Pakistan marble mine accident kills 11: officials

PESHAWAR, Pakistan, Jan 04, 2 (AFP) - At least 11 people were killed when a marble mine collapsed during blasting in northwest Pakistan, officials said Sunday. The accident happened Saturday in the Ziarat neighbourhood of Lakaro village in the Mohmand tribal district"The mine collapsed when the

labourers carried out a blastSaturdayevening and so far we have retrieved 11 dead bodies. Some people might bestilltrappedinside," local administration official Meraj Khan told AFP.He said two people were injured. rescueoperation was still under way.Zeeshan Abdullah, a senior administration official, confirmed the incident.Most mines in Pakistan are notorious for poor safety standards and facilities. Similar deadly accidents have occurred in the past.

cpn-maoist chair baidhya discharged from hospital

Kathmandu, Jan 3: CPN-Maoist Chairman Mohan Baidhya has been discharged from hospital this morning, after fully recovering his health condition.

Chairman Baidhya had been admitted to the Thapathali-based Norvic International Hospital on Monday after suffering from respiratory problem.

Dr Brijendra Shreevastav, who was involved in Baidhya's treatment, said that he was discharged as his health has completely recovered. Baidhya was very weak due to asthma, and cold and cough but his health condition has returned to normal, added Dr Shreevastav.

Different leaders including Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Bamdev Gautam, Jhalanath Khanal, Madhav Kumar Nepal, Pushpa Kamal Dahal, Dr Baburam Bhattarai, Ram Chandra Poudel, among others had visited Baidhya at the hospital and inquired about his health condition, wishing him speedy recovery.

Meanwhile, party spokesperson Pampha Bhusal, has in a statement issued this morning, thanked the doctors involved in the treatment, the hospital management and all the political party leaders and well-wishers who expressed concerned over Chairman Baidhya's health and wished him speed recovery. RSS

Clean Bagmati campaign: Sanepa and Balkhu today

Kathmandu, Jan 3: Cleaning of the Bagmati river and its banks took place at Sanepa and Balkhu points of the river today under the 86^th series of the Clean Bagmati Campaign.

Government employees, staffers of Kathmandu metropolis and Lalitpur sub-metropolis, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police personnel, locals, civil society organizations, school students and the members of the general public took part in drawing out solid waste from the holy river this morning.

Speaking at today's programme, Chief Secretary Lilamani Poudel, who is spearheading the campaign, said the objective of cleaning Bagmati river is to give a public message to not throw waste in and around the rivers, and expected continued support from all in this regard.

On the occasion, Chair of Kalimati Youth Club Binod Dangol said as the ancient human civilization and culture was linked with various other rivers too, the cleaning campaign should be extended from Bagmati to other rivers as well. RSS

Winter rain damages crops in Rupandehi

Butwal, Jan 3: Unexpected winter rain here since the past few days is likely to cause damage to vegetable crop in Rupandehi, say agro experts.

Seasonal crops like potato and tomato grown by farmers in various parts of the district will likely suffer damage due to the winter rain, said chief agriculture officer at the District Agriculture Development Office, Rupandehi Krishna Bhadra Adhikari. However, the rainwater could become a boon for crops like wheat and mustard, added Adhikari.

Meanwhile, the rain as well as the cold wave are having an impact on the 13^th National Industrial and Agriculture fair underway in Butwal since December 22.

Many goods exhibited at the various stalls in the fair have been damaged by the rain as the tents were blown away by the heavy winds blowing since yesterday, said Dinesh Raj Regmi of the Rupandehi Industry Association. The exhibition organized by the Association ends on January 5. RSS

culture expert joshi's health improving

Kathmandu, Jan 3: Health condition of culture expert Satya Mohan Joshi has been gradually improving. Joshi is undergoing treatment at the Balkhu-based Vayodha hospital.

The anti-biotic administered on the 95-year-old has been stopped since Friday. He has, however, been advised to stay under the observation of doctors for another week at the hospital, according to litterateur Narendra Raj Prasai.

Dubbed the 'man of the century', Joshi was admitted to the hospital on December 7 after suffering from a lung infection. His treatment so far has cost Rs. 967,000, according to Ministry of Health and Population. RSS

Special provision for Nepali devotees visiting gangasagar

Kathmandu, Jan 3: The United Nepali Central Service Association in Kolkata, India is to provide support and services to the Nepali devotees visiting the Gangasagar fair on the occasion of Makar Sankranti this year. Makar Sankranti falls on coming January 15.

Every year, a large number of Nepali Hindus gather at Gangasagar in Kolkata India for a holy dip at the confluence of the river Ganga and the Bay of Bengal to be followed by a pooja at the Kapil Muni Temple or Ashram.

A vedic sage credited as one of the founders of the Samkhya school of philosophy, Kapil Muni is regarded to have been born in Kapilvastu of Nepal.

Gangasagar also finds mention in many tales of Hindu mythology and texts like the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The Association will set up a fair camp that will run from January 10 to 16 and provide various support services including food and accommodation, health camp, rescue of stranded persons, arrangement for home return etc, according to Chair of the camp organizing committee Badri Bikram Thapa.

The Association has been providing such service since the past 26 years, added Thapa. RSS

talks fail to fix price of sugarcane

Kathmandu, Jan 3: The representatives of Ministry of Industry, sugarcane farmers and sugar factory owners are meeting again next Friday in order to agree on a new price for sugarcane this season.

Talks held between the three sides failed to come to a conclusion on Friday, with both the sugarcane farmers and sugar factory owners not budging from their respective position.

An agreement was reached to sit for a dialogue next Friday after the sugarcane farmers and sugar factory owners discuss the issue at the district-level first, said Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Industry Jit Bahadur Thapa.

The sugarcane farmers have been stressing that the price of sugarcane should remain the same as last year, which was Rs. 476 per quintal. However, the sugar factory owners argue that it was not possible to purchase in the same price, as the market price of sugar has come down comparatively. RSS