Conspiracy afoot‚ says Koirala NC

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: The Nepali Congress led by Girija Prasad Koirala on Saturday charged that a conspiracy is being hatched to derail democracy, and appealed for a “common thinking among the political parties active under the Constitution to protect and defend democracy.” In a statement, the party also condemned the spate of murder, violence, anarchy and terror unleashed by the Maoist terrorists. It urged them to “follow peaceful and constitutional path.” But it did not specifically mention surrender of arms. A press statement issued at the end of its four-day long meeting is conspicuous by the absence of any reference to a campaign preparation such as the naming of a committee to draft the election manifesto. The CPN-UML on Friday named an 11-member committee to draft the party’s election manifesto. The NC also drew the attention of the Election Commission and others concerned to a “conspiracy” being planned to rig the coming election by transferring, promoting and appointing employees and security officials in the name of an ordinance to manage emergency. The party led by Koirala, who has all these years been arguing that the prime minister has the unfettered right to dissolve the House of Representatives, described the recent Supreme Court verdict upholding the dissolution as “unexpected and surprising.” The party said the court ruling that the constitution does not prevent general elections

taking place under an emergency has “created the possibility of conducting

the elections under an extended emergency in an atmosphere of terror.” “It is our conclusion that such a situation is contrary to the ideals of democracy and fair elections, and therefore we take strong exception to such a situation,” the party said.

Number of heart patients doubles in five years

KATHMANDU: There has been a dramatic surge in hypertension and cardiac diseases in Nepal, with a cent per cent increase in the number of heart patients in the last five years. Cardiac patients who comprised only five per cent of the total patients seeking treatment in hospitals five years ago now exceed earlier figures by 10 per cent.

Cardiologist Dr Prakash Raj Regmi presented these findings on heart ailments at an interaction programme at the fourth general meeting of Nepal Heart Club in Lalitpur on Saturday.

Nepal has now 40 heart specialists compared to only 15 five years ago, while the number of cardiac surgeons has increased from four to 10. The number of hospitals with cardiac intensive care units has also increased from two to 10, and the diagnostic centres with colour echo-cardiograph facilities has increased from one to 25.