Viral fever has spread in Saptari district's Kanchan VDC and rural areas of Mahottari in the past one week.
At least 150 persons have been suffering from the illness in Saptari. The patients complain of headache, cold and high fever. Some of the patients are also suffering from diarrhoea, a patient, Ram Narayan Pandit, said.
According to a local, Rup Narayan Thakur, the situation has worsened due to the absence of health workers at the sub-health post in the VDC, 22 km west of the district headquarters, Rajbiraj.
Assistant health worker Indra Lal Yadav sometimes visits the sub-health post for an hour and never cares for the patients, Thakur alleged.
Rainfall has further complicated matters as roads by which patients are taken to hospitals are in bad shape, Thakur said.
"Health workers seldom visit the health post in our village and we are having problems taking the patients out of the village for treatment due to the poor condition of the roads," he said.
Saptari district public health administrator Rakesh Kumar Thakur said he has no information on the outbreak of the disease and the absence of health workers at the sub-health post.
In Mahottari, the number of viral fever patients visiting hospitals and health centres have gone up in the past one week. Most of the rural areas in the district are in the grip of the disease. Most of the patients visiting the district hospital in Jaleshwor have fever, a health worker Anita Sharma, said.
Twenty-five-30 fever patients have also been visiting health centres at Gaushala, Bardibas, Ramgopalpur and Balana daily, the health centres said.
A sudden surge in the mercury level and polluted water may have caused the spread of the disease, the head of the district hospital, Dr Pawan Thakur, said. "The viral fever may develop into kala-zar and typhoid if patients don't get timely medical treatment," Thakur added.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Cops’ informers find YCL more lucrative
Majority of junior policemen ready to give them dope, claims YCL
Valley cops, who have been drawing a lot of flak for their failure on the law and order front, have another headache: their informers are deserting them for the Young Communist League. Valley cops stumbled upon this bitter truth when they recently found that some of their informers were not tipping them off. "Later it turned out that they had switched loyalties to the YCL," a police official at the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) told The Himalayan Times. MPCD officials say cops depend heavily on the informers.
"We can't get all the information on our own because people don't open up to us," an official said.
Informers are motivated by several reasons. "Some of them regularly provide information about their business rivals, whereas some tip us to exact revenge on their personal or family foes," a high-level police official at the Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit (NDCLEU) said. But few make a living out of it. According to police officials, many work for a specific case and then go mum.
"The whole business is kept under wraps. We don't tell it to anyone, not even to our immediate bosses," inspector Jiban Shrestha at the MPCD said. Police officials admit that many informers are petty criminals. "We convince them to work as informers," DSP Bikash Khanal at the NDCLEU said. Often the cops pay them from their own pockets.
The police have no clear policy about paying informers. The Police Headquarters allocates very little for offices like MPCD and NDCLEU under the different heads and the office provides cash to informers in case of big seizure or when they help net a big fish.
SSP Kuber Rana at the NDCLEU admits that they receive some cash from the headquarters under "programme budget".
Rana, however, says all of that is not supposed to be spent on informers, as nobody knows how many of them are working under a police office. "We have to spend part of that money for training the cops and building their capacity," he added.
Asked why YCL was poaching police informers, YCL's Kathmandu district president Jwala said, "Not only the informers, 70 per cent of junior police officials are ready to join us. However, we have to be on our toes to ensure that informers don't leak our information to the state." Adapted from the himalayan times.
Valley cops, who have been drawing a lot of flak for their failure on the law and order front, have another headache: their informers are deserting them for the Young Communist League. Valley cops stumbled upon this bitter truth when they recently found that some of their informers were not tipping them off. "Later it turned out that they had switched loyalties to the YCL," a police official at the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) told The Himalayan Times. MPCD officials say cops depend heavily on the informers.
"We can't get all the information on our own because people don't open up to us," an official said.
Informers are motivated by several reasons. "Some of them regularly provide information about their business rivals, whereas some tip us to exact revenge on their personal or family foes," a high-level police official at the Narcotic Drug Control Law Enforcement Unit (NDCLEU) said. But few make a living out of it. According to police officials, many work for a specific case and then go mum.
"The whole business is kept under wraps. We don't tell it to anyone, not even to our immediate bosses," inspector Jiban Shrestha at the MPCD said. Police officials admit that many informers are petty criminals. "We convince them to work as informers," DSP Bikash Khanal at the NDCLEU said. Often the cops pay them from their own pockets.
The police have no clear policy about paying informers. The Police Headquarters allocates very little for offices like MPCD and NDCLEU under the different heads and the office provides cash to informers in case of big seizure or when they help net a big fish.
SSP Kuber Rana at the NDCLEU admits that they receive some cash from the headquarters under "programme budget".
Rana, however, says all of that is not supposed to be spent on informers, as nobody knows how many of them are working under a police office. "We have to spend part of that money for training the cops and building their capacity," he added.
Asked why YCL was poaching police informers, YCL's Kathmandu district president Jwala said, "Not only the informers, 70 per cent of junior police officials are ready to join us. However, we have to be on our toes to ensure that informers don't leak our information to the state." Adapted from the himalayan times.
Friday, July 06, 2007
King's gala feast incenses umpteen stomachs
Himalayan News Service, thehimalayantimes.com
Activists of the Democratic National Youth Federation and the All Nepal National Free Students' Union protesting the planned celebrations of king Gyanendra' s birthday on Friday. YCL to block all roads leading to Narayanhiti
The Young Communist League, the youth-wing of the CPN-Maoist, will "strongly" protest the holding of the rally by the pro-monarchy activists and the lavish dinner to mark king Gyanendra's birthday.
The king is planning a series of lavish dinners from Friday through Sunday to celebrate his 61st birthday at the palace, where politicians, industrialists, pro-monarchy intellectuals, diplomats and others have been invited. Most of the diplomats and politicians have, however, declined the invite.
"We will take to the streets and teach a lesson to those who want to revive monarchy and undermine the achievements of Jana Andolan II," YCL chairman Ganesh Pun said while addressing a programme at Reporters' Club today.
He said thousands of people will take to the street to foil the king's plan to show his "strength". "We are not planning any confrontation but we are not sure how peaceful we are going to be. That will depend on the situation," he added. Pun added that Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara had clearly said such activities by the king should be stopped.
While, Lekhanath Neupane, the president of the All Nepal Independent Student Union-Revolutionary criticised the youth and student wings affiliated to the other parties for not showing the same enthusiasm to foil the king's programme.
UML leader Shankar Pokharel said no politician in the government, or public figures should attend the birthday bash. Those going to the party should be penalised, he added.
General Secretary of CPN-ML CP Mainali urged the government to issue directions to ban such programmes that might spark clashes and violence.
"We are doing our best to avoid confrontation so that the government may not be blamed for what happens in the due course," said NC leader Balkrishna Khand.
Binod Kayastha, the chairman of NC-affiliated Tarun Dal, said they were waiting for party leadership's directions on how to protest the king's party.
Dr Sundar Mani Dixit, a leader of the civil society movement, claimed that the king was hosting the party with the approval of top leaders from the ruling party and the army might support him. "This incident will clearly show who stands for the republic and who wants to revive monarchy," he said.
The king is planning a series of lavish dinners from Friday through Sunday to celebrate his 61st birthday at the palace, where politicians, industrialists, pro-monarchy intellectuals, diplomats and others have been invited. Most of the diplomats and politicians have, however, declined the invite.
"We will take to the streets and teach a lesson to those who want to revive monarchy and undermine the achievements of Jana Andolan II," YCL chairman Ganesh Pun said while addressing a programme at Reporters' Club today.
He said thousands of people will take to the street to foil the king's plan to show his "strength". "We are not planning any confrontation but we are not sure how peaceful we are going to be. That will depend on the situation," he added. Pun added that Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara had clearly said such activities by the king should be stopped.
While, Lekhanath Neupane, the president of the All Nepal Independent Student Union-Revolutionary criticised the youth and student wings affiliated to the other parties for not showing the same enthusiasm to foil the king's programme.
UML leader Shankar Pokharel said no politician in the government, or public figures should attend the birthday bash. Those going to the party should be penalised, he added.
General Secretary of CPN-ML CP Mainali urged the government to issue directions to ban such programmes that might spark clashes and violence.
"We are doing our best to avoid confrontation so that the government may not be blamed for what happens in the due course," said NC leader Balkrishna Khand.
Binod Kayastha, the chairman of NC-affiliated Tarun Dal, said they were waiting for party leadership's directions on how to protest the king's party.
Dr Sundar Mani Dixit, a leader of the civil society movement, claimed that the king was hosting the party with the approval of top leaders from the ruling party and the army might support him. "This incident will clearly show who stands for the republic and who wants to revive monarchy," he said.
Palace seeks govt security, gets it
The Home Ministry has asked the District Security Committee, Kathmandu, to make necessary security arrangements for King Gyanendra's 61st birthday bash.
Home ministry spokesperson Baman Prasad Neupaney said the ministers had directed the committee to provide security responding to the royal palace's request. "Whenever the palace organises a function, they write to us demanding security and we provide it. It has been happening for years," Neupaney told THT.
According to the ministry, Chief District Officer heads the five-member security committee that includes District Police Chief, a Senior Army Official and a senior Armed Police Force official.
Home ministry spokesperson Baman Prasad Neupaney said the ministers had directed the committee to provide security responding to the royal palace's request. "Whenever the palace organises a function, they write to us demanding security and we provide it. It has been happening for years," Neupaney told THT.
According to the ministry, Chief District Officer heads the five-member security committee that includes District Police Chief, a Senior Army Official and a senior Armed Police Force official.
According to a source, security personnel will be deployed from 9 am tomorrow in view of protests announced by the alliance of students' wings affiliated to the eight political parties.
Meanwhile, YCL cadres took out a torch rally from Sundhara and turned the rally into a corner meeting at Ratnapark this evening to protest the dinner party organised to mark the king's birthday. YCL's valley in-charge Sagar said they would block roads leading to Narayanhiti Palace tomorrow.
Meanwhile, former PMs Surya Bahadur Thapa and, Lokendra Bahadur Chand, Kirtinidhi Bista, former ministers Badri Prasad Mandal, Durga Pokhrel and Din Bandhu Aryal attended the party hosted by Crown Prince Paras to mark the king's birthday today.
According to Mohan Shrestha, publicity chief of the birthday committee, Dr Tulsi Giri is expected to attend the party on Sunday. Chief of Army Staff Gen Rookmangud Katawal did not attend the party. From thehimalayantimes.com
DDR not applicable for Maoists: says Prachanda
Maoist chairman Prachanda has said that the model of DDR (Disarming, Demobilisation and Reintegration) will not be applicable for restructuring of the Maoist army.
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| Prachanda and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai in a meeting in Switzerland. Photo courtesy: Nepalese People's Progressive Forum (File Photo) | |
Addressing a programme in Geneva, Switzerland, Prachanda said that since Maoists' People's Liberation Army (PLA) had fought for people, the DDR model cannot be applicable for them. "It should rather be applied on the old army," he said.
Prachanda said the PLA should be reintegrated into the Nepali Army and their soldiers be given security duties. Any plan to engage them in other duties would be unfortunate, he said.
Prachanda and Dr. Baburam Bhattarai are currently in Switzerland.
King requests for security
In the wake of warning by the student and youth activists affiliated with the eight political parties to foil the birthday party of King Gyanendra planned by monarchists, the King has appealed to the government to provide adequate security, reports Nepal FM.
The King has made the request to the Home Ministry asking for security cover during the birthday celebrations, says the report.
It adds that the Home Ministry has replied positively by agreeing to consider the request.
The monarchists are planning to gather in Tundikhel and march to the royal palace to extend greetings to the King on the occasion of his 61st birthday on Saturday. "We are not planning to raise any slogan. We will simply march to the palace silently," said Dr. Durga Pokharel, former minister and co-chair of the committee formed to organise the King's birthday.
Earlier on Thursday, student and youth activists of eight parties had decided to hold demonstration and foil the royal reception. They claimed that the King has no authority to hold receptions since he is no more recognised by the constitution.
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