Space set for Yoga Camp widened to adjust crowd

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, March 27

Some 5,000 people who thronged the Yog Vigyan Shivir-2010 to learn Yoga practices from Yoga Guru Swami Ram Dev were compelled to return home without practices due to the lack of stage set for the camp. The one third of additional space has been widened to adjust the interested people today.

According to the Main Organising Committee, about 40,000 tickets were sold to the people for learning Yoga practices in the camp. The place for 30,000 people was arranged. However, some 35,000 people were adjusted at the arranged stage.

Rajani Sharma from Kupondol in Lalitpur said that she was forced to go back home owing to the narrow space in the camp. “I could not get any space to sit for the camp as it was already occupied. Though I had taken ticket I arrived here a bit delay,” she said.

Prabhari Babita Karki, head of the Central Zone Yoga Committee, said, “Nearly 5,000 people were forced to return this morning because of the high interest of people to take part in the camp and lack of adequate space for all interested,” she said. “Therefore, we have widened the one third of the space today to adjust the comers from tomorrow,” she added.

Karki said that innumerable calls were received different parts of various districts to take part in the camp. “The number of participants will reach more than 40,000 tomorrow,” she said. There are five kinds of visitors—gold paying Rs 500, VIP paying Rs 1,100, VVIP paying Rs 2,100, invitees and free pass.

KATHMANDU: About 3,000 people received treatment and free-check up at the Yoga Science Camp on the first day today. About 5,000 people were queuing up to check up their health as per Ayurved principle. Forty vaidhyas from India were checking up health of people. The health camp will continue from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm everyday during the camp, according to the organiser. A special camp will be held for school children in the afternoon on march 29. -- BPA

Swami Ram Dev, who operates Patanjali Yog Peeth in Haridwar of India, is here to operate the camp from March 27 to April 1 at Tundikhel in Kathmandu. Keeping the overwhelming interest of Nepalese people in Yoga, Swami has pledged to produce 100,000 Yoga teachers in Nepal.

Addressing the Yoga Science Camp that began at 5:00 this morning, Swami Ram Dev said, “There are 25,000 Yoga teachers in Nepal. I am dedicated to produce 100,000 such teachers here to teach the Yoga in order to make people healthy and cultured,” he said. “Yoga makes people healthy and cultured that they would help develop the nation,” he added.

Swami Ram Dev is going to inaugurate three yogpeeths at Mandikhatar in Kathmandu, Dhulikhel of Kavre and Syangja in Nepal this time.  He has also planed to laid foundation of eight yoga practices centres including Mahendranagar, Dhangadhi and Chitwan, said Karki.

Swami Ram Dev and Ayurved Acharya Balkrishna visited Armed Police Force Headquarters at Hallchowk in Kathmandu today to talk about the importance of Yoga practices to the police personnel. Similarly, both of them were present at Pashupatinath Temple to light 21,000 lamps in a function.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav inaugurated the camp and released Bichar-Kranti, a book written in Nepali language about the Yoga and spiritualism. Meanwhile, the political leaders including CPN-UML president Jhala Nath Khanal, UCPN Maoist leaders Amik Sherchan and Janardan Sharma ‘Prabhakar’, industrialist Upendra Mahato Minister for Industry Mahendra Raya Yadav, Minister for Local Development Purna Kumar Sherma Limbu and DIG Upendra Kant Aryal were practising Yoga at the camp this morning.

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Swami Ram Dev Yoga Camp in Kathmandu

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, March 27

Yoga Science Camp is being held from March 27 to April 1 at Tundikhel of Kathmandu in Nepal. Yoga Guru Swami Ram Dev and Ayurved Acharya Balkrishna from India are teaching yoga about 40,000 people in the camp, which is operated 5 AM to 8 AM.

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MoLD sitting on 18 CIAA graft verdicts on irregularities

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, March 25

Some 20 cases about irregularities and corruption grilled by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, which directed the Ministry of Local Development to take action effectively, are yet to be implemented even in five years.

According to the MoLD, the focal point meeting of the CIAA gave decisions on 20 cases on irregularities in the ministry and local bodies within last five years. The graft body ordered the ministry to implement decisions largely within three months of verdicts.

“However, the instructions of CIAA on 18 decisions are yet to be enforced,” said Suresh Ghimire, an official at the Human Resource and Internal Management Section of the MoLD. Ghimire, who is also former staff of the CIAA, further said, “Only two decisions were implemented in the ministry within last five years.”

The MoLD was directed to take departmental action including warning and sacking the culprit, recovery of embezzled funds, and suggestion to correct the activities in accordance line with laws. Among 20 decisions of CIAA, 12 belong to Kathmandu Metropolitan City alone, two in Pokhara Sub-Metropolitan City, one each in Salyan District Development Committee, Sarlahi DDC, Darchula DDC and Mahottari.

Rs 1,528,800 and Rs 1,742,001 from Anak Construction and Santoshi Construction for embezzlement in Pokhara since 2004

Unaudited Rs 6,403,358 to be recovered from Hans Raj Bajracharya, contemporary ward chairman, KMC-8 since 2003

Rs 30,000 to be recovered from the salary of Er Suresh Harsha Bajracharya, KMC since 2006

Rs 54,000 from ward chairman Rajiv Joshi for embezzling advance budget to construct sewerage at Bakhundole, Jwagal, KMC since 2007

11 plots of public land encroach at Ranibari, KMC since 2007

Encroachment of some 12 ropanies of land at Bhimsengola, KMC-34 since 2008

Removal of huts built at public land in KMC-15

Uma Devi Shrestha of KMC-1 for encroaching road since 2008

KMC staff Ram Kumar Karki, in-charge of revenue collection at Thankot for embezzlement

Encroachment of public shelter-house at Bangemudha, KMC-28 since 2009

Misuse of planning budget in Salyan DDC since 2009

VDC secretary Nabal Kishor Shah for embezzling social security funds in Sarlahi since 2009

Misuse of DRILP project fund in Darchula against LDO Danda Pani Baral, Lalu Giri, Hira Lal Chaudhari, Bishnu Datta Bhatta, Keshav Raj Bhatta, Jayanti Bhatta. Only LDO Baral was taken action.

Sub Er Prabin Karki of Khalanga Range Post in Salyan for corruption

Shiva Ram Pandey and Ram Prasad Shah of Gaushala in Mahottari for embezzling Rs 1 million in Mahottari since 2008

Deepak Koirala, deputy executive chief at KMC, said that cases with Karki and encroachment of shelter-house at Bangemudha were just solved. “We have forwarded process for other cases,” he said. “Action became delay due to complexity in procedure,” he added.

Ghimire said taking action was difficult due to unrest in Tarai, intervention of political parties and obstruction from all-party political mechanism in the local bodies. “There are about 100 cases under scrutiny in the MoLD. They include 20 from CIAA, five from Office of Prime Minister and three from National Alertness Centre,” he said.

Bhavanath Khatiwada, officer looking into the CIAA cases at the MoLD, said that the process to take action was on. “We are working on to take action,” he added.

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Public hopeless about sustainable peace & new statute

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, March 20

Ordinary people disheartened by the demise of Girija Prasad Koirala, exceptional political hero of the nation, feel that death of democratic icon would cost unbearable loss in bringing the country into a right path. 

Former Premier and Nepali Congress President Koirala (1925-2010), who led the historic movement making the country Democratic Republic, passed away at 12:10 PM today.

In a sobbing voice, Nityananda Niraula, 74, who hails from Salyan-2 in Solukhumbu, said that Koirala is not only the leader of Nepal but also the international democratic hero. “He, who was successful in bringing all the political parties together, contributed a lot for the democracy and the nation,” said Niraula, a farmer, who has come to visit his two sons studying in Kathmandu.

“The writing of new constitution has fallen at stake now. I don’t think other leaders will compensate this loss,” he added. “Mourning will not be enough to remember his contribution.”

Expressing deep condolence over death, Rabina Khadka, eigth grader at Shanti Nikunja Higher Secondary School, Hanumandhoka, believed that nobody was comparable to Koirala in the country. She knew well that GPK, who is brother of BP Koirala, fought for democracy, people and nation since the Rana Regime. “Girija worked to end the 11-year Maoist violence and assure people for sighing peace,” she said. “If the political parties fail to go hand in hand, the country will fall into an abyss,” she worried.

Other people who this scribe met on the streets of told THT their feelings about the unbearable loss in the history of the country.

Kamana Ghimire, health worker at Kathmandu Model Hospital—“He, who was wise and farsighted, died before fulfilling his dream to write new constitution. The future of country is heading towards anarchy. His only weakness was his daughter.”

Taxi driver Molam Singh Yonjan from Hetauda—No leader is more liberal than Koirala. His death has brought uncertainty in the country.

Kapil Khanal, English Teacher at CG Manipal Campaign College— “Koirala is nice, bold and determined leader of the country. Man with more merits and less drawbacks. The problems will be gradually solved.”

Radhika Pradhan, housewife from Putalisadak—I don’t think peace will be sustainable in absence of him.

Sushila Shrestha, a commener—No one will replace his space.

Khim Prasad Adhikari, BA student at RR Campus—True democratic hero of the nation. The pillar of the nation has collapsed. Other selfish leaders will push the country into anarchy again and peace will be disrupted.

Ram Bahadur Shrestha, businessman at Baghbazaar—Man committed for democracy and people. He died two months earlier.

Laxman Shahi, vegetable seller at Tukucha—The country has lost big thing. There is less chance of writing new constitution.

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Govt cracking down officials for misusing dev funds

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, March 17

Under pressure from several donors, the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) has begun to crack down on Local Development Officers (LDOs) in about 30 districts, owing to misuse of development funds and poor performances.

The Ministry action is coming into effect after the warning of donor agencies to stop assistance if the corruption continues in the local bodies. Some Rs 11 billion is supported annually by the donor agencies for the MoLD.

"The donor agencies have questioned on the use of development funds and mechanism to check corruption in local bodies," said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD. "The major donors have raised serious concern over the performances in the local bodies and warned us to end corruption for further assistance," he told THT.

The MoLD is taking action against half a dozen LDOs among 30 of them for involving in misuse of development funds in the districts. Unaudited budget in MoLD and 75 District Development Committees accounts to about Rs 2.72 billion, which is, according to the ministry, unlikely to be recovered as it was misused in any way.

There are 75 LDOs assigned in 75 DDCs across the country. The Civil Service Act provisions a transfer of a staff who serves two years in an office to another office. MoLD is transferring some 10 LDOs who served in a district for two years to other districts while about 20 LDOs who have served less than two years are also being transferred as an action.

Some transfers are regular while others are actions for their performances, said Prem Prakash Uprety, under-secretary at the MoLD. "However, there are various reasons behind the transfer of the LDOs," he said.

Engineer Shyam Sundar Mishra, acting LDO of Bara district has been suspended for the embezzlement of development funds by distributing recklessly while Umesh Basnet, former LDO of Bara is likely to be suspended for exempting about Rs 15 million of revenues to certain groups illegally, according to the MoLD sources. "Other few LDOs including of Rupandehi and Banke are also being taken similar action," Uprety said. "Number of such staff may increase upto half a dozen."

Some LDOs were found distributing district budgets to different political parties and their sister organisations. Those who are recorded with good performances have been transferred to the low performed districts to improve the situation. "The proper persons are being relocated in proper places," he added. "We will publicise details in a few days."

Some are transferred on the basis of biasness and political influence, said Lalit Basnet, who was assigned as LDO in Surkhet and now working in Sarlahi on task. "The Ministry of General Administration did not allow me to get transfer to Sarlahi," said Basnet.

However, Uprety said the ministry has given priority for transfer to those who are threatened or disabled and whose performance was monitored poor. "Some LDOs are being transferred on the basis of public complaints, personal demand of LDOs and while others charged on misuse of development funds," he said.

The MoLD recently carried out monitoring of 10 districts-Morang, Ilam, Rautahat, Bara, Kaski, Rupandehi, Banke Surkhet, Dadeldhura and Kanchanpur on the performances including development activities and use of allocated funds. Similarly, the Ministry is monitoring other ten districts on the second phase. Those districts are Saptari, Panchthar, Parsa, Kathmandu, Tanahu, Kapilvastu, Dang, Dailekh, Kailali and Darchula.

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Not all sages are holy but some more unholy too

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, March 13

Not all sages are holy but some are involved in unholy and criminal activities. Some sages or other persons in guise of sages, who come to shelter in Pashupati vicinity, are reported to be involved in smuggling arms and narcotics.

According to the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), some sages sheltering illegally in Ram Mandir at Pashupatinath are also reported to be involved in weapons and narcotics smuggling. There are about five dozens of sages and sadhus hailing from Nepal and India often live in Ram Mandir. "We are scrutinising the matter in cooperation with the Department of Crime Investigation that informed us about the arms and drugs smuggling by the sages," said Sushil Nahata, member secretary at the PADT.

Sources at PADT, which is enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, informed that it aimed to vacate fake sages from the Ram Mandir area before February 12, citing suspicion of involvement in arms and drugs smuggling. "PADT has warned us to remove from the area by mid-April," said Lal Baba, 83, who has been regularly living at Ram Mandir for last 26 years. "We are troubled due to the suspicious activities in guise of sages," he said. "However, I will not go away."

Lal Baba said that the smuggling of narcotics from the area including Tilganga was rampant. "Even the school and college students come to buy those intoxicating drugs," he said. "The smuggling of weapons also cannot be denied as many people in guise of sages come and go frequently," he said. "Only about a half dozen of sages stay inside the temple premises, rest of them frequently go away."

Baba complained the PADT and other government mechanism were unable to identify who is guilty or not. The criminals can disguise to earn money safely, he revealed.

The new sages should register their names to PADT, however, they all don't abide by the rules, according to PADT. The PADT lacks orderly registration system at Ram Mandir besides its office time. PADT permits them to shelter in the temple upto five days.

"We have recently requested the District Administration Office to remove illegally settling sages and persons from the area," said Bhola Prasad Sitaula, director at PADT. "We are not against the true sages who are not involved in illicit activities. They will be allowed to stay here."

The attempts of authorities to quell illegal and criminal activities in the past could not be successful owing to the lack of effective governance and willpower of political parties.

The crimes in the society are alarmingly increasing making commoners' life vulnerable, said Shiva Sharan Rajbhandari, local and storekeeper at the Pashupatinath temple. "It will be hard to subjugate illegal activities unless the efficiency and performance of the government and police are professionalised," he said.

SSP Rana Bahadur Chand, chief at the Department of Crime Investigation, said that they have assigned a team to watch the activities in the area. "They will face at least 12 years of jail term under the Arms and Ammunition Act and Narcotics and Drugs (Control) Act if they are caught," Chand said, urging all to cooperate with police to punish the criminals.

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Holy shrine of Pashupati stained in illicit activities

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, March 6

The holy shrine of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), place of sanity, spirituality and humanism, has been notoriously stained in indecent, illegal and criminal activities, even by the sages

According to the PADT, some sages sheltering illegally in Ram Mandir at Pashupatinath are also reported to be involved in weapons and narcotics smuggling. There are about five dozens of sages and sadhus hailing from Nepal and India have been living in Ram Mandir. “We are scrutinising the matter in cooperation with the Department of Crime Investigation that informed us about the arms and drug smuggling by the sages,” said Sushil Nahata, member secretary at the PADT.

Sources at PADT, which is enlisted in the UNESCO World Heritage Site, informed that those who would be found guilty would be expelled from the area. The guilty will be taken legal actions if proved through investigation, according to the Metropolitan Police Range at Gaushala.

Nahata said that PADT was planning to systemise the shrine in a decent and proper manner against all kinds of malaises. “About 300 shops are illegally stalled inside the area while lands of shrine are encroached, and sand from Bagmati bank inside area is illegally traded,” he said. “One who wants to work fairly is threatened and forced not to take action against the unauthorised practices.”

PADT set to install CCTV cameras by Sunday

KATHMANDU: In a bid to check suspicious activities in the area, PADT is all set to install CCTV cameras by Sunday. “We will fix at least two CC Televisions by Sunday,” said Nahata. “One camera will be installed at the Office of Secretariat and another at the main gate of Pashupatinath Temple,” he added. “The cameras will be gradually installed in different locations of the area where necessary.” Nahata, who was issued death threats three times, has lodged a complaint with District Administration Office and the police seeking security. Nahata was threatened over his mobile phone using public telephone booth and grocery from Teku area.

The PADT, which is spread at the area of 283 hectors of land including settlements, aims at expelling sages involved in arms and drugs smuggling, evicting illegally settled street vendors, evacuating land encroachers from the area, checking illegal trade of sand and concrete and  banning alcohol and meat business in the area.

Narottam Baidya, treasurer at the PADT, also said the illegal and criminal activities are taking place at the shrine though they are strictly banned. “Even sale and consumption of alcohol and animal flesh are prohibited in the area, they are openly traded,” he worried.

However, the attempts to quell illegal and criminal activities in the past could not be successful owing to lack of effective governance and willpower of political parties.

The crimes in the society are alarmingly increasing making commoners’ life vulnerable, said Shiva Sharan Rajbhandari, local and storekeeper at the Pashupatinath temple. “It will be hard to subjugate indecent and illegal activities unless the efficiency and performance of the government and police are professionalised,” he said.

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Paltry budget likely to thwart 120 motor-bridges

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, March 4

The government’s plan to construct some 300 motorable bridges in the country within six years will be impossible unless an additional budget is allocated annually for the purpose.

According to the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works (MoPPW), about 200 motorable bridges are under construction while building of 100 more such bridges will be launched within the current fiscal year. The construction of launched bridges should be completed within six years of its initiation.

“If the government allocates budget in the present ratio for the bridges, the construction of only about 180 bridges will be completed within the six years,” said Tulasi Prasad Sitaula, joint-secretary at the MoPPW. “Rs 1.75 billion is flatly allocated every year,” he told this daily. “Rs 10 billion is necessary to accomplish the bridge construction.”

Sitaula said the ministry has demanded additional Rs 750 million for the current fiscal year aiming at constructing 71 bridges. “Only 30 bridges will be built this year from the allocated budget,” he said. “Otherwise, the incomplete bridges will remain incomplete for ever,” he warned.

Along with the construction of roads across the nation, the inevitability of bridge construction is on rise. There are 18,000km of roads throughout the country. Of them, 9,000km of road falls under the MoPPW while the Ministry of Local Development (MoLD) has been handling the remaining portion of roads.

Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD, said that the ministry constructs about 10 motorable bridges annually. “The government should give priority to construct the bridges on the roads, which are dysfunctional without them,” he added. At least Rs 2 billion is needed for MoLD alone yearly while it is issued only Rs 440 million.

·        Rs 500 million for Nepal Government funded Mechi bridge (Initiated)

·        ADB funded Chatara (Koshi) bridge estimated at Rs 1 billion (In pipeline)

·        WB funded Karnali bridge estimated at Rs 650 million (In pipeline)

·        Rs 150 million for Arun bridge to be funded by DFID (In pipeline)

·        Rs 100 million for Sabhakhola bridge to be funded by DFID (In pipeline)

 A total of 10,000km of roads operates in all weathers throughout the year. Some 8,000km of roads come to operation only in dry season. “A bridge is necessary in average of each five kilometers of road due to the geographical structure and number of rivers and streams,” said Sitaula. “There are already 1,300 motorable bridges when we need additional 300 bridges over the crossings through these roads,” he added.

The MoPPW has been constructing the bridges on its own investment for last one decade although the foreign donors have proposed to assist for a few bridges. Ironically, only Rs 30 million is annually allocated to renovate existing 1,300 bridges. “Ten per cent of them are at dilapidated condition,” Sitaula worried. “If we depend on national resources, there will be uncertainty in bridge construction.”

Sitaula further informed that Japan government has proposed to construct 35 community road bridges in different districts. “The designing will be completed by the end of February,” he said.

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