Reports by Razen Manandhar

List of stories in TKP (1996-2002)

2011-11-04T11:06:00.003+05:45

THE KATHMANDU POST 1996 02/07/1996 What turns tourism terrible PP 25/07/1996 Sisters, go for love! PP 17/08/1996 Just for a Pajero PP 31/08/1996 At the funeral of monkeys PP 10/09/1996 By the grace of policemen PP 15/09/1996 Hare Rama Hare Krishna 2/sp 16/09/1996 A bachelor's complaint PP 21/09/1996 May I come in sir? PP 28/09/1996 Tourism Day brings

List of stories in THT

2010-10-07T12:39:00.000+05:45

2002 2002-12-13 Royal Palae to manage Hanumandhoka 2002-12-17 Govt prescrition riles druggists 2002-12-22 Ceramic filter being developed 2002-12-26 Yet another illegal structure in Swoyambhu 2002-12-31 2300-year-old inscription found in Chabahil = 2003 2003-01-03 Solid waste major headache for KMC 2003-01-07 Laws for heritage preservation Midway 2003-01-09 Petrol pumps make city a powder keg - p1

Where’s the plan to cope with climate change?

2008-08-11T13:14:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, August 10 [2008]Nepal has not been able to come up with an action plan to cope with the impact of climate change, thanks to vested interests of international organisations. As a result, $2 lakh given to Nepal to prepare the plan has been lying idle.Nepal was supposed to prepare a National Adaptation Programmes of Action to benefit from the international provision of

46 years on, project to build parliament complex still in limbo

2008-08-05T13:10:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, August 4 [2008]Though the proposal to construct a modern parliament building was made as early as 1962, the same has remained only on paper for 46 years. A full-fledged parliament is likely to be elected within a few years, if all goes well, but the government has no idea so far when the parliament building would be built.When the issue of the venue for Constituent

Plan to resettle West Seti-affected soon

2008-07-31T11:49:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, July 28:The West Seti Hydro Limited (WSHL) is going to start a resettlement programme soon for over 14,000 people affected by the 750-MW power project in the far-western region.“We will meet the locals soon with a concrete plan on what we can do for them to make the project a success,” said WSHL advisor Eddie Barendse, also the chief of the resettlement

What’s stopping government from paying PLA its dues?

2008-07-29T19:49:00.000+05:45

AGENDARazen ManandharKathmandu, July 28The signing of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement between the government and the Maoists, who formally entered the mainstream politics by ending their decade-long armed struggle, on November 21, 2006, was greeted with euphoria.Since then, thousands of People’s Liberation Army personnel, who laid the foundation stone for a republic, have been living in

Quake-proof school building a source of inspiration in Hetauda

2008-07-13T14:41:00.002+05:45

Razen Manandhar Hetauda, July 12[2008]:A small and ordinary-looking building at the Shramik High School in the Karra area has become an inspiration for disaster risk reduction initiatives in the fast-growing Hetauda Municipality, where around 500 houses are built every year.“After looking at the building we have come to believe that earthquake-resistance technology is not complex,” said Sambhu

Gharial population declining fast

2008-07-04T19:39:00.001+05:45

Gharial population declining fastThe number of gharials, theslender-nosed crocodiles,found only in South Asianrivers, is drastically decreas-ing due to increasing hu-man activities and pollutionin their habitats. The ...read more...

Big cats in deep trouble

2008-07-03T10:30:00.002+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, July 2The gorgeous-looking big cats — Royal Bengal tigers — will soon turn into fancy tale characters if the government fails to curb rampant poaching. Though many international conservation agencies are focused on preventing the extinction of the big cats from Nepal, scenes in Nepal’s protected are getting more and more alarming, with reports showing that the number of

Big cats in deep trouble

2008-07-03T10:23:00.001+05:45

Big cats in deep troubleThe gorgeous-looking big cats — RoyalBengal tigers — will soon turn intofancy tale characters if the govern-ment fails to curb rampant poaching. Though many international conser-vation age...read more...

A national museum bereft of all valuables?

2008-06-22T16:45:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, June 22 [2008]The 240-year Shah dynasty will vanish from the pages of history if the government fails to conserve artefacts and documents in a museum.Historians do not know what kind of museum the Narayanhiti Palace will turn out to be if it cannot display historic objects, medals, trophies and personal belongings of rich kings of Nepal, one of the poorest countries.When

No historic documents found in palace

2008-06-19T15:29:00.001+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, June 18[2008]:An investigation panel formed to come up with details of royal property and unearth historic documents kept at the Narayanhiti Palace said it found none of such documents.A member of the panel said the former king did not return historic documents in possession of the palace.The Archives Preservation Act 1989 states that the government offices shall

Budhi Gandaki project fails to attract investors

2008-06-12T16:21:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, June 11:Thanks to unclear government policies, investors are showing reluctance to investment in the hydroelectricity sector.No one has sent Request for Proposal (RFP) for building the storage-type 600 MW Budhi Gandaki Hydro Electricity Project, though the Department of Electricity Development (DoED) had invited the RFP for the project in January. The dateline for

NWSC reeling under human resource crunch

2008-06-04T10:13:00.001+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, June 3:The state-owned Nepal Water Supply Corporation, entrusted with supplying drinking water to 23 cities of the country, is facing a dire situation due to lack of human resources.After the government carved semi-government institutions out of NWSC — Kathmandu Valley Water Management Board, Upatyaka Khanepali Limited and Nepal Water Tariff Fixation Commission — on

Palace lacks items to stock museum?

2008-06-02T10:24:00.000+05:45

Himalayan News ServiceKathmandu, June 1[2008]:A scholar said today that valuables stored in the Narayanhiti palace may have vanished and it may not be possible to turn the palace into a museum as desired by the Constituent Assembly.“The decision to turn Narayanhiti into a museum is a welcome one, but I do not think the palace has objects to bring to light the grandeur of the Shah dynasty,” said

Nepalis in maiden mountaineering feat

2008-05-23T12:04:00.002+05:45

5 women scale Everest together.Razen ManandharKathmandu, May 22[2008]:For the first time in Nepal’s mountaineering history, five Nepali women scaled Mt Everest together. The five women are members of the 10-member First Inclusive Women Sagarmatha Expedition 2008, which comprises members from diverse ethnicities.The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said Susmita Maskey, Maya Gurung,

Shah dynasty ghosts haunt museum development

2008-05-19T16:44:00.000+05:45

International museum day Razen ManandharKathmandu, May 18 [2008]:Government-run museums have been used as a tool to please and glorify the monarchs since the establishment of the first museum in 1938, which has resulted in state-sponsored negligence towards the contribution of other people in the national history, believe experts.That is why the contribution of Juddha Sumshere Rana, who

Swelling Imja lake puts Khumbu region in peril

2008-05-15T15:25:00.001+05:45

Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, May 14[2008]:Imja, a fast-swelling glacial lake, is putting the entire Khumbu region in peril. The region,a popular destination for mountaineers from all over the world, will be swept awayif the lake bursts.Due to global warming, snow of the Himalayan region is melting faster and water is accumulating in southern valleys. Small piles of snow, hardly spotted in the 1960s

EC Mulls Action Against Disobedient Observers

2008-05-13T20:02:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, May 12 [2008]Over a hundred domestic organisations could disqualify for future election observation missions in Nepal for failing to submit their preliminary reports, Election Commission sources said on Sunday.The EC directive for the observers states that those organisations which have received EC accreditation as observers should submit their preliminary reports within

Convention report sees holes in FNJ account book

2008-05-09T11:01:00.001+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, May 8:The Federation of Nepali Journalists is not squeaky clean when it comes to handling its finances, a financial report of the umbrella organisation of journalists indicates.For the first time in history, general conference of the FNJ ended without passing a financial report, due to irregularities. Now, a team has been constituted to dig deep into the financial

Major parties fall short on EC quotas

2008-05-04T16:55:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, May 2[2008]:Two of the oldest parties in the poll fray — Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML — became the last parties to submit their PR lists.The NC submitted its list to the Election Commission (EC) at 5.15 pm, while the UML submitted its list at 6.15 pm. The EC had fixed 5 pm deadline for submitting the PR lists, but cadres of the two parties entered the EC office before

Maoists bag 100 PR seats, says EC

2008-04-26T14:19:00.002+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, April 25:The CPN-Maoist bagged the most Constituent Assembly seats under the Proportional Representation (PR) system too by winning 100 seats out of the total 335 seats allocated for the PR system.The Maoists had polled 3,144,204 (29.85 per cent) votes out of the 10,739,078 votes cast under the PR system.The Maoists have already secured 120 seats under the

Janajati first-timers send bigwigs packing

2008-04-22T11:30:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, April 21:Poll candidates from ethnic communities, sidelined by political parties for long, sprung a surprise this time around, defeating many iconic figures of Nepali politics.Former Prime Minister and RJP chairman Surya Bahadur Thapa, who had won all three elections, was defeated in Dhanakuta 2 by Maoist Hriaraj Limbu with a margin of 6,867 votes.RPP chairman Pahsupati

Janajatis upbeat after poll showing; bag 82 seats

2008-04-20T15:52:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, April 19:Results of the Constituent Assembly (CA) polls have paved the way for a greater participation of the Janajatis in politics.Out of 226 elected members of the CA, 82 belong to different ethnic groups. This means around 38 per cent members of the CA will be Janajatis. According to an estimate, Janajatis constitute 37 per cent of the total population.In earlier

Counting begins amid disputes in Gorkha

2008-04-12T12:28:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharGorkha, April 11Vote counting in Gorkha Constituency No 2 of began this evening amidt dissatisfaction, complains and aggressions.Polling was continued in the district despite walkouts of agents of other political parties than the CPN-Maoist in many polling centres.Barkrishna Uprety, the returning officer, said that the counting votes in Constituency No 2 began this evening. He also

Many applicants for observers rejected

2008-04-09T12:26:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar/Madan WagleDamauli, April 8Out of over 1,000 applicants for National Observers, only 650 were given identity cards here because the rest did not meet the requirements."We issued only 650 cards to the observers as others have not passed SLC and those who have passed are known to be political activists," said Ram Chandra Tiwari, the District Election Office of Tanahu.He also said

Legal remedy looks distant as poll violence goes on

2008-03-30T12:08:00.002+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, March 29:Though election-related criminal activities are taking place almost every day in different parts of the country, no legal solution has been sought to control them or bring the guilty to the book.Five persons have been killed and dozens have been injured in the month of March alone; one among the dead being a candidate for the polls.However, the government has

50,035 can bet their votes won’t go waste

2008-03-22T17:44:00.001+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, March 21:At least 50,035 voters from Kathmandu constituency no 1 will not have to worry about rigging or booth capturing during the CA polls. The reason: For the first time, these voters will be voting through an Electronic Voting Machine (EVM).The small equipment, which has a board with list for the parties and their signs along with buttons, guarantees zero per cent

CA election will see a sea of observers

2008-03-03T12:27:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharNepal Sadbhawana Party President Anandidevi Singh submitting the closed list of the party’s candidates at the Election Commission in Kantipath, Kathmandu, on Sunday.Nepal Sadbhawana Party President Anandidevi Singh submitting the closed list of the party’s candidates at the Election Commission in Kantipath, Kathmandu, on Sunday. Kathmandu, March 2:Close to 93,000 volunteers will

Handing over of NWSC on February 13

2008-01-23T14:28:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, January 22:The long-awaited handing over of the assets of Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) to an “autonomous” body, Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), will take place in three weeks. Coincidentally,Timila Yami Thapa, Physical Planning minister Hisila Yami’s sister, was nominated as its chief on January 13 .The government is now set to hand over those

EC to educate voters in 17 ethnic languages

2008-01-20T18:50:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, January 19:For the first time in the Nepal’s election history, the trainers of the Election Commission are visiting around 4,000 villages with an offer to educate about the process and technicalities of the constituent assembly election in 17 ethnic languages.According to Central Bureau of Statistics of Nepal, there are 102 languages spoken in the country by 61 ethnic

Melamchi water project-hit seek aid [in Kabhre]

2008-01-12T15:17:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKavre, January 9:While the families affected by the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) in Sindhupalchowk are getting various assistance, those who live in neighbouring district Kavre are still left unattended.The project had identified five VDCs of Kavre — - Gairibisaina Deupur, Mahadevsthan, Chandeni Mandan, Jaishithok and Panchkhal — as affected areas. But the residents in the

"Meet" revival in Melamchi

2008-01-09T14:52:00.000+05:45

[ATTENTION: UNEDITED, UNPUBLISHED!]Razen ManandharMelamchi, January 8Two young men sat opposite and offered tika on each other’s forehead, while family members and neighbours clapped their hands. It was not marriage, has nothing to do with homosexuality. They were tying themselves with the knot of “meet”, the sacred friendship.Yubraj Khadka and Netra Narayan Sharma, both of 24 years, met almost

Only 2 pc of tube wells in Tarai have arsenic

2008-01-06T11:29:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, January 5:Only two per cent of the tube wells in the Tarai region have arsenic-contaminated water. Arsenic is a natural mineral which is found in underground water and is suspected to cause cancer if consumed for a long duration.“It is a good news for the Tarai people that water from only a few tube wells were found to have arsenic contamination,” said Abadh Kishor

["Multipurpose"] Melamchi: Dream or reality?

2007-12-31T13:15:00.000+05:45

INSIGHTRazen ManandharKathmandu, December 30What if the 35-year-old dream of drinking water from the Melamchi valley takes a few more years but comes with a bonus of electricity and irrigation? A group of optimist infrastructure developers have a concept of transforming the old Melamchi project into a multipurpose one. They believe that it would increase the project cost but would be incredibly

Expert asks govt to put mixing ethanol, petrol on hold

2007-12-30T13:09:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, December 29:At a time when government officials are readying to take a policy decision to mix ethanol with petrol, environmentalists have urged the government to put the idea on hold for sometime and make it environment-friendly so that Nepal could earn financial benefits from the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM).The CDM is a process, in which developed countries pay

Nepal to be a party to convention on intangible heritage

2007-12-22T16:39:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, December 21:It’s better late than never. The government is now working hard to become a signatory to the Convention on Safeguarding of Intangible Heritage.The Department of Archaeology is preparing necessary documents to be sent to the UNESCO to become a part of the convention. “We are now working to become a party to the convention,” director general of Department of

Can bio-fuel bail NOC out of red?

2007-12-21T10:50:00.000+05:45

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY Razen ManandharKathmandu, December 20:To meet the soaring power demand, the Nepal Electricity Authority generates 49 MW of electricity in thermal plants by using fossil-fuel to supplement hydro-electricity. But if this could be done using domestically produced bio-diesel, it would not only lower the pressure on imported fossil diesel but also check Greenhouse Gas emission by up

Mix ethanol with petrol, save money!

2007-12-14T08:53:00.001+05:45

Alternative energy Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, December 13:Tired of queuing up for petrol for your vehicles? Imagine of something what nature has given to us and has dual benefits. It relieves us, to some extent, from waiting our turns in petrol pumps and also helps keep our environment clean.It is more relevant now at a time when the Nepal Oil Corporation has been failing to meet the demand of

Alternative energy: Power outage? Turn to Solar Tuki

2007-12-07T11:33:00.000+05:45

ALTERNATIVE ENERGYRazen ManandharKathmandu, December 6:Load shedding is not a new phenomena in Nepal and fighting darkness during the power outage sometimes become a nightmare for people who have to rely on Tuki (kerosene-lamps), candles or low quality “emergency lights” with rechargeable batteries.But now there is a durable solution — using Solar Tuki, a cheap solar lighting system.Tuki is a

FM stations are mired; some are suspect

2007-12-06T15:22:00.000+05:45

INSIGHTRazen ManandharKathmandu[2007 December 6, Thursday]One decade has passed since Frequency Modulation (FM) radio stations were introduced in Nepal, but over a hundred FM radio stations, aired from different parts of the country, are mired — they are still not clear where they are heading for.The Kathmandu valley itself has two dozens of FM stations, out of 34 companies which have obtained

Yeti footprints found at Khumbu, explorers claim

2007-12-01T16:12:00.000+05:45

Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, November 30:A team of explorers has arrived in the capital with an exciting story of finding footprints of yeti near the base camp of Mount Everest, at Khumbu.“We are happy to say that we have found footprints of yeti. And the snowman is no more a legend for us now,” Joshua Gates, the team leader of the expedition of the American television channel Destination

Bio-briquettes can keep the winter at bay

2007-11-30T10:58:00.001+05:45

ALTERNATIVE ENERGY Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 29:Winter is already here but the Valley denizens have nothing reliable to heat up their rooms. With ever-increasing load shedding hours and the year-round shortage of LPG, using electric or gas heaters in not imaginable. But wait. There is a solution at your doorstep. You can go for something called bio-briquettes made of biomass, which

Making of a planned Kathmandu Valley

2007-11-29T15:06:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandharkathmandu - The fertile green land of Kathmandu valley is turning into a concrete jungle so rapidly that, the planners estimate, after 25 years, Kathmandu Valley’s agricultural land will be at a zero.The shortage of agricultural land in this legendary valley will not only distort its ecological balance but also destroy its livelihood and will create a huge crisis among the

Kailali jungles face encroachment

2007-11-29T14:28:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 28 [2007]:Encroachment is going unabated in the jungles along the Basanta corridor in Kailali, thanksto poor implementation of law and order and support from some political quarters, said a forest official today. This corridor links Bardiya Wildlife Reserve with Shuklaphanta Wildlife Reserve.In the past six months, 3,000 households have occupied land in 30

Climate change poses risks for Nepal: UN

2007-11-28T20:19:00.001+05:45

Himalayan News ServiceKathmandu, November 27:Avalanches and floods pose special risks to densely populated mountain regions, such as Nepal, where glaciers are retreating at a rate of several metres every years, states the United Nation’s Human Development Report, released today, which is focussed on climate change this year.“Lakes formed by melting glacier waters are expanding at an alarming rate

Plan for Lumbini development soon

2007-11-26T11:26:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, November 25[2007]:Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha and one of the four World Heritage Sites of the country, is soon going to have a framework for future plans in the sacred archaeological site soon.Since the site is now a centre of attraction for religious pilgrims, architectural students and tourism entrepreneurs, the United Nations’ Educational, Scientific and

Produce cooking gas at home!

2007-11-23T14:27:00.000+05:45

Alternative energy: Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, November 22[2007]:Here’s good news for all of us, who have been facing gas shortage and sewerage disposal problems. These problems can be solved at a cost of Rs 20,000.By installing a small plant on the rooftop of your house or on the backyard, you can get rid of kitchen and toilet waste. On top of it, cooking gas will be available at your kitchen

Ex-army men to approach UN

2007-11-15T11:21:00.000+05:45

Want money ‘grabbed’ by NA from UN peace-keepers back Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 14[2007]:Former Nepal Army personnel who had served in various UN peacekeeping missions have decided to demonstrate in front of the UN Complex in Kathmandu after they failed to get back nearly Rs 65 billion that the Nepal Army has “illegally grabbed” from them.Since1973, Nepal has sent as many as 61,000 army

Load-shedding to be delayed by few weeks

2007-11-14T16:12:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 13:Electricity consumers will witness more bright nights this winter as load-shedding, a regular practice in Nepal, is going to start some two to four weeks later as compared to the previous years.“Thanks to the prolonged monsoon this year, the load-shedding will begin two to four weeks later than the usual routine,” said Sher Singh Bhat, the chief at the System

ADB loan renewal for Melamchi not before January

2007-11-07T22:01:00.000+05:45

By: Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 14[2007]The loan renewal with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) will be postponed till January 2008 due to a delay in the handing over of Nepal Water Supply Corporation to a semi-private body and other changes in the project infrastructure.The ADB was supposed to renew the loan agreement for S120 million this month

Lack of bridges makes half of rural road network ‘defunct’

2007-11-04T11:46:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 3:At least 4,000 bridges connecting over 21,000-km rural road network have been awaiting immediate construction.Construction technicians have urged the government to give high priority on construction of these bridges so as to make the maximum use of the rural road network, half of which is already defunct due to the lack of bridges.“An exclusively dedicated

Small parties to team up for TPR

2007-11-01T11:39:00.001+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, October 31:Unlike big parties, small parties are rooting for the adoption of a Total Proportional Representation (TPR). They say an alliance should be forged between small parties and other alliances for the adoption of this system. The Jana Morcha Nepal, CPN-United, CPN-Unified and the NSP-Anandidevi are some of the parties that have been demanding that the constituent

Chlorine lacking in piped water in Valley: Survey

2007-10-28T10:15:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, October 27:Piped water distributed in many areas of Kathmandu Valley is lacking in chlorine, according to a survey to be released soon. Both high and low chlorine concentration are harmful for public health.The Free Residual Chlorine Survey in piped water, conducted in the valley for the past three months, has shown that water in at least 17 out of selected 93 areas

Call for clean development projects

2007-10-19T12:56:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, October 18:Nepal has urged the international community working for Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) to encourage participationof the private sector in small-scale projects that provide social and environmental benefits.“Our agenda in the third meeting of the CDM Designated National Authority (DNA) Forum in Ethiopia was to lobby for private sector’s participation in CDM

Russian wants to traverse the world by 2010

2007-10-15T11:47:00.000+05:45

• Heads to Pokhara from City on foot• Aims to act in Bollywood flicks Razen ManandharKathmandu, October 14:After travelling in Kathmandu for a week, 33-year-old Russian world-traveller Sergej Chikachev headed to Pokhara on foot today.He was uncertain of his future when he left his home near Moscow on August 2004 with some 2,000 US dollars in his pocket, but as time passed, after going through ups

Water, sanitation projects making tardy progress

2007-10-07T16:44:00.000+05:45

Water, sanitation projects making tardy progress Razen ManandharOf 527 projects, only 115 will be over by year-endKathmandu, October 6:Work on water and sanitation projects, one of the major sectors of infrastructure development, is not moving at a satisfactory pace in the districts.A document describing the details of present status of the projects shows that the Department of Water Supply and

Sanitation Projects in the Offing in Chitwan

2007-09-27T21:58:00.000+05:45

THT OnlineKathmandu, September 26The Department of Drinking Water Supply and Sanitation (DWSS), UN Shelter Programme UN-HABITAT) and local communities are working to provide total sanitation in two towns of Chitwan district.In this connection, the Bharatpur and Ratnanagar municipalities, the DWSS and the UN- HABITAT recently signed an agreement to carry out Country Level Capacity Building of

Piped water for landless in Tanahu village

2007-09-26T19:01:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharTanahu, September 25:First time in the country, over 400 families without proper land-ownership will have rinking water pipelines in a hilly village of Khairenitar in Tanahu district, around 30 km south-east of Pokhara.The consumers of the locality have identified the families, which do not own legal land, as“extremely poor” and have provided them with pipelines through special

Man in Japan sponsors Nepalis’ education

2007-09-07T11:50:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharYokohama, September 6[2007]:He calls it “Bazaro”, that’s the closest he comes to pronouncing the word bazaar. Over 20 people in the three-storey building in the Kusugaya area of Yakohama city work on different handicraft products from Nepal and he manages to dispatch them to over 700 shops all over the country. This is what he means by the organisation called “Nepali Bazaro”, which

This is Yokohama

2007-08-01T19:18:00.001+05:45

It's fun being here in Japan. It was in 8.30 I arrived in Narita Airport. After a lenghy process of document checking (in comparison to Nepal, it was not so irritating. I remember, the "Nepali" official at TIA was not ready to leave me because I did not cash the usual 1500 dollars). And my press card helped me to save from being sent back!After travelling from Kathmandu to Bangkok. I had to wait

The MoEST to have a separate department for environment conservation soon

2007-07-26T15:06:00.000+05:45

By Razen ManandharKathmandu, July 25[2007]:MoEST is doing homework to set up a Department of Environment Conservation. A draft concept paper in this regard will soon be forwarded to the chief secretary for final approval. A special team headed by joint secretary Khumraj Punjali has been formed to develop a framework for the department. “A separate department will give a boost to our environment

Melamchi office and staffers to be shifted to project site

2007-07-23T20:08:00.000+05:45

Posted by Triratna Manandhar Razen ManandharKathmandu, July 22[2007]The New Baneshwor-based office of the Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) will be shifted to the project site — Melamchi Pool Bazaar of Sindhupalchowk — within a week. Though the decision to shift the office of the project, primarily responsible for bringing water from the Melamchi valley to the Kathmandu valley, was taken

Excess staff, strike hit water supply body

2007-07-19T16:07:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, July 18:Staffers of the Nepal Water Supply Corporation have been on strike for the past three months, hitting drinking water supply in the capital. According to the government records, the capital is in need of 190 million litres of water daily while the government body has been able to supply only 80 to 90 million litres per day.The water supply has been in disarray for

Biogas plants to be installed in Valley

2007-07-08T13:39:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, July 7[2007]:The Water for Asian Cities (WAC) is extending partial financial support for construction of several biogas plants across the Kathmandu valley and develop them as models.The construction aims at spreading a message that direct disposal of drain-water and waste in the rivers can be largely reduced by producing biogas from the wastes and help keep rivers

Poor to pay dear for Melamchi water

2007-07-05T12:16:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, July 4Once the ambitious Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) sees the light of day, private water vendors will literally sell water, especially to the poor living in the slums of the valley.A Low Income Consumer Support Unit (LICSU), a side project of the MWSP, is going to handle the supply to the poor through local interested bodies who will collect money from the

Yami to write to ADB today on her terms

2007-06-15T12:44:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu , June 14[2007]: The Ministry of Physical Planning and Works is writing a "final" letter to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) tomorrow on its stance on the Melamchi Water Supply Project. "We will write to the ADB tomorrow, requesting it to let the Melamchi project materialise the way we want," Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hisila Yami told this daily today. The

Pact to rid Tarai water of arsenic

2007-06-04T13:41:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, June 3[2007]:The government, along with three international partners, will spend over one million dollars over the coming 18 months to mitigate the adverse effect of arsenic, a type of carcinogenic mineral found in most of groundwater in Tarai.A Memorandum of Understanding to this effect was signed today between the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage and three UN

Lobbying on to bring back Bikram tempos

2007-06-02T15:31:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, June 1[2007]:The Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology (MEST) is making secret arrangements to bring back diesel-run Bikram tempos back in the capital streets.Following a series of protests, environmentalists had finally succeeded in banning the polluting Bikram tempos three-and-a-half years ago.The government had then introduced a plan for the Bikram owners

INGOs plan Bengal tiger census in Nepal

2007-06-01T12:56:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, January 30[2007]:Various international non-government organisations are making plans to carry out a census of Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris) in Nepal’s national parks.Recent studies have put the number of the wild cats in Nepal at about 350 to 375.A tiger survey has been initiated in the Bardia National Park with a focus on the Babai river floodplain. A team of seven

"Nepal Adahrsha 41"

2007-05-13T10:48:00.000+05:45

My school, my pride!I’m proud of many things. And today I’m really proud of my school. There is nothing special in my school itself – all schools in the world are as good as mine. What made me proud is that I belong to the group of people who are proud of their schools. Indeed, the beloved school produced them all.A blissful rendezvous took place yesterday 92007-05-12) at Park Village, who had

An Unconvinient Truth - that is our country

2007-02-16T18:51:00.000+05:45

It was chilly morning but I made myself ready to watch the much talked film "An unconvinient Truth".Wow! I had to say when I came out of the all.It was only Al Gore, the former vice-presiden of the US, who was speaking, in the form of a talk programme. In which he easily, technically, socially and humously described what the whole topic of global warming is. Adding some touching topic of his

Today's bandh

2007-02-15T17:20:00.000+05:45

The indigineous people today finally had to call Valley bandh, obviously to have thier say heard. There are thousand of reason sto applaud the April movment but I'm sorry to tell you it also taught us that you have to go for banth, some pelting of stones, some threatening to riders and drivers and some other "forceful" elements to make the government listen to you.When the king Gyanendra was

I promise, I will be regular here nowonwards

2007-02-14T18:02:00.000+05:45

Oh my god!I have had my blog here.I will be regular, I swear.I'm craving to blog in English....

Razen's personal life

2007-02-14T17:45:00.000+05:45

Razen's personal lifeHappy Valentine's Day !!!

Tiger census planned in Nepal

2007-02-01T14:51:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar Kathmandu, January 31[2007]:Various international non-government organisations are making plans to carry out a census of Bengal tigers (Panthera tigris) in Nepal's national parks.Recent studies have put the number of the wild cats in Nepal at about 350 to 375.A tiger survey has been initiated in the Bardia National Park with a focus on the Babai river floodplain. A team of seven

Time running out for EC to hold polls

2007-02-01T12:59:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, January 31[2007]:Only four months are left for holding an election to a constituent assembly but political parties are yet to decide the type of proportional representation system they have talked about.The Election Commission (EC) has held around a dozen meetings with the parties in a bid to end uncertainties regarding CA polls but they (parties) have not yet decided

I'm thinking...

2007-01-23T15:09:00.000+05:45

I'm thinking if I could use it as a collection of my reports. I hope people would enjoy reading my works.What do you think?

Koshi river basin to be managed in integrated way

2007-01-04T15:37:00.000+05:45

Thursday, 4. January 2007, 14:00:39Razen ManandharKathmandu, January 3:Seventeen districts under the watershed areas of the Koshi river and its tributaries in the eastern Nepal are being integrated into a long-term conservation programme under the name of Koshi River Basin Management (KBRM).The programme is being envisaged by the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS) of the government

Koshi river basin to be managed in integrated way

2007-01-04T10:30:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, January 3:Seventeen districts under the watershed areas of the Koshi river and its tributaries in the eastern Nepal are being integrated into a long-term conservation programme under the name of Koshi River Basin Management (KBRM).The programme is being envisaged by the Water and Energy Commission Secretariat (WECS) of the government with technical support from WWF Nepal

Rhinos may be extinct in 20 yrs: Experts

2007-01-01T14:35:00.000+05:45

[Razen Manandhar]Himalayan News Service Kathmandu, December 31[2006]:No rhinos will be left in the jungles of Nepal in 10 to 20 years if the present rate of rhino-poaching continues, a conservationist said today, even as other wildlife experts stressed the need to focus on efforts aimed at conserving rhinoceros.“The total number of rhinos killed or died in 2006 must be around 47. One cannot even

Talking about water rights

2006-12-24T15:37:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar [Sunday, 24. December 2006]Kathmandu:According to legends and lore, the place where Kathmandu stands today was once a holy lake ten-twenty millennia ago.It is said that a Chinese saint Manjushri came here, cut an outlet in the hills surrounding the lake with his magic sword letting the water drain out leaving a lush, green valley for people to live.However, today in this same

Villages Near Mt Everst to Light Up Soon

2006-12-23T14:42:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, December 22[2006]:Five villages near the Mount Everest will have electric lights in four months. The tourist area is deprived of electricity, which has been a challenge to the conservation of Sagarmatha National Park, one of four World Heritage Sites of the country.A model micro-hydro power project, being installed at Toktok in Chaurikharkha VDC of Solukhumbu district,

Delhi declaration announced

2006-12-17T13:53:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharNew Delhi, December 16[2006]:A Delhi Declaration was announced at the closing of the four-day Asia Pacific Ministerial Conference on Housing and Human Settlement today, with a historic commitment to support the ever-growing number of the urban poor in the region.The minister of state for housing and urban poverty of India Kumari Selja announced the declaration during the closing

Kalam tells nations to focus on rural development

2006-12-16T15:47:00.000+05:45

Razen Manandhar New Delhi, December 15 :President of India Dr APJ Abdul Kalam today urged ministers and experts on housing development from 35 countries to stress on the development of rural areas, if they want to make their countries free from urban poverty.“If you want to reduce pressure on urban areas bring more support and development in rural areas,” he said. President Kalam was addressing

UN-HABITAT to grant $2.5m annually until 2010

2006-12-15T13:47:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharNew Delhi, December 14[2006]:UN-HABITAT is going to support Nepal annually with Rs 185 million ($2.5 million) till 2010 to upgrade water and sanitation sectors here.Kishore Thapa, director general of the Department of Urban Development and Building Construction, said a Memorandum of Understanding is being signed between the UN-HABITAT and the Nepal government tomorrow during the

Ghunsa chopper crash victims’ kin seek dues

2006-12-09T14:35:00.000+05:45

Rue govt apathy, bias against non-govt staffers killed in tragic mishapRazen ManandharKathmandu, December 8[2006]:Ten weeks after Ghunsa chopper crash Elina Shre-stha, the wife of social worker Bijaya Kumar Shrestha who died in the tragic crash, is looking for someone who could sponsor her son and daughter’s education.“I thought the government was with me when my husband left us. But

ADB-funded water project not serving urban poor: Report

2006-12-03T19:40:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, December 2[2006]:A study conducted by water activists has concluded that the $53.9 million project funded by the Asian Development Bank has not been able to ensure quality drinking water for the poor population, as promised.The ADB-funded Small Town Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project implemented in 40 to 50 small towns across the country with an aim to provide

Rescued Pangolin Dies; One Arrested

2006-12-02T19:07:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, December 1[2006]:Officials of the Central Zoo, where a pangolin rescued from a taxi driver in Balkhu on Wednesday was kept for conservation, said on Thursday that the mammal has died.Volunteers of the Wildlife Conservation Nepal and District Forestry Office had rescued the animal from Kiran Syangtang Lama, 25, of Hetauda."Our men saw the man walking with the mammal in a

Sikkimese Newars to study mother tongue in TU

2006-11-06T15:23:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 5:While the charm of Newari language is on wane in Kathmandu, six Newars from Sikkim have arrived in the capital today to study their language.Six Newar students from the Indian state of Sikkim are trying to join the Tribhuvan University to acquire degrees in Newari language, with a mission to take back academic and practical knowledge of their mother language

KMC says no to garbage from ‘outside’

2006-11-05T19:33:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, November 4[2006]:Now on, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) will not allow emerging urban areas to dump garbage in the city area. Garbage produced in these areas accounts for 15 per cent of total garbage produced in the KMC.Government records still mention these areas as ‘villages.’ The decision to bar these ‘villages’ from dumping garbage in the city area was taken

Carbon credit: Two projects registered

2006-11-01T19:57:00.000+05:45

By Razen ManandharNepal has made a claim in the world carbon credit market. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board of United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recently registered two of Nepal's projects on biogas support programme, which will give the nation a total of Rs 36,500,000 annually.After undergoing a lengthy procedure of application and tough

Sherchan for recognising Nepal Sambat

2006-10-23T15:30:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, October 22:Thousands of activists, mostly Newars, have been making a hue and cry since the past 26 years calling governments to recognise the cultural identity of the Nepal Sambat (Era) and announce it as the national calendar by replacing the existing Bikram Sambat, but nothing to this effect has happened yet.Deputy PM Amik Sherchan today said he would table a proposal

Nepali simians ‘soft target’ for export to US

2006-10-22T19:17:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, October 21[2006]:With slack legal provisions and loopholes, Nepal can become the next target for those willing to import monkeys of different types to the US for conducting biomedical researches, fears a conservationist.The United States, the home to proponents of animal rights, alone imports over 26,000 monkeys of different types from all over the world for conducting

Spanish woman elated after adopting Nepali ‘orphan’ child

2006-10-19T15:32:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, October 18[2006]:Paca Tomas, a Spanish woman in her forties, is elated, for her dream of adopting a Nepali child has turned into reality after three-and-a-half years.“It was like being on top of Everest. Everybody knows it is difficult, but you can imagine the pleasure of being there only when you are finally there,” she said today, relating her feeling after she got the

Top leaders scent success

2006-10-13T19:22:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, October 12[2006]:Today’s talks between top leaders of the seven-party alliance and the CPN-Maoist have been identified as a “successful round” although much of what has been decided among them will be known only by Sunday afternoon when they meet once again.The fact that the talks have ended on positive note becomes clear from what even Maoist talk team coordinator,

Govt not doing enough for Kumaris' upkeep?

2006-10-01T10:13:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, September 30 [2006]:The Living Goddess Kumari, who is adorned by the head of the state himself and poses as an attraction for millions of people, tourists and media gets hardly more than an office boy's salary in the government's pay scale, for sacrificing her juvenile years, and for her "divine powers"."The Kathmandu Kumari is given Rs 6,000 per month as livelihood

Nepali primates used for US research

2006-09-15T16:03:00.000+05:45

Samples taken for AIDS vaccine, keeping govt in dark Razen ManandharKathmandu, September 14 [2006]:The controversial testing of monkeys three years ago by US primatologists in the capital was not what it was made out to be. In actuality, the monkeys were used as guinea pigs for developing AIDS vaccine, reveals the cover story of a recent issue of the American

Nepal to fall short of MDG on water: Report

2006-06-04T15:41:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, June 3 [2006]:A Japanese researcher from a reputed American university, who has recently completed a study on Nepal’s water supplies and sanitation, has said in her report that Nepal is unlikely to meet theMillennium Development Goals (MDG). Among the ten MDGs, the government has been projecting the country’s Watersupply and sanitation sectors as satisfactory. According

Newar body stresses on ethnic autonomy

2006-05-12T16:11:00.000+05:45

Razen ManandharKathmandu, May 11[2006]:The demand for ethnic autonomy - once considered a “weird” agenda of the Maoists when they launched the ‘People’s War’,has now become a common demand of all indigenous and ethnic organisations. However, it is still unclear whether a Constituent Assembly (CA) can pave the way for such autonomy.The political parties have agreed on restructuring the state