Day: June 28, 2024

Kathmandu: CPN (UML) Chair KP Sharma Oli has said the People's Multi-Party Democracy (PMPD) is the guiding principle of Nepali revolution. At a symposium relating to 'Madan Bhandari and PMPD: Political Development and Stability' organized by the Madan Bhandari Foundation at the UML party headquarters, Lalitpur, on Friday, Chairman Oli said the PMPD is an important principle to direct the communist movement. He insisted that PMPD, known popularly as 'Jabaja', has played a vital role on ushering in and advancing modernization, thereby giving a boost to national economy and making aware the society. He said, "It is important to remove the anomalies and ensure beautiful, equal and just society." Addressing the event, Foundation Chair Mahendra Bahadur Pandey viewed PMPD could be developed as the political doctrine of communist party. Chairman Oli, Vice President Bishnu Paudel, General Secretary Shankar Pokharel laid wreaths on the late leader Madan Bhandari's photo. At the same event, Chairman Oli released a b ook named 'Dishabodh' published by the Foundation. Source: National News Agency RSS

A woman was killed in a lightning occurred at Bagmati municipality-1 of Sarlahi district. Goma Ale Magar, 64, who was seriously injured in the lightning, died during treatment, said District Police Office, Spokesperson DSP Deepak Shrestha. Magar was hit with a thunder bolt while working in a field on Friday morning. Meanwhile, a house belonging to Mangal Kami of Lalbandi municipality-17 was damaged by the lightning. Similarly, six houses of Ishwarpur municipality-13 and 16 were damaged in the similar incidents on Wednesday, police added. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: The Water Resources Bill-2081 has been presented in the House of Representatives (HoR), the lower house of the Federal Parliament, today. Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Rekha Sharma, presented the bill in the HoR meeting on behalf of the Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation. On the occasion, Minister Sharma said that the topic of reforming the water resources sector and the related laws is on the list of government's top priorities. "The Water Resources Act, 2049 is a key law governing water resources development. The task and process of water resources development and management would be highly facilitated after the implementation of the Act which the government has now presented in the form of a bill," she said. Minister Sharma said that the government has expressed its belief this Act will play a key role in increasing the productivity of the water resources through its utilization, development and conservation, as per the multi-dimensional vision of th e overall development of the nation. The House of Representatives will meet next at 3.00pm on June 30, Sunday. Source: National News Agency RSS

Members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested an absconding convict from Shibganj upazila of the district yesterday evening. The arrested was Shree Krishna, 37, son of late Avighosh of Pirojpur Sonamasjid under Shibganj upazila. RAB said, acting on a tip-off, an operation team of the RAB-5 conducted a raid in Pukuria village under Kansat union of Shibganj upazila and arrested Krishna around 7.30 pm. Later, the elite force handed him over to the police of Shibganj thana. Krishna was an accused in a drug case as he was arrested with 450 pieces of Buprenorphine injection on April 10, 2022, the sources added. Later, he was released on bail and remained absconding. A Chapainawabganj court on May 29, 2024 sentenced him to life-term imprisonment and fined him Taka 50,000, in default, to suffer three-month more in jail, the RAB further said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The National Rice Day, celebrated every year on the 15th of Nepali month Asadh, is going to be observed in Chitwan district this year tomorrow. On the day, first batch of paddy is planted and people feast on delicacies made up of curd, flattened rice and fruits. The Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project Implementation Unit, Chitwan is going to organize the festival at Bachauli, known as pocket area for rice, in the presence of the Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda'. Organizing Committee's Coordinator and Agriculture Department's Director General, Narahari Prasad Ghimire, shared that they were going to mark the day by planting paddy across one hectare of land using a machine. During the celebration, farmers will be sensitized about the climate-change resilient breeds of rice, modernization of agriculture and climate-friendly approaches to agriculture among others, Ghimire said. Paddy is not planted everywhere on the same time due to erratic weather pattern. While seeds are kept for sowing in some places while paddies are planted in other places due to fluctuation in the arrival of monsoon, he added. Encouraging farmers to use modern technologies to do agricultural works, he said that the production could go up 30 per cent higher if used technologies. "Five paddy plantation machines are being used in the district at present. Around Rs 5,000 is spent while planting paddy across one bigha of land," he informed. The slogan for this year's National Rice Day is 'Climate-Friendly Agriculture, Increase in Rice Production'. Source: National News Agency RSS

Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Centre) Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has said he was not in a mood of going for a leftist unification and the party unification in haste. Talking to media on Friday, Dahal shared avoiding the possibility of reoccurrence of casualty while opting for the party unification. "Political stability and the strengthening of democracy are government's priorities and we are committed to delivering results in citizen's interest through a collaborative performance," he said. The Prime Minister further said the government was committed to delivering results that can be directly realised by the citizens. The government is taking initiations to clear dues to dairy farmers, adding that there will be no shortage of fertilizer for rice cultivation this time, he added. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and the Asia Pacific Joining Forces (AJF) have committed cooperation for the rights and welfare of children in the SAARC region. The SAARC and AJF discussed numerous issues surrounding the rights and welfare of children and youths during an interaction on 'Children's Rights in SAARC Region' held in the federal capital on Friday. National Director of Plan International Nepal, Ram Kishan, who participated in the interaction, said that the issues of violence against children, child marriage, and the impact of climate change on children warrant attention in the region. According to him, both SAARC and AJF expressed their solidarity to work together in areas like the rights of children and youths in the region, ending child marriage, and raising awareness. "Around 650 million girls around the world are married before 18. The phenomenon is the highest in South and Southeast Asia. In South Asia alone, around 45 percent girls are found marrie d before 18," Director Kishan reminded. More than 40 representatives from Save the Children, Child Fund International Sri Lanka, SOS Children's Village Nepal, Terre de Hommes Netherlands, Terre de Hommes Germany, World Vision Nepal, CRC Asia, Plan International and others participated in the event. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: A team of Tourist Bus Association of Nepal (TBAN) has left here today for Thailand to study about road connectivity from Kathmandu to Bangkok of Thailand. The 18-member team under leadership of TBAN President Krishan Acharya is scheduled to hold discussions with tourism entrepreneurs and government bodies about the operation of tourist bus from Thailand to Kathmandu. President Acharya said they would also hold discussion about tourism promotion in Cambodia. He expressed the belief that such visit would help fulfill the government's target of bringing in 1.6 million tourists next year. TBAN has been ferrying domestic and foreign tourists to various touristic destinations of Nepal through tourist buses. The distance from Kakarvitta of Nepal to Bangkok of Thailand is 3,377 kilometers. One can reach Nepal from Bangkok of Thailand through Kakarvitta check point via Myanmar, Bangladesh and India. Source: National News Agency RSS

Kathmandu: Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya has said that intensive discussions are necessary between the political parties and the sides concerned on the issue of participation of the Nepali voters abroad in the election process. Addressing a programme organized by the Election Commission and the International Organisation for Migration here today, the Chief Election Commissioner insisted that the topic of not depriving of voting right the Nepali citizen living in a place other than where he/she is enlisted in the voter list and those who are enlisted in the voter list but living abroad is an matter of global concern. He stressed on the need of making legal and managerial arrangements on the basis of the existing constitutional system and of international and legal practices as well. Secretary of the Election Commission, Rabi Lal Pantha said that migration is a citizen's right as well as in some cases a necessity, reiterating that the Commission was serious on the issue of not depr iving the Nepalis living abroad of their voting rights. According to him, it was found in the last election that the voter turnout in several districts and constituencies was less than 50 percent, which is probably due to the problem of outmigration. The programme will come up with suggestions and recommendations following deliberations among related experts, representatives of various political parties and the stakeholders. The Election Commission and the government have been taking initiatives for implementing the Supreme Court's order directing to make legal arrangements allowing the Nepalis living abroad to cast their votes in the election. The Supreme Court had, in March 2018, issued such order in the name of the Election Commission and the government. Source: National News Agency RSS

Eight people were injured when a bus met with an accident at Birta Lampani of Khimti, Likhu Tamakoshi rural municipality-6 in Ramechhap district this morning. Among the injured is the bus driver. The bus with registration plate number Ba 5 Kha 5624 and belonging to the Araniko Yatayat Pvt Ltd was heading towards Manthali from Gairi of the rural municipality at the time of the accident. The mishap occurred after the bus slipped in mud and the condition of three among the injured is serious, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Pradip Kumar Singh, the Chief of the District Police Office, Ramechhap. The injured passengers are being treated at the Primary Health Centre at Khimti and at the Manthali Hospital while those with serious injuries have been sent to Kathmandu for advanced medical treatment. Police said the bus was carrying 25 people. The District Police Office stated that the bus driver has been taken under control for further investigation into the incident. Source: National News Agency RSS

Members of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) today arrested three suspected members of the banned militant outfit Ansar al-Islam here. The arrested were identified as Zakaria Mandal, 19, Md Niamat Ullah, 21, and Md Ozair,19, Commander Arafat Islam, director of RAB's legal and media wing, confirmed the matter at a press briefing at RAB-15 headquarters today. He said acting on a tip off, a joint operation team of RAB-7 and RAB-15 conducted the operation in Chaufaldandi area of Cox's Bazar Sadar in the early hours of today and arrested them. RAB members also recovered extremist pamphlets, leaflets and explosive-making manuals from their possession. During primary interrogation, all three arrestees confessed to being active members of the banned militant outfit. Legal action has been taken against them, he said. Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha

The dam gate of Dhauliganga Hydropower Project located at Pithauragadh district In the Uttarakhand Province of India is to be opened on Saturday. According to a letter sent to the District Administration Office by the NHPC Limited and Dhauliganga Power Station, the dame gate of the project will be opened from 6.00 am Saturday to 6.00 pm Sunday. Chief District Officer of Baitadi, Bhim Kanta Sharma informed that people in the catchment area of Mahakali River have been urged to remain alert as the water current and level in the river will go up during and after the opening of the dam gate. It may be noted that over a hundred houses based in Darchula district headquarters were swept away and property worth billions of rupees was destroyed when the gate of Dhauliganga dam was suddenly opened in 2070 BS. Source: National News Agency RSS