Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published in Kathmandu on Monday have given priority to a host of issues from political, sociocultural and economic spheres.
The CIAA’s booking of ex-minister Badri Prasad Neupane and 13 other individuals on corruption charges has received considerable attention. Nepali cricketers getting a hero’s welcome after coming back from the UAE appears in most front pages of national dailies.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the front pages of national broadsheets:
Important
14 charged of corruption
Kantipur, Naya Patrika, Annapurna Post, Nagarik and Nepal Samacharpatra report that the CIAA has filed a case against 14 individuals including former Minister for Women, Children and Social Welfare Badri Prasad Neupane over the Fun Park lease case.
The anti-graft body has charged Neupane for his alleged involvement in making the decision with the capacity of the chairperson of the Social Welfare Council to give the Bhrikuti Mandap based land for the Fun Park in the lease without calling for the tender. In the charge-sheet, the CIAA has accused Neupane of embezzling Rs 315,217,675.20. Neupane represented his party Chure Bhawar Rastriya Ekata Party in Babu Ram Bhattarai-led government.
Likewise, the anti-graft body has filed the case against the board members of the council, directors and legal advisors of the council and the operators and management members of the amusement park for misappropriating while giving a lease of the land and have claimed fine of Rs 315,217,675.20 each.
The graft-case has been filed against them in line with Clause 3 (1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 2002.
Melamchi contract with Italian firm ends but government is still in talks
The Kathmandu Post reports that even though the government terminated the contract of Italian contractors CMC on December 20, it has continued communication with the contractors as officials look clueless about how they are going to take the national pride project forward.
The much-talked-about water project has been in limbo for more than one-and-a-half months. CMC did not respond to the government’s earlier letter asking them whether they wanted to resume works-the government decided to shoot a letter of termination. But according to sources at the Water Supply Ministry, some ministry representatives are in Bangkok to discuss the matter with the top level CMC officials.
In the letter of termination, which CMC officials said they received on January 22, the government had provided a 14-day window to the Italian builder to resume works. As per the termination letter sent to the CMC, the contract with the Italian builder to construct the project ended on Monday.
Khokona to remain entry point for fast-track
Rajdhani and The Kathmandu Post report that despite protest from locals and conservationists, the Korean company tasked with preparing the detailed project report of the Kathmandu-Tarai Expressway has fixed Khokana as the starting point of the multi-billion rupees national pride project, claiming it is the most feasible place. The draft was submitted to the Nepal Army, which has taken the charge of construction, on Sunday for the review.
Some of the residents of Khokana, have charged the government with assaulting their religious heritage, livelihood and indigenous identity by acquiring the land for a number of development projects including the expressway. Though around 50 percent of the people in Khokana have received compensation for their land, others are demanding that the entry point for the expressway be shifted to Bungmati.
Ignored
NRN must come to Nepal to apply for citizenship
Republica reports that Parliament’s State Affairs Committee (SAC) has agreed to a provision that Non-Resident Nepalis (NRN) must come to Nepal to apply for NRN citizenship.
Finalizing most of the issues of the much-debated Citizenship Amendment Bill, the committee members have agreed to amend the original bill and provision that applications for NRN citizenship shall be filed at the offices concerned under the Home Ministry. The original bill registered by the government had proposed that applications for such citizenship certificates should be registered at the Home Ministry in Kathmandu.
Registering an amendment to the bill, ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) lawmakers had proposed providing NRN citizenships through Nepali missions abroad also. But the SAC rejected the amendment through consensus.
The committee has, however, failed to forge consensus on whether knowledge of the Nepali language should be made mandatory for those applying for NRN citizenship.
Ex-king actively promoting himself in mid-Terai
Nepal Samacharpatra reports that former king Gyanendra Shah, who is currently travelling in the Terai region has been actively meeting people for the past week. Shah up till Monday had met over 250 people. Shah had said that this was an entirely personal trip however he has been meeting with royalists and other supporters for the past two weeks. Shah who is currently in Simara has been asked to be active in politics by his supporters. He will be heading to Jhapa in a few days.
Interesting
Cricketers to be awarded 500,000
Nepal Samacharpatra reports that the National Sports Council is recommending the government to reward Rs 5 lakhs to each member of Nepal’s cricket team who recently won two series in the UAE. Nepal’s national cricket team members, who arrived in Kathmandu on Monday, received a hero’s welcome at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Monday. Minister for Youth and Sports Jagat Bahadur Biswakarma, National Sports Council Vice-president Pitambar Timsina, Member Secretary Keshab Kumar Bista and Chairman of National Assembly Ganesh Prasad Timilsina along with hundreds of fans and media received crickets who were provided with a red-carpet welcome for the first time at TIA.
Advertisement Bill entails lot of restrictions
Nagarik and Kantipur report that the government is planning to pass a bill which can book any advertiser who gives out wrong information in advertisements. According to the new bill, the government can fine anyone up to Rs 5 lakh or claim a jail term of up to five years if the advertisement does not meet government regulations. Many believe that the bill goes against the freedom of expression. The bill also has a provision which states that major publications will have to print government advertisement for free or at a subsidised rate.
Trade unions to shut down restaurants
The Kathmandu Post reports that trade unions affiliated to the ruling and opposition parties have decided to shut down all member restaurants of the Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal for an indefinite period from Tuesday onwards, demanding to roll back the decision to scrap 10 per cent mandatory service charge which is added to the meal bill of customers.
The union’s decision follows dissatisfaction over the Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN) surprise move to scrap 10 per cent service charge added to the meal bill. Last Monday, the REBAN, which has more than 170 member restaurants in Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara, decided that the service charge would be left to the discretion of diners and no longer be mandatory. Pressure could build on hotels to scrap the service charge.
