The PM said there is no alternative to holding elections after constitution amendment

Lalitpur, December 5

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said science laboratories will be established in all the seven provinces in line with the country’s federal set-up.

Addressing the 34th anniversary and award handover ceremony of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology here today, PM and NAST chancellor Dahal spoke on the important role science and technology played in the development of the country, saying a prosperous country could not be built without the development of science and technology.

The Prime Minister asserted that there was no alternative to going for the three-tier elections by addressing the aspirations of all Nepalis through constitution amendment. He explained that the constitution amendment bill had been registered in the Legislature-Parliament to make the constitution acceptable to all.

Prime Minister Dahal, who is also the chairman of the CPN-Maoist Centre, stressed the need to bring political stability to the country by means of elections and then take the country on the path of economic prosperity.

He also suggested building trilateral partnership among Nepal, India and China for the country’s development, calling on all to dedicate to the nation’s development rather than getting bogged down in political calculations.

On the occasion, Dahal presented the Nature Conservation Award-2016 to the Jamunbari Community Forest Users Group, Kankai, Jhapa. The award carries a purse of Rs 200,000. The Group has been awarded in recognition of its contribution to the management of safe habitats for wildlife and conservation of nature, wetlands and biological diversities for the past two decades.

Likewise, as per the Assembly decision, the ‘NAST Science Award’ carrying a purse of Rs 100,000 was presented to Manoj Kumar Yadav, for his research on production of colour lasers.

Similarly, the ‘NAST Technology Award’ carrying a purse of Rs 100,000 was presented to Surendra Lal Shrestha of Sindhupalchowk for developing hybrid tomatoes that are disease-resistant and thereby contributing to agricultural development.

Likewise, five individuals were honoured with the ‘ NAST Science and Technology Award’ carrying a purse of Rs 75,000 each. They are Santosh Nepal (Palpa), Khemraj Joshi (Darchula), Santosh Dulal (Jhapa), Urmila Pyakurel (Sindhupalchowk) and Ramdevi Tamacho Saha (Saptari), NAST said.

The Female Community Health Volunteers, Nepal Family Health Programme and Ramchandra Adhikari (individual) of Taplejung received the ‘NAST Science Technology Promotion Award’. The award carries a purse of Rs 25,000 each.

Dr Saraswoti Acharya of Rasuwa was honoured with the ‘World Academy of Science Award’ of US$ 1,000 for her contribution to the mathematical model of temperature distribution in human male and female dermal parts.

Similarly, the ‘Nabil Science and Technology Award’ was presented to four people. They are Tankanath Dhamala (Okhaldhunga), Hari Prasad Aryal (Morang), Prof Krishna Das Manandhar (Kathmandu) and Prof Sirjanlal Shrestha (Lalitpur). The award carries a purse of Rs 25,000 each.

Dr Bimala Dhakal of the TU Central Department of Biotechnology and Shree Shyam Kumar Pun of Central Department of Botany were honoured with the ‘NAST Dayananda Bajracharya Research Award’. They received Rs 25,000 each.

Also honoured on the occasion were various individuals working at NAST, including Timila Shrestha, Prof Ram Briksha Shah, Chandra Lekha Kayastha, Gopal Prasad Kafle and Prof Ram Swartha Raya.

Kitazumi Hajumi and Chun Dong Li, who have been with the NAST for a long time as volunteers, were honoured with letters of appreciation.

Prime Minister and NAST Chancellor Dahal also released a souvenir published by the Independent Employees Union, NAST.