Almost all broadsheet dailies published in Kathmandu on Tuesday have given considerable space to reports on a breakthrough in the CPN-UML and Maoist Centre parties’ unification negotiations. In addition to that, reports on social and economic issues as well Nepal’s thrilling win against Kenya in a World Cricket League Division II encounter has also received considerable attention. Here’s a summary of important, ignored and interesting news that made it to the front pages today.
Important
UML, Maoist Centre claim breakthrough in negotiations
Kantipur, Gorkhapatra and Naya Patrika report that the UML and the Maoist Centre are close to a deal on party unification. Similarly, Annapurna Post calls the latest development a ‘breakthrough’ in the unification bid. While some papers report that both Oli and Prachanda will take charge as chairman of the new party, others say that the post of ‘co-chair’ is being created to share power between the two leaders and they will take turns to run the government.
Rajdhani says that the two parties have agreed to form a framework agreement on party unification before the formation of the new government. It says that the joint convention of the new party will pass a resolution to allow the two leaders to take turns to lead the government. Annapurna Post says the name of the new party shall be ‘Nepal Communist Party’. Naya Patrika and Kantipur have similar reports.
Ignored
Where are the ‘white plates’?
Annapurna Post reports that government officials and people’s representatives, who should be using vehicles with white number plates, are using red number plates on their vehicles. According to prevailing laws, the while number plate is symbolic of a ‘government’ vehicles and the red number plate is symbolic of a ‘private vehicle’. Although the officials are using government vehicles, they are reluctant to use the white number plate. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs around 500 officials are using red number plates on their government-provided vehicles.
Five years on, no headway in India-Nepal talks on new aviation route
Karobar reports that five years after Nepal and India started negotiations on allowing flights to and from Kathmandu to leave the Nepali sky through the western route via Nepalgunj. The paper reports that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his visit to Nepal, had said that the new route will be opened within six months, India has not kept its word.
Interesting
Final breakthrough in Melamchi in March
Nagarik reports that a final breakthrough in the Melamchi Water supply project is expected within the next 30 days. The paper reports that the project is likely to be completed within this July. The project’s deputy director Bhoj Bikram Thapa told Nagarik that around 600 m section of the main tunnel remains to be dug. He says that this work shall be completed by the second week of March.
