Minimise Mobility During Festivals

As the major Hindu festivals of Dashain, Tihar and Chhath are round the corner, people from Kathmandu and other cities across the country are planning to visit their hometowns to celebrate the festivals together with their families and relatives. With the COVID-19 infections increasing at an alarming rate in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the country, the upcoming festivals may prove to be disastrous if everyone does not take precautions rigorously. This year's festival season may become...

Care For The Elderly

On October 1, the world marked the 30th anniversary of the International Day of Older Persons with the slogan ‘Pandemics: Do They Change How We Address Age and Ageing.’ The occasion should remind the governments and policymakers of the precarious conditions of the elderly population in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. The older persons have become more vulnerable to the deadly disease than those of different age groups. It may lead to fatal consequences to the persons having chronic health...

Biodiversity Protection

Nepal is a nation known around the world for its unique biodiversity that has become a source of knowledge to scholars, researchers and scientists. Its topography, abundance of natural plants, rivers, snowy mountains, lush green hills and plains, various species of animals and birds, and most importantly, unique climate make the country's biodiversity unique to the rest of the world. Being a mountainous country of which geography has been occupied mostly by high mountains and rugged hills, the nation's...

Enforce Nepal-China Transit Agreement

Nepal and China have geared up for enforcing the Transit and Transportation Agreement, 2016, and its protocol, 2019, to strengthen the bilateral trade relations between the two friendly nations. With increased road and air connectivity between the two neighbours, their trade and tourism ties have consolidated further over the years. Needless to say, the two countries have continued to enjoy cordial relationship since time immemorial. Chinese President Xi Jinping's state to Nepal in October last year...

Integration Of Police

The new constitution promulgated in 2015 ushered Nepal into an era of federal democratic republic, abolishing a 240-year-old monarchy. For centuries, Nepal was under unitary model. A strong central government always featured in the governance system in Nepal since the ancient time. Even when the country was divided into scores of principalities prior to its unification, they were governed by powerful feudal rulers. They had the whip over the matters of security, law enforcement and governance at...

Tread With Caution

Despite the policy decision of the government that a lockdown may be re-imposed if the daily new cases of the virus exceed 25,000, the nation is currently reverting back to daily businesses after a long hiatus. Domestic flights have resumed with remarkable occupation in the very start. International flights have also been operating flights, though the numbers are far below compared to the normal times. Long route bus services have been brought into operation in the gap of around six months. News...

Tourism Recovery Plan

Even if the number of COVID-19 cases keeps increasing in the country, the federal government has taken initiative to reopen the tourism industry after months of shutdown. It is set to welcome international tourists from October 17. With a negative COVID-19 PCR test report within 72 hours before departure, the inbound travellers will not have to stay in quarantine or self-isolation upon their arrival in the country. Trekking companies and tour operators are now preparing to take tourists to different...

In Defence Of Multilateralism

This year the United Nations is marking the 75th anniversary of its founding. The world body was born from the wreckage of World War II, a human-made calamity. The post-war leaders framed the UN Charter with focus on global peace, security, development and cooperation. It aims to spare the future generations from the scourge of war and untold sufferings caused by it. Seventy-five years after it came into existence, the world is reeling from another unprecedented crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic....

No Encroachment From China Side

The recent media reports that China has built buildings in Nepal's northern territory have been found to be baseless after the Nepali and Chinese authorities rejected the reports outright. As per the Nepali authority, the Chinese-constructed buildings are well within a kilometre of the Chinese side from the Nepal-China border. This claim from both the countries has, for the moment, laid to rest the issue of border encroachment. The alleged border encroachment by China surfaced af

Make UN More Vibrant

Founded in 1945 following the World War II, the United Nations (UN) is a global body committed to maintaining international peace and security, developing friendly relations among nations and promoting social progress, better living standards, and human rights and freedoms. To achieve these goals, the UN has been instrumental in harmonising the actions of its Member States. While commemorating the 75th anniversary of the UN on

Coronavirus Not A Hoax

After prohibitory orders imposed in the Kathmandu Valley and other parts of the county to contain the COVID-19 pandemic were removed, people are gradually returning to a new normal. Months of lockdown and weeks of restrictive measures hit the economy up to the hilt. The lockdown led to the loss of jobs on a massive scale while the threat of starvation and scarcity loomed large among the vulnerable population. So the government adopted a strategy of saving the lives of people and reviving the economy...

Time For Telemedicine

Health institutions across the country have been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic and, as a result, patients are unable or unwilling to visit hospitals fearing the risk of virus transmission. In such a context, online medical services, commonly called telemedicine, have emerged as a valuable means for patients to consult doctors without the need for in-person visits. Telemedicine is not a new phenomenon and in Nepal too, it has been in use for quite some time, helping people, who live in remote...

Substitute Import Of Onion

Notwithstanding the successive governments’ plans to make Nepal self-reliant in food, the country is still forced to import rice, vegetables and fruits in a huge quantity from abroad. There was a time when Nepal used to be known as a food exporting nation. But the situation has reversed over the years. Nepal has favourable climate, adequate arable land and human resources to attain self-sufficiency in food, vegetables and fruits. A large section of people are still involved in agriculture but it...

Abide By Constitution In Letter And Spirit

The other day the country observed the 6th anniversary of the constitution. Apparently, it was a low-profile commemoration owing to the coronavirus pandemic that has thrown normal life out of gear. Even if the prohibitory orders, imposed to contain the virus spread, were lifted, its threat to human life continues, with the rising number of infections. This has forced the government and concerned authorities to limit the celebratory functions. Some formal programmes and decisions constitute the parts...

Notice: No Friday Supplement Today

There is no Friday Supplement today as we are bringing out a 4-page Constitution Day Special on Saturday. 

Revival Of Tourism

Of all the sectors that have suffered badly owing to the prolonged lockdown and prohibitory orders, the tourism and hospitality businesses come to the top in terms of losses they have suffered. This hospitality industry came to a grinding halt in a country known around the world for attracting a plethora of visitors as one of the affordable tourist destinations. However, the fear of coronavirus spread compelled our authority to impose prolonged lockdown and prohibitory orders which has broken the...

Stringent Law Against Acid Attacks In Offing

The government has stepped up much-needed measures to prevent and control the heinous crime of acid attacks. It has begun the process of formulating a law against such inhumane acts. A recent Cabinet meeting has entrusted the Nepal Law Commission with the responsibility of drafting a much tougher new Act within 15 days to deal with the crime. The proposed law will have provisions to bring the perpetrators to justice and conduct hearings on such cases at the earliest possible. In the absence of an...

Fighting Pandemic Of Disinformation

The rise of digital and social media has changed the entire landscape of media, thanks to the people’s enhanced access to internet and smartphones. More importantly, it is their ever increasing penchant to keep themselves abreast of current issues and developments, which has exponentially amplified the scope and craze of online portals and social networking sites. Social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube have served as viable means of popularising the news that is either printed or...

Expedite Rescue Of Migrant Workers

Nepal has one of the highest remittances to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio with the former contributing about 27 per cent to the GDP. Remittance has played a vital role in reducing poverty in addition to contributing to greater health awareness, literacy and entrepreneurship development. It has been a big respite for the government because the foreign employment opportunities not only engaged the job-seeking youths but also helped them acquire new skills and knowledge and thus supported in skill...

Break The Virus Chain

It is tormenting that the Kathmandu Valley has continued to record a rapid increase in the number of COVID-19 infections in recent times. Some 400-600 new coronavirus patients have been detected in this densely populated valley on a daily basis. This figure is quite alarming as it accounts for well over 47 per cent of the total nationwide infections diagnosed each day. The data maintained by the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP) shows that the valley saw a total of 11,139 cases of COVID-19...