Increasing ideological differences among leaders of the ruling party has been creating headlines in newspapers published in Kathmandu. Similarly, the death of an NCP (Biplav) cadre in a police encounter in Sarlahi district has also received attention. The CIAA has booked the DG of the Department of Food and this has also been reported by the newspapers.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the front pages of national broadsheets:
Important
Ideological differences brewing up in ruling party
Annapurna Post and The Kathmandu Post report that ideological differences are creating a problem within the Nepal Communist Party.
Just as co-chair and Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and another co-chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal are close to an agreement on making public the political document which defines the guiding principle of the party to put the debate over the party’s ideology to rest for the time being, former UML leaders have ratcheted up their call to adopt “people’s multiparty democracy” as the party’s official line.
The political document, which has not been made public despite demand from the former Maoists, has taken a middle path, proposing “people’s democracy”–dropping “multiparty” from the UML’s original ideology–as the unified party’s line until the unity convention. The party has proposed a unity convention two years after the merger.
Saturday’s Secretariat meeting of the party is expected to see a heated debate over the political ideology.
Biplav cadre shot dead by police
Nepal Samacharpatra and The Himalayan Times report that Kumar Poudel, a cadre of Netra Bikram Chand (Biplav)-led Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) has died after being shot in an exchange of fire between party cadres and police in Sarlahi district, Thursday.
According to District Police Office, Sarlahi, Poudel who was the district in-charge of the CPN, was shot in the cross firing at Lalbandi Municipality-1 in the district.
Four cadres of Biplav-led CPN, riding on two motorcycles, fired at the police while the police were chasing them. In retaliation, district incharge Poudel was killed on the spot while three other managed to flee the scene.
Ignored
Poor monsoon likely to affect harvest this season
The Kathmandu Post reports that with the agricultural sector already bracing for a late and “below normal” monsoon, a critical shortage of chemical fertilisers due to a delay in imports is expected to significantly affect paddy plantation during the peak season.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development said that its stock of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP), the world’s most widely used phosphorus fertiliser, is running out and imports have been delayed due to the Finance Ministry not releasing funds on time, said Agriculture Ministry officials. There are 10,000 tonnes of DAP in stock, not nearly enough to meet the country’s demand for even 15 days.
The shortage is likely to diminish paddy production for the upcoming fiscal year at a time when monsoon has also been projected to be “below normal” in the key paddy producing region. Due to a favourable monsoon and ample supply of chemical fertilisers, the country recorded a bumper harvest this fiscal year.
PADT complain of dilly-dallying
Republica reports that officials at the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT) have complained of dilly-dallying by the land revenue and survey office in demarcating Pashupatinath temple in the land survey map of the area.
PADT Member Secretary Pradip Dhakal complained about their struggle for demarcating the temple area in the map during a parliamentary committee meeting on Thursday. Following complaints from the trust officials, the National Concern and Coordination Committee of the National Assembly has directed the Ministry of Land Reform and Management to address their demand.
17 workers trapped in Rasuwagadhi tunnel
Naya Patrika reports that many as 17 labourers have been trapped inside the tunnel of the under-construction Rasuwagadhi Hydro Project on Thursday night. They were stuck inside after a landslide blocked the entrance of the tunnel. The landslide occurred at 8:30 pm on Thursday. Eleven Nepalis and six Chinese nationals are trapped inside the tunnel.
Nepali Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police Force have been deployed in the incident site; they were rescued late at night.
Rasuwagadhi hydro project of 111 megawatt is being built at Tatopani in Gosaikunda Rural Municipality-2.
Interesting
Kathmandu – Kerung railway: China asking for clarity before DPR
Arthik Abhiyan and Republica report that the fourth Nepal-China bilateral meeting on preparing a Detail Project Report (DPR) for the Kerung-Kathmandu railway concluded on Thursday without entering the agenda of the DPR, as the Chinese side sought clarity on five basic issues first.
Chinese officials asked the Nepali side to first meet the standards set by a pre-feasibility study for the project. The Chinese side had earlier conducted a pre-feasibility study and submitted a report to the Nepal government. Chinese officials at the meet pointed out the need for further technical study of the report.
On the second point, the Chinese officials asked for preparations to tackle the engineering challenges that may arise in the future. They have also asked for an in-depth study on minimizing possible geological disaster.
The fourth concern of the Chinese side is about measures to be taken to ensure the security of the railway system. And, on the fifth point, they have pointed out the need for a scientific study to minimize ecological impact in the affected areas.
The two sides have agreed to hold their fifth meeting in Kathmandu in December.
CIAA files case against DG of the Department of Food
Kantipur and Republica report that the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a case of corruption against Director General of the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control Sanjiv Kumar Karna and 13 others.
The case was filed at the Special Court on Thursday. The accused including DG Karna have been charged with financial irregularities in the procurement of mobile laboratory van for the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project. Four such vans were reported to have been bought but only on paper. The CIAA has sought fine worth Rs 124.46 million from DG Karna.
The total amount embezzled in worth Rs. 248.095 million. Others implicated in the crime are senior food research officer Purna Chandra Wosti, accountant Rabita Shrestha, section officer Bhagirath Acharya, assistant officer Guru Dutta Gautam, Under-secretary at the Prime Minister Agriculture Modernization Project Ganesh Prasad Chalise and accountant Balaram Pokharel, according to CIAA spokesperson Pradip Kumar Koirala.
Gold price reaches all-time high, Rs 64,000 per tola
Karobar reports that the price of gold jumped Rs1,000 per tola to hit an all-time high of Rs64,000 on Thursday after a two-week streak of rising prices. Price of gold has been moving up since the budget statement was released on May 29 when the import duty was jacked up by Rs 800 per 10 grams.
