CA polls in November

A top-level meeting of the eight parties Thursday agreed to hold elections to constituent assembly (CA polls) in the third week of November and asking the Electoral Constituency Delineation Commission (ECDC) to review its report.

The meeting decided that Prime Minister will fix the exact elections date after consultations with the Election Commission (EC). Earlier the CA polls scheduled for mid-June was postponed after the EC expressed its inability of holding it due to lack of legislations and other preparations.

According to Janamorcha Nepal leader Amik Sherchan, the CPN-UML however objected to the decision of extending the term of the commission. Likewise, Maoists wrote note of decent on the decision to hold CA polls in November. The Nepal Sadbhawana Party wrote a note of decent on today’s decision, demanding that a fully proportional electoral system should be adopted for the CA polls.

Likewise, the meeting agreed to formulate all necessary laws for CA polls within two weeks.

The meeting had, as per the recommendations by the taskforce, decided to ask the ECDC led by former Supreme Court judge Arjun Prasad Singh to review its report in view of growing demands by Madhesi MPs to annul it. The Madhesi MPs have been stalling the parliament by putting forth this demand.

India to clarify its stance on Bhutanese refugee within 15 days

Officials of Nepal and India have reached three points agreement on the Bhutanese refugees participating on voluntary repatriation campaign.

In the meeting held between the officials of both of the country, India has agreed to release 15 refugees arrested from the demonstration on Tuesday. It also agreed to come up with clear stance of central government of India regarding the movement of Bhutanese refugee within 15 days.

In the talks, Nepali team was led by Chief District Officer of Jhapa, Jaya Mukunda Khanal accompanied by refugee leaders Balaram Paudel and Thinle Penjor among other. Similarly, Police Chief RS Nalba and officials from Darjeeling were present from Indian side.

Bhutanese refugees have been staging sit in on Mechi Bridge. The refugee staged sit in at the boarder as Indian police restricted them while they were trying to inter India to return homeland on Tuesday.

Bhutanese refugees who have been staying in Kathmandu also staged sit in front of Indian embassy protesting Indian atrocity over Bhutanese refugees. More than 10 million of Bhutanese refugees who have launched long march for repatriation have been barred to go ahead by Indian police. One refugee was killed on Tuesday when Indian police opened fire at participants of long march.

Meanwhile, following the talks, Bhutanese refugees on Wednesday called off their Long March for voluntary repatriation.

Blizzard kills at least 16 people in Dolpa, many go missing

At least 16 people have been killed and more than one hundred and half have gone missing in a blizzard in Taitung of kaigaun VDC of Dolpa district. The incident occurred Saturday night.

Heavy snowfall on Saturday night buried the people who were sheltering in the tents in course of collecting Yarchagumba, a kind of medicinal herbs.

A report quoted Indra Chaudhari, Assistant Sub Inspector at Dunai Police Station as saying that the team of Yarchagumba gatherers had set up tents at Taitung Lake since the last few days when a blizzard buried them under a blanket of snow and stranded them.

Nanku Budha who arrived at Area Police Office of Kaigaun VDC from Tangtyange Lekh Tueaday morning reported to police about the incident.

According to DSP Naresh Man Shrestha of Mid-western regional police office Surkhet the deceased have been identified as Lal Bahadur Budha, Dhanrupa Budha of Sarmi VDC 9, Deep Bahadur Budha, Bir Bahadur Budha, Khadag Budha, Laxmi Chand Budha, Pati Budha, Dil Bahadur Budha, Amrita Budha, Madhav Budha of Sarmi VDC 8, Rup Dhan Rokay, Ganga Devi Rokaya, Nandawati Rokaya, Lagani Rokaya, Sarina Rokaya of Sarmi VDC 6 and Nanda Kurala of Sarmi VDC 2.

Home Ministry spokesperson Baman Prasad Neupane said that rescue teams in helicopters had already been sent to the site of the mishap to rescue the survivors.

Though the trade of Yarshagumba (Cordyceps sinensis), that grows in the high meadows in the western Himalayan region of Nepal, is banned, it has an international market price of Rs. 250,000 per kg.

A majority of the rural poor and marginalized people from the high mountain areas of the Mid and Far Western Development Regions depend on these herbs for a partial income and health care with large gathering parties scouring the mountainside around this time every year.

Police and Bhutanese refugees clash in Beldangi; curfew clamped

Indefinite curfew has been clamped in Beldangi, Jhapa Monday after a clash that ensued between police and the agitating Bhutanese refugees – following the death of a refugee in a clash with the police personnel Sunday.

According to reports, at least seventeen persons including eleven policemen were injured today as clashes continued between the refugees and the police personnel.

Defying the crew, protesting refugees have continued their demonstrations.

Although the police has been firing shots in the air and shooting tear gas shells to disperse the crowd, the agitators have already marched in front of the Armed Police base camp. The police force, overwhelmed by the size of the crowd, has been unable to check the crowd's movement.

Although the local administration and police had called the agitating side for talks, the later had declined the offer.

Nara Pati Dhungel, 17, was killed Sunday when police opened fire in ‘self-defence’ after the refugees attacked a police team that had gone to the camp after receiving information that refugees were engaged in a fight.

Earlier, a clash had ensued between the police and the refugees when the former had gone to rescue Beldangi-2 camp secretary Hari Adhikari Bagale—who had been taken in to custody by the refugees for making controversial remarks in favour of resettlement in a third country that left one dead.

The agitators are also demanding that Bagale—who is currently taking shelter in the Armed Police base camp—be handed over to them.

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