FORMER MINISTER MOVED TO ANOTHER HOSPITAL FORM BIR Kathmandu 28 April: : Former Minister Gore Bahadur Khapangi has been moved to to the Annapurna Neurological Hospital, Maitighar, from Bir Hospital for further treatment. He was admitted to the oldest hospital for treatment of injuries last week in a motorcycle accident at Exhibition Road. The former minister was moved to another hospital Sunday when no improvement was recorded in Khapangi’s condition. Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN) demanded free medical treatment for Khapangi. --- founding leader of Rastriya Janashakti Party. nnnn. INDEFINITE SHUTDOWN OF ILAM, PANCHTHAT CONTINUES Kathmandu, 28 April: An indefinite shutdown of Ilam, Panchr forced by Limbuwan Rashtroiya Morcha continued Sunday. The Morcha is supported by CPN Maoist. Transport, educational institutions, business and markets were shit down. The parties are pressing for release of supporters arrested for extortion in the eastern hill districts. Nnnn KMC WON’T LIFT HOSPITAL WASTE Kathmandu, 28 April: Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has said that it will not collect hospital waste, which poses high risks to public health. The move comes after the warning issued by the Prime Minister´s Office (PMO) not to mix up hospital waste with those generated by households, Arjun Poudel writes in Republica.. Almost all of the hospitals operating in the capital do not have the mechanism to dispose the wastes produced by them and mix them up with metropolis garbage. KMC said that even some government run hospitals in the capital have been throwing hazardous garbage into metropolis´ containers. "We have decided not to collect any kind of waste produced by hospitals," said Kedar Bahadur Adhikari, executive officer of KMC, adding, "It their responsibility to manage the waste." Adhikari said that the KMC is mulling to take legal action against the hospitals that do not take care of the waste produced at their institution. The Solid Waste Management Act-2068 prohibits the hospital from mixing up hospital waste with household garbage. Adhikari said that even the private firms should not collect hospital waste. "They have to manage the waste separately if they collect," added Adhikari. He said that private garbage collectors have been dumping hospital waste at metropolis´ land fill sites." Adhikari concedes that the PM office had sent a letter instructing against mixing hospital waste with household garbage. Krishna Hari Baskota, secretary at PMO, said that he has issued warning to metropolis against mixing wastes. Secretary Baskota said, "The government hospitals cannot escape from their duties of managing waste properly on the pretext of budget crunch." Baskota said that private hospitals have been adding beds every six months and purchasing equipments worth millions, but not investing on waste management. KMC chief Adhikari said that the office will ask the hospitals to set things right within a timeframe. "We will take action if they fail to comply," added Adhikari. nnnn TMLP SAYS PA THRESHOLD. DOWNSIZING CA UNACCEPTABLE Kathmandu, 28 April: While top leaders of the Madhes-based parties are busy seeking public support to their respective parties in the fresh polls, Tarai Madhes Democratic Party (TMDP) has decided to take initiatives for the formation of an electoral alliance of all the Madhesi parties, Gani Ansari writes in Republica.. A Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting of the party held in the capital on Friday entrusted Chairman Mahantha Thakur with persuading other Madhes-based parties into joining the electoral alliance. “Our first priority will be to make all Madhes-based parties participate in the fresh Constituent Assembly (CA) election under the umbrella of a single alliance,” said TMDP General Secretary Govinda Chaudhari, adding, “If not, there will electoral adjustments among the Madhesi parties.” TMDP´s decision comes at a time when former minister Jaya Prakash Prasad Gupta has been stating that they are in talks with Thakur to form a broader election alliance led by the latter. Gupta is currently spearheading Tarai Madhes National Campaign across the Tarai in a bid to form a political party. Chaudhari said Thakur will call a meeting of the Madhesi parties within a couple of days to discuss formation of an electoral alliance in the line with the party´s decision. According to Chaudhari, the party will also hold discussions with indigenous parties, among others, that share a common agenda. Earlier, TMDP had taken initiatives for a merger with the Madhesi People´s Rights Forum (MPRF) led by Upendra Yadav but it could not materialize following disagreement between the two parties regarding leadership and power-sharing in the central committee. Meanwhile, TMDP has officially rejected the Election Commission (EC)´s proposal on eligibility threshold of one percent for seats under proportional representation electoral system and downsizing of the CA (from 601 to 491 members). “The proposed eligibility threshold and downsizing of CA are unacceptable to us under any circumstances,” TMDP Joint General Secretary Jitendra Sonal told Republica. He maintained that the Madhesi, indigenous, Muslim, among other marginalized groups would not be able to voice their concerns strongly, if the CA is downsized. “CA must represent the voices of all groups,” Sonal added. nnnn