CLOSED DOOR SESSION OF NC RESUMES WEDNESDAY Kathmandu, 10 April: The closed door session of Nepali Congress re sumed Wednesday for the second day in Tribehi in Nawalparasi Wednesday. The party hopes to dislodge UCPN Maoist as the biggest party in the second constituent assembly/parliament vote and complete efforts to draft and promulgate a constitution to institutionalize a declared republic and lead a majority government. As in the first assembly vote, no party is expected to collect a two-third vote to impose a constitution of its choice forcing even major political forces to develop morchas or fronts. N leaders have been saying they will seek a front with like-mnded democratic parties. RSS reports from Nawalparasi:: The closed session of the Nepali Congress (NC) Mahasamiti meeting kicked off at Tribeni in Nawalparasi district at 11:00 am, today [ Tuesday], .. General Secretary of the NC Prakash Man Singh had presented his report on behalf of General Secretary duo Singh and Krishna Prasad Sitaula, while Treasurer Chitra Lekha Yadav, presented financial report. Singh's report concludes that the political parties failed in writing constitution forging consensus among the political parties due to the authoritarianism and undemocratic mindset of the Unified CPN (Maoist). The political report claimed that the former CA was dissolved without writing constitution and fresh round of CA election was declared avoiding the CA, the Legislature-Parliament, political consensus and constitutional process in an unilateral and conspiratorial manner by the Unified CPN (Maoist)-led coalition government. Presenting the report, NC General Secretary Singh stressed that NC should get majority in the upcoming CA election to write the new constitution through the CA and that the party should strengthen its position in the grass root level organizations. The eight-page long report describes the main reasons of CA dissolution, various political talks between parties, peace process, consensus government, upcoming election, internal organization of the party, and sister organizations, among others. As many as 1,338 representatives and around 1,500 observers have been participating in the meeting started two hours later than the scheduled time. -: 9 :- NC leader Sitaula also submitted the party's statute amendment proposal in the Mahasamiti meeting. NC Vice-president Ram Chandra Paudel is scheduled to present political report in the meantime. Discussion over the reports would be held by forming various groups. RSS Nnnn NEPAL, INDIAN ARMIES TO JOINTLY ATTEMPT EVEREST Kathmandu, 10 April: A 24-member joint expedition team of the Nepalese Army and the Indian Army is all set to conquer Mt. Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) commemorating the diamond jubilee ceremony of the first ascent of the highest peak of the World, The Rising Nepal reports. The Nepalese Army Headquarters Tuesday held a special flag off ceremony before the joint expedition team’s departure towards Mt. Sagarmatha from Kathmandu. Chief of Army Staff General Gaurav Shumsher JB Rana, handed over national flags of both nations and flags of the two armies for hoisting them on the top of the highest peak. After accomplishing the expedition, the team would return to Kathmandu by collecting the non-degradable wastes materials accumulated on Everest as part of the cleaning campaign. The team would also held an Everest Marathon competition between the two armies in which five participants from each team would take part. The marathon would commence from Namchebazaar to Everest Base Camp covering a distance of 64 kilometers. Team leader of the expedition from Indian Army is Major Ranbir Singh Jamwal and Major Sunil Singh Rathore of Nepalese Army would lead the Nepalese Army. The joint expedition team, comprised of 34-members. Major Rathore scaled Mt. Sagarmatha in 2003. The joint expedition team would move to the Everest Base Camp on April 11 for 70 days. The responsibility of the technical and communication aspects is handled by the Indian Army while the responsibilities of waiving royalty fees, airport and transportation services and rescue operation are born by the Nepalese Army. Addressing the flag off ceremony, CoAS Rana said that the expedition team deserved special significance as the team was going to scale up Sagarmatha commemorating the 60th anniversary of the first ascent of Mt. Sagarmatha. The joint expedition team would help bring both the armies closer, develop enduring capacity, skills and leadership in the days ahead after completion of the expedition, he said. Gen. Rana believed that this adventurous expedition would add up a new dynamism besides strengthening historic bilateral relations between the two armies. On the occasion, CoAS Rana and Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Sushil Ghimire bade farewell and congratulated to both teams. Prior to organizing flag off ceremony by NA, Gen. Bikram Singh of the Indian Army had held similar flag off ceremony in New Delhi, India on April 3, 2013. Director and chief coordinator of the Nepalese Army expedition team Major General Victor JB Rana. Rana had attended the flag off ceremony organized by the Indian Army. nnnn 65 PERCENT WORK ON SANIMAMAI POWER PROJECT COMPLETE IN ILAM Kathmandu, 10 April: : Around 65 per cent construction works of Sanimamai Hydropower Project located in Danabari of Ilam has been completed, The Rising Nepal reports from Ilam.. Sanimamai Hydropower Project is the largest hydropower project of eastern Nepal funded by non-resident Nepali. The total capacity of the project is 29 MW which includes 22 MW’s main project and 7 MW’s complement project. The digging of 2.20 km tunnel has been already completed, said Dev Raj Guragain, an officer of the project. According to Guragain works on powerhouse, dam, and connection of callboard box are in progress. The project is making dam so as to keep its intake in Chisapani-9. The project has expected to start its power generation by July 2071. As all works are in progress as per the previous target, the project will be completed in the stipulated time, Guragain said. The total cost of the projects is estimated to be at Rs. 3.1 billion. After the generation of power, it will be connected to 132 KV main extension line in Godak, according to the project. Puwakhola (6.2 MW) and Dolakha Hydropower of Maikhola (4.5 MW) are producing hydroelectricity in Ilam district. Similarly, other four hydropower projects including Upper Mai Hydropower Project- 9 MW, Pukhola 3rd – 3 MW are under construction. It is learnt that a total of 19 companies have received license from the government to build hydropower projects in different locations of Ilam district. nnnn