Bista, Giri meet King

POKHARA: Vice-chairmen of the Council of Ministers, Kirti Nidhi Bista and Tulsi Giri, on Tuesday called on the King at Ratna Mandir, Baidamtal, in Pokhara, security sources said. The King granted the duo a joint audience from 10: 55 am to 1: 15 pm. Both the vice-chairmen had arrived in Pokhara on a helicopter on Tuesday morning. They returned to the

capital later in the day. Only a few days ago, the King had met security chiefs here. — HNS

VDC office bombed

DHARAN: Four Maoist activists detonated a bomb at Madhuban VDC office building, Sunsari district, on Tuesday, the District Police Office, Inaruwa, quoted eyewitnesses as saying. Prior to the bombing, the Maoists had reportedly torched all the documents at the VDC. Police inspector Bimal Basnet said the details of the incident were yet to arrive. A security team will leave for the incident site on Wednesday, he said. — HNS

King to open meet

BIRGUNJ: King Gyanendra is scheduled to inaugurate the silver jubilee function of the World Hindu Federation amid a special ceremony here on Friday. The silver jubilee and 3rd convention of the Hindu body will be held till April 9, said coordinator of the silver jubilee publicity committee, Manoj Upadhyaya. About 600 representatives from within the country and abroad are expected to attend the convention, president of the federation, Bharat Keshar Simha, told this daily. — HNS

‘Return home’ call

BAGLUNG: The Maoists, in a statement on Monday, urged all the displaced political activists of Parvat district to return home and said they will not take action against anyone for their political beliefs. The statement was undersigned by Parvat district secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), Saroj. — HNS

Bus fare reduced

POKHARA: Following a meeting with the Kaski chief district officer and representatives of consumers’ forum, the Pokhara bus entrepreneurs committee has agreed to reduce the fare of Pokhara city bus by Re 1, bringing the fare down to Rs 6, chief district officer of Kaski and president of the committee, Madhav Raj Regmi and Ishwori Prasad Poudel, said on Tuesday. The new fare will take effect from Wednesday. — HNS

Aid for conflict-hit

KATHMANDU: The central office of the Nepal Scout has distributed clothes to the conflict victims in various districts of western Nepal. According to Planning Officer, Gautam Adhikari, 150 sacks of old and new clothes were distributed to over 300 the conflict-hit people in Bajura, Jajarkot and Rolpa districts a month ago. The scout office also provided them with 150 sets of new blankets. Scout students in Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur were mobilised to distribute the clothes. — RSS

10-kg tumour found

DAMAULI: A 10-Kg tumor was found while conducting operation on a woman at Laxmi Hospital, Dumre bazaar, Tanahun. According to the information provided by the hospital, the tumour was found while carrying out the operation of uterus of Buddi Maya Gurung, a 42-year-old resident of Byas municipality-11. — RSS

Litterateur’s statue

SUNSARI: Litterateur Dr Gopal Prasad Bhandari laid the foundation stone of a statue of famous educationist and social worker late Edmund Atal to be erected at Dharan Municipality-4 amid a function held here on Monday. Dr Bhandari highlighted the contribution made by late Atal in the field of education and social works. — RSS

Child burnt to death

NEPALGUNJ: Five-year-old Rajendra Khatik of Shamshergunj VDC-7 in Banke district was killed in a fire that engulfed his house on Monday night. The house caught fire when a burning lamp fell on the floor while he was asleep, police said. — RSS

Plea for safe release

TERHATHUM: All the secretaries of village development committees of Terhathum district have appealed to the Maoists for unconditional and immediate release of secretary of Dangapa village development committee, Mani Rai. A joint appeal issued on Tuesday said that Maoists abducted Rai from his house in the same VDC on March 29. — RSS

Senior citizens’ woes

Kathmandu: The Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare will adopt public-private partnership with the National Senior Citizens’ Organisation Network, Nepal, and other organisations to protect the rights of the senior citizens in the country, the minister of state for Women, Children and Social Welfare, Dr Durga Pokharel, said on Tuesday. Dr Pokharel was speaking at a meeting with representative of elder citizens and NGOs working for them at the MoWCSW. — HNS