Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Friday have published a host of issues from various sectors of life on their front pages. Like always, political issues including activities of the government and Parliament, at central and provincial levels, have been discussed from different perspectives. Likewise, controversies regarding the death of two persons in a supposed police encounter also continue to be one of the most discussed topics as Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa has assured yesterday that the Ministry would launch an investigation into the case.
Few other issues from sociocultural and economic spheres have been featured on the front page of major newspapers published from the capital.
Important
Province 1 CDOs defy provincial govt’s decision
Nagarik, Kantipur and The Himalayan Times report from Biratnagar, the capital city of Province 1, that chief district officers of the Province have defied a decision of the provincial government to mark the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples by reporting to work and directive all offices in the districts to stay open.
Till now, the CDOs work under the Ministry of Home Affairs of the federal government. Therefore, the officials have claimed that they are not bound to abide by the decision of the provincial government, reports Nagarik. Kantipur quotes Morang CDO Ramesh Kumar KC to say that the officials worked as the federal government directed them so.
Meanwhile, most schools and local government offices remained closed in the region yesterday, according to reports.
Ganesh Lama convicted of money laundering
The Special Court on Thursday convicted notorious gangster and Nepali Congress leader Ganesh Lama of money laundering and sent him to jail for one year, according to reports in Gorkhapatra, Nagarik and The Himalayan Times.
He has been convicted of laundering money worth Rs 14 million and 50,000, The Himalayan Times informs, adding the court has also ordered the confiscation of his property worth the same amount. Gorkhapatra informs that the Department of Money Laundering Investigation had accused him of amassing illegal property worth Rs 270 million.
The verdict was delivered by a three member bench of Baburam Regmi, Dwarika Man Joshee and Ratna Bahadur Bagchand.
Meanwhile, the court acquitted his wife Laxmi, his father, mother and brother, according to Gorkhapatra.
Ignored
7,000 reconstructed schools do not have toilets
The National Reconstruction Authority has completed the reconstruction of around 7,000 schools in 31 districts hit by the 2015 earthquake. However, the recently constructed buildings with four, six or eight rooms do not have toilets, Kantipur reports in a one-column snippet.
The report informs that the Authority did not let schools to change the assigned design though some of the schools had requested that they would build toilets on their own.
500 Nepal-India border pillars ‘lost’
Around 500 pillar erected to define the border between Nepal and India have been found missing, according to the lead story in Annapurna Post.
Referring to the data collected by the Department of Survey, the report claims that around 1,2000 hectares of Nepali land are being claimed to be belonging to India subsequently.
Govt team to probe Sikta Irrigation scam
A brief story in Nagarik reports that the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has formed a six-member committee to probe into reports of irregularities in its Sikta Irrigation Project.
Joint Secretary Sushil Chandra Tiwari heads the committee comprising two persons each from the Ministry and the Department of Irrigation, and an independent expert.
15,000 govt staff ‘poor’
Naya Patrika reports in a brief story that around 15,000 government staff have been included on the list of poor recently prepared by the government with a plan of identifying them and providing various subsidies.
Earlier around five years ago, the government had removed the name of around 3,000 civil servants from the list as they were apparently earning more than the poverty line status.
Ambassadors being recalled
Republica lead story reports that the government is preparing to call back at least 10 out of serving 14 ambassadors appointed by the previous coalition government of the Nepali Congress and then CPN-Maoist Centre.
The recalling decisions will be made by early September.
The report informs that those recommended by the Maoist party then, however, would be allowed to continue their assignment.
Interesting
US to gift Nepali Army four cargo aircraft
The United States government is providing four sky trucks (cargo aircraft) to the Nepali Army soon, Karobar reports in its anchor story, adding the assistance is being provided considering a request made by Nepal’s national military organisation.
The US government would provide military assistance to Nepal in the past also, but it was halted after then King Gyanendra Shah took over in 2005, according to the report.
