Tkp4 July 19 Solar Eclipse Keshav p. Koirala

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The Kathmandu Post I

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PM: Egypt visit windfall for peace, constitution

NEWSLINE 4 hurt in Nepalgunj blast NEPALGUNJ: Four people, including a minor, were injured when a bomb went off at a house in Khajura road, Nepalgunj, on Saturday. A powerful bomb exploded in the area at around noon, leaving four people injured, one critically, police said. Buddhi Khatri, 55, her daughter Jaya, 30, and four-year-old grandson Sudin were injured in the blast. The condition of Buddhi, who sustained head injuries, is reported critical. The explosion took place when the victims were cleaning the house left deserted for the past three years.

POST REPORT KATHMANU, JULY 18

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal said his Egypt visit was successful to garner international support for Nepal’s peace process and new constitution drafting process. Upon his arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport taking part in the 15th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit held at Sharm el Skeikh, Egypt, he said, “The international community has shown concerns over Nepal’s peace process and drafting of the new constitution. They reiterated their commitment to both the issues.” Apart from peace and constitution drafting process, the prime minister said they assured Nepal of necessary support to the present government. “They are ready to extend all possible help and we discussed the possibility of economic investment here,” he said. Referring to another context, he said the government is ready to welcome the UCPN (Maoist) in the government. “Doors are open for them (Maoists) to be a part of coalition,” the PM said. During his stay in Egypt,

Two killed in accident BARA: Two people died when a passenger bus collided with a truck near Bhasara Bridge on Bara stretch along EastWest Highway on Saturday. Police identified the deceased as Temba Lama of Padampokhari, Makwanpur and Ram Yadav of Sanautha, Siraha. Two others were seriously injured in the incident. Police said they were undergoing treatment at Birgunjbased Narayani Sub-regional Hospital, police said. Police have seized the bus and detained driver Suresh Kurmi for necessary investigation.

Two Kirati leaders in net KATHMANDU: Police arrested two central members of Kirat Janabadi Workers’ Party in the capital on Friday afternoon. The arrestees have been identified as Ramesh Rai and Dev Raj Lama. Police said they were held while they were trying to withdraw donation money from Gausthalabased branch of Rastriya Banijya Bank. Rai, who hails from Beltar of Udayapur district, was also a coordinator of team formed to hold talks with the Maoists-led government. Both the members were arrested when they were withdrawing Rs. 1,00,000 as donation money from the bank.

he met many heads of states and governments on the sidelines of the summit. In his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Nepal briefed him about Nepal’s peace process and the new government’s endeavours to instutionalise durable peace and drafting the new constitution within stipulated time frame. In response, Singh appreciated Nepal’s efforts and assured the country of extending all possible support, according to PM. Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala and other members of delegation also arrived on Saturday. Covering the wide range of issues along with 517 paragraphs as final document, the NAM summit issued a Declaration of Palestine, a Special Declaration on Nelason Mandela International Day ( 18 July) and a Special Declaration on the necessity of ending the economic,commercial and financial embargo imposed on Iran. According to a press release issued by the Foreign Ministry, the Summit welcomed Iran’s offer to host the 16th NAM Summit in 2012.

Govt to invite bids for 8 power projects POST REPORT KATHMANDU, JULY 18

The government plans to invite bids from the private sector for detailed feasibility studies and construction of eight hydropower projects with a total capacity of 175 MW. The Department of Electricity Development (DoED) under the Ministry of Energy will set the bidding process rolling soon and the government will contribute Norwegian grant of 100 million kroners for the feasibility studies. The eight projects are Simbuwa (53MW), Dudh Koshi (49MW), Inkhu (20MW), Mauwa (12.7MW), Madi (12MW), Ghunsa (10MW), Budhi Ganga (6.4 MW) and Siwa (11 MW). According to a senior official with the DoED, the eight projects come under three categories. The first category includes projects in areas

Calm returns to Rajbiraj SAPTARI: Agitating kin of Akhilendra Kumar Yadav, who died in police action on Friday, locals took out his funeral procession in Rajbiraj on Saturday, defying curfew order. Later Yadav was cremated at his village in Itahari Bishnupura. The agitating locals called indefinite Saptari banda demanding compensation to the victim’s family and action against the guilty police personnel. Meanwhile, the administration lifted curfew order from 6 p.m., bringing normalcy in Rajbiraj. (PR)

severely affected by the decade-long Maoist insurgency, namely Budhi Ganga in Accham district, Madi in Rolpa district and Inkhu in Solukhumbu district. The second-category projects aim to address power shortfall in the eastern region. They are Ghunsa, Mauwa and Sinwa projects in Taplejung district. The estimated cost of the projects in Taplejung will be relatively low as the project sites are linked with the road network and have transmission lines, the official said. Dudh Koshi and Simbuwa come under the third category. The first-category projects are ready for bidding for feasibility study, contractors are studying the second-category projects, while officials are evaluating proposals for the third-category projects.

HOMECOMING: Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal at Tribhuwan International Airport in Kathmandu on Saturday. POST PHOTO:SHRUTI SHRESTHA

‘Groupism marred UML’

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Koirala pulls Maoists to pieces POST REPORT JHAPA, JULY 18

President of Nepali Congress (NC) Girija Prasad Koirala warned the UCPN (Maoist) that the party will be finished if Maoists dare to apply the culture of consensus, cooperation and unity as a strategy for their partisan interest. Unveiling a Jana Andolan memorial pillar at Muktichowk of Birtamod in Jhapa on Saturday, he blamed Maoists for trying to breach the politics of consensus. “Consensus, cooperation and unity is the mantra at present. The fallout of Maoists is inevitable because they are taking it as their strategy,” the former prime minister said. Citing an instance of former king Gyanendra Shah, the octogenarian leader said that those who try to erase the history would find themselves vanished in the near future. He also urged Maoists to participate in the high-level mechanism formed to run the government. On the occasion, CPNUML leader KP Oli heavily

criticised Maoist activities. He said that Maoist tried to impose “guerrilla supremacy” by raising the issue of civilian supremacy. Accusing Maoists of continuing violent activities in the country, he claimed that the present government would control their anarchic activities. Meanwhile, Maoist-affiliated families of the disappeared people hurled stones at the programme venue to disrupt the pillar unveiling programme. At least 16 people, including four policemen, were injured when demonstrators clashed with police. Police lobbed dozens of tear gas shells to disperse the mob. Maoist activists hit the street from the early morning to prevent Koirala and Oli from participating in the programme. They shut market area and obstructed vehicular movement by burning tires at several places in Birtamod area. Owing to security situation, the pillar unveiling programme ended within just five minutes.

UN peace project kicks off

POST REPORT NEPALGUNJ, JULY 18

POST REPORT

Chairman of CPN-UML Jhalanath Khanal said that there has been increasing groupism in the central committee of the party in the recent days. Speaking at a programme in Nepalgunj on Saturday, Khanal said that the UML has been suffering greatly due to what he called an “epidemic of groupism”. “There is groupism, which is like a disease in the central committee,” the UML chief said. He, however, said that he was not involved in such a foul game. Stating that the increasing groupism would take its toll on the party, he urged UML cadres to stand against those who encouraged and promoted groupism. “The UML suffered bitter defeat in Constituent Assembly election due to the internal conflict in the party,” he said. Khanal admitted that the UML was losing its stronghold in some places the recent days. “We have to move forward to bring about a revolution by correcting mistakes committed in the past,” said Khanal, adding that the UML would be the largest party of the country in the near future. “Though UML is the third largest party in Constituent Assembly, the country needs its leadership for peace and prosperity,” he claimed. Khanal arrived in Nepalgunj on Saturday after participating in party programmes in Kalikot and Mugu districts.

KATHMANDU, JULY 18

The Office of the High Commissioner on Human Rights in Nepal (OHCHR-Nepal) is starting implementation of its “Peace through Justice” project funded by the UN Peace Fund for Nepal (UNPFN), delivers focused rapid-disbursing support through UN agencies to support the peace process. The objective of the project is to provide assistance to the establishment and effective functioning of the transitional justice mechanisms provided for in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, including the Commission of Inquiry on Disappearances and is designed to provide a flexible response to the unique transition needs of Nepal, according to a press statement.

Since its inception, the UNFPN has contributed to: the verification process; improved cantonment conditions; electoral assistance; and demining. The UNPFN is financed by contributions from the Governments of Norway, the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, Switzerland and the UN Peace Building Fund. Through the “Peace through Justice” project, support will be provided to the Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction for the preparations and establishment of the Commissions, as well as technical assistance, including direct material support to the Commissions themselves. Part of the project will focus on documenting human rights and

international humanitarian law violations committed during the conflict, aimed at handing over the findings to the Commissions. The project will also support civil society, including victims groups, as well as national human rights institutions, to implement activities that engage the grassroots level in the transitional justice process and contribute to the work of the Commissions. Richard Bennett, Representative of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said, “I am convinced that the project will provide the necessary and additional support to the government.” The project, financed through a $2 million grant from the UNPFN, will run initially for 12 months.

WEATHER FORECAST: Temporary rain or thundershowers likely to occur at some areas. PLACES

Dadeldhura Dipayal Dhangadi Birendranagar Nepalgunj Jumla Dang Pokhara Bhairahawa Simra Kathmandu Okhaldhunga Taplejung Dhankuta Biratnagar Janakpur Nagarkot Jiri Jomsom Dharan

MAX. TEMP. (0C)

MIN. TEMP. (0C)

27.4 36.0 35.2 32.5 35.8 27.1 32.8 32.5 36.6 37.0 31.4 27.0 27.5 30.0 35.7 36.5 22.0 26.0 24.5 34.7

17.3 25.0 26.7 24.5 26.8 17.2 23.9 25.5 27.0 27.5 21.8 18.2 19.5 21.0 NA 27.5 16.0 17.5 13.0 25.8

RAINFAL (MM.)

28.2 14.3 9.2 21.5 5.2 12.4 0.0 3.2 0.1 0.0 Trace 6.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 81.8 0.0 0.0

Source: Meteorological forecasting Division, Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Kathmandu

Eastern skies brace for rare celestial drama Longest total solar eclipse on Wednesday morning KESHAV P. KOIRALA KATHMANDU, JULY 18

Come Wednesday, and people will get to witness a rare celestial drama unfolded on the eastern skies — if the monsoon clouds don’t play foul. Moon’s shadow will start defiling the sun soon after the sunrise, and this will continue for upto two hours. There will be the longest total solar eclipse of the century that morning. And, from 14 eastern districts of Nepal, the mighty sun will be seen eaten up by the murk for about four minutes. The last total eclipse seen from Nepal was on Jan. 22, 1898 and the next one will occur on May 14, 2124 only. According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) calculations, the total eclipses track starts in the western coast of India and crosses through mainland Asia including eastern Nepal. It will end in the Pacific Ocean beyond Japan, where it can be seen for 6 minutes and 39 seconds. “Since the path of totality is not wider than 300 km,” said Rishi Shah, academician at Nepal

Academy of Science and Technology (NAST), “Total eclipse is seen from a narrow region only.” Solar eclipse occurs when the

Place Bhadrapur Biratnagar Kathmandu Pokhara Nepalgunj

3 min and 39 sec totality in Bhadrapur of Jhapa, for the rest of the country the sun will be obscured partially. In Kathmandu Valley, the eclipse will be over 96

First contact 05:45:21 a.m. 05:45:18 05:46:11 05:46:45 05:47:02

Climax 06:42:47 06:42:47 06:42:44 06:42:38 06:41:56

End 07:47:46 07:46:54 07:45:32 07:44:32 07:42:32

nity to corroborate the theoretically calculated distances between different heavenly bodies,” says Jayanta Acharya, who teaches Astronomy at Balmiki Campus.

Total duration 03:49 min 03:36 min — — —

Percentage 100 100 96.30 93.20 91.50

Sunrise on July 22 at 5:22 a.m.

sun, moon and earth align in a straight line, and the moon blocks the sunlight. Since shadow of the moon falls on the earth, the sun is occulted either totally or partially. Though the south-eastern districts will see the total eclipse - with

percent while in the western districts sun will be shadowed minimum 80 percent. For skygazers, total solar eclipse that occurs when sunlight is completely blocked out by the moon is more than a spectacle to relish. “It’s also an opportu-

“At times, we get to examine the validity of our calculations, and make necessary corrections.” Astronomers hope that this kind of events would be useful for revealing facts about the planet and for verifying theoretically cal-

culated distances between different heavenly bodies. Enthusiasts can feast their eyes on the murk-eaten sun through special filters, solar eclipse glasses or behold it reflected images. “Since the observation with naked eyes may damage eyesight, some precautions and protective measures should be followed,” said Shah. Some amateur astronomers and eclipse-chasers associated with Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) are heading to Biratnagar on Tuesday to capture the arcane celestial event. In Kathmandu, an observation programme has been scheduled at Takshashila Academy in Baluwatar. “We have about a dozen of solar eclipse glasses and special telescope with certified filters,” said Acharya, programme coordinator. For that, however, early registration is called for. Buddha Air has pre-poned its mountain flight to chase the eclipse that day. “Though mountain flights reach up to the altitude of 25,000 ft, we have taken permission from the authorities to fly up to 30,000 ft during the eclipse period,” said Marketing Manager Rupesh Joshi.