Six more released

KATHMANDU: Six political and student leaders were released on Thursday, according to Ram Kumari Jhankri, chief of the ANNFSU’s Publicity Department. Sitaram Tamang, Dan Bahadur Maharjan, Achyut Prasad Mishra of the CPM-ML, and Rajan Rai, head of the Foreign Department of the ANNFSU were released from the Bhaktapur District Court. Roshan Poudel and Jhakku Prasad Magar of the NSU close to NC-D were also released from the Kathmandu District Court. — HNS

War-hit seek support

LAHAN: At least 85 conflict-hit people have asked the Siraha district development committee to launch programmes for their welfare. The request was made in line with the government’s decision to provide Rs 3.4 million to the people affected by the ongoing armed conflict and after the Siraha DDC issued public notice to the conflict-affected people to produce themselves with evidences to the DDC for support. The deadline for the conflict-hit people to produce themselves to the DDC was May 24 but it has been extended for another one month, said Mohmod Sultan Rahi, coordinator of peacekeeping programme (PKP). — HNS

15 leprosy patients

PALPA: At least fifteen more leprosy patients have been recorded in Palpa and are undergoing treatment, the Palpa district public health office said. The patients are from Khasauli, Chhahara, Madan Pokhara, Nayranmatlesh and Rampur VDCs of the district. If the newly recorded leprosy patients are beyond the scope of the DPHO they are referred to Pokhara where, too, they are treated free of cost, said Balkrishna Bhusal, administrative chief at DPHO. The government bears the travel cost of those referred patients, he said. The data shows the number of leprosy patients has decreased significantly. — HNS

RJP’s panel soon

KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Janashakti Party (RJP) is likely to formally announce its party central committee (CC) “soon”, a party insider told said. The source conceded that the 45-member committee would have around five CC members and the rest would be what he said “permanent invitee central members”. The committee has already been formed but the party is yet to announce it. — HNS

Ex-mayor blacklisted

RAUTAHAT: The Drinking Water Supply Corporation (DWSC), branch office Gaur, has blacklisted Gaurishankar Yadav, former mayor of Gaur municipality for failing to pay the water tariff. “We asked him in written and verbally to pay the due water tariff of the water supplied to his home but he didn’t listen to us and we had to blacklist him,” said Kritbhusan Lal, chief of DWSC, Gaur. The DWSC will launch a campaign to collect due tariff from the blacklisted subscribers at any cost, Lal added. — HNS

Officials’ action flayed

JHAPA: The Jhapa Chambers of Commerce and Industries (JCCI) on Thursday criticised the government officials at the customs office for harassing businessmen. The JCCI, in a press statement issued here on Thursday has said the government employees’ behaviour at the customs office is discouraging businessmen from going on with their trade. They conduct unnecessary raids and surprise checkings, it said. The action has added agony to the already suffering businessmen, it said. — HNS