WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 243 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.4 C 0.5 C Friday, October 30, 2020 | 14-07-2077 Bhairahawa Jumla

POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC Mountains on the Kathmandu horizon are seen in this view captured from Chobhar on a clear autumn day. Naravane visit a positive step to No risk communication strategy yet as repair ties but has little to do with Covid-19 infections and death toll soar ARJUN POUDEL those outside welcomed the decision, “In medicine, students are taught KATHMANDU, OCT 29 saying that the daily count of corona- ‘to do no harm’,” a doctor at the minis- virus infections and resulting deaths, try told the Post. “People were infuri- boundary dispute, experts say The Health Ministry has stopped daily along with advisories related to the ated at the way messages were given Covid-19 briefings starting Thursday, pandemic had enraged people as the in the daily briefings, even if they and adopted a biweekly reporting—on briefings carried nothing, reminding were correct and scientific. We were Indian Army chief is arriving in Kathmandu next week amid frosty relations between Nepal Sundays and Wednesdays. the general public of the government’s actually doing more harm than good.” Doctors within the ministry and failure to contain the pandemic. >> Continued on page 2 and India and on the heels of the controversy over the trip of a top Delhi spy last week.

ANIL GIRI Naravane’s visit will now take place KATHMANDU, OCT 29 on the heels of the controversy over the Oli-Goel meeting. As Indian Army chief General MM According to Brigadier General Naravane is all set to arrive on a three- Santosh Ballav Poudyal, spokesperson day official visit on November 4, all for the Nepal Army, some symbolic eyes are now on the outcome of his military assistance is expected to be visit, mostly the status of the bounda- announced during Naravane’s visit ry dispute between Nepal and India, but the exact nature of the Indian mil- which has emerged an irritant in the itary support is yet to be known. bilateral relations since November But besides strengthening mili- last year, and how military, security tary-to-military relations and upgrad- and strategic ties between Nepal and ing strategic ties, Poudyal said that he India will move on. is not aware whether the issue of Though Naravane’s visit is a cus- boundary dispute between the two tomary one—in line with the countries will be discussed during the long-standing tradition of receiving meeting between Chief of Army Staff the honorary title of the chief of General Purna Chandra Thapa and Nepal Army—a section of the General Naravane. Kathmandu-based intelligentsia has At least two officials familiar with found a new perspective, given the the developments said since the frayed ties and Naravane’s statement armies of the two countries do not a few months ago. directly deal with or discuss boundary Back in May, Naravane said that disputes as such matters fall under the Nepal was objecting to India’s opening PHOTO COURTESY: PTI jurisdiction of political and diplomat- of the road link via Lipulekh at the Indian Army chief MM Naravane ic leaderships, chances are that behest of “someone else”. Though he General Thapa will discuss the matter did not name any country, it was appar- though both sides have expressed unofficially. ent that he was alluding to China. their interests to hold diplomatic talks But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Experts on foreign policy matters to address the issue, nothing concrete that will prepare the “talking points” and strategic affairs say that Nepal has taken place so far. for Prime Minister Oli, who is also in and India are having some structural “Nepal and India are having several charge of the Defence Ministry, is like- problems in their bilateral ties so structural problems since then, but we ly to include the boundary issue for until they are resolved or addressed, have not seen any concrete steps taken the prime minister’s November 6 the boundary dispute is unlikely to be by both sides to overcome these prob- meeting with the visiting general. resolved. Nepal should carefully handle lems. Until these structural problems Foreign policy analysts say it has its diplomacy while dealing with such a are addressed, bilateral ties will not be now become apparent that both sensitive issue, according to them. normalised,” Khatri told the Post. Kathmandu and Delhi have realised “Military-to-military contacts “The Indian army chief ’s visit is there is a need to mend fences between Nepal and India have just one-way communication; not for and move ahead, as Nepal and India remained intact even during difficult dialogue. Our leadership needs to share a unique relationship. times in the past,” said Prof Sridhar make careful statements and moves According to them, the Indian Army Khatri, who headed three think tanks on such sensitive matters.” chief ’s visit is not enough to improve based in Kathmandu and Colombo in Since November last year, when ties, especially because he is arriving the past. “But the way Naravane spoke India in its new political map showed in Kathmandu for a different and about boundary disputes between Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura customary purpose. Nepal and India was a strong message within its borders, Nepal has sent four “There is no need to make a fuss he delivered on behalf of the govern- diplomatic notes to Delhi seeking about what Naravane had said,” said ment of India.” talks to settle the dispute. After India’s Ramesh Nath Pandey, a former foreign Naravane’s statement in mid-May reluctance to sit for talks, the Oli gov- minister. “Oli, however, may use some came amid rising tensions between ernment issued a new map of Nepal subtle language to convey the message Nepal and India after Delhi inaugurat- incorporating the territories within that Kathmandu wants to address the ed a road link via Lipulekh to Kailash Nepal’s borders. misunderstandings through talks.” Mansarovar in the Tibet Autonomous Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Some in Nepal have not only ques- Region of China. In response, the Oli earned praise for the move from tioned Naravane’s visit at this time administration unveiled a new politi- across the political spectrum. But last but also called for its cancellation in cal map of Nepal depicting Kalapani, week, Oli’s “nationalistic” credentials view of his May remarks. Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as parts suddenly came into question. Bipin Adhikari, a former dean of of the Nepali territory. The Oli gov- On October 21, Samant Kumar Goel, Kathmandu School of Law, who often ernment then subsequently got the chief of India’s foreign intelligence writes commentaries on wide-ranging map endorsed by Parliament. agency, arrived in Kathmandu and issues, has called for cancelling Ties between Kathmandu and Delhi held one-on-one talks with Oli at Narvane’s visit. have remained frosty since. Even Baluwatar. The meeting was con- Adhikari wrote on Twitter earlier firmed by Baluwatar, but what this week: “The govt should cancel transpired between them this visit immediately. We have a bor- remains a mystery. der dispute. He has spoken badly Analysts were quick to raise about Nepal.This is a dispute that questions if Oli has given up on needs to be resolved at the political his stance that relations between level. Why talk to the army? How can the two countries should be guid- such people be given an honorary ed and dealt with at the political rank? What does that mean in the int’l and diplomatic levels. Even some community?” members of Oli’s Nepal Surya Raj Acharya, a former leader Communist Party (NCP) includ- of Sajha Party Nepal, who has over ing Bhim Rawal and Narayan 250,000 followers on Twitter, also Kaji Shrestha have objected to wrote a message in the similar vein. Oli’s meeting with Goel. >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL No risk communication strategy yet as Covid-19 ...

>> Continued from page 1 In the initial stage of the pandemic, Public health experts say that lack authorities tested the infected people of public trust in the authorities is more than a dozen times and now they responsible for people not taking the have stopped testing. All infected peo- health warnings seriously. And a lack ple were taken to hospital isolation in of risk communication strategy is to the beginning, but now thousands of blame for communication misfire in patients are left at home and authori- many instances, according to them. ties are not even asking about their Even after nine months since Nepal health conditions. reported its first coronavirus case, the Of the 38,952 active cases on Health Ministry has yet to introduce a Thursday, around 30,000 are in home risk communication strategy. isolation. And no one is inquiring “We have completed the drafting of about their health conditions, officials both risk communication strategy and admit. guidelines and forwarded them to the “People started panicking in the Health Ministry for review,” Dabal initial stage when there was little or BC, an official at the Epidemiology no risk,” said Dr Radhika Thapaliya, a and Disease Control Division, told the risk communication expert. “Now Post. “Both the strategy and the guide- there is more risk, but people are not lines will come into effect once they’re taking the risks seriously. This all endorsed by the Health Ministry.” happened due to the failure to commu- Health Ministry spokesperson Dr nicate properly.” Jageshwor Gautam had urged the pub- A risk communication strategy nec- lic to take the blessings of elderly essarily entails communication based people by phone, to wear old clothes, on trust between experts, authorities wear masks, maintain distance, visit and the people who are affected. the hospital only if patients have According to the World Health breathing difficulties or they feel like Organisation, risk communication fainting, and not to leave their house strategies include real-time exchange unless it is necessary. He had also of information, advice and opinions called on the people not to travel to between experts or officials and peo- their hometowns for Dashain. ple who face the threat to their surviv- POST PHOTO: SANJOG MANANDHAR Health experts say there was noth- al, health or economic and social A woman carries vegetables to the market at Bhagwan Pau in Kathmandu on Thursday. ing wrong with the messages, as they well-being. Through such strategies, were correct and scientific. But people everyone at risk is able to make took them in the negative light. That’s informed decisions to mitigate the largely because the messages looked effects of the threat and take protec- like a last resort after the govern- tive and preventive measures, says the ment’s spectacular failure, according UN health agency. to them. Effective risk communication strat- Impoverished families in Udayapur Had there been a proper risk com- egy is one of the reasons behind suc- munication strategy and people were cessfully containing the virus in continuously informed about the pan- Singapore, Taiwan, Japan and demic, things would have been differ- Pakistan. Pakistan has been able to ent, said a doctor who in the past contain the virus spread without have no access to Covid-19 testing headed the Epidemiology and Disease imposing a lockdown but by enforcing Control Division. measures to deter crowds in public The objective of risk communica- spaces. Poor people with Covid-19-like symptoms forced to stay home as they can’t pay for expensive tests. tion is making people informed about As of Thursday, 164,718 have people risk factors, educating them, encour- tested positive for Covid-19 nation- DILLIRAM KHATIWADA lies like the Karkis qualify for a free Rs2,100 per sample for PCR test. “For “Locals are living at high risk due to aging them not to panic and motivat- wide with 904 deaths. In the last 24 UDAYAPUR, OCT 29 test since, there aren’t any labs or one test, an individual has to spend lack of free Covid-19 tests. The local ing them to change behaviour. hours 2,364 people tested positive for Covid-19 specific hospitals in Rs7,100, including travel expenses and units have to start swab sample collec- “Instead of making people informed the virus including 1,615 in Fifty-seven-year-old Hemanta Karki, a Udayapur. “I will have to travel to other expenditures while going to tion and testing even if it has to be about the risks by giving them right Kathmandu Valley. resident of Sorung in Katari Dharan, Biratnagar or Kathmandu to Biratnagar. Swabs are not being col- done at their own expense. We are information, the authorities created According to Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, Municipality-10 has been suffering avail free PCR test,” said Karki. lected at the local level. And, patients looking at a major health hazard if the panic,” Dr GD Thakur, former direc- chief of the Clinical Research Unit at from fever and cough for the past cou- “Earlier the municipality used to col- cannot travel in a public vehicle,” he government does not step up soon.” tor at the Epidemiology and Disease Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious ple of days. But he doesn’t have the lect swab samples and send them for said. “We have to hire a vehicle for Rs Out of 8,211 swab samples collected Control Division, told the Post. Disease Hospital, gaining public trust means to get a PCR test done. PCR. But these days, that has stopped.” 5,000 to go to Biratnagar from in Udayapur, 232 individuals including “At a time when the authorities is crucial in fighting the pandemic. “I have symptoms similar to that of Om Mishra, information officer at Udayapur. That’s why many patients 71 women tested positive for Covid-19 were supposed to work sincerely to “Not organising daily press brief- Covid-19, but I haven’t visited a hospi- Katari Municipality, said there are and suspects have been compelled to so far, data from the district public curb infections, they kept on ings will not make a big difference,” tal yet since I don’t have the money to hundreds of locals with Covid-19-like stay home without medical attention,” health office showed. enforcing restrictions. People are not Pun told the Post. “What really makes travel to a government hospital to symptoms in Katari Bazaar and its he said. For Naraman Ale Magar, 39, a daily taking the warnings and suggestions a difference is how we communicate avail a free test or visit a private one vicinity. Lilanath Bhattarai, chairman of wage worker in Katari, the govern- seriously.” the risk, and how people perceive it.” for a PCR test,” said Karki, whose fam- “Many patients have been request- Ward No. 10, said there are a dozen ment’s move put his entire family at ily members too have been suffering ing the municipality to collect their patients with Covid-19-like symptoms risk. “I have been suffering from high from similar symptoms. “We are seven swabs for testing but the government in Sorung alone. “An increasing num- fever and continuous headache for the in the family and four of us have high labs are not accepting swab samples ber of locals are falling sick almost past week. I bought some medicines fever.” for free testing,” he said. “The ones every day. We haven’t been collecting from a medical shop but there is no Karki, a daily wage earner, is wor- who can afford are going to other cit- swab samples for testing since the improvement in my health. My son Local government moves ried about his and his family’s health ies to get a PCR test done but a major- government stopped free testing.” has also been bed-ridden due to high condition. ity of locals in Katari, Gaighat and Health officials in the district warn fever,” he said. “We don’t know where A week ago, the federal government Beltar among other areas are left with- of high chances of further spread of to go.” Musahar families to homes announced to discontinue free test out test or treatment. Covid-19 in the district if immediate In Biratnagar, swab samples are and treatment, except for certain According to Naresh Singh Thapa, a measures aren’t taken. Mohan Prasad being tested free of cost at the labora- groups including the helpless, impov- local resident of Triyuga Municipality, Subedi, chief at the District Public tory of Koshi Hospital and Provincial erished and disabled. Although fami- private labs in Biratnagar charge Health Office in Udayapur, said, Laboratory. without basic amenities Kankai Municipality has built 14 houses without road Large number of people from Sudurpaschim Province connectivity, electricity and water supply. PARBAT PORTEL ment, the local people in the area are JHAPA, OCT 29 reluctant to free their land for road are leaving for India for jobs after Dashain festival construction. Kankai Municipality in Jhapa has “The villagers don’t want to leave MOHAN BUDHAAIR launched agriculture-based pro- built new houses for 14 families of the their property for road construction DHANGADHI, OCT 29 grammes to provide jobs to returnees impoverished Musahar community and the municipality has also failed to and to stop migration to third coun- who had been living at Tekra. The convince them,” said Shova Rishidev, Kisan BK was on his way to tries in search of jobs. houses, however, lack basic amenities another recipient of a new home. Maharashtra in India after celebrat- In the current fiscal year, the like electricity, drinking water and The local government said efforts ing Dashain at his family home at Sudurpaschim government has allo- road connectivity, which has left the were on to open a track connecting to Purbi Chauki Gaira village in Doti cated Rs 5 billion on projects and pro- Musahar families to question the the new Musahar settlement and to district on Thursday. grammes to create employment oppor- municipality’s move. provide electricity. BK, who is in his early 40’s, has been tunities to returnees from India and The families who had been living in “A road will be constructed soon. working as a security guard in India overseas. thatched roof huts are pleased to have We are working on it,” said Gobind for the last 15 years. He returns home The government has also set aside a finally received proper homes. But Paudel, the ward chairman of Kankai every year in September but this year, budget for skill training programmes they don’t know how feasible it Municipality-4. he came back home in June because and plans to provide loans to farmers would be to live at a place with no road The other problem the families have of the Covid-19 pandemic. without interest, according to connectivity. to contend with if they move to the “There’s nothing left to do in the Minister for Internal Affairs and Law “The new homes are useless for us new settlement is a lack of drinking village. The produce in my field will Jhapat Bohara. since there is no road to reach there. water supply. last us only for another three months,” However, these schemes have done We have to walk through paddy fields “We have to walk for more than half he said. “So I’m going back to my old little to stop people from leaving their to reach there,” said Durga Rishidev, an hour and fetch drinking water from job in India.” villages. Most of the people headed to one of the recipients of the new home. a community tap in the other village,” A sole breadwinner of his family, India say they have no knowledge of “It’s too far from every convenience. said Januka Rishidev. “We have seri- BK has the responsibility to look after the government programmes. We raised our concern to the ous problems with drinking water and his 11-member family. “My entire fam- According to Shankar Bogati, assis- local government as well as other water for sanitation. We don’t ily relies on my income so I can’t stay POST PHOTO: MOHAN BUDHAAIR tant sub-Inspector at the Border Check concerned authorities, but they didn’t know how long we will be able to live back even if I wanted to,” he said. India-bound Nepalis queue at Nepal-India border point in Dhangadhi, Kailali. Post of the Armed Police Force in listen to us.” in the new settlement without basic BK was among hundreds of Nepalis Gauriphanta, a total of 1,787 people There is not even a foot trail to amenities.” queuing up at Trinagar Gauriphanta “My family can only observe Tihar “The problem of poverty and unem- left for India on Thursday alone; 1,600 reach the new settlement. A narrow Although there are electricity poles border point in Dhangadhi as they festival if I manage to send some ployment are getting worse. The gov- people had crossed the border on raised edge built to dam water in the erected a few months ago, there is no made their passage to India for jobs. money from India. I don’t have a job ernment does not have any plans to Wednesday. paddy field is the only way to reach power supply in the settlement. “We There were 17 others from his vil- waiting for me there. I’ll have to go make the country prosperous. The Gyanas Thapa of Lamku Rajpur in there. are dependent on oil lamps. I don’t lage, all of them travelling to India for there and look for one,” Dhami said. leaders, who had assured peace and Kailali plans to go to Pune, India, with “We have been asking the authori- know for how long this is going to jobs. They had set off from their vil- Some India-bound migrant workers prosperity with their revolutionary his family. Six other fellow villagers ties to build a path at least to reach the last,” said Durga Rishidev. lage on Wednesday. expressed their anger against the gov- remarks, forgot about the very people are also going to India with him. “We settlement but they didn’t listen to The construction of new homes for Also among the people heading to ernment for failing them. that helped them reach the corridors are dependent on India for our liveli- us,” said Chandra Rishidev. the Musahar families started in June India was Tirtharaj Joshi of Kamal Saud, a former Maoist com- of power,” said Saud. hood. We cannot survive without “The local body and other and they were completed within a few Mohanyal, Kailali, and Prakash batant from Sanfebagar in Achham In the first week of September, the going to India. We don’t have concerned authorities went ahead months at a cost of Rs 2.8 million. Dhami of Parigaun, Dadeldhura. district, said people like him have no Sudurpaschim provincial government enough land to grow crops to sustain with the construction of the new Around 80 people from 14 families They too had returned to Nepal early option but to go to India and other had issued a notice directing people or any employment opportunities in homes without thinking about the have been staying in the new settle- this year due to the pandemic, and like countries for employment, as the gov- not to go to India in search of jobs the village,” said Thapa. “We are road connectivity.” ment. They eke out their living work- BK were compelled to return to India ernment has failed to provide them amid the Covid-19 pandemic. not aware of government plans or The Musahar families who received ing in the agricultural land and work with no job prospect at the villages. job opportunities in the country. The Ministry of Agriculture had programmes.” new homes from the local govern- as daily earners. Naravane visit a positive step to repair ties but has little to do with boundary ... >> Continued from page 1 as to establish its standing and keep the diplomacy. ing for quite a while. Both Nepal and Naravane assumed office as the “Efforts to improve Nepal-India ties conjectures at bay. “We have to see and understand what India have agreed to let a mechanism at chief of Indian Army in December last must continue. But honouring the chief “Neither the R&AW [Research and mandate Naravane is carrying,” said the Foreign Secretary level deal with year. of the Indian Army who made a public Analysis Wing] chief nor Indian Army Pandey. “He is not coming here to boundary disputes. “Naravane’s visit is not linked with statement undermining Nepal’s sover- chief handles or deals with Nepal-India resolve the boundary dispute. His visit, Naravane’s visit may set the tone for Goel’s visit as some have interpreted. eignty and self-respect is absolutely not ties,” Pandey told the Post. “What we however, may add some positive vibes to upcoming high-level exchanges between This is mainly a ceremonial visit and justifiable. The Nepal government must are hearing today vis-a-vis Goel’s visit Nepal-India ties.” Nepal and India, officials say. basically focused on strengthening the reconsider this [visit],” Acharya tweet- last week or Naravane’s trip to According to government sources, Suresh Sharma, a former brigadier military ties between the two coun- ed on Thursday. Kathmandu next week is because we more high-level exchanges between general, said the Indian Army chief ’s tries,” Sharma told the Post. Foreign policy experts, including failed in our diplomacy.” Kathmandu and Delhi are lined up in visit to Nepal was long due but he is not “This visit will have a positive contri- Pandey, however, say that Kathmandu According to Pandey, Nepal has the days to come. A meeting at the coming to Nepal to discuss boundary bution and impact on confidence build- needs to practise matured diplomacy so failed to show maturity in its public Foreign Secretary level has been pend- disputes. ing measures for both sides.”

C M Y K 03 | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 NATIONAL

BRIEFING

Several offices closed in Khotang amid virus fear KHOTANG: The district administration office and several other government offices in Khotang have been closed for an indefinite period after many officials tested positive for Covid-19. Issuing a notice on Wednesday, the district administration office announced that all services will be halt until further notice after the chief district officer, assistant chief district officer among other officials tested positive for the virus a few days ago. Similarly, the office of dis- trict coordination committee, district land revenue office and municipal office of Diktel Rupakot Majhuwagadhi has also been shut indefinitely amid fear of Covid-19.

Free health insurance for poor RUKUM (WEST): Chaurjahari Municipality and Chaurjahari Hospital have jointly provided health insurance for 459 people of the municipality in the third week of October. According to Mayor Bishal Sharma, 459 members of 84 families of impoverished and people with physical disabilities have been insured. The local government spent Rs3,500 for each family for the health insurance. “The beneficiaries will get free health treatment up to Rs 100,000 from November 16,” said Sharma.

Six employees of Provincial Public Health lab test positive POKHARA: Six employees of the Provincial Public Health Laboratory in Gandaki Province tested positive for coronavirus. Dr Binodbandhu Sharma, provincial health directo- POST PHOTO: BEEJU MAHARJAN rate, said, “We are unable to release A farmer picks marigold flowers in Ichangunarayan, Nagarjun Municipality in Kathmandu. The flowers are used for decoration and during various rituals in the upcoming Tihar festival. test results on time as we have only seven employees available in the lab now. Six other employees who are in contact with the Covid-19 infected employees are staying in home quar- antine.” There are still 500 swabs, which were collected before Dashain Chitwan Park forms team to Metropolitan traffic in the lab that need to be tested at the earliest. office transitions to digital Delay in construction of look into rising rhino deaths Dharan-Chatara Highway Around 2,500 service seekers have availed of online MAKWANPUR: The ongoing construc- Experts will also recommend ways to minimise mortality of the vulnerable animal. tion of Dharan-Chatara (Madan services in the past one month. Bhandari) Highway, a national pride CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL ANUP OJHA job,” said Dhakal. project, is not going to be meet its KATHMANDU, OCT 29 KATHMANDU, OCT 29 Everyday around 200 people file deadline. As per the contract agree- applications for the lost documents, ment, the road should be completed As unprecedented deaths of one- Metropolitan Traffic Police Division, according to the division’s record. within mid-February, 2021. But, con- horned rhinos in Chitwan National Kathmandu, is making a successful According to Rameshwor Yadav, struction work has not gained Park continue even this fiscal year, transition into a digital service sys- spokesperson at the division, 1,710 momentum due to the obstruction of authorities have commissioned a tem which it started a month ago. people have obtained recommenda- locals and delay in the land acquisi- study to look into the reasons behind According to the division office, it tion letters for re-issuance of lost doc- tion process, said Arjun Aryal, chief such deaths. has served 2,500 service seekers via its uments through the online system. at the road project. The 115km road A three-member expert committee online system in the past one month. Applicants can fill the forms on the falls under Makwanpur and Sindhuli led by Rishi Ranabhat, assistant con- The division office had announced division’s website, traffic.nepalpolice. districts. Out of 115km, obstruction servation officer at the park, will also to carry all its paper-based services gov.np. has been reported on a 13.1km stretch recommend scientific measures to digitally after 342 traffic police person- The division office has also updated of the road in the western part of address the problem, said Ananath nel contracted Covid-19. the fines related to traffic rule viola- Makwanpur district. Baral, chief conservation officer at It started offering online services tions on its website. the park. for works such as filling up forms for Yadav said the division office is Licences found in paddy fields “Natural deaths of rhinos in POST FILE PHOTO lost licence, bluebook and route per- coordinating with different banks and Chitwan have been high in recent Most rhino deaths have been linked to the prolonged monsoon this year. mit from September 21. developing a software for online fine JANAKPUR: Around 500 smart driving years, including the ongoing fiscal Senior Superintendent Bhim payment. licences kept at the Transport year. They have been dying due to var- number of rhino deaths due to natural Prasad Dhakal, chief at the division, “We will start this drive within this Management Office, Janakpur, were ious reasons although these are natu- RHINO DEATHS IN CHITWAN causes would be around 15 annually said the new system has reduced the month, now the traffic rule violators found in the nearby paddy field. ral causes,” Ananath Baral, chief con- Fiscal Year Deaths before it picked up four years ago, gov- risk of coronavirus transmission. will be paying fine in five minutes,” Workers who were harvesting paddy servation officer with Chitwan ernment data shows. “All service seekers are advised to said Yadav in the field found the licences and National Park told the Post. “We want 2016-17 25 Most of the rhinos that died in the get all digitally available services “This will also help us maintain handed them over to the office on to investigate these deaths and come 2017-18 26 past four years have died due to mon- from their home. It’s not a difficult transparency.” Wednesday afternoon. Bipin Karn, up with plans to minimise them.” 2018-19 43 soon related incidents, according to the head of the office, said they are The committee, which includes Baral. investigating the matter. “The licenc- Baburam Lamichhane, chief of 2019-20 26 “Some were swept by the flood while es were kept in the office,” he said. Biodiversity Conservation Centre, 2020-21 9 grazing on the banks of the rivers. “We don’t know how they ended Sauraha, under the National Trust for Source: Chitwan National Park Others drowned in the swamp,” said up in the paddy field.” Nature Conservation (NTNC) and vet- Baral. “As this year the monsoon was erinarian Dr Amir Sadaula of NTNC horns—natural deaths have soared in longer and the water level in the river Complaint filed in murder case as members, will recommend meas- the last few years. was higher for a long time, rhinos ures to disperse the rhino population In the 2016-17 fiscal year, 25 rhinos might have also miscalculated their BIRGUNJ: The family Mukesh of the park which has in recent times were reported dead, including one crossing point and drowned. One suc- Chaurasiya, who was killed in a clash concentrated in the western parts of which was killed by poachers. Twenty- cumbed to the injury it suffered dur- during an oath-taking ceremony of the protected area. six rhinos died in the following fiscal ing a fight with another rhino.” Nepal Communist Party Bindabasini Authorities at the Chitwan National year, 43 in 2018-19, and 26 in 2019-20. The study team has concluded its Rural Municipality Committee in Park, home to the country’s largest This year, nine rhinos have already visit to rhino habitats inside the park, Parsa district last week, has filed a rhino population of 605, have been died due to natural causes. One rhino according to Baral. Now, the park is complaint through the District worried following the sudden rise in was killed in the second week of awaiting its final report. Attorney Office in Parsa on Thursday deaths of the vulnerable species. September—a poaching incident “We have been informed that field- after the District Police Office in While the country has mostly man- reported after 1,249 days of zero work is completed,” said Baral. “We POST FILE PHOTO Parsa refused to file a first aged to control illegal poaching of poaching. are expecting a report within a month, Traffic police had announced to carry out all services online after 342 personnel tested information report. one-horned rhinos—hunted for their The numbers look daunting as the soon after Tihar.” positive for Covid-19 in the last few months. Villagers help harvest paddy of coronavirus infected family in Tanahun At a time when Covid-19 patients are facing stigma in different parts of the country, people from four villages in Vyas set an example of community solidarity amid this crisis.

ANUP OJHA “It didn’t even take us two hours to the only one who works and he got ill. TANAHUN, OCT 29 harvest paddy because we were many,” The help from the villagers was god- said Shiva Parajuli, one of D’s neigh- send. We cannot thank them enough,” Five days before the main day of bours. She said it is their village’s said D.’s 73-year-old mother. Dashain festival, 39-year-old D. fainted culture to help fellow villagers who D. is still at the quarantine facility in his bathroom at midnight. are in need. in Damauli. He said he was worried His elderly parents, wife and two Dharma Raj Bagale, a social worker, that the rice plants would die on children didn’t know what to do. After said the gesture shown by the villag- his field. hearing the family members crying in ers must be emulated by everyone. “I am pleased that villagers arrived the middle of the night, the neigh- “We live in the same village, and help- to harvest the crop,” D. told the Post bours arrived and arranged for an ing one another in times of difficulty over the phone. ambulance. is our culture,” said Bagale. “This has increased my confidence D. was rushed to Chitwan from his Baikuntha Neupane, mayor of Vyas and this is a great motivation. I think home at Barlanchi village of Vyas Municipality, praised the villagers for if people show their helpling attitude Municipality in Tanahun district. He their act of kindness. at such times of difficulty, it will was admitted at Chitwan Medical “At a time when people are reluc- increase the willpower of an infected College Teaching Hospital where he tant to show their empathy to the person like me,” he said. was diagnosed with Covid-19. infected people, this is a great help Ojaraj Paudel, ward chairperson of He was the first person in his vil- and exemplary work from villagers,” Vyas-8, said this is a continuity of help lage to get infected with the virus. said Neupane. “People should learn a the villagers do in the village when Unable to pay for his treatment, D. was POST PHOTO lesson from villagers of Barlanchi,” some family members pass through discharged from the hospital. He Local residents of Barlanchi village in Vyas Municipality, Tanahun, have been applauded for helping out a neighbour in distress. said Neupane. difficult times. returned to Damauli, the district D.’s old parents, his wife and their “It’s village culture here. If some- headquarters of Tanahun, and the field. tion caused by the Covid-19 is being people from nearby villages of two sons are still in home isolation one from the village dies in the time of checked into a quarantine centre. When D. was rushed to the hospital, reported all across the country, the Bagaledee, Pahari Dada, Pakhuri and they are grateful for the help. harvesting grains, we have a culture His family members also started the paddy on his field was ready for people from four villages in Vyas set Chowk and Lamsal Dada came to “It’s been two years that I have not of working on their field without observing home isolation, which harvesting. an example of humanity and commu- D.’s farm to harvest the paddy on been able to work as I have problems charging them any money. It’s com- meant they could not work on But at a time when the stigmatisa- nity amid this crisis. Twenty-three October 25. with my legs and backbone. My son is pletely voluntary work,” said Paudel.

C M Y K FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Somehow, federalism rightly flagged up Correcting the course There is no convincing We must build our opportunities but not at the reason for the government cost of the environment and people. to take so many irrational decisions. A 2017 study on land use and land cover change in the Phewa Lake watershed which analysed Landsat images captured in three consecutive periods—1975, 1995 and 2015—reveals that ACHYUT WAGLE there has been a significant shift over the past four decades. According to the study, there has been a substantial reversal of land degradation and forest recovery due to community-based forest landscape restoration activities. Researchers also noted that while water discharge rates may have decreased following the increase in forest area, siltation has been reduced, protect- The federal Health Ministry last week ing water quality in the lake and benefiting local economic announced that the government would development. no longer bear the expenses of testing In 2019, another study analysed the lake’s evolution from or treating all Covid-19 patients, except 1926 to 2017 and modelled the 50-year trajectory of shrinkage the economically deprived, different- ly-abled and helpless, single women, by using a combination of historical maps and satellite image- senior citizens, frontline health ry. Researchers concluded that Nepal’s second-largest lake was workers, sanitisation and security per- shrinking due to sediment influx, and estimated that it would sonnel, and government employees lose 80 percent of its storage capacity in the next 110-347 years, working in high-risk frontlines. No sooner had the decision been made which would affect recreational use, agricultural irrigation, public in Kathmandu than the chief the fishing industry and a 1-megawatt hydropower plant. ministers of Province 1, Gandaki and And earlier this year, a spatial analysis of the watershed Lumbini sprang up to declare that SHUTTERSTOCK using Landsat images of 2005 and 2018 found that anthropo- such testing and treatment would con- tinue in their provincial hospitals discipline certainly suggests that they amounts sitting idle in various la-based fiscal transfer from and tax genic activities, particularly unplanned road construction regardless of whatever the central gov- too have the required grasp of ‘prefer- accounts of the government totalled revenue sharing with the centre. which causes landslides during the monsoon, haphazard ernment said. Later, the chief minis- ence matching theory in federation’ Rs208 billion as of mid-September 2020. It is still marred by a number of struc- urbanisation, and migration, are affecting the beauty of ters of Bagmati and Sudurpaschim between the electorates and their Gross foreign exchange reserves tural issues related to policy and Phewa Lake. The study also highlights that the most signifi- followed suit. elected representatives. increased to $12.2 billion in the same institutional arrangements. First, the cant land change was noticed from agriculture land to forest Nepal’s federal polity rightly acted to period. Both the current account and federal budget of even this fiscal assert its authority in the interest of Bungling federalism the balance of payment are at a surplus year, despite the virus pandemic cover, and from agriculture to built-up area. Researchers con- the people. It can be safely construed It can be safely argued that had the KP of Rs26.07 billion and Rs67.63 billion and reduction in other developmental clude that agricultural and degraded land were converted into that the provincial governments Oli government duly recognised and respectively. Capital expenditure has activities, has provided very limited built-up areas because of population growth, and that barren instantly recognised the incompetence utilised the federal administrative reached barely 7.15 percent of the flexibility to the sub-national govern- regions near the lake have a higher potential for encroach- and foolhardiness of the federal gov- strength of Nepal, the spectre of coro- budgetary allocation while a quarter of ments to expend equalisation grants ernment at a time when both confirmed navirus containment and the cure of the fiscal year is about to pass. This by changing their original heads of ment. More than 40 hectares of agricultural land, the study cases of coronavirus infections and infected ones would have been far bet- only vindicates that what is lacking is allocation. warns, could be converted into built-up area. deaths thereof are startlingly on the ter than where we are now, or, at risk of not funds in the treasury but vision Second, legal and institutional Multiple studies of Phewa Lake have time and again corrob- rise. Amidst Prime Minister Oli’s often facing even worse. and leadership in the government. This mechanisms for provincial and munic- orated the need to conserve and manage the watershed, and repeated demeaning remarks about The central government perhaps all-enveloping government apathy ipal debt/deficit financing are not yet - to the suffering of the common shown direct linkages to economic prosperity, physical and federalism that ‘sub-national’ govern deliberately shied away from timely in place. Article 59 (7) of the constitu- ments are mere ‘subordinates’ to the empowering the sub-national govern- people and a summarily resigned tion says, ‘Provisions relating to the mental well-being, and most of all, ecological benefits. But central government, this ‘counter’ to ments—mainly the provincial and a approach despite the availability of management of budget deficits and close to 14 years since the Phewa Lake controversy first caught the centre from the chief ministers, few hundred capable municipal gov- such a comfortable fiscal space is total- other fiscal disciplines of the national attention, and despite a Supreme Court order in April despite their limitations of being disci- ernments—to procure the necessary ly unfathomable. Federation, State and Local level shall 2018 to demolish all establishments within 65 metres from the plined cadres of a highly regimented, health equipment and basic medicines, be as provided for in the Federal now ruling Nepal Communist Party, is establish adequate hospitals and test- Role of sub-national units law’. But the federal law to deal with lake’s edge and acquire private land to conserve the lake, all a welcome bold step. More interesting ing centres, and provide preliminary The assertion of the chief ministers to provincial and municipal budget efforts to preserve the watershed have been mired in bureau- than that, at least four of them—Sher relief to the economically vulnerable to continue to provide Covid-19 related systems as mentioned here is nowhere cratic hurdles and ridiculous excuses like lack of an authentic Dhan Rai, Dormani Poudel, Prithvi survive and to small enterprises to sus- health services free of cost has deeper in sight. Despite the benign approach map or a compensation scheme for landowners. Subba Gurung and Shankar Pokharel, tain themselves. It comprehensively political symbolism. The federal gov- of the chief ministers to provide the chief ministers of Province 1, failed to provide the necessary funds, ernment appears to be trying to free treatment to Covid-19 patients, Phewa Lake is but one instance, caught between a flawed Bagmati, Gandaki and Lumbini respec- mobilise the necessary health profes- straighten up its initial aberration. their resource mobilisation capabili- narrative of development and destruction, and the poli- tively—happen to vouch for uncondi- sionals and coordinate particularly However, there are several practical ties, therefore, could soon become tics-business nexus. There is no shortage of scientific ration- tional personal loyalty towards Oli. with the local levels that are in the bottlenecks for the sub-national gov- exhausted. ale or expertise and solutions to deal with the most pressing Gurung went on to the extent of urging obvious frontline in the fight against ernments to deliver real benefits to the Third, the challenge of taking the ecological concerns of our times. Still, how we seek prosperity the federal government to withdraw the virus. people as promised by the state govern- municipalities, at least the richer and this decision. There is no convincing ground why ments unless the federal government larger ones, on board for now to tackle by exploiting natural resources, but not in unspoilt nature, The most critical trigger to their the federal government is taking so corrects its ways and mends regressive the Covid-19 pandemic is even more could take us to the point of no return. Both the government political willpower and decisions here many irrational decisions so often that decisions. For example, the hospitals, daunting. It needs a separate and dedi- and the public must realise that we must act while we still have is the philosophy of federalism are blatantly against the public inter- labs and other health infrastructure cated framework within the federal the time, or the consequences of considering the environment and decision-making autonomy inher- est. For example, the current decision owned by the provincial governments, scheme which has neither been con- ent in the framework. One of the most of the federal government not to let alone the municipal governments, templated by the federal nor the provin- as an enemy of development will be at our own peril. We must desirable characteristics of a federal finance the testing and treatment of are far smaller in size than those under cial government. Regardless, the elect- not forget that we’ve already invested decades of conservation form of governance is better under- Covid-19 cases, as made out by the offi- the federal government. ed executives of the sub-national efforts, and we must build our opportunities, but not at the standing of public preferences by the cial mouthpieces, is meant to alleviate For all sub-national governments, units must continue to flag up their cost of the environment and people. sub-national units compared to the dis- the burden of the national exchequer the practice of independent fiscal man- constitutional rights on federalism, tant central government. The chief that is ‘running out of funds’, is totally agement still remains an insurmounta- exactly in the fashion the chief minis- Let the restoration of the Phewa Lake watershed be the ministers’ courage to come out of unsubstantiated. According to recent ble challenge. Their main source of ters of the provinces have done regard- opening chapter in this course correction. the cocoon of their communist party Nepal Rastra Bank data, unspent revenue for them is still the formu- ing Covid-19 treatment.

America’s tarnished Supreme Court

What sort of liberal democracy For a democracy to prosper, with a commitment to the rule of law allows such open corruption of its it must be led by men judicial appointments and political system more broadly? From partisan and women of integrity bad faith to the flood of secret money that secures undue influence, the and honesty. United States has adopted the stand- ard practices in a banana republic. This is not to question Barrett’s CHRIS PATTEN integrity. But, surely, she knows that Trump would not have appointed her unless he was confident that she would help to overturn former President Barack Obama’s signature health-care legislation. After all, she is already on record criticising Chief Justice John Roberts for his Born in 1944, I grew up in a world failure to dismantle the law on a previ- largely made—and made pretty well— ous occasion. by America. The post-war settlement Mitch McConnell, the Republican established institutions, global rules, Senate majority leader who has and an alliance of free societies that taken a wrecking ball to America’s enabled most of us to thrive in peace. reputation for democratic standards There were mistakes, of course, and consensual politics, has put all with the Vietnam War being a prime business aside in order to ram through example. Yet despite some strategic Barrett’s nomination before the US errors, the world’s open societies fared election on November 3. Perhaps well and generally adhered to their suspecting that Trump will lose, he stated principles. Through what does not want the appointment to Harvard University’s Joseph Samuel appear any more illegitimate than it Nye Jr calls ‘soft power’, America con- already does. sistently won the argument in favour McConnell, of course, is the one of the rule of law and liberal democra- SHUTTERSTOCK who refused even to hold hearings for cy. When given a free choice, most her judicial philosophy and the par- was executed, but the danger was Henry Newman, who was canonised is almost certainly advocating for spe- Obama’s nominee to fill the seat people chose these values over the ticular manner of her appointment— there when the Supreme Court consid- last year: ‘To live is to change, and to cific corporate and private interests vacated when Scalia died in early 2016, alternatives. and on the latter issue, she should ered his appeal. Bucklew’s lawyers be perfect is to have changed often’. (its members generally oppose envi- 269 days before a change of adminis- I was thinking about this worthy agree. On the jurisprudential ques- argued for death by other means, on In any case, it is not so much ronmental regulations, to take just tration. Barrett’s presence on the tradition as I watched this month’s US tion, Barrett is a disciple of the late the grounds that the proposed method Barrett’s legal opinions that should one example). bench will inevitably be tainted by the Senate hearings to confirm Amy Supreme Court Justice Antonin could violate their client’s Eighth concern those who believe in the rule ‘Dark money’ is allowed to play hypocrisy and political trickery that Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Scalia, meaning she is an ‘originalist’ Amendment prohibition of ‘cruel and of law and its central place in an open such a prominent role in the US polit- put her there. Listening to the proceedings, I found who tries to approach the law through unusual punishment’. When the society. Rather, the problem is that ical process, partly because in the For a democracy to survive, prosper, myself thinking that, whatever our the eyes of those who drafted the US Court’s conservative majority rejected Barrett is being installed on the Court infamous 2010 decision in Citizens and set a worthy example for others to failings in Britain (there are plenty, Constitution more than 230 years ago. his appeal, it argued that those who in a manner that will undermine its United vs FEC, the Supreme Court’s follow, it must be led by men and and the number has ballooned under The real-world implications of orig- drafted the amendment in 1791 had in integrity. The Court is at severe risk conservative majority decided that women of integrity and honesty. Boris Johnson’s premiership), at least inalism were particularly stark in a mind punishments like disembowel- of being fatally corroded by ‘dark rules limiting independent political McConnell’s unctuous casuistry rep- we do not need to know what political case before the US Supreme Court last ment, dismemberment, or burning at money’, a point that was outlined in donations are a violation of the First resents precisely the opposite. opinions our judges hold. Does the year. A condemned murderer, Russell the stake. rich detail during the confirmation Amendment right to free speech. America’s commitment to the rule of head of the UK Supreme Court favour Bucklew, had challenged the method Never mind that in 1958, then-Chief hearings by Sheldon Whitehouse, a Deep-pocketed lobbyists and special law is being tragically tarnished by gay marriage or protections for abor- by which the state of Missouri would Justice Earl Warren argued that the Democrat from Rhode Island. interest groups have enjoyed a bonan- what is happening to the Supreme tion? No one would dream of demand- execute him. He suffered from a rare Eighth Amendment ‘must draw its Like all of US President Donald za ever since. Moreover, since Trump Court on the eve of the election. ing a response to such questions disease that had left him ravaged by meaning from the evolving standards Trump’s judicial nominees, Barrett took office, he and his fellow before deciding whether a judicial blood-filled tumours, and physicians of decency that mark the progress of a was selected by the Federalist Society, Republicans in the Senate have Patten, the last British governor of appointee is qualified to serve. had warned that one of the drugs in maturing society’. Since Barrett will a conservative organisation that stacked the federal judiciary with Hong Kong and a former EU I have no reason to doubt Barrett’s the lethal-injection mixture could join a bench that is already majority exists solely to fill federal appoint- more than 200 conservative judges. Commissioner for external affairs, abilities. Like me, she is a Catholic, cause these to burst, causing him to Catholic, she and her colleagues might ments with likeminded ‘originalists’. (It is worth noting that among is Chancellor of the University which should not be a barrier. Yet I do drown in his own blood. want to reflect not just on Warren’s The group is heavily bankrolled by those chosen for appellate courts, not of Oxford. have considerable misgivings about This did not happen when Bucklew words, but also on those of St John private and corporate money, and thus one is black.) —Project Syndicate

C M Y K 05 | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 MONEY ADB supports the Onion prices refuse to drop despite imports from China production of clean Wholesalers at the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market are charging Rs130 per kg for Chinese onions and Rs135 per kg for the Indian product. bricks in Nepal KRISHANA PRASAIN around 14 tonnes were delivered. A page sent prices soaring. Following KATHMANDU, OCT 29 truckload of onions is 14 to 15 tonnes, the ban last year, retail prices POST REPORT Upreti said. had jumped on short supply, hitting up KATHMANDU, OCT 29 Nepali traders are sourcing onions On September 14, the Directorate to Rs250 per kg during the festival from China as India continues to bar General of Foreign Trade, India season. The Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) exports of the staple vegetable, but issued a notice announcing an export Resham Tamang, administrator at venture capital arm ADB Ventures there is no respite for consumers as ban on all varieties of onion with the Balkhu Agriculture Vegetable has provided the Good Bricks System, they still have to pay five times more immediate effect. The ban came six Market, said that onion prices would a non-fired brick making solution in than usual for the product, whether months after an earlier embargo was not rise further following the arrival Nepal, a $125,000 grant to reduce the imported legally from the north or lifted in March. of fresh shipments from China. “The industry’s harmful impact on the smuggled in from the south. Despite the official ban, onions have market is expected to be flooded with environment and health. On Thursday, wholesalers at the been arriving illegally in small quan- Chinese onions once transportation The grant gives ADB Ventures the Kalimati Fruits and Vegetable Market tities across the southern border. “The resumes,” he said. option to make a future equity invest- were charging Rs130 per kg for small amounts of contraband onions The ban on exports from India, one ment in the Good Bricks System. Chinese onions and Rs135 per kg for that slip through the border fulfil cur- of the largest producers and exporters South Asia is home to nearly a quar- the Indian product. rent needs. There aren’t many buyers of the vegetable in South Asia, has ter of total global brick production. The retail price of onions is Rs150- because of the high price, and com- caused distress to Nepali households Demand for bricks is being fueled by 160 per kg, said traders. In normal mercial users like restaurants and amid the festival season when its con- rapid urbanization and the need to times, you could buy the pungent hotels remain shuttered,” said Upreti. sumption swells. Many families are construct housing and transport bulbs for Rs30 per kg. According to The Kathmandu Valley consumes eating less onions due to the high infrastructure. traders, high transportation costs 20,000 kilos of onions daily, he said. prices, traders said. In Nepal, traditional brick making make the Chinese product dear. Chinese dried onions, which are Onions are a staple in South Asian requires approximately 1,600 kilns to Traders said they had placed bigger in size, have a high water con- cooking. Countries such as burn nearly 1 million tonnes of coal orders for tonnes of onions from the tent compared to Indian onions due to Bangladesh, Nepal, Malaysia and Sri every year. It causes around 600 annu- northern neighbour for the Dashain POST FILE PHOTO which consumers prefer Indian Lanka rely on supply from India. al deaths, adding $46 million every festival, but the shipments were Traders said they had placed orders for tonnes of onions from the northern neighbour for the onions, said Upreti. “Even though Nepal is almost totally dependent on year to public health costs. stranded at the border due to land- Dashain festival, but the shipments were stranded at the border due to landslides and Chinese onions are cheaper, people onion shipments from India as domes- The Good Bricks System, a product slides and virus-triggered movement virus-triggered movement restrictions. prefer Indian onions because they tic production is negligible. of InnoCSR Co Ltd, uses materials restrictions. taste better,” he said. India outlawed exporting onions fol- technology from the Republic Bhanu Bhakta Upreti, a potato and The northern border, which is onions from the Tatopani border point Traders said they had ordered lowing a shortage due to excessive of Korea to make high-quality onion trader at the Kalimati Fruits prone to opening and closing intermit- to Kathmandu. As a result, prices have around 180 tonnes of Chinese onions rainfall in the southern states of bricks with soil, soil stabilizer, and and Vegetable Market, said the trucks tently for a variety of causes, gone up,” Upreti told the Post. to meet festive demand. Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh cement. It is cost-competitive bringing Chinese onions arrived in re-opened on Wednesday. Chinese dried onions started arriv- India’s export ban on onions has which damaged the summer-sown and reduces production time by six- Kathmandu from the Tatopani border “It costs nearly Rs100,000 in freight ing at the Kalimati Fruits and opened new opportunities for import- crop and delayed harvesting in fold. It also cuts greenhouse gas emis- point only a month later. charges to transport a truckload of Vegetable Market on Wednesday when ers of the Chinese product as the stop- other states. sions and improves working condi- tions for employees, many of whom are women. “The Good Bricks System is an FOREX opportunity to disrupt an industry that has not changed for many years, World Bank approves $80 million project to boost but which has a huge impact on the US Dollar 118.87 environment and human health,” said Euro 139.52 ADB Principal Investment Specialist Dominic Mellor. “ADB’s extensive Pound Sterling 154.63 Nepal’s agriculture sector, post-Covid-19 recovery operations in transport and urban infrastructure across South Asia can Japanese Yen 11.41 POST REPORT Bank said in a press statement. ic corridors covering Provinces 1, 2, Cash for Work mechanism, to the be leveraged to support technology Chinese Yuan 17.73 KATHMANDU, OCT 29 The project will facilitate improve- Bagmati, Gandaki, Lumbini and extent possible, in short-term public solutions like the Good Bricks ments in quality and meeting require- Sudurpashchim that offer opportuni- works. System.” Qatari Riyal 32.64 The World Bank has approved a $80 ments of new destination markets to ties for successful linkage activities of “In the context of Nepal’s agricul- “ADB Ventures’ support is a vote of Australian Dollar 83.81 million project to bolster Nepal’s agri- boost exports. the rural entrepreneurs to be support- ture sector transformation and Covid- confidence in our technology’s poten- culture sector by strengthening rural “The project is an opportunity for ed by the project. 19, improving agribusiness competi- tial to transform a dirty industry, and Malaysian Ringit 28.60 market linkages and promoting entre- the government and the private sector REED will work with provincial tiveness and creating rural jobs are in our business model’s potential to preneurship while creating jobs to to work together in building the and local governments, intermediary critical to accelerating recovery of the scale commercially,” said InnoCSR Saudi Arab Riyal 31.70 support post-Covid-19 recovery. ‘Nepal’ brand in the agriculture sector organizations and small and medium sector and the economy from the pan- Group Chief Executive Officer Sam Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank The Rural Enterprise and Economic and leverage the country’s global rec- enterprises to build capacity in the demic’s impacts,” stated Loraine Yoonsuk Lee. Development (REED) Project will pro- ognition,” stated Faris Hadad-Zervos, agriculture sector and strengthen the Ronchi, World Bank Practice Manager ADB Ventures supports and invests mote market linkages to support the World Bank Country Director for entrepreneurship ecosystem. for the Agriculture Global Practice. in early-stage technology companies Shares growth of rural enterprises, especial- Maldives, Nepal and Sri Lanka. The project will also help improve The project supports the Government solving big development problems in ly those that are women-led. “In doing so, the project can stimu- production through investments in of Nepal’s Agriculture Development emerging Asia and the Pacific. Its Nepse 1,645.67pts -0.11% A key focus is on productive part- late many niche sectors such as coffee, municipal agriculture centres and Strategy 2015–2035 that aims to create investors include Finland’s Ministry nerships that will help add value, cre- tea, fruit and medicinal products, value chain infrastructures to ensure a sustainable, competitive, inclusive for Foreign Affairs, the Government HIGHEST LOSERS ate jobs and foster sustainable linkag- among others, to help them grow and the availability of inputs for farming and resilient agricultural sector that of the Republic of Korea, the Clean NIBPO SINDU SIFC UMHL KBL LBL -3.97% -3.61% -3.4% -2.98% -2.85% -2.77% es between small-holder producers to support post-Covid-19 recovery.” as recovery actions from Covid-19. drives economic growth with private Technology Fund, and the Nordic and institutional buyers, the World The project focuses on five econom- The project will use labour-intensive sector participation. Development Fund. MODERATE LOSERS NIBLPF SHIVM GIC AHPC GGBSL SFMF -2.72% -2.6% -2.6% -2.51% -2.5% -2.45%

MODERATE GAINERS DDBL BBC NADEP HIDCL NSEWA RHPC 2.35% 3.04% 3.35% 3.54% 3.86% 3.95% India’s top airline IndiGo HIGHEST GAINERS MHNL HURJA DHPL MLBBL NFS SSHL 4.4% 4.65% 5.22% 5.23% 9.65% 10% posts record quarterly

BULLION PRICE PER TOLA loss on pandemic hit Fine Gold Rs 94,700 REUTERS BENGALURU, OCT 29 Silver Rs 1,180 Interglobe Aviation Ltd, which runs SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA India’s largest airline IndiGo, report- ed its steepest quarterly loss on Thursday as pandemic-related GASOLINE WATCH travel restrictions continued to dent its operations. The global aviation industry has been among the worst hit by the pan- REUTERS demic and related travel restrictions. The airline said it expects third-quarter average seat kilometres The global aviation (ASKs) to be around 60 percent of its ASKs for the same quarter a year industry has been earlier. “We are slowly but surely stair-step- among the worst hit ping our way back to normal capaci- ty,” Chief Executive Officer Ronojoy by the pandemic. Dutta said in a statement. “Once we are back at 100 percent capacity, we will have lower unit costs, rupees, up 28 percent from last year. a stronger product, more efficient fleet In June, IndiGo said it would cut up and a robust network,” he said. to 40 billion rupees in costs and speed The company’s second-quarter net up the return of older planes to loss came in at 11.95 billion rupees leasing companies in an attempt to ($161.61 million), compared with a loss cope with the pandemic-incurred hit of 10.66 billion rupees last year. to business. IndiGo, which dominates the domes- Revenue from operations plunged tic market, said its total debt as of 66 percent to 27.41 billion rupees, the POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC September stood at 254,194 million airline operator said on Thursday. A young boy selling inflated toys travels on foot as he searches for customers in Shankhamul, Kathmandu. Banks roll out robots as pandemic shakes up IT plans

REUTERS Simon McNamara, chief administra- more personalised services may have ent advisers in handling the immense LONDON, OCT 29 tive officer at Britain’s NatWest, to be shelved, IDC research showed. inflow of coronavirus crisis loan which has granted more than 13 bil- Global IT spend by banks is set to requests from businesses in When banks were flooded with loan lion pounds ($16.90 billion) of state- shrink by 1.7 percent this year to $200 Switzerland, said Mike Dargan, global requests from businesses struggling backed loans. billion, down from $203.5 billion in head of group technology at UBS. with the fallout of the coronavirus It is a pattern that has played out 2019, based on IDC data. Growth is Banks have also been prioritising pandemic, hastily built robots helped across banks globally, where technolo- then forecast to resume over the next shifting data to the cloud to speed up several lenders cope with the deluge. gy changes that would usually take three years, albeit at a slower pace. response times and allow more staff to The bots were one of many quick months were done in a matter of days. Banks have prioritised process work from home, while also bolstering technology changes deployed across At Citigroup, there was a 300 percent automation in the face of spiking defences against the growing threat of the industry during the crisis, a con- rise from a year earlier in the number workloads as a result of the Covid-19 cyber-attacks. trast to the slow progress it’s made in of new accounts opened digitally by crisis, based on IDC surveys of bank “We had four main focus areas, the past two decades to improve tech- corporate or fund clients during executives. remote working to enable the employ- nology in the face of increasing com- March, while the number of those cli- Santander’s UK division rolled out ees at UBS, system stability, as we saw petition from fintech rivals. ents using its online and app services data analytics tools to speed up loan a lot of volatility, cyber security, and Now the jolt from the Covid-19 pan- rose 25 percent. application processing and credit operations continuity,” UBS’s Dargan demic has accelerated the process “We were seeing this trend pre-Cov- checking as borrowers came under told Reuters.On the flip side, bank even though banks globally are having id but it accelerated during Covid,” strain. spending on consumer-facing technol- to cut IT spending this year for the Naveed Sultan, Citi’s global head of “We had prepared but the volume ogies for branches and online services first time since 2009, based on data transaction banking, said. was higher than expected,” Santander is forecast to grow more slowly, from research company IDC. “The traditional ways of working UK’s chief technology officer Carlos increasing from $31 billion in 2020 to “Bots allowed us to process a much became almost non-existent.” Selonke told Reuters. “It’s a huge $40 billion in 2024, according to IDC. higher volume of applications than But as banks have to budget for a focus for us, making changes to Other less urgent projects such as we would have been able to do before. pick-up in loan losses due to the pan- increase our velocity.” systems overhauls and longer term REUTERS It meant the timelines didn’t get demic, some projects, such as large- Swiss bank UBS developed six bots so-called “moonshot” digital ventures A view of Canary Wharf business district in London. longer with the massive volume,” said scale customer data mining to offer within three days which assisted cli- are being shelved.

C M Y K FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 | 06 WORLD BRIEFING Britain pressed to South Korea’s court upholds 17-year jail term on ex-leader follow French and SEOUL: South Korea’s top court upheld a 17-year sentence imposed on former President Lee Myung-bak for a range of corruption crimes in a final ruling on Thursday that will send him back German lockdowns to prison. Lee has been convicted of taking bribes worth millions of dol- lars from big companies including Samsung, embezzling corporate funds of a company that he owned and mis- as infections surge using official funds of South Korea’s spy agency. The crimes occurred before and during his 2008-13 presi- Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government has so far dency. The Supreme Court also con- firmed a lower court ruling that tried to avoid a nationwide lockdown. ordered Lee to pay $10.9 million in fines and forfeit another $4.6 million REUTERS downs but have been forced to move by for his crimes, court officials said. LONDON/BERLIN, OCT 29 the speed of new infections and a steadily increasing mortality rate Britain resisted pressure on Thursday across the continent. Escalating Nagorno-Karabakh to impose a second nationwide lock- While the French and German lock- conflict unacceptable, EU says down after France and Germany downs will leave schools and most YEREVAN/BAKU: The European Union ordered sweeping restrictions on businesses open, they severely restrict said an escalation in the Nagorno- AP/RSS social life to contain a surge in corona- social life by closing bars, restaurants, Karabakh conflict was unacceptable Pro-democracy demonstrators flash a three-finger salute of defiance in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday. Protesters continue to virus infections that has pushed cinemas and the like and impose strict and called for new peace talks as gather with their demands, including Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha’s resignation and reforms to the constitutional monarchy. health services to their limits. limits on people’s movements. Armenia and Azerbaijan once more Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s German Chancellor Angela Merkel, traded accusations of shelling in and government has so far tried to avoid a who addressed parliament on around the mountain enclave on nationwide lockdown, opting instead Thursday, said her government had Thursday. The office of Nagorno- for a tiered system of local controls moved quickly to prevent intensive Karabakh’s human rights ombuds- intended to tighten measures in affect- care facilities being overwhelmed. man said more than a dozen shells Three dead as woman beheaded in ed regions while leaving others less “We are in a dramatic situation at had fallen on Stepanakert, the restricted. the start of the cold season. It affects enclave’s largest city, a day after a maternity hospital there was struck. Two civilians were wounded. knife attack at French church Azerbaijan’s defence ministry said in India’s coronavirus cases a statement that Armenia had fired at REUTERS is on his way to hospital, he is alive,” Marine Le Pen also spoke of a decapi- its military units and civilian settle- NICE, OCT 29 Estrosi told reporters. tation having occurred in the attack. ments along the front line, and that “Enough is enough,” Estrosi said. A representative of the French cross 8 million, behind US the Azeri settlements of Terter and A knife-wielding attacker shouting “It’s time now for France to exonerate Council for the Muslim Faith strongly Gornaboy to the north of Nagorno- “Allahu Akbar” beheaded a woman itself from the laws of peace in order condemned the attack. Karabakh had been shelled. and killed two other people in a sus- to definitively wipe out Islamo-fascism “As a sign of mourning and solidar- pected terrorist incident at a church from our territory.” ity with the victims and their loved in the French city of Nice on Thursday, Reuters journalists at the scene said ones, I call on all Muslims in France to Belarusian leader Lukashenko police and officials said. police armed with automatic weapons cancel all the celebrations of the holi- Nice’s mayor, Christian Estrosi, had put up a security cordon around day of Mawlid.”. replaces his interior minister who described the attack as terrorism, the church, which is on Nice’s Jean The holiday is the birthday of the MOSCOW: Belarusian leader Alexander said on Twitter it had happened in or Medecin avenue, the city’s main shop- Prophet Mohammad, which is being Lukashenko replaced his interior near Notre Dame church, the largest ping thoroughfare. celebrated Thursday. minister on Thursday, the Belta state in the city. French President Emmanuel Estrosi said the victims had been news agency reported, as he faces Estrosi said the attacker had repeat- Macron is due to visit Nice, Estrosi killed in a “horrible way”. mass protests calling for him to leave edly shouted the phrase “Allahu said. “The methods match, without power. In a related move, Lukashenko Akbar”, or God is greatest, even after In Paris, lawmakers in the National doubt, those used against the brave named three senior figures with secu- he had been detained by police. Assembly observed a minute’s silence teacher in Conflans Sainte Honorine, rity backgrounds, including outgoing One of the people killed inside the in solidarity with the victims. Samuel Paty,” he said, referring interior minister Yuri Karayev, as church was believed to be the church Police said three people were to a French teacher beheaded presidential aides. The reshuffle warden, Estrosi said, adding that a confirmed to have died in the attack earlier this month in an attack in a marked the latest move by Luka- woman had tried to escape from inside and several were injured. suburb of Paris. shenko to tighten his grip on domes- the church and had fled into a bar The French anti-terrorist prosecu- The attack comes while France is tic security in the face of demonstra- opposite the 19th century neo-Gothic tor’s department said it had been still reeling from the tions and strikes that have gripped building. asked to investigate. beheading earlier this month of the country for nearly 12 weeks since “The suspected knife attacker was A police source said a woman was middle school teacher Paty by a man a disputed election. (AGENCIES) shot by police while being detained, he decapitated. French politician of Chechen origin.

AP/RSS A health worker takes a nasal swab sample as others wait for their turn at a Covid-19 testing centre in New Delhi, India, on Thursday. Typhoon, landslides Pompeo, in Indonesia, renews ASSOCIATED PRESS more than 7.3 million Indians NEW DELHI, OCT 29 have recovered from Covid-19. Dr. T. Jacob John, a retired India’s confirmed coronavirus case- virologist, said that in most parts leave 35 dead, 59 China attacks as US vote looms load surpassed 8 million on Thursday of India the infection curve was never with daily infections dipping to the flattened and the number of people ASSOCIATED PRESS He dismissed as fantasy Chinese officials’ lowest level this week, as concerns who are now susceptible to the virus JAKARTA, OCT 29 claims that Uighurs are “eager to discard their grew over a major Hindu festival sea- had decreased. missing in Vietnam ethnic, religious and cultural identities to son and winter setting in. He warned that the ongoing festival US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo renewed the become ‘modern’ and enjoy the benefits of India’s trajectory is moving toward season was likely to increase the ASSOCIATED PRESS Trump administration’s rhetorical onslaught CCP-led development” and urged Indonesians the worst-hit country, the United speed of the viral spread, resulting in HANOI, OCT 29 against China in Indonesia on Thursday as the to reject them. States, which has over 8.8 million localized outbreaks where people American presidential election looms. Earlier, in an appearance with Indonesian cases. gathered without masks and didn’t Typhoon Molave set off landslides that killed at least 19 With China a central theme in President Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi, Pompeo took The Health Ministry reported adhere to social distancing. people and left 45 missing in central Vietnam, where ferocious Donald Trump’s campaign to win a second term China to task for threatening its neighbours. another 49,881 infections and 517 fatal- Even as new cases are on a decline wind and rain blew away roofs and knocked out power in a in just five days time, Pompeo took aim at “We respect freedom of the seas, sovereignty ities in the past 24 hours, raising the nationwide, the Indian capital appears region of 1.7 million residents, state media said on Thursday. Chinese aggressiveness in the South China Sea, and the rule of law,” he said, standing beside death toll to 120,527. to be heading toward another surge The casualties from the landslides bring the death toll from where it has advanced maritime and territorial Marsudi. Marsudi agreed, saying “any claims Life in India is edging back to in infections. It reported its worst the storm to at least 35, including 12 fishermen whose boats claims over the objections of its smaller neigh- should be based on universally recognised pre-virus levels with shops, day with 4,853 cases on Wednesday, sank on Wednesday. Vietnamese officials say it’s the worst bours, over its handling of the coronavirus principle of international law” although she did businesses, subway trains and movie after falling to less than 1,000 new typhoon to hit the country in 20 years. pandemic and its repression of religious minor- not specifically mention China. theatres reopening and the country’s cases per day last month. At least 59 people remain missing in the landslides and at ities. “Our law-abiding nations reject the unlawful third-largest state of Bihar with a “I am shocked, but not surprised,” sea. The toll may rise with many regions still unable to report Speaking in Jakarta, the headquarters of the claims by Chinese Communist Party in the population of about 122 million said Arvind Kumar, a New Delhi details of the devastation. Rescuers dug up eight bodies Association of Southeast Asian Nations, South China Sea as is clear from Indonesia’s people holding elections. doctor. “There seems to be a sense Thursday morning in Tra Van village in south central Quang Pompeo praised Indonesia’s leadership in courageous leadership on this subject within But health experts warn that mask of complacency in adhering to mask Nam province where a hillside collapsed on houses. The vic- ASEAN for pushing back on what he called ASEAN and at the United Nations,” Pompeo and distancing fatigue is setting in and distancing norms.” tims had taken shelter in the community as the typhoon China’s “unlawful” claims and lauded Jakarta’s said. “It’s a cause worth pursuing in and can lead to a fresh wave of Kumar warned that the rising air approached, the official Vietnam News Agency reported. protection of its own territory. He also attacked multilateral settings and the Trump infections. pollution during winter months in In Tra Leng village, about 45 kilometres from Tra Van, Beijing for its treatment of religious minorities, administration very much supports this.” India saw a steep rise in cases in the capital could have “a deleterious another landslide buried a community with several houses calling China “the gravest threat to the future of Earlier this year, the Trump administration July and added more than 2 million effect on the incidence (of virus) occupied by about 45 people. Four managed to escape. Rescuers religious freedom.” clarified its longstanding policy on the disputes in August and another 3 million in and the mortality rate.” have recovered eight bodies and were scrambling to save 37 Delivering a speech on religious freedom in by rejecting outright nearly all of Beijing’s September. But it is seeing a slower Winters have become a time others, Vietnam News said. the capital of the world’s most populous Muslim maritime claims in the South China Sea. That pace of coronavirus spread since of health woes in New Delhi, with a Tra Leng remains inaccessible due to damaged roads and nation, Pompeo denounced the Chinese decision in July came as Trump began a mid-September, when daily infections toxic haze obscuring the sky and other landslides and government disaster-response teams Communist Party for its reported mass abuses concerted effort to use China as a campaign touched a record of 97,894 with blocking sunlight. Pollution levels were using bulldozers and excavators to open up a road to of Muslim minorities in the western Xinjiang cudgel against his Democratic challenger, the highest number of deaths at 1,275. soar to severe levels, which worsen bring in more rescuers and heavy equipment. region. former Vice President Joe Biden, who he paints According to the Health Ministry, respiratory illnesses. Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung travelled to the “The atheist CCP has tried to convince the as weak on China and beholden to it. site where soldiers were clearing up a landslide with bulldoz- world that its brutalisation of Uighur Muslims Previously, US policy had been to insist that ers and ordered officers to urgently bring in troops to the in Xinjiang is necessary as a counterterrorism maritime disputes between China and its small- A new study by Imperial College in us all, without exception,” Merkel told landslide-hit village. efforts or poverty—depending on the audience, er neighbours be resolved peacefully through London underlined the dire situation the Bundestag lower house of parlia- “We must reach the landslide site the fastest way. First, they are speaking to,” Pompeo said. “I know the UN-backed arbitration. But in a July 13 state- facing Britain, the country with the ment, adding new restrictions to send in more soldiers before we can get the big machine there. Chinese Communist Party has tried to convince ment, Pompeo said the US now regards virtually largest number of coronavirus deaths reduce social contact were “necessary We have to reach the area by all means, including by using Indonesians to look away from the torments all Chinese maritime claims outside its interna- in Europe, showing cases in England and proportionate”. helicopters,” he said. your fellow Muslims are suffering.” tionally recognised waters to be illegitimate. doubling every nine days. However she warned of difficult As troops scrambled to rescue those buried alive in Tra Steven Riley, the author of the study, months ahead and said: “The winter Leng, another part of a rain-soaked mountainside cascaded said the government should decide will be hard.” down in a torrent of mud in nearby Phuoc Loc district on quickly if it wanted to follow France After heavy criticism of a lack of Thursday morning, trapping 11 people. Three bodies were and Germany. coordination and planning in the ini- pulled out immediately by villagers, Vietnam News said. “And sooner is better than later for tial phase of the crisis, European Other villagers in Phuoc Loc were advised to flee to safety these,” Riley, a professor of infectious Union leaders aim to make progress given the unstable mountain slope. disease dynamics, told the BBC. on common testing and vaccination The three landslide-hit areas lie in the mountains of the However Housing Minister Robert strategies at a video conference on hard-hit province of Quang Nam in a coastal region still Jenrick said he did not think it was Thursday. recovering from floods that killed 136 people and destroyed inevitable that the UK would follow The latest surge in new cases has hundreds of houses earlier this month. France and Germany in imposing put Europe back at the centre of the Four people were killed by falling trees and collapsed hous- nationwide restrictions. global pandemic, which has so far es in Quang Nam and Gia Lai provinces when the typhoon “The judgement of the government seen more than 44 million infections slammed into the coast Wednesday. Navy search and rescue today is that a blanket national lock- and 1.1 million deaths worldwide. boats found the bodies of 12 of 26 fishermen whose boats sank down is not appropriate, would do According to figures from the World Wednesday off Binh Dinh province, state media said. more harm than good,” he told Times Health Organization this week, the Radio. region accounted for almost half of Europe’s economies were plunged new global infections in the previous into their deepest recession on record seven days. by the blanket lockdowns imposed at The United States has also seen a the start of the crisis in March and surge in new cases in the run up to April and the latest restrictions have next week’s presidential election, with snuffed out the faint signs of recovery more than 80,000 new cases and 1,000 seen over the summer. deaths reported on Wednesday. Financial markets steadied some- By contrast, many Asian countries what on Thursday after a brutal sel- have begun to relax controls as the loff a day before as the prospect of a disease has been brought under con- double dip recession came ever more trol, with Singapore announcing it AP/RSS clearly into view. would ease restrictions for visitors US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi pose for photographers during Governments have been desperate from mainland China and the their meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Thursday. to avoid a repeat of the spring lock- Australian state of Victoria.

C M Y K 07 | FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING Lampard excited by Ziyech promise after Chelsea goal Man United defender Telles tests positive for coronavirus Chelsea storm to a 4-0 win over Russia’s Krasnodar and a hat-trick from Rashford gives Manchester United a 5-0 victory over Germany’s Leipzig. MANCHESTER: Manchester United AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ry in the first half. Both PSG’s goals defender Alex Telles has tested posi- KRASNODAR, OCT 29 were scored in the second half by tive for Covid-19 but is showing no Moise Kean, the on-loan Everton strik- symptoms and is expected to return Chelsea manager Frank Lampard said er heading in Kylian Mbappe’s corner to action soon, manager Ole Gunnar he expects Hakim Ziyech to prove his in the 64th minute and then turning to Solskjaer said. Telles, who arrived at value after the Moroccan star scored fire in the second late on. the Old Trafford from Porto earlier his first goal for the club in In Italy Barcelona bounced back this month, missed the weekend’s Wednesday’s 4-0 win away to from their weekend defeat in the goalless draw with Chelsea and was Krasnodar in the Champions League. Clasico against Real Madrid and put absent from United’s matchday squad Jorginho missed a penalty for their off-field troubles to one side to for Wednesday’s 5-0 Champions Chelsea but Callum Hudson-Odoi put win 2-0 away to a Juventus side League win over RB Leipzig. the Blues in front before half-time deprived of Cristiano Ronaldo. after a mistake by Krasnodar goal- Ronald Koeman’s side had luck on keeper Matvei Safonov. Timo Werner their side as they took the lead through Bundesliga ordered back smashed in a spot-kick on 76 minutes a deflected Ousmane Dembele strike behind closed doors to double Chelsea’s lead, with Ziyech and then saw Alvaro Morata have BERLIN: Chancellor Angela Merkel’s and Christian Pulisic adding late three goals disallowed for offside for government on Wednesday ordered goals in Russia. the hosts. The absence of Ronaldo Bundesliga football and professional “Hakim Ziyech has worked really because of a positive coronavirus test sport in Germany back behind closed hard to be fit, and I was very excited to meant no chance to see him renew his doors as part of a string of measures get his quality in the team,” said on-field rivalry with Lionel Messi, but to curb record-high numbers of the Lampard. the Argentine got his name on the coronavirus. The latest measures will “I thought his performance was scoresheet late on, netting a stop- come into effect from November 2 very, very good when you consider he page-time penalty to seal Barca’s until the end of the month after hasn’t started a match since March, second victory in as many Group G Germany announced a record high when the Dutch league finished.” outings. Wednesday of 14,964 new cases in the Ziyech joined from Ajax for a Juve had Turkish defender Merih last 24 hours. Since the 2020/21 reported £37 million ($48 million) in Demirel sent off late on as their Bundesliga season started in mid-Sep- the summer but missed the beginning underwhelming start to the season tember, Germany’s football clubs had of the season with a knee problem. under novice coach Andrea Pirlo con- been allowed to host small numbers The 27-year-old had made three came- tinued. Their next game is away at of fans for home games, providing os as a substitute before earning his Ferencvaros, who came from behind each local health authority granted first start in Krasnodar. to draw 2-2 with 10-man Dynamo Kiev permission. One noticeable exception “It’s been frustrating for him and in Budapest. Viktor Tsygankov’s pen- is European champions Bayern for us. His injury has meant he hasn’t alty and a Carlos de Pena effort had Munich, who have had to play all been able to start, but what I’ve seen in the Ukrainians in control but Tokmac their home games at the Allianz training and what I knew we were Nguen pulled one back and Ivorian Arena behind closed doors since the signing is a player of immense quality Franck Boli scrambled in a pandemic first hit Europe in mid- with personality to receive the ball stoppage-time leveller for the March on advice of the local health and find assists and goals,” said AP/RSS Hungarians. authority. But from Monday all pro- Lampard. “We saw a lot of glimpses of Hakim Ziyech (centre) scored his first Chelsea goal as they beat Krasnodar 4-0 in their Champions League match in Russia on Wednesday. Borussia Dortmund claimed their fessional sport in Germany will go that today, and he will get better.” first points in Group F with Jadon back behind closed doors after Merkel Chelsea moved up to four points at Rashford’s late goal earned United a Paul Pogba released Mason United ruthlessly exposed the side Sancho’s 78th-minute penalty and and the regional leaders of the top of Group E after two matches, 2-1 victory away to Paris Saint- Greenwood to open the scoring in the who currently top the German Erling Braut Haaland’s stoppage-time Germany’s 16 states agreed to level with Sevilla who beat Rennes 1-0 Germain last week and at the Old first half, before the youngster made Bundesliga and went clear at the top strike securing a 2-0 win over Zenit the new measures. in Spain with Luuk de Jong scoring Trafford the England striker came on way for Rashford after the break and of the section. Saint-Petersburg. The Germans are a the only goal. as a second-half substitute and scored Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side ran away Meanwhile PSG got their campaign point behind Lazio and Club Brugge, Marcus Rashford was again the star three times from the 74th minute on in with the game to make it two wins up and running by beating Istanbul who drew 1-1 in Belgium with a Hans Sabalenka beats Azarenka for Manchester United with a hat- what was a fine win against last sea- from two in Group H. Anthony Martial Basaksehir 2-0 in Turkey, although Vanaken penalty securing a draw for to clinch Ostrava Open trick in a 5-0 thumping of RB Leipzig. son’s semi-finalists. also netted from the penalty spot as they lost Neymar to an adductor inju- the hosts. OSTRAVA: Third seed Aryna Sabalenka stormed to a 6-2 6-2 victory over com- patriot Victoria Azarenka to win the inaugural J&T Banka Ostrava Open and the first all-Belarusian WTA final England cricketers agree 15 percent pay on Sunday. Former world number one Azarenka, who has been in top form since tennis restarted following its cut as pandemic hits ECB revenues pandemic-enforced hiatus, needed a medical timeout in the second set and REUTERS Morgan, have conducted themselves ball cricket was upgraded. The ECB ended up losing the match in 68 min- LONDON, OCT 29 with great maturity and responsibili- had previously said they had sus- utes. Sabalenka had to twice battle ty throughout this challenging time,” tained losses of over 100 million back from the brink of defeat—first England’s cricket players on central England men’s cricket managing pounds when professional cricket in against American Coco Gauff and contracts have agreed to take a 15% director Ashley Giles said. the country was suspended for several then against Spain’s Sara Sorribes pay cut for 12 months due to the “We now want to build on this months due to coronavirus outbreak. Tormo—to reach the final, but impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on agreement and work together on a The ECB had implemented short- showed no sign of the inconsisten- finances, the country’s cricket board number of areas relating to player term cost-cutting measures, including cies. She dominated from behind the (ECB) said on Friday. welfare, particularly mental health, furloughing staff, significant pay baseline with her trademark powerful The pay cut is made up of match which remains a high priority, as we reductions and a recruitment freeze at groundstrokes, running away with fees, win bonuses and retainers with continue to navigate a path through the onset of the financial crisis and the match after breaking early in the 12-month period starting from this pandemic.” said last month they were planning to each set. The world number 12 October 1. The agreement was reached England batsmen Zak Crawley, Ollie make 62 positions redundant. grabbed her seventh WTA career PHOTO COURTESY: BIBEK SUBEDI/ANFA between the ECB and the Team Pope and Dom Sibley were among 12 TEPP chairman Richard Bevan said singles title and second of the year Sesehang Angdengbe (left) and Arik Bista during a training session for Nepal’s two-match England Player Partnership (TEPP). players who were handed central Test the players had shown “great respon- with a fist pump and a kiss blown to friendlies against Bangladesh in Tripureshwar on Thursday. Nepal are set to play the matches “We need to recognise that our play- contracts while all-rounder Tom sibility and unity with the wider the heavens. (AGENCIES) in Dhaka on November 13 and 17 under coach Bal Gopal Maharjan. ers, led by captains Joe Root and Eoin Curran’s increment contract for white game” in agreeing to take pay cuts. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** Don’t be afraid to take on a new responsibility. This is a great time to step up to a bigger role. You’re going to want to watch the action from the To keep your attitude positive, join in with whatev- Adding a few more ambitions to your life isn’t an You have the grace required of a good leader, and sidelines now. You need to avoid getting too involved er’s going on. Connect with the people who stimulate invitation to failure. Sure, you won’t be able to reach you’re able to get along with everyone else. in the games people are playing. Even if the main your passions. They’ll help you start really thinking every goal for yourself. But the more goals you do set, That means you can create an environment full of players want your insight, you don’t have to share about the bigger issues in your life and see them in a the better your odds are. harmony. more than you’re comfortable sharing. more positive light.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you Everything is right in front of you. You’re tempted to An idea that seemed like a radical notion could sud- The projects you’ve been working on have been so are living proof of it. Some weirdness in other peo- listen to the impulsive, cocky voice inside your head denly seem totally reasonable now. New information easy that you’re starting to get a little complacent. ple could catch your attention, and you might find and go for it, but the cautious, humble side of you is has come your way, and you are finally ready to take What you need is a good, old-fashioned challenge! It’s yourself attracted to them because of it. telling you to stop for a moment to review the situa- the plunge! Dive in deep with abandon and you’ll be the most effective way to get you feeling like you’re tion more closely. rewarded with a huge payoff. back at the top of your game.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** Celebrating has become a bit of a foreign concept to A friend’s advice is still on your mind. How can they Someone has a few new ideas that they’d like to If you’re looking for a good way to spend the day, you, and you have to make sure that comes to an end! see things so simply? To you, life isn’t always black share with you, and you need to make the time to stop. Sometimes change only comes when you stop You now have everything to create a special event for and white. While your appreciation for the grays of listen. Try to slow down your routine long enough to looking for it! Don’t be proactive about creating the a group of your friends, so make it happen even if it relationships is a good thing, it could add to your hear from the people who don’t normally have day you want to live. Let it all unfold around you has to be virtual. confusion about your issues. enough influence to bend your ear. naturally. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 A celebration of diversity Although not perfect, the exhibition, Allegory, is filled with diverse works from artists from different cultural and social backgrounds, whose varied experiences and perspectives make the artworks more impactful.

ANKIT KHADGI KATHMANDU

hat happens when you pro- vide a space for artists of diverse culture and social backgrounds to express and present their perspec- tives, feelings and experi- Wences through various forms of arts? You are likely to witness a wide range of unique ideas in various art forms that will help you as a viewer to expand your horizon and develop empathy for others. And this celebration of diversity can be experienced in the latest virtual exhibition ‘Allegory’, organised by Kalamantra, a digital art space, which exhibits the artworks of 38 upcoming artists and art students of Lalitkala Campus. Divided into four segments, unlike many other Nepali virtual exhibitions that have so far been held in the pandemic world, this exhi- bition isn’t arranged in a particular sequence. Rather, viewers can click over the name of the artists and view their respective artworks, giv- ing the viewers their own right on selecting the interesting artworks and artists. On the top of the first segment, we have the artworks of Shreemila Shrestha. She has pre- sented three artworks, among which, her painting Tranquil Wilderness which repre- sents the modern-day woman stands out. In the middle of the painting, there is an image of a woman. Above her head, a horn of a bull is juxtaposed along with pink flowers surrounding her body. Although her eyes are wide open, they are completely white, as if possessed. SCREENGRAB VIA KALAMANTRANP.COM Through these motifs, Shrestha is successful The latest virtual exhibition Allegory, organised by Kalamantra, a digital art space, exhibits the artworks of 38 upcoming artists and art students of Lalitkala Campus. in representing the women of this age, who embrace both strength and kindness, and are moon are to be united and will be one entity. painting, 'Wabuk', he depicts a traditional alco- ple sculpture, the work depicts the cultural focused on was to make the exhibition interac- driven by strong emotions and passion, mak- While both of her artworks aren’t extraordi- hol storage gourd bottle called Wabuk, also calamity the fast track road project will bring, tive. The approach of the exhibition, to divide ing her artwork exemplary in defining and nary, the placement of her works can be a per- known as Chindo, used by Kirati people. as it will displace many locals and their cul- the artworks into four different segments and representing women of this generation, who fect example of how good arrangement, place- While it’s commendable for an artist to use ture. give the authority to viewers to click on what- are both ferocious and calm. ment and wordplay can be used as a tool to their platform to preserve and promote one’s However, there are other artworks which ever they want to look at, can have a negative Another evocative artist whose work is not convey one’s message, increasing its impact on culture, it would have been better if Rai had can be difficult to interpret for the viewers effect as well because the chances of people only beautiful but also clever is Puja Maharjan, the viewers. also paid attention to providing more detail of since there is no information provided about watching many artworks is less. who has two of her artworks exhibited in the Through her sketches, she portrays the his artwork that would help viewers under- the artworks, which is the biggest drawback Likewise, the exhibition could have also exhibition. everyday struggle of a woman, whose lives are stand the complexities and richness of Kirati of the exhibition, as viewers are many times tried to play some music in the background or In her first artwork, there are four sketches filled with challenges, pain and struggles creat- culture. unable to decipher the point the artist is trying used different elements to give people the feel of a girl, created from using charcoal on paper. ed by social fabric. Hence the title ‘Blue’ is But there are other artists in the exhibition to make. of watching a real-life art exhibition through Titled as ‘Blue’, in the four sketches, Maharjan kept, as through her artworks she depicts the who have been successful in doing that. One For instance, Deepak Aaujee’s painting, their virtual screen rather than just clicking a has reflected the pain and the suffering the girl everyday pain and the distraught lives of such exemplary artwork is of a young artist 'Self-Portrait I', gets lost in translation. In his profile of an artist or their works. is facing. In one sketch we can see her scream- women who have to live a blue life. Saurav Shrestha. His two artworks, which are painting, in a background of Kathmandu val- Nevertheless, even if there are many flaws, ing. In another sketch, we can see her in a state But there are moments when women can both sculptures, lack polishing, however, it’s ley, in the middle is a scarecrow juxtaposed the exhibition shines, which primarily is where she is about to cry. While the sketches experience liberation and can be their own. In the heartfelt emotions and the expression of above an ATM. On the head of the scarecrow, because of the diversity of the artists, who themselves have no shades of blue, the title such moments, the women embrace them- realities depicted in his artwork that touches there is a CCTV camera, and there is a dog in their brilliant artworks infuse their symbolises the mental state of the subject, as selves beautifully and experience peace and the viewers, increasing its overall impact. sleeping on the right-hand side of the machine. experiences, ideas and views and give viewers blue as a colour has been used to symbolise tranquillity, which Maharjan depicts through In his sculpture 'Temple in Lockdown', by Since the work features many motifs, it’s a peek into understanding the importance of melancholy and sadness. her painting. using popsicle sticks, he builds a temple unclear what the artist is exactly trying to diversity. At the end of this work begins another, Since the exhibition includes diverse artists surrounded by fences. The temple is tied to depict. Is he comparing himself to a scarecrow Another thing this exhibition does is reveal where we see a radiating woman, who’s facing and artworks, the influence of artists’ cultures a lock-like structure, signifying the current that silently observes or is he comparing him- the possibilities and talents of the students of upwards, swimming in a blue sea, with a blue on their works are visible, with many making confinement the world is grappling with due to self to the dog? Since the painting is titled as a Lalitkala Campus. Despite being the country’s coloured moon in the backdrop. Titled cultural identity a subject of their artwork. the pandemic, resulting in people not being ‘self-portrait’ it becomes difficult to interpret oldest fine arts college, the institution has been ‘Entangled with the Blue Moon’, here the col- One such artist is Adesh Rai whose artworks able to do even basic movements like visiting a the motifs, as there is no information except neglected by the government for the most part. our blue is visible and pops out brightly, emit- reflect his Kirati roots. In his digital painting, temple. the title, due to which the impact gets dimin- Perhaps this exhibition will draw the govern- ting a sense of calmness. titled 'Binayo', he depicts the traditional Kirati For impact though, it’s his other sculpture, ished even when the painting is aesthetically ment’s, and people’s, attention to artworks Maharjan has painted the woman in such a musical instrument binayo, which is made Fast Track Construction, made from paper pleasing to look at. produced by the age-old institution—and to the way that it feels like the woman and the blue from bamboo. Likewise, in another digital mache, that is more provoking. Though a sim- Another element the art studio should have talented artists it produced. Cabbies and office workers: Meet Singapore’s ordinary royals Until the turn of this century, some of them still lived in their ancestral home, a crowded, dilapidated palace.

CHEN LIN, EDGAR SU & JOHN GEDDIE SINGAPORE ‘We are not smart, n the modern republic of we are not rich,’ Singapore, several seemingly ordinary people working in Faizal said, speaking offices or driving taxis can claim to be of royal blood, in English. ‘We got descendants of a 19th century the title only.’ Imonarch who ceded control of the Southeast Asian island to the British. But few residents in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities are For other former palace residents, even aware of this lineage, a sore point life in the outside world has been a with Tengku, or Prince, Shawal, rude awakening. acclaimed by some members of his fam- Tengku Faizal, 43, said after he left ily as ‘head of the house of Singapore’. the palace in 1999 he took a job as a “They still exist?” is a response the cleaner in a condominium and would 51-year-old says he often receives get teased for being the prince who when he tells people he is one of the handles garbage. descendants of Sultan Hussein Shah-- He now drives a taxi but says he is whose treaties with the British led to struggling to make ends meet and has colonial rule and the founding of the been given financial assistance to modern country. cover his daughter’s childcare fees. To Shawal is one of several Singaporeans help out, his wife has taken a part- who bear the honorific name Tengku, time job in a McDonald’s outlet. meaning prince or princess in Malay, “We are not smart, we are not rich,” and claim links to the Sultan. Faizal said, speaking in English. “We Until the turn of this century, some got the title only.” of them still lived in their ancestral In neighbouring Malaysia, a consti- home, a crowded, dilapidated palace, tutional monarchy where Sultans still before they were evicted by the govern- play an active role in public life, hon- ment which turned it into a museum. orific names are far more common. Seventy nine descendants, of whom Of seven Singapore claimants 14 were living in the palace, were Reuters interviewed, Shawal was offered payouts as part of colonial-era the most eager about celebrating his deal to provide for the Sultan’s family, heritage. the government said at the time. Many But even he had his own doubts of the others were living overseas, it about passing on the “burden” of the said. royal title and did not give it to his The legal beneficiaries’ names were REUTERS daughter at birth. not made public, making it difficult to Many of them are descendants of Sultan Hussein Shah—whose treaties with the British led to colonial rule and the founding of the modern country. Now 27 and working for a biotech verify royal claims. firm, Princess Puteri has reclaimed The Singapore government, which as a beneficiary, still regularly visits and attending celebratory events. Tengku Indra, a 67-year-old consultant Friends of the Museums Singapore her Tengku name but says she also has ruled unbroken since the city- the palace-cum-museum and its near- But gaining wider recognition is a who lived in the palace grounds as a last year. finds explaining her credentials an state’s independence in 1965, told by mosque and cemetery in the city- challenge, even among a disparate and child. Indra’s son, 40-year-old business- uphill task in a country that has large- Reuters that all but one of the pay- state’s Malay heritage enclave called somewhat divided band of claimants. “What is crucial is you must earn man Tengku Azan has a two-year-old ly forgotten this piece of history. ments have been made but it was una- Kampong Glam. Other descendants warn about the your life through meritocracy instead daughter who would be one of the “Some part of me feels sad because ble to share more details on the benefi- Despite facing personal issues with dangers of living in the past or are too of enjoying an ascribed status based youngest descendants. I need to explain who I am. But the ciaries. his income cut and his logistics job at preoccupied with hardships of the on ancestral position.” He thinks future generations will moment when they look at Prince risk due to the coronavirus pandemic, present. Indra was described as the great- not take much interest in the Sultan’s Harry they know he is the prince,” she Not a dynasty Shawal says he devotes time to keep- “We are not a dynasty. It is not great-great-great grandson of Sultan history. “The past inadvertently takes said, referring to the globally popular Shawal, who showed Reuters govern- ing the Sultan’s heritage alive by important whether you are a descend- Hussein in an article by govern- a back seat and remains uncherished,” grandson of Queen Elizabeth II. ment correspondence identifying him dressing in traditional royal costume ant of the royal family or not,” said ment-affiliated heritage society he said. — Reuters

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