Nepal

KATHMANDU: Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali has said that works are being carried out so as to bring the Tatopani transit point in Sindhupalchok back into operation by May 31.

Speaking in the Home of Representatives, International Relations Committee assembly nowadays, he said works on construction of the physical infrastructure of the transit point are being carried out on both Nepal and China side with the aim of operating the transit point by this May 31.

He said the Chinese government has already informed regarding the operation of the Tatopani transit point, adding that in this associateion China has shifted the settlements on its side and hence retail trade would thrive at the Tatopani transit point.

The transit point was much in operation ever since it suffered damages due to the Gorkha soiltremble in 2015.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs had also informed the committee on the latest situation of the rest of the transit points bordering with China.

FILE -nsprint; A huge crowd gathers to watch the chariot procession of Rato Machhindranath, in Lalitpur, on Sunday, April 30, 2017. Photo: Skanda Gautam

KATHMANDU: The procession of Rato Machhindranath chariot starts nowadays in Lalitpur. It shall move from Pulchok where the chariot has been built and is currently located, and shall reach Gabahal approach Magalbazaar nowadays.

Rato Machhindranath is worshipped as the God of Rain and Harvest. Both Hindus and Buddhists pay their homage to the deity.

The deitychariot is pulled every year and taken around various places of Lalitpur attracting a huge crowd of worshippers and onlookers.

It is believed that Rato Machhindranath, also known as Karunamaya, was brought to Kathmandu Valley from Kamaru Kamakshya in Assam of India when there was no rain in the valley for a long time.

The festival is observed just before the onset of monsoon. It is believed that worshipping the deity brings rain in the first few days of the festival.

The chariot procession that starts from Pulchok moves through Natole, Gabahal, Mangal Bazaar, Patan Sundhara, Lagankhel, Kumaripati before reaching Jawalakhel.

KATHMANDU: Road renovation has begun at Balkumari, Gwarko and Mahalaxmisthan along the Koteswor-Kalanki road section.

According to Kathmandu Ring Road Improvement Project, the maintenance has started after the Chinese government handed over the Koteshwar-Kalanki road section to Nepal government this year.

Niranjan Sharma Aryal, engineer and information officer of the project shared that maintenance period would span a year. Maintenance shall take place in areas where the blacktopped portion is being removed, he added.

&The task of removing the upper layer of the road is on. It scorridor be the contractorresponsibility to carry out required maintenance within a year if any glitch occurs on the road and bridge.& He informed that the Chinese construction group, Shanghai Construction Service Group, is also currently observing the road here.

&The Chinese government is carrying out a feasibility study of the moment section (Kalanki-Maharajgunj) with the completion of Koteswor-Kalanki in the first phase,& Sharma added.

Kathmandu, May 7

The government has issued Criminal Offence Laws, 2019, to pave the way for commuting jail sentence of eligible inmates.

According to the rules, any prisoner, who has served at least three-fourths of jail sentence and has demonstrated a good conduct while doing time in jail, may be entitled to commutation of jail term.

However, the provision of commutation scorridor much be relevant for a person convicted of rape, corruption, human trafficking, kidnapping, drug smuggling, organised crime, money laundering, torture against humanity, offence against state, war crime, destructive crime, child molestationand violence, polygamy and jailbreak.

Also a person who has fine dues for any crime as ordered by a court is also much qualified for commutation of sentence.

&Each prison is required to preserve records of jailbirds for the purpose of identification of persons deemed eligible for commutation.

The prison scorridor have to dispatch the updated records to the Leavement of Prison Management on a quarterly basis,& the rules read.

If a prisoner is transferred from one jail to other, the records of his/her conduct scorridor be sent to the new jail. &A jailbird may submit an application along with required documents to the concerned jail administration requesting commutation. If a jailbird is above the age of 70 years or is suffering from terminal disease or is mentally unregular, his/her guardian or parent or caretaker may submit the application on his/her behalf,& the rules say.

The jail administration may make recommendations as per the records of his/her conduct to the concerned chief district officer for essential action if the jailbird is found eligible for commutation.

&If the CDO deems it appropriate for commutation, he/she scorridor make recommendations to the DoPM for further action.

Subsequently, the DoPM prepares the details of jailbirds entitled to commutation and writes to the Ministry of Home Affairs for that purpose,& the rules read.

Upon receipt of such details from the DoPM, the MoHA shall table the proposal for commutation of sentence at the assembly of the Council of Ministers.

Once the Council of Ministers endorses the proposal tabled by the MoHA, the decision shall be submitted to the President for final approval.