Khanal flays Maoists Kalikot: CPN-UML chairman Jhalanath Khanal on Friday said that the peace process had been hampered due to the atrocities and violent ways of the Unified CPN-Maoist. Addressing a mass meet organised by the district chapter of UML in Manma bazaar, Khanal said, “The UCPN-M cadres are attacking cadres of other political parties and villagers breaching the comprehensive peace accord as they were not able to stay in the government.” He said the Maoists’ act of vandalising UML office and attacking UML cadre in Kalikot on April 13 reflected their violent ways. — HNS VDC secys displaced Khotang: Most of the VDC secretaries in Khotang have come to district headquarters Diktel following the donation terror of Kirant Janabadi Workers’ Party and CPN-Maoist, led by Matrika Yadav. “We have taken shelter in the headquarters as we have been threatened of physical action if we did not dole out donation of Rs 2 lakh by mid-July,” said Ramesh Acharya, district chairman, VDC Secretary Rights Protection Centre. “First, we cannot provide such a huge amount as donation. Second, we are against the idea,” he said. The secretaries said their return to the villages was not possible unless a favourable atmosphere was created. — HNS Kala-azar strikes JHAPA: Kala-azar claimed four lives in Jhapa district in the last fiscal. Of 73 persons affected with the disease, four died in the last fiscal, Jhapa District Public Health Office said. According to the DPHO, Dhan Bahadur BK, 53, a resident of Kohabara-2, Shyam La Madi Satar, 48 of Pathamari, Subhai Murmu, 66, of Haldibari-7 and Dhan Bahadur Majhi of Dharampur-8 died of the disease. The disease has been seen in different places including Mechinagar and Bhadrapur municipalities of the district and many Village Development Committees including Surunga, Garamani, Rajgarh, Maheshpur, Gaurigunj, Gauradaha, Arjundhara and Bahundangi, the DPHO said, adding that pesticides had been sprinkled in the affected VDCs to control the spread of the disease. — HNS