WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXIX No. 13 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 30.4 C -1.6 C Wednesday, March 03, 2021 | 19-11-2077 Bhairahawa Jumla Oli takes initiatives for talks with Chand party as he struggles to stay afloat The government forms a team under Home Minister Thapa to hold dialogue with Communist Party of Nepal, an armed outfit led by Dahal’s one-time trusted lieutenant.

ANIL GIRI KATHMANDU, MARCH 2

Amid political uncertainties, the gov- ernment decided to move forward talks with the Communist Party of Nepal, led by Netra Bikram Chand, an armed outfit, in what many believe as Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli’s bid to fish in troubled waters. While bringing any armed group to mainstream poli- tics is a laudable step, analysts say, Oli, who has lost his political legitimacy, is making attempts to stay afloat. RSS The Oli government, which by now KP Sharma Oli has lost the moral ground to govern after the Supreme Court overturned imposed on Chand-led party’s activi- its decision to dissolve the House, on ties, calling it a criminal outfit, in Tuesday said that it has formed a team March 2019. led by Home Minister Ram At least two leaders close to Oli said POST PHOTO: ANANDA GAUTAM Bahadur Thapa to hold dialogue that though the talks team has been Security personnel put out the fire that broke out at Dobhan Bazaar in Meringden Rural Municipality, Taplejung on Tuesday morning. The fire with the Chand party. Rajan formed under Thapa, the prime minis- destroyed around 49 houses and displaced 55 families. (Report on page 3) Bhattarai, Oli’s foreign relations ter himself has for quite a while adviser, has been named the only employed his own channels to reach member of the Thapa-led talks out to Chand and his party. team. The Communist Party of According to a leader, who spoke on Nepal, in response, also formed a condition of anonymity, Oli has been talks team led by Khadga Bahadur making efforts at political consolida- Challenges to manage sufficient doses Bishwakarma, with Udaya tion by attracting constituencies Bahadur Chalaune as a member. from across the spectrum—from As a first step, the Oli govern- rightists to ultra-leftist forces to con- ment, according to official sources, servative groups. of vaccine for the second phase is going to lift the ban that was >> Continued on page 2 Manufacturer has refused to sell jabs at $4, the price Nepal paid earlier, and WHO may not supply vaccines on time. This could lead to shortages for second dose for those above 55.

ARJUN POUDEL The Serum Institute of India pro- KATHMANDU, MARCH 2 duces Covishield vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and When Nepal purchased two million AstraZeneca, the British-Swedish doses of Covishield vaccine last multinational pharmaceutical and month from the Serum Institute of biopharmaceutical company. India, it paid $4 per dose. But now the Covishield is the preferred choice company does not want to sell the vac- of Nepali authorities, as the country’s cine at that price as the demand for it existing system supports storage and continues to soar the world over. supply of the vaccine. According to a highly placed source Given the importance of securing at the Ministry of Health and the vaccine, the Cabinet had changed Population, the company has refused the payment guidelines to allow 80 to sell Covishield vaccine directly to percent payment in advance for the the government of Nepal at the price vaccines to the manufacturing compa- it had sold earlier. ny as the existing Public Procurement “Due to worldwide demand and lim- Act-2015 does not allow advance pay- ited production, the Serum Institute POST FILE PHOTO ment for goods and services the gov- of India has shown reluctance to sell Nepal has been using the Covishield jab. ernment procures. again at $4 directly to the govern- The company has already supplied ment,” the source told the Post, asking After the deal to buy the vaccine at one million doses and officials say not to be named. “We have to buy the $4 per dose was secured, Minister for another million doses will arrive soon. jabs paying additional amounts Health and Population Hridayesh “It will be difficult to purchase the through agents of the company.” Tripathi had said that the government same product at a higher price,” the With the World Health Organization had been fortunate to secure the deal Health Ministry source said. “The on February 16 authorising emergen- with the Serum Institute of India at $4. government has to clear the legal hur- cy use of Covishield, the global rollout The price for each dose was $1 more dles to pay an additional amount to of the vaccine supplies through Covax than what the company charged the the same product.” began and its demand went up. Indian government. >> Continued on page 2 Confusion reigns as officialdom keeps changing entry protocols for tourists as peak season begins Different agencies have different quarantine rules. The beleaguered tourism industry worries the season may be over before the government gets its act together.

No one has a clear set of rules— from Nepal’s embassies, international airlines and tour operators to the Nepal Tourism Board and the Immigration Department—and they have been fixing the entry protocols in their own ways. “A few weeks ago, the Nepali embas- sy in Austria refused to issue visas to some Austrians after we submitted documents showing hotel reserva- tions for seven days for isolation pur- poses,” said Thaneshwor Guragain, manager of Seven Summit Treks, Nepal’s largest expedition organiser. “So we submitted paperwork showing hotel bookings for 10 days, and then they issued the visas,” he told the Post. POST FILE PHOTO As per the Department of Tourism, Entrepreneurs fear this could be another disappointing year for the travel and tourism sector. the prior approval documents required for entry to Nepal are a nega- SANGAM PRASAIN catastrophe. tive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) KATHMANDU, MARCH 2 A few weeks ago, the Department of report taken less than 72 hours before Tourism recommended that the gov- departure, hotel booking for at least Tourists and travel traders both are ernment amend the entry protocols seven days’ quarantine in Nepal and bewildered by the myriad entry for foreign tourists, particularly trek- insurance of at least $5,000 against protocols being issued, changed and kers and mountaineers, saying the Covid-19 per person. Tourists must go withdrawn by Nepali officialdom rules were vague. The Tourism into hotel quarantine for a minimum even as the tourism industry struggles Department issues permits for expedi- of seven days upon arrival in Nepal. to recover from the coronavirus tions to the Himalayas. >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, MARCH 03, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Challenges Oli takes initiatives for talks with Chand Confusion reigns as ... >> Continued from page 1 to manage Tourists are also required to take a PCR test on the fifth day of party as he struggles to stay afloat hotel quarantine at their own expense, and they will be allowed to go on their expedition or trek if they test negative. sufficient doses So far so good. >> Continued from page 1 had been the party’s target for years, in region, Oli was even making overtures But Tribhuvan International Airport has issued another circular After the Supreme Court quashed Oli’s Nakkhu, Lalitpur. The Chand party once with some royalist forces. saying that all passengers coming from the United Kingdom or South December 20 House dissolution move on in a while used to attack telephone tow- With the court order to restore the Africa as the first port of embarkation or transit have to go into of vaccine ... February 23 and ordered authorities to ers of the company in various parts of House, the April 30 and May 10 elections quarantine for five days only. New variants of the coronavirus have >> Continued from page 1 call a Parliament meeting within 13 days, the country. have been shelved, but the way Oli has been found in these two countries. According to the Public Procurement Oli has lost moral grounds to remain as But in the February 2019 blast, one been travelling to various parts of the But the quarantine requirement for tourists coming from other Act-2015, there must be an open bidding for the government head. He, however, has person died and another was injured. In countries and making speeches, makes it countries is seven days, and the Post asked the general manager of procuring items worth over Rs2 million not resigned and has been putting up a March that year, it carried out another look like he is out on the hustings, seek- the airport Pratap Babu Tiwari why it was so. and it also prohibits the purchase of goods brave face. blast in Kathmandu. There was no ing votes. “We have issued the circular based on the Health Ministry’s guide- by paying more than what was paid earlier Since Oli apparently is in a minority casualty. But two back-to-back blasts On Tuesday also, while addressing a lines. We don’t know why there is a five-day quarantine requirement for it. The Health Ministry has already in the Parliamentary Party as well as the prompted the government to impose a mass gathering in Jhapa, Oli said if any- for tourists coming from the United Kingdom and South Africa.” requested the Serum Institute of India to 441-member Central Committee, he has ban on the party’s activities. one dares to remove him from power, he Another senior airport official told the Post that tourists coming sell additional five million doses of vac- been making an all-out effort to cling on The government then launched a would welcome that but he would cer- from other countries, including India, are not required to go into cine, which it plans to use for the second to power. crackdown on the Chand party. So far, tainly make a comeback with a two- quarantine for seven days. “Who monitors them?” he said. “It’s not dose that must be administered 8 to 12 As per the court order, the President over 2,000 Chand party cadres have been thirds majority. possible either.” weeks after the first one. has called the House meeting for Sunday. arrested. Last month alone, a charge- During his talks with people in his For mountaineers, self-isolation and a PCR test on the fifth day are The government started the first phase The Pushpa Kamal Dahal-Madhav sheet was filed against over 40 members orbit in Baluwatar, according to a mandatory, said Mira Acharya, director at the Department of of immunisation on January 27 with the Kumar Nepal faction is planning to move of the Communist Party of Nepal, leader close to Oli, the prime minister Tourism. “If they test negative on the fifth day, aspiring mountain one million doses of Covishield provided a no-confidence motion against Oli, but it including Chand, at Morang District keeps on repeating that the Dahal-Nepal climbers can apply for a permit on the eighth day,” Acharya said. by India under grant assistance. Of the one lacks the numbers. Unless the Nepali Court for murdering a school principal faction won’t be able to secure even “We monitor them regularly. This is possible because there are only million doses provided by India, over half Congress supports it, the motion will in Miklajung Rural Municipality, 10 seats in Parliament, that the a few climbers applying for permits currently. We won’t be able to a million doses are in stock and their expi- fail. Morang. Janata Samajbadi Party would split and monitor them if the number grows.” ry date is April 13. Oli, hence, is making attempts to prove The Dahal-Nepal faction of the Nepal that the only organised force that he Acharya admitted that there was confusion regarding the Ministry officials say that they are his relevance, according to analysts. Communist Party, while saying that the would have to deal with is Nepali quarantine period. “To avoid confusion, we decided to implement the awaiting the response from the company “I think this is Oli’s yet another strate- formation of the talks team is a positive Congress. protocols issued in September 2020 after a meeting with the tourism on the request to sell the five million doses. gy to create a situation for himself step, has warned that it must not turn Congress President Sher Bahadur secretary.” Meanwhile, the Health Ministry is pre- to remain in power,” said Narayan into Oli’s political stunt. Deuba has been facing accusations from An official at the department who did not wish to be named told paring to start the second phase of immu- Dhakal, a writer who follows the within his own party that he has been the Post that the department’s seven-day quarantine requirement nisation from March 7 to inoculate all leftist politics. “The Chand-led outfit complicit in Oli’s every move, including could be legally challenged. “There is no clear protocol. What set of those over 55 years old. It is estimated that has suffered a huge loss in the last Oli has been making the House dissolution. rules should we implement—10 days, seven days or five days?” 3.7 million people of the said age group one year or two. So Chand is also looking The Nepali Congress on Tuesday But the Health Ministry says nothing has changed in the quaran- have to be immunised. for some political settlement. Oli seems efforts to cling on to described the government’s decision to tine provision. Besides the Covishield vaccine, the to be in a bid to use Chand against form the team to hold talks with Chand “As per our directives, everybody—foreigners or Nepalis return- Department of Drug Administration has Dahal.” power since he is in as a positive step. ing from abroad—is required to go into quarantine for at least 10 also granted emergency use approval to a During the armed insurgency, Chand, “The Nepali Congress is committed to days, except in special circumstances,” Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, BBIBP-CorV vaccine developed by the a firebrand fighter, used to be one of a minority in the resolving all outstanding issues through joint spokesperson for the Health Ministry, told the Post. “We have Beijing Institute of Biological Products Co Dahal’s most trusted lieutenants. But six Parliamentary Party. talks and the party believes that both not made any changes in our directive for people coming from Ltd (BBIBP) in China under Sinopharm years after the peace deal, Chand in 2012 sides would seek a solution under the abroad.” and China is giving 800,000 doses of this parted ways with Dahal, saying the latter purview of federal, democratic and But Pradip Koirala, joint-secretary at the Tourism Ministry, said vaccine in grant. had deviated from the ideology and left republicanism set-up based on multilat- that the government recently amended the quarantine provision But officials say Nepal cannot afford to the “people’s war” halfway. It was not “We were opposed to the decision of eralism and parliamentary democracy,” setting five days of quarantine for all passengers. buy the vaccine produced in China as they just Chand; Thapa and Mohan Baidya, imposing a ban on Chand party’s activi- the Congress party said in a statement “The amendment says all passengers are required to go into quar- estimate it will cost much more than Dahal’s one-time mentor, too had desert- ties,” said Narayan Kaji Shrestha, issued by its spokesperson Bishwa antine for five days, but it is not clear what ‘all passengers’ means,” Covishield. The Health Ministry had earli- ed the Maoist party to form their own spokesperson for the Dahal-Nepal faction Prakash Sharma. he said. “Obviously, there is confusion.” er budgeted Rs 48 billion to inoculate eligi- Maoist part y. of the Nepal Communist Party. “If the The Congress party’s role will be cru- Koirala said they had been planning to table a proposal at the ble Nepalis, estimating each dose to cost But Chand decided to sever ties with intent behind holding talks is good, we cial in defining Nepal’s political course Cabinet to create a uniform rule. “And until the issue is sorted out, $10 which includes management and trans- Thapa and Baidya in 2014 and formed his welcome the move.” from now on. With 63 members in the Tourism Ministry decided to implement the seven-day quaran- porting costs. own Communist Party of Nepal—this Shrestha, however, doubted the talks Parliament, the Nepali Congress can tine requirement for foreign tourists.” To further affect Nepal’s vaccination time shedding the “Maoist” tag—to will be successful. either oust Oli by supporting the Dahal- Expedition organiser Guragain said, “There’s confusion every- plans, the UN health agency, which in early launch what he called a “unified people’s “Both Oli and Chand are trying to play Nepal faction’s no-confidence motion or where. Some of our clients have cancelled their bookings due to the February had forecasted to provide revolution.” for their political gains,” said Shrestha. give Oli a new lease of life by choosing to hassles involved in entering Nepal. The rules keep changing.” 2,256,000 vaccine doses under the COVAX In 2016, Thapa returned to the Dahal “Chand wants his cadres released and support him. Some officials at the Department of Tourism said they submitted facility by the end of the month, recently camp and then in 2018 became home min- Oli wants to earn credit.” The Nepali Congress has been con- recommendations to the government to amend the entry protocols said that only 380,000 doses will be supplied ister in the Oli Cabinet. After Oli’s House Chand is a vocal critic of the parlia- stantly in talks with both factions of the for foreign tourists a week ago, and nothing has happened. in the first phase. dissolution move led to a split in the mentary system, the way his mentor Nepal Communist Party, but it has been “It won’t be a surprise if the government issues new entry rules “We have been trying to procure an addi- Nepal Communist Party, Thapa chose to Dahal was once upon a time. weighing options. for tourists after Nepal’s spring tourism season ends.” tional five million doses,” Dr Samir Kumar stay with Oli. During talks, Chand is likely to put Some say Oli is in a bid to counter all The spring season that runs from March to May-end is the peak Adhikari, joint spokesperson for the The government’s Tuesday decision to forth his own conditions, including the forces and his bid to initiate talks tourist season in Nepal, and it is the only time when there is a win- Health Ministry, told the Post. “We will buy form the dialogue team now would mean round-table talks so as to determine how with Chand is aimed at balancing out his dow to climb the world’s tallest mountain, Everest. one million additional doses within mid- the old comrades in arms would be talk- Nepal’s politics should move forward. opponents for his political gains. On Sunday, a group of icefall doctors, or experts who fix the ropes April and additional four million after ing to each other. This demand is similar to what the A Central Committee member of the and ladders to create a climbing path up to Camp 2 on Everest, left for then.” Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, coordinator At a time when Oli is trying to woo Rastriya Prajatantra Party, a pro-royal- Chand-led outfit told the Post that they the base camp. of Covid-19 vaccine advisory committee, various constituencies, including former ist, pro-Hindu force, has been saying for have taken the talks initiative positively “Based on industry reports, there are lots of inquiries coming for concedes that arranging sufficient doses of Maoist fighters as well as those combat- quite a while. but it would be wrong to believe that Oli Everest. We are expecting at least 300 climbers only on Everest, vaccine is a challenge at present. ants who were disqualified for The Rastriya Prajatantra Party on would be able to rein them in so easily. slightly less than the 2019 figure,” said Acharya. “But their arrival “We cannot rely on the COVAX vaccine being minors, his bid to initiate talks Tuesday was quick to welcome the gov- The Chand outfit fears its fate could be will depend on how the government treats them.” for the second dose for those who have with Chand could help him gain some ernment move of forming a team under like that of CK Raut’s force. The Department of Tourism had issued Everest climbing permits already received the first dose since the leverage against Dahal, according to the home minister to hold talks with The Oli government had earned praise to a record 381 fee-paying climbers in 2019. The 2020 Everest season remaining doses will come in May or even analysts. Chand. in March 2019, days before the Chand was completely washed out due to Covid-19. later,” said Upreti. “But whether, even if the talks are The party said it’s high time an all-par- party was branded a criminal outfit, “Obviously, if the government makes their travel hassle-free, we The Health Ministry said that the second successful, Chand’s presence in main- ty meeting was held between Nepal’s for bringing Raut to mainstream may have 300 climbers, and their arrival will give a much-needed dose of the vaccine will be administered stream politics will make much of a dif- political forces and the ousted king. politics by making him quit his boost to the country’s tourism economy that has seen almost zero from April 20 to 28 on those who were inoc- ference in the larger national political A leader close to Oli said that the secessionist campaign. income since last March,” said Acharya. ulated in the first phase of the campaign landscape remains doubtful,” said prime minister wants to take all the forc- There were talks that Raut would soon Ang Tashi Sherpa, owner of Sherpa Lodge and Coffee Shop in that started on January 27. Likewise, those Dhakal. es along and that there is nothing wrong emerge in national politics. After quit- Lukla, the gateway to Mt Everest, is not much excited about this getting their first dose of the vaccine in the Some, however, say Oli will definitely with that. ting his campaign, Raut formed the spring season which began on Monday. This is when Nepal’s tourism second phase of the inoculation drive will be able to earn some brownie points if “Oli is trying to garner votes and sym- Janmat Party, but he has been complete- season gets going, and climbers and trekkers would be thronging the receive their second dose from May 23. he is successful in bringing the pathy from various sections—from for- ly out of the scene. iconic Annapurna and Everest regions. Public health experts say that running Chand party into mainstream politics. mer Maoists to conservative forces to The Chand party leader said that the The Covid-19 pandemic turned 2020 into a total disaster for Nepal’s the immunisation campaign continuously Despite being an armed outfit with some constituencies in the Madhes formation of the talks team is just the tourism industry. And travel traders were very hopeful that tourists for months will be challenging. “revolutionary goals”, the Chand outfit region,” the leader, a Central Committee beginning. would come back in 2021. “Immunisation workers may be exhaust- had been involved more in criminal member of the Oli faction who did not “We have our own political agenda,” But Sherpa sees another disastrous year ahead. “We survived with ed by working for months on end, people activities like carrying out arsons and wish to be named, told the Post. “He has said the leader who spoke on condition zero income last year. There were hopes that tourists would come also may not be interested in getting the extortions. elections in mind.” of anonymity, saying the government is back in droves this spring,” Sherpa told the Post. “But things don’t vaccine,” said Dr Bikash Lamichhane, for- It managed to create a scare among the After dissolving the House, Oli had yet to lift a ban on the party. “First the look as good as we had anticipated.” mer director at the Child Health Division. society in February 2019 when it detonat- called elections for April 30 and May 10. ban has to be lifted and then our cadres Nepal’s tourism has two distinct seasons. March to May in spring “A massive awareness campaign is needed ed an improvised explosive device at the While a rally, named “dhoti rally”, was must be released. A political settlement is the peak time for mountain climbing, including the 8,848.86-metre to take people into confidence and clear the gate of the headquarters of Ncell, a pri- organised in Kathmandu at his behest to is still a long shot. When real talks start, tall Everest, while September to November is popular for trekking. rumours about the vaccines.” vate sector mobile phone company which woo the constituencies from the Madhes we will enter into our agenda.” Mountain tourism is a mainstay of Nepal’s economy. Foreigners pay $11,000 to obtain a permit to climb Everest and spend any- where between $40,000 and $90,000 during the entire expedition. In 2019, the government earned $5.07 million in royalties from the issuance of climbing permits, with Everest accounting for $4.05 million. Travel trade entrepreneurs said that they were still worried about the government’s policy which may change in the blink of an eye. “That results in a big loss for us,” said Guragain, explaining that all documents related to hotel bookings and Covid-19 insurance need to be submitted to apply for visas as on-arrival visas are not available. “If the government changes these rules after a week or month, it will be a loss for the agencies as they have to refund the money.” Seven Summit Treks said they had obtained approval letters for 70 mountaineers, 45 of whom are coming to climb Everest. “We are expecting more, but visas are a problem.” According to tourism entrepreneurs, Nepal has around 37 embassies and diplomatic missions abroad while tourists come here from 205 countries. “This means that tourists from coun- tries where there are no Nepali missions are prevented from visiting Nepal.” Tourism entrepreneurs say that tourists from the UK are restricted but they are still coming. “We don’t know if the Tourism Department will issue permits to British citizens,” they said. Acharya said that things were complicated. “British citizens may come from other countries or even from India. We don’t know what to do in such cases.” Fed up with the government’s inaction despite repeated assur- ances to assist the tourism industry, around 37 different tourism organisations recently announced plans to take to the streets. They have warned that if the government fails to address the industry’s grievances and to chart out a plan to draw tourists, they have no alternative but to protest. Their demands include removing the five-day mandatory quarantine for foreigners who have a negative PCR report taken within 72 hours before departure, resuming the on-arrival visa facility at Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport, can- celling the $5,000 Covid-19 insurance coverage requirement to travel to Nepal and opening the border with China. Last October, Nepal opened the door a crack for trekkers and mountaineers, nearly seven months after the country imposed a complete lockdown. Travel trade entrepreneurs are asking why the government is imposing quarantine for foreign tourists when tens of thou- sands of political demonstrators are allowed to freely march through the streets. According to the statistics of the Department of Immigration, only 230,085 foreign tourists visited Nepal last year, about the same number that came in 1986. Most of them arrived before the country slapped entry restrictions on March 20. The year 2021 started on a disappointing note. Nepal received less than 9,000 foreign visitors in January. The disappointment continued in February with 9,146 arrivals, a steep 87.6 percent year-on-year drop.

C M Y K 03 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 03, 2021 NATIONAL BRIEFING While focus is on vaccination, other Taplejung fire Tiger kills man in Bardiya destroys four BARDIYA: A 62-year-old man died in a tiger attack at Nabaranga Banjhpur Commuity Forest in Geruwa Rural strategies to fight pandemic ignored dozen homes Municility-6, Bardiya, on Monday. According to Asim Thapa, the assis- ANANDA GAUTAM tant conservation officer at Bardiya The European Union had offered help to perform a seroprevalence study and strengthen surveillance and early TAPLEJUNG, MARCH 2 National Park, Lal Bahadur Chaudhary of Rajapur warning systems a year ago but the government has not taken up the offer yet. A massive fire that broke out at Municipality-10 had gone to the forest Dobhan Bazaar in Meringden Rural to graze his cattle when he was ARJUN POUDEL are necessary, not only for the ongoing Municipality-3, Taplejung, destroyed attacked by the tiger. KATHMANDU, MARCH 2 Covid-19 pandemic, but also for possi- around four dozen houses on Tuesday. ble other epidemics,” Dr Sameer Mani Fifty-five families have been rendered In May last year, the Epidemiology Dixit, director of research at the homeless in the incident. Police arrest murder suspect, and Disease Control Division sought Center for Molecular Dynamics Ganesh Chongwang Limbu, chair- two still at large help to recruit 22 staff for polymerase Nepal, told the Post. “It is not possible man of the rural municipality, said MORANG: Police have arrested a mur- chain reaction laboratories then in to overcome the pandemic by ignoring that 49 houses belonging to 33 families der suspect from Kanepokhari in operation across the country in order the risks, refusing to acknowledge the were destroyed in the inferno. Morang on Monday. Security person- to improve collection of personal data facts shown by the study.” According to him, the houses nel detained Sudip Pariyar in connec- of those infected with the coronavi- Doctors say that seroprevalence is destroyed in Tuesday’s fire had at tion to the murder of Prabin Bastola rus. necessary even to know if the vaccine least one shop each. of Urlabari Municipality-5, Morang. The Ministry of Health and is working properly or not against the The fire started from the house of Four persons have been arrested so Population approved the proposal existing virus and also against the Bhola Paudel at around 8:35am, local far for their alleged involvement in after a few weeks but the Ministry of new variant. residents say. Paudel sustained minor the murder while two others are still Finance approved the budget only a “Without knowing the virus vari- burn injuries. at large. Bastola was found dead in month before the end of the fiscal ant and seroprevalence study, how do “We saw flames on the second floor his friend’s house under suspicious year. we know that the vaccine is working of Paudel’s house. The fire spread in circumstances two months ago. The division could not hire any properly,” added Dixit. “Authorities the clustered settlement soon after,” staff, as it was not possible to complete should even focus on active case find- said Sabin Chudal, a local trader who all necessary procedures within a ings to lessen the risk of a second lost his shop to the fire. Almost all the Tribeni border point yet to open month and, besides, the budget was wave of coronavirus infections.” houses in the area were made of mud, not released. Doctors say that the ongoing coro- stone and wood with zinc sheet roofs. NAWALPARASI (EAST): Tribeni small “There were 22 polymerase chain POST FILE PHOTO navirus pandemic is neither the first There are 87 houses in Dobhan customs, the only border point of reaction laboratories then and we had Data collection has not improved even as the number of polymerase chain reaction labs has nor will it be the last and there is a Bazaar, a local market place. The inci- Gandaki Province with India, is yet sought one staff for each lab,” Dr now reached 88. high chance of the new variants of dent site is about 17 km west of to reopen. The border point has Basudev Pandey, then director at the SARS-CoV-2 detected in many coun- Phungling, the district headquarters remained closed since the federal gov- division, told the Post. “Data collec- health experts. Officials at the Department of tries across the globe entering Nepal. of Taplejung. ernment enforced a nationwide lock- tion was so important at the time, as it And with the country launching a Health Services said that money was Several new variants of the SARS- The personnel of Nepal Army, down amid fear of Covid-19 in March was only medium to trace contacts of vaccination and vaccine hesitancy not the issue to carry out strengthen- CoV-2 have developed in many coun- Nepal Police and Armed Police Force last year. The local residents have the infected, keep them in isolation being apparent since fewer half of the ing such disease surveillance and tries across the globe including the as well as the local residents con- been affected due to the prolonged but we could not recruit any staff for targeted 480,000 frontline workers got early warning systems of the one detected in the United Kingdom tained the fire at around noon with closure of the customs point. They data collection.” vaccinated in January and February. country. known as UK variant, South the help of two fire trucks. A few say they have to use Maheshpur cus- The number of polymerase chain The Health Ministry now plans to African variant, Brazilian houses had to be dismantled using an toms point, about 40kms away, to reaction laboratories has now reached inoculate 3.7 million people above the variant, Japanese vari- excavator to stop the fire from spread- enter India. 88 and the number of infections age of 55 from March 7 in the second ant and two new ing further. continued to rise since May up to phase of the vaccination campaign variants in India. “We are coordinating with the rural Badi community members’ October but data collection efforts but adequate risk communication As the coronavi- municipality and the district adminis- rus is an RNA tration to assess the damage caused sit-in continues virus, it keeps by the inferno. The actual figure of BIRENDRANAGAR: People from the Badi mutating and damage will be known by tomorrow community have been staging a sit-in new variants [Wednesday],” said Deputy in front of the office of Chief might even Superintendent of Police Balnarsingh Minister and Council of Ministers in have devel- Rana. According to him, security per- Birendranagar, the provincial head- oped within sonnel could not collect data on quarters of Karnali, for the past nine Nepal, Tuesday, as they were busy containing days demanding land and housing. according the fire and managing the displaced The protesting Badi people vandal- people. ised the entry gate of the office on Police estimate that proper- Sunday, stating that the provincial never improved. strategy is missing, according to ties worth millions of government paid no heed to their The division had also asked the experts. rupees were destroyed in demand. “We have been protesting for Health Ministry for Rs 240 million to At present, agencies under the the disaster. “Dobhan Bazaar is a week but the government is not hire staff for contact tracing about a Health Ministry are completely an important trade hub in the area. serious about our problem,” said year ago, but the budget for it is yet to focussed on immunisation. First T h e There were shops selling food grains, Hikmat Badi, a leader of the Badi be approved. phase of immunisation drive European to experts. clothes, hardware and jewellery. The community. Around 400 people of the “The file keeps moving from one which is run in phases have com- Union has offered “Active case sur- local residents have suffered a signifi- community from different districts section to another and one room to pleted in which around 430,000 peo- financial help for veillance helps us to cant loss of properties,” said Taranath have come to Birendranagar to take another but the proposal has not been ple were immunised and these over a year to strengthen know changes in the virus vari- Ghimire, the chairman of Taplejung part in the sit-in. approved yet,” Pandey added. “We included elected representatives and sur- veillance and early ant,” Dixit said. “We can perform Chamber of Commerce and Industry. could not hire staff for contact trac- staffers at local bodies, journalists warning systems and carry out whole-genome sequencing, once we The displaced families are now tak- ing, which is one of the reasons for the and staff at diplomatic missions after seroprevalence study and contact find something unusual in the virus ing shelter at their neighbours’ hous- Ambulances distributed massive spread of the infection in the the original target of inoculating tracing. variant.” es and under makeshift tents. The to five hospitals society.” 430,000 front line workers was not met. “But we have not yet okayed the Even antigen tests will be helpful to rural municipality has decided to pro- The government instead stopped Another example of government guidelines,” an official at the carry out active case findings in the vide Rs 15,000 each to the displaced HETAUDA: With an objective to enhance free testing later of symptomatic apathy, according to officials of the Department of Health Services, told community, according to doctors. families as immediate relief. institutional capacity, the Bagmati patients only to resume following a Health Ministry, is the absence of ade- the Post asking not to be named. “Had “Strengthening early warning and “The fire has displaced 33 house provincial government has provided Supreme Court order. Contact tracing, quate seroprevalence studies which we taken help offered by several aid reporting system, surveillance sys- owners and 22 other families who ambulances to five hospitals in the however, was not resumed. are very important to know the infec- agencies, and strengthened our sys- tem focus on active case findings and were operating shops in the bazaar province. Chief Minister Dormani The extent of negligence and apa- tion status, risk level and to make tem, we could have managed the infec- seroprevalence study are the meas- area. The local unit will coordinate Paudel handed over an ambulance thy on part of the authorities does not policy. tion far better.” ures needed to lessen the risk of with other government authorities to each to Hetauda Hospital, end here. One such study has been carried The World Health Organization too spread of diseases,’’ Dr Binjawala provide them relief,” said Limbu. Sindhupalchok Hospital, Trishuli Even after a year of pandemic, the out but is yet to be made public. The had offered technical support to the Shrestha, assistant professor at the Incidents of massive fire are quite Hospital, Nuwakot Hospital and Health Ministry does not have a risk Health Ministry had announced sev- government to make a risk communi- Institute of Medicine, told the Post. frequent in Taplejung, a mountain Dhading Hospital on Sunday. The pro- communication strategy, which is the eral months ago that it is planning to cation strategy but the strategy is yet “We too have such measures, but time district of Province 1. As many as 41 vincial executive bought five ambu- key to convince people about the risks carry out another such large scale to be implemented. has come to review if those systems houses were destroyed in a fire at lances at the cost of Rs 14.6 million. of any disease, according to public study but the study has not started. “Effective surveillance measures are working effectively or not.” Tokmedanda six years ago. Vacate Durbar Square shops in a week, City tells Department of Archaeology Officials at the department say Kathmandu Mayor Shakya is on the offensive after it directed the city to follow traditional methods while rehabilitating Kamal Pokhari.

ANUP OJHA even vented out anger at the department for KATHMANDU, MARCH 2 running a hotel inside Hanuman Dhoka and getting rent out of it. “If those hotels and shops Kathmandu Metropolitan City seems to be in a are not removed in one week, the City will confrontational mode with the Department of remove them in association with locals,” said Archaeology. The two entities have a long his- Shakya. tory of being at loggerheads starting from the According to Hanumandhoka Palace and restoration of Ranipokhari that was damaged Management and Conservation Office under in the 2015 earthquake. the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Now the two agencies have been arguing Aviation, at present there are around 40 busi- over Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s plan to ness houses in the area and these include res- give a facelift to Kamal Pokhari into which the taurants, cafes, clothing shops, curio and pash- Department of Archaeology had decided to mina shops. wade in after heritage activists cried foul over “These shops have been operating for nearly the City’s design to use concrete. a decade, and with the money repair and reno- In the latest episode of clash between the vation of this Durbar Square takes place. It two, Kathmandu Metropolitan City on Friday seems that the City writing letter to the DoA to sent a letter to the Department of Archaeology vacate shops is just a way to project its anger asking it to vacate the ‘unauthorised’ and frustration,” said Jay Narayan Karki of shops and businesses that are being run at the conservation office. heritage sites. According to him, the office has been raising “According to the Local Government around Rs 100 million in rent annually. Governance Act-2017, Kathmandu Metropolitan “Giving just a week is not enough to vacant City Building Code-2018, and Ancient those shops,” he told the Post. Monument Preservation Act-1956, the preser- Prakash Shrestha, 56, who has been running vation, repair and restoration of Basantapur a souvenir shop in the Durbar Square area for Hanumandhoka Durbar areas as well as the last five years said he doesn’t know any- removing the unauthorised businesses there thing about the City’s letter. and use of the area falls within the primary “How can the City remove us, as we are run- responsibility of this office [Kathmandu ning our shop with contracts, and have been Metropolitan City],” reads the letter to depart- paying rent regularly?” Shrestha asked. ment. “We have received public complaints of Local residents are instead angry about businesses being run in buildings within the unplanned parking, unmanaged roadside area, which the department should be oversee- shops, and an increasing number of illegal ing, despite their archaeological importance.” activities such as prostitution and drug ped- The City has asked the Department of dling in the area since the pandemic began. Archaeology to remove all the shops and Local residents and heritage conservationists businesses north of Juddha Fire Brigade have been asking questions to the Kathmandu offices as well as those next to Taleju Temple POST FILE PHOTO: SANJOG MANANDHAR Metropolitan City and concerned stakeholders within a week. According to Hanumandhoka Palace and Management and Conservation Office at present around 40 business houses are in the area and these include restaurants, cafes to curb such activities and bring order inside However, when the Post contacted Damodar and clothes, curio and pashmina shops. the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Gautam, chief at the Archaeology Department, Ganapati Lal Shrestha, a conservation activ- he said he has been on leave for two days and is sending a letter to it to follow the traditional that the historic pond is being desecrated in lashed out at the department for the delay of ist and local resident of Basantapur area, said not aware of the City’s letter. methods while restoring Kamal Pokhari. the name of rehabilitation, the department reconstruction work. the intent of the City is wrong. “I am yet to go through the letter from the “Earlier the Department of Archaeology had sent its staff to the pond and had asked the “I am not sure whether the mayor and the “The City could have played a lead role coop- city,” said Gautam. had asked Kathmandu Metropolitan City to city to follow the traditional measures to chief of the city should use such derogatory erating with all the stakeholders to preserve But when the Post briefed him on the con- follow traditional methods while rehabilitat- rebuild the pond. language. He is in a respected position, and I do and protect this historic area,” said Shrestha. tents of the letter, he said that it was shameful ing Kamal Pokhari, and this seems to have After the department’s letter, Mayor Bidya not know why he said those things in public,” “But the mayor telling the DoA to empty the for an elected mayor to say such things. irked the mayor,” said an official at the depart- Sundar Shakya has been on the offensive said Gautam, reacting to the mayor’s remarks. particular areas by a certain date is not wise. It Officials at the department said that ment who didn’t want to be named. against the department. On Sunday speaking “Better you ask him why he used such seems the mayor is driven by his personal ego Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s decision was Following widespread criticism from citi- at a programme while laying the foundation of language.” rather than the betterment of the society and in retaliation for the department last week zens’ groups and heritage lovers who claim Seto Machhindranath Temple, Shakya had In his speech on Sunday, Mayor Shakya had culture.”

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, MARCH 03, 2021 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL The court verdict is a temporary respite Please Mr Postman The pyrrhic victory of The post office has given a flimsy excuse democracy has restored for failing to deliver mail. judicial supremacy in place of Parliament’s sovereignty. Trust Nepal’s civil servants to find an excuse where there is none. The General Post Office remained out of work for almost CK LAL six months when the suspension of international flights in March last year put an automatic brake on the delivery of let- SOUTH SIDE ters and parcels. It resumed receiving mail when international air services restarted in September. However, months after the resumption of international flights, the post office is yet to accept outbound letters and parcels except those destined to The incumbent president of Nepali India. Congress Sher Bahadur Deuba holds Officials blame the bankruptcy announced by Thai Airways, the dubious distinction of being the which has partnered with the post office for outbound delivery. only prime minister in the history of the country to have been sacked for his They cite ‘rules’ that prohibit them from dealing with other ‘incompetence’ to hold the polls on the airlines for their failure to find alternative routes to resume promised date. Back in October 2002, he had meekly accepted his disgraceful services immediately. What’s more, they have no idea when dismissal and gone back home to sulk they hope to get out of the imbroglio even as they wait for the and seek the guidance of astrologers Thai national carrier to let them know how it hopes to fulfil its for appeasing appropriate stars on his birth-chart. obligations as per the existing contract. When reappointed to the post in 2004, While officials of the post office feign helplessness, those at Deuba had profusely praised the ‘wide the Department of Postal Services blame procedural obstacles chest of the king’, ‘the greatness of the monarch’ and the sense of ‘justice of for the delay in the resumption of services. Meanwhile, the the Gorkhali ruler’. Steeped in the feu- public has no option but to wait and hope for the best. dal tradition, he knew that fealty to the POST FILE PHOTO The post office in Nepal provides, at affordable rates, a range overlord was his duty and justice was just munificence of the sovereign rath- Constitutional Council after the have to learn to be partially employed cy in 1990, which rehabilitated discred- of services including mail, printed material, money transfer, er than the just reward for unflinching amendment to the relevant act through in full-time politics. ited relics of the Panchayat regime in express mail and parcel. The longstanding suspension of these loyalty of the vassal to the throne. an ordinance. Even if the Election The one saving grace of the court’s the mainstream. Unlike the refined manners of the Commission formalises a division by ruling is that it has put a brake on Oli’s In the post-1990 period, the tradition services means that people as well as institutions using them landed gentry in Madhes, liegemen of conferring legitimacy on a faction of dictatorial ambitions. Even when of judicial supremacy began when the are deprived of their right to affordable communication, not to the western hills in Nepal aren’t too the ruling party, it’s not very likely that enthroned through legitimate means, leading drafter of the constitution speak of the loss of revenue to the government. well known for their politeness. Even a either of the groups will easily accept rightwing politicos turn towards abso- agreed to become its principal inter- stint as a visiting scholar at the London him as their leader. lutism. Totalitarianism is the defining preter as the Chief Justice of the That, apparently, is not enough reason for the concerned School of Economics has failed to tem- characteristic of leftwing extremism. Supreme Court and restored a duly authorities to expedite negotiations with Thai Airways, or find per the characteristic bluntness of Jubilant losers Leaders like Oli with fluid ideology dissolved parliament in the name of an alternative to the carrier, and resume services. The govern- Deuba. He speaks his mind and acts The constitutional bench of the prefer authoritarian ways of entrench- political stability. When the constitu- according to his impulses without any Supreme Court has restored the status ing themselves in power. tion says what the judges decide it says, ment has some serious troubleshooting work to do to ensure regard for political correctness. quo set before December 20 last year. Sharma Oli has been pushing the it loses its dynamism. Touted as one of that its services are not hampered by procedural obstacles or Defending his unseemly prevarica- For now, it implies that Oli is the leader pedal to the floor as the needle of the the best constitutions in the world, the minor glitches. tion over the dissolution of the of the ruling party in Parliament; legitimacy gauge moved from the green statute of 1990 didn’t survive the trial Pratinidhi Sabha, he recently admitted Deuba is the head of the main opposi- of democracy through the yellow of the and tribulations of law courts. Moreover, there is a need to overhaul the whole postal system without remorse: ‘I had thought that tion. All that the Pushpa Kamal Dahal fundamental freedoms at risk towards When then-chief justice Khil Raj to make it work in the internet age when the very idea of com- the Supreme Court would issue a stay and Madhav Kumar Nepal duo can the red zone of an executive authority Regmi ruled that the term of order. But since this did not happen, I claim is that they are dissidents of the unfettered by the moderating influence Constituent Assembly couldn’t be fur- munication has taken a wholly new meaning. Nepal’s postal had publicly told that NC would accept ruling party with a sizable following in of the legislature. Having packed con- ther extended and then went on to service exhibits a failure on its part to reinvent and make itself both reinstatement of the parliament the country. The legal battle of over two stitutional bodies with his personal assume the responsibility of the chair a reliable communication and service delivery partner in tune or a decision to go for a fresh election.’ months has produced no political loyalists, he was heading towards life- of the interim election council a few Like a broken clock that is right winners. long employment as a ‘Dear Leader’ of months later, the interim constitution with the changing times. twice a day, both of Deuba’s postulates Premier Sharma Oli retains the Nepal under the pretext of political of 2007 died a painful death. The coun- Although the business of letter mail has suffered an irrevers- appear to have been grounded in politi- legitimacy to hold on to the post, but stability. try once again went under the control ible decline, that of parcel mail has increased substantially, cal reality. Prime Minister KP Oli’s has lost the moral authority to govern. The pyrrhic victory of democracy, of the permanent establishment. decision to dissolve the house was ultra In any case, taking a principled stand however, has ended up restoring judi- The Indian constitution aims to thanks to the penetration of e-commerce in the retail market. vires and it had deserved to be over- has little relevance in either Bahunism cial supremacy in place of the sover- chart a middle course between the doc- The only survival tactic for the post office, therefore, is to rein- turned on the basis of prima facie or Marxism-Leninism of the Jhapali eignty of the Parliament in the country. trine of parliamentary sovereignty unconstitutionality through a stay variety. Oli’s challenge to the dissidents When lawmakers meet on March 7, prevalent in Britain and the principle vent the way it does business. If the postal service is entrepre- order. Since an immediate reprieve to to oust him through a no-confidence 2021, they will have to accept that they of judicial supremacy existing in the neurial enough, it can increase its revenue substantially by the petitioners was denied, Deuba was motion in the parliament appears like owe their remaining tenure to the US. With the creation of a powerful harvesting the e-commerce windfall. It can also serve as a nodal correct in his conclusion to wait, watch the quarrelsome tantrum of a sore Constitutional Bench of the apex court judicial council and the vetting by par- and equivocate. loser. Forget moral grounds, the prime rather than to their constituents. liamentary hearing, Nepal wanted to institution for the delivery of public services such as passports, Any opposition party in a parliamen- minister is extremely unlikely to resign be even more careful in ensuring popu- citizenship cards, driving licences and permanent account tary democracy needs to be prepared at this juncture for any reason and risk Mediocre course lar constitutionalism. The meandering number cards. for snap polls at all times. Deuba was being cast into political oblivion. It has been repeatedly shown that when path has turned out to be a middling also right in using Oli’s recklessness to The full court order is still awaited, politicos choose to play dicey games, one at best. Not all existential crises lead to obsolescence if the right shake his own party from its despond- but there is little consolation in the the permanent establishments of the For every action, there is an equal corrective measures are taken in time. Nepal’s post office can- ency. A face-off at the hustings with a verdict even for the politics of Messrs country always wins. King Mahendra and opposite reaction. If the restored not continue to use procedural obstacles as an excuse for its divided adversary was an alluring Dahal, Nepal & Associates. Their lad- played with ambitious leaders without parliament fails to oust Sharma Oli, prospect. du-feeding photo-op was a little prema- adequate political base inside Nepali perhaps the legislature will receive the failure to fulfil its public service obligations. As an institution In power games, correct assessment ture, to say the least. Dahal is likely to Congress to oust the party with a two- axe once again and the judiciary will be that has a formidable legacy of public service and a promising is no guarantee of political success. remain in his rented house as long as thirds majority in the parliament from his subsequent target. The court ver- Reinstatement of the Parliament has Oli doesn’t vacate his official quarters power. The rift in the party ensured the dict is a mere respite. The cure of con- future if it evolves, the post office has an enormous responsibil- put Deuba in his place, which is that of at Baluwatar. Exercising little influ- collapse of the first majority govern- stitutional disease has to be found in ity to remain relevant and self-reliant. an appendant of the ruling party in the ence in intraparty feuds, Nepal will ment after the restoration of democra- politics. Linguistic discrimination and conflict

language in Nepal that doesn’t fall ed to a distinct ethnic identity and As long as there is under any language family and, there- culture. But the assimilating language fore, is categorised as a language in policy has remained highly detrimen- unfairness, the goal of an isolation. The fact that more than 50 tal to minority languages such as percent of the mother languages in Kusunda, Jirel, Baram, Surel, Tilung inclusive and prosperous Nepal are enlisted as endangered by and other unidentified/non-recog- UNESCO with 18 nearly extinct condi- nised languages such as Malpande. Nepal is impossible. tions (less than a thousand speakers) Documenting extinct language and echoes the history of the language exploring the possibility of language policy that privileged one language at revival could be worth considering for SANGMO YONJAN-TAMANG the cost of others. The promotion of the protection and preservation of the Nepali language, formerly known languages. But the state lacks interest as Parbate, Khas-Kura and Gorkha by in this. With such a situation in place, the so-called high-caste ruling elites the community’s resentment and throughout history marginalised the antagonism towards the state is mother languages of ethnic and lin- expected to grow subsequently. guistic communities and forced them into extinction, such as the Dura lan- Language, inclusiveness and pros- Gyani Maya Kusunda, one of the two guage. perity fluent mother-tongue speakers from a Nepal’s diversity is always cherished. nearly extinct language, died last year Language, conflict and state But when it comes to respecting the in her hometown Lamahi, Dang in In South Asia, language has been a cultural and linguistic rights of mar- western Nepal. Sadly, the loss of a vital issue. The language movement in ginalised communities, the state tends mother-tongue speaker from such a Pakistan gave rise to an independent to display a greedy nature. The exclu- highly endangered ethnic community nation, Bangladesh. Since Bangla sion of certain caste/ethnic communi- of Nepal didn’t receive any attention speakers were denied the use of their ties and the non-recognition of their from the state nor engender discus- language as an official language, the cultural and linguistic human rights sion in the public sphere. The demise movement was launched against the are a hindrance to peace and prosperi- of 82-year-old Gyani Maya is not just state for recognition of Bengali as a ty. the loss of language; it is the loss of state language and East Bengalis as Constitutional provisions alone are Kusunda culture, tradition and histo- equal citizens of Pakistan. February not enough to preclude a violent ry, and most importantly, a source of 21 is celebrated as International upheaval; the formulation of inclusive knowledge of the community that Mother Language Day, observing the policies that treat all communities enriches the world. This sort of apa- victory for the Bengali language in and languages equally along with thy reflects the Nepali state’s centu- 1956 and honouring the martyrs who their rigorous implementation is cru- ry-long discriminatory treatment and sacrificed their lives for the sake of cial. A change in the mindset of mem- negative attitude towards the languag- language rights. SHUTTERSTOCK bers of the state apparatus along with es spoken across different ethnic and The imposition of Hindi as a nation- equal language rights movements human right enshrined in many inter- for mother-tongue communities. The the political will of the government linguistic groups of the country. The al language of India sparked conflict since the time of the autocratic Rana national laws such as the Child Right restriction on the use of the mother and its bodies is equally critical to continued disregard towards the in the multi-lingual country that part- rule. Other indigenous peoples have Convention 1989, International tongue has deprived them of passing safeguard and promote the large num- grievances of ethnic and linguistic ly fuelled the rise of militant separa- been supporting the movement that is Labour Organisation Convention 169 examinations taken by the Public ber of languages spoken in the coun- communities for recognition and pro- tist movements in the 1980s. The rise against unequal constitutional provi- and the United Nations Declaration Service Commission for various civil try. Mother language is a carrier of tection of their mother languages of the Gorkhaland movement is relat- sions, restrictive clauses concerning for the Rights of Indigenous People service posts. Lack of fluency in the culture and day-to-day communica- and linguistic human rights are ed to language sentiments in India. Sri the use of mother tongue in educa- 2007, to which Nepal is a signatory. official language in a court proceeding tion of the indigenous communities. anticipated to trigger a conflict situa- Lanka had a similar experience of tion, and the Supreme Court ruling The goal of Education for All has and the prohibition on the use of their As long as there is language discrimi- tion in society, threatening peace and violence for decades (a contributing prohibiting the use of mother tongues failed to succeed as the government mother tongue in police custody has nation, the goal of an inclusive, demo- prosperity. factor to the civil war from 1983 to at the local bodies, among others. remains reluctant to facilitate the pro- constrained justice. Their right to cratic and prosperous Nepal is impos- Nepal is linguistically and ethnical- 2009) because of the denial of linguis- Even after the introduction of a feder- cess to exercise this fundamental information has been violated. It is sible. Thus, ensuring language parity ly one of the most diverse countries in tic federalism demanded by the minor- al republic democratic system, the right to education through one’s moth- evident that the rigorous exclusionary is important to prevent violent con- the world. It is home to as many as 123 ity Tamil community. treatment of the state towards histori- er tongue enshrined in the constitu- policy of the state is largely responsi- flict in the country. languages and 123 castes/ethnic The language rights movement in cally oppressed communities has tion of Nepal. ble for the low socio-economic, cultur- groups (Census Report 2011). Nepal has quite a long history. The remained more or less the same. Language politics has had a al and educational status of ethnic Yonjan-Tamang has a master’s degree Kusunda’s extinction is more signifi- Nepal Bhasa speaking Newar commu- Multi-lingual education or educa- wide-ranging implication in socio-eco- communities. in conflict, peace and development cant in the sense that this is the only nity has been in the frontlines of tion in mother tongue is a basic nomic and educational opportunities The survival of a language is relat- studies.

C M Y K 05 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 03, 2021 MONEY

FOREX

US 117.68 Chobhar dry port expected to be completed next month Euro 141.34 Pound 163.19 The facility will allow importers to make customs clearance in Kathmandu and facilitate trade, officials say. Japanese 11.01 KRISHANA PRASAIN he said. Development Board. It serves as a reg- Chinese 18.18 KATHMANDU, MARCH 2 The facility will allow importers to ulatory body, and work related to oper- make customs clearance in ation and management will be con- Qatari 32.32 The dry port being built in Chobhar at Kathmandu without having to go to tracted to the private sector. Australian 91.25 the south-western edge of the the border checkpoint where their “The dry port will be operated by Kathmandu Valley is expected to be shipments entered Nepal. the private sector through a lease Malaysian 29 ready next month, with 71 percent of “If traders are allowed to clear agreement,” Gajurel said. the physical works completed so far, their goods in Kathmandu, it will According to Gajurel, Chobhar dry Saudi 31.37 officials said. make their life easier. They won’t port sprawls over 230 ropanis and will Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank be able to accommodate 600 containers and 400 goods carriers. There are three huge warehouses to store goods. Shares The inland port is being construct- ed by the government with a Rs1.70 Nepse 2,455.33pts -2.37% billion loan from the World Bank, which is the estimated cost of HIGHEST LOSERS the project, Gajurel said. The con- NHDL CORBL SPDL SDLBSL GMFIL LEMF -7.31% -6.82% -6.44% -5.93% -5.83% -5.72% struction contractor is a Nepal-China joint venture. MODERATE LOSERS CFCL SADBL EICPO SBI GBD80/81 CMF2 Gajurel said a clash with locals -0.50% -0.48% -0.48% -0.47% -0.38% -0.28% which delayed the project by six

MODERATE GAINERS “The construction of key infra- have to pay demurrage charges months had been cleared. “There is no MLBLPO MERO ICFCD83 NICAD8283 structure has been completed. We are if they fail to clear their dues on dispute now,” he said. 0.92% 0.41% 0.26% 0.18% now doing homework for the opera- time. Hence, it will reduce import Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli laid HIGHEST GAINERS tion modality,” said Ashish Gajurel, costs,” said Gajurel. the foundation stone on January 17, STC CGH HPPL HIDCL NIBD2082 GFCL executive director of the Nepal Importers have to pay a late fee 2019 amid protests by locals that the 9.99% 9.89% 8.89% 2.17% 1.95% 1.93% Intermodal Transport Development if they do not take delivery government was using force to destroy Board, the government agency respon- of their goods and return a place of historical significance by sible for the construction and opera- the empty container by building the facility. tion of the dry port. the stipulated date. goods through dif- dry port will make things Apart from the historical and reli- PRICE PER TOLA “A tender will be called soon to Traders have been facing ferent transit easier in many ways as the shipments gious aspects, the dry port is being BULLION invite potential bidders to operate it,” difficulties while importing points largely can be transported directly to built on the land formerly occupied by due to strained Kathmandu. Himal Cement Factory, and a number Fine Gold Rs 87,000 infrastructure and Naresh Katuwal, president of the of issues remain unresolved since it documentation Nepal National Traders’ Federation, shut down. Silver Rs 1,290 hassles. said that the facility would ease trade. The government has claimed that it Freight carriers entering Nepal “If the imports are dispatched direct- has acquired 1,054 ropanis of land SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA through Bhairahawa are often stuck ly to Kathmandu, it will definitely originally belonging to the now in massive traffic jams extending up reduce trade costs.” defunct cement factory. Of the total, to 10 km on the Indian side of the In the fiscal year 2018-19, Nepal’s 228 ropanis have been allocated for the GASOLINE WATCH border due to lack of parking total foreign trade amounted to Rs1.51 construction of the dry port. The infrastructure. trillion—imports of Rs1.41 trillion remaining 826 ropanis of land has Traders have been repeatedly and exports of Rs97 billion. been proposed to be developed as an asking the government to facilitate Trade with India was valued at international exhibition centre. import and export by expanding Rs980.65 billion—imports worth Locals said that the government the parking lot at Bhairahawa Rs917.92 billion and exports worth had not acquired all the privately Customs as its infrastructure has Rs62.73 billion. owned land. Former employees of the become saturated. Trade with China amounted to factory have their own complaints: According to traders, sometimes Rs207.62 billion—imports worth The government has not paid the sala- the line of trucks stretches 20 km on Rs205.51 billion and exports worth ries of 416 employees for 19 months. the Indian side. Rs2.10 billion. Most of the country’s imports are Truck drivers often complain that During the same fiscal year, third destined for Kathmandu, and the con- they are forced to spend at least four country trade was worth Rs327.36 bil- struction of the dry port will reduce days to get their cargo cleared. Traders lion, according to the Department of costs for traders, the board said. are hugely concerned by the delays, Customs. “The construction of the and have started rerouting their The customs infrastructure at Kathmandu-Tarai Fast Track will POST FILE PHOTO imports. Chobhar dry port is being built by the make the operation of the dry port The dry port under construction at Chobhar in Kathmandu. They are hopeful that the Chobhar Nepal Intermodal Transport easier,” Gajurel said. China extends innovation lead over United States Canada AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE At that point, it was ahead by just GENEVA, MARCH 2 over 1,000 applications but it has now expanded its lead to nearly 10,000. China, which last year overtook the In 2000, China made just 782 inter- economy United States as the world’s top filer national patent filings. of international patents, a key meas- “The growth rate in international ure of technical innovation, increased patent applications from China has contracted by its lead significantly in 2020, the UN been very high,” Fink said. said Tuesday. The United States meanwhile also Even as Covid-19 took a vast human increased its international filings, by a record 5.4 and economic toll, international pat- three percent, to 59,230. ent applications continued to grow China and the United States were strongly, with China leading strong followed by Japan, South Korea and percent in 2020 gains from Asia. Germany as the world’s top patent fil- A record 275,900 international pat- ers, WIPO said. AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE ents were filed in 2020, marking a The United Nations agency high- OTTAWA, MARCH 2 four-percent hike over 2019, the UN’s lighted significant growth in applica- World Intellectual Property tions by several smaller filers as well. Canada’s pandemic-hit economy con- Organisation said in its annual report. Saudi Arabia, for instance, saw its tracted 5.4 percent in 2020, its worst “Innovation remains resilient,” international patent applications bal- plunge on record, despite a strong WIPO chief Daren Tang told report- loon last year by over 73 percent to 956, rebound in the final three months of ers. He stressed though that the filings while Malaysia, Chile, Singapore and the year, the national statistical agen- in 2020 mainly reflected innovations Brazil also made big advances. cy said Tuesday. and inventions made prior to the pan- WIPO’s report showed Asian-based In the fourth quarter of last year, demic, since it takes about a year for applicants accounted for 53.7 percent the economy beat expectations by applications to make their ways of all filings, up from 35.7 percent a growing 9.6 percent, amid higher gov- through the system. decade ago. For the fourth consecutive ernment spending to help Canadians But the growth in patent filings year, China-based telecoms giant weather coronavirus restrictions as should still be seen as a positive sig- Huawei Technologies topped the glob- well as increased investments in busi- nal, according to WIPO. al ranking in 2020, with 5,464 PCT ness equipment and housing. “The fact that there wasn’t a sharp applications. In 2019 GDP grew by 1.9 percent. cut-back in international patenting It was followed by Samsung From October to December 2020, suggests that companies continued to Electronics of South Korea, with new home construction and renova- invest in the commercialisation of 3,093; Mitsubishi Electric Corp of tions as well as real estate sales their technologies during the pandem- Japan, with 2,810; South Korean LG jumped, while residential mortgage ic,” WIPO chief economist Carsten Electronics at 2,759 and Qualcomm of debt “expanded significantly,” said Fink told reporters. the United States at 2,173. Statistics Canada. By comparison, he said, interna- Computer technology accounted for Businesses bought more machinery tional patent filings plunged nearly the largest share of published PCT and equipment, but their investments five percent during the global finan- applications, with 9.2 percent of the in non-residential buildings fell in the cial crisis in 2009. total, followed by digital communica- fourth quarter, amid weak demand. WIPO’s complex system of register- tions and medical technology. Many Canadians started working ing international patents involves This is not necessarily linked to the from home at the onset of the pandem- multiple categories. Covid-19 influenced realities of 2020, ic and public health officials ordered In the main category—the Patent Fink said, adding that the 2021 filings most retailers to close temporarily to Cooperation Treaty, or PCT—China should provide more insight into pan- slow the spread of Covid-19. As a remained at the top of the ranking demic-fuelled technology trends. result, online shopping suddenly with 68,720 filings. “These patents relate to pre-pan- became more common. That marks a jump of more than 16 demic innovations so this is not a Household spending, however, was percent from 2019, when China passed story about how the crisis has affected down slightly. Canadians in these the United States. the direction of innovation,” he said. times of economic uncertainty, for example, opted to buy used cars and trucks instead of new vehicles. A decline in purchases of clothing and footwear was partly offset by increased buys of games, toys and hobbies, as well as equipment for sport, camping and open-air recreation. “These movements reflect- ed shifts in spending patterns in the wake of the pandemic,” said Statistics Canada, noting that 2020 saw the larg- est increase on record of disposable income. As Canadians spent more time at home and less time travelling, they spent more on food and canna- bis—which was legalised for recrea- tional use in 2018—and less on hotel accommodations, personal grooming and restaurant meals. Growth in exports in the fourth quarter slowed, owing to reduced glob- al demand and slowdowns in the econ- omies of major trading partners such REUTERS as the United States. People look at the skyline of the Central Business District in Beijing, China in April last year.

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, MARCH 03, 2021 | 06 WORLD BRIEFING Chinese vaccines sweep much of world, China says door to Sri Lanka offers strategic Xinjiang ‘always deep-sea port to India, Japan COLOMBO: Sri Lanka will offer a stra- despite concerns over safety, efficacy open’, but UN tegically located deep-sea port to India and Japan, an official said Tuesday, as the island seeks to bal- Beijing targets low- and middle-income countries left behind as rich nations scoop up most of pricey vaccines. rights boss should ance traditional ties against China’s rising regional influence. The govern- ASSOCIATED PRESS In Europe, China is providing the ment last month abruptly pulled out TAIPEI, MARCH 2 vaccine to countries such as Serbia not prejudge of an agreement with Delhi and and Hungary—a significant geopoliti- Tokyo to jointly develop the partially The plane laden with vaccines had cal victory in Central Europe and the REUTERS built East Container Terminal, locat- just rolled to a stop at Santiago’s air- Balkans, where the West, China and GENEVA, MARCH 2 ed next to a $500-million Chinese-run port in late January, and Chile’s presi- Russia are competing for political and container jetty within the capital dent, Sebastián Piñera, was beaming. economic influence. Hungary is the China has said it was discussing a Colombo’s sprawling port. But “Today,” he said, “is a day of joy, emo- first EU country to use a Chinese jab. visit to its Xinjiang region by UN Colombo reversed course Tuesday, tion and hope.” But China’s vaccine diplomacy will human rights chief Michelle Bachelet, offering the West Container Terminal The source of that hope: China – a be only as good as the vaccines it is but that she should not set out with (WCT), which is yet to be built and country that Chile and dozens of other offering, and it still faces hurdles. the aim of condemning its policies. located on the other side of the nations are depending on to help res- “The Chinese vaccine, in particu- Bachelet said on Friday that reports Chinese-run jetty known as the cue them from the Covid-19 pandemic. lar, there was insufficient data availa- about arbitrary detention, ill-treat- Colombo International Container China’s vaccine diplomacy cam- ble compared to other vaccines,” said ment, sexual violence and forced Terminal (CICT). “The discussions to paign has been a surprising success: It Ahmed Hamdan Zayed, a nurse in labour in Xinjiang necessitated a thor- develop the WCT will be only with has pledged roughly half a billion Egypt who overcame his initial reluc- ough assessment of the situation. India and Japan,” government doses of its vaccine to more than 45 tance and got Sinopharm’s vaccine. “The door to Xinjiang is always spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella countries, according to a coun- Sinopharm, which said its open, and we welcome the High told reporters in the capital. try-by-country tally by The Associated AP/RSS vaccine was 79 percent effective Commissioner to visit Xinjiang. Press. With just four of China’s many In this January 18 file photo, two women receive Covid-19 vaccines produced by China’s based on interim data from clinical Communication is kept up between vaccine makers able to produce at Sinovac Biotech Ltd, during the start of the vaccination programme in front of the Christ the trials, did not respond to interview the two sides, but the aim of the visit Prince Philip remains in least 2.6 billion doses this year, a large Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. requests. is to provide exchanges and coopera- hospital after two weeks part of the world’s population will end Chinese vaccine companies have tion rather than ... so-called investiga- LONDON: Britain’s Prince Philip was up inoculated not with the fancy nection between the export of its vac- rely on a traditional technology in been “slow and spotty” in releasing tion based on ‘guilty before proven’,” receiving treatment and undergoing Western vaccines boasting head- cines and the revamping of its image. which a live virus is killed and then their trial data, compared to compa- China’s delegate Jiang Duan told the heart tests on Tuesday, two weeks line-grabbing efficacy rates, but with China has targeted the low- and purified, triggering an immune nies like Pfizer and Moderna, said UN Human Rights Council. after the 99-year-old husband of China’s traditionally made shots. middle-income countries largely left response. Some countries view it as Yanzhong Huang, a China opposed the “politicisation” Queen Elizabeth was admitted to hos- Amid a dearth of public data on behind as rich nations scooped up safer than the newer, of human rights and interference in pital in London as a precaution after China’s vaccines, fears over their effi- most of the pricey vaccines produced its internal affairs, he said, also reject- he felt unwell. Philip, the Duke of cacy and safety are still pervasive in by the likes of Pfizer and Moderna. ing concerns raised by Australia, Edinburgh, was transferred on the countries depending on them, And despite a few delays of its own, Sweden and the United States at the Monday from the private King along with concerns about what China has largely capitalized on slow- Geneva forum. “We also find it regret- Edward VII hospital to St China might want in return for deliv- er-than-hoped-for deliveries by US and table the High Commissioner made Bartholomew’s Hospital, which is a eries. Nonetheless, inoculations with European vaccine makers. unsubstantiated accusations against centre of excellence for cardiac care, Chinese vaccines have begun in more Like many other countries, Chile China based on misinformation and for tests for a pre-existing heart con- than 25 countries, and the shots have received far fewer doses of the Pfizer political pressure,” said Jiang. dition and treatment for an unspeci- been delivered to another 11, People of all ethnic groups in fied infection which is not Covid- according to AP’s tally, based on Xinjiang and the Tibetan region enjoy related. His 14-night stay in hospital independent reporting in those wide-ranging freedoms, including reli- is the longest he has needed treat- countries along with govern- gious and cultural harmony, he said. ment, although Buckingham Palace ment announcements. Bachelet said on Friday that she has said he is comfortable and It’s a potential face-saving hoped to clinch agreement with responding to treatment. coup for China, which has been Chinese officials about a visit. Louise determined to transform itself Arbour was the last UN High from an object of mistrust over Commissioner for Human Rights to Gorbachev to mark 90th its initial mishandling of the visit China, in September 2005. Covid-19 outbreak to a saviour. vaccine than first promised. Activists remain sceptical about the birthday on Zoom “We’re seeing certainly real-time Chinese company Sinovac prospects for a meaningful visit with MOSCOW: Mikhail Gorbachev, the last vaccine diplomacy start to play out, acted quickly, sending in 4 unfettered access in China. Soviet leader, was expected to throw a with China in the lead in terms of million doses. Sophie Richardson, China director Zoom party on Tuesday to celebrate being able to manufacture vaccines The choices are limited for for Human Rights Watch, said in a his 90th birthday as President within China and make them availa- Chile and many other low- and tweet on Tuesday: “Of course #China Vladimir Putin lauded him as an out- ble to others,” said Krishna middle-income countries. statement that “the aim of the standing statesman who influenced Udayakumar, founding director of the Vaccine deployment globally global #Xinjiang visit is to provide exchang- the course of world history. Duke Global Health Innovation Center has been dominated by rich health expert es and cooperation” says it all, doesn’t Gorbachev, who championed arms at Duke University. nations, which have snapped at the US think tank it? That ‘door’ is firmly closed.” control and democracy-oriented China has said it is supplying “vac- up 5.4 billion of the 7.8 billion less-prov- Council for Foreign Relations. None Sarah Brooks of the International reforms as Soviet leader in the 1980s, cine aid” to 53 countries and exports to doses purchased worldwide,. en technolo- of China’s three vaccine candidates Service for Human Rights said: “After is widely credited with helping end 27, but it rejected a request by the AP China’s vaccines, which can gy used by used globally have publicly released more than two years of spinning their the Cold War. His critics in Russia for the list. Beijing has denied vaccine be stored in standard refrigera- some Western their late-stage clinical trial data. wheels on a visit, the High blame him however, for what they diplomacy, and a Ministry of Foreign tors, are attractive to many countries com- petitors that tar- CanSino, another Chinese company Commissioner and her team, and the regard as the unnecessary and pain- Affairs spokesperson said China con- that may struggle to accommodate the gets the coronavirus’ spike protein, with a one-shot vaccine that it says is governments at the Human Rights ful breakup of the Soviet Union in sidered the vaccine a “global public ultracold storage needs of vaccines despite the lack of publicly available 65 percent effective, declined to be Council, need to shift gears to take 1991. (AGENCIES) good.” Chinese experts reject any con- like Pfizer’s. Sinovac and Sinopharm safety data on the Chinese vaccines. interviewed. decisive action 5-second social media clip pulls India, Pakistan closer

REUTERS on social media across the subcontinent, her and says in Urdu, “This is our car, this KARACHI, MARCH 2 hopes numerous renditions of her mono- is us, and this is our party taking place.” logue will translate into more dialogue Seemly innocuous, she deliberately mis- A 19-year-old Pakistani student who shot to between rival neighbours India and pronounces the English word “party” as fame after her five-second video went viral Pakistan. “pawri” to poke fun at South Asians who The short video shot by adopt Western accents. It immediately Dananeer Mobeen in the struck a chord in both India and Pakistan, Nathaigali mountains of sparking top trending hashtags on social northern Pakistan and media, and garnering millions of views uploaded onto Instagram and hundreds of spin-offs. shows a group of young- “It was the most random video. I initially sters enjoying themselves had no intention of uploading it,” Mobeen by a roadside. said, expressing surprise at how viral it Swinging around the had gone and adding the trend showed the device she is filming on, power and reach of social media. Mobeen gestures behind “Pawri” monologue renditions have been used by police in India and the Delhi Commission for Women in their social media outreach campaigns. In one video, two Indian soldiers deployed in snowy mountains give it their own spin with “This is us, this is our gun, and we are patrolling here”, while popular Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone each did a version that also went viral. REUTERS Indian dairy company Amul, known for The video shot by Dananeer Mobeen in Nathaigali inculcating trendy takes on current issues mountains shows a group of youngsters enjoying in its advertisements, did a “this is our pav- themselves by a roadside. tea” in a nod to a popular bread snack eaten with tea. Bharatiya Janata Party using the catchy Even politicians jumped on the band- hook at an election rally. wagon, with a leader from India’s ruling “I’m honoured and grateful for all the love across the border,” said Mobeen, expressing her happiness at fostering some rare friendly cross-border dialogue. India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed nations, have fought three wars and often had tense relations since gaining independ- ence in 1947. Relations had most recently soured over devel- opments in the northern region of Kashmir, which both countries control in parts but claim in full. Last week, their militar- ies released a rare joint statement saying they had agreed to observe a ceasefire along the disputed Kashmir border, after exchanging fire hun- dreds of times over past months. Since the video went viral, Mobeen said she has been inundated with acting and modelling offers, along with requests for product endorsements. Instead, she says she aspires to join Pakistan’s foreign services.

C M Y K 07 | WEDNESDAY, MARCH 03, 2021 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING Champions League place dream Madhyapur fight back to Koirala, Rana win Butwal Open Tennis Championships titles defeat Shree Kumari, BUTWAL: Defending champions for Everton manager Ancelotti Prerana Koirala and Hritik Rana claimed the women’s and men’s sin- The 1-0 win against the Saints lifts the Toffees within two points of fourth-placed West Ham. gles title of the Butwal Open Lawn Bansbari beat Pulchowk Tennis Championships on Tuesday. Nepal No 1 Koirala of Biratnagar reg- AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE secure their first victory over their zone. Southampton are without a win istered a straight set win of 6-3, 6-1 LIVERPOOL, MARCH 2 Merseyside rivals at the Anfield since in their last nine league games, losing SPORTS BUREAU ie Akash Ranabhat. But the goal cele- over Avilasha Bista while men’s Rana 1999, Everton are firmly in contention eight times since their last victory KATHMANDU, MARCH 2 bration could not last long as of Butwal saw off Santosh Khatri 6-3, Everton boosted their bid to earn a to qualify for the Champions League against Liverpool in December. Madhyapur restored parity five min- 7-5 to defend the title. “I was aware of top-four finish in the Premier League via a top-four finish. Saints boss Ralph Hasenhuttl said: Madhyapur Youth Association came utes later. Kailash Lamichhane her game and I knew her weaknesses as Richarlison sealed a 1-0 win against “It’s been a very good week. I really “Thirty points are not enough to stay from behind to edge Shree Kumari Khatri, who was left free in the area, and strengths. I executed my game struggling Southampton on Monday. appreciate the teamwork. We were in the league. We need points. In the Club 2-1 and register headed into the break with the score plan in both defence and offence,” Carlo Ancelotti’s side won for the focused defensively and good combi- final third there was a lack of punch. their second vic- tied at 1-1. said women’s champion Koirala. first time in six home league games nations in front. The performance was That makes it difficult to win.” tory of the Shrestha netted a second goal Men’s winner Rana said that regular thanks to Richarlison’s early goal. good and we deserved to win,” With Brazilian midfielder Allan Martyrs for Mahdyapur three min- training in addition to exploiting his Everton’s last success at the Goodison Ancelotti said. “To fight for European making his first appear- utes into the second half match strength became key to his Park had come against Arsenal just places we need to improve the home ance since December with a near post strike hard-fought victory. Kamal Bahadur before Christmas, but ending a run of run. This performance can help us. after a hamstring inju- from the area after a Bhandari won the men’s veteran sin- three consecutive home league defeats It will be a dream to be in the top ry, Everton were far one-touch pass from gles above 35 years lifted them to within two points of four at the end of the season. We are more tenacious. Sanjib Thapa category defeating Magar. Sanjay Prakash In the late fix- Shrestha 6-2, 6-0. ture, Nishan Chand Shahi won Sunar scored the men’s singles twice in the sec- above 45 years cat- ond half in egory defeating Bansbari Club’s Dharam 2-0 victory over Lamichhane 6-4, Pulchowk 6-3 while Himal Sports Club to Shah was the win- strengthen their ner of the above 55 years age catego- grip in the third ry defeating Manoj Rana. (SB) fourth-placed West Ham. The sev- quite close.” Southampton place. enth-placed Toffees have a game in After leading the top flight in goalkeeper Following a goal- hand on West Ham, as well as November for the first time since 1988, Fraser Forster less first half, Sunar Former Barcelona president Liverpool and Chelsea, who occupy Southampton have gone into a dra- returned for just opened the scoring Josep Bartomeu released the places directly above them. matic decline that leaves them just his second league three minutes after the Fresh from beating Liverpool 2-0 to seven points above the relegation appearance this restart. He beat an advancing BARCELONA: Former Barcelona presi- season after Memorial Pulchowk custodian Chewang dent Josep Maria Bartomeu and his Hasenhuttl ‘B’ Division Jhankkri with a low shot from the former advisor Jaume Masferrer dropped League campaign at edge of the area after collecting a were released Tuesday after appear- Alex the ANFA Complex, Satdobato, on defence-splitting pass from Tanka ing before a judge investigating last McCarthy. But Tuesday. Prasad Gurung. year’s ‘Barcagate’ scandal, a Spanish Forster was soon pick- Kailash Lamichhane Khatri He doubled the advantage in the court said. The two men, who were ing the ball out of the net as cancelled Shree Kumari’s lead at the 69th minute when he chipped over arrested on Monday, “exercised their Richarlison gave Everton the lead in stroke of half time before Dhiraj goalie Jhankkri after being fed by right not to speak”, and the judge the ninth minute. Shrestha scored the winning goal for Pratikar Raut. granted them conditional release Jordan Pickford’s long kick was Madhyapur few minutes into the sec- With the sixth win, Basnbari have while the investigation continues, the flicked on by Dominic Calvert-Lewin ond half. collected 18 points and opened a four- Barcelona court said in a statement. to Gylfi Sigurdsson and Richarlison With the second win after the eighth point lead over the fourth placed Boys The court said the judge had sought raced onto the midfielder’s deft pass, match, Madhyapur leapfrogged three Union Club. to question them as part of an inves- rounded Forster and slotted into the places to level on points with eighth Bansbari, who also face a point tigation opened in May 2020 into the empty net. It was Richarlison’s third placed Shree Kumari Club. With two deduction for finishing at last two suspected crimes of false administra- goal in his last three games and his wins and a draw, Madhyapur and positions in the last edition’s tion and business corruption. Two 11th of the season. Shree Kumari both have seven points league, are four points adrift of other club officials also detained as Michael Keane thought he had dou- each after the completion of the leader Satdobato Youth Club. part of the operation which involved bled Everton’s advantage in the 25th eighth round. Pulchowk, who are struggling to avoid a search of Barcelona’s stadium were minute, but the defender’s header was Shree Kumari went ahead in the relegation, are yet to test victory and released late on Monday. The opera- disallowed by VAR after Mason 40th minute through Ashis Rai who are languishing at the bottom of tion comes less than a week before AP/RSS Holgate was caught offside as he pro- arrowed a low ball from the area send- standings with only two points in presidential elections at club. (REUTERS) Richarlison’s early goal sealed Everton their first win in six home league games on Monday. vided the assist. ing it behind three defenders and goal- their kitty. Federer to miss Miami Open LONDON: Roger Federer will not com- pete at this month’s Miami Open as the Swiss maestro continues to work Nepal’s World Cup qualifier against Australia moved to June his way back to fitness after two knee operations in the past 12 months, the SPORTS BUREAU “The match has been postponed by in different European countries.” hosted Australia, Chinese Taipei and five-team group ‘B’ with three points Miami Herald reported on Monday. KATHMANDU, MARCH 2 the Asian Football Confederation International news agency Reuters Jordan in the remaining three match- in their kitty. They defeated Chinese Federer will miss out on defending (AFC) after a formal request from also confirmed that Australia’s quali- es of the qualifiers had the event not Taipei 2-0 in their away match and lost his Miami Open title at the March Nepali national football team’s home Football Australia,” said ANFA presi- fying match against Nepal has been been interrupted by the Covid-19. 7-0 to Kuwait and 3-0 to Jordan in away 22-April 4 Masters 1000 event, qualifier match of the FIFA World Cup dent Karma Tsering Sherpa. “The shifted from March to June due to the “The AFC has set the deadline of match. Nepal had lost 1-0 against although Australian Open and AFC Asian Cup against Australia Australian football governing body impact of Covid-19 pandemic. March 8 to bid for hosting the match at Kuwait in their home match played in champions Novak Djokovic and scheduled to take place on March 30 had lodged a request letter at the AFC Sherpa also said all the remaining a centralised venue. We will also make Bhutan. The home match played in Naomi Osaka are expected to take have been postponed to June, accord- due to recent travel restrictions in matches of the group would take place a bid. But it is up to the AFC to decide November 2019 was shifted to Bhutan part along with Serena Williams and ing to All Nepal Football Association European countries. Many Australian in a centralised venue instead of home the hosting right,” said Sherpa. as Dasharath Stadium was undergo- Rafael Nadal. (REUTERS) (ANFA). footballers play professional football and away format. Nepal should have Nepal currently stand fourth in the ing renovation. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** A subtle but important shift is happening in your So much of your energy has been focused on the As a Libra, you know how to make a love grand and It’s time to kick it into high gear, Capricorn. The last focus today, Aries. Your ruling planet, self-motivated people in your network in recent weeks, Cancer. It’s mutually uplifting. Yet, in recent weeks, you’ve had few weeks have seen you pouring focus into your Mars, abandons the slow and steady realms of been important for you to suss out who belongs in to face some less-than-pretty truths around the more creative life, sex life, and ability to connect with your Taurus and plows forward into silver-tongued your circle and who does not. frustrating sides of intimacy and commitment. personal passion projects. Gemini.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** Has it felt like there’s been a rock in your shoe in You’ve been cutthroat when it comes to cultivating Your closest one-on-one relationships have been An important shift in energy emerges under Wednesday’s recent weeks, Taurus? Irritator Mars has been your next career step, Leo. You’ve been pouring your absorbing most of your energy in recent weeks, skies, Aquarius. The last few weeks have seen you deal- inhabiting your sign since early January, stoking energy into getting ahead and separating yourself Scorpio. Today’s skies suggest it’s time to take a clos- ing with some uncomfortable but important issues on tensions around your health, identity, and individu- from paths that weren’t panning out. er look at the deeper meaning of these exchanges. the home and family front, as irritable Mars helped you ality. better understand some of your triggers.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** As a Gemini, you’re always traveling between mental It’s officially go-time, Virgo. You’re ready to make You’ve been plowing ahead on the work front, The universe has been keeping you on the go in realms. In recent weeks, you’ve had to deal with some moves on the career front and the universe seeks to Sagittarius. You’ve had ample energy to expend recent weeks, Pisces. Energetic Mars has been push- unpleasant material concerning issues around support you, as energetic Mars moves forward into around getting organized and putting new struc- ing you to share your voice and maintain movement self-assertion, anger, and your ability to be direct. quick-thinking Gemini today. tures in place to better your work/life balance. in your environment.

CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, MARCH 03, 2021 | 08 (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053

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