Chinese technical team in Kathmandu for design works of Express Way project

 A technical team of a Chinese company has arrived in Kathmandu today by chartered flight for design of Express Way.

The Chinese team has been awarded the contract for the Kathmandu – Terai Expressway Project. The 14-member technical team that includes Poly Changda Engineering Corporation’s tunnel, highway engineer and manager will start design the project work, according to Brigadier General and spokesperson of the Nepali Army Santosh Ballabh Poudel.

Nepal Army awarded the contract to the Poly Changda Engineering Corporation for the second package, some 1.37-km from Simpani in Dhedre of Makwanpur to Chalise Kholsi and 1.4-km from Ghattepakha in Lendanda to Bandrekholsi, where they will construct two tunnels and bridges.

Nepal Army signed an agreement worth Rs 28.53 billion was with Poly Changda Engineering Corporation on April 13.

However, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) had directed to stop pre-qualification and start a new process saying that there would be no competition, if only one company was selected in the package. But with the Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli's back up the Nepal Army did not back off the agreement and went on with the Poly Changda Engineering Corporation to start the work.

The PAC had asked to stop the contract suspecting that there might have been a big manipulation. But the Nepal army has moved ahead with the construction in defiance of the PAC directive saying that it is in accordance with the Public Procurement Regulations and the Act.

There are three tunnels of about 6-km on the Express Way.

The first package that includes a 3,300-kilometer tunnel under construction at Mahadevdanda, a motorable bridge and a road section was commissioned by China State Engineering Corporation Ltd. The contract was awarded at a cost of Rs 21.61 billion for the first package that will also start soon as a team from the company is also conducting a survey.

The Nepal Army has planned to complete the design in 6 months and construction in 3 years.

Indian Army hands over medical equipment to Nepal Army

 Indian Army has sent medical equipment to Nepal Army.

As part of its ‘Neighborhood First’ policy, medical equipment and supplies worth Rs 288 million provided by the Indian Army were handed over to the Nepali Army today, according to a press note issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. "In a ceremony at Nepali Army headquarters, the medical equipment was handed over by Indian ambassador Vinay Mohan Kwatra to Nepal Army General Purna Chandra Thapa," the press note reads, adding that the ambassador reaffirmed India’s support to Nepali Army in its fight against the Covid-19 pandemic and lauded its contribution in this respect. 

The medical equipment, including ventilators, ambulances, ICU beds, PPE kits, PCR test Kits etc was delivered to Kathmandu yesterday. "The Indian Army has been assisting the Nepal Army to fight Covid-19 through various kinds of assistance since last year, including 100,000 doses of Covishield vaccines, which were provided in March," it adds. "The latest assistance is another testament to the close cooperation between the two armies and the two countries, particularly in times of need."

India gifts 10 ICU ventilators to Nepal Army

 Indian Army has gifted 10 ICU ventilators to the Nepal Army in order to support its efforts to fight against the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic.

Ambassador of India to Nepal Vinay Mohan Kwatra today handed over the ventilators – in a ceremony held at Nepali Army Headquarters – to Chief of Army Staff General Purna Chnadra Thapa, who is also honourary general of Indian Army.

The ventilators are designed for a broad range of applications to include advanced invasive or non-invasive respiratory support, according to a press note issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. “They can be used in support of secondary care in hospitals with ICU, tertiary multispecialty hospitals and dedicated ICUs,” it reads, adding that they are portable and handy in transportation of patients requiring intensive care due to their compact nature. “The Indian Army has a long record of extending support to the Nepali Army as a first responder for humanitarian assistance and relief.”

The gifting of ventilators is part of this continued humanitarian cooperation between the two Armies, it adds. During the handing over ceremony, envoy Kwatra reaffirmed India’s commitment to provide all necessary help to the people of Nepal in prevailing over the pandemic.

Nepal Army plans to expand investment portfolio

Despite criticism for being involved in commercial activities, Nepal Army seems to have been expanding business more without any hesitation.
According to a draft bill for the revision to the Nepal Army Act, it wants to get legal clearance to invest money from its welfare fund in business activities ‘as a promoter’ as it has been lobbying for last few years. “We have submitted the draft to revise the Nepal Army Act (2006) to the government on July 16,” confirmed Judge Advocate General Ranta Prakash Thapa, who is in charge of the Army’s legal department.
“We are expecting that their draft bill soon gets government approval before it goes for parliamentary ratification,” he said, adding that the current Act bars Nepal Army from investing in business enterprises, companies and infrastructure projects like hydropower. “After receiving the draft bill, the Defence Ministry has formed a committee comprising officials from Defence and Law ministries and the Army to study it.”
The Defence Ministry will take a decision about the bill – that seeks revisions to different clauses including the one related to the investment of money from the welfare fund – based on the recommendations from the committee. The draft bill needs an approval from the cabinet before it is tabled in the federal parliament for endorsement.
Nepal Army has been eyeing investments in hydro projects and in the Treasury Bill, which will provide more returns than the interest that banks pay. Though, the bill is yet to be approved, Nepal Army has already approached the Department of Electricity Development, seeking to invest in the 25 MW Dudh Khola and 32 MW Bhimdang Khola hydropower projects.
Currently, Nepal Army has invested is in gas stations, schools, medical colleges and emulsion plants, apart from selling bottled water, but it wants to spread its wing, despite criticism from the different quarters of society.
Though, its primary role is to ensure the national security, the Nepal Army has been increasing interested in commercial activities, which has time and again, tarnished its image, according to the security experts, who are much worried about the Nepal Army’s inclination to business rather than limiting itself to its primary role of ensuring national security, gathering intelligence, protecting national parks and natural reserves and saving people during the times of disaster. “The more the Army is involved in non-military activities, the more it will get weakened professionally.”
Nepal Army was used in development activities by the then king Birendra Bir Bikram Shah, as he thought that the Army has become idle due to his ‘Zone of Peace’ proposal for Nepal. Birendra had proposed Nepal be declared ‘Zone of Peace’, which means the country would not need a big Army.
Likewise, the Army was involved in building roads during the conflict. Slowly, Nepal Army then started to getting involved in contracts for various projects. Currently, the incumbent government has also contracted Nepal Army for constructing the Kathmandu-Tarai expressway, which has also been criticised. 
The Army, however, denies that its involvement in several projects is ‘commercial venture’. But the Nepal Army ‘welfare fund’ has to invest on various projects to give good returns to the depositors.
Constituted in 1975, the Army’s welfare fund currently has cash deposits of Rs 45.86 billion in different banks and financial institutions, apart from an investment of Rs 5.74 billion in different ventures. Every year, it has been adding billions, as the interest and the contribution from those, who are deployed in United Nations (UN) peacekeeping missions, to its coffers. It witnessed an increment of Rs 7.29 billion in its welfare fund in the last fiscal year alone, according to the Nepal Army press note issued today.
The Army wants to expand the business also to ‘expand its welfare fund’, claimed Thapa, in the press meet. “Bank interest is not a sustainable source of income,” he said, adding that the Army wants an investment in the projects that give high return. “The draft bill proposes provisions that would allow the Nepal Army to invest in projects ‘only after the government’s approval.’
Nepal Army has also been criticised, recently, for leasing out a new building it has constructed in Mahakal, in the prime location, to replace the earthquake-damaged Tri-Chandra Military Hospital that was constructed with the help of Britain in 1925 in memory of 20,000 Nepalis, who were killed in Europe in the First World War. The Army had demolished the 85-year-old neoclassical structure to rebuild a new hospital, and leased out for commercial purpose, which has been criticised by almost everyone blaming Nepal Army that it is turning into ‘corporate army’, and the combination of ‘gun and money’ is going to be more lethal weapon against democracy and federalism in the long run.

China to provide Rs 2.4 billion in military assistance to Nepal

China has agreed to provide 150 million RMB (Rs 2.4 billion) to Nepal Army in next three years as part of China’s Provision of Military Assistance Gratis to Nepal.

The deputy prime minister and defence minister Ishwar Pokharel and his Chinese counterpart Wei Fenghe signed an agreement for the assistance in Beijing on Saturday, according to a press note issued by the Defense Ministry. “The assistance will be used for humanitarian and disaster relief works.
China has increased its military assistance, mainly non-lethal assistance, to Nepal Army in recent years.

Earlier, China had announced 150 million RMB (Rs 2.4 billion) in assistance to Nepal Army for humanitarian and disaster relief works as part of its package assistance for post-earthquake reconstruction during the visit of Chinese defence minister and state councilor general Chang Wanquan in 2017.

During his meeting with Fenghe, minister Pokharel said that Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit has taken Nepal-China relations to new heights. He also reiterated Nepal’s commitment for ‘One-China Policy’.

Fenghe, on his part, praised friendly relations between Nepal Army and the People’s Liberation Army of China, and said that his government was eager to support Nepal Army in capacity building.

The assistance was first announced during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s recent two-day Nepal visit.

Nepal Army changes Express Way alignment to preserve historic Khokana

Nepal Army has changed the alignment of Express Way to preserve the historic Khokana settlement.
Holding a press conference at its headquarters, the Nepal Army informed that the Nepali Army (NA) has changed the entry point of 72.5-km-long Kathmandu-Tarai Express Way in two places – Khokana area, and Mahadevtar-Lendanda according to the recently-approved DPR – to preserve Sikali Temple in Khokana and Kodesh area which hold cultural and historical significance.
Earlier, locals from Khokana had staged a series of a protest demanding preservation of the antique settlement, and the temple.
“As per the demand of locals of Khokana and Bungmati, we have changed the alignment of Express Way,” said spokesperson for Nepali Army Brigadier General Bigyan Dev Pandey.
Pandey further said the Army had consulted the Department of Archaeology to change the entry point of the Express Way to address the concerns of the locals.
However, the change in alignment has increased the estimated cost of the project though the distance has decreased. “The estimated cost of the Kathmandu-Nijgadh Express way has been reestimated at Rs 175.19 billion – which is Rs 63.19 billion more than the earlier estimate of Rs 112 billion – though the length has been reduced by 3.7-km to 72.5-km from its preliminary estimate of 76.2-km due to change in alignment,” the Pandey said, adding that Express Way has now added extra tunnels along Mahadevtari-Lendanda section following the change in alignment.
Ealier, the DPR by the Indian firm Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services Transportation Networks (IL&FS) had estimated the construction cost at Rs 133.70 billion ($1.12 billion at the current exchange rate), if it were to be built with a soft loan. The cost would have increased, if it was a commercial loan.
Likewise, the Nepal Army had proposed Rs 213 billion estimation to the Cabinet but the widespread criticism has made the Cabinet to reduce the cost to Rs 175.19 billion. However, the project chief of Express Way Brigadier General Sarad Lal Shrestha said that South Korean consultant firm Soosung Engineering and Consultancy Co had estimated the cost of the project based on government set rate and international standards. The Express Way will be constructed based on ‘Asian Highway Class I’ standards, which means it will have four lanes and the construction material used for the pavement will be asphalt or cement concrete, Shrestha informed.
The Express Way that will extend from Khokana in Lalitpur to Nijgadh in Bara with a width of 25 meters in the hilly region and 27 in the plains is set to be completed within next three-and-a-half years. Earlier, the Nepal Army had aimed to complete Nepal’s first Express Way within two years of initiating the project.
“We plan to begin construction of tunnels and bridges by September-end,” Pandey said, adding the process to award tenders to build bridges and tunnels is in final stage. “The NA will build 87 special and normal bridges of the project with total length of 10.59-km, and three tunnels measuring altogether 6.42-km in Mahadev Danda, Dhendra Danda and Len Danda.”
Likewise, there will be three interchange and toll plazas in Khokana of Lalitpur, Budhune of Makawanpur and Nijgadh of Bara district, apart from 12 passenger underpasses, five vehicle underpasses, one passenger overpass, four vehicle overpasses and 141 box/pipe culverts.
According to the Nepal Army, some 151,000 trees will be cut down during the Express way construction.
The DPR of the one of the national pride projects, prepared and submitted by a South Korean firm Soosung Engineering and Consulting Company was approved by the cabinet meeting of August 19.
Of the total length, four km of the Express Way will lie in Kathmandu district, 7.9-km in Lalitpur, 53-km in Makawanpur and rest 7.6-km in Bara.
Due to delay in approval of the DPR by the Cabinet, the government has extended the deadline for Kathmandu-Tarai Express Way by more than two years, pushing the completion date to February 2024.
When the national pride project was handed over to the Nepal Army in August 2017, the government had set August 2021 deadline. But even two years since the start of the construction, the national defence force has hardly completed eight per cent of the work. The Army has already spent Rs 14 billion in the last two years. The government has allocated Rs15 billion in the current fiscal year for the four-lane national pride project.
The Kathmandu-Tarai Express Way was first conceptualised in the mid-1990s. But it failed to take off for almost a decade and a half. The government revived the project in 2013 and two years later, the Indian consortium won the bid for the project – in February 2015 – but in October the Supreme Court ordered a halt to the preparations to award the project to the Indian developer IL&FS.

Cabinet okeys Kathmandu-Tarai express way DPR

The cabinet has approved detailed project report (DPR) of the much talked Kathmandu-Tarai express way.
According to the spokesperson of Nepali Army Brigadier General Bigyan Dev Pandey, the cabinet meeting held on Monday has approved the DPR of the project. “We plan to start construction of tunnels and bridges by September-end,” he said, adding that Nepal Army aims at completing the country’s first express way project within two years. “The process of short-listing contractors for construction of bridges is in the final phase, work related to the detailed design has already been completed and NA is preparing necessary documents to call tender for construction of tunnels.”
According to Pandey, the project will be constructed based on ‘Asian Highway Class I’ standards. “The highway will have four or more lanes and the construction material used for the pavement will be asphalt or cement concrete,” he added.
A South Korean firm – Soosung Engineering and Consulting Company on February 4 – had submitted the DPR of the project to Nepali Army. The Ministry of Defence forwarded it to the cabinet on March 16.
The DPR has, though reduced the length of the express way by 3.7 kilometres to 72.5 km due to change in alignment of the route in Khokana, has estimated construction cost at Rs 175.19 billion, which is Rs 63.19 billion more than the earlier estimate of Rs 112 billion. “The consultant company has determined the estimated cost of the project based on the government fixed rate and international standards,” Pandey explained.
Before the revision in length, NA had said it would construct 17 km on its own, hire Nepali contractors for 37 km of the stretch and assign foreign contractors to construct the remaining 22.2 km section, which includes tunnels and bridges. “Though only a width of 25 metres of the express way section will be metalled, the Nepal Army has cleared a breadth of 30 metres,” he sid, adding that 3.9 km of the express way – of the total length – will lie in Kathmandu district, 6.9 km in Lalitpur, 55.7 km in Makawanpur and 6 km in Bara. “Meanwhile, NA has already signed contract with 32 local contractors for different sections of the project but some works were halted in the absence of the final DPR.”
The Nepal Army will construct three tunnels – one in Mahadev Danda of Lalitpur district and one each in Dhandre Danda and Len Danda of Makawanpur district – and the total length of the tunnels will be 4.41 km. There will be 87 small and big bridges along the express way according to the approved DPR that has changed the alignment to preserve the Sikali temple and other historic places around Khokana and Bungamati areas, also due to protest from the locals.
The government has assigned Nepal Army a full responsibility of carrying out the express way project, segregating it into three segments.

Army to build houses for tornado-hit

The cabinet meeting today decided to assign the Nepali Army to rebuild the houses of tornado-hit victims – of Bara and Parsa in the southern plains – based on the government’s People’s Housing Programme model, a home with four rooms including a kitchen. According to official figures, around 1,400 houses were damaged in the disaster that left 28 people dead.
Though the government has claimed that reconstruction assignment to Army will help finish rebuilding damaged houses before monsoon, the move has drawn flak as the national defence force has been involved more into development works. Apart from involvement in development activities lately, Nepal Army has been criticisised for increasing its commercial activities. The Nepal Army is also looking for legal leverage for investment in profit-making ventures through the amendment in the existing Act. The Army Act 2006 puts legal barriers for it to invest as a promoter, which has stopped it from pouring money in hydropower, banks and other business.
Though, Nepal Army could be ustilised for emergency, the tradition of involving Army in regular business will not only make the regular government mechanism redundant and demoralise them but also hit the the financial discipline and transparency. Since the Army does not fall under the jurisdiction of oversight agencies like the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), it could not ensure accountability, transparency and financial discipline.
The government has formed a five-member committee led by chief secretary of Province 2 to facilitate the reconstruction process. "The committee includes chief district officers (CDO) of Bara and Parsa and representatives from the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Urban Development," said government spokesperson and minister of Communications and Information Technology Gokul Baskota.
The government claimed that the decision was taken considering the fact that it is important to complete the reconstruction as soon as possible given the monsoon is around the corner.
Province 2 chief minister Lalbabu Raut defended the federal government move. "The provincial government or local levels executing the reconstruction will result in delays due to their compulsion to follow due procedures like Public Procurement Act," he said, adding that this is an emergency situation. "Since it is very important to ensure shelter for the affected people before monsoon, the army has the expertise and human resources needed to complete the task on time."
He also said that the provincial government will arrange necessary funds from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund and other sources.

Billions lost, dozens killed by rainstorm in Southern Nepal

At least 27 people were killed and more than 400 were injured in a severe wind and rainstorm that swept through two districts in southern Nepal yesterday evening.
Confirming the heavy rainstorm and windstorm in Bara and Parsa, chief district officer of Bara Rajesh Poudel said that the police and rescue personnel have been dispatched to the affected villages in Bara and Parsa. "But they could not reach the village due to heavy rain during the night," he said, adding that the office is coordinating with the local representatives to speed up the rescue operations. "Hospitals in both the districts have seen influx of the injured."
The local and provincial governments have been trying to reach the victims of the suspected tornado that has been witnessed in Nepal. "The trees have been uprooted due to heavy wind," the locals said, adding that they have not seen such devastating in their life. "The rainstorms hit just ahead of dinner time yesterday evening."
Most of the homes made from mud have collapsed as the electricity poles and trees fell on them, according to a local lawmaker, who visited the affected area. "I have not seen such devastation as the storm swept homes in the villages."
Though, the rescue teams from Nepal Police, Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force have been deployed overnight, the rough weather has been holding back the night vision helicopters to fly to the affected areas.
The provincial and federal government officials and ministers are preparing to fly to Province 2 to take stock of the rainstorm affected areas.
Likewise, losses to the agricultural, industrial and energy sectors are also expected to billions. Though, there has been no casualty reported from the industrial corridor of Bara and Parsa, industrial infrastructure has been destroyed. According to industrialists, the industrial corridors have seen huge loss of infrastructure as well as products.
According to vice-president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) Anil Kumar Agrawal, most of the factories in the industrial area were damaged. "The windstorm blew away roofs of some industrial buildings damaging the products that were stored in buildings due to rain that followed the storm," he said, adding that almost all the industrial buildings have collapsed while roofs of a few remaining buildings were ripped away. "All the raw materials, machinery and other equipment have also been destroyed by the storm."
"Trishakti Cement, Kalash Cement and Bishwakarma Cement have witnessed major loss due to the storm."
The affected areas donot have power supply as all the electricity poles have been knocked down. "“The industrial area may have witnessed losses worth billions,” he said, adding that the actual loss can be calculated only after a few weeks when the situation normalise. "But the business fraternity has started distribution of relief materials despite their losses."
The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) estimated its losses to be around Rs150 million due to the damage to the electricity distribution system in Bara and Parsa districts. Around 2,000 electricity poles were knocked down by the powerful rainstorm.
The storm also damaged the 132 kV Parwanipur-Raxaul cross-border transmission line. Nepal has been importing 50 MW of electricity from India through the transmission line. The rainstorm also wrecked another 33 kV Birgunj-Raxaul cross-border transmission line that is being used to import 12 MW from the southern neighbour.
The storm damaged the 66 kV Parwanipur-Birgunj double-circuit line and the 33 kV Birgunj-Kalaiya line leading to a disruption in electricity supply in Birgunj city. According to the NEA, electricity supply from Kalaiya sub-station has been restored after maintenance.

DPR of Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhes Expressway by February 2

The detail project report (DPR) of Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhes Expressway will be completed by February 2, 2019. Nepal Army (NA) and South Korean company Soosung Engineering today signed an agreement on the preparation of DPR of the national pride project Kathmandu-Tarai- Madhes Expressway.
Project Chief and Major General of Nepal Army Yogendra Bahadur Khand and Chairman of the Korean company Keehyun Hwang signed the agreement at the Army Headquarters to complete the DPR.
According to the agreement, the DPR should be completed within 1105 days beginning from October 21 in a total cost of Rs 101 million. The Korean company was selected for the DPR job – out of a total of 16 consulting firms that had applied – as the earlier DPR prepared by the Indian company Infrastructure Leasing and Financial Services (IF&FS) has been alleged for its high price. The Indian firm IL&FS has asked minimum of Rs 600 million for the DPR of Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhesh Expressway.
The Cabinet had handed over the Kathmandu-Tarai-Madhesh Expressway to the Nepal Army last year to complete the project within 5 years.
After failing to purchase the DPR prepared by an IL&FS, the Nepal Army had called an Expression of Interest within April 12, which was extended twice until April 28 due to technical reasons.
A total of 16 firms, including a domestic one, had shown interest to prepare the DPR of the national pride project. One year into construction, the Nepal Army is carrying out preliminary works without a DPR of the expressway that is expected to bring the Capital and Nijgadh in Bara within an hour’s drive.
The Army, which has begun construction of the 76-km road is working on the basis of a feasibility study conducted by the Asian Development Bank in 2008. The Army is clearing trees and acquiring land in the project area.

Tri Chandra Military Hospital resumes service

The Trichandra Military Hospital has resumed its medical services from today. Chief of Army Staff (CoAS) Rajendra Chhetri inaugurated the newly built building of Tri Chandra Military Hospital in Kathmandu today to resume its services.
According to a press Nepal Army note, the hospital has begun dental service and will gradually provide emergency, pharmacy, pediatrics, physiotherapy, pathology and radiotherapy services to the incumbent and former staffs of Nepal Army.

पूर्व गोर्खा सैनिकले न्याय पाउने

गोर्खा सत्याग्रह संघर्ष समितिसहितका आन्दोलनरत पक्षका प्रतिनिधिहरू यतिबेला नेपाल सरकारसँग छिटोभन्दा छिटो बेलायतसँग जीटुजी अर्थात् सरकार–सरकारबीचको वार्ताको मिति कुरेर बसिरहेका छन् । गोर्खा सत्याग्रह संघर्ष समितिसहितका आन्दोलनरत पक्षका प्रतिनिधिहरू यतिबेला नेपाल सरकारसँग छिटोभन्दा छिटो बेलायतसँग जीटुजी अर्थात् सरकार–सरकारबीचको वार्ताको मिति कुरेर बसिरहेका छन् । उनीहरूले यही साता प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओलीदेखि माओवादी केन्द्रका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल प्रचण्डसँगमात्रै होइन, मंगलबार परराष्ट्रमन्त्री प्रदीप ज्ञवालीलाई पनि भेटेर नेपाल सरकारले यथाशिघ्र बेलायत सरकारसँग वार्ता गरी एकमुष्ट क्षतिपूर्ति करिब १२ खर्ब तथा वर्षेनी आउने करिब ३७ अर्बको पेन्सनको मुद्दा टुंग्याउन आग्रह गरेका छन् ।
शनिबार प्रधानमन्त्री केपी शर्मा ओली, सोमबार माओवादी केन्द्रका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहाल तथा मंगलबार परराष्ट्रमन्त्री प्रदीप ज्ञवालीले पनि उनीहरूसँगको भेटमा सरकार गम्भिर रहेको बताएका छन् ।
भूपू गोर्खा सैनिकहरूको विभिन्न संगठनहरू एकजुट भएर बेलायतमा बनेको सत्याग्रह संघर्ष समितिका संयोजक कृष्णबहादुर राईले मंगलबारको भेटमा पनि परराष्ट्रमन्त्री ज्ञवालीले ३ महिनाभित्रै यो समस्याको समाधान हुने बताएको जानकारी दिए ।
सोमबार पेरिस डाँडामा भएको भेटमा माओवादी केन्द्रका अध्यक्ष पुष्पकमल दाहालले आफू प्रधानमन्त्री भएको बेलामा समस्या समाधान गर्न सबैभन्दा बढी तत्परता र क्रियाशीलता देखाएको स्मरण गराउँदै अहिले अनुकूल अवस्था रहेकोले समस्या समाधानको लागि आफूले सक्दो पहल गर्ने आश्वासन पनि दिएको राईले बताए ।“अहिले अनुकल समय छ, तपाईंहरूले प्रधानमन्त्रीलाई भेटिसक्नु भएछ, म प्रधानमन्त्रीसँग फेरि पनि व्यक्तिगत रुपमा समस्या समाधानमा थप सहयोग गर्न आग्रह गर्छु । परराष्ट्रमन्त्रीसँग पनि यस विषयमा कुरा गर्छु,” प्रतिनिधिमण्डलसँग पार्टी कार्यालय पेरिस डाँडामा भएको भेटमा अध्यक्ष प्रचण्डले भनेका थिए ।
यसैगरी, मंगलबार मन्त्री ज्ञवालीले पनि आफूले छिट्टै यो मुद्दा टुंग्याउने बताए । एकातिर भूतपूर्व गोर्खा सैनिकले १२ खर्ब हाराहारी क्षतिपूर्ति बेलायतले दिने दावी गरेका छन् भने अर्कोतिर बर्सेनि ३७ अर्ब पेन्सन पाउन लागेको उनीहरूको भनाइ छ । बेलायत सरकारले नेपाल सरकारसँग द्विपक्षीय वार्ता गर्न पत्रसमेत पठाइसकेको पनि उनीहरूको भनाइ छ ।
ब्रिटिस गोर्खाको तर्फबाट लगातार आन्दोलनपछि बेलायत सरकारले समिति नै गठन गरेर नेपाल सरकारसँग वार्ता गर्न तयार रहेको जानकारी नेपालको परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालयलाई गराएको छ । तर, नेपाल सरकारले वार्ताको लागि समिति गठन गरिसकेको भने छैन ।भूतपूर्व गोर्खाहरूले नेपालको एक आर्थिक वर्षको बजेट बराबरको रकम देश भित्रिने दाबी गरिहँदा परराष्ट्र मन्त्रालयले भने रकमको यकिन भइनसकेको बताएको छ । तर, भूतपूर्व गोर्खा सैनिकको आफ्नै गणनाअनुसार १२ खर्ब एकमुष्ट क्षतिपूर्ति पाउनुपर्ने देखिएकोले उक्त रकम नेपाल आउने पक्का रहेको राईले बताए । नेपाल सरकारले यस मुद्दालाई गम्भिरतापूर्वक लिने हो भने यो रकम एकमुष्ट नेपाल भित्रिने दावी उनको छ । उनका अनुसार गत वर्ष सेवानिवृत्त गोर्खा सैनिकहरूको समस्या अध्ययन गर्न बनेको त्रिपक्षीय प्राविधिक समितिले तयार पारेको अन्तिम प्रतिवेदनका अनुसार बेलायत सरकार पूर्व गोर्खा सैनिकलाई क्षतिपूर्ति दिन तयार भएको हो ।
भूतपूर्व गोर्खा सैनिकको लामो समयदेखिको बराबरीको हक तथा अधिकारको आन्दोलनलाई सम्बोधन गर्दै बेलायत सरकार क्षतिपूर्ति तिर्न राजी भएको उनले बताए । बेलायत सरकारको रक्षा मन्त्रालयअन्तर्गत आम्र्ड फोर्स मामिलामन्त्री लांककास्टरलाई गत वर्ष ४० पृष्ठ लामो प्रतिवेदन बुझाएपछि आफ्नो आन्दोलनले सफलताको बाटो टेकेको दावी गर्दै पूर्व गोर्खा राईले नेपाल सरकारले अब गम्भीर रूपमा वार्ता गरी क्षतिपूर्तिको मुद्दा टुंग्याउनुपर्ने बताए । गत वर्ष गोर्खा, नेपाली राजदूतावास र बेलायत सरकारबीच भएको त्रिपक्षीय वार्तामा पनि लांककास्टर सहभागी थिए ।
वार्तापछि लांककास्टरले गोर्खाहरूको समस्या बारेमा आफू गम्भीर भएको तथा उनीहरूको माग सम्बोधनको लागि पहल गर्ने बताएका थिए । गोर्खा भर्ती सुरु भएको २ सय वर्षपछि बेलायतले गोर्खाहरूलाई बिभेद गरेको भन्दै भूपू गोर्खाहरूले आन्दोलन गरेपछि बेलायत सरकार, नेपाली राजदूतावास र गोर्खाहरूबीच विभिन्न चरणमा वार्ता भएका थिए ।
बेलायतमा रहेका विभिन्न संघ संगठनले आन्दोलन जारी राखे पनि पूर्व गोर्खा सैनिक ज्ञानराज राईले ५ वर्षअघि तत्कालिन बेलायती प्रधानमन्त्री डेविड क्यामरुनको कार्यालयअगाडि आमरण अनसन बसेपछि बेलायत वार्ता गर्न तयार भएको थियो । आन्दोलनका क्रममा गैरआवासीय नेपालीका तर्फबाट तत्कालिन उपाध्यक्ष तथा हालका अध्यक्ष भवन भट्टलगायत विभिन्न संघ संगठन तथा व्यक्तिले गोर्खाको मागमा ऐक्यबद्धता जनाएको स्मरण गर्दै अब बल नेपाल सरकारको कोर्टमा रहेको राईले बताए । गोर्खा सैनिकले सन् १८१६ देखि प्रत्येक सैन्य मोर्चामा ब्रिटिस साम्राज्यको पक्षबाट लडाईं लड्दै १३ भिक्टोरिया क्रस, दुई जर्ज क्रससहित ६ हजार ५ सय ठूला तक्माहरू पाएका छन् । तर, हजारौंको संख्यामा तक्मा तथा बहादुरीका विभूषण पाएका गोर्खा बराबरी पेन्सन तथा अन्य सुविधाको विषयमा भने ठगिँदै आएका छन् । मन्त्री लांककास्टरले नै जीटुजी द्विपक्षीय वार्तामा चासो राखेका थिए ।
गोर्खा सैनिकहरूको रेजिमेन्ट बाँडफाँडलाई केन्द्रित गरेर गरिएको सम्झौतालाई बेलायतको ‘रोयल कोर्ट अफ जस्टिस’ले ३० सेप्टेम्बर २००८ मा अमानवीय, अन्यायपूर्ण र अवैधानिक ठहर गरिसकेपछि नेपाल र बेलायतबीच द्विपक्षीय सम्झौताको कुरा उठान भएको हो । बेलायतले एउटा सार्वभौम नागरिकको रूपमा गोर्खा सैनिकहरूलाई समानताको सिद्धान्तका आधारमा व्यवहार गर्ने जनाएको हो । त्यसो त गोर्खा भूतपूर्व सैनिक संघ (गेसो)को आन्दोलनपछि पेन्सनमा केही वृद्धि गरिए पनि भूतपूर्व गोर्खा सैनिकले गोरा सैनिकको तुलनामा धेरै गुणा कम पेन्सन पाइरहेका भन्दै ऐतिहासिक अन्यायसमेतको क्षर्तिपूर्ति हुने गरी पेन्सन दिइनुपर्नेमा अडिग थिए ।

गत वर्ष सेवानिवृत्त गोर्खा सैनिकहरूको समस्या अध्यायन गर्न बनेको त्रिपक्षीय प्राविधिक समितिले तयार पारेको तथथा तीनै पक्षले हस्ताक्षर गरेको अन्तिम प्रतिवेदनले निम्न कुरा उल्लेख गरेको छ :
• २२ वर्ष नोकरी पूरा गरेका ब्रिटिस गोर्खा सिपाहीले ब्रिटिस सिपाही समान दर्जाअनुसारको पूर्ण पेन्सन पाउनुपर्ने
• २१ वर्ष उमेरपछि १६ वर्ष नोकरी पूरा गरेका ब्रिटिस गोर्खा अफिसरले ब्रिटिस अफिसर समान दर्जा अनुसारको पूर्ण पेन्सन पाउनु पर्ने
• १५ वर्ष नोकरी पूरा गरेका ब्रिटिस गोर्खा सिपाहीले ब्रिटिस सिपाहीले पाउने २२ वर्षको पेन्सनको अनुपातिक १५ वर्षको पेन्सन दर्जा अनुसारले पाउनुपर्ने
• अप्रेसनल ड्युटीमा मारिएका, मरेका र घाइते भएका ब्रिटिस गोर्खाले ब्रिटिस समान लिबरल र डीसएबिलिटी (घाइते) पेन्सन पाउनु पर्ने साथै अन्य पेन्सनहरू जस्तैः बिधवा, मेडिकलआदि सबैखाले पेन्सनहरू ब्रिटिस सिपाहीसमान पाउनुपर्ने
• सन् १९७५ अघि नोकरीबाट बर्खास्त गरिएकाहरूले क्षतिपूर्ति एकमुष्ट रकम पाउनुपर्ने
• सन् १९७५ पछि नोकरीबाट बर्खास्त गरिएकाहरूले ब्रिटिस सिपाही समान प्रिजर्भड पेन्सन पाउनु पर्ने
• ब्रिटिस गोर्खा सिपाहीले बेलायतमा रहँदा नेसनल इन्स्योरेन्स (राष्ट्रिय बिमा) तिरेको र मलाया, हङकङ र नेपालमा रहँदा ब्रिटिस सिपाही समान तलब नदिएको हुँदा ‘स्टेट पेन्सन’ पाउनु पर्ने
• ब्रिटिस गोर्खा सिपाहीको पेन्सन ब्रिटिस सिपाही समान तुरुन्त बनाउनु पर्ने
• ब्रिटिस गोर्खाहरूलाई ऐतिहसिक अन्याय भएको हुँदा अन्यायको क्षतिपूर्तिका लागि सद्भावना पेमेन्ट (गुडवील पेमेन्ट) दर्जा र नोकरीको अवधि अनुसार पाउनुपर्ने
• पेन्सन वा बर्खास्त भएका तर मरिसकेका ब्रिटिस गोर्खाका छोराछोरीहरूले सद्भावना पेमेन्ट (गुडवील पेमेन्ट) पाउनुपर्ने
• ब्रिटिस रक्षा मन्त्रालयले ब्रिटिस गोर्खाहरूको लागि मेडिकल सुबिधा इन्डियन गोर्खाहरूले नेपालमा पाएको समान मेडिकल सुविधा दिनुपर्ने
• ३० वर्ष भन्दामाथि उमेरका ब्रिटिस गोर्खाका छोराछोरी सबैलाई बेलायती आवासीय भिसा दिइनुपर्ने
• भूतपूर्व ब्रिटिस गोर्खा र परिवारलाई ९० दिन नेपाल बस्न पाउने सुविधा पाउनु पर्ने
• भूतपूर्व ब्रिटिस गोर्खाहरूले पाउने पेन्सन सुबिधा नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकमा जाने व्यवस्था मिलाउनुपर्ने

Parliamentary committee directs government to adopt one-door policy for relief aid

International Relations and Human Rights committee today directed the government to take all the foreign assistance for relief and rehabilitation through government fund.
"We have directed the government to take the much-needed foreign assistance only through the government fund based on one-door policy,” the parliamentary committee chairman Prabhu Sah said, adding that they asked the government to prepare a plan and criteria to take aid for search, rescue, relief, resettlement and reconstruction. "Petty aid and wishful spending won’t bring any positive results."
The committee's directive came on a time, when most of the development partners have been interested in distributing aid through their own channels making the government think on their intentions. Due to prolonged political transition the international aid agencies have been hesitant to provide cash to the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund instead they have said to spend through their own channels.
Though the government is asking the donors to channel the aid through the Fund, the Fund has only Rs 503 million – mostly donated by domestic donors – by Tuesday, though the Finance Ministry has already released Rs 4 billion till now.
The parliamentarians also opined that aid by some friendly nations and international organisations and their expenditures have not been transparent as they have spent according to their wishes. Directing the government to ask foreign rescue workers to return immediately, they also lashed out at the government for its failure for keeping record of the number of foreign rescue wworkers.
The lawmakers hailed the security agencies for their active role in rescue operations but criticised Home, Finance and Foreign Ministries for their lack of coordination.
They also directed the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to make necessary arrangement to make Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund transparent.
Defense secretary Ishwori Prasad Poduel, who holds the command of the Central Natural Disaster Relief Committee, briefed the meeting on works of the committee and the ministry.
He informed the parliamentarians that some 65,017 Nepal Army personnel have been deployed for rescue and the Nepal Army choppers made 641 flights to quake-hit areas and rescued 4,974 people. Likewise, Nepal Army rescued some 2,372 people alive, treated some 984 people and dig out some 357 dead bodies.
Turkey, Malaysia, Pakistan and some Indian Army retuned on May 5, after concluding search and rescue operations, he said, adding that Polish, Israeli, Thai, Indonesian, remaining Indian, Algerian and Sri Lankan returned home on May 6.

CIB nabs former chairman of NDB Amar Gurung

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police today arrested former chairman of Nepal Development Bank, Amar Gurung, for misappropriating Rs 360.5 million.
He was arrested from Maharajgunj, where he had been hiding. Gurung (62) of Armola, Kaski, had been on the run since 2009.
CIB Chief DIG Upendra Kant Aryal said the central bank had found Gurung guilty of misusing loan and bank resources, sanctioning illegal loan, siphoning off deposit, and defrauding depositors and investors against Nepal Rastra Bank Act, Banking Offences and Punishment Act and ‘Fraud Chapter’ of Civil Code.
“Gurung had abused the authority and cheated depositors and investors of around Rs 360.5 million,” said DIG Aryal.
The investigating bureau said it had also launched a manhunt to nab Uttam Pun (50) of Kusunti, Lalitpur, for embezzling millions of rupees and deteriorating financial health of NDB. Pun, former executive chairman of the bank, is still at large. Gurung has been referred to Metropolitan Police Range, Hanumandhoka, to press banking offence charges against him.
On July 9, 2009, the central bank had moved Patan Appellate Court seeking liquidation of the troubled Nepal Development Bank. Following a court decision, the bank had gone to liquidation on December 18, 2009, becoming the first domestic bank to have been asked to terminate its business. Though it had a paid-up capital of Rs 320 million, losses were pegged at around Rs 670.87 million. It had total assets worth Rs 730.13 million, but the non-performing assets (NPA) stood at 55.09 per cent and capital adequacy ratio a whopping 48.31 per cent — almost five times more than the permissible limit.
The bank had Rs 720 million in deposits, of which more than two-thirds belongs to Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Nepali Army Welfare fund.
NDB — Nepal’s first development bank that started its operations in 1998 — had been ailing for many years. The former chairman Uttam Pun who had shares worth Rs 1.6 billion was asked to step down by the central bank and Gurung was appointed as the chairman.
The central bank had declared NDB an ailing institution on October 11, 2007. Over the years, NDB never followed the central bank’s regulatory obligations, instead frittered away depositors’ money and moved to court to stop central bank’s directives.
Uttam Pun — the then executive chairman and promoter of NDB — had repeatedly moved the Appellate Court, and got a reprieve from the judiciary even as the unsuspecting public continued to deposit in his institution. The bank had Rs 720 million in deposits of which more than two-thirds belongs to Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and Nepal Army Welfare fund.
EPF had Rs 331 million and Army Welfare Fund had Rs 180 million in fixed term deposits, which was later changed to call deposit as it had not been able to pay back the deposits even after the maturity of the fixed terms.

Anti-Money Laundering case gone wrong

A man claims 'illegal money' in the US Court, dupes Nepal's finance ministry, foreign ministry and central bank easily and 'gets away' with $1 million, almost.
Its not the case of poor communication between the authorities rather a case of how deep the coruption is rooted in the bureaucracy and how one can 'influnce' the ministries and even the central bank.
Though, the central bank is still silence on the issue, the finance ministry has asked the Nepali embassy in Washington to get the detailed information on the case and forward the report to the US Court that the ministry sent today through courier.
The US Court had asked central bank and finance ministry on the claim of Asim Khatri Chhetri (KC) but the responsible authorities never received the letter.
"It proves that strong lobbying of KC inside the central bank and finance ministry," a senior central bank official said, adding that the letter never reached central bank governor or finance secretary but made its way back to the US Court that gave verdict on the basis of the
However, today the ministry has directed Nepali embassy in washington DC to hold talks with the US authority and clarify the government's stand on the case that is a clear case of money laundering.
In his petition to the US Court, KC had sought retrieval of the money he paid to Wu Lixian, a Chinese national for supplying logistics to the Nepal Army and Nepal Police.
The money was received in 2008 by Nepal Bangladesh Bank, Bhaisepati branch in the account of Chinese national Wu. But the bank suspecting something fishy reported the central bank instead of paying it to him.
"Neither the purchase has been made in Nepal nor the goods were delivered in Nepal," the finance ministry said, adding that the money has been however transferred to Nepal in a Nepali bank. "It is a clear case of Anti-Money Laundering but handled in a most unfortunate way."
But, this time around KC has 'almost' received the money after the US Court in New York issued a verdict in his favour two weeks ago.
Based on the court's verdict, Chase Bank that made the payment on July 14, 2008 had deducted $1 million from an account of Nepal Rastra Bank in New York to make the payment.

Revenue and Anti-Money Laundering Department gets cases
KATHMANDU: After the Anti-Money Laundering Act came into effect, the Revenue and Anti-Money Laundering Department has investigated 62 case. "Of them, three are finalised," said Mahesh Prasad Dahal, director general of the department. "Of the three also, one was fined Rs 600,000 as he could not provide the source of income of Rs 300,000," he said, adding that the remaining two got clean chit from the Special Court.