35 lepers in Surkhet

JAJARKOT: Leprosy has not been eradicated from Jajarkot district. The government’s target of reducing leprosy cases to one patient per 10,000 population by 2008 seems distant, the Jajarkot District Public Health Office (DPHO) said. Currently, there are 35 lepers in the district which is 2.34 per 10,000 population, the Leprosy and Tuberculosis Control Section at the DPHO said. Lepers are found mainly in Dasera, Salva, Majkot, Sunauli, Garkhakot, and Pajaru

VDCs, the DPHO said, adding that lepers, whose condition is critical, are being referred to Leprosy Centre in Surkhet. — HNS

One in custody

DHANKUTA: Police on Sunday arrested Kamal Magar of Ankhisalla VDC-2, Saritang, on the charge of beating Tula Man Rai, Dhankuta district secretary of Rastriya Janamorcha Nepal, and other cadres. Rai was thrashed while he was trying to settle a payment dispute. Rai and other cadres are undergoing treatment in Dhankuta Hospital. — HNS

Indian assistance

JHAPA: Indian Embassy, Kathmandu, has agreed to provide Rs 29.6 million for the construction of a school building for Himali Secondary School in Prithvinagar VDC, Jhapa. Local development officer of the Jhapa DDC Gopal Prasad Parajuli and counsellor of the Indian Embassy Pranay Varma signed an agreement to this effect, the school said. The embassy had provided financial assistance for the construction of a campus building in Gaurigunj and school buildings in Ghailadubba, Bahundangi and Rajgarh last year. — HNS.

Fraudsters held

ITAHARI: Police apprehended Lok Bahadur Dahal of Dharan-13 on Saturday on the charge of swindling tens of millions of rupees from hundreds of persons in the name of sending them abroad. Dahal’s accomplice Ramesh Acharya was also arrested. Victims told police that the two collected Rs 2 lakh to Rs 6 lakh from each person, saying they would send them to Afghanistan, Nigeria and other countries for employment. — RSS