Kathmandu, March 17, 2009

The government has decided to restructure the Nepal Police and establish regional police bureaus under the command of Additional Inspector General. The regional bureaus’ strength will be comparable to the size of a Nepali Army division. More budget and policemen will be allocated for the regional commands. According to the present structure, DIGs look after the regions while the AIGs handle headquarters and different departments centred in the Kathmandu valley. The government is restructuring the police organisation as per the recommendations made by a high-level working committee. The concept of regional bureaus will come handy to help mobilise the personnel once federal units are carved out. The home ministry is also working on strengthening regional commands by restructuring the APF and NID, an official said. The high-level working committee has concluded that it was necessary to restructure the police force due to high expectation in post-insurgency period. The ministry has made preparations for forming a high-level coordination committee under the home ministry for effective coordination among Nepal Police, APF and National Investigation Department, according to Yubaraj Sangraula of the working committee. The working committee has proposed to make chiefs of all the three security bodies and the home secretary as the members of the coordination committee. Home ministry spokesperson Nabin Ghimire said, “Work to implement the report is on.”

Nat Geo hails thrill seekers’ paradise

Kathmandu, March 17, 2009

Welcome news ahead of Nepal Tourism Year 2011. National Geographic Adventure has hailed Nepal and Brazil among the top draw adventure destinations in the world. The magazine has conferred the honour on the Himalayan and South American nations in its Best of Adventure category. Brazil figured for the second time in the last three years. While, it is a maiden entry for Nepal, which is largely a tourism-driven economy. The report, compiled by experts, is a roundup of open air leisure activities across the globe. It aims to give a low down on destinations to the magazine’s 2.5 million readers for adrenaline pumping thrills.

Ram Kaji Koney, president, Nepal Association of Tours and Travel agencies (NAT- TA), is understandably over the moon, thanks to the heartening international endorsement. “It’s high time, we reinvent the wheel. Various foreign sports companies are also planning to popularise international sports like cricket and hockey on top of the world. It’s a sure-fire way to woo adventure tourists,” said Koney. He, however, had a caveat for global sporting firms. “A happy blend of discretion and enterprise is the need of the hour,” he added. Adventure tourism started in the country in early 1950s.