POKHARA: UCPN-Maoist activists on Tuesday greeted President Dr. Ram Baran Yadav with black flags. Irate UCPN-Maoist cadres hurled stones at the police after the latter dispersed them as they were protesting the President's inauguration of an international programme on community forest. Security has been strengthened due to the protests from the cadres of the UCPN-Maoist. The police arrested around 10 Maoist activists who were demonstrating in Birat Chowk with back flags.

The participants of the programme have come from around 30 countries in Asia and Europe. According to the Ministry of Forest and the Soil Conservation, the conference will discuss issues including climate change. It is believed that Pokhara Declaration will be forwarded for the world forest conference in Argentina.