News from Nepal

अमृत दाहाल संविधानको मस्यौदामाथि संकलन गरिएको जनमतमा धर्मनिरपेक्षताको विपक्षमा सुझावहरु आएपछि युरोपेली युनियनका राजदूतहरुको दौडधुप सुरु भएको चर्चा चलेको छ । उनीहरुले प्रधानमन्त्री सुशील कोइरालादेखि सभामुख सुवास नेम्वाङ, एकीकृत माओवादीका नेता डा. बाबुराम भट्टराईलगायतका नेताहरुलाई प्रत्यक्ष÷अप्रत्यक्ष रुपमा भेटेर अन्तरिम संविधानमा भएको धर्म निरपेक्षतालाई कायमै राख्न ‘माग’ नै गरेको कुरा आएको छ । तर, उदाहरणहरुलाई केलाउने हो भने युरोपेली युनियनभित्रकै कतिपय देशहरु निश्चित धर्मबाट चलिरहेका छन् । तिनै देशले नेपाल धर्म निरपेक्ष हुनुपर्छ भनेर दबाब दिनु अचम्मलाग्दो छ । युरोपेली युनियनकै कुरा गर्ने हो भने डेनमार्क, फिनल्याण्ड, बेलायत, लक्जेमबर्ग, जर्मनी र ग्रिस धर्म निरपेक्ष देश होइनन्  । बेलायतमा त चर्च र राज्यबीच गहिरो सम्बन्ध छ । त्यहाँ चर्चको ‘सुप्रिम गभर्नर’ महारानी हुने प्रचलन छ । यस्तै, चर्चका उच्च अधिकारीको नियुक्ति दरबारले गर्छ भने राज्याभिषेकजस्ता महत्वपूर्ण कार्य चर्चले सन्चालन गर्छ । अझ माथिल्लो सदन 'हाउस अफ लर्ड्स' मा त चर्चका बिसपहरुका लागि स्थान नै सुरक्षित  छ...

Earthquake devastated Barpak village, Gorkha Kathmandu, May 22: Earthquake experts and technicians have said that public awareness was vital for people to remain safe for its consequences and mitigate the damages. In an interaction programme organised on Friday by the Nepal Engineers' Association in the aftermath of the deadly earthquake in the country to discuss its damages and post-disaster scenario, the participants talked about the importance of preparedness and public awareness on building code to avert earthquake-related damages. National Planning Commission former Vice Chair Jagdish Chandra Pokharel said preparedness and alertness were the best ways to remain safe at the time of natural disasters. He said essentiality of open space in every locality in the Kathmandu valley has been realised following the recent earthquake. Former secretary and president of Society of Nepali Architects Kishor Thapa stated that although multi-storey buildings were ...

Dhunche (Rasuwa), May 22: A group of geologists deputed by the Department of Mines and Geology has begun the study of fissures and cracks emerged in different parts of the district with the recent destructive earthquakes. According to Chief District Officer Uddhav Prasad Bhattarai, the team reached Rasuwagadhi area and began the study. After the study, the team will suggest whether the places are safe to live any longer. At a time when the people from many villages are worrying over whether their settlements were in safe soil, the teams' finding would be very useful to that end, said civil society chair in the district Babulal Tamang.

Kathmandu, May 22: The Nepal Police has said 240 Nepalis and 89 foreigners were still missing since the April 25 earthquake in the country. Spokesperson of Nepal Police Kamal Singh Bam said the search for the missing ones was underway, and they might have been buried in the debris. According to the Nepal Police's record, the number of earthquake casualties has reached 8,675 while those injured climbed to 21,845. Among the dead, bodies of 8,598 have been handed over to the concerned relatives. Similarly, 5,613 quake survivors have been receiving treatment in different hospital across the country.