The micro hydro power projects ranging from 15 to 20 kilowatts based at Falametar, Foksingtar, Milche and Majhifeda VDCs lying north of the Mahabharata hill range of the district were pulverized by the earthquake, said Anjit Gautam, Chief of Environment, Energy and Climate Change Department at District Development Committee, Kavre.
The micro hydro power projects combined had been producing 60 kilowatts of power. Gautam said another 20 micro hydro project installations have suffered wide cracks, damaged canals and collapsed pillars in other VDCs. At least 600 households have been impacted after the hydro projects shut down.
The micro hydro projects produce 700 kilowatt of energy in the rural parts of Kavrepalanchowk district. There are a total of 30 micro hydro power plants in various VDCs of the district. RSS
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Relief materials in cash and food worth Rs 4.5 million to quake victims
Kathmandu, May 25: A spiritual organization, Heavenly Path, has distributed relief materials in cash and food worth Rs 4.5 million to victims of the earthquake in the affected districts.
The organization, active in a dozen countries around the globe, held a press conference today during which it was informed that its founding member His Holiness Master Godangel would lead the distribution of additional relief materials worth another Rs 2 million.
The Heavenly Path on May 1 launched rehabilitation programmes in remote areas of Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Kavrepalanchowk, Nuwakot, Dhading, Rasuwa, Ramechap and Okhaldhunga.
On the occasion, Godangel urged the followers to distribute relief materials and help quake victims in the rehabilitation with an altruistic feeling at a time when the country is going through a painful time.
Godangel said a religious worship ceremony would be held which would include the participation of religious Gurus of all the religions. Furthermore, Godangel pledged the organization would head towards such destinations where relief has not yet reached if it is informed of such locations.
The organization also led a campaign to retrieve bodies and to help in the victims' funeral rites at Mailung, Gogane and Tiru villages in Rasuwa district.
The Heavenly Path is active in the US, Britain, India, Bhutan, Hong Kong, Brunei, Malaysia, Qatar, Singapore and Thailand. RSS
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No day is inauspicious: Astrologer Gautam
Kathmandu, May 25: At a time when people are gripped by psychological fears of occurrence of tremors every Saturday and Tuesday as the powerful 7.8-magnitude earthquake of April 25 and another big aftershock of May 12 happened on Saturday and Tuesday respectively, a noted astrologer of the country has said no day of the week is inauspicious.
Due to this superstitious belief, the people are seen extra vigilant on Saturdays and Tuesdays following the massive quake fearing big tremors on these days.
But President of Nepal Calendar Determination Committee Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam says the days in themselves are not hostile.
While urging people not to go after the negative comments made by some so-called astrologers regarding Saturday and Tuesday to tarnish astrology, senior astrologer Gautam exhorted all to get out of this psychological fear. RSS
UML chair Oli inspects quake-ravaged Singati
Dolakha, May 25: CPN (UML) chairman KP Sharma Oli has reached at Singati, the worst quake affected area in the district for an onsite inspection.
Settlement at the village is in high risk due to the quake, it is learnt. Chair Oli added that his visit was concentrated on how to resettle the people of the quake affected areas as most of the districts have witnessed heavy loss and damage in the quake.
Leader Oli urged all to pay attention on the health of elderly people and children.
He added that providing the food and shelters to the quake displaced people was the first priority of political parties.
Similarly, chief district officer Prem Prasad Lamichhane informed that leader Oli will return to the capital after completing his onsite inspection at the most quake affected areas of the district today itself.
Let's contribute voluntary labour rising above partisan interest: Pokharel
Kathmandu, May 25: General Secretary of the CPN (UML), Ishwor Pokharel, has directed the party volunteers to move ahead with a service motive in course of reconstructing houses to quake-hit people.
Monitoring the reconstruction of houses of locals at Tokha Municipality-3, Pokharel urged for the voluntary labour in course of constructing temporary huts during such devastation in the country and to bring the terrorized people into a normal situation.
He also pointed out the need of bringing those people, who are spending their days under the tent and open sky, should be provided roof rising above partisan interests and suggested the volunteers to continue the reconstruction campaign till a month. RSS
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More than two thousand classrooms pulverized in Eastern region
Biratnagar, May 25: Classrooms of more than two thousand schools in Eastern region suffered complete or severe damages during the catastrophic 7.8 magnitude earthquake of April 25 and a series of aftershocks.
At least 2,023 classrooms of the community schools in 16 districts of the eastern region have been pulverized while 1,724 rooms suffered major damages with additional 2,741 classes witnessing wide cracks. A total of 157 toilets were also damaged, according to Eastern Regional Education Directorate, Dhankuta.
The school rooms were classified under three categories of completely damaged, suffering major damage and cracks.
The district of Okhaldhunga has incurred the highest number of such losses. The district recorded 539 completely damaged classrooms, 345 rooms with major damage and 510 with wide cracks. As many as 30 toilets were also damaged in the earthquake, said Chudamani Fuyal of Eastern Regional Education Directorate. RSS
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Quake affects revenue collection
Pathari (Morang), May 25: Revenue collection has been affected in the month of Baisakh due to the 'Gorkha ' earthquake occurred on April 25 and the powerful aftershocks on April 26 and May 12, according to the Biratnagar Customs Office.
Although the office had set the target to collect Rs 1.60 billion in the month of Baisakh, it collected only Rs 1.21 billion.
Office Chief, Krishna Basnet, said that relief materials worth Rs 80 million imported via the office were duty-free. RSS
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Banks and financial institutions continue contribution to PM Disaster Relief Fund
Kathmandu, May 25: Different banks and financial institutions have provided cash support to the Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund as relief to the quake affected.
Prime Bank provides Rs 5 million
Prime Commercial Bank has provided five million rupees to the fund. Chairman at the Bank Umesh Shrestha and Executive Director Narayan Das Manandhar jointly handed over the cheque of this amount to Prime Minister Sushil Koiral today, said Prime Minister's private secretariat.
DCGC provides Rs 2.7 million financial aid to PM Fund
Board of Director at the Deposit and Credit Guarantee Corporation (DCGC), Dr Dandapani Poudel, handed over a cheque equivalent to Rs 2.7 million to the Prime Minister.
Similarly, President of the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers' Association, Mani Ranta Shakya, handed over a cheque equivalent to Rs 2.5 million, the Deepankar Foundation Chairman one million rupees, Chief Executive Officer at the Kasthamandap Development Bank Ltd, Umesh Singh Bhandari, Rs 500,000 and executive member of Film Development Board, Rajendra KC, Rs 500,000.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Koirala thanked them for the same. RSS
JICA organizes post-quake reconstruction seminar in capital
Kathmandu, May 25: Japanese experts in the area of earthquake have suggested the government to carry out the after-quake reconstruction projects on the basis of Nepal's originality and needs.
The experts have further shared post-quake reconstruction experience as both countries are facing same disasters of quake.
While talking in a day-long seminar on Build Back Better Reconstruction Seminar for Nepal organized by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in the capital today, Prof Kimiro Meguro, Prof Kazuki Koketsu among other experts pointed out the need of being alert to be safe from the possible risks of building and other infrastructure collapse as they were found in vulnerable conditions.
They have said that the man-made infrastructures cause huge casualties and loss rather than the quake itself therefore such infrastructure should be constructed quake resistance as Japan has been doing so.
Minister Mahat urges to provide maximum support to Nepal
On the occasion, Minister for Finance, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, has urged all to support the reconstruction task after the quake. He also called to provide financial, technical and humanitarian support, saying the country's situation is very sensitive and vulnerable.
Stating that the government was committed to forward reconstruction task in a smooth manner by using local means and resources, the Finance Minister said that they are going to hold a conference of donors for the investment.
He argued that the government has been moving ahead by formulating the short-tern, mid-term and long-term plan as management after the disaster was very complex.
Similarly, Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission, Prof Dr Govinda Raj Pokharel, said that they are active to make the life normal after the quake and added that they have expected positive support of all sector.
Stating that out of total population of the country, more than 20 per cent people have been affected by the quake, Pokharel said that support of all bodies was necessary to build quake resistance buildings. RSS
Former judge Upreti's body handed over to TUTH
Kathmandu, May 25: The body of Bharat Raj Upreti, former judge at the Supreme Court, has been handed over to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) as per his wish.
Upreti, 65, committed suicide at his home Sunday night, issuing a suicide note.
The last rites of Upreti were performed by cremating his figurine made of the kusa grass as per the Hindu rituals, according to Chet Raj Upreti, his younger brother.
In the suicide note he wrote, the former judge Upreti stated that he took his own life out of his own will and asked the family members to hand over the body to the TUTH, and if TUTH turned it down, to another teaching hospital. He had also written in his suicide note to provide Rs 500,000 equivalent to the expenses for his obsequies rituals to the earthquake victims, senior advocate Ramnath Mainali, who is related to the Upretis, said.
Upreti, who had worked as the temporary judge at the Supreme Court, had resigned before the termination of his tenure after not being granted a promotion to the post of permanent judge.
Before becoming a judge at the Supreme Court, he worked as the legal advisor at the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and other institutions.
He was jobless after his retirement after it was constitutionally stipulated that a person who has served as the judge could not hold any post except an office-bearer of the National Human Rights Commission.
According to Mainali, Upreti in the suicide note mentioned that he has been dealt a blow after the Nepal Bar Association barred him from engaging in 'chamber practice' as well.
NBA vice-president Tikaram Bhattarai said the Bar was shocked by Upreti's death and would discuss and analyse the topics mentioned in his suicide note, later.
Upreti was born in Linkhu VDC of Sindhupalchok district and had been living in Gyaneshwar, Kathmandu. He leaves behind a wife, a son and two daughters. RSS
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Failure to harvest tealeaves in time leaves farmers with Rs 100 million in loss
Lalitpur, May 25: Farmers have incurred a loss amounting to whopping Rs 100 million with the failure to harvest tealeaves from different tea gardens in the district's remote area.
The tealeaves could not be plucked on time in the district's remotest parts of Chandanpur, Kaleshwor, Manikhel, Bukhel, Ghusel, Chaudhare, Ikudole, Gorikhel and Sanhkhu VDCs due to the havoc wrecked by the earthquake.
Most of the tea farmers' focus has been diverted to reconstructing their houses and barns razed down during the earthquake, said Rishiram Ghimire of the Tea Producers Cooperative Association.
The tea gardens altogether cover an area as large as 1000 ropanis. The Association has 167 farmers affiliated with it.
Ghimire said the farmers could not harvest the tealeaves following the chaos instigated by the unprecedented earthquake which has killed more than 8,600 people across half the country.
Each ropani of the tea garden fetches an annual 1,200 kg of green tealeaves. A kilo of tealeaves is sold for Rs 100 which amounts to an annual Rs 120,000, further augmenting the losses inflicted on farmers. RSS
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