leader. But now the situation is such that no party is accepting another party’s leadership,” the prime minister said. “Secondly, we also proposed an independent person for head of the government. But none of the alternatives have worked.” The prime minister said his party floated the proposal to form a new government under the sitting chief justice as the last alternative to forge consensus. “Judiciary is considered an independent and impartial institution in worldwide practice. Therefore, it could probably be acceptable for all to move ahead by forming a government under the sitting chief justice to hold fresh election. This can help ensure free and fair election,” he said. The prime minister, however, added that he personally will have no problem accepting any decisions made by the political parties. “Personally, I have also taken this alternative as a good one. But it is up to the political parties to make a decision. It will be acceptable to the government and me whatever decision the political parties will choose to take,” he said. “But looking at the situation now, it will be more appropriate to go for fresh election by forming a new government under the chief justice.” During the meeting, the prime minister had also stressed the need for reaching a package deal including on a truth and reconciliation commission. “We should immediately forge consensus to form Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Peace process won’t be concluded without this,” he told media persons. The prime minister had also drawn the attention of President Yadav to endorse various ordinances including one on organized crimes. “There is a danger of our country being blacklisted if we fail to pass this ordinance. I have, therefore, drawn the attention of the president toward the need to endorse the ordinance without delay,” he further said. Though Nepal has already endorsed two of the three bills -- Extradition Bill and Mutual Cooperation Bill -- as per the condition set by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global anti-money laundering body, to avoid being blacklisted by the international community, another bill --- Bill to Control Organized Crimes -- failed to get parliament endorsement due to strong opposition from the Mohan Baidya faction of then UCPN (Maoist). Officials said Nepal risks being put in the dark grey area if it fails to endorse the ordinance related to organized crimes anytime soon as Nepal has already been put in the grey area for its failure to do so. Earlier last week, US envoy to Nepal Peter W Bodde had also cautioned about this during his meeting with Finance Minister Barshaman Pun. Nnnn ToR FOR SOF LOAN FROM EIB Kathmandu, 11 Feb The government is holding negotiations with the European Investment Bank (EIB) next week to finalize terms and conditions for soft loan of US$ 70 million for the construction of 140 megawatts Tanahun Hydropower Project, Bhok Raj Paudel writes in Republica.. “A team from EIB is scheduled to visit Nepal next week to finalize the terms and conditions for the soft loan,” joint secretary at the Ministry of Finance (MoF) Madhu Marasini, who also heads the International Economic Cooperation Coordination Division (IECCD), told Republica. The government has already arranged a total of US$ 300 million soft loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) for development of the project. “We will seek an additional US$ 70 million from EIB in the meeting scheduled for next week," Marasini said. The government has already finalized terms and conditions for the soft loan with ADB and JICA. “The terms and conditions with EIB will be different from that of ADB and JICA,” said an official at the Ministry of Energy (MoE). ADB has agreed to provide soft loan at 1.5 percent interest with 30 years of maturity period. Similarly, JICA has agreed to provide soft loan at 0.01 percent interest with 40 years of maturity period. “The meeting with EIB team next week will dwell on finalizing interest rate and maturity period,” the official said. The second reservoir type hydropower project after Kulekhani will be developed by Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) after the government arranges fund for the project. Meanwhile, the government is also vying for a loan of US$ 30 million from Abu Dhabi Fund for Development (ADFD) for the development of the project. “ADFD has expressed interest in funding the Tanahun Hydropower Project. But any meeting with DFD has not been fixed so far,” said the official. ADB, which is a lead funding partner, had provided US$ 25 million in grant assistance to prepare the detailed report (DPR) of the project. “The project design has been completed,” said project Chief Mahesh Prasad Acharya. If everything goes as planned, the national pride project based in Bayas municipality of the Tanahu will start generating power by 2020. According to officials engaged in the negotiation process, ADB and JICA both also have taken Tanahun Hydro as a “prestige project”. nnnn