Kathmandu, July 16 :

Minister for Agriculture and Cooperatives Mahantha Thakur today managed to end the 14-day-long 24-hour relay hunger strike of scientists and employees of the Nepal Agricultural Research Council (NARC) at the NARC premises.

The agitation ended with the minister serving fruit juice to the agitators after the ministry agreed to appoint a “clean” NARC executive director within two weeks. Several rounds of talks were held between the agitators and the secretary to the ministry during the last few days.

Both parties agreed to form a task force to change the organisational structure of NARC.

The 10-point agreement includes that the officiating executive director of NARC will continue until another executive director is appointed.

“No employee will face action for his or her participation in the agitation. The MoAC will form a probe panel to investigate into police intervention on the first day of the strike. The committee will also recommend action against guilty police personnel.”

A panel will be formed to probe irregularities committed by all those who were in responsible positions at NARC.