NOTWITHSTANDING the nationwide lockdown in place, Nepal has continued to report a startling rise in the number of COVID-19 cases in recent times. More than 2,000 cases of the novel coronavirus have already been detected across the country. The number of people infected with the deadly virus has been on the rise with the influx of Nepali migrant workers and others from India. Thousands of Nepalis had been stranded in different parts of India since the imposition of lockdowns by Nepal and her southern neighbour. Considering the hardships they faced while staying on the other side of the border, the Government of Nepal has come up with the policy of allowing them to enter the country on a condition that they stay in quarantines for at least 14 days. This measure has been adopted with a dual-purpose of saving their lives and stopping the virus from spreading further. There has been coordination among the three tiers of government for managing quarantines and providing health services to the needy citizens. There is no doubt that the local governments have been playing a crucial role in this process.

However, it is a matter of concern that most of the quarantines have not been up to the mark. Those staying in quarantines have often complained that they have been deprived of even basic amenities. As a result, the quarantine management teams in different parts of the country were criticised for failing to run the facilities efficiently. The quarantines were overcrowded with an increase in the inflow of people. In fact, neither the state mechanism nor the people have any experience in handling such a pandemic before. Local communities, those staying at the quarantines and health workers became panicky after the quarantines located in many places, including Narainapur of Banke and Narayan Municipality in Dailekh, turned likely hotpots for the spread of the virus infection. If budget is the problem behind the poorly-managed quarantines, the government must address it accordingly. It is worth mentioning that the government has accorded top priority to battling the pandemic and reviving the economy in its budget for the next fiscal year.

It is needless to say that the ongoing lockdown may have helped in slowing the transmission of the killer virus disease. Lockdowns are meant only as a necessary measure for fighting the pandemic. The prolonged lockdown in Nepal has adversely impacted the national economy. It has already hit industries and businesses. Hundreds of thousands of people may become jobless soon. As the export and import trades have remained disrupted, the government has suffered a huge loss in revenue. The nation's economic condition could worsen further if the lockdown is not eased with precautionary steps intact. The private sector is now eager to reopen the economy through easing the lockdown. Private enterprises pay about Rs. 25 billion in salaries and wages every month. They are now facing more losses every additional day of the lockdown as their liabilities are increasing. But this restriction must not be lifted without making a careful planning as the COVID-19 pandemic has kept infecting more people. The process of saving people's lives and the national economy must go side by side. The border with India must remain sealed unless the pandemic comes under control on the other side of the border.