logo
  • Sunday, 16 February 2025

Yeti air plane crashed due to human error: Report

Published Date : December 28, 2023

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: The air crash investigation commission has submitted its final report to the government on Thursday, concluding that the ATR-72 plane of Yeti Airlines crashed in Pokhara on last Magh 1 due to human error.

            The report prepared by the inquiry commission chaired by former secretary Nagendra Prasad Ghimire handed over its to the Minister of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sudan Kirati today.

            Budhisagar Lamichhane, member secretary of the commission, said it was a new airport for the pilot but human aspect seems to be more responsible in the crash. Chair of the Commission Nagendra Prasad Ghimire said that the main cause of the ATR-72 airplane crash was human weakness. Analyzing the crash showed more human error. Another reason for the plane crash was that the new airport was put into operation without full preparation.

             Accepting the report, Minister Kirati expressed his belief that the management, regulatory bodies and the ministry would give necessary instructions to strictly implement the recommendations in the report.

            A total of 72 passengers included four crew members had died after the aircraft crashed into the Seti gorge while landing in the newly built Pokhara international airpot.

Writ petition against NRB Governor

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: A writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court questioning the academic qualifications of Nepal Rastra Bank Governor Mahaprasad Adhikari.

            In the petition filed today it has been claimed that the academic qualification of the Governor Adhikari is not sufficient to assume responsibility of the post. Joint-spokesperson of the Supreme Court, Govinda Ghimire, said hearing on the petition will take place on Friday.

            The government appointed Adhikari as the governor of the Central Bank 24 Chait, 2076 BS. Section 20 of the Nepal Rastra Bank Act states that the governor should have master’s degree in economics, monetary, banking, finance, commerce, management, public administration, statistics, mathematics or law and experience in the same field.

             In the writ petition filed by advocates Deepakraj Joshi, Pratapsingh Thakurathi, Damodar Timilsana and Chudamani Bhandari, it has been claimed that Adhikari has obtained the equivalence of a master’s degree from Tribhuvan University but the law stipulates that he must have passed the master’s level and hence us not qualified on the basis of equivalence.

68 posts in PM office laid off

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: The government has approved the Organization and Management (O&M) Survey, including restructuring of the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers.

            A meeting of the Council of Ministers held today decided to reduce existing 68 posts in the Prime Minister’s Office, government spokesperson and Minister for Communications and Information Technology Rekha Sharma said.

            “The PM office has been restructured in line with Prime Minster Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda”s address to the nation on last Tuesday. Altogether, 68 posts have been reduced at the PM office accordingly”, Minister Sharma shared.

            The spokesperson further informed that the employees in the posts under the PM Office will be posted in other working stations. “Implementation of the commitments PM made while addressing to the nation has started. We will implement this measure in all other agencies”, Sharma said.

            The meeting has fixed the minimum support price of wheat at Rs 3,650 per quintal for the fiscal year 2080/81 BS. Likewise, the cabinet has appointed Mahesh Bhattarai to the post of member-secretary of the Council for Technical Education and Vocational Training (CTEVT), Minister Sharma informed.

— 

PM Cup T20 women’s Cricket: APF registers its sixth win         

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: The Armed Police Force (APF) Club defeated Gandaki Province by 52 runs to register its sixth consecutive victory in Prime Minister’s Cup Women’s National T20 Cricket Tournament.

            Batting first after winning the toss in the second match of the day held at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur today, APF scored 127 runs at the loss of 3 wickets in the stipulated 20 overs.

            Mamta Chaudhary scored 40 runs while Rama Thapa scored 31 runs and Sita Rana Magar scored 19 runs. For Gandaki, Jyotsanika Marasini took the 2 wickets while Kusum Godar took 1 wicket.

            Chasing the victory target of 128 runs, Gandaki was confined to only 75 runs in 20 overs at the loss of 7 wickets. Srishti Jaishi and Suman Khatiwada scored 17 runs each for Gandaki.  For the APF, Neri Thapa took 4 wickets while Sonu Khadka took 2 wickets and Karuna Bhandari took 1 wicket.

            Following the loss today, Gandaki has failed to qualify for playoffs. In the playoffs, along with APF, Koshi, Sudurpaschim and Bagmati provinces have qualified.

Hearing on the case against rape-accused Lamichhane postponed         

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: The final hearing in the rape case against national cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane has been postponed to Friday after it could not be completed today.

            Continuous hearing on the case is taking place at the Kathmandu District Court since December 24 before the bench of Judge Shishirraj Dhakal. It will continue tomorrow.

            Earlier, the Kathmandu District Court had sent Lamichhane to judicial custody in the juvenile rape case. However, the Patan High Court ordered his release on a bail of Rs. 2 million.

            Likewise, the Supreme Court also issued an order allowing Lamichhane to continue playing cricket outside the country.

Electricity dues must be paid, no exemption: NEA           

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has urged the consumers who had consumed electricity from dedicated feeder and trunk line in the past and now faced power supply disruption to come to the appeal process.

            The NEA has made it clear that there was no option for the consumers but to come to the appeal process or clear the dues on an installment basis.

            At a press conference here today, NEA Executive Director Kulman Ghising insisted that waiver could not be given in the context when directive was already issued to clear dues from dedicated feeder and trunk line users after cutting off the electricity supply line.

            Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ had instructed the NEA to collect electricity tariff dues. The NEA cannot do anything in this regard as exemption was not possible, Ghising said, urging the entrepreneurs concerned to come to the process by depositing certain amount in the review committee under the NEA.

            Following the PM’s directives, the NEA has cut off electricity lines of some iconic industries. The business and industry community has expressed concern following disruption of electricity line. Earlier, the NEA issuing public notices had requested the consumers of industry, business and non-business groups for clearance of electricity dues with premier amount.

            The NEA has started cutting off electricity supply line since last December 26 as per the electricity transmission and electricity tariff regulations after the consumers ignored the payment of dues.

— 

BIMSTEC can help Nepal’s economic development, says FM Saud

            Kathmandu, Dec 28 : Foreign Minister Narayan Prakash Saud has said that the foreign policy of the country is aimed at promoting national interests through regional platforms.

             Speaking at a programme organized by Policy Research Institute on the future direction of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multilateral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) here today, he said Nepal has joined regional associations established in Asia to enhance mutual cooperation in the economic, social and cultural sectors. Associations such as the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), BIMSTEC and Asian Cooperation Dialogue could help Nepal overcome its challenges related to economic development.

             Minister Saud said that the BIMSTEC EPG (Eminent Persons’ Group) has been formed to make recommendations on the course of action to be taken by the BIMSTEC process in the future to make cooperation and collaboration within the regional block more effective and to further strengthen and institutionalize it.

NC CWC meeting continues

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: The meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) central working committee today discussed matters related to contemporary politics.

            In the meeting presided over by the party President Sher Bahadur Deuba, NC general-secretary Biswa Prakash Sharma presented the agenda, office chief secretary Krishna Prasad Poudel informed.

            In the meeting, another general secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa presented the action plan of ‘Congress campaign in the community’ while assistant general secretary Jeewan Pariyar on the Jajarkot earthquake-post initiatives.

            Several central committee members aired their views in today’s meeting.

The CWC meeting will continue tomorrow, Poudel informed.

Parliamentary committee directs govt to immediately pass master plan of PADT

            Kathmandu, Dec 28 : The International Relations and Tourism Committee of the federal parliament has raised concerns over the academic qualification of the newly-appointed Executive Director of Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT).

            A meeting of the Committee held on Thursday has instructed the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and PADT to make status clear about the qualification of newly-appointed Executive Director since there has been widespread criticism about the appointment.

            The Committee has asked the government to furnish the documents on the appointment of the Executive Director within three days.  

            A meeting of the PADT held recently appointed Laxmi Pun as the Executive Director. In today’s meeting, the lawmakers raised concerns over the property management of PADT, land issue and the efforts being taken for the preservation of heritage there.

            Likewise, the Committee has directed the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers, Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, and PADT to approve the PADT master plan at the earliest possible time. 

            Similarly, the Committee has instructed the PADT to protect its entire land plot and hold land ownership certificate by meeting all the legal procedures, Committee Chair Raj Kishore Yadav said.

NSL: Lalitpur into the finals

            Kathmandu, Dec 28 : Lalitpur City FC has defeated Pokhara Thunders to enter into the final of the second edition of the Nepal Super League (NSL) football competition.

              Lalitpur City FC defeated Pokhara Thunders by 2-1 in the match that concluded at Dasharath Stadium, Tripureswar this evening.

            The match was decided in extra time after it ended in a 1-1 draw in the regulation 90 minutes. Earlier, in the injury time of the first half, Pokhara took the lead through Imoh Ezekiel’s goal. However, Stephen Kojo Paapa Annor of Lalitpur scored in the 71st minute to bring the match to a 1-1 draw.

            Following the draw, the match went into extra time of 30 minutes, where Kushal Deuba scored in 99th minute to take his team, Lalitpur to the final.

            Lalitpur will now play against Dhangadi Football Club in the final match to be held on Saturday.

No more delay in irrigation projects, Minister Basnet says          

            Kathmandu, Dec 28: The government is working to make the project officials and construction entrepreneurs more responsible to speed up the ongoing development works of the irrigation projects. The government is mulling new interventions in view of dillydallying in the national pride projects relating to the irrigation supplies.

            Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Shakti Bahadur Basnet on Thursday held discussions with the Director General of Irrigation Department and stated that delay in the construction of the irrigation project and their cost extension was not acceptable to the government under any pretext.

            The Minister held discussions with the officials and stakeholders as the progress of some of the irrigation projects was very poor despite the government plan to complete the projects and modernize the country’s agriculture sector.

            During the discussions, it was stated that some of the projects were delayed due to sheer negligence on the party of the contractors.

            The tunnel construction of the Sunkoshi Marin Diversion Project has advanced in a speedy manner and established a standard in the project development in the country but the progress in its dam and powerhouse development is not as expected.

            Likewise, the discussion was focused on the delayed construction of the dam and powerhouse of Bheri Babai Diversion Project despite the tunnel of the project was completed more than two years ago.

            On the occasion, progress of different projects was discussed. In order to expedite the project development, Minister for Irrigation Basnet said that coordination among the government bodies, mobilization of the contractors, enough arrangement of the budget and facilitation at the project sites were the preconditions to bring about result in the project development. 

            Minister Basnet also instructed the officials to prioritize the projects, best utilize the budget and make needed preparations before implementing the projects.

Top