ARMY CHIEF

ARMY CHIEF IN BEIJING

Kathmandu, 21 July: Army Chief Gen. Gaurav Shumshere JB Rana arrived in

Beijing Saturday by a special flight, the Nepal embassy said.

The Chinese government have its Nepali guest a VIP treatment on arrival  in the Chinese capital, the embassy added.

China is assisting in establishing two mobile hospitals during Gen Rana’s visit when military ties, including supply of military hardware is being discussed.

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CID3E OF CONDUCT FROM MONDAY

Kathmandu, 21 July: Two persons were arrested overnight with 220kg hash in

Siraha.

Police at Mirchiya confirmed the arrests.

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PRESIDENT AGAIN URGES PARTY LEADERS TO CREATE
ENVIRONMENT OR VOTE-
Kathmandu, 21 July: President Ram Baran Yadav has pressed political parties to create an environment conducive to the polls and assure the people that the second Constituent Assembly election, Bhadra Sharma writes in The Kathmandu Post.
Dissatisfied at the delay in bringing the poll-opposed parties on board, President Yadav on Saturday evening invited two political leaders to his office and asked them to act towards making the planned election possible.
The President met UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal, who heads the High-level Political Committee, and Madhesi Janaadhikar Forum Chairman Upendra Yadav. During the meetings, the head of state expressed his concerns over the delay in holding a dialogue with the agitating alliance.
President’s Press Advisor Rajendra Dahal said the head of state was concerned about the dissident parties’ threat of boycotting the elections and the major parties’ failure to create an environment for the polls. “You [the parties] are entangled in your own internal matters so people are not assured of the election,” he quoted the President as saying. “What is the progress made so far in addressing the demands of dissident parties to ensure the November election?”
Responding to his concerns, the Maoist chairman said the cross-party mechanism had formally reached out to the anti-election parties and would hold a dialogue with them once they confirm the date.
The mechanism has written to the Mohan Baidya-led alliance to sit for talks. However, the CPN-Maoist chief, who has been demanding the replacement of the incumbent government with a political Cabinet, is still undecided about the dialogue.
MJF Chairman Yadav suggested that the President correct the 25-point ordinance promulgated to amend the Interim Constitution and the 11-point political understanding to set the scene for the CA polls. “Holding the polls is impossible without correcting the move of the four parties. The situation will be more complicated if the government tries to move ahead without correcting the past mistake,” Yadav said after the meeting.
President Yadav urged the MJF chief to participate in the elections, saying that boycotting the vote would risk the achievements of the 2006 popular movement.
The Election Commission is making public its detailed work plan on Monday, when the election code of conduct will also come into effect. Actual poll work will begin once the code is enforced.
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NOMAN’S LAND ENCROACHED ALONG INDIA BORDER
Kathmandu, 21 July: The local administration in Bardiya district has raised concerns over the “encroachment” of the no-man’s land by the Indian side near Gulariya-12, Kamal Panthi writes in The Kathmandu Post from Bardiya..
Despite objections from the Nepali authorities, the India’s road department is digging a trench on the area near Khalepuruwa village for the construction of a bridge over a river 16 metres south of the border post 61/674. A team led by Joint Secretary of the Home Ministry Shankar Koirala had inspected the site one month ago after India began constructing the bridge. Koirala had then said that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs would ask the Indian side to halt the work.
Police in Gulariya had also requested the Indian security force, Seema Suraksha Bal, to stop the ongoing activities on the no-man’s land.
Superintendent of Armed Police Force Rishidev Karki said he informed the Indian security officials about the matter many times, but to no avail.
The company which was contracted for the bridge construction has not stopped its work. Mohammad Khan, the contractor, said his company was awarded the contract for IRs 7.5 million.
Chief District Officer Man Bahadur BK said he has already written to the Home Ministry and the Indian authorities, requesting to stop the work.
Residents living near the border say the Mathuraharidwar area of Gulariya Municipality will be vulnerable to floods if the Indian side builds the bridge. Mahadev Barma, a border area resident, said the bridge is linked by a roadway that is raised nearly three metres above the ground on the borderland. Barma said border posts on the no-man’s land, demarcating the territory of the two countries, have either worn out or disappeared due to lack of maintenance.
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