Nepal

KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu Valley alone needs 2.5 million garlands for Tihar, the festival of light, colour, and flower.

However, Nepal is importing 300 thousand garlands for the festival time. Every year, the garlands are imported from India.

It has been 23 years the competitive exhibition of Godawari flower (Chrysanthemum). However, Nepal is yet to be self-reliant on flowers.

According to Bishwomani Pokharel, General Secretary at Floriculture Association Nepal (FAN) people living in the capital city need nearly 2.5 million garlands.

FAN Chairman Kumar Kasajoo informed that varieties of flowers amounting Rs 200 million were imported last year. The demand for flowers is growing day by day in Nepal.

Although Nepali flowers are in demand in Tibet, Malaysia, US, and Thailand, Nepal has not been able to produce sufficient flowers. Since 2011, private nurseries were begun and floriculture is expanded to 43 districts across the country now.

• 13th Godavari Flower Exhibition begins

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• The next world women conference is scheduled to be held in China next year

Kathmandu, October 18

A national consultation on civil society report on Beijing +25 to review the implementation status of the fourth world women conference concluded in the capital today.

Organised by the National Network for Beijing-Review Nepal, the conference shed light on the issues of womenrights and empowerment.

The two-day event discussed about women and environment, women and economy, and women and media.

The speakers shed light on achievements made on womenrights and discussed about struggles and challenges concerning the lives of Nepali women.

The speakers at the event discussed several issues related to Nepali women, such as violence against women and children, health issues of women and human rights of women.

The speakers at the event discussed about women empowerment, and their right to make decisions. The speakers also discussed about how poverty had been affecting the lives of women.

Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission Anup Raj Sharma said the economic and social life of women in Nepal had not been satisfactory till date.

&Women should reach in the positions of decision making and also should have access to justice. The citizenship bill has been a hindrance towards women empowerment,& Sharma said.

A declaration ‘Beijing +25 National Women Conference Kathmandu Declaration& was also presented and endorsed during the event. The declaration has appealed to make policies that contribute to empowering women. It has also appealed to ensure equality in education for men and women.

&The labour agreement should be made as per the international guidelines. We need to work continuously to ensure the rights of women,& said Executive Director of Forum for Women, Law and Development Sabin Shrestha. Shrestha said that there was the need to review the implementation status of the declaration and work plans adopted by the fourth world women conference.

Fourth world women conference was organised in Beijing in 1995, with the objective of achieving women empowerment. A national network has been created to review the implementation status of the fourth world women conference.

The fourth world women conference had identified a total of 12 areas of concerns that included women and education, women and poverty, women and health, domestic violence, women and conflict, women and economy, women and environment, institutional structures for womenempowerment, women and human rights, power structure and womenparticipation in the decision making bodies, and women and communications.

The next world women conference is scheduled to be held in China next year.

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Kathmandu, October 18

Police have decided to act tough against gamblers during Tihar, the second biggest festival of Hindu Nepalis.

Police have devised a special security plan in view of the upcoming festival. Police said crackdown on gambling to maintain law and order in society was among the top priorities in their security plan for the festival.

Nepal Police Spokesperson Deputy Inspector General Bishwa Raj Pokharel urged the general public to help the police by informing them about gambling activities in their locality.

He warned that the police would take tough action against any sorts of hooliganism, gambling or indecent activities during the festival.

According to police, gambling and crimes were interlinked as gamblers were more likely to commit crimes to satiate their addiction to gambling. Crimes were also likely to occur at gambling venues over betting. Retired government employees, businesspersons and contractors topped the chart of gamblers, according to police.

DIG Pokharel said criminal activities were minimised significantly this year during Dashain festival due to special security plan put in place, and similar plan had been devised to maintain law and order during Tihar too. He said that the security personnel had been directed to remain on high alert throughout the festival period.

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KATHMANDU: Nepal Tarun Dal, the sister organisation of main opposition Nepali Congress is observing its 67th founding day by organising a variety of programmes across the country.

The meeting of the organisation held on Friday decided to observe the day on October 27 by organising creative and constructive activities.

Chairperson of Tarun Dal, Jit Jung Basnet said that a decision has been taken to organise blood donation, sports, cleaning activities, seminar, rally, morning procession and a tea reception. It has also sent a circular to all its district chapters to observe the day in a grand manner.

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