Major English and Nepali broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Tuesday have prioritised Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s clarification over his controversial statement in New Delhi. Likewise, news stories related to preparations for Province 2 local level elections as well as polls to the Provincial Assembly and the federal House of Representatives have also got significant attention.
The end of military standoff between India and China at Doklam has also received significant attention.
Important
PM’s statement causes division in ruling alliance
Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s controversial statement at a joint press conference with Indian PM Narendra Modi that he would make efforts to amend the constitution not only brought criticism from opposition parties, but also caused some serious differences in the ruling alliance as well, according to reports published in Republica and Annapurna Post.
Republica says if remarks made by CPN-Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and other senior leaders are taken into account, the Maoist Centre and Nepali Congress have already developed some fissures. The report adds that Dahal has been using various public functions of the party to express his dissatisfaction over Deuba’s statement about constitution amendment and mention of the Koshi high dam in a joint statement of the two countries.
Likewise, the party’s second man, Narayan Kaji Shrestha, has said the PM should not have spoken anything about the constitution amendment at least till November 26, the day when Nepal will hold elections to the Provincial Assembly and the federal House of Representatives, according to Annapurna Post.
Dr KC warns of launching another hunger strike from next week
Protesting the Tribhuvan University Executive Council’s decision to give affiliation to the controversial Kathmandu National Medical College, TU Teaching Hospital’s senior orthopaedic surgeon Dr Govinda KC has warned of launching another fast-unto-death beginning next Wednesday, according to Naya Patrika.
The veteran has been claiming that the Council’s decision undervalued his struggle.
Dr KC, who is currently in eastern Terai districts running health camps for flood victims, has also warned that he will not hold talks with the current government talks team as its coordinator, Education Secretary Shanta Bahadur Shrestha, acted against the spirit of his demands, the report quotes his aide Dr Abhishek Raj Singh.
Meanwhile, it has been found that the Ministry of Education approved the College to operate a hospital by violating its jurisdiction, according to the anchor story in Nagarik. The report has claimed that bureaucratic leadership in the ministry from section chiefs to the secretary were involved in illegally granting affiliation to the college.
Ignored
GST causes slowdown in revenue collection
Revenue collection at Kakarbhitta customs point in Jhapa district of eastern Nepal has dropped as traders have tried to evade tax after the goods and services tax (GST) came into effect in India, Nepal’s customs officials have claimed.
A Republica front page story filed from Jhapa says imports through the Kakarbhitta customs have dwindled after July 1, the date India introduced new tax law, and the customs office has failed to meet revenue collection target. The office has targeted to collect Rs 644 million from mid-July to mid-August, but the collection stood at Rs 56 million only, which is less than 10 per cent of the target.
Traders from both the countries have colluded to evade taxes, leading to a significant drop in official imports, the officials have said, adding the use of illegal channels to bring in goods (smuggling) has increased.
Energy Minister trying to sack Kulman Ghising
Nagarik says Energy Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi is trying to sack Nepal Electricity Authority’s Managing Director Kulman Ghising, who has earned popularity by giving an end to regular power outage even in the winter season.
Minister Shahi as well as some powerful officials of the Authority have filed a complaint at Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority demanding that the constitutional body launch an investigation into Ghising’s property, the report says the Minister wants some official close to Nepali Congress to lead the Authority.
Ghising was promoted to the top position by former Energy Minister Janardan Sharma and he was considered close to the Maoist party. Current Minister Shahi is also a leader of the Maoist party.
Interesting
Northern Gorkha villagers find Tibetan markets more accessible
Locals of many villages in northern part of Gorkha district of western Nepal have found bordering Tibet markets more accessible than Nepali cities, according to the anchor story in Karobar.
But, the problem is that the Tibet government opens the Ruila border point only once a year and locals of Lho, Li, Samagaun and Samdo throng the Kongdang market across the border.
For this year, the border point has been opened since last Friday. Ward member of Chumunubri Rural Municipality-1, Mingmar Lama, says the villagers have taken many yaks and mules to transport daily commodities from the market.
Food crops produced in these villages are generally sufficient for three months only and the locals are dependent on Tibet for foods for other times, according to the report.
