The most important issue that has been highlighted on the front pages of major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Wednesday is the endorsement of the Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana for the position of Chief Justice from the Parliamentary Hearing Special Committee. Likewise, the conclusion of a subcommittee of the Public Accounts Committee that Civil Aviation Minister Rabindra Adhikari and his two predecessors were involved in irregularities in the purchase of two wide body aircraft for the national flag carrier have also received significant coverage today.
Some newspapers have published reports about medical education reform activist Dr Govinda KC’s journey to Ilam also on their front pages.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the cover pages of national broadsheets:
Important
House panel finds minister guilty in wide body purchase
Naya Patrika, The Himalayan Times, Nagarik and Republica report that the subpanel of the Public Accounts Committee has recommended action against Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari, his predecessors Jitendra Narayan Dev and Jeevan Bahadur Shahi for their involvement in irregularities in the purchase of two aircraft for the National Airlines Corporation.
Likewise, it has sought the suspension of 38 government officials involved in the anomalies, according to the THT report. It adds that there was corruption of Rs 4.34 billion in the deal as concluded by the panel.
Naya Patrika says the panel has indicted NAC Managing Director Sugat Ratna Kansakar was the main culprit.
India wants further discussion on EPG report
After the dillydallying of around six months to receive the report of Eminent Persons Groups on Nepal-India Relations, India now wants to have further discussion on the report, claims a two column story in Annapurna Post.
The report adds that a member of the EPG on Indian side, former ambassador to Nepal, Jayanta Prasad, has advised his government not to receive the report as it is.
Ignored
Dr KC to stage fast in Ilam
Rajdhani and Nepal Samacharpatra report in their brief stories that medical education reform activist has gone to Ilam district of eastern Nepal to stage the next round of fast-unto-death. He is planning to begin the strike on Wednesday.
Earlier some months ago, he has staged the fast in Humla of Karnali.
Dr KC decided to resume the strike as the Federal Parliament failed to finalise the Medical Education Bill, according to the reports.
Pokharel granting affiliation to hundreds of colleges illegally
The lead story in Nagarik reports that Minister for Education, Science and Technology Giriraj Mani Pokharel has put pressure on various universities to illegally grant affiliation to hundreds of colleges across the country.
Likewise, he is also putting pressure on the officials to keep the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training within the Ministry as the Ministry is drafting a new education bill, according to the report.
Republica has also published a related story.
Bamjan supporters want probe stalled
An organisation of followers and supporters of controversial ascetic Ram Bahadur Bamjan, who has been recently accused of disappearing at least four persons from his ashrams and sexually misbehaving with women, has put pressure on the government not to move forward an investigation into the complaints, reports The Kathmandu Post in a three column story.
The Bodhi Shrawan Dharma Sangha on Sunday handed over a memorandum to ruling Nepal Communist Party leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal, during which Dahal assured that he would convey the message to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, according to the report.
Interesting
Plastics banned in Chitwan National Park
A snippet in Nepal Samacharpatra reports that the government has banned the use of plastic bags and other plastic products in Chitwan National Park.
The Ministry of Forests and Environment has introduced the new rule, in cooperation and coordination with various government and nongovernment agencies, from Tuesday.
