Major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu Valley on Wednesday have given priority to a host of issues. The government has registered a new bill in a bid to protect citizens’ right to privacy, but stakeholders have feared that it might curtain press freedom and right to information. Many newspapers have published various issues surrounding the bill on their front pages. Likewise, a strike launched by vegetable traders at the Kalimati vegetable and fruit market on Tuesday, protesting the government monitoring as an effort to control cheating in the trade, has also received significant attention. Some newspapers have also published followup stories about the alleged murder of former ambassador Keshav Jha on their front pages.
Few other political, sociocultural and economic issues have also been published with priority on the front pages of major newspapers today.
Important
Stakeholders fear restriction on press freedom from new law
Gorkhapatra, Annapurna Post, Kantipur, Rajdhani, The Kathmandu Post, The Himalayan Times and Republica have published reports about provisions of the new privacy law draft that the government has registered in the Federal Parliament Secretariat recently. All the reports except that of Gorkhapatra have also expressed fear that the bill may pose threats to free press of the country.
The Kathmandu Post reports that the Bill on Protection of Individual’s Right to Privacy has several restrictions on publications and journalists. “The bill bans collection of individuals’ information, taking photographs, and recording a conversation without prior permission.” It adds that legal and media analysts have highlighted that the blanket ban on gathering information concerning even those who hold public positions curtains freedom of the press.
Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa registered the bill on behalf of the government, according to Gorkhapatra.
Ignored
22 Nepalis returning home from foreign hospitals
The lead story of Annapurna Post reports that 22 Nepali nationals, who are in coma at foreign hospitals after sustaining injuries during their jobs abroad are being taken home.
The government is preparing to take them back to home and ensure their treatment at hospitals inside the country.
The government has already prepared a guideline to facilitate the process.
Nepali Army fails to track peacekeeping earnings
The national military organisation has largely failed to keep right records of its earnings from United Nations peacekeeping missions, according to a three column story in Karobar.
The report claims that the Nepali Army does not have any record about how much money it saved and how much it spent from the total earning of Rs 10 million.
The organisation earns money from the missions as the UN provides it fund for purchase of various equipment, whereas it requires the peacekeeping personnel to make monetary contributions to a welfare fund.
Private schools may benefit from new education law
Kantipur reports in a brief news story that the government is preparing to introduce a new education law and private schools may get benefits from the new law.
Though the bill is being introduced to ensure right to compulsory and free education as envisioned in the constitution, some provisions are pro-private sector.
The Cabinet on Sunday has approved the bill tabled by Minister Giriraj Mani Pokharel.
Staff shortage mars provincial govts
Months have been passed since the provincial governments began functioning, but they are reeling under an acute shortage of human resources, according to a three column story in The Kathmandu Post.
The report informs that the provincial governments have complained of obstructions in daily operations due to the staff shortage, resulting in poor service delivery.
The report has blamed the federal government for failure to depute enough officials to the provinces.
Conflict victims want criminal code revised
The Himalayan Times reports in its lead story that victims of the decade-long armed conflict have demanded that the government revise the new criminal code that came into effect last week, claiming it has failed to address the Supreme Court verdict about enforce disappearances. Likewise, the new law’s provisions also do not conform to international standards, according to them.
Interesting
29 general secretaries in a single party
The ruling Nepal Communist Party has only one general secretary whereas the main opposition Nepali Congress has two. But, the Rastriya Janata Party Nepal, which is way smaller than the two parties in terms of support it has from voters, has 29 general secretaries, reports Nepal Samacharpatra.
The party was formed after merging six Madhesh-centric parties in April last year and it has created jumbo structures to accommodate the leaders. The party’s central committee has 815 members.
