Kathmandu, October 23, 2006

The festival of Tihar more specially the tradition of youths and children moving from house to house singing Tihar songs asking goodies, munchies, tidbits and also dollops of cash has indeed undergone a titanic change this year around.

They are connecting with Deepawali the best way. Here is the latest innovation, which has given an altogether new ring to the Festival of Lights and the Lady Luck.

If you carry a pre-paid cell phone and have not yet received a call of its own kind, you stand advised to be tuned in to your set for the last time tonight.

For, chances are that you may receive calls requesting you to transfer some amount of the credit to the caller/s once the Tihar songs have been couched into the cell phone and passed on to you through SMSs.

Depending on who you are, the callers may request you to transfer anything from Rs 10 to Rs 50 or even Rs 100 to his/her number/numbers as a customary gift. Isn’t it all much like what happens when a group comes calling to your courtyard, sings and goes back with the booty?

Predictably enough, the messages received talk about your prosperity, peace, good health, intelligent children and — hold your breath — even romance in your life. And chances are you may yield to the demand once you read the fine print sent out to make you feel happy, and act generously.

13 companies to be de-listed

Nepal Stock Exchange Ltd (NESEL) is yet to recover over Rs 2.90 million as listing fees from some three dozen companies listed for share trading at the country’s sole secondary market.

According to NESEL, 34 companies listed at the Nepse floor for share trading failed to pay the annual listing fees within the stipulated time as per the Securities Transactions Act 1983 and Regulations 1984. Listed companies ought to pay the annual listing fee by the end of Aswin during each fiscal year.

The companies that have not yet paid the listing fees include 23 companies from the manufacturing and processing group, five companies from trading group, three from finance group, two from the others group and one from the hotel group.

Of the total eight trading groups listed Nepse, companies belonging to commercial banks group, insurance group and development banks group have cleared their dues within the stipulated time.

The majority of companies that have not paid the listing fees are state-run or have government equity in them. Moreover, most of the companies have either already shut down or are on the verge of closure.

Duration of dues that have to be paid ranges from one year to 11 years, whereas the amount ranges between Rs 15,000 and Rs 275,000.

According to NESEL, 15 out of the 34 companies have not paid the listing fee for the fiscal year 2005-06.