STUDENTS DISRUPT TRAFFIC MOVEMENT Kathmandu, 11 March: Different student organisations held a chakkajam or transport strike on roads in front of all the colleges in the Kathmandu Valley today, protest ing against the recent hike in public transport fare and calling for student union elections. The government had on March 6 raised the public transport fare by 10 per cent. Students affiliated to the Nepal Students Union (NSU), the All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) and the All Nepal National independent Students Union (ANNISU) obstructed traffic on the road in front of colleges for one hour since 9 this morning. The students unions were also demanding holding of the Free Students Union elections under the Tribhuvan University. The student union elections have not taken place since the last four years. NSU spokesman UP Lamichhane decried the hike in public transport fare, saying it was not scientific and that it would spur price hike in all sectors. He demanded that the government withdraw this hike in transport fare immediately. Lamichhane said the chakkajam was organised in front of colleges across the country today to pile pressure on the TU authorities to hold the student union elections at the earliest. NSU is the student wing of the Nepali Congress, ANNFSU of the CPN-UML and the ANNISU of the CPN-Maoist. Nnnn NC’S SOCIAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN Kathmandu, 11 March:: Nepali Congress sister organization, Nepal Dalit Association's newly elected chairman Min Bishowkarma Sunday announced national wide social awareness movement against inequality being faced by the Dalit Community, The Rising Nepal writes from Damak.. Talking to The Rising Nepal Bishowkarma said situation of the Dalit community people would be changed by empowering them and encourgaing their participation in political activities. He said Dalit participation will be high in the upcoming NC general convention. Bishowkarma informed that his organization would forward its pressure programmes to the government for increasing the access of Dalits in state organs and their equal participation in state affairs. He said democratic state could not be established if Dalit community did not come in forefront in political and social sectors. “It is a big challenge to bring Dalit community in mainstream” he said. He claimed Dalit's participation in the new Constituent Assembly will be significantly high. “We will join hand with other organizations to achieve the goal” he said. The NDA chief said the country would develop if Dalit were brought to the mainstream of development. nnnn