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Enhancing capacity of least developed countries to participate effectively in intergovernmental climate change

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Kathmandu — Least developed countries face severe socioeconomic and environmental problems that threaten sustainable development. These problems include inadequate financing for facilitating better and environmentally friendly technological innovations, insufficient technical capacity to develop green structures and equipment, and ecosystem degradation, among others. Climate change is likely to deprive large sections of populations living in least developed countries of their livelihoods, hence increasing the probability that communities will remain in poverty, a press note from UN climate reads.

To mitigate these threats, engagement of least developed countries in intergovernmental climate change negotiations is of paramount importance. It requires their greater involvement in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change processes, decision-making and implementation of decisions, to bring about sustainable solutions to the climate change challenges.

Currently, many international decisions on climate change policies are being made and implemented without adequate participation from the least developed countries. This is because their negotiators often have insufficient technical capacity and resources to effectively represent their countries in these processes. In order to close this gap, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is committed to building the capacities of Member States to be effectively involved in negotiation.

In October 2019, UNEP held a capacity building workshop in Timor-Leste to share knowledge and information with the country’s negotiators that would fast-track the process of building coalitions with other treaty parties, to further boost the country’s voice in large environmental negotiation and coordination settings. The negotiators were taken through basic negotiation steps such as: ways of finding official documents, how to read annotations and steps for developing a reference list, as part of preparations for engagement.

In Nepal, UNEP and the Ministry of Forest and Environment held a similar national workshop in October 2019. The workshop enhanced the understanding of Nepal’s negotiators on the key aspects of negotiations, options for presenting a country’s position on a treaty, key elements of briefing notes, Nepal’s climate change coordination mechanisms and climate change negotiation blocs, amongst others.

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank to grant $112.3m to Nepal

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Kathmandu— The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has agreed to provide a sovereign-backed loan of $112.3m to Nepal to increase electricity access in the country.

The loan will be used by the country to finance its Distribution System Upgrade and Expansion project. It is expected to increase electricity access and improve the quality of the electricity supplied across the country’s western regions, Power-technology magazine writes.

AIIB vice-president and chief investment officer DJ Pandian said: “AIIB’s investment gives much-needed financing to provide affordable, reliable and modern energy, especially in rural areas where people lack basic infrastructure.”

Although 78% of the country’s population has access to grid electricity, around 22% of the population located in the hilly and rural areas of western Nepal does not have complete access.

The project will focus on constructing 21 primary substations and over 2,000km of supply lines across 13 districts in Provinces 5 and 6 (Karnali Pradesh).

 

The project is also reported to be the first to receive AIIB’s technical assistance under the Special Fund, which has backed the project preparation from the ‘very early stage’.

Pandian added: “This project will help provide more than half a million people with new or improved access to electricity.

“By investing in Nepal’s energy sector, we hope to encourage further infrastructure investment in the country, which will support Nepal’s efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals and drive economic growth, employment opportunities and poverty alleviation.”

In June, AIIB agreed to provide financial support for the Upper Trishuli-1 hydropower project in Nepal.

Sajid Javid announces Andrew Bailey as the new governor of the Bank of England

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London— Andrew Bailey will become the 121st governor of the Bank of England, chancellor Sajid Javid announced on Friday, capping his long career at the central bank and in financial regulation with the top job.

Mr Bailey won the race to succeed Mark Carneyand embark on an eight-year term at the helm of the BoE after a selection process that has dragged on for almost two years and been overshadowed by Brexit, the Financial Times reports .

Mr Javid said Mr Bailey was the “standout candidate” for governor who “emerged from the financial crisis with his reputation enhanced”.

In a statement, Andrew Bailey said: “It is a tremendous honour to be chosen as Governor of the Bank of England and to have the opportunity to serve the people of the United Kingdom, particularly at such a critical time for the nation as we leave the European Union.

“The Bank has a very important job and, as Governor, I will continue the work that Mark Carney has done to ensure that it has the public interest at the heart of everything it does.

“It is important to me that the Bank continues to work for the public by maintaining monetary and financial stability and ensuring that financial institutions are safe and sound.

“I am committed to the Bank being an accessible and approachable institution, as well as an open and diverse place to work.

Mr Bailey, aged 60, is currently chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the City watchdog.

According to BBC,  Mr Bailey has spent almost the entirety of his career at the Bank of England, which he joined in 1985.

He has held a number of roles including chief cashier, which meant that his signature appeared on all bank notes issued by the Bank of England.

Mr Bailey was chief cashier during the financial crisis.

Mr Bailey was also a deputy governor and head of the Bank’s prudential regulation division, before joining the FCA as its chief executive in 2016.

Nepal government’s Proposed process for climbers on Mount Everest

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Reuters – – The Nepal government has proposed changes to its permit process for climbers on Mount Everest following the deaths of eleven climbers this year. The proposals, and associated criticisms, include:

– Climbers must submit proof of having scaled at least one 6,500m peak in Nepal. Critics argue limiting the provision to Nepal makes no sense.

– Climbers must produce a certificate of good health. Critics say it is easy to forge such certificates or find a compliant doctor.

– Guides must have three years of experience organizing high-altitude climbs. Critics say so many Sherpas can claim such experience that virtually all outfitters will qualify.

Nepalese chemist Achyut Adhikari Wins UNESCO Atta-ur-Rahman award

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TWAS—  Nepalese chemist Achyut Adhikari is the recipient of the 2019 Atta-ur-Rahman Award in Chemistry. He won the award for his work using natural products chemistry in Nepal isolating compounds in regional plants that can be put to use in medicine or commercial products.

He trained in Pakistan for his Ph.D. and Brazil as a postdoctoral researcher, and then spent eight years in Pakistan on the job, developing his knowledge and skills. He then went back to his home country of Nepal about two-and-a-half years ago and established a natural products research lab. There, his work focuses on local plants and spices, seeking everything from medically useful compounds to items that could advance Nepal’s profile on the global market.

“When I was in Pakistan, my aim was different: I concentrated on drug discovery for diabetes and cancer and such,” he said. “When I returned to Nepal my focus had changed. We don’t have sophisticated labs, so we can’t do deep research. But I want to concentrate on developing products from, say, ginger and cinnamon. These plants are common in Nepal and have a cheap price. But with the research, I can develop techniques and get a better price. It’s science for society.”

One example is a bushy plant called the winger prickly ash that also grows in Nepal and can be used to extract compounds that promote insulin secretion, he said.

“Many people still depend on traditional plants, so we’re trying to do some scientific verification of these traditionally used plants,” he said.

Another medically useful plant is a conifer called the English Yew that is found in Nepal’s mountains. Researchers want to extract a compound which can be easily converted into existing anti-cancer drug called Taxol from its small, thin leaves. If they can isolate the compound and start producing it, they could start selling it on the international market.

Adhikari is also working on other Nepali products, some of which are relevant to health-conscious consumers. “We have cinnamon, ginger, and Nepali pepper,” he said. “Nepali pepper has already got attention.”

It’s common for Nepalese people to mix Nepali pepper into their chutney. People consider it useful, he said, because it’s said to help with diabetes – and he has isolated the insulin-generating compound within it. It’s also useful for blood-pressure control, liver protection, to prevent tooth decay, as well as against oral and prostate cancer.

He is also researching how to process oil from local ginger. The goal is to start exporting ginger oil from Nepal to Western countries.

Nepal currently exports ginger to India for a cheap price, but India is currently the only country they sell it to. So if India decides to not buy any ginger for a year, their harvest goes to waste. However, if Nepal can start an industry harvesting ginger oil, they’ll have a whole new product they can reliably sell every year to Europe and the United States, where there is a large demand.

“Now I am extracting ginger oil from different districts of Nepal, and sending them for testing in a lab in the United States to find out which ginger is good,” he said. “We have different varieties, and their oil composition and chemical profile change according to the altitude.”The oil also needs to be free of pesticide residue, which is a large problem for plants in Nepal. So pesticide analysis is part of his work.

Adhikari is supervising 2 PhD students and ten master’s students at the Central Department of Chemistry of Tribhuvan University in Kirtipur, Nepal. They work in different fields – some on ginger, some on medicinal plants, and some on pesticide residue. He is also consulting local essential oil industries that extract and export oils of aromatic plants, and his master’s students collaborate with the companies on their research.

“I am trying to teach students, collaborating with industries, lobbying with governments to add value in medicinal plants of Nepal,” he said.

Since Nepal spares little money for scientific research, Adhikari’s lab has partnerships in Japan, India, Sri Lanka and the United States for analysis of samples.

He said the award will inspire him to do more research, and help him convince the government to invest in research. “I am so happy to receive this award,” he added, “because Prof. Atta-ur-Rahaman is my teacher as well as role model and I learned most of these things from him.”

“My research work will help for the standardization of Nepali herbal and aromatic products,” he added. “After that, the products will get marketed in Europe and America.”

From : https://twas.org

HSBC bank accounts for homeless people

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London — HSBC has teamed up with charities Shelter and Crisis to offer homeless people a basic bank account without the need for photo ID or proof of address.

Banks typically require photo ID, such as a passport or drivers licence, as well as proof of address, such as a council tax or energy bill, to open an account but with the new HSBC service, the charity’s address can be used instead.

According to Shelter, up to 320,000 people are facing homelessness across the UK. Having a bank account can make it easier to claim benefits, receive wages and pay rent.

UK to introduce Australian-style point-based immigration system

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London—After securing an impressive victory in the elections held last week, the Conservative government led by Boris Johnson is to introduce the Australian-style points-based immigration system from 2021, reports said quoting officials.

What is Australian immigration system ?

The Australian immigration system has been designed to allow people into the UK  who the government believes will contribute to the economy and fill skills shortages.

Skilled worker visas are available to people if they score enough points across a number of categories in a points-based assessment with 60 the magic number, the Daily Mail reported.

One of the key categories is age, with all applicants having to be under 50.

Younger applicants are automatically awarded 30 points while those approaching the age of 50 get zero, making it much harder for them to be accepted.

Another key category is the ability to read and write English to a satisfactory level. Points are awarded to people who are particularly ‘proficient’ while even more are awarded to those deemed ‘superior’.

Then there are qualifications and skilled employment history. This is where people must get most of their points from.

For example, five years of skilled work outside Australia is worth 10 points and a PHD qualification receives 20 points.

The Tory government is going to introduce the Immigration and Social Security Co-ordination (EU Withdrawal) Bill which will formally stop free movement and allow the government to replace existing border control measures.

Eating chillies four times a week ‘reduces risk of death from a heart attack’

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A new study claims eating chilli peppers can help lower the risk of a fatal heart attack.

Regular consumption of the spicy item is associated with a reduction of death risk for cardiac and cerebrovascular causes.

People who eat chilli peppers four times a week have a mortality risk for every cause reduced by 23%, compared with those who do not, according to the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.

A total of 22,811 citizens of the Molise region, in Italy, participated in the study and over a follow-up period of around eight years, scientists found the risk of dying of a heart attack was reduced by 40% in those who regularly ate the fruit.

Marialaura Bonaccio, epidemiologist at Neuromed in Pozzilli, Italy, said: “An interesting fact is that protection from mortality risk was independent of the type of diet people followed.

“In other words, someone can follow the healthy Mediterranean diet, someone else can eat less healthily, but for all of them chilli pepper has a protective effect.”

Licia Iacoviello, director of the department of epidemiology and prevention, said: “Chilli pepper is a fundamental component of our food culture. We see it hanging on Italian balconies, and even depicted in jewels.

“Over the centuries, beneficial properties of all kinds have been associated with its consumption, mostly on the basis of anecdotes or traditions, if not magic.

“It is important now that research deals with it in a serious way, providing rigour and scientific evidence.

“And now, as already observed in China and in the United States, we know that the various plants of the capsicum species, although consumed in different ways throughout the world, can exert a protective action towards our health.”

However, Dr Duane Mellor, registered dietitian and senior teaching fellow at Aston University, wasn’t quite so convinced.

He said: “This is an interesting paper exploring potential associations between chilli consumption and risk of heart disease and stroke.

“It does not show a causal link, and hints that those who were following a more traditional Mediterranean diet seemed to benefit less than those not following this type of diet.

“This could suggest it is how chillies are used as part of an overall dietary pattern and lifestyle.
“It is plausible people who use chillies, as the data suggests, also used more herbs and spices, and as such likely to be eating more fresh foods including vegetables.

“So, although chillies can be a tasty addition to our recipes and meals, any direct effect is likely to be small and it is more likely that it makes eating other healthy foods more pleasurable.”

E-commerce can become a driver of growth across South Asia:World Bank

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New Delhi — E-commerce can become a driver of growth across South Asia and boost trade among the region’s countries, but its potential remains largely untapped, says a new World Bank report.

This report, Unleashing E-Commerce for South Asian Integration, notes that although e-commerce has grown significantly in South Asia, online sales accounted for a mere 1.6 per cent and 0.7 per cent of total retail sales in India and Bangladesh, compared to 15 per cent in China and around 14 per cent globally, the Business Line writes.

Increasing the use of e-commerce by consumers and firms in South Asia could potentially help boost competition and firm productivity, and encourage diversification of production and exports, the report added.

Like the European Union’s Digital Single market proposal, South Asia could aspire to have a regionally integrated Business-to-Consumer (B2C) e-commerce market, the report suggested.

“E-commerce can boost a range of economic indicators across South Asia, from entrepreneurship and job growth to higher GDP rates and overall productivity,” said Sanjay Kathuria, World Bank Lead Economist and co-author of the report.

“By unleashing its online trade potential, South Asia can better integrate into international value chains, increase its market access, and strengthen commercial linkages between countries across the region.”

Reacting to the report, Bipul Chatterjee of CUTS International said that e-commerce can be a good platform for further integration of South Asia. “The report deals with the entire ecosystem around e-commerce, and hence can be looked at as a framework for future regional integration,” he said.

A survey of over 2,200 firms in South Asia showed that the top concerns on cross-border e-commerce sales included e-commerce related logistics, e-commerce and digital regulations, and connectivity and information technology infrastructure. These barriers are significantly higher when trading with other South Asian countries.

The main international e-partners of firms in South Asia are China, the UK, and the US, and not other South Asian countries.

Small and medium enterprises in the region reported that removing regulatory and logistical challenges to e-commerce would increase their exports, employment, and productivity by as much as 30 per cent.

Reforms proposed

To overcome these hurdles, the report proposes reforms in areas such as payments, delivery, market access regulations, consumer protection, and data privacy, at the national, regional, and global levels. “Some practical steps to strengthen online transactions include leveraging the reputation of large e-commerce platforms to offer consumer protection, return and redress, and data security as an initial substitute for robust contractual and consumer protection mechanisms, and permitting cross-border e-commerce payments,” said Arti Grover, World Bank Senior Economist and co-author of the report.

The report also suggests an incremental approach to taking these steps, if necessary, in order to build confidence.

“While cross-border trade within South Asia represents only 5 per cent of the region’s total trade, e-commerce has the potential to stimulate regional trade by bridging the gap between buyers and sellers on different sides of national borders,” said Viviana Perego, World Bank Agriculture Economist and co-author of the report.

And apart from firms, consumers in South Asia stand to gain significantly from the potential reduction in costs and availability of a greater variety of e-traded goods and services, the report says.

Over 300 youths participate in 1st Chinese singing competition in Nepal

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KATHMANDU, Xinhua — Defeating around 300 contenders, 26-year-old Dorjee Sherpa became the winner of the first edition of the “Chinese Singing Competition” 2019 held in Nepal.

The grand finale of the musical competition, organized by China Media Group in association with Nepali media partners, was held in Kathmandu on Monday amid the presence of Chinese Ambassador to Nepal Hou Yanqi and other dignitaries.

A total of 10 Nepali youths performed in the final round. While Sherpa was announced the winner, Pemba Gyalpo Sherpa and Nima Yangchen won the second the third place.

“It was quite unexpected, but I am very happy to win the competition. I performed two Chinese songs today, which means go fly high and I just met you. I prepared for one whole week for the final performance,” Sherpa told Xinhua after his victory.

Sherpa, who studied for diploma in hospitality management in China for a year in 2016, shared that he had also won a similar award in a local competition in China.

“Though Chinese language is a bit difficult, Chinese music is very beautiful. I want to continue singing Chinese songs in the future as well,” Sherpa, who runs a business in Kathmandu, added.

The selection of the winners was done by seven special jury members comprising both Nepali and Chinese professionals.

Addressing the closing ceremony, Prakash Babu Paudel, chairman of the competition management board, said that such events are important to enhance friendship between peoples of the two countries.

Noting that Chinese language has gained worldwide popularity in recent years, he said the show could contribute to promoting Chinese music, art and culture.

First national dialogue on forecast-based financing in Nepal

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Kathmandu —The first national dialogue platform on forecast-based financing in Nepal was held in Kathmandu at the end of November, organized by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Nepal Red Cross Society (NRCS) and the World Food Programme, Red Cross Climate Centre writes.

FbF was first piloted in Nepal by the NRCS in 2018 with a project for 80 households near the River Babai in Bardiya district.

The area suffers flood damage every year during the monsoon; in the 2017 season more than 100,000 people were affected.

The 2018 project included an introduction for local government and the NRCS district chapter on the FbF approach, planning, fieldwork such as mapping alternative access routes to affected areas, and confirmation of evacuation sites together with the authorities.

Simulation

This year a new FbF project was piloted in the same Babai basin, applying a new approach recommended by the Climate Centre after a feasibility study based on lessons learned from the 2018 project.

It targeted all 17 wards judged to be at risk of floods, potentially supporting up to 500 of the most vulnerable households.

The Red Cross collected information on the situation on these communities by mapping accessibility, risks, evacuation routes and sites, and emergency equipment suppliers.

Community volunteers and authorities were also trained on FbF methodology, first aid, emergency shelter and watsan.

Nepal’s new FbF approach incorporates a ten-day readiness trigger, which activates preparations for planned activities, and a seven-day activation trigger that launches them.

In the Babai region the former only was reached in July, and a simulation exercise was undertaken in September to test and refine the system.

Trigger mechanism

After heavy floods elsewhere in the country this year, the NRCS is collecting data in two other basins, the Rapti and Karnali rivers, and it’s hoped FbF next year will cover total of 72 wards in the three river basins.

“We are pleased to be researching an innovative disaster response mechanism in Nepal,” said Under Secretary Shambhu Prasad Regmi from the National Emergency Operation Center during the dialogue platform.

The hope now is that the forecasting technology available in Nepal can be improved from its current three-day window.

Currently, the FbF trigger mechanism is supported by international forecasts in addition to the national one. “We need to be able to invest more in hardware,” Regmi added.

Volunteers prepared temporary toilets for evacuated people during the September 2019 simulation. Preparation for FbF response included training of volunteers and local authorities, supplier mapping and data collection. (Photo: Anne-Sophie Petri/Danish Red Cross)

15 Indian-origin MPs elected to the British parliament

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London — British Asian candidates from both the Conservative and Labour parties have demonstrated strong results in the UK’s general election, with around a dozen MPs retaining their seats alongside some new faces.

Fifteen Indian-origin MPs are among 65 non-whites elected to the new 650-member House of Commons on Friday, reflecting 10 per cent of its strength and making it ethnically the most diverse house in British political history.

The last House had 52 MPs from non-white backgrounds, reflecting progressive growth over the decades, building on efforts by various parties and stakeholders to make the British parliament more representative of its population, Hindustan Times newspaper reported.

Conservative party clinched a victory with a solid majority in Thursday’s election, setting the UK on course for an exit from the European Union (EU) in the New Year.

Most of the British Asian MPs from the previous Parliament were successful in clinching their seats, with Gagan Mohindra and Claire Coutinho for the Conservative Party and Navendru Mishra for Labour among the first-timers.

“UK growth has been held back by Brexit uncertainty for too long – but this election result and our Deal ends that. We are unleashing Britain’s potential.

” Sajid Javid expressed his views through twitter after the election result.

“Time to Get Brexit Done and get on with investing in our schools, hospitals and police to keep our streets safe,” said Goan-origin Coutinho, in reference to the central Conservative Party message which clearly resonated with the voters in the polls.

Tories to return to the Commons with comfortable wins include Sajid Javid, Chancellor of the Exchequer and

Priti Patel, the Home Secretary who are likely to remain in Johnson’s top team in the new Cabinet.

“This has been a hard-fought election in a very cold time of the year because we needed a functioning Conservative majority,” said Patel, who polled 32,876 votes at her Witham constituency in Essex and held on to a majority of 24,082 for the party.

“We are committed to deliver on priorities and getting Brexit done is a priority. The deal is there, we want to move forward,” she said.

Her fellow Cabinet colleagues in the previous Johnson-led government also had a good night, with Rishi Sunak, the son-in-law of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy, clinching 36,693 votes, marking a majority for the Tories of 27,210. Alok Sharma, the former international development minister, polled 24,393 votes to win from Reading West.

Shailesh Vara won his North West Cambridgeshire seat with a solid majority of 25,983, polling 40,307 votes and the Goan-origin, Suella Braverman, clinched Fareham with 36,459 votes, registering a majority of 26,086.

The pro-Brexit MP thanked her constituency team for their unstinting support and hard work.

“Great teamwork in the rain, the cold and the dark! All patriots who want to Get Brexit Done with Boris Johnson,” she tweeted soon after the result was declared.

The Labour Party had a disastrous night overall, losing key seats in its heartlands in the north, but for all the British Asian MPs from the last Parliament there was a reason to celebrate.

Navendru Mishra bagged 21,695 votes to clinch the Stockport seat and become a first-time MP for the party. Preet Kaur Gill, who had made history in the last election as the first British Sikh female MP, was re-elected from Birmingham Edgbaston with 21,217 votes.

Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi, the first turbaned Sikh MP, will also return to the Commons with an impressive 13,640 majority, having polled 29,421 votes from Slough in south-east England and beating Tory Indian-origin rival Kanwal Toor Gill.

Veteran labour MP Virendra Sharma, who had been under pressure by forces within his own party, had a comfortable win from Ealing Southall with 25,678 votes. The others holding on to their seats included Lisa Nandy who won Wigan with 21,042 votes and Seema Malhotra clinched Feltham and Heston with 24,876 votes.

Valerie Vaz, the sister of scandal-hit former MP Keith Vaz who had stepped down ahead of the election, held on to her Walsall South seat with 20,872 votes, beating Tory candidate Gurjit Bains.

The far-right Brexit Party, which had fielded a number of Indian-origin candidates, failed to make a dent in the election, which marked the biggest win for the Conservatives since the 1980s.

 

 

Pakistan court hands death penalty to former president Pervez Musharraf

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Islamabad — A court in Pakistan on Tuesday sentenced former president Pervez Musharraf to death for high treason, giving its judgment on charges relating to the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007, reported the Dawn newspaper.

 

Musharraf, 74, ruled Pakistan from 1999 to 2008 and lives in Dubai in self-imposed exile. The previous Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the former army chief in 2013 over the imposition of an extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007, which led to the confinement of a number of superior court judges in their houses and sacking of over 100 judges.

 

The trial in the high-profile treason case has not seen much progress since Musharraf left for Dubai in March 2016 after his name was removed from the no-fly list.

Musharraf is said to be suffering from Amyloidosis, a rare condition for which he has been admitted to a hospital, news agency PTI reported in October 2019.

Soldier to president

As army chief, Musharraf orchestrated the brief, high-altitude “Kargil conflict” in Kashmir that almost took Pakistan to war with its arch-rival India.

When he ousted Nawaz Sharif as prime minister in 1999, many Pakistanis celebrated the end of an economically disastrous administration.

Musharraf won a five-year term as president in a 2002 referendum, but reneged on promises to quit as army chief until late 2007.

He aligned with the United States after the September 11 attacks of 2001, earning international praise for trying to tackle Taliban and Al-Qaeda militants and for presiding over a period of record economic growth.

 

He faced no serious challenges until he tried to sack the chief justice in March 2007, sparking nationwide protests and months of turmoil that led to the imposition of a state of emergency.

After the December 2007 assassination of Bhutto, the national mood soured further and he was left isolated by the crushing losses suffered by his allies in February 2008 elections.

In August 2008, he finally resigned in the face of impeachment proceedings by the new governing coalition, going into exile until his ill-starred homecoming in 2013, exiling himself once more three years later.

27,000 Trees chopped in Nepal For Nijgadh-Bara Fast Track Project

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RSS, Nijgadh — Over 27 thousand trees were cut so far in course of the implementation of Nijgadh-Bara Fast Track Project. The project is being constructed by Nepal Army (NA).
According to Fast Track Project Implementation Division Chief and Lieutenant Colonel Bishwa Bandhu Pahadi, a total of 27,069 trees, out of 38,664 remaining along the track, were needed to be removed for the implementation of some 77-kilometer project.
Remaining over 11 thousand will be cut down during the tunnel construction.
The Division has, according to the principle of road construction, obtained permission from the Forest Ministry for cutting down trees remaining within the periphery of 50 meters of the track in hilly areas and 100 meters in the Terai.
Authorities concerned have been given the responsibility for the management of felled trees.
To meet the environmental standard, 25 trees should be planted for every tree cut down in the process and the NA is producing some 150 thousand nursery plants in Nijgadh and Rajdurbar. Trees transplantation in the areas where trees were cut has also begun.
It has already planted some five thousand trees at several places of Kohalbi municipality, the NA said.

Nepal To Help India Check “Third Country” Terror Operatives

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PTI , New Delhi: In a major boost to India’s efforts in tackling terror activities from across the border, the Nepalese national paramilitary force has assured cooperation in checking doubtful “third country” operatives on its soil.

The “landmark” decision was inked during the fourth India-Nepal coordination meeting held between border guarding force SSB and its Nepalese counterpart APF at Pokhara, Nepal during November 20-22.

The Indian delegation was led by Sashastra Seema Bal Director General (DG) Kumar Rajesh Chandra and the Armed Police Force (APG) of Nepal team was headed by its Inspector General Shailendra Khanal.

These talks are annually held between the two national border guarding forces to thrash out issues of mutual concern like smuggling of arms, fake currency, narcotics, other criminal activities and those related to anti-national elements and terrorists.

“This is for the first time that the joint record of discussions signed between the two sides had a special mention of  “third country” operatives. Nepal has extended its cooperation and agreed to help the Indian security agencies in acting against nationals of any third country, apart from those belonging to the respective countries, that use the Nepalese soil against India.”

“This is a landmark development,” a senior official told PTI on condition of anonymity.

The Indian side has also assured similar cooperation, he said.

The 1,751-km long open India-Nepal border has been reported multiple times in the past to have been used by Pakistani terrorists to perpetrate nefarious activities and a number of such operatives have been arrested by Indian security agencies.

The latest such official declaration was made in 2017 when the SSB had said that 34-year-old Hizbul Mujahideen militant, Naseer Ahmed, was arrested by its troops from the Sonauli border post in Uttar Pradesh”s Maharajganj district.

The emergence of Chinese study centres, which teach subjects of Chinese culture, traditions, teachings and economy in Nepal, is also a cause of concern for the Indian agencies. Some of these centres are stated to be based in Jhapa and Ilam districts, which have strong trade, economic and ethnic ties with India.

The latest decision is a major boost for the Indian security agencies to better coordinate with Nepal and intercept and extract terrorists and other nefarious elements who may misuse the fence-less Indo-Nepal border to commit illegal activities, the official said.

“Not only terrorist elements from Pakistan and other countries, but smuggling kingpins and fake Indian currency notes (FICN) mafia can also be better better checked. The move is also seen as a major confidence building measure between the two forces,” he said.

Both the forces, during a similar meeting held in Delhi last year, had decided to share “real-time” intelligence inputs among themselves and to ensure ground-level contact between their border commanders up to the level of the respective chiefs and with this decision the security coordination will go a notch higher, the official said.

The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) is also designated as the lead intelligence gathering agency on this border and it coordinates its activities with the Intelligence Bureau (IB), the external snoop agency of the country – Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Multi Agency Centre (MAC) of various agencies under the Union Home Ministry.

The three-day meeting in Nepal also saw discussions being firmed up on issues related to various other cross-border crimes, joint patrol at no man”s land, upkeep of border pillars and holding of joint training exercises in the future.

No discussion was held on the disputed border area of Kalapani-Susta where both the frontier guarding forces have their troops deployed, the official said.

The next such meeting between the two forces is expected to be held in Delhi next year.

Nepali community leaders felicitate Hendon MP Matthew Offord

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London—Members of the local Nepali community have congratulated & felicitated Dr Matthew Offord for being re-elected to the House of Commons from Hendon for the fourth time.

At a post election event organised to thank his supporters, the Conservative Party MP thanked each and everyone who supported his campaign and voted for him.

“I will be even more proactive than ever before by reaching out to each and every community in the Hendon constituency,” said Dr Offord adding, “ The Conservative Government will deliver on its manifesto and on the issues that matter the most to Hendon residents that is — extra NHS money to expand GP surgeries, more police on the street, improvements to local stations, rail and tube services, greater funding and resources for local schools, reduction in taxes to help local people, more support for small businesses , among others.”

Deputy Mayor of the Borough of Barnet, Lachhya Gurung, thanked Dr Offord for his relentless service to the local communities and for championing the cause of the Nepalese community including Gurkhas. “I am so happy to note that you have been able to deliver to this Constituency what you promised,” he added.

Vice Chairman of the Burnt Oak Nepalese Community (BONC), Bishnu Gurung; Vice Chairman of the BONC Mother’s Group Mrs Dilmaya Gurung and other members of the Community gifted a Nepali Dhaka Topi & Khata to Dr Offord. They also wished him all success.

A former BBC journalist, Dr Offord is a member of the All Party Parliamentary Group of NEPAL and is planning on visiting next year, to promote the Visit NEPAL 2020 campaign.

Dr Offord was first elected to the Parliament in 2010, then re-elected in 2015, 2017 and 2019 general elections.