All major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Monday have published reports about the death of veteran human rights activist and politician Padma Ratna Tuladhar. The newspapers have highlighted his contribution to Nepal’s political and human rights movements. As a government body on Sunday published a report about Nepalis’ involvement in foreign employment in past 10 years, the newspapers also feature highlights of the report.
Meanwhile, parents of Nirmala Pant, who was raped and murdered in Kanchanpur district around three and half months ago, have warned of staging an indefinite hunger strike demanding legal action against the culprits; and some newspapers have featured this also on their front pages.
Important
Nearly 7,000 Nepali workers died in 10 years
Lead stories in Naya Patrika and The Kathmandu Post report that total 6,921 Nepali people working abroad died in past 10 years. Quoting a report published by the Foreign Employment Promotion Board under the government of Nepal, Naya Patrika says total 1,178 persons sustained significant injuries whereas 18 are still in coma. Likewise, the country earned Rs 4.48 trillion remittances from them in past 10 years, according to The Kathmandu Post report.
Nirmala Pant’s parents warn of hunger strike
Naya Patrika, The Himalayan Times and The Kathmandu Post report that parents of Nirmala Pant have warned of hunger strike if the government fails to find out the culprit of rape and murder of their daughter and take legal action against them.
After 100 days were over without any progress in the investigation, the victim’s father organised a press conference in Kanchanpur yesterday and said, “If the guilty are not arrested by November 11, all family members will stage a sit-in… If the government does not book the guilty, we shall stage a hunger strike in the second phase.”
Nepal wants to repatriate Bhutanese refugees
Though negotiations for the settlement of Bhutanese refugees currently living in Nepal have stalled for years, the Nepal government is pinning its hopes on the new government in Thimpu to repatriate refugees, Republica reports in its lead story.
In past one decade, over 113,000 Bhutanese refugees in Nepal have chosen to settle in the third countries and 6,659 people have refused to go elsewhere. Therefore, the government will ask Bhutan to take those 6,659 people back to the home country, according to the report.
Ignored
Fiscal Commission yet to get full shape
Nagarik reports in a two column story that the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission, a constitutional body envisaged to distribute national resources among local, provincial and federal governments, is yet to get full shape though the government has already decided to establish it.
The Commission’s Secretariat has already been formed under the leadership of Secretary Baikuntha Aryal, but the officials are yet to be appointed.
Congress to defer mahasamiti meeting
Citing lack of sufficient preparations and internal disputes over some crucial issues, the main opposition Nepali Congress is planning to postpone its mahasamiti meeting once again, Naya Patrika reports in a brief story.
Earlier, the party had scheduled the meeting for November 21-25 in Kathmandu. But, the party’s Central Working Committee meeting will decide other dates soon.
Rajdhani has also published a similar story.
NOC likely to hike petroleum price soon
The Himalayan Times reports in its lead story that the government-owned fuel distribution monopoly, Nepal Oil Corporation, is likely to increase the price of petroleum products soon citing the constant rise in the price of crude oil and the value of the US dollar.
The Corporation has said it will face difficulty issuing payments to Indian Oil Corporation if the prices were not raised immediately after the Chhath festival, which will be celebrated next week.
Parliamentary officials receiving double pay for drivers
Gorkhapatra reports in a four column story that many officials of the Federal Parliament have been receiving salary for two drivers though they generally employ only one driver. Laws allow each official to employ two drivers and the budget has been allocated accordingly; however, the officials have chosen to employ only one person and continue receiving the pay for two, according to the report.
Interesting
Six companies apply for Naagdhunga road tunnel
Total six companies, including five Chinese and one Japanese, have filed applications expressing their interest to construct a road tunnel in Naagdhunga on the western outskirts of Kathmandu, according to a three column story in Nepal Samacharpatra.
Chhabi Lal Paudel, an engineer at Department of Roads, says the department is assessing the proposals and the decision will be made soon.
