Major English and Nepali dailies published from Kathmandu today have prioritised a range of issues. Kantipur has published follow-up stories on alleged corruption in Nepal Oil Corporation’s purchase of land. Other issues about corruption have also been prioritised in Nagarik and Republica including anomalies of Sajha Prakashan General Manager Dolindra Prasad Sharma and the government’s rampant distribution of assistance to various persons under various headings and columns. Naya Patrika lead story says the amount of pension payable to retired civil servants is significantly increasing.
Important
Swine flu terror looms large
Reports of swine flu infections and deaths caused by the disease have been widely covered in manor broadsheet dailies today.
According to The Himalayan Times lead story, a 37-year-old woman died of the disease in the capital on Wednesday and it is the sixth incident of swine flu death recorded in the country in this season.
Rajdhani says five persons tested positive while they underwent an H1N1 test at the Primary Health Centre in Waling of Syangja recently. A medical team from Kathmandu had gone to the western hilly district for an inspection after a man from the district died of the same disease at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital on July 24, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Nepal Samacharpatra reports from Damak of Jhapa in eastern Terai that the disease recently claimed two persons in the district.
PM inspects Narayangadh-Muglin road section
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited the Narayangadh-Muglin road section in Chitwan district yesterday and directed for timely completion of the road expansion project. Almost all daily newspapers published from Kathmandu have covered the issue in the front page. The Himalayan Times, Kantipur, Annapurna Post, Nepal Samacharpatra and Gorkhapatra among others have also carried a picture of the Prime Minister’s inspection in their front page.
Gorkhapatra says the Prime Minister directed officials to complete the ongoing construction and expansion works on time as the road has remained a lifeline connecting the capital with Terai. He said the government would not tolerate any relay in the project and warned action would be taken for officials and contractors responsible for unnecessary dillydallying.
The Prime Minister said he was aware of difficulties faced by people, therefore wanted an early completion of the expansion works, the Rajdhani anchor story reports, adding he has given a deadline of Dashain, which is less than two months away, to complete the task.
Ignored
Manmohan Adhikari Institute Bill not withdrawn?
The erstwhile government led by CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had expressed a commitment to withdraw a bill related to the establishment of Manmohan Adhikari Institute of Health Sciences while signing a deal with Dr Govinda KC in 2016. But, it has been found that the bill has not been withdrawn yet, according to the front page box story in Republica.
The report quotes Parliament Secretariat spokesperson Bharat Raj Gautam as saying that the bill is under discussion at the Women, Children, Senior Citizens and Social Welfare Committee in the House.
While the commitment was made to end Dr KC’s 10th fast-unto-death last year, he is fasting unto death for the 11th time in past few years for last 11 days demanding various reforms in Nepal’s medical education sector including implementation of past pacts.
Nepali side of EPG in dilemma about 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty
The Nepali side of Eminent Persons Group on India-Nepal Relations raised concerns about the 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty during four meetings of the EPG held in past few years. The think-tank formed to review various pacts signed between the governments and suggest ways forward, however, is now confused about whether to amend the historic pact or replace it with a new one, according to the lead story in The Kathmandu Post.
The EPG has four members from each side.
According to the report, the Nepali members on Wednesday consulted former diplomats, officials and businesspersons seeking suggestions from them. The invitees also could not provide clear suggestions on the next steps.
The 1950 treaty is one of the most controversial treaties of Nepal’s diplomatic history and Nepal has been seeking a review on it for long, the report comments, adding some speakers of the consultation yesterday have therefore sought replacement of the treaty with a new one.
Interesting
Number of vehicles doubled in past six years in Nepal
The number of vehicles plying across the country has doubled in past six years, according to the anchor story in Karobar.
As of the end of fiscal year 2016/17, the total number of vehicles including two-wheelers registered with the Department of Transport Management is 2 million and 783,428. In the fiscal year 2011/12, the number of vehicles was recorded at 1 million and 348,995.
Of total vehicles, 374,071 are motorbikes and scooters. They are followed by light four-wheelers including cars, vans and jeeps.
The DoTM says more than 100,000 vehicles got registered in past one year alone.
DoTM spokesperson Tok Raj Pandey says easy availability of vehicles, expanded road networks and easy access to auto loan are causes that made a surge in the number of vehicles.
Citizenship records lost from Kathmandu DAO
Records of citizenship certificates issued from the Kathmandu District Administration Office from 2040 BS to 2046 BS (1983/84-1989/90) have gone missing, according to the anchor story in Annapurna Post.
Kathmandu’s Chief District Officer Balkrishna Panthi says the files which are easily available are also not safe; many of them have been torn due to different reasons. “Who should be blamed,” he says, “Staff are transferred every three months. So who can be assigned to keep these documents safe?”
The issue came into light after a joint-secretary could not get a recommendation for his passport after failing to find out records of his citizenship at the DAO.
