LANDSLIDE KILLS FATHER, DAUGHTER IN JAJARKOT
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Kathmandu, 10 Aug.:Tilu
Singh and his 10-year-old daughter Devika
were smothered by a landslide at Gorkhakot VDC in Jajarkot Friday.
Wife Padmi of SInh and five-year-old son Krishna
were injured.
They have been airlifted to Nepalgunj for treatment
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OPEN ZONES DECLARED IN VALLEY
Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: With a view to carrying out emergency
humanitarian assistance, security arrangement, relief and rescue operation in
the aftermath of natural disasters, the Ministry of Home Affairs has declared
as many as 68 public places of the Kathmandu Valley as open zones, The
Himalayan Times writes..
The decision follows the government’s series of consultations with the concerned agencies, including the security bodies, on the issue after growing urbanisation continued to pose threats to open zones which are vital for emergency work, earthquake in particular. The government, by publishing a notice, has to make it mandatory for obtaining prior approval of MoHA as and when it is essential to construct physical infrastructures in the declared open zones. According to MoHA, 30 public places of Kathmandu, 19 each in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur have been declared open zones. Earlier, a February 25, 2013 Cabinet decision had approved a proposal tabled by the ministry to work out the plan.
The open zones in Kathmandu includes Sifalchaur, Gokarna Golf site, Chobhar Bhutkhel, Himal Cement Company, Tribhuvan University Campus, Bagmati riverbanks of Kalimati and Kirtipur, Pashupati area, Bhandarkhal Bangaicha, Shankha Park, National Academy, Bhrikuti Mandap, Tundikhel, Balmiki Campus, Padma Kanya Campus, City Hall, Social Welfare Council, Nagpokhari, Bal Mandir, Civil Aviation Office, Golf Club (Kathmandu-9), Tribhuvan International Airport, Dasharath Stadium, Sano Gaucharan and National Election Commission.
Similarly, among the declared open zones in Lalitpur are Khumaltar-9, NAST, ANFA Ground, Gokulchaur, UN Park, St Xavier’s School, St Mary’s School, Tibetan Refugee Camp, Jawalakhel Football Ground, Institute of Engineering and Patan Campus. The declared open zones in Bhaktapur include Sallaghari, Taumadi, Bhelekhel, Nasmana, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Khwap College, Basu Vidhyalaya, Bhaktapur Multiple Campus, Adarsha Ajad Higher Secondary School, Birendra Sainik School and Maheshwori Football Ground.
MoHA has also constituted a seven-member committee under the coordination of secretary at the ministry to monitor the implementation status, inter-agency coordination and facilitation relating to disaster management in the open zones.
The committee includes secretaries of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Urban Development as members and joint-secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs as member-secretary.
The decision follows the government’s series of consultations with the concerned agencies, including the security bodies, on the issue after growing urbanisation continued to pose threats to open zones which are vital for emergency work, earthquake in particular. The government, by publishing a notice, has to make it mandatory for obtaining prior approval of MoHA as and when it is essential to construct physical infrastructures in the declared open zones. According to MoHA, 30 public places of Kathmandu, 19 each in Lalitpur and Bhaktapur have been declared open zones. Earlier, a February 25, 2013 Cabinet decision had approved a proposal tabled by the ministry to work out the plan.
The open zones in Kathmandu includes Sifalchaur, Gokarna Golf site, Chobhar Bhutkhel, Himal Cement Company, Tribhuvan University Campus, Bagmati riverbanks of Kalimati and Kirtipur, Pashupati area, Bhandarkhal Bangaicha, Shankha Park, National Academy, Bhrikuti Mandap, Tundikhel, Balmiki Campus, Padma Kanya Campus, City Hall, Social Welfare Council, Nagpokhari, Bal Mandir, Civil Aviation Office, Golf Club (Kathmandu-9), Tribhuvan International Airport, Dasharath Stadium, Sano Gaucharan and National Election Commission.
Similarly, among the declared open zones in Lalitpur are Khumaltar-9, NAST, ANFA Ground, Gokulchaur, UN Park, St Xavier’s School, St Mary’s School, Tibetan Refugee Camp, Jawalakhel Football Ground, Institute of Engineering and Patan Campus. The declared open zones in Bhaktapur include Sallaghari, Taumadi, Bhelekhel, Nasmana, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Khwap College, Basu Vidhyalaya, Bhaktapur Multiple Campus, Adarsha Ajad Higher Secondary School, Birendra Sainik School and Maheshwori Football Ground.
MoHA has also constituted a seven-member committee under the coordination of secretary at the ministry to monitor the implementation status, inter-agency coordination and facilitation relating to disaster management in the open zones.
The committee includes secretaries of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Ministry of Federal Affairs and Local Development, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport and the Ministry of Urban Development as members and joint-secretary of the Ministry of Home Affairs as member-secretary.
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RTI ACT INSIGNIFICANT TO INDIGENOUS
Kathmandu, 10 Aug.:
Claiming that the government has been using single language to create awareness
among the people, indigenous rights activists and experts today claimed that
the Right to Information Act was insignificant to the indigenous nationalities
of the country, The Himalayan Times reports..
“Indigenous nationalities of the country are not getting any benefit from the Right to Information Act and therefore if the government continued to be reluctant to address their concerns, it will become a failed project,” claimed Sangram Singh Lama, an indigenous expert. Lama was addressing the interaction on ‘Indigenous Peoples building alliances: honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements’ organised by the NGO Federation of Indigenous Nationalities to mark the 19th International Day of World’s Indigenous People today.
The speakers at the interaction claimed that most of the indigenous nationalities of the country do not understand Nepali language and that publications and media materials of the RTI Act published and broadcast in Nepali language were useless to them.
Lama said the government was irresponsible about proper implementation of the Act. “If the government is serious, the top positions of the National Information Commission would not have been vacant for so many months,” he said.
Presenting a paper on constitutional and legal provision of information, Madhav Pokhrel of NIC said the commission was preparing to include the issues of RTI Act in the curriculum of grade VIII-XII. Lama urged the NGO-FONIN to organise awareness programmes at different parts of the country in coordination with different other organisations so that the indigenous peoples of the country could be aware of the RTI Act.
Tanka Raj Aryal of the Civil Campaign for Right to Information said the RTI Act has included all the INGOs and NGOs as public organisations and thus NGOs should also give information to the public systematically.
“Indigenous nationalities of the country are not getting any benefit from the Right to Information Act and therefore if the government continued to be reluctant to address their concerns, it will become a failed project,” claimed Sangram Singh Lama, an indigenous expert. Lama was addressing the interaction on ‘Indigenous Peoples building alliances: honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements’ organised by the NGO Federation of Indigenous Nationalities to mark the 19th International Day of World’s Indigenous People today.
The speakers at the interaction claimed that most of the indigenous nationalities of the country do not understand Nepali language and that publications and media materials of the RTI Act published and broadcast in Nepali language were useless to them.
Lama said the government was irresponsible about proper implementation of the Act. “If the government is serious, the top positions of the National Information Commission would not have been vacant for so many months,” he said.
Presenting a paper on constitutional and legal provision of information, Madhav Pokhrel of NIC said the commission was preparing to include the issues of RTI Act in the curriculum of grade VIII-XII. Lama urged the NGO-FONIN to organise awareness programmes at different parts of the country in coordination with different other organisations so that the indigenous peoples of the country could be aware of the RTI Act.
Tanka Raj Aryal of the Civil Campaign for Right to Information said the RTI Act has included all the INGOs and NGOs as public organisations and thus NGOs should also give information to the public systematically.
Claiming that the government has been using single language
to create awareness among the people, indigenous rights activists and experts
today claimed that the Right to Information Act was insignificant to the
indigenous nationalities of the country.
“Indigenous nationalities of the country are not getting any benefit from the Right to Information Act and therefore if the government continued to be reluctant to address their concerns, it will become a failed project,” claimed Sangram Singh Lama, an indigenous expert. Lama was addressing the interaction on ‘Indigenous Peoples building alliances: honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements’ organised by the NGO Federation of Indigenous Nationalities to mark the 19th International Day of World’s Indigenous People today.
The speakers at the interaction claimed that most of the indigenous nationalities of the country do not understand Nepali language and that publications and media materials of the RTI Act published and broadcast in Nepali language were useless to them.
Lama said the government was irresponsible about proper implementation of the Act. “If the government is serious, the top positions of the National Information Commission would not have been vacant for so many months,” he said.
Presenting a paper on constitutional and legal provision of information, Madhav Pokhrel of NIC said the commission was preparing to include the issues of RTI Act in the curriculum of grade VIII-XII. Lama urged the NGO-FONIN to organise awareness programmes at different parts of the country in coordination with different other organisations so that the indigenous peoples of the country could be aware of the RTI Act.
Tanka Raj Aryal of the Civil Campaign for Right to Information said the RTI Act has included all the INGOs and NGOs as public organisations and thus NGOs should also give information to the public systematically.
“Indigenous nationalities of the country are not getting any benefit from the Right to Information Act and therefore if the government continued to be reluctant to address their concerns, it will become a failed project,” claimed Sangram Singh Lama, an indigenous expert. Lama was addressing the interaction on ‘Indigenous Peoples building alliances: honouring treaties, agreements and other constructive arrangements’ organised by the NGO Federation of Indigenous Nationalities to mark the 19th International Day of World’s Indigenous People today.
The speakers at the interaction claimed that most of the indigenous nationalities of the country do not understand Nepali language and that publications and media materials of the RTI Act published and broadcast in Nepali language were useless to them.
Lama said the government was irresponsible about proper implementation of the Act. “If the government is serious, the top positions of the National Information Commission would not have been vacant for so many months,” he said.
Presenting a paper on constitutional and legal provision of information, Madhav Pokhrel of NIC said the commission was preparing to include the issues of RTI Act in the curriculum of grade VIII-XII. Lama urged the NGO-FONIN to organise awareness programmes at different parts of the country in coordination with different other organisations so that the indigenous peoples of the country could be aware of the RTI Act.
Tanka Raj Aryal of the Civil Campaign for Right to Information said the RTI Act has included all the INGOs and NGOs as public organisations and thus NGOs should also give information to the public systematically.
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ELECTION OBSERVERS TO BE INVITED
The election body has finalised key documents related to election monitoring--Election Monitoring Policy 2013, directives and Code of Conduct.
The poll observation policy drawn up by a committee formed under EC Commissioner PV Rambhakta Thakur has set separate criteria for national and international observers.
Though the committee earlier proposed a bachelor's degree as a minimum qualification of an observer, the EC has adopted some flexibility in terms of their academic qualification. Foreign observers should have at least an intermediate degree along with an experience in the field. In case of local observers, the Commission will accept people with a School Leaving Certificate degree if they have a good knowledge of, and an experience in, the election process.
"Apart from the academic qualification, one should be politically neutral to be an observer of the CA election ," an EC source said.
The directive requires observers to submit their monitoring reports to the election authority within 30 days of the polls. Observers should disassociate themselves from a political party before embarking on election monitoring while they will be automatically disqualified if their political linkage is proved.
Unlike in the past election s, the observers will not be allowed to make formal comments on the vote before ballot-counting is over across the country. An institution should monitor at least 100 polling stations in Mountains, Hills and the Tarai representing all the development regions.
Observers failing to submit their reports during the 2008 CA polls will be blacklisted. Of the 148 national and 30 international observers monitoring the first CA vote, only 23 national and five international institutions submitted their reports to the EC.
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GOVT. TEAM ASSEING FLOOD DAMAGE
Kathmandu, 10 Aug.: The government has sent two separate teams to the Tarai and the Nepal-India border in the western region to asses the damage caused by recent flood s there, The Kathmandu Post writes..
Team members representing various ministries will visit the regions and assess the ground situation of embankments and the damage, while they will also monitor rescue and relief operations.
A meeting chaired by Minister for Home and Foreign Affairs Madhav Ghimire had on Thursday decided to send the teams to the Eastern and Far Western regions and prepare a report of the damage caused by the recent flood s that killed 50 people, left 19 missing and damaged property worth hundreds of millions of rupees.
Officials from the ministries of Home, Foreign Affairs, Urban Development, Health and Population, Federal Affairs and Local Development, along with police officials, have reached Darchula district in the Far West. The teams will be led by Joint Secretaries from the Ministry of Irrigation and Physical, Infrastructure and Transportation. “The teams will assess the damage caused by the Dhauli Ganga River in Darchula, and in Bara district in the East and report to the centre.
“These teams will find out how the rivers flood ed areas in Nepal and how much damage the flood ing caused, while they will also see how the situation can be avoided in the future and how Nepal can take up issues with India,” a senior government official said.
The teams have also been asked to take footage of ‘risky’ roads and other structures and assess the estimated cost required to repair them.
“The teams have been asked to submit a report on what immediate measures need to be taken to repair the damaged structures. If the budget at local level is not enough for this, instructions have been made to release the funds from the ministries concerned,” a Home Ministry statement said. The Home Minister-led meeting also decided to endorse programmes and plans for the reconstruction of the damaged structures within two days. The Finance Ministry will release funds for the work after the National Planning Commission okays the plan, the statement said.
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