smuggling

CHINESE ARRESTED FOR SMUGGLING

Kathmandu, 29 July: Police arrested a Chinese man with a banned tusk and handed him over to the District Forestry Office, Sindhupalchok for further action, on

Sunday, RSS reports from Chautara. .

He was arrested in course of regular checking at Andheri along the Araniko Highway. The arrested man identified as Yu Sai Sui was heading to Tatopani from Kathmandu by a Bolero jeep (Ba. 10 5207), said the Armed Police Force.

His passport number is E11290462, said the Armed Police, Lamosanghu Unit.

Nnnn

HLPM SPLIT IN 13 MARCH AGREEMENT

Kathmandu, 29 July: The High Level Political Committee is split on whether to change the 11-point agreement of March 13 and the 25-point presidential decree as Unified CPN-Maoist and United Democratic Front are lobbying for changes in both, while Nepali Congress and CPN-UML are against any changes. However, both sides are firm on November 19 polls, sources said, Prakash Acharya writes in The Himalayan Times. .

UCPN-M and UDMF want to increase the seats under Proportional Representation system (to between 55 and 58 per cent), as well as the strength of 491-member Constituent Assembly. NC and UML, however, believe that backtracking from March 13 pact and the presidential decree will lead to a stalemate that will lead to the deferring of CA elections.

At the HLPC meeting held here today, the Maoist and the Madhesi leaders opined that it would be difficult to bring the agitating parties on board the election process if the March 13 pact was not altered. UDMF leaders said if the PR seats and CA strength were not increased “it will be difficult for us to go to the elections keeping Upendra Yadav-led MJF-N and Ashok Rai-led Federal Socialist Party away from the election process.” They proposed that the 11 seats to be nominated by the Cabinet be included in the PR seats. NC and UML said the bid to persuade the agitating parties should continue without hampering the four forces’ election campaign. NC President Sushil Koirala and UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal strongly opposed the idea of backtracking from the

March 13 pact. UCPN-M leader Narayankaji Shrestha said, “We are hopeful that the agitating parties will join the election process if we addressed some of their demands, such as increasing the PR seats and extending the deadline for voters’ list collection.”

UML leader Raghujee Panta said the NC and UML were against engaging the agitating parties, as their demands were contradictory and they had not shown a genuine interest in talks.

Shrestha said HLPC decided to continue its efforts to bring the agitating parties in the poll fray.

Meanwhile, the eight-member taskforce of the HLPC formed to make suggestions to solve the delimitation-of-constituencies riddle failed to make a tangible progress. “HLPC’s next meeting will discuss the taskforce’s suggestions for CDC,” Shrestha added.

Nnnn

BAUDHA UNDER HOGH SURVELLIENCE FOR ANTI-CHIONA ACTIVITIES survelli

Kathmandu, 29 July: Alarmed by alleged anti-China activities in Bouddha, Nepal Police is all set to keep the area under surveillance of CCTV cameras, The Himalayan Times reports..

Metropolitan Police Commissioner AIGP Navaraj Dhakali will inaugurate the Integrated Security System tomorrow, police officials informed.

Thirty-five state-of-the-art surveillance cameras have been installed in two strategic locations, including the premises of Boudhanath Stupa.

According to police, 19 CCTV camaras will keep the stretch of Chabahil Chowk to Jorpati Chowk under surveillance, while 16 cameras will monitor the activities on the premises of Boudhanath Stupa, which officials claimed is hotspot of Free Tibet movement and anti-China activities. The cameras were installed at the cost of around Rs 2.5 million.

Police said the surveillance camaras installed along the Chabahil Chowk-Jorpati Chowk stretch and Boudhanath Stupa were inducted into the network of control room in the Metropolitan Police Circle, Bouddha, to make an Integrated Security System. Though Boudha Development Committee took the initiative to install CCTV cameras on the premises of the stupa, the organisation has consented to connect into the Integrated Security System under the MPC for effective security measures.

The advanced CCTV cameras have night-vision capabilities, which help police keep vigil on areas round-the-clock. Officials informed that they will monitor all public activities, including traffic movement and movement of pedestrians and devotees thronging the stupa for rituals.

Bouddha and Jorpati are among many other areas vulnerable to criminal activities in Kathmandu. Bouddha is also known as a hotspot for anti-China activities of Tibetan exiles. Nepal, home to more than 22,000 Tibetan exiles, sticks to ‘One-China Policy’ and has vowed not to allow its soil to be used against its neighbours. Security officials had floated the idea of monitoring the area through surveillance cameras after a Tibetan monk doused himself in petrol and set himself on fire as part of pro-Tibet activities on the premises of the stupa on February 13. He had died the next day. On November 10 last year, a Tibetan monk too had attempted to immolate self at the same place.

nnnn