Civic Hospital to operate bullet splinters at free of cost

JAN 8, KATHMANDU. Civic Hospital, Bhaktapur, is to provide free operation on the conflict victims for removing the bullet splinters lodged in different parts of their body during the conflict period. Chairman of the Hospital, Gopi Krishna Neupane, said the hospital has brought the programme targeting the conflict victims with a view that no one should be deprived of their rights to be healthy for lack of money. But the patients need to produce a recommendation letter from the VDC or municipalities concerned for availing the operation service at free of cost. A team of senior neurosurgeon Dr. Rakesh Barma would provide the service in the hospital, said Chairman Neupane. Similarly, the hospital is providing free delivery services and offering 50 per cent discount on operation charge for delivery cases. RSS

Nation, nationality in jeopardy: Khanal

KATHMANDU, JAN 22 - CPN-UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal hsa said that the nation is in jeopardy as the ruling coalition is ready to sell off our nationality . "Inspecting the works of the current government, we can understand that it is being operated through a foreign force. The government seems inclined to forge pacts which could jeopardise our nationality ," said Khanal. Addressing a programme organised in the Capital on Tuesday, Khanal claimed that UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal's recent statement of tearing the 12-point deal proves that the nation's democracy is in danger.

Watch your mouth, Koirala tells Dahal

CHITWAN, JAN 22 - Nepali Congress (NC) President Sushil Koirala has vented his ire at UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal 's remark that he would become the next prime minister. He said Dahal has been doing 'political dishonesty' by talking about consensus. "Was it not agreed to form the electoral government under the Nepali Congress? Didn't all the political parties express their support for the agreement?" Koirala questioned. Speaking at a condolence assembly of combatant Shyam Krishna Pradhan, he urged Dahal to speak cautiously. He added that Dahal has exposed himself by betraying the NC. Koirala claimed that UCPN (Maoist) have been trying to throw the dust in everyone's eyes but it would backfire on themselves leading to their fall just like the Rana regime and Panchyat. Accusing the UCPN (Maoist) of conspiring to dissolve the Constituent Assembly on May 27 last year, president Koirala said Dahal has been eying the post of prime minister to impose authoritarianism. A visibly tense Koirala urged the Maoists not to become responsible and come to the mainstream democracy leaving behind their decade-long armed struggle. He called on the Maoist leaders to refrain from uttering despiteful and revolt language while staying in big buildings. Koirala challenged the Maoists to go back to jungle if they have the guts. "They [Maoists] might have presumed that I was deceived," said Koirala. He added the Maoists have proved themselves to be gutless and unfaithful.

Another win for Gurkhas in UK

KATHMANDU, JAN 22 - The British Gurkha s, who have been a part of the British Army for more than 200 years, won another legal battle in the UK on Monday.

Responding to a case filed by the Ho and Ko Solicitors law firm, on behalf of the Gurkha Army Ex-Servicemen's Organisation (Gaeso), a local British court ordered the UK government to allow residential visas to the children of British Gurkha soldiers above 18 years of age. As of now, the British government allows such visas to children under 18 years of age. Gaeso had filed the case, calling it discriminatory, and demanded residential visa facilities for all children.

Justice Lord Justin Dysen, Master of the Rolls of the British Court of Appeals, issued the verdict on Monday, according to Gaeso.

"We take this decision as a victory over British injustice and exploitation," said Gaeso in a statement. "This is not a victory just for Gurkha soldiers and Nepalis but a victory for justice-loving people and human rights defenders across the world." Gaeso thanked lawyers, human rights defenders, journalists and the British people and said that they would continue to struggle until all such discrimination against the Gurkhas comes to an end.

"We secured rights to equal pension, perks and remuneration equalling that of British nationals on May 21, 2009. But the British government's decision to only allow visas for those under 18 years of age was a malicious one," read the statement.

Exchange Rate for 22 January, 2013

Exchange Rates Fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank
Currency Unit Buying/Rs. Selling/Rs.
Indian Rupee
100
160.00
160.1
Open Market Exchange Rates
(For the purpose of Nepal Rastra Bank)
Currency Unit Buying/Rs. Selling/Rs.
U.S. dollar
1
85.80
86.40
European euro
1
114.23
115.03
UK pound sterling
1
136.25
137.20
Swiss franc
1
92.09
92.74
Australian dollar
1
90.28
90.91
Canadian dollar
1
86.49
87.10
Singapore dollar
1
69.76
70.24
Japanese yen
10
9.59
9.66
Chinese renminbi (Yuan)
1
13.79
13.89
Only Buying rates
Currency Unit Rates/Rs.
Swedish Krone
1
13.15
Danish Krone
1
15.31
Hong Kong dollar
1
11.07
Saudi Arabian riyal
1
22.88
Qatari riyal
1
23.57
Thai baht
1
2.89
UAE Dirham
1
23.36
Malaysian ringgit
1
28.27

Note: Under the present system the open market exchange rates
quoted by different banks may differ.

Exchange Rate for 21 January, 2013

Exchange Rate for 21 January, 2013
Exchange Rates Fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank
Currency Unit Buying/Rs. Selling/Rs.
Indian Rupee
100
160.00
160.15
Open Market Exchange Rates
(For the purpose of Nepal Rastra Bank)
Currency Unit Buying/Rs. Selling/Rs.
U.S. dollar
1
85.65
86.25
European euro
1
114.07
114.87
UK pound sterling
1
135.91
136.86
Swiss franc
1
91.58
92.22
Australian dollar
1
90.02
90.65
Canadian dollar
1
86.41
87.01
Singapore dollar
1
69.80
70.29
Japanese yen
10
9.51
9.58
Chinese renminbi (Yuan)
1
13.78
13.88
Only Buying rates
Currency Unit Rates/Rs.
Swedish Krone
1
13.14
Danish Krone
1
15.29
Hong Kong dollar
1
11.05
Saudi Arabian riyal
1
22.84
Qatari riyal
1
23.52
Thai baht
1
2.88
UAE Dirham
1
23.32
Malaysian ringgit
1
28.43

Note: Under the present system the open market exchange rates
quoted by different banks may differ.

Deuba warns of toppling govt through protest

TULSIPUR, JAN 20 - Nepali Congress senior leader Sher Bahadur Deuba has warned that the Baburam Bhattarai-led government will be toppled through street protests.

Speaking at a press meet organised by the Press Union Dang at Tulsipur on Sunday, leader Deuba claimed that a storm of agitation would be created to oust the current government , as Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai was reluctant for consensus.

He also said that the government would not last long as it has been criticised from several quarters.

Saying that the country would not get an outlet sans consensus, Deuba added that the country has been a hostage of indecision due to the current government .

The government is trying to intervene in judiciary by trying to giving an excuse to the murderers of Dailekh-based journalist Dekendra Raj Thapa, he said.

Sacked Sthapit to challenge Cabinet decision in court

KATHMANDU, JAN 19 - Kathmandu Valley Development Authority (KVDA) Chief Commissioner Keshav Sthapit , who was sacked on Thursday, plans to challenge the Cabinet decision in the Supreme Court on Sunday.

Sthapit was dismissed citing "incompetence" while Yogeshwor Krishna Parajuli, professor of engineering at Tribhuvan University, was chosen to succeed him for the next five years.

"My dismissal is illegal. I will challenge the decision in the apex court," said Sthapit. He claimed that the government's reluctance to allocate budget and human resource adequately was the main reason behind the KDVA's sluggish performance. "It's the incompetence of the government, not mine," he said.

The Baburam Bhattarai-led government set up the KVDA in April last year to undertake urban planning and development works, giving Sthapit the charge for five years. However, PM Bhattarai, who also heads the Ministry of Urban Development, was not satisfied with Sthapit as he could not deliver as committed.

Sources at the ministries claimed that former Mayor Sthapit did not do any work with the KVDA in the eight months of his involvement.

Soon after being appointed the KVDA chief, Sthapit had said he was glad that the government had recognised his caliber and that he would transform the Valley into a metro city.

Ever since, Sthapit seemed to have lost his enthusiasm. The PM's Office had formed a high-level committee chaired by Secretary Krishna Hari Banskota to probe the KVDA work. The panel recommended his dismissal citing that the Authority had made no headway in the nine months of his appointment.

According to KDVA officials, PM Bhattarai had asked Sthapit to quit and open the way for a new candidate. However, Sthapit had been refusing to resign.

'Unity will be achieved soon'

SIRAHA, JAN 19 -
Senior Vice Chairman of the Madhesi Janadhikar Forum -Loktantrik Rameswor Raya Yadav has said Madhesi parties are actively engaged in forging unity among them to materialize the dreams of the martyrs.
Yadav who was in Lahan to observe the sixth Sacrifice Day of the Madhes movement, at a press meet on Saturday said talks were on and expressed the confidence that unity will be achieved soon.
Yadav who has also the responsibility of the party unity said there can be unity as their agenda is same and if unity is not forged, the Madhesh issues will be in the shadows.
He said his party was flexible to a large extent, but added they cannot forge the unity by taking MJF-Nepal Chairman Upendra Yadav as chairman because he has been already unsuccessful and his leadership will not be acceptable.
If unity not forged we can fight election of next CA through a front, he said.
Political consensus was lacking because of the anti-federalist forces, he said, adding everyone says NC and CPN-UML are anti federalist, and UCPN-Maoist is also the same in their essence. RSS
Posted on: 2013-01-19 10:32

Pakistani officer probing PM graft case found dead

ISLAMABAD, JAN 18 - A Pakistani officer investigating a corruption case against the prime minister was found dead in the country's capital Friday in what was likely an act of suicide, police said. The body of Kamran Faisal was found hanging from a ceiling fan in his room at a government dorm in Islamabad, according to senior police officer Bani Yamin. "Apparently it seems he committed suicide, but we are sending his body for autopsy to determine the cause of death," Yamin said. Faisal's death came days after the Supreme Court ordered the arrest of Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and 15 others in connection with an old corruption case that the officer was investigating. The prime minister was implicated in the case when he was minister of water and power. At the time, he oversaw the import of short-term power stations that cost the government millions of dollars but produced little energy. Ashraf has denied the charges against him. Faisal and another investigating officer of the National Accountability Bureau, Asghar Ali, played a main role in the graft probe until they were removed from the investigation weeks ago by Fasih Bokhari, the bureau chairman who was allegedly unhappy with their performance. Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the NAB to arrest Ashraf and 15 others involved in the case. But Bokhari, refused, saying he does not have sufficient evidence to arrest the prime minister. The refusal was seen as the latest clash between the government and the country's top court and has intensified the sense of political crisis in Pakistan. Bokhari said he needed more time to determine whether the premier should be arrested. The top court on Thursday adjourned the hearing in the case for next Wednesday.

Bus plunges into Trishuli, four killed

DHADING, JAN 18 - Four people have been killed when a passenger bus plunged into the 

Trisuli River on Friday morning. Other 31 have been injured in the accident. 

The bus (Na 4 Kha 6117) heading for the Capital from Birgunj met with an accident at Dhading-2, Bange along the Prithvi highway at around 4 this morning.

Among the injured, 12 have been undergoing treatment in the Capital and rest others at the Community Hospital at Gajuri, Banke. The identification of the deceased is yet to be ascertained.

According to police, the accident might have taken place after it tried to overtake another bus.

Prez says he prayed for a way-out of crisis

GULMI, JAN 14 - President Ram Baran has reiterated that there is no alternative to unity between the political parties for institutionalising the change brought about by the 2005 April movement. He noted that the Constituent Assembly failed to deliver the new constitution because of the mistakes on the part of political parties.

President Yadav said so while speaking at Ridi here in the district, where he arrived to take a holy bath in the Kaligandaki river at Ruru region on Monday. He said the political parties should unite to go for fresh elections.

"The sovereign Constituent Assembly (CA) expired because of our error," said the president. "The president's institution is still alive but the CA is obstructed and it is the responsibility of the political parties to unite for safeguarding the achievement of people's movement," he added. He suggested that all the political parties should come together for collective national interests.

Saying that it is his duty to coordinate with all the stakeholders for finding a solution to the crisis, the president expressed his commitment to do the same by remaining within constitutional boundary. "I have understood the country and its politics," said the president inaugurating the religious fair.

He said that people had to launch the 2005 movement because of the failure to institutionalise the change of past movements. The president said he prayed with a pure heart, after taking a holy dip in the Kaligandaki river, for a way-out in the interest of the nation.

After visiting the Ruru area, President Yadav said the holy site is rich in religious and cultural heritage and holds the prospects of being developing as a religious tourism site.

The president was accompanied by Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudel, his personal aide Lalit Basnet, daughter Anita and former Minister Pradeep Gyawali. 

२ बर्षीया बालिकालाई स्यालले खाएको आशंका

महोत्तरी, पुस २९ - शुक्रबारदेखि हराएकी २ बर्षीया बालिका को अर्ध शरीर आइतबार भेटिएको छ । महोत्तरी बेलगाछी गाविस १ का प्रमोदकुमार यादवकी छोरीको मृत शरीरको घरनजिकैको उखु बारीमा फेला परेको हो ।

छोरीलाई एक्लै छाडेर शुक्रबार काममा गएका दम्पतीले घर आउादा छोरी हराएको भनी प्रहरीलाई खबर गरेका थिए । आइतबार बालिका को अर्ध शरीर र कपडा उखुीबारीमा फेला परेको इलाका प्रहरी कार्यालय गौशालाका प्रहरी निरीक्षक जयनारायण मण्डलले जानकारी दिए ।

Bank stress tests suggest improvement

The latest stress tests of commercial banks carried out by the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) have shown some improvement compared to previous year’s results, especially due to the improvement in liquidity and capital adequacy indicators.

This is what the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) recent report based on the assessment of its article IV mission suggests. The IMF report says fewer banks are vulnerable to liquidity and credit shocks in 2012 compared to 2011.

Stress testing is a risk management tool used to evaluate the potential impact on a firm of a specific event and movement components like earning, liquidity and capital.

Citing the recent stress tests of commercial banks by the central bank, the IMF report said a standard credit shock would push the capital adequacy ratio of 20 among 32 commercial banks below the regulatory minimum. The number of such banks in 2011 was 22.

Standard credit shock has been defined as 15 percent performing loans deteriorating to substandard, 15 percent substandard loans deteriorating to doubtful, 25 percent doubtful loans deteriorating to loss and 5 percent of performing loans deteriorating to loss.

Likewise, the number of banks that may turn illiquid after five days of standard withdrawal shock is 14 in 2012 compared to 19 in 2011, according to the report. Standard withdrawal shock is the withdrawal of customer deposits by 2 percent and 5 percent in the first two days and 10 percent each in the following three consecutive days.

According to the report, commercial banks are more resilient to deposit withdrawal shocks, and to withdrawals by large individual and institutional depositors. It is mainly due to the improvement in liquidity on the back of strong remittance inflows, states the report.

Bankers say the report reflects the reality. NIC Bank CEO Sashin Joshi said the report shows the improvement is consistent with the measures taken by the central bank and the commercial banks to address credit and liquidity shocks. “Banks have increased their liquidity and capital adequacy ratio. I don’t think the banks will face major shock due to deterioration of asset quality and there will be a liquidity crisis like two years ago,” said Joshi.

According to Joshi, the central bank directive on managing an additional one percent capital in the capital adequacy ratio as buffer capital would also help absorb credit shocks. Currently, banks are required to maintain CAR at 10 percent and the central bank has directed them to keep an additional one percent as caution measure.

There is also a slight improvement in the response to credit shocks, particularly those calibrated to real estate loans, according to the report. In case of 25 percent of performing loans of real estate and housing sector is directly downgraded to loss loans, CAR of 11 commercial banks will come below the required 10 percent level.

The number of such banks in 2011 test was 15. The improvement is due to the decrease in banks’ loans to the realty sector over the last three years.

Commercial banks’ direct exposure to construction and real estate sectors has declined from 19.5 percent in 2009-2010 to around 16.5 percent in 2011-12. Indirect exposure through collaterals has also declined from 66 percent to 56 percent over the period. “The overall exposure is still high,” states the report.

Joshi, however, said with banks increasing provisioning of real estate loans, systemic risk is unlikely to happen even if the realty loans are defaulted.

The central bank also says the chances of BFIs’ exposure to realty sector affecting the system immediately are slim. “The lending to the realty sector has so far been managed well,” said NRB Deputy Governor Maha Prasad Adhikari. “A little more time is required for BFIs to be able to recover realty loans.”

He said the liquidity surplus is also unlikely to remain at last fiscal year’s level due to increased lending against deposits. “However, liquidity crisis like before looks unlikely.”

Hyundai launches Veloster

Laxmi Intercontinental — the sole authorised dealer of Hyundai four-wheelers in the country — launched the Hyundai Veloster coupe today.

Veloster is Hyundai’s brand-new entry-level sports car which features unique three door styling and high-tech communication systems including the seven-inch touch-screen display. Inspired by concept car design code named HND-3 styled at Hyundai’s Design and Technical Center at Namyang, South Korea, it was unveiled at the 2007 Seoul Motor Show.

The company invested $240.8 million in the car over a 40-month research and development period. The first impression when you look at this car is sleek, tough and sporty. Veloster combines design elements of a coupe and the functionality of a hatchback, while incorporating an additional passenger-side rear door for uncompromised rear-seat access.

The headlamps feature LEDs, projecting a bright, accurate beam focus onto the road ahead. A panoramic sunroof perfectly suits the energetic, active lifestyle of Veloster drivers, letting in plenty of light and fresh air.

A camera in the tailgate handle displays the view to the rear on the 7” LCD screen, to help with parking. Twin-barreled and tipped in chrome, this is sportiness at its most captivating.

The twin tip centre exhaust, stylishly shaped and built into the rear bumper, gives the Veloster an abundance of sporting character. And to add more, the unique 18” alloy wheel with painted inserts gives an aggressive presence on the road and provides personality and a custom touch. Despite its small size, highly-advanced 1.6L four-cylinder MPI Gamma D-CVVT engine generates 130 ps power @6300 rpm and comes with 6-speed automatic transmission.

With a dual airbag system as standard, the Veloster is fully equipped to protect its occupants in case of accidents. Combine this with passive safety measures that come into their own whenever the driving conditions demand, and reassurance is built in. Its showroom price is fixed at Rs 6,096,000 and is available in colours including white crystal, vitamin c, Veloster red, sunflower, sonic silver, sleek silver, phantom black, green apple, clean blue and blue ocean.

Fonepay to bring mobile wallet from January 21

KATHMANDU: Fonepay will bring a mobile wallet from January 21.

“A mobile payment switching system, Fonepay will work as a wallet for customers, who will be able to transfer money or pay for their purchase,” said Biswas Dhakal, who is president of F1 Soft International that has powered Fonepay.

The wallet — a uniquely designed platform — will facilitate customers of any bank and also the unbanked customer to pay nationally from Nabil Bank, Sunrise Bank and Machhapuchchhre Bank initially, according to chief executive of Fonepay Asgar Ali. “Within three months, we will have more than half a dozen banks as members.”

“A customer of one bank can pay a merchant acquired by another bank, with ‘Fonepay’,” he said, adding a customer, who receives money directly in the mobile phone, can deposit it to a bank account, cash out using any associated agent network, or utilise that amount for acquiring any service associated with Fonepay like merchant payment, utility payment, person to person transfer or can store it in the wallet account.

Powered by F1 Soft International — one of the finalists for the 2012 Red Herring Top 100 Asia Award — Fonepay will also facilitate international remittance to transfer remitted amount directly to a mobile phone.

“The company is also planning to pay interest on the amount accumulated in the wallet account,” Ali said, adding Fonepay targets to serve in national and international money transfer services with low cost and efficient services that will help channel more remittance due to cost reduction. One has to register with Fonepay to avail the service, which is easy, he added.

Currently, Fonepay has 22 member banks.

Tourism promotion

KATHMANDU: Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), along with five travel trade companies promoted Pashupatinath and Muktinath at the Travel and Trade Fair in Chennai, India, on January 4-6. Visited by more than 10,000 people, 1,000 travel trade companies and 150 media representatives, the fair provided a good platform for Nepal to promote Pashupatinath and Muktinath temples along with other leisure destinations and activities keeping in view the upcoming summer holidays in Tamil Nadu in particular and south India in general. — HNS

Nepali shoe house

KATHMANDU: Local footwear manufactures that had teamed up and launched a showroom showcasing Nepali branded shoes at Naach Ghar, Jamal has completed 100 days since opening its doors to customers on Monday. On the occasion, it is giving a discount of 10 per cent on the purchase of Nepali branded shoes. The companies that have teamed up to keep their products under a single roof include Shikhar, BF Dear Hill, Sky, Koseli, Cross Road, Leather Wings, Takura and Foot Land. The firms hope it will help them promote their latest offerings and the local leather industry as a whole. — HNS

Frame centre opens

KATHMANDU: CB Mount and Framing Center has officially started business operations from Buddhanagar, Kathmandu. The centre has started providing services including photo framing, garland framing, liquid lamination, and glossy and matte lamination, it said, adding that it has imported the latest technology for top quality framing. The newly opened centre will provide any kind of photo related solutions, it added. — HNS

Kalyan holds AGM

KATHMANDU: Kalyan Saving and Credit Co-operative hosted its 13th annual general meeting (AGM) under its chairman Lila Bahadur Gurung, with former energy minister Gokarna Bista and member of board of directors at National Co-operative Bank Ram Sharan Ghimire as chief guests. Speaking on the occasion, Gurung said the cooperative was able to collect share capital worth Rs 50.015 million, deposit worth Rs 420.41 million and floated loans worth Rs 390.50. It posted an operating profit of Rs 10.68 million and its business transactions excluding bad loans and other funds of Rs 50.95 million was at Rs 610.83 million during the last fiscal year, Gurung said. — HNS

Laos to join WTO

KATHMANDU: Laos informed the World Trade Organisation (WTO) that it has ratified its membership agreement. With Laos ratification of WTO, Laos will officially become the WTO’s 158th member on February 2, under the global trade regime procedures. The membership deal was approved by the WTO General Council on October 26. Laos’ chief negotiator industry and commerce minister Nam Viyaketh and WTO director-general Pascal Lamy signed the Protocol of Accession immediately afterwards, ending 15 years of negotiations. — HNS

Buddha Air expands

KATHMANDU: Buddha Air started a daily flight to Surkhet from Thursday. The company will increase the number of flights to the new destination if demand picks up in the coming days, it said, adding that it is the only domestic airline company to fly to Surkhet. Buddha has fixed the time for Kathmandu-Surkhet flight

at 1:45pm and Surkhet-Kathmandu flight at 3:10pm. The airline has fixed the price of a one-way flight at

Rs 9,190. Buddha Air is the only private domestic airline company to fly to both domestic and international

destinations. — HNS

NEA trade unions agitated

 Trade unions at the Nepal Electricity Authority have announced a four-week protest against the January 3 government decision to upgrade the capacity of Upper Trishuli 3A. All five trade unions said the government had made the ‘illegal’ decision with the intention of causing to the power monopoly losses worth billions.

Organising a press conference, the unions said the decision decreases the NEA’s income in proportion to investment and results in losses

of millions of units of electricity by delaying power generation by three years.

The unions have repeatedly said the China Gezhouba

Group Company Limited tasked with developing the power

project had pressed for the decision and it was not in the interest of the NEA. They had also submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai asking him not to go for project upgradation.

At a press meet, the unions said they plan to expose the racket involved in the capacity upgradation in the coming week. As part of their protest, NEA employees will wear black arm bands and launch a signature campaign against the upgradation, the unions informed. The staff will also stage a one-hour pendown in the third week at the NEA headquarters office in Ratnapark. And in the fourth week, the unions will resort to a strike in NEA offices across the country for two hours save in power houses, substations, counters, no light and emergency services. The employees have threatened to disrupt NEA’s services if the government does not roll back the decision even after a month.

The government had award the project on EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Constructing) model to the Chinese company in 2010 through

NT pays Rs 2.5b renewal fee in first instalment

Nepal Telecom (NT) has paid Rs 2.5 billion, the first instalment of licence renewal fee, to the government. The NT board, about two weeks ago, had decided to pay the renewal fee in eight instalments as prescribed by the government. The board had decided to pay the first instalment after Ncell, the private sector mobile service provider, paid the same amount of money in the first instalment on December 21 last year. As per the conditions required to operate the GSM mobile service, the state-owned company has to pay the government Rs 20.13 billion for renewing its licence.

“We paid the first instalment on Tuesday,” said Guna Kesari Pradhan, NT spokesperson. She said the Telecom would be clearing the dues annually in the remaining seven instalments. Of the total, NT now owes the government around Rs 18 billion in renewal fee for operating the GSM mobile service for 10 years (1999-2009).

NT had disbursed Rs 189 million four years ago when the Nepal Telecom munications Authority (NTA) renewed its licence “provisionally” under pressure from NT and its trade unions. Similarly, Ncell will have to pay remaining Rs 17.63 billion within the next seven years.

The NTA had directed both NT and Ncell to pay the renewal fee in instalments as per the provision set by the government. Based on the recommendation of Minister for Information and Communications Raj Kishor Yadav-led taskforce, the Financial and Infrastructure Committee of the Cabinet in September last year had decided to collect committed royalty and licence renewal fees from telecom operators on eight-year instalment basis. Following this decision, the Communications Ministry and the NTA had directed NT and Ncell to pay the renewal fee as the conditions require them to renew their operating licenses after 10 years. NT’s licence for the first 10 years had expired in 2009 and Ncell’s is expiring in 2014.

An official at the NTA said though it was late, the telecommunications authority was successful in collecting renewal fee partially from NT who was supposed to pay all Rs 20.13 billion four years ago. “Earlier, NT and Ncell had been pointing fingers at each other to pay the fee first,” said the official.

The instalment provision had made it easier for another operator United Telecom Limited (UTL) too for clearing the dues to the government. Immediately after the Cabinet decision, it had paid the first instalment of the committed royalty of Rs 204.18 million to get its licence renewed. According to the NTA, with the payment of the first instalment, UTL now has to pay the committed royalty dues of Rs 1.42 billion.

LED there be light

Although their low energy consumption made LEDs ideal for diesel and solar-powered lighting in Nepal, they were just too expesnve.

Not any more. Prices of LEDs (light emitting diodes) have come down dramatically, and with Nepal's energy crisis here to stay, these high-tech fixtures have become affordable for home, office, and factory lighting.

Nepal made the switch from incandescent and fluorescent tubes to CFLs some five years ago, but LEDs save even more energy and money. In an LED bulb, electrons hit holes within the device to create electroluminescence, and depending on the quality of LED lights they last up to 40,000 hours - four times more than fluorescent tubes and 10 times longer than incandescent lights.LED bulbs were initially used in rural electrification but are now becoming popular in cities as well.

Illuminium in Kupondole which introduced customised LED lighting three years ago has seen a steady rise in customers with large corporate houses to restaurants and hotels (see box) eager to make the switch from CFL to LED.

"The leap from CFL to LED hasn't been as swift and massive as the switch from incandescent bulbs to CFL, but the demand for LED lights has definitely increased," says Anil Karki of Illuminium, who urges that LEDs be arranged sensibly around the home or office to take maximum advantage of the interior.

What has deterred many Nepalis to adopt LEDs so soon after switching to CFL, however, is the cost of the bulbs. Lighting companies believe it will still take some more years for individual households to join the LED revolution.