Achham has become the first Open Defecation Free (ODF) district in the Far Western Region and the fifth district in the country to do so. The declaration was made recently after the district managed to have toilets in each household in all the 75 Village Development Committees (VDCs).
So far, only six municipalities and 750 VDCs, out of almost 4,000, have been declared ODF. It is, therefore, still a long way from fulfilling the universal target – to provide access to water and sanitation services by 2017. According to the latest census, 30 percent of Nepal’s population lacks access to basic sanitation facilities and are vulnerable to various diseases and epidemics all year round.[break]
Zutt is new WB Country Director for Nepal
Johannes Zutt of the Netherlands has been appointed The World Bank’s (WB) new Country Director for Nepal and Bangladesh. Zutt has been in the development sector since 1990. He joined the WB in 1999 and has since held managerial positions in Eritrea, Kenya, Rwanda, Angola, China, Malawi, Mongolia, Mozambique, and Zambia. “Zutt will guide the World Bank’s engagement in Nepal, aiming to help reduce poverty and promote shared prosperity,” the WB said in a statement. “His priorities will include supporting the government in its efforts to promote sustainable development, inclusive growth and good governance.”
Five get Chaudhary Literary Awards
The Lunkarandas-Gangadevi Chaudhary Sahitya Kala Mandir, a literary trust of the Chaudhary Group, has awarded prizes to five literary and entertainment figures.
Those being awarded are writer Gita Keshari with the “Gangadevi Chaudhary Smriti Samman” and a purse of Rs. 100,000; historian Dr. Dinesh Raj Panta with the “Itihas Shiromani Baburam Acharya Sodh Samman;” litterateur Bairagi Kaila with the “Saraswati Samman,” and singer Tirtha Kumari Thapa with the “Narayan Gopal Sangeet Samman.”
The latter three awards carry a purse of Rs. 51,000 each. Similarly, theater actor Rajkumar Pudasaini has been awarded “Nepal Nawa Pratibha Puraskar” and a purse of Rs. 35,000.
Pokhreli journalist honored
Gangadhar Parajuli, senior media personality of Pokhara, received this year’s “Dayashankar Smriti Patrakarita Puraskar” established in the memory of the late freedom fighter Dayashankar Palikhe by his family. The Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) Kaski Chapter awarded Parajuli, Chairman of Sunaulo Publications of Pokara, for his two decades of involvement in journalism. Parajuli is also the Central Vice President of Press Union and Executive Director of Sunaulo FM, a community radio station. The award of Rs. 33,333 is given to senior journalists based in Pokhara.
Change of guard at KMC
Joint Secretary Laxman Aryal has replaced Kedar Bahadur Adhikari as CEO of Kathmandu Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). Adhikari has been transferred to the Health Ministry after reports of financial misappropriations were reported in KMC during his tenure.
NEFIN gets new office-bearers
Nepal Federation of Indigenous Nationalities (NEFIN), the flagship organization of some five dozen non-governmental organizations of Nepal’s indigenous nationalities, elected its new office-bearers during its recent elections held in Chitwan. Nagendra Kumal will now head the organization as President while Pemba Bhote and Jagat Bahadur Baram have been elected General Secretary and Treasurer respectively.
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