The pesticide testing plant debate has been featured in a few newspapers along with news of a rift between NCP party chairs PM KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal. NC’s central committee asking for the 14th general convention to be held as soon as possible has also been featured in a few newspapers.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories published on front pages of Kathmandu broadsheet dailies, both Nepali and English, on Monday.
Important
Pesticide testing plant unlikely in six months
The Himalayan Times reports that even though the government vowed to resume testing imported vegetables for pesticides after six months, Agriculture Minister Chakra Pani Khanal has said that the time-frame is not enough to build the infrastructure required to test pesticide residue.
The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies had revoked its decision to test pesticide residue in vegetables imported from India after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday citing lack of technical preparation and pressure from traders. However, it later stated that testing would resume after six months.
Similarly, Rajdhani reports that the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development has asked the Ministry of Finance for Rs 4 billion to establish labs in various border points across the country. Minister Khanal said that after the Finance Ministry releases the funds the construction of the labs will start.
However, Annapurna Post and Kantipur report that Nepal has enough labs to test vegetables for pesticides. Officials at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development say that all seven provinces have a testing lab. The labs according to the officials are of international standards. Minister Khanal on Sunday also said that that only Karnali province did not have proper testing labs and all other provinces had labs. He further added that the ministry was conducting tests but the centre suddenly asked them to stop.
Rift in NCP reaching a tipping point
The Kathmandu Post reports that insiders say all is not well in Nepal Communist Party. Sources close to the party chairs Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal say that there is a conflict between the two. Some are even wondering if the party will split before the merger is even complete.
The Himalayan Times, however, reports that NCP is all set to release its much-awaited political document, putting an end to speculations surrounding the viewpoints and ideologies of the country’s largest political party.
NCP’s two co-chairs Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal endorsed the document today. It will be sent to the printing press on Monday.
The party’s political document was drafted by a nine-member committee led by senior NCP leader Madhav Kumar Nepal. NCP’s Standing Committee had unanimously endorsed the document and handed it over to the two co-chairs for their final approval around a year ago. But it has not been made public till date due to differences over the party’s political ideology among senior party members.
Ignored
NC leaders demand general convention
The Kathmandu Post reports that tension ran high in the Nepali Congress after senior party leader Ram Chandra Poudel asked party President Sher Bahadur Deuba to propose a work plan for the party’s 14th General Convention.
The Deuba and Poudel factions have long been at loggerheads over the holding of the party’s 14th General Convention. While Poudel has been lobbying for the convention to be held by mid-March next year, party President Deuba does not appear to be ready.
Dolphins spotted in Tikapur
Republica reports that with the level of water rising in the rivers, dolphins have been spotted in the confluence of Mohana and Pathraiya rivers of Tikapur Municipality-7. The locals said they saw the dolphins on Sunday.
In comparison to last year, dolphins were seen quite late this year. According to a local Narendra Regmi, three dolphins were spotted in the river on Sunday, of which two were mature dolphins while one was a baby. Bijayaraj Shrestha, who has been long studying about dolphins, says this year dolphins were spotted a bit late due to the late arrival of the monsoon.
Interesting
PM advisor criticised over tweet
Republica reports that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s Chief Advisor Bishnu Rimal has come under fire from all quarters, including the leaders of his own party, for his superstitious remark in ‘a lowly and demeaning’ tweet posted supposedly against the dissidents who have been increasingly critical of the government acts in the recent weeks.
In a tweet shared by thousands of social media users since he posted it early morning on Sunday, Rimal lashed out at the dissidents by comparing them, albeit in veiled words, with the messengers of witch.
Rimal’s tweet sparked a strong reaction on social media platforms and beyond with many citing it as an example of dearth of basic political decency in Oli’s cabinet. Some even demanded action against Rimal for propagating superstition, while few others demanded his resignation.
Rani Mahal’s property under a person’s name
Rajdhani reports that sources have found that land belonging to Rani Mahal in Palpa has been transferred under a person’s name. This happened with accordance officials from the Land and Revenue Office who established a fake guthi to transfer the land to a person. After the government found out about this, it has assigned CIAA to look into the matter. CIAA is interrogating officials of the Land and Revenue Office.
15 banks submit written commitment for merger
Arthik Abhiyan reports that 15 banks have submitted a written commitment to Nepal Rastra Bank confirming that they will take part in mergers. The central bank on Sunday stated that 15 commercial banks, one development bank and one micro-finance had submitted a written commitment. NMB, Sunrise, Citizen, Laxmi, Kumari, Nepal SBI, Sanima, Civil, NCC, Century, NIC Asia, Himalayan, Mega and Nepal Investment Bank and Machapucchere bank have all submitted a written commitment to Nepal Rastra Bank.
