Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published in Kathmandu on Tuesday have given priority to a host of issues from political, sociocultural and economic spheres.
The Nepali Congress’ stalling of the House of Representatives over medical education bill and hospitals has received considerable attention. Biratnagar High Court judge Kul Ratna Bhurtel being dragged into the 33-kg gold smuggling case has also been discussed on Tuesday’s papers.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the front pages of national broadsheets:
Important
Biratnagar High-Court judge dragged into 33 kg gold smuggling case
The Kathmandu Post, Annapurna Post, Kantipur, Nagarik and Rajdhani report that the Judicial Council on Monday decided to recall Chief Judge of Biratnagar High Court Kul Ratna Bhurtel to its secretariat as part of the action against him for his role in releasing suspects of a gold smuggling case on bail. Bhurtel is the sixth judge facing Judicial Council action in the past week. Bhurtel has released suspended DSP Prajit KC who is one of the suspects in the gold smuggling as well as in the murder of carrier Sanam Shakya on a general date.
Acharya faces steep challenge ahead of Delhi mission
The Kathmandu Post reports that Nepal’s new ambassador to India, Nilambar Acharya faces steep challenges as he takes up his diplomatic assignment next month as the first envoy to New Delhi since the 2015 blockade. Acharya’s appointment comes at a crucial time for Nepal-India relation which in the last two decades has seen a series of ups and downs. Acharya’s main job, according to Narayan Kaji Shrestha, is to create an environment for submission of the Eminent Persons’ Group report.
Pathak unable to work as wide-body aircraft probe commission member
Republica reports that Narayan Pathak, one of the members of the judicial commission formed to investigate irregularities in the wide-body aircraft purchase scam, has expressed his inability work as a member of the probe commission says he cannot bear double responsibility. Former attorney general Pathak said he is currently leading a five-member probe committee formed by the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the rape and murder of Nirmala Pant. After conflicting reports surfaced over the wide-body aircraft purchase scam, the government on January 4 formed a three-member judicial probe commission to look into the scam.
Ignored
Nepali arrested in Delhi for human trafficking
The Himalayan Times reports that a Nepali national was arrested in New Delhi on Monday for his alleged involvement in trafficking Nepali girls to Gulf countries. The accused identified as Lopsang Lama, 33, carrying a cash reward of INR 100,000 on his head, hails from Okhaldhunga district in Nepal, Indian police told media persons.
According to police, Lama was involved in a trafficking case in which 16 Nepali girls were rescued from a house in Munirka village on July 25. A case was registered at a local police station in this regard. The investigation revealed that the rescued girls were confined in a rented house of Lama and his associates for 20 to 22 days. After his arrest, Lama confessed his involvement in the alleged case. The trafficked girls were allegedly sexually exploited as well. Lama has so far managed to send 25 to 30 Nepali girls to Gulf countries, police said.
Former governor Rawal released on Bail
Kantipur reports that a Special Court on Monday released Nepal Rastra Bank Former Governor Tilak Rawal, accused of corruption during the printing of polymer notes, on bail. A Special Court joint bench headed by Chairman Baburam Regmi and Justices Ratna Bahadur Bagchand and Pramod Kumar Shrestha Baidya ordered the release of Rawal on a bail amount of Rs 1 million. The court issued the order after recording Rawal’s statement and hearing the case from the applicant and defendant side. According to a source at the court, Rawal deposited the bail amount on Monday.
No monitoring of unhygienic meat products
Rajadhani reports that even though there have been complaints of unhealthy and unhygienic meat products being sold throughout the country, the Department of Food Technology and Quality Control hasn’t done anything to monitor these places. The department, whose role to make sure that the citizens don’t suffer from bad quality products since Dashain hasn’t monitored any meat shop. Spokesperson of the department Purna Chandra Basti said that the monitoring problem had occurred as the department was working on a bill which would have a popper delegation of rights.
Interesting
Nepal Army’s Jungle Warfare Academy becoming a hit with foreign soldiers
Rajdhani reports that the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare Academy operated by the Nepal Army has become the outstanding centre for training even the foreign armies on jungle warfare. Of late army officers from American, Chinese and Indian army come to the counter-insurgency academy for training.
Academy chief Col Gaurab Kumar KC mentions that six Indian Army officers, seven Pakistani Army officers, five Bangladesh Army officers, 20 Chinese Army officers, eight Sri Lankan Army officers, four American Army officers, eight Korean Army officers, two Myanmar Army officers, and one Kenyan army officer have so far completed the tough jungle warfare course from the Academy.
Nepal Army started the jungle warfare training in 1978 by setting up the ‘warfare section’. This section was upgraded into the Royal Nepalese Army Jungle Academy in 1999, into the Army Jungle Warfare Academy in 2007 and into the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare Academy in 2010. Foreign army officers started joining the training at the academy in 2011.
Former king to visit mid and eastern Terai
Nepal Samacharpatra reports that former king Gyanendra Shah has been actively touring various places in Nepal. He is on a month-long visit to to the mid and eastern Terai that started on December 27. He will be meeting other royalists first in Simara then will head to Jhapa. A welcome ceremony will be held to greet the former monarch.
