Power Purchase and Sell Among Countries

Siddhi B Ranjitkar

December 25, 2018

Kathmandu

India paved the way for buying the energy from Nepal deleting the provision such as “India would buy the power produced by the plant made with the minimum 51 percent of the Indian investment” from the Inter Countries Power Trade Directive issued on December 5, 2016. India has made public the amendment made to the directive on Tuesday, December 18, 2018.

Even in 1990, an Australian company wanted to invest in the hydropower project in Nepal, and had approached the Indian authorities to buy the power. However, Indian authorities refused to buy the power even though India had suffered from the acute short supply of power because foreign companies were going to build power plants in Nepal.

Ultimately, India had issued Inter Countries Power Trade Directive in 2016 restricting to the power purchase from the power plants that would be built with the minimum 51 percent Indian investment. That was the initial opening of the Indian power market to Nepal and other countries around.

Immediately after the publication of the Inter Countries Power Trade Directive, Nepalese power authorities have approached the Indian authorities to relax the provision made in the directive. The authorities studied the directive seriously and minutely and then sent the feedback through the Indian embassy in Kathmandu. It really did work to relax the restrictive conditions made for purchasing the power from Nepal.

However, the amended directive has many technical and other provisions made for purchasing power from Nepal. Nepal needs to study them and again needs to send the feedback to the Indian authorities to take the advantage of the infinite Indian power market, according to the joint secretary to the Minister of Energy that spoke to the anchor of the Radio Nepal morning program called ‘antar sambad” on December 25, 2018.

One of the provisions made in the directive is that the power purchase would be following the bilateral agreement between the countries, and the understanding the concerned companies of the countries have reached.

India will set up an authority for giving an approval of power purchase. Such an authority will be made responsible for coordinating the management and supervision of transmission lines, and the security of grid with the concerned countries. Companies of both countries purchasing and selling power have to take an approval of the authority.

After the amendment to the directive, Nepal could sell its power to the third country such as Bangladesh passing through the Indian Territory. Bangladesh and Nepal are separated by only 27-kilometer stretch of the Indian Territory. Nepal and Bangladesh have already held talks about the sell and purchase of power between the two countries.

(Source: the news in “artha bazaar”: supplement to “gorkhapatra” of December 24, 2018) 

Nepal News

KTM Metro Reporter

December 22, 2018

Monorail Along The Ring Road

The news posted in “gorkhapatra” on December 21, 2018 stated that the mayor of Kathmandu and China Railway’s 25th Bureau Group Co have signed off a understanding on preparing the detailed project report (DPR) on building a monorail along the 27.5 km Ring Road that encompasses Kathmandu and Lalitpur; DPR would be prepared within a year.

Why the mayors of Kathmandu and Lalitpur wanted to run monorail is still a mystery. That might be the greed for commission because the large budget involved in constructing monorail surely would bring them a big bonus in the form of commission.

Anybody could predict without risking being a failure that the monorail is doomed to be failure. Folks had seen how the trolley bus had been a failure. A number of State-run factories and even service delivery corporations have been failure because they could not deliver the services as required by the beneficiaries.

The mayors would be well off to get engaged in filling up the potholes everywhere in Kathmandu and Lalitpur; commuters would bless them with votes in the next elections but they have been after something big.

The next important thing the mayors would need to do is to post the streets names. Streets names are rarely seen in Kathmandu and Lalitpur. Folks could live without the street names as they have been living without the street names for centuries; however, at that time the towns were quite small and folks could walk around the towns. Now, the towns have grown fantastically, folks would have difficulty in finding the areas without street names.

Surely, the house numbers are the next important things in the lives of the town dwellers. Municipalities including the metropolis have been collecting huge house tax but none of the municipalities are bothered to distribute the house numbers. So, mayors should be engaged in doing these trial matters but the most important things in the lives of the common folks.

Smart Zebra Crossings In Kathmandu

The news posted on http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/27668 on December 20, 2018 stated that the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is preparing to build smart zebra crossings means crosswalks in Kathmandu.

Such crosswalks would stop speeding vehicles 10 meters ahead of them. It is fantastic, is not it? Drivers would not need to apply brake. Then, what would happen the vehicles coming behind?

Drivers in Kathmandu are the most indiscipline ones whether they are motorcyclists, taxi drivers, pickup truck drivers or yellow bus drivers; they don’t honor the traffic rules at all. The most notorious drivers are motorcyclists. They drive as if the entire roads are theirs. They don’t care about others. So, none of the day passes without the news of one or more motorcyclists got killed.

Probably, smart crosswalks would save those unfortunate motorcyclists stopping them 10 meters before they reach crosswalks. They would neither hit someone crossing the road nor pickup trucks or other vehicles would hit them.

The news also stated that KMC has the budget of Rs 4 billion for the development of physical infrastructures in the fiscal year 2018, and most of the budget would be spent on the expansion and repair of the roads.

Almost a half fiscal year has been passed since it started in the mid July 2018 but potholes are everywhere to see for everybody. Probably, the mayor and his deputy are waiting for the monsoon to start the repair and expansion work on the roads because it is easier to finish off the budget than get the work done.

Melamchi Drinking Water Project

The Radio Nepal seven o’clock morning news on December 22, 2018 stated that the Patan High Court has instructed the government not to enforce its decision on confiscating the security money the Italian Company has deposited for the contract it has receiving for the construction of the Melamchi Drinking Water Project.

Previous news had stated that the staffers of the contractor Italian company were about to flee Nepal not being able to complete the work because of the short supply of funding. They were arrested from the Thamel in Kathmandu.

The news in “The Himalayan Times” stated on December 21, 2018 that the Minister for water Resources Bina Magar speaking at the Parliamentary Finance Committee said on December 20, 2018 that the decision of Italian contractor Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti (CMC) on deserting the Melamchi Drinking Water Project would not affect its completion; the sub-contractors could complete the remaining project work.

The news quoted the minister, “Some work related to construction of support walls and plastering the floor of the tunnel is left and that can be accomplished by sub-contractors. As sub-contractors of the project are in constant contact with MoWS, we can request them to complete the remaining work, if necessary.”

“Though asking the Italian firm, which has already declared its bankruptcy, to complete the project is not good, seeking a new contractor will be lengthy and substantially delay the construction. In such a context, we are trying to convince CMC to complete the project assuring necessary facilitation from the government regarding some technical parts,” said Minister Magar, the news stated.

Former Governor Of Central Bank Charged With Corruption

The news posted in “gorkhapatra” on December 21, 2018 stated that Commission on Investigation into Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case at the Special Court against three former Central Bank called Nepal Rastra Bank officials including former Governor Dr Tilak Rawal implicating them in the irregularities in the printing of polymer banknotes done in Australian 15 yeas ago.

CIAA has demanded the return of 9,109,889 from each of those accused, and then the fine and punishment for the irregularities they had committed while getting printed the polymer banknotes in Australia.

The news in The Himalayan Times on December 20, 2018 stated that the bank officials had increased the printing cost by four Australian dollars per 1,000 notes; the Central Bank had awarded Note Printing Australia, an Australian Central Bank subsidiary, to print 100 million of the Rs 10 denomination notes in 2002. 

Brief History of Melamchi Drinking Water Project

Folks of the Nepal Valley curiously waited for the drinking water from the Melamchi River flowing in the Sindhupalchok District during the Dashain festival of 2018 because the new government that came to power after the first elections held following the people’s constitution had promised it; and the folks trusted it.

Then, what happened was that the Dashain festival came and the folks celebrated it with the great enthusiasm as every year they do but the water from the Melamchi River did not flow in the Nepal Valley. The question is when it will flow, no answer from the government.

It indicates that none of the elected and appointed high officials of the government were held accountable for their actions and what they said. Even the prime minister is not held accountable for what he says. That has been one of the main reasons for missing the deadline of completing the projects. Another widely known reason is the moneymaking business of the officials and ministers involved, as the delay in the project completion means extra incomes for the officials involved in the projects. As a result, cost overrun and time overrun have been the usual business in the project implementation.

In April 2018, the project management had boasted that the 26-km tunnel had been gone through making the folks in the valley happy and giving them the anticipation that the water would soon come to the valley. The project management said that the Melamchi Water would flow to the Sundarijal water-treatment tanks in July 2018.

Even the Asian Development Bank that has provided the major portion of the US$ 355.4 million project in a loan has been enthusiastic to state the project will be fully operational in a few months. Obviously, the officials of the bank did not know how the Nepali officials worked and work to gain even a few rupees at the cost of millions to a project to quote current Minister for Industry and Supply Matrika Yadav.

Secretary to the Ministry of Water Resources Gajendra Thakur said that the government had Rs 3.50 billion of the contractor company CMC and the cost of the remaining work was only around Rs 2.60 billion; Nepal would not suffer from the financial loss even if CMC abandoned work, the news on the http://setopati.net/political/136052 stated on December 21, 2018.

When the water from the Melamchi River would flow to the Nepal Valley remains mystery.

Updated on December 23, 2018

Death Of Dr Tulsi Giri

KTM Metro Reporter

December 19, 2018

Kathmandu: On December 18, 2018, the Nepali media reported that former Prime Minister Dr Tulsi Giri passed away at 93 at his residence in Shivapuri, northern Kathmandu, and he would be cremated at Pashupati on December 19, 2018 even though he was converted to Christianity.

Nobody knows whether Lord Pashupati in fact Lord Shiva would accept him or not but the Hindu deities unlike the deities of other religions are so generous they would accept everybody no matter which religion they belong to, and do whatever possible for them to reach the gate of Yama Raj: the ruler of the souls that have left the human world.

Probably, Lord Shiva would like to take his soul to his divine abode; however, his deeds might send him to the lover domain because he had been one of the murderers of democracy in Nepal. In 1960, he along with his colleague conspirators such as Surya Bahadur Thapa and Biswo Bandhu Thapa became the assistants to the then King Mahendra to kill the baby democracy on December 15, 1960.

Again for the second time, Dr Tulsi Giri participated in the conspiracy to kill democracy in 2005. The then so-called King Gyanendra: the second son of Mahendra sought the cooperation of the Congress leaders to exterminate democracy for the second time; however, none of the Congress leaders was ready to cooperate with Gyanendra to murder democracy for the second time.

Gyanendra fell back on Dr Tulsi Giri, who happily became the deputy of Gyanendra for destroying the democracy; however, the time has been the 21^st century the folks have been different from what were in 1960. So, the folks not only punished Gyanendra even ended the notorious Shah dynastic rule in Nepal.

Since then, Dr Tulsi Giri had been licking his blood stained hands. Fortunately, he has the opportunity of going to the divine world on December 18, 2018. However, it remains to be seen whether the souls of murderers would be allowed to heaven or not.

Melamchi Water Elusive Still

KTM Metro Reporter

December 18, 2018

Kathmandu: Folks in the Nepal Valley facing the heavy short supply of drinking water had great expectation that the new government elected in 2017 would surely supply the water from the Melamchi River located northwest of Kathmandu by the last Dashain festival. The water minister proudly announced that the water from the Melamchi River would flow to the Nepal Valley for the greatest Nepalese festival called Dashain. However, the target had missed. For many, it was not surprising because such promises made had not been kept a number of times in the past. Probably, folks would never again believe what the minister not to mention prime minister or the project chief or the government spokesperson would say because none of them was held accountable for what s/he said.

After the demise of the king’s despotic system called panchayat in 1990, the first interim Prime Minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai said half jokingly that he would bring the water from the Melamchi River to Kathmandu and would wash down the streets. At that time, hardly a few folks knew where Melamchi River was and how the water would flow to Kathmandu. So, Prime Minister Bhattarai was a comedian and he must have said so to make folks laugh. Surely, they did laugh at what Bhattarai said at that time.

Since then it has been almost 30 years folks have been talking about the Melamchi River and its water coming to Kathmandu. Some media had even reported that as if the water might be flowing to Kathmandu next month or so when nothing had been done yet. Thus, Melamchi had received a lot of publicity because it was to supply water to folks in Kathmandu where folks needed to collect water in buckets from the tanker or buy very expensive and unhygienic water from the private suppliers.

Thanks to the irresponsible nature of every government in the past and even today, nothing happens on time or as scheduled. So, the Melamchi Water has not reached Kathmandu so far is the vivid example of the highest possible irresponsibility of the concerned minister and of course the government as a whole, as none of the minister including the prime minister is accountable to what s/he has said or did. So, the water did not flow to Kathmandu even though the current minister had said that it would.

Now, if we were to believe the news posted in the second page of “gorkhapatra” on December 18, 2018 then the water might not flow in Kathmandu even in the next Dashain festival because the news stated that eight officials of the Italian company working for the Melamchi Project were about to flee when the police arrested them at Thamel in Kathmandu. The news stated that they were about to take flight on the pretext of going for celebrating Christmas but really escaping from doing the remaining project work because of the deteriorating financial condition of their company.

Again the question is whether the current government would be able to complete the remaining work if the Italian company would really default on the contract on the Melamchi Project or it is only a drama played to delay the project, as it would probably bring premium to the concerned minister including the prime minister; that might be one of the reasons why they have not been held accountable for their actions.

Nepal’s Social Security Scheme

KTM Metro reporter

November 29, 2018

Kathmandu: The government of Nepal has launched the Social Security Scheme on Tuesday, November 27, 2018 that would be a large safety net for all the citizens in Nepal, and it would relieve the government from the burden of providing pensions to its retired employees, and even could gradually phase out the senior citizen allowance, and other sorts of allowances it has been providing so far, as the Social Security Scheme would cover everything anybody needs in his or her life.

The Social Security Scheme would accumulate a huge sum of money, which could be used for the development projects. However, the government has not envisioned such a scheme, and the government wants to deposit such a sum in the banks at certain interest rate for the security.

Even the self-employed folks could participate in this scheme. The employees have to pay 10 percent of their salaries and then the employers are to add 21 percent to make it 31 percent. So, almost one third of the salary of every employee would be saved means deposited in the Social Security Scheme Fund.

The State manages it and gets the earnings from the money the participants have deposited, and would pay back in one installment with its earnings or pensions every month as the beneficiaries opt for. In order to be eligible for the pension scheme one has to deposit her or his 31 percent of earnings in this fund for 15 years.

The amount of the pension one receives per month would be the total sum one has deposited divided by 180 means 15 years. One could live financially safely and comfortably physically with the retirement benefit. So, the State might not need to provide the current senior citizen allowance for the future generations when they became eligible for the pensions from the deposits they had made during the lifetime earnings.

The State employees would automatically join this scheme, the employees of the private companies also do the same, and the self-employed folks might have an option not to do so.

Everybody would benefit from this scheme. All the trade union leaders, the private companies, and working folks are happy with the Social Security Scheme. The employees are happy because they have the financially safe future. They don’t need to worry about who would pay for their old age. The employers are happy because they don’t need to worry about the future financial status of their employees.

Everybody would receive a Social Security Scheme account number, which s/he could use for the lifetime no matter where s/he works. Any employer would subtract 10 percent of the salary and add 21 percent to it and deposit it in a nearest bank in this account.

Change Your Behavior Says Prime Minister Oli;

What About Accountability?

KTM Metro Reporter

November 22, 2018

Speaking at the first quarter progress review of the implementation of the budget and programs of the current fiscal year held at the Federal State secretariat at Singhadurbar Kathmandu, Prime Minister KP Oli instructed the ministers and secretaries to change their working style so that there would be no delay in moving the files brought up for the decisions, and told them if they have the problems of laws say so or the ministers have delayed the decisions say so or their secretaries have delayed the decisions say so; the government has been in place for nine months but no significant change in the working style has been seen, the tendency of making delay in the State performances would not be acceptable, the news in “gorkhapatra” on November 22, 2018 stated.

Would ministers or secretaries follow the instructions of the prime minister? It is very doubtful given the previous instructions of the prime minister not honored. For example, the office of the prime minister instructed the ministries not to send the government officials to the study visit abroad, and the instructions to fill up the potholes so widespread on the Kathmandu streets were not honored by anybody.

Surely, poor Prime Minister Oli has been mad at the ministers and their secretaries for not making any headway in even filling up the widespread potholes in the Kathmandu roads that the prime minister must have felt while moving around. Recently, for the third time after taking office, the prime minister had ordered to fill up the potholes nothing had happened so far, yet.

It was a shame that the prime minister not the secretaries or the ministers had failed in doing the things the prime minister had ordered to do. Why Prime Minister Oli did not think about why his instructions to the ministers and secretaries to fill up the potholes had not been honored.

Probably, the instructions were general and not specific to the minister or the secretary. When so many ministries are digging the roads then nobody has been filling up the potholes that had been left unattended causing some innocent folks to lose their lives. Is it not the prime minister responsible for such phenomenon?

If the prime minister had given the instructions to the specific ministry to fill up the potholes then the prime minister could pinpoint the folk accountable to do the task. Obviously, it was not.

The next serious concern is the lack of the system of accountability. The country has the experts in constitution and laws and civil administration and what not but those experts probably had thought big things ignoring the minor ones that are more important to make the State administration perform properly. That is the accountability.

So, these experts needed to tell the prime minister craft a system of accountability then he would not need to instruct anybody to fill up the potholes rather see whether the concerned agency or ministry has been working or not if not then fire the minister or the secretary or anybody accountable to perform the task of filling up the potholes. That’s it. Then, the prime minister would not need to be mad at anybody, simply could fire the non-performing persons or replace them with the performing persons. So, simple to make folks work but the prime minister wants the ministers and secretaries to change their behavior that they would surely not do so if their performances were not to judge by the accountability.

Labor Agreement With Malaysia

KMT Metro Reporter

October 31, 2018

Kathmandu: Minister for Labor Gokarna Bista and his Malaysian counterpart signed off an agreement on the Nepalese labor working in Malaysia.

According to the Radio Nepal news and the news in “gorkhapatra”, from now on Nepalis going to work in Malaysia would not need to pay anything, as the concerned employer would pay, and they would be covered by the Malaysian labor law for the social security.

The concerned company or individuals hiring the Nepalese labor would foot the bills for the health checkup, visa fee, security check, and the air ticket for flying to Malaysia and coming back to Nepal. Within six hours of the arrival at the Malaysian airport, Nepalese labor would be picked up and taken to the predetermined work destination.

Within seven days of every month, the salary would be deposited in the concerned bank account of the Nepalese labor. The salary would not be less than the minimum salary the Malaysian government has set.

The Nepalese labor could keep the passports with them. The labor contract would be for two years.

If any of the dearest family members such as parents, wives or children were dead in Nepal then, the laborer would get 15 days leave for visiting Nepal.

The Malaysian Labor insurance law would be applicable to the Nepalese labor for insuring the Nepalese laborers for the work accident and health insurance.

In case, a company is closed or the employer mistreats the laborers then the laborers could work for another company.

Both the countries would monitor and regularize the employment opportunities, and labor supply.

However, this agreement would not cover the Nepalese already working in Malaysia, and would cover only those who would go to Malaysia for work from now on.

Investigation Into Death Of Nirmala After Rape

KTM Metro Reporter

September 15, 2018

Updated on October 26, 2018

Kathmandu: It has been already almost two months since the 13-year-old Nirmala Panta was raped and murdered in Kanchanpur. Local people have protested against arresting and charging a wrong mentally weak person and forced him to confess the crime while covering up the actual culprits. The protest went on for weeks and over a month, and even the police firing got killed an innocent man nothing to do with the protest by the media account. Currently, the parents of Nirmala are in Kathmandu demanding justice to their daughter. They are willing to die if their daughter is not to receive justice.

The news story published in “gorkhapatra” on September 14, 2018 has it that the Special Committee set up under Angur GC: DSP of Central Intelligence Bureau (CIB) has not seriously done the investigation into the rape and death of Nirmala. The CIB team and the Kanchanpur District Police have arrested Dilip Singh Bista, who was turned out to be innocent after the DNA test, and released him from the captivity.

The police headquarters office has set up a new five-member investigation team under the coordination of CIB SSP Uttam Subedi to investigate the negligence and weakness of the investigation done by the CIB Team headed by Angur GC that had investigated the rape and murder of Nirmala, and arrested Dilip Singh Bista, who was not confirm as the guilty person after the DNA test; so this five-member investigation team coordinated by CIB SSP Uttam Subedi is for holding the investigation into the investigation done by the CIB team headed by DSP Angur GC not for investigating the murder and rape case, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated.

To investigate the rape and murder of Nirmala, a CIB Investigation Team under the command of CIB SSP Thakur Prasad Gyawali is currently on site.

The investigation team set up under SSP Subedi will investigate the then Kanchanpur District Police Chief Dilli Raj Bista, DSP Gyan Bahadur Sethi, and Police Inspector of Case Section Akindra Khadka; suspended SP Bista, and two DSP GC and Sethi, and Inspector Khadka might have arrested the mentally weak person Dilip Singh Bista to influence the investigation into the rape and murder of Nirmala, the police headquarters office thinks, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated.

SP Dilli Raj Bista was suspended for failure and serious negligence in conducting the investigation into the murder and rape case of Nirmala, and CIB DSP GC, and Chief of Case Section inspector Khadka are kept under surveillance for the same reason, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated.

At the same time, suspended SP Bista, his son Kiran Bista, and Aush Bista are subjected to the DNA test, which will be done at the forensic lab of Maharajgunj Teaching Hospital, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated.

Previously, Under Secretary Birendra Bahadur KC: a member of the investigation team currently working on the murder and rape site, had submitted his resignation from the team stating somebody had threatened him with death; however, he had returned to work after having the talks with Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Secretary Prem Kumar Rai on Wednesday, September 12, 2018, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated.

The parents of Nirmala, and local folks had complained that the police had indulged in wiping out the evidences that might lead to the culprits.

According to the news published in “gorkhapatra” on September 16, 2018, the Special Committee set up under Angur GC: DSP of Central Intelligence Bureau (CIB) mentioned in the news posted in “gorkhapatra” on September 15, 2018, is in fact under the coordination of Joint Secretary of Home Ministry: Hari Prasad Mainali.

The home ministry has suspended the following police officers:

1)    DSP Gyan Bahadur Sethi

2)    DSP Angur GC

3)    Jagadish Bhatta

4)     Akindra Khadka

5)    Ram Singh Dhami,

for not seriously conducting the investigation into the rape and murder of Nirmala; and SP Dilli Raj Bista had already been suspended for the same reason, the news posted in “gorkhapatra” on September 16, 2018 stated.

Some folks had held a rally at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu demanding justice for Nirmala, and then they marched from there to Nayabaneswore on Saturday, September 15, 2018.

In a letter to the editor of “gorkhapatra” published on September 16, 2018, Narayan Niraula, Biratnagar-8, Moranga stated in his letter that a policewoman had stripped the dead body of Nirmala and washed her sexl organ, and her clothing before the police had publicly taken the account of the rape and murder of Nirmala; so, the policewoman should be taken into custody, and find out the truth from her.

Yet another nine-member powerful high-level Investigation Committee was set up under DIG Dhiru Basnet to investigate the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala; this committee will conduct the in-depth investigation into the murder of Nirmala, the weakness and the role of the police in the investigation, and then, will prepare a report, the news posted in “gorkhapatra” on September 17, 2018 stated. The news further stated that the police had already investigate more than 500 folks, and 120 of them have been released on daily date; the police found a picture of the dead Nirmala in the mobile phone, the person is in the custody of the police, and the person has claimed that an anonymous person had sent it through the ‘share it app’.

In the opinion article Dr Suresh Acharya has written and published in “gorkhapatra” on September 17, 2018 has asked many questions among them are why the police did not search and arrest the policewoman in civil dress, who washed the clothing of the dead Nirmala and washed her sex organ; whether she is really a policewoman not; why the parents of Nirmala was put on pressure for accepting the dead body of Nirmala.

No matter how many investigation committees have been set up and reports have been prepared, and how many police officials have been suspended, the rape and murder of Nirmala have been shrouded in mystery for so many days. Probably, one committee after another must have been more for suppressing the evidences of the rape and murder case rather than revealing the evidences. Suspending policemen would surely not reveal the evidences rather must be probably only for cooling the people’s sentiment of the State not being sincere to find the real criminals after so many days have been passed since the rape and murder had happened.

Speaking at the State Affairs And Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives on Wednesday, September 26, 2018, Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa said that the police had neglected to seriously conduct the investigation into the rape and murder of the 13-year-old Nirmala Panta in Kanchanpur, and attempts had been made to erase the evidences, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated on September 27, 2018.

Home minister said that many evidences were attempted to erase; some evidences were actually erased; the body of Nirmala was found on July 27, 2018 (Saun 11). On the same day, the police had prepared the onsite investigation report, in which the thumbprint of Nirmala’s father was shown; however, the father had reached Nepal from India only on July 28, 2018 (Saun 12), the news in “gorkhapatra” stated.

The news in “gorkhapatra” also stated that the video of the clothing of the dead Nirmala was cleaned up in presence of the police had been already made public.

Thus, the police had been the witness of washing the evidences down.

On October 26, 2018, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated that the government has dismissed SP Dilli Raj Bista, and Police Inspector Jagadish Prasad Bhatta from the job for investigating the rape and then death case of Nirmala Panta with the extreme negligence; however, they would not be ineligible for the future government jobs.

What a great decision of the government when the police officials had already erased the evidences of the rape and murder case without recognition, and finding the culprits would be almost impossible but the government had termed such actions of the police official as the extreme negligence but not the crimes that deemed the jail terms, according to the private media news.

Annex

1. News on www.thehimalayantimes.com titled “Nirmala’s Parents, Rights Activists ‘Humiliated’ At PM’s Residence

September 17, 2018

Along with the Kanchanpur-based human rights activists, Nirmala Panta’s parents had a rare meeting with Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, ‘only to be humiliated’ at the PM’s official residence in Baluwatar on September 17, 2018.

The meeting lasted for 45 minutes. Nirmala’s mother Durga Devi briefed the Prime Minister on the rape and murder of her daughter for the first 10 minutes then former lawmaker from Bajura and PM’s close aide: Karna Thapa interrupted her.

Then, the PM started addressing the delegates lasting for almost 30 minutes. Dissatisfied with the PM’s statement ‘that did not center around addressing their demands’, a couple of activists tried to disrupt the PM’s speech.

According to the participants at the event, there was a slight commotion, following which security personnel tried to take them out of the meeting hall.

Nirmala’s father Yagya Raj said, “Even I did not get a chance to say anything to the Prime Minister. We take the action as humiliation towards us. Moreover, lawmakers who were present at the programme also humiliatingly asked us if we were supporters of any party.”

Meanwhile, an aide of PM at his private secretariat, Chetan Adhikari said, “No such misconduct occurred at the meeting; everyone who wished to express her/his thoughts were given an opportunity.”

Once out of the PM’s official residence, the participants went to meet President of the Nepali Congress, Sher Bahadur Deuba.

https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/nirmalas-parents-rights-activists-humiliated-at-pms-residence/

2. Nirmala’s clothes were burnt, her father’s thumbprint forged: Home Minister counts police blunder

Manoj Satyal

Kathmandu, Sept 26

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has revealed that the clothes worn by Nirmala Panta, who was raped and murdered over two months ago, were burnt and thumbprint of her father was forged in the field report prepared by the police.

Responding to queries of lawmakers in the meeting of State Affairs And Good Governance Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) on Wednesday, September 26, 2018 Thapa stated that the clothes Nirmala wore were burnt after murder.

“There are blunders by the police in investigation. The clothes she wore have been taken off and burnt,” he said.

“Another thing, her body was found on July 27 and the field report prepared on the same day has her father’s thumbprint. But her father had come to Nepal from India only on July 28.”

The probe committee formed under Director General of the Department of Prison Management Hari Mainali had submitted the report to Home Minister Thapa on Tuesday.

He stressed that the government is investigating the incident seriously and expressed commitment that the culprits will not be spared whoever they may be. “You can have doubts about our efficiency because there has been no result but should not doubt our intention,” he argued.

Responding to questions about when the culprits will be nabbed, he pointed that the administration and police are no astrologers and cannot predict the exact date. “We cannot tell the exact date but can intensify the efforts,” he added.

He claimed that there will be no political protection of the culprits as the ruling Communist Party of Nepal (CPN) has also taken the incident seriously. “The police are also not in a state to let the culprits go scot free.”

He said the government has not reached conclusion that the rising incidents of rape are being sponsored against the government when a few lawmakers asked if they were sponsored incidents.

CPN lawmaker Jhapat Rawal and Nepali Congress (NC) Amresh Kumar Singh pointed at the failure of the chain of command of police.

Nepal Police IGP Sarbendra Khanal, who was also present in the meeting, in response claimed that the police have not left any stone unturned and added that there has been no failure of chain of command. “One incident in Kanchanpur has overshadowed the police’s work,” IGP Khanal said. “I want to again come to this committee and speak once the investigation concludes.”

The body of 13-year-old Panta of Bhimdutta municipality 2, who had gone to a friend’s home for study on July 26, was found at a sugarcane field the next day.

A CIB team led by DSP Angur GC had reached Kanchanpur four days after the incident. Doubts arose about the police investigation after the CIB team and the then SP at Kanchanpur Bista made 41-year-old Dilip Singh Bista, who was mentally challenged, public as the culprit on the 24th day of the incident on August 18.

The District Government Attorney Office released Bista after DNA samples collected from Nirmala Panta’s body did not match with that of Bista.

The locals have been claiming that Bista was framed by the police to save the real culprits. Nirmala’s father Ek Raj has claimed that the police put pressure on him to file a complaint identifying Bista as the main accused.

One boy was killed in police firing and dozens injured in clashes with police as the locals protested for days accusing the police of trying to save the real culprits.

The then SP of Kanchanpur Dilli Raj Bista was then suspended for mishandling the case while the CIB sent another team under SSP Thakur Gyawali for investigations.

Samples have since been collected for DNA test of the suspended SP Bista, his son Kiran and Aayush Bista, nephew of Mayor of Bhimdutta municipality Surendra Bista to investigate the case. Police personnel involved in preliminary investigation have also undergone lie-detector tests.

https://setopati.net/political/131207

3. Nirmala’s mother asks: To save whom did police destroy evidence?

Setopati

Kathmandu, Sept 30

The case of rape and murder of Nirmala Panta took a new twist after DNA of the suspended SP Dilli Raj Bista, his son Kiran and Aayush Bista, nephew of Mayor of Bhimdutta municipality Surendra Bista has not matched with samples collected from Nirmala’s body.

This has raised questions as to who were involved in the incident and who the police wanted to save by destroying evidence. Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa himself has conceded that evidence was destroyed and the police were negligent in investigation.

Responding to queries of lawmakers in the meeting of State Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives (HoR) on Wednesday, (September 26, 2018) Thapa revealed that the clothes worn by Nirmala were burnt and thumbprint of her father was forged in the field report prepared by the police.

“There are blunders by the police in investigation. The clothes she wore have been taken off and burnt,” he said. “Another thing, her body was found on July 27 and the field report prepared on the same day has her father’s thumbprint. But her father had come to Nepal from India only on July 28.”

Nirmala’s mother Durga Panta said the family suspects involvement of police as they destroyed evidence and added that the recent DNA reports have raised new questions. “I have just heard that DNA of the three did not match that of the vaginal swab. Police destroyed the evidence at the beginning. They washed the clothes and did not even seal the crime scene. They did not pay attention even when we complained,” Durga told Setopati over the phone from Kanchanpur.

“If the three are not guilty, police must say to save whom they destroyed the evidence. They would know and must reveal that.”

She stated that the assurance of Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli while in Kathmandu had given her some hope but that is gradually disappearing now. “Women here are supporting us. They are staging sit-in. We will fight until my daughter gets justice,” she said.

Locals, meanwhile, have complained that the police are harassing locals in the name of investigation.

Rights activist Sharada Chand said the police are nabbing the locals treating them as criminals instead of investigating the Bam sisters. “The police have started to harass people by going to places Nirmala visited a year ago. What kind of investigation is this?” she asked. “The PM sent us back 15 days ago assuring that we should not be disappointed. But the police have made it untenable for us in the district. They are harassing everyone in the name of investigation.”

She revealed that the police are harassing even the carpenters and contractors who Nirmala’s father hired to construct the house six years ago.

Chief of Kanchanpur Police SP Kuver Bahadur Kadayat said the case is being investigated and people are being questioned in course of investigation. “Kanchapur Police is investigating the case. The Central Investigation Bureau is assisting technically. The facts about the incident will be revealed,” SP Kadayat said.

Published Date: Sunday, September 30 , 2018 01:47:21

https://setopati.net/social/131436

4. DNA reports of three suspects in rape and murder of Panta negative

Bhimdattanagar, Kanchanpur, Sept 30: The Kanchanpur Police have received the reports of DNA test of three people conducted in course of investigations into the rape and murder of 13- year-old Nirmala Panta.

The DNA test reports of three suspects including (suspended) Superintendent of Police Dilliraj Bista did not match to the evidences collected from the incident site, said the district police office. DNA testing of three suspects Bista, his son Kiran Raj and a local man Aayush Bista was conducted following the demand of the local people.

"The DNA reports received from Kathmandu yesterday were negative," said Deputy Superintendent of Police Krishna Raj Ojha, adding however that investigation into the case was going on minutely. Nirmala, of Bhimdattanagar Municipality in Kanchanpur was raped and murdered on July 26. Her body was found in a sugarcane farm in the locality the following day. Following the incident, the whole country turned into a rage as the people including locals took to the streets demanding an arrest of the culprit(s). A protestor was shot dead by the police during the agitation.

Earlier, a local resident Dilip Singh Bista, 41, who was arrested in connection with the murder, was released later as his DNA report that did not match DNA evidences collected from the body parts of the deceased.

The protestors have been demanding that the arrest of main culprit(s) and justice for the family of the deceased.

"Whatever the result of the DNA testing maybe, the investigations are on. Many teams of the police have involved in the investigations. The perpetrator(s) will be booked," said Ojha. (RSS)

http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/26193

5 DNA of suspects tested at two laboratories: Police

Published: October 02, 2018 10:15 am On: Kathmandu

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

Kathmandu, October 1

A day after the DNA reports of suspects in the rape and murder of Nirmala Panta were made public, Nepal Police issued a statement stating that the DNA samples of the suspects were tested at two laboratories — Nepal Academy of Science and Technology under the Ministry of Education Science and Technology and Central Police Forensic Science Laboratory.

The then superintendent of police Dilli Raj Bista, his son Kiran Raj Bista and local Aayush Bista’s DNA samples were collected by police after locals suspecting their involvement in the crime demanded that their DNA be tested. Police stated that the DNA reports of all three suspects were negative.

The statement issued by police, however, has not mentioned how and where the DNA test of Nirmala’s vaginal swab was conducted. DNA test of the suspect must be crosschecked with the DNA sample collected from the vaginal swab of the victim to prove their involvement in the crime. Police have also not mentioned anything about how the sample was collected.

A member of one of the investigation committees formed to investigate the case told THT that the sample was collected without following necessary procedure and was not stored properly. He also raised question over the quantity of the sample collected for the test.

https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/dna-of-suspects-tested-at-two-laboratories-police/

6 DNA samples were examined at two places, clarifies Nepal Police

October 1, 2018 16:59 PM Republica

KATHMANDU, Oct 1: Nepal Police has clarified that the DNA test of suspended SP Dilli Raj Bista was done at two places. Issuing the press statement on Monday, the police have stated that the DNA of SP Bista along with his son Kiran Raj Bista and Aayush Bista was done in Central Police Forensic Science Laboratory of Nepal Police and National Forensic Science Laboratory.

The statement from the spokesperson Shailesh Thapa of the Nepal Police was issued at the time when the kin of Nirmala Panta and locals of Kanchanpur turned down the DNA report of SP Bista and two others, which was revealed on Sunday, and accused that the DNA test was done only at Central Police Forensic Science Laboratory of Nepal Police and cited that they do not trust the report.

The investigation into the rape and murder of 13-year-old Panta had hit a snag after the DNA samples collected from three more suspects did not match DNA on the victim's vaginal swab.

A forensic investigation found that the DNA on the victim's vaginal swab and the DNA samples collected from all three suspects. Nepal Police on Sunday confirmed that the result of DNA samples of the three was collected on September 13.

https://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/dna-samples-were-examined-at-two-places-clarifies-nepal-police/

7 DNA tests of three including suspended SP Bista also conducted in second lab: Police

Setopati

Kathmandu, Oct 1

Nepal Police has clarified that DNA tests of the suspended SP Dilli Raj Bista, his son Kiran and Aayush Bista, nephew of Mayor of Bhimdutta municipality Surendra Bista were also conducted at the National Forensic Laboratory and not just the forensic laboratory of Nepal Police.

Nepal Police headquarters issued a press statement on Monday to inform so following widespread criticism of conducting the tests at the police laboratory after reports emerged on Sunday that DNA of the trio has not matched with samples collected from body of Nirmala Panta who was raped and murdered.

“DNA tests of SP Bista, his son Kiran and Aayush Bista, nephew of Mayor of Bhimdutta municipality Surendra Bista in connection to 13-year-old Nirmala Panta were also conducted at the National Forensic Laboratory and not just at the forensic laboratory of Nepal Police,” the press statement reads.

DNA test of Dilip Singh Bista, who was paraded as the main accused by the police, was earlier conducted just in the National Forensic Laboratory.

The body of 13-year-old Panta of Bhimdutta municipality 2, who had gone to a friend’s home for study on July 26, was found at a sugarcane field the next day.

A CIB team led by DSP Angur GC had reached Kanchanpur four days after the incident. Doubts arose about the police investigation after the CIB team and the then SP at Kanchanpur Bista made 41-year-old Dilip Singh Bista, who was mentally challenged, public as the culprit on the 24th day of the incident on August 18.

The District Government Attorney Office released Bista after DNA samples collected from Nirmala Panta’s body did not match with that of Bista.

The locals have been claiming that Bista was framed by the police to save the real culprits. Nirmala’s father Ek Raj has claimed that the police put pressure on him to file a complaint identifying Bista as the main accused.

One boy was killed in police firing and dozens injured in clashes with police as the locals protested for days accusing the police of trying to save the real culprits.

The then SP of Kanchanpur Bista was then suspended for mishandling the case while the CIB sent another team under SSP Thakur Gyawali for investigations.

Samples were then collected for DNA test of the suspended SP Bista, his son Kiran and Aayush Bista, nephew of Mayor of Bhimdutta municipality Surendra Bista to investigate the case. Police personnel involved in preliminary investigation have also undergone lie-detector tests.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has since revealed that the clothes worn by Nirmala Panta were burnt and thumbprint of her father was forged in the field report prepared by the police.

https://setopati.net/social/131539

8 Nirmala rape and murder case: two police officials suspended

Kathmandu, Oct 8: The Police Headquarters in Kathmandu has suspended two police officials involved in the investigation into the case related to the rape and murder of Nirmala Panta of Kanchanpur.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Harsingh Dhami and police constable Chadani Saud, who were working in the District Police Office, Kanchanpur district, have been suspended due to their gross negligence in the investigation. They were assigned to investigate in the field in connection to the rape and murder case of teenager Panta.

13-year-old Panta of Bhimduttanagr Municipality in Kanchanpur district was raped and murdered on July 26 and her dead body was found at a sugarcane field the next day.

The suspension has come following the recommendations furnished by the probe committed formed to investigate into the rape and murder case of Panta.

Spokesperson of Police and Senior Superintendent of Police, Shailesh Thapa said that Dhami and Saud were suspended in accordance to the by rule 6 ( A) and (C) of Rule no. 115 of Nepal Police Regulations-2071 BS.

Earlier, the Ministry of Home Affairs had suspended five police officials, including then Superintendent of Police (SP) of Kanchanpur, Dilli Raj Bista, citing their mishandling of the rape and murder case and real culprit behind the crime  has not been ascertained. (RSS)

http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/26361

9 Nirmala Panta murder mystery: Two cops suspended for gross negligence

Published: October 08, 2018 12:39 pm On: Kathmandu

THT ONLINE

KATHMANDU: The Nepal Police Headquarters has suspended two personnel for conducting gross negligence at the initial stage of investigation into Nirmala Panta’s rape and murder. Scene of Crime Officer, Sub-Inspector Har Singh Dhami and Constable Chandani Saud have been suspended.

Issuing a statement today, the police said, “On recommendation of the investigation committee formed by the Nepal Police Headquarters to probe into role of investigative officers in the rape and murder case of Nirmala Panta of Kanchanpur, SI Har Singh Dhami and Constable Chandani Saud have been suspended for serious negligence during investigation.

https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/nirmala-panta-murder-mystery-two-cops-suspended-for-gross-negligence/

10 Police are accomplice: Under Secretary KC in second opinion on probe report

Manoj Satyal

Kathmandu, Oct 8

Under Secretary at the Internal Affairs Ministry of Far Western province Birendra Bahadur KC has expressed second opinion in the report of the probe committee formed to investigate rape and murder of teenager Nirmala Panta and called the then chief of Kanchanpur Police SP Dilli Raj Bista an accomplice in the case.

He has recommended Bista be jailed for at least five years for torturing Dilip Singh Bista to force him plead guilty.

KC has argued that the fact that SP Bista wrote to the central forensic laboratory of Nepal Police to correct the details of samples on August 26 after mentioning recovery of blue underwear with Amit Gold printed in it, blue inner vest, and a grey jeans half-paint in the field report on August 20 and sending them to the laboratory for examinations proves that he is an accomplice.

He has also contended that the police personnel who rinsed Nirmala Panta’s innerwear, and washed her genitals and thighs should also be considered accomplice now that the clothes have gone missing. He has pointed that the fact that thumbprint of Nirmala’s father Yagya Raj was forged on the day when the father was in India also shows that the police are complicit.

The new General Criminal Code recommends equal or half the punishment of the guilty person for the accomplices.

KC has opined that the fact that the police photocopied the notebook of Anita Bam’s friend Bidya Panta to provide alibi for Anita also proves police complicity. Bidya Panta in her statement has said that she cannot be sure if Bam had come to the tuition center (Mirai Education Visa Center) on the day Nirmala went missing and police photocopied her notebook. Anita Bam, on the other hand, claimed that she went to the tuition center that day and sat beside Bidya Panta.

The fact that Bam’s father came to request promoter of the tuition center to give a statement that his daughter was present on the day and police photocopied Bidya’s notebook also shows police complicity.

KC has opined that in-charge of Ward Police Office Jagadish Bhatta is also an accomplice as he was not serious about recovery of Nirmala’s cycle and Gopal Chadhary who stayed in his nephew’s house gave different versions about recovery of the cycle. KC has also pointed that the police mentioned that Nirmala’s notebook was in water in the field report but did not mention that the letters she had printed with a gel-pen with blue ink were not smudged and the copy was not soaked.

SP Bista had held a press conference on August 20 and claimed that Dilip Singh Bista, 41, of Bhimdutta-19 was the main accused and produced him before the Kanchanpur District Court. The District Government Attorney Office later released Bista after DNA samples collected from Nirmala Panta’s body did not match with that of Bista. Bista has claimed that police tortured him to plead guilty.

KC in his second opinion has mentioned that torture of Dilip Singh Bista to force him to plead guilty by SP Bista attracts clause 89 of the General Criminal Code that prohibits presenting fake evidence and creation of false situations. The clause recommends jail sentence of five years and fine of Rs 50,000 for anyone involved in such activities.

The body of 13-year-old Panta of Bhimdutta municipality 2, who had gone to a friend’s home for study on July 26, was found at a sugarcane field the next day.

A CIB team led by DSP Angur GC had reached Kanchanpur four days after the incident. Doubts arose about the police investigation after the CIB team and the then SP at Kanchanpur Bista made 41-year-old Dilip Singh Bista, who was mentally challenged, public as the culprit.

The locals have been claiming that Bista was framed by the police to save the real culprits. Nirmala’s father has claimed that the police put pressure on him to file a complaint identifying Bista as the main accused.

One boy was killed in police firing and dozens injured in clashes with police as the locals protested for days accusing the police of trying to save the real culprits.

The then SP of Kanchanpur Bista was then suspended for mishandling the case while the CIB sent another team under SSP Thakur Gyawali for investigations.

Samples were then collected for DNA test of the suspended SP Bista, his son Kiran and Aayush Bista, nephew of Mayor of Bhimdutta municipality Surendra Bista to investigate the case but DNA of the trio did not match with samples collected from body of Nirmala Panta.

Published Date: Monday, October 8 , 2018 12:43:16

https://setopati.net/social/132054

11 Probe panel points out police officers’ negligence in Nirmala’s case

By A Staff Reporter

Kathmandu, Oct. 9: The police investigation officials whose negligence were pointed out in the report of the government-formed probe panel on Nirmala Panta’s rape and murder case may face five years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 50,000.

The probe panel formed under joint-secretary Hari Prasad Mainali had recommended departmental action against the then District Police Officer of Kanchanpur and Superintendent of Police (SP) Dilli Raj Bista for his negligence and unwillingness to investigate the brutal killing of Panta after her rape. The investigation report has mentioned that Panta was gang-raped.

The final report of the probe panel was made public after Mainali’s team submitted the report to Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal on Sunday evening at the Ministry.

The newly introduced Criminal Code Act-2018 in its Chapter (4) and Clause 89, sub-clause (1), have the provisions of five-year jail sentence and Rs. 50,000 fine for those who deliberately prepare fake police evidences and present innocent people as guilty in any criminal act.

Similarly, Clause (99) of the same law has provisioned five months’ jail and Rs. 5,000 fine for those government officials who hold responsibility to prepare and present government-side case to the court.

Advocate Bipin Adhikari said that both the cases as mentioned in Chapter 4 of Clause 89 and 99 may attract charges against the erring government officials.

The government’s probe panel report submitted on Sunday had also mentioned that the Criminal Code Act’s clause number 36’s sub-clause 2 and 89 would be attracted for those who tortured the innocent people under the custody and forced them to accept the crime they didn’t commit.

The clause 36 has mentioned that those who help commit crime and assist the real assailants to flee the scene and destroy evidences through the help of other means would be considered as complicit in real criminals.

Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) and spokesperson for the Nepal Police Headquarters Shailesh Thapa Chhetri said that the Police Headquarters was studying the full report of the government.

“The Headquarters would implement the report and its recommendation, and if necessary, we will be ready to bring SP Dilli Raj Bista and other police officials in our custody for detailed investigations into the case,” SSP Chhetri said.

http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/26377

12

Probe body on Kanchanpur rape and murder case continues works

Bhimdattanagar, Oct 13 (RSS): A committee formed to investigate the role and work execution of the then police officers and employees of the District Police Office, Kanchanpur assigned to handle the case relating to the rape and murder of Nirmala Panta of Kholti of Bhimdattanagar-2 continues its works.

The government on September 16 formed the probe committee under the convenorship of Additional Inspector General of Police, Dhiru Basnyat. The team arrived here Friday in course of its investigations into the matter.

As the team said, its investigations have been focused on 26 police personnel assigned to look after the case.

"The team is committed to taking tougher action if weaknesses and suspected roles of police personnel are noticed," he said.

Talking to media persons here today, team coordinator AIG Basnyat said they were working round-the-clock to complete the task.

He has called on one and all to cooperate with the team if they have any information in relation with the case. The high-level team had, shortly after its arrival here, met with the family of Dilip Singh Bista, who was once arrested on the accusation of his involvement in the case, but later was freed, declaring innocent. The team this morning met with women and rights activists here regarding the issue.

During the meeting, demand was made for a stringent action against the guilty in the crime. People have complained of police personnel's gross negligence and intention to hiding the facts while dealing with the case

The 13-year-old girl was raped and murdered on July 26 and her body was found in a sugarcane field next day.

http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/26481

13 Hogwash or action?

Dilli Pandey

Kathmandu, Oct 25, 2018

The Home Ministry has dismissed the then chief of Kanchanpur Police SP Dilli Raj Bista and Inspector Jagadish Prasad Bhatta over mishandling the case of rape and murder of teenager Nirmala Panta of Bhimdutta municipality.

The ministry, however, has stated the duo will be eligible for government service in the future raising suspicions that the dismissal is merely a hogwash to placate the irate public and the duo may well be compensated in the future with government appointments.

The ministry letter also does not speak about any criminal proceedings against the duo despite a member of the probe committee formed to investigate the case calling Bista an accomplice.

Under Secretary at the Internal Affairs Ministry of Far Western province Birendra Bahadur KC in a second opinion in the report of the probe committee had called the then SP Bista an accomplice in the case and recommended he be jailed for at least five years for torturing Dilip Singh Bista to force him plead guilty.

KC argued that the fact that SP Bista wrote to the central forensic laboratory of Nepal Police to correct the details of samples on August 26 after mentioning recovery of blue underwear with Amit Gold printed in it, blue inner vest, and a grey jeans half-paint in the field report on August 20 and sending them to the laboratory for examinations proves that he is an accomplice.

He also contended that the police personnel who rinsed Nirmala Panta’s innerwear, and washed her genitals and thighs should also be considered accomplice now that the clothes have gone missing. He pointed that the fact that thumbprint of Nirmala’s father Yagya Raj was forged on the day when the father was in India also shows that the police are complicit.

The new General Criminal Code recommends equal or half the punishment of the guilty person for the accomplices.

The ministry on Thursday has dismissed the duo, earlier suspended for negligence in investigation of the case, on recommendation of the Nepal Police headquarters. The ministry earlier had sought clarification from the officers twice asking why they should not be dismissed. It has dismissed them stating that explanations were not satisfactory.

The body of 13-year-old Panta of Bhimdutta municipality 2, who had gone to a friend’s home for study on July 26, was found at a sugarcane field the next day.

A CIB team led by DSP Angur GC had reached Kanchanpur four days after the incident. Doubts arose about the police investigation after the CIB team and the then SP at Kanchanpur Bista made 41-year-old Dilip Singh Bista, who was mentally challenged, public as the culprit on the 24th day of the incident on August 18.

The District Government Attorney Office released Bista after DNA samples collected from Nirmala Panta’s body did not match with that of Bista.

The locals have been claiming that Bista was framed by the police to save the real culprits. Nirmala’s father Yagya Raj has claimed that the police put pressure on him to file a complaint identifying Bista as the main accused.

One boy was killed in police firing and dozens injured in clashes with police as the locals protested for days accusing the police of trying to save the real culprits.

The then SP of Kanchanpur Bista was then suspended for mishandling the case while the CIB sent another team under SSP Thakur Gyawali for investigations.

Samples were then collected for DNA test of the suspended SP Bista, his son Kiran and Aayush Bista, nephew of Mayor of Bhimdutta municipality Surendra Bista to investigate the case. Police personnel involved in preliminary investigation have also undergone lie-detector tests.

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa has since revealed that the clothes worn by Nirmala Panta were burnt and thumbprint of her father was forged in the field report prepared by the police.

https://setopati.net/political/132963

Updated:

September 16, 2018

September 17, 2018

September 28, 2018

September 30, 2018

October 2, 2018

October 8, 2018

October 9, 2018

October 13, 2018

October 26, 2018

Wrong Sugar Dealing, CIAA Needs To Investigate

October 12, 2018

Kathmandu: The sub-committee of the Parliamentary Public Account Committee has submitted a report stating the wrong sugar dealing consequently requiring investigating the price rise through the Commission on Investigation into Abuse of Authority (CIAA). The sub-committee concluded that stopping the import of sugar, an environment conducive to the price rise of sugar had been created. It also stated that the price of sugar was set not enforcing the agreement the prime minister, the minister, lawmakers, sugarcane farmers and sugar industries had reached. According to the agreement, sugar could be sold at NPR 63 per kilo but the price was set at NPR 70 per kilo. So, CIAA should investigate it, the sub-committee said, the news in “gorkhapatra’ stated on October 12, 2018.

In April 2018, the sugar industries had stated that they could sell sugar at NPR 53 without the VAT but now the import of sugar was stopped thus paved the way for increasing the price of sugar. Some lawmakers charged the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Commerce with playing the role in increasing the price of sugar, the news in “gorkhapatra” stated.

Laser Breakthroughs Win Physics Nobel

BBC NEWS

October 2, 2018

The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to three scientists for their inventions in laser physics.

Arthur Ashkin, from the US, Gerard Mourou, from France, and Donna Strickland, from Canada, will share the nine million kronor (£770,686) prize.

Dr Ashkin developed a laser technique described as optical tweezers, which is used to study biological systems.

Drs Mourou and Strickland developed a way of generating high intensity and very short laser pulses.

Donna Strickland is only the third female physics laureate and the first woman in 55 years to win the prize.

That was the German-born American physicist Maria Goeppert-Mayer, who shared the prize in 1963 for discoveries about the nuclei of atoms.

https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-45655151

Nepal, China agree to facilitate joint investment in power sector

Source: Xinhua

Published: 2018/9/29 14:10:31

Nepal and China agreed to facilitate joint investment in the power sector during the first meeting of the Nepal-China Joint Implementation Mechanism held here on Friday, said a joint statement issued after the meeting.

The meeting was conducted as a stepping-stone to implement the Memorandum of Understanding on Energy Cooperation signed by energy ministers of both countries during the visit of Nepali Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli to China in June this year.

According to the joint statement, both sides introduced their power systems, investment prospects, power markets, future plans among others to make both sides familiar with each other's power system.

The joint statement said that during the meeting, possible energy collaboration and the possibility of developing cross-border interconnection were also discussed.

Dinesh Ghimire: spokesperson for the Nepal's Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation (MoEWRI) told Xinhua on Friday that the two sides agreed to prepare a power system cooperation plan once the competent authorities of the two countries give the go-ahead.

"A joint working group will be formed to prepare the plan." Ghimire said, adding that the plan will also involve the identification and selection of energy projects for joint development.

The Nepali team was led by Anup Kumar Upadhyay: secretary to MoEWRI, while the Chinese delegation was led by He Yang: an official at National Energy Administration of China, according to the joint statement.

Posted in: DIPLOMACY, INDUSTRIES

Landmark Cancer Therapy Wins Nobel Prize

BBC NEWS

October 1, 2018

Two scientists who discovered how to fight cancer using the body's immune system have won the 2018 Nobel Prize for physiology or medicine.

The work by James P Allison, from the US, and Tasuku Honjo, from Japan, has led to treatments for advanced, deadly skin cancer.

Immune checkpoint therapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, said the prize-giving Swedish Academy. Experts say it has proved to be "strikingly effective".

Allison, a professor at the University of Texas, and Honjo, a professor at Kyoto University, will share the Nobel prize sum of nine million Swedish kronor - about $1.01 million or 870,000 euros.

Accepting the prize, Tasuku Honjo told reporters: "I want to continue my research ... so that this immune therapy will save more cancer patients than ever."

Treating the untreatable

Our immune system protects us from disease, but it has built in safeguards or to stop it from attacking our own tissue.

Some cancers can take advantage of those "brakes" and the dodge attack too.

Allison and Honjo discovered a way to unleash our immune cells to attack tumors by turning off proteins that put the brakes on.

And that has led to the development of new drugs that offer hope to patients with advanced and previously untreatable cancer.

Immune checkpoint therapy is being used by the NHS to treat people with the most serious form of skin cancer, melanoma.

It doesn't work for everyone, but for some patients it appears to have worked incredibly well, getting rid of the tumor entirely, even after it had started to spread around the body.

Doctors have also been using the treatment help some people with lung cancer.

Medicine is the first of the Nobel Prizes awarded each year.

The literature prize will not be handed out this year after the awarding body was affected by a sexual misconduct scandal.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-45704322

Nepal Back Off From Joint Military Mock Actions In India

KTM Metro Reporter

September 10, 2018

Kathmandu: The government of Nepal backed off from the joint military exercise holding in India from September 10-17, 2018 after the heavy criticism from all the quarters even though the army had sent a three-member team in preparation.

Speaking at the meeting of International Relations Committee of House of Representatives Madhav Nepal has presided over on September 9, 2018, Minister for Foreign Affairs: Pradip Kumar Gyawali has said that BIMSTEC is mainly focused on economic and technical cooperation not on the military strategy and security; no mention had been made about the joint military exercise during the recent BIMSTEC summit held in Nepal on August 30-31, 2018; Nepal has been only attending the regional and global organizations keeping in view of sovereignty, non-alignment and peace, and centering on the national interest, the news in “The Rising Nepal” stated on September 9, 2018.

Presiding over the Committee meeting as the senior most member former Prime Minister Madhav Nepal stated that discussion should be held on the matters concerning the security and diplomacy in the parliament before the government making any decision on such vital matters of the national interest, the news stated. "Any decision the country takes must be centered on the country's sovereignty and broader welfare of the Nepalis," the news quoted Madhav Nepal as saying.

While speaking at the BIMSTEC summit in Kathmandu, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stated the joint military exercise would be held in India, the news in “The Rising Nepal” stated on September 10, 2018.

Clearly, Nepal has been out of the sphere of influence of India thanks to mainly the popular voice that has pressed on with the government not taking part in the joint military actions in India. Consequently, the government could not dare to go against the popular sentiments of the Nepalis. That is how the democracy is working in Nepal.

“The government directed the NA (Nepal Army) to back away from the drill following criticisms that it was against the objectives of the establishment of BIMSTEC, the group of seven countries of South Asia and South East Asia,” the news in “The Rising Nepal” stated on September 10, 2018.

Spokesperson for the Nepal Army: Gokul Bhandari has stated that the Nepal Army is not participating in the joint military actions taking place in India following the government’s instruction to this end. “It may be noted that a three-member NA squad has already reached India in course of preparations for the exercise,” the news in “The Rising Nepal” stated on September 10, 2018.

http://therisingnepal.org.np/news/25800

Briefing Of Prachanda’s India Visit

KTM Metro Reporter

September 10, 2018

Kathmandu: One of the two chairmen of NCP-NCP: Prachanda had been in India for four days from September 6-9, 2018, and had had talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, other high officials and political leaders of the ruling and opposition parties and swapped ideas and views, and shared the political status and development in Nepal with the Indian dignitaries; the following things he has said as published in “gorkhapatra” on September 10, 2018.

Speaking to the reporters at the international airport upon arrival in Kathmandu on September 9, 2018, Chairman Prachanda said that his visit to India had been successful that would be helpful to the government.

He said that his visit was centered on creating the positive environment between the two countries, and it also played a constructive role in enforcing the agreements reached between the two countries in the past.

The objective of the visit was to make the development work constructive and effective, and his talks had been mainly focused on large projects such as the reconstruction of the quakes-hit structures, tourism, hydropower, and postal highways giving the special priority to those projects.

In the course of talks and discussions with all level of leaders and groups, all of them have expressed their interest in the political change that has brought the economic development in Nepal; and with all the political leaders and eminent folks the discussions he had held about the prosperity in Nepal, and their feedbacks had been very encouraging to him, Prachanda said.

While having the talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they have talked about the relations between China and India, Prachanda said. Up until four hundred years ago, the China-India economic relation was at the high level; however, it has been declining since then; and currently, talks have been going on among the two countries to take it to the high level again, Prachanda quoted Modi as saying. In addition, Modi told him about the talks Modi had held with the Chinese president in his latest visit to China, Prachanda said.

Prachanda also said that he had urged Modi to receive the report the Nepal-India eminent people’s groups have prepared, and once the report is received then it will pave the way for resolving the boundary problems between Nepal and India because the report has included the well-studied boundary topic.

Concerning the non-participation of the military exercises the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sector Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) was holding in India, Prachanda said that he did not have any talks about it.

Prachanda has said that the change in the cabinet is not possible; however, the prime minister’s statement on this matter is the official statement. Prime minister Oli has said that there won’t be any change in the cabinet; it is the rumor the folks willing to destabilize the country have spread.

Concerning the supplementary budget, Prachanda has said that the government would submit it as required, as complaints about the low senior citizen allowance, and some other complaints have been, the government is mulling over to submit the supplementary budget; that is the prerogative of the government.

Source: gorkhapatra, September 10, 2018

Nepal-China Transit And Transport Agreement

KTM Metro Reporter

September 9, 2018

Kathmandu: The delegation of the Joint Secretary level of both China and Nepal have concluded the Protocol of Transit And Transport Agreement (PTTA) between Nepal and China on Thursday night, September 7, 2018 after two similar delegations had had similar meetings in China. This is only the joint level agreement. Probably, it has to go higher up to the secretarial level and then the ministerial level before it could be a final agreement for the implementation. However, it is the basic document and it is unlikely to be any disagreement on this document. The future process might be the formalities only.

During his first term, Prime Minister KP Oli signed off the Transit and Transport Agreement with China in March 2016 when he visited China after visiting India aftermath of the infamous sanctions Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi imposed on Nepal for Nepali political leaders not taking his words for postponing the already scheduled announcement of the Constitution of Nepal on September 20, 2015.

This protocol of Nepal-China Transit And Transport Agreement is the follow-up of the agreement detailing which seaports and dry ports China would opened up for Nepal to conduct import-and-export trade through the Chinese territory that China agreed to provide Nepal with. China did it following the international charter.

Once this protocol takes effect in the coming months or years then Nepal would have an alternative to the dependency on India for conducting trades with the third countries.

According to the protocol, Nepal will have an access to the Chinese seaports such as Tianjin, Shenzhen, Lianyungang and Zhanjiang, and three dry ports such as Lanzhou, Lhasa and Xigatse for trade with third countries

Head of Nepalese delegation and Joint-Secretary to Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Rabi Shankar Sainju said that all four Chinese ports are at a distance of between about 4,200 km and 5,000 km from the northern border of Nepal, however, exports through the Chinese ports would be possible in three weeks compared to more than two months Indian Kolkata port takes.

“If both the countries could create reliable infrastructure, including roads, railways and dry-ports at the northern border of Nepal, it would reduce the time and cost of importing goods from China and third countries, which would have a positive impact on the country’s business environment” the news in “The Rising Nepal” quoted Sainju on September 8, 2018.

Sainju explained that Nepali traders would not need to submit original hard copy documents at the Chinese ports, e-copies would do while traders need to submit the original ones in Kolkata,.

“If needed, Nepal would also be allowed to use inland waterways in China. Therefore the agreement will give immense benefit to us in the long run,” Sainju said, the news in “The Rising Nepal” stated.