UPDATE NEPAL TO ESTABALISH EMBASSY IN OMAN Kathmandu, 21 Feb.: Nepal is to open an embassy in Oman as well following a cabinet decision Thursday. Government has decided write off loans To farmers and household entrepreneurs. A Rs 2.9 million grant was awarded to the GP Koirala Foundation in Mandikatar in the capital with assistance to purchase land to construct foundation building. A committee led by Minister for Tourism Posta Bahadur Bogati will be formed to mark the diamond jubilee of the accent on Mt Everest in May. Dr Dharma Raj Khanal and Narayan Prasad Ghimire respectively were appointed chairman and registrar at Nepal Veterinary Clinic. Nnnn GHARIAL COUNT COMPLETED Kathmandu, 21 Feb.: The Gharial crocodile census has been completed in the Rapti and the Narayani rivers here. The two rivers flow past the Chitwan National Park and form the park's, RSS reports from Chitwan. boundary. The crocodile count has been carried out on the Narayani river from Sikhrauli to Triveni and on the Rapti river from Jindagani Ghat to Dovan, said Ved Khadka, Assistant Conservation Officer at the CNP. It took three days to carry out the census. Khadka said the exact number of the Gharial crocodiles will be determined within a month after this census is tallied. A census carried out in 2011 found that there were 33 Gharial crocodiles in the Rapti river and 48 in the Narayani river. The total Gharial population throughout the country was 202. Apart from the Narayani and the Rapti rivers, the Gharial crocodile is found in the Karnali and Babai rivers in Mid-west region. The Gharial is found only in Nepal and India and is listed as an endangered species. It is considered 20 times more endangered than tiger and rhino. nnnn