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Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava and Lomanthang Rural
Municipality Chairman Tasi Nharbu Gurung laid a foundation stone for the construction of dormitory building for Lowo Nyiphug Namdrol Norbuling Monastic Schoo.

The dormitory is being built with the Government of India’s financial assistance at the project cost of Rs 41.40 million under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’.

Political representatives, government officials, social workers, representatives of the Monastic school management were also present on this occasion, reads a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu. 

The Government of India grant under ‘Nepal-India Development Cooperation’ is being utilized for the construction of two floors dormitory building with other facilities for this Monastic school.

The project is taken up as a High Impact Community Development Project (HICDP), under an agreement between the Government of India and Government of Nepal.

This project is being implemented through Lomanthang Rural Municipality, Mustang. The project is an important example of the robust development partnership between India and Nepal, according to the statement.

Chairman, Lomanthang Rural Municipality and Chairman, Lowo Nyiphug Namdrol Norbuling Monastic School and political representatives in their remarks appreciated the continued developmental support of the Government of India in upliftment of the people of Nepal in priority sectors.      

The new building would be useful in providing better education and accommodation facilities to the students of Lowo Nyiphug Namdrol Norbuling Monastic School in Lomanthang Rural Municipality, Mustang and would create an improved environment for learning as well as contribute to the development of the education and religious care and helping in preserving their culture and tradition in this region. 

Since 2003, the Government of India has taken up over 551 HICDPs in Nepal in various sectors and has completed 490 projects.

Amongst these, 59 projects are in Gandaki Province in various sectors, including         17 projects in Mustang.

In addition to these,the Government of India has gifted 1009 ambulances and 300 school buses to various hospitals, health posts and educational institutions in Nepal.  

Amongst these, 119 ambulances and 40 school buses have been gifted in Gandaki Province, including 11 ambulances and five school buses provided in Mustang district. 

As close neighbours, India and Nepal share wide-ranging and multi-sectoral cooperation.

 The implementation of HICDPs reflects the continued support of the Government of India in bolstering the efforts of the Government of Nepal in upliftment of its people, augmenting infrastructure in the field of priority sectors.  
 

Eight people were injured when a bus met with an accident at Birta Lampani in Khimti of Likhu Tamakoshi Rural Municipality-6, Ramechhap district on Friday. Among the injured is the bus driver.

The bus with registration plate number Ba 5 Kha 5624 and belonging to the Araniko Yatayat Pvt Ltd was heading towards Manthali from Gairi of the rural municipality when the accident occurred.  The mishap occurred after the bus slipped in mud.

The condition of three among the injured is serious, said Deputy Superintendent of Police Pradip Kumar Singh, the Chief of the District Police Office, Ramechhap.

The injured passengers are being treated at the Primary Health Centre in Khimti and at the Manthali Hospital while those with serious injuries have been sent to Kathmandu for advanced medical treatment.

Police said the bus was carrying 25 people.

The District Police Office stated that the bus driver has been taken under control for further investigation.

Pemba Budha from Dolpa was forced to spend nearly a year in jail for a crime he did not commit.

Khunga Gurung filed a murder case against Pem Chhiring Gurung, a permanent resident of Chharka, Dolpa, who was residing in Tanka, Manang. The Manang District Court found Pem Chhiring guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison with a fine of Rs 350,000 on 14 March 2021.

According to Pemba’s legal counsel, a person from Dolpa was arrested in Manang in connection with the case. Based on this person’s statement, the Manang District Court concluded that Pemba and Pem Chhiring were the same person. Consequently, the district court wrote to the authorities in Dolpa to enforce the verdict.

Acting on the letter from the Manang District Court, the District Police Office in Dolpa arrested Pemba on 19 June 2023, without conducting further inquiry. He was immediately sent to prison.

During the arrest, the police confiscated Pemba’s citizenship certificate, stating that it needed to be verified at the district headquarters, as stated by Pemba in his petition to the Supreme Court.

Pemba maintains that he has never been to Manang. He expressed deep frustration at being forced to spend almost a year in prison for a crime he did not commit.

Pemba (40), a resident of Chharkatangsong Rural Municipality-4 in Dolpa, spent nearly a year in jail simply because the court found his name similar to that of the individual convicted for murder.

Stating that he was forced to stay in prison due to grave errors committed by the court, police, and prison authorities, Pemba is seeking compensation from the state for the violation of his human rights.

Pemba’s citizenship certificate, issued by the District Administration Office, Dolpa, on 5 May 2002, and his voter ID both confirm his name as Pemba Budha.

How the truth emerged

A few months ago, Anita Timilsina, a lawyer residing in Thulibheri Municipality-3 of Dolpa, visited the Dolpa District Prison for another case. During her visit, she heard from other inmates that someone was imprisoned without having committed any crime. She met Pemba immediately.

After speaking with Pemba, Anita realized that he had suffered a grave injustice. She decided to provide him with legal assistance. “As a legal professional, I offered all the legal advice that Pemba needed,” she said.

Anita gathered all the evidence and helped Pemba lodge a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court, naming the Dolpa District Court, the District Police Office, and the Dolpa District Prison Office as defendants.

Finding no evidence linking Pem Chhiring Gurung to Pemba Budha in the case files, the Supreme Court issued a writ of certiorari on Monday, overturning the Manang District Court’s decision. The court also issued a habeas corpus order for Pemba’s release, stating that Pemba Budha was not involved in the case in any way.

Following the Supreme Court’s verdict, Pemba was released from the Dolpa District Prison on Tuesday. Lawyers Bishnu Prasad Timilsina, Bhuvan Niraula, and Jyoti Baniya argued on behalf of Pemba, while Deputy Attorney General Govinda Khanal represented the defendants.

Thirty-three districts of the country have been affected from water-induced disasters from June 10-26.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Taplejung, Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha, Sindhupalchowk, Rasuwa, Chitwan, Lamjung, Parbat, Myagdi, Nawalparasi East, Gulmi, Dang, Kaski districts were affected the most.

A total of 147 disaster-related incidents had occurred during the period in which 28 people lost their lives, added the Ministry. Of them, 14 people were killed in landslides, 13 in lightning and one in flood.  

Similarly, 12 people sustained injuries and 25 houses were completely damaged while 10 suffered partial damages from landslides during the period.

According to the Secretariat of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, property worth more than Rs 6.9 million was destroyed by landslides.

A total of 68 incidents of lightning took place during the period in which 13 people lost their lives. Twenty-four people were injured from lightning and property worth more than Rs 1.7 million was damaged.

Spokesperson at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Dr Dijan Bhattarai, said 18 people were killed in disaster incidents on June 25 and 26. Of them, nine died from lightning, and nine from flooding and landslides.