Pak FAM trip to Nepal

KATHMANDU: A group of six Pakistani tour operators is in Nepal as a part of familiarisation trip on an invitation of Nepal Association of Tour Operators (NATO) with support from Pakistani embassy. NATO organised a reception to welcome the FAM trip members yesterday. Bhoj Raj Ghimire, secretary at the ministry of culture, tourism and civil aviation and Basant Raj Mishra, president of NATO, said that Nepal is focusing on regional tourism and urged Pakistani tour operators to include Nepal in the favourite destination list. — HNS

Gold smuggling on rise :

JANAKPUR: It has come to light that Janakpur has become a fertile place for smuggling of gold and silver. The fact came to light after the police nabbed Mahesh Dahal at Janakpur airport red-handed while he was smuggling 4 kg gold hidden in the sole of his shoes. Gold is smuggled into Nepal from India, as the yellow metal price is cheaper by Rs 200 per tola in India. Of the total gold smuggled into Nepal, more than 40 per cent comes from Janakpur transit owing to the open border and lose checking systems, a local said. — RSS

Milk dumped into river :

DAMAULI: Farmers emptied 21 cans of milk into Mahi river as they could not send it to market because of the so-called two day bandh called by the Maoists.

Amar Bahadur Kunwar, chairman of the milk producers’ cooperative Tanahu, said that farmers ditched the milk because they had no chance of sending it to the district milk producers cooperative in Pokhara due to the Bandh. The loss amounted to Rs 21,800. This is the first incident in Tanahu district of milk being discarded due to the Bandh. — RSS