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From the Kathmandu Press: Friday, August 17, 2018

All major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Friday have given the top priority to new civil and criminal laws of the country are coming into effect from today. Many of the newspapers have said the introduction of the new laws is historic for the history of Nepali legal system.

Meanwhile, contemporary political issues including complaints of excessive tax charging by federal, provincial and local governments and the governments’ defence against the charges have also been discussed on the cover ages of many newspapers.

The front pages have also feature few other sociocultural and economic issues from various parts of the country. From the neighbourhood, the death of former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has also been given significant priority on their front pages by the newspapers.

Important

New civil, criminal laws come into effect today

According to Gorkhapatra, the new laws that come into effect today will affect various activities of the citizens from their birth to death. The laws will collectively replace historic Muluki Ain that was introduced by the first Rana Prime Minister Janga Bahadur around 165 years ago.

The report explains that 60 per cent contents of the new laws are based on the Muluki Ain whereas the punitive section is entirely new and it is based on precedents issued by the court over various issues.

Nagarik says the new laws will function as ‘social constitution’ for the citizens.

Meanwhile, The Kathmandu Post in its lead story raises concerns that some provisions of the codes would hamper free press in the country, though they are expected to reform the country’s legal system.

Prime Minister denies exorbitant taxation charge

Fie: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has denied public accusations that governments at federal, provincial and local levels have imposed excessive tax on citizens under various headings, according to the lead story in Naya Patrika.

Receiving a delegation of representatives of various rural municipalities of the country on Thursday, the Prime Minister said local businesspersons, traders and vendors charge some money for their products and services, but people blame the government for that.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister during the meeting also expressed his dissatisfaction over the performance of local level leaders, according to Nagarik.

Ignored

Irregularities suspected in NAC wide body aircraft purchase

NAC’s second wide body aircraft getting a cannon salute at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Annapurna Post lead story has accused Nepal Airlines Corporation of purchasing two wide body aircraft recently by violating existing rules and regulations, thereby giving space to suspect irregularities in the transaction.

Legal requirements have been breached since the first step of purchasing process, according to the report.

The national flag carrier had spent more than Rs 23 billion for the two Airbus planes.

Taplejung mom dumps two infants to death

A three-column box story in The Kathmandu Post reads that police in Taplejung district of eastern Neal arrested a 20-year-old woman in Pathibhara, Yangwarak Rural Municipality-2 of the district after she allegedly ditched her twin infants to death.

Kamala Bishwakarma, who was at large since Saturday, was held on Thursday after the eight-month-old girls were recovered from a septic tank. One of them had already died whereas the second breathed her land on her way to a hospital.

New pay scale for tea workers

The government has fixed new wages for workers of tea gardens and factories, according to a two-column story in Karobar. According to the new scale, those working at gardens will get Rs 10,781 whereas workers of factories will get Rs 13,450 every month. The new scale will be followed for their pay from mid-July.

Interesting

Kalanki underpass to come into operation today

Construction works are underway at Kalanki underpass.

Nepal’s first underpass road is coming into operation from Friday in Kalanki of Kathmandu, The Himalayan Times reports in a four-column story.

The 800-metre underpass stretches from local Khasi Bazaar to Baphal Chok, and it is a part of project to improve the Ring Road, the report informs, adding, its construction was completed a few weeks ago.

The construction was funded by the Chinese government.

Dhading youth’s efforts to commercialise yak farming

The brief anchor story of Kantipur reports that youth of Pangsang and Somdang villages in Tipling of Dhading district have commercialised yak farming, which was practised for subsistence only by their ancestors.

Currently, over 300 yaks are being herded in 54 sheds of the village and the villagers sell milk and milk products.

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