RATNANAGAR, Oct 6: CPN-UML Chitwan has finalized the candidates to contest in the near-coming election to the House of Representatives and State Assemblies.

The candidates to stand in the first-past-the-post system of election have been finalized, according to UML Chitwan Chair and MP Krishna Bhakta Pokharel.

Accordingly, former Finance Minister and MP Surendra Pandey has been recommended unanimously for constituency no. 1 and MP Krishna Bhakta Pokharel for constituency no. 2.

Likewise, four candidates including Ghanashyam Bhattarai, Shanker Thapaliya, Surya Jamarkattel, Bina Timilsina and Rabi Kiran Poudel have been recommended for constituency no. 3.

Those recommended for the provincial assembly include Dawa Lama and Krishna Pant for constituency no. 1 (a) and Krishna Khanal in (b), Bijaya Subedi in constituency no. 2 (a) and Tejendra Khadka in (b). In constituency no. 3 (a) Krishna Bhurtel and ten others in (b) of the same constituency have been recommended, UML Chitwan in-charge Khanal said.

Prior to this, the Nepali Congress Chitwan has also made the final recommendation of its candidates while CPN (MC) is in the process of selection. RSS

CHITWAN, Sept 8: CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ has announced that he will contest the election of House of Representatives from Chitwan district.

He however didn’t reveal which constituency he will contest from. “I will decide on the constituency after consultation with the party’s local committee,” said Dahal during a press meet organized by the Press Center, Chitwan on Friday.

“In 2008 Constitution Assembly Election, I contested from the origin district of People’s War, Rolpa and the capital Kathmandu. I won in both districts. This time, I will contest from Chitwan,” said the former prime minister, whose home district is Chitwan.

The party’s secretariat meeting held recently in Birgunj decided to give him the ticket from Chitwan in the central election, he informed.

According to laws related to Federal Parliament election, one candidate can only contest from only one constituency.

Dahal had also contested from two constituencies from Siraha and Kathmandu districts in the 2013 Constitution Assembly Election. He got victory in Siraha but lost in Kathmandu.

At the event, he took the time to claim that he had experiences of competing in elections from distinct geographical locations and background, and that he wishes to link up Chitwan to the central politics with the utilization of such experiences.

“I have come to Chitwan collecting a vast experience of the whole country. Chitwan can be changed into a smart city. I have preparing a long-term master plan for my home district,” said Dahal adding, “Infrastructures development in Chitwan has been my top priority. A ringroad bridging Narayani and Rapti rivers is also included in the development plan.”

“I believe my candidacy (likely) would be important for the people here as Chitwan is my political base,” he said, adding that his party would collaborate with any party embracing republic and democracy for the upcoming provincial and federal elections, be it the Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and Madhes-based political parties.

CHITWAN, Sept 1: A total of 309 patients have tested positive for swine flu in Chitwan, the District Public Health Office (DPHO) said. Incidences of people contracting the disease were reported in the past three months, health workers said.

According to office vector controller Ram Kumar KC, 309 among 380 who underwent tests for swine flu tested positive. The sample of 380 suspected has been sent to Kathmandu for further lab test to confirm the condition following the detection of H1N1 virus in the district. Fifty six patients are from outside the district and are receiving treatment in the hospital.

Running nose, body pain, sore throat and fever are the symptoms of this viral disease. Patients are prescribed to undergo treatment under the direct medical observation, according to hospital Dr Kalidas Adhikari. The hospital these days receives a high number of patients suffering from this seasonal flu. RSS 

NARAYAN ADHIKARI, CHITWAN, July 22: Chitwan, blessed as it is with natural beauty encompassing the environs of the Mahabharat hills, the Chure hills as well as the Tarai plains, is emerging as a popular film shooting destination of late.

With the Narayani river flowing through and the Chitwan National Park, the wildlife sanctuary, to boast about, Chitwan has many attractions as a convenient shooting place for the prospective film producers.

Not only natural splendour, Chitwan hosts developed urban spaces to squatter settlements and the residential area highlighting the indigenous nationalities’ culture and ethos.

Moreover, it can be reached after a short travel from the capital and the accommodation is relatively less costly here which make it the film director’s choice. Add to this, the helpful attitude of the Chitwan folks for they readily offer any help the director or the film crew asks for, including supporting minor roles.

Bimal Poudel, former president of the Film Directors Association of Nepal, says that Chitwan is the choice for many film producers for its geographical location, proximity to the capital, cheaper cost and availability of suitable scenes and artistes.

“The support you get from the locals while shooting films here is also one of the factors that makes Chitwan a convenient place for shooting,” said Poudel, who has completed the entire shooting for his latest film ‘Pokharaki Kali’ in Chitwan.

Poudel, who is also the former member of the Film Development Board, shared that he had also proposed to developing Chitwan as Nepal’s film city.

Last fiscal year alone 13 various films were shot in Chitwan, including Nirvaya, Rudra, Radhe, Pinjada Back Again, Babu-Kanchha, Boyfriend, Prashuram, Loot-2, Ma Yasto Geet Gaunchhu, Butterfly, Super Gorkhey, Lamphu, and Sikka.

It is estimated that around 200 films are produced annually in the country. Of these films, 120 show in movie theatres. According to Poudel, shooting for most of the films is done in Chitwan.

Director of the film ‘Babu-Kanchha’, Shovit Basnet, who filmed his entire film in Chitwan recently, said outside Kathmandu, Chitwan and Pokhara are important places for shooting films. He added that out of the 29 movies directed by him so far, six are entirely filmed in Chitwan.

Twenty-five per cent of the shooting for the film ‘Nirvaya’, which is now showing, was done in Chitwan. Director of the film ‘Nirvaya’, Madhu Sudan Bhattarai said Chitwan is suitable place for shooting movies from every aspect including the rare fauna and flora, and art and culture.

Even the film artistes are enthusiastic when it comes to shooting films in Chitwan. Film star Nikhil Upreti, who worked in four films in Chitwan over the period of last one year alone, is all praises for Chitwan folks for their cooperative attitude.

“The rivers and lakes, forests, wild animals and the art and culture in Chitwan is simply mesmerizing,” he said.

Similarly, actress Neeta Dhungana says for her Chitwan is like her own place and staying here was like you are at your own house. “I like Sauraha. It is a very beautiful place,” she said.

Chitwan’s own veteran artist Riddhi Charan Shrestha, who started his acting career in 2016 BS, says that Chitwan has every potentiality of being developed into a prime place for shooting films.

“Apart from the scenery of the hilly region and Tarai plains, Chitwan has many rivers and streams; it is home to rich wildlife as well as a cultural diversity. It has on offer different natural and cultural aspects necessary for film,” said Shrestha, who has so far acted in almost 71 films.

The Rapti and Narayani river bank, Devghat, the Narayani river bridge, Sauraha’s Hattisar area and Chitwan National Park, Meghauli, Jagatpur, Patihani, the Bishajari Lake, the Raino Lake, the Tharu and Darai settlements, Medical College and Cancer Hospital are some of the popular shooting spots in Chitwan.

CHITWAN, May 26: Nepal and India have agreed to launch a joint patrol in parks and reserves along the Nepal-India border to deal with the issues of wildlife poaching.

The joint move will be targeted at finding the trans-border hideouts of wildlife smugglers and crack down on poaching.

A two-day bilateral meeting also attended by chiefs of parks and reserves of both countries concluded here late evening on Thursday at Valmiki Tiger Reserve in India ended with this decision.

Chitwan National Park Chief Conservation Officer Ram Chandra Kandel headed the Nepali team while the Indian side was led by Valmiki Tiger Reserve’s field director Chandra Shekhar.

The two sides agreed to exchange bilateral information, make the joint patrolling effective, enhance capacity of parks and reserve staff and to conduct a field monitoring.

The meeting decided to take an immediate measure if any problem is seen while undertaking joint efforts to combat wildlife poaching, according to CNP conservation officer Kandel. Representatives from the National Trust for Nature Conservation and Zoological Society of London were also present in the meeting.

It is noted that a bilateral of high-ranking officials concerned of both countries held in Patna on February 28, 2017 agreed to work in collaboration to combat wild life poaching. RSS

CHITWAN: The Second National Scout Jamboree is beginning at Tikauli in Chitwan district today.

The organizer said that preparation for the jamboree was where as high as 5,500 scout members including 500 foreigners would participate.

Chairman of Nepal’s Interim Election Council Khil Raj Regmi is scheduled to inaugurate the function.

Altogether 222 Indians, 32 Finnish, six Pakistanis, 20 Malaysians, 91 Bangladeshis and one scout each from Japan, Luxemburg, and USA will be participating in the jamboree.

The scout was established in 2009 B.S. and the first jamboree was organized in 2043 B.S. at Kirtipur, Kathmandu. The second jamboree is being organized in Chitwan this year after 26 years.

The jamboree will conclude on April 15.

Investigation into the case is underway and the body has been kept at Bharatpur Hospital for postmortem, said police. Meanwhile, a child of Bharatpur has been injured after falling from house roof.  Sumit Gupta, 3, of Krishna Mohan Prasad Gupta, a resident of Beltadi of Bharatpur Municipality -2 was injured after falling from one storey while playing.

Gupta, who fell Tuesday evening, is being treated in Chitwan Medical College, Bharatpur, the District Police Office, Chitwan, said. RSS