WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 172 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.5 C 16.8 C Saturday, August 15, 2020 | 31-04-2077 Simara Jumla ‘We had long been asking the authorities to move us to safer locations’ Lidi villagers say they knew a disaster was coming as the area weakened by the 2015 earthquakes was experiencing landslides since the start of the monsoon season.

ANISH TIWARI show any concern even after we had SINDHUPALCHOK, AUG 14 notified the authorities.” The villagers had submitted a mem- On Friday morning, when her house orandum to the District Disaster began to wobble, the first thought that Management Committee for help on crossed Junmaya Tamang’s mind was August 7, but it went unheeded. an earthquake. Then there was a deaf- As monsoon continues, the Tarai ening bang, uncharacteristic of an region has been battered by floods and earthquake, just before her house the hill districts by landslides. started shaking violently. She was on According to Nepal’s National the terrace to retrieve the corn ker- Disaster Risk Reduction and nels she had left to dry and when she Management Authority, landslides heard the noise, her instinct told her have killed nearly 200 in the hilly to flee. But before she could make a regions across the country since mid- move, a large mass of mud and stones April. Seven have been killed in floods came hurtling down the hill. She was in the Tarai plains. knocked out cold by a stone. Sunmaya Tamang, who also sur- “I can’t remember what happened vived Friday’s landslide, said if the after that,” said Tamang, 34. “When I local authorities had responded to the opened my eyes, my husband was pull- villagers’ request, the villagers could ing me out of the rubble.” have survived. She, along with three other survi- “The local authorities had asked the vors, was rushed to Chautara District villagers to relocate to safety, but had Hospital. not arranged any alternate location,” Eleven people were killed and 27 said Sunmaya. “Where could have the are still missing after a landslide villagers gone?” PHOTO COURTESY: HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SPEAKER SECRETARIAT struck Golche Lidi village in Jugal Lidi Gaun is a remote village which Eleven people were killed and 27 went missing after a landslide struck Golche Lidi village in Jugal Rural Municipality-2 of Sindhupalchok district on Friday morning. Rural Municipality-2, Sindhupalchok, is two days’ walk from Chautara, the on Friday morning. The landslide bur- district headquarters. The village got ied 13 houses. access to electricity and a road net- Five people were severely injured. work only last year. Tamang was one of them. Pratap Lama, chairperson of Ward Friday’s landslide was a tragedy No. 2 of Jugal Rural Municipality, said that was in the making for months, that his office had asked for help from Restrictions imposed on various activities according to Aash Bahadur Dong, the provincial and federal governments. another survivor. “The latest tragedy is especially “There were foreboding signs for lamentable since there were tell-tale weeks, as small landslides had been signs for the past week,” Lama told and services in Valley to curb virus spread breaking out above the village,” said the Post. Gurung. “The government didn’t >> Continued on page 2 Public gatherings, religious activities, and roadside vending have been banned and restaurants asked to provide takeaway services only.

es to take measures--from putting restrictions on public activities to imposing prohibitory orders--as they deemed fit after assessing the situa- tion. As many as 25 districts have issued prohibitory orders to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Ten of them have issued the order through- out the district and 15 partially. The government has tightened entry of people to Kathmandu Valley from various points and banned pub- lic and vehicular movements from 9pm to 5am. When Nepal went into lockdown, the country had reported just two Covid-19 cases. By the time it was lifted after four months, the coronavirus infections had crossed the 17,000 mark. The prolonged lockdown meant businesses were taking a beating while people from the low economic strata were suffering the most. Service sector, including restau- rants and hotels, is among those hit POST PHOTO: KABIN ADHIKARI hardest by the pandemic. Restaurants had already resumed services following safety protocols. After the lockdown was lifted, res- taurants in the Valley had started to TIKA R PRADHAN & SANGAM PRASAIN The local administration offices of open up slowly. KATHMANDU, AUG 14 the Valley have also banned people Araniko Rajbhandari, president of from operating businesses on streets, the Restaurant and Bar Association Chief district officers of Kathmandu, asking the vendors to shut their road- Nepal, said that local administration Lalitpur and Bhaktapur have decided side shops. People will not be allowed offices of the Valley have ordered res- to enforce restrictions on various ser- to sell vegetables, fruits, clothes or taurants to operate only the takeaway vices and activities that involve peo- any other items on bicycles and push- services. ple’s movement, effective Friday mid- carts. Collection of scraps also has “We have been following strict night for 17 days in light of the rising been halted. health and safety protocols. It’s not number of Covid-19 cases in the Valley The local administration has reasonable to ask the restaurants to and its possible impacts on public banned seminars and training pro- close down again after allowing them health. grammes of all sorts. Educational to open,” said Rajbhandari. “It would “Three chief district officers of the institutions will also remain closed. have been better if authorities moni- Kathmandu Valley have separately There’s no change in the odd-even tored restaurants to see whether they issued some restriction orders,” said rule for vehicles--private and public-- were following health and safety pro- Narayan Prasad Bhatta, the Lalitpur but they will have to strictly follow tocols. Closing businesses is not the CDO. “The decision was taken by a health protocols. solution to tackle the spread of the joint meeting of the district security Officials said there won’t be any virus.” committees.” restrictions on people’s movement, According to him, almost all the The orders issued as per Clause 6 (3) but authorities will keep an eye if mem- restaurants have shut down except a of the Local Administration Act-2028 bers of the public are following basic few offering takeaway services. would be in effect from Friday mid- health protocols like wearing masks. “We had opened hotels from July 30 night to August 31 midnight. Concerns were growing lately about as part of our preparation to welcome On Wednesday, the Home Ministry the rising number of Covid-19 cases in tourists, hoping that reopening of stopped issuing vehicles passes to exit the Valley. international flights from August 17 or enter the Kathmandu valley. The national Covid-19 tally has would bring in some foreigners to Mass gatherings in open spaces, all reached 25,551, with 594 new cases on Nepal,” said Binayak Shah, vice-presi- kinds of jatras, fairs and festivals and Friday. According to the Health dent of the Hotel Association of religious activities have been banned. Ministry, 99 people so far have died of Nepal. “As the flight resumption plan Cinema halls, party palaces, salons, the disease. Four people lost their has been postponed until September 1, beauty parlours, spas and gyms will lives to Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. we decided to close all hotels, except also remain closed until August 31 In Kathmandu Valley, 119 new cases those which are being used for quar- midnight. were reported on Friday—83 in antine, from Friday.” Kathmandu, 30 in Lalitpur and On Friday, 21 tourism organisations six in Bhaktapur. The tally in issued a joint statement against the Kathmandu Valley reached 1,699 inconsistent policy of the government on Friday with 1,360 in that may hurt the entire economy and Kathmandu, 220 in Lalitpur and warned of a stern protest if flights 119 in Bhaktapur. and other business activities are not After the lifting of the lock- resumed from September 1. down on July 21, cases started to As the lockdown went into its third rise at an alarming rate, but the month, there was growing pressure on federal government said there the government to ease restrictions, won’t be any other lockdown. with public health experts arguing It then decided to give the that a complete restriction was not a authority to local governments solution to the pandemic. and district administration offic- >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL More areas getting sealed in Kathmandu as cases rise With the Valley lacking isolation facilities, asymptomatic patients are staying home while the local authorities wish for more help from the federal government.

SHUVAM DHUNGANA & ANUP OJHA where Koteshwor lies. She wishes to get more help from KATHMANDU, AUG 14 Local authorities and the police the central government. make the decision on sealing areas, Meanwhile, people like Kamini It’s been four days since Kamini Devi, according to Senior Superintendent Devi of Koteshwor continue to stay at 35, has not gone out of her rented flat of Police, Sushil Kumar Yadav, spokes- their rented flat. that she shares with her husband and person for the Metropolitan Police “We haven’t decided anything on two sons. Office, Ranipokhari. allowing movement in the area and Local authorities sealed her So far, 19 areas in Bhaktapur dis- there are no alternatives to sealing it,” locality in Koteshwor, Kathmandu, on trict, six in Kathmandu district and said ward 32 official Pokharel. August 10 after more than three one in Lalitpur district have been dozen people tested positive for the sealed, according to data provided by coronavirus. the police office. While whole areas “I am scared because I have asth- are sealed in Kathmandu and Lalitpur, Restrictions ma,” said Devi. Health officials say individual houses are sealed in asthma patients are more likely to Bhaktapur and each of these are develop severe symptoms if they are counted as one area. imposed on infected with the coronavirus. With hospital beds not easily availa- Devi does not have coronavirus. ble, the Ministry of Health has advised POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA She, along with her family, went to the people with no symptoms to stay at various ... Shuttered shops are seen in New Road, Kathmandu, on Friday. Most businesses are closed due to a spike in Covid-19 cases in the Valley. Sukraraj Tropical and Infectious home. Disease Hospital on Tuesday to get >> Continued from page 1 tested because she was one of the 141 Public health experts also argued that persons the ward office chose for test- The Valley has so lockdown only helps break the trans- ing after four shopkeepers in mission chain and provides an oppor- ‘We had long Koteshwor were found infected with far reported 1,696 tunity to step up measures like setting Two dozen cases reported the virus on August 2. up quarantine and isolation facilities, “Despite testing negative, we are cases, with 119 increasing hospital beds, providing been asking ...’ staying in isolation as others in the reported on Friday. training for health workers and in Kapilvastu’s Taulihawa area are not willing to get tested since expanding tests. >> Continued from page 1 they may have to go to hospital for “The orders [today] were issued to “The area where Lidi is situated was treatment,” she said. implement the recent Cabinet deci- already weakened by the earthquakes Koteshwor is one of the areas with In Koteshwor about half a dozen sions,” said Humkala Pande, the chief of 2015. Geologists had long Bazaar on Friday rising numbers of coronavirus cases asymptomatic patients are staying in district officer of Bhaktapur. “Those been warning about the dangers of within Kathmandu Metropolitan City. home isolation, said Hira Devi violating the orders would be pun- landslides.” As of Thursday, there were 665 Pokharel, an official of ward 32. ished as per the Local Administration Thirty-seven families in Lidi have District Hospital, the only government hospital in the area, cases of coronavirus in Kathmandu, Lack of isolation centres has been Act 2028 BS.” been displaced by Friday’s landslide. city authorities said. The figures for an issue in Kathmandu. Local author- As per the Act, those violating the While all of them have been dam- has closed its services after Covid-19 spread among staff. Friday have not been received from ities say with so many people entering orders can be fined up to Rs500 or sen- aged, 13 have been completely the Epidemiology and Disease Control the Valley every day, they cannot man- tenced to one month in jail or both destroyed, according to Hom Narayan MANOJ PAUDEL appearing in the district back in May. Division of the Health Ministry. age enough quarantine and isolation directly by chief district officers. Shrestha, chief of Jugal Rural KAPILVASTU, AUG 14 But on August 5, 17 individuals tested In addition to Koteshwor, the most centres. It is the federal government’s Currently, authorities are slapping Municipality. Shrestha said that the positive for coronavirus in the area. affected areas are Maharajgunj to responsibility, they say. people with a fine of Rs100 for not displaced are now relocated to tempo- A 49-year-old man from Taulihawa By Friday, the number had soared to Sahid Gangalal Hospital area with 30 Ward 14, which includes Kalimati, wearing masks in public places. rary shelters. Bazaar in Kapilvastu has been under- 71, with 26 new cases reported on cases, Baluwatar with 29 cases, Balkhu and Kalanki, an entry point to Earlier this week, Valley Sindhupalchok has been battered going treatment for Covid-19 at the Friday alone. Hadigaun with 20 cases, New the city, is another area with a high Municipalities’ Forum—a grouping of by a series of natural disasters over corona special hospital in Butwal for For the locals of the area, the spread Baneshwor with 35 cases and number of positive cases. As of Friday 17 of the 18 municipalities of the past decade. The earthquake of the past week. of coronavirus and the closing down Mahaboudha and Ason area with 25 afternoon, 44 persons in the ward Kathmandu Valley—had proposed 2015, which killed 3,570 and destroyed On Thursday, his wife and daughter of the only government hospital have cases, according to Gyan Bahadur Oli, were found to be infected with the through the Coronavirus Crisis over 90,000 houses, has made the dis- also tested positive for coronavirus. come as a rude awakening. the Covid-19 focal person at Urban coronavirus. Management Centre that the govern- trict’s topography particularly vulner- Since they are symptomatic patients, “The number of coronavirus infec- Health Division of Kathmandu The Valley has so far reported 1,696 ment ban public vehicles in the Valley able to landslides, geologists say. they were asked to get admitted to a tions has been increasing every day. Metropolitan City. cases, with 119 reported on Friday. till August-end, but their request was Multiple landslides in the last three hospital immediately. But the moth- Most of the patients are those who Meanwhile, ward offices are scamp- Across the country, 25,551 persons turned down. years have displaced around 700 fami- er-daughter duo could not seek treat- were in regular contact with the pub- ering to control further spread by have been infected with coronavirus, “We had demanded a ban on public lies in the district. The Bhotekoshi ment at the District Hospital—the lic—they are bank employees and gro- sealing off areas like in Koteshwor. with 594 additional cases on Friday. vehicles as people don’t follow health flood in 2016 and this year’s floods and only government hospital in the cery store owners,” said Chakra Movement in these areas has been The death toll stands at 99, with 9 in protocols while using them, but the landslides also caused many area—as it was sealed from Monday Bahadur Chhetri, a resident of completely restricted and shops Kathmandu Valley. government failed to gauge the risk,” deaths, injuries and displacements in following coronavirus infections Taulihawa Bazaar. “What’s worse is remain closed. Sapkota is worried that she has not said Madan Sundar Shrestha, mayor the district. among hospital staff. that the only affordable hospital in the “The ward is working on contact been able to get more people in her of the Madhyapur Thimi Municipality. Until late Friday afternoon, the The duo then had to travel all the area has closed down its services so tracing, implementing effective seal- ward tested. “We are preparing to impose a ban landslide survivors in Lidi had way to the corona special hospital in it’s difficult to check into a hospital if ing of areas and addressing the prob- “We don’t know how to conduct the on public vehicles within our munici- not received much help from the Butwal for treatment. The distance we get infected.” lems faced by locals,” said Navaraj tests as we do not have adequate pality in view of the rising number of authorities. between Taulihawa and Butwal is There are half-a-dozen private hos- Parajuli, chairperson of ward 32 funds,” Sapkota said. Covid-19 cases.” Chief District Officer Umesh around 52 km by road. pitals and clinics in the area but not Kumar Dhakal said relief efforts were The District Hospital on Monday everybody can afford these private ongoing. closed its services after 25 health health institutions, says Chhetri. “Forty pieces of tarpaulin sheets, workers, including three doctors, test- With the surge in cases, the locals utensils, blankets and mattresses have ed positive for coronavirus. The infec- have been demanding that the local been ferried to the village via helicop- tion has spread in Taulihawa Bazaar authorities expand PCR testing in Landslides in Kalikot and Makwanpur ter,” said Dhakal. in the past week, and the locals have Taulihawa but the concerned authori- Following the incident, a team led been left out in the cold since the hos- ties haven’t even been able to effective- by House Speaker Agni Sapkota visit- pital closed its services. ly contact trace possible coronavirus on Thursday night claim seven lives ed the survivors. Local government “The closure of the hospital has not patients. officials, ward chief and local leaders only affected coronavirus patients but The District Health Office in TULARAM PANDEY “Police and locals recovered the monsoon-induced disasters in Kalikot accompanied him. also those of us who need medical Kapilvastu says it hasn’t been able to KALIKOT, AUG 14 bodies of the six, aged 10-18, from the district since mid-July. Sunmaya lamented that the govern- attention for other ailments,” expedite contact tracing in Taulihawa incident site on Friday morning,” said Another landslide at Thaha ment only pays attention to the people Pashupati Tripathi, a local of because the office is facing a shortage Six people were killed after a landslide Deputy Superintendent of Police Municipality in the northern part living in disaster-prone areas after Taulihawa, told the Post. “We have no of Viral Transport Medium sets. triggered by continuous rainfall hit a Shyam Babu Oliya. “All the deceased of Makwanpur district claimed t people have died and their homes option but to go to Butwal for medical “We only have 50 VTM sets available house at Naku Village in Mahawai were related to each other.” he life of a 54-year-old man on obliterated. treatment and not everyone can afford now so we haven’t been able to expand Rural Municipality Ward No. 3, The parents of four of the deceased Thursday. “A timely intervention could have to make the journey, especially at a contact tracing in Taulihawa,” said an Kalikot district, on Thursday night. were on the ground floor of the same The body of the deceased, an prevented the tragedy that happened time like this.” official at the District Health Office, Four girls and two boys, who were house and were left unharmed, said employee at the Kathmandu-based today,” said Sunmaya. “Had the villag- Taulihawa Bazaar in Kapilvastu preferring anonymity. sleeping on the terrace of the concrete Chitra Singh Gaunle, a local. Mining and Mining Pvt Ltd, was ers been relocated to a safer location, Municipality was relatively untouched Until Friday, the total number of house after having dinner, were killed According to the District Police recovered from the incident site on there would’ve been no casualties.” by the virus when infections started cases in Kapilvastu had hit 923. in the incident. Office, 31 people have lost their lives to Friday morning. Bharatpur dumps waste on riverbank despite having area to build a landfill site Monsoon spells disaster for residents living in settlements by the Narayani with garbage washed ashore by the overflowing river.

RAMESH KUMAR PAUDEL stating its biological importance. dling of waste has been adversely CHITWAN, AUG 14 Since then, Bharatpur has been affecting the surrounding vegetation, dumping its waste under the Narayani we had notified the forest office Krishna Bahadur Pariyar, a resident River bridge, which is just 200-300 regarding the matter, but no one has of Nagarban—a settlement of 74 fami- metres away from the city area. addressed the issue as of date.” lies by the Narayani River in The federal government in the fiscal The metropolitan office in 2018 had Narayangadh, says monsoon brings year 2011-12 had allotted 15 bighas of signed an agreement with the anxiety into his life. land in the Jaldevi Community Forest Sudokwon Landfill Site Management On top of fears about the possible to the metropolitan city to build a Corporation of South Korea to come inundation of his home by the river, well-managed landfill site. However, up with a masterplan for a proper he says he also has to worry about no work has been done to that effect waste management system. garbage from the nearby landfill site and the city has yet to construct a The masterplan was to be prepared overflowing into his settlement. landfill site. within 15 months from the date of the “During the dry season, garbage As compensation for the use of the agreement. trucks dump waste in areas that are at forestland, the metropolis some five The consultant company hired by least a kilometre away from human years ago had purchased another 15 the Korean company had failed to con- settlements,” Pariyar said. “But dur- bighas of land in Madi to be used for duct a field study of the landfill site ing the monsoon, the trucks dispose reforestation. during the monsoon season, so they of waste right by the settlements, as Officials at the Bharatpur had to wait for this year’s monsoon to rains make it difficult for garbage Metropolitan City Office say that the collect the data, according to Ghimire. trucks to traverse the dirt track that metropolis has been using the “Once the rain stops, the ground leads to the dumping site, and the Narayani River banks to dispose of team would move to clear the landfill overflowing river turns the garbage the city’s garbage for a lack of an site for the study,” Ghimire said. into mulch.” alternative. The office, however, “Seventy percent of the work on the Every monsoon, Bharatpur claims to be mindful of the settle- masterplan has been completed. The Metropolitan City disposes of its ments near the riverbanks. construction of the landfill site will waste on the banks of the river, which “The city generates 70-80 tonnes of commence once the masterplan is is just 400 metres from the Nagarban garbage on a daily basis. The metropo- ready. But until then, we will have to settlement, making life difficult for all lis’ pickup trucks go from door-to-door dump the city’s waste at the current local residents. collecting waste. For the service, the location.” Waste management in Bharatpur city charges a certain fee from its res- The locals of Nagarban; however, Metropolitan City has become a major idents,” said Birat Ghimire, chief are not satisfied with the metropolis’ problem, especially for people living engineer at the Bharatpur approach to waste management and near the banks of Narayani River, as Metropolitan City Environment are frustrated that their pleas and the riverside is the only landfill site Division. “We take extra precautions POST PHOTO: RAMESH KUMAR PAUDEL protests have gone unheard. for the city of around 300,000 people. to leave the settlements unpolluted Bharatpur has been dumping its waste under the Narayani River bridge, which is just 200 to 300 metres from city area, for the past 15 years. “Around 20-25 garbage trucks pass The population of the metropolis while dumping waste in the river- by my house to dump waste at the stood at 199,867, according to 2011 cen- banks. But the locals living in the area river banks instead of burying it. This area stinks of garbage and the waste ardous toxic gas released from the river banks every day,” said Pariyar. sus. The city has been dumping its are always protesting.” has led to environmental pollution in also enters the marketplace.” dumping site. “It’s getting difficult to get a breath of garbage on the banks of Narayani According to Yogendra Poudel, the riverbanks and the settlements Poor waste management at the “Vegetation in one-and-a-half fresh air around here. We have asked River for the past 15 years after the chairman of the Sansari Mai Toll nearby. banks of the Narayani River has not bighas of land in the Sansari Mai area the municipality to move the dumping then Hetauda Appellate Court issued Reform Committee, a local communi- “Although the metropolis is sup- only affected the people living nearby along the river bank were cut off site away from the settlement but an order banning the disposal of ty group in Nagarban, the metropolis posed to bury its garbage, they hardly but has also impacted the ecology of while burying the city’s waste,” said there has been no response from waste at Jaldevi Community Forest, has been dumping its waste at the do it on time,” said Poudel. “The whole the surrounding areas due to the haz- Poudel. “As the metropolis’ poor han- them.”

C M Y K 03 | SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020

C M Y K SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020 | 04 NATIONAL

BRIEFING Scrub typhus kills Prohibitory order in one person in Sundarbazar LAMJUNG: Local administration has issued a prohibitory order for an Bajhang, eight indefinite period in Sundarbazar area, Lamjung, from Friday after a coronavirus case was reported in the others in hospital municipality. According to the deci- sion of the District Covid-19 Crisis BASANTA PRATAP SINGH Management Centre, the order has BAJHANG, AUG 14 been issued in Wards-5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. Chief District Officer Krishna Prasad Scrub typhus has killed one person and infect- Sharma said a person from ed eight others in Bajhang district in the past Sundarbazar-7, who had returned one week. from Pokhara on August 5, has tested This is the first time the mite-borne bacte- positive for coronavirus infection. rial infectious disease has occurred in Bajhang, say health workers. On Thursday, a 22-year-old woman from Coronavirus test within half an Durgathali Rural Municipality died of scrub hour at Lumbini Hospital typhus while undergoing treatment at the District Hospital in Chainpur. BUTWAL: A new machine has been “We could not save the woman because her installed to test swab samples in condition was already serious by the time she Lumbini Provincial Hospital in was brought to the hospital,” said Dr Milan Butwal on Friday. This machine can Khadka at the hospital. obtain test results of swab samples Another 17-year-old girl, meanwhile, is said within 30 to 45 minutes, Dr Rajendra to be in a critical condition. Khanal, medical superintendent of Khadka said the hospital refers critical the hospital, said. “An Expert Express patients to better equipped hospitals in the Sars Cov 2 machine has been Tarai districts, which they haven’t been able installed in the hospital to speed up to do because of the Covid-19 pandemic. the PCR testing. The machine has a Most hospitals are currently occupied with capacity to test four swab samples in Covid-19 patients, said Khadka. one hour.” “All ICUs and ventilators in hospitals are occupied, so we couldn’t refer scrub typhus National footballer tests patients. Travel restrictions and prohibitory orders due to the Covid-19 crisis have also positive for Covid-19 made it difficult for patients to seek treatment KATHMANDU: A national footballer test- outside the district,” said Khadka. ed positive for the coronavirus on Scrub typhus could be treated if the infect- Friday, according to the All Nepal ed patients get immediate medical care. But Football Association. The player had in Bajhang, health officials say most scrub undergone two tests to confirm the typhus patients had been self-medicating infection. ANFA, the national football at home for fever and headache—common governing body, had recently conduct- symptoms of scrub typhus—and decided to ed the coronavirus tests on 34 players seek medical help only after their conditions and 20 officials ahead of the training got worse. camp for the Asian qualifiers of FIFA According to the District Hospital, three of World Cup 2022 and Asian Cup 2023. the patients are from Thalara Rural The training camp, which was sched- Municipality, two from Masta Rural uled to start from August 17, has been POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC Municipality, two from Jayaprithvi put off until next year. A woman carries a load on her back, on the banks of Manohara River in the Capital on Friday. Municipality, one from Khaptad Chhanna Rural Municipality and one from Durgathali Rural Municipality. The District Hospital has reported to the Provincial Health Directorate of Sudurpaschim about the scrub typhus infec- tion outbreak in Bajhang s and asked to pro- Plan to call bids for all projects by mid-August fails vide test kits and medicines. “The health units in places where the dis- ease has been reported have been told to stay Officials cite incomplete preparatory works, uncleared past liabilities, and restrictions on movement due to Covid-19 as reasons for delay. on high alert and immediately refer the patients with scrub typhus symptoms to the PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA this means the trend of earlier years is likely awarded on projects that were not completed in less than 50 percent. hospital,” said Dr Sandip Okheda, chief at the KATHMANDU, AUG 14 to continue. the last fiscal year. Last fiscal year, only Rs191 billion of the District Hospital. In the fiscal year 2018-19, 23.72 percent of the He said that the department planned to call Rs408 billion allocated for capital expenditure Scrub typhus, also sometimes called bush The Road Division Office in Hetauda has called capital budget was spent in the last one month, the maximum number of tenders by the first was spent, according to the Ministry of typhus, is an infectious disease that is caused for tenders for just a single project out of more according to the 57th annual report of the four months of the current fiscal year. Finance. by the parasite Orientia tsutsugamushi, a than 30 despite the Ministry of Finance direc- Office of the Auditor General. In the last week According to the Department of Roads, The government’s procedural delays in the mite-borne bacterium, and spreads in the tive to do so by mid-August. of that fiscal year alone, 14.7 percent of the which has the largest capital expenditure early months of the fiscal year result in human body after they are bitten by infected No other government agency fares better. total capital expenditure budget was spent. budget, it has around 1,000 local level roads and development works carried out only in later chiggers (larval mites) found in mice. In the budget implementation guidelines In the last fiscal 2019-20, only 17 percent of around 1,100 bridge projects to put out to ten- months and result in a compromise in quality, High fever, headache, abdominal pain, issued in mid-July, the Finance Ministry had the capital budget was spent by mid-January der. These are mostly continuation of projects officials said. backache, joint and muscle pain, dull red asked government agencies to call tenders after 2020 while overall expenditure until that period from past years but budgets are allocated for But calling for bids by mid-August is not as rash, nausea and vomiting are some of the completing preparatory tasks like annual was 28 percent of the total allocated budget. different parts of a project every year. simple as it sounds. symptoms of scrub typhus infection. Patients procurement plan, detailed design and cost Work done at the last minute results in a Ironically, even as they are past projects, the Inviting tenders by mid-August is challeng- with severe illness may develop bleeding estimate. compromise in the quality of work, according tender process is being delayed. As per the ing because conducting detailed designs during which could lead to organ failure and turn Contracts are to be awarded by mid-October to Tulasi Sitaula, former secretary at the Ministry of Finance directive, new tenders the monsoon period for the process is challeng- fatal if left untreated. and work should begin within 15 days of award- Physical Infrastructure Ministry. cannot be called in projects whose liability has ing, said Tulasi Sitaula, former secretary at the “Scrub Typhus infections are usually seen ing the contract. A large chunk of the budget spent in the last not been cleared, according to the Department Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and during the monsoon season across the coun- This is in line with the constitutional provi- few months and the budget spent in the rainy of Roads. Transport. try but this is the first instance of scrub sion of having the budget for the new fiscal season results in wasted spending, he said. “Outstanding dues could not be cleared However, according to him, the Ministry of typhus being reported from Bajhang,” said year announced by the end of May (Jestha 15 This year the Department of Water Supply because of the lockdown and poor work pro- Finance directive was a step in the right direc- Okheda. according to the Nepali calendar) so that and Sewage will also miss the mid-August gress, among other things,” said Arjun Suwal, tion to bring forward the whole cycle of project Nepal saw a surge in scrub typhus cases capital expenditures are not made at the fag deadline. Although it has more than 40 projects information officer at the department. “About implementation. “In the past, when the annual after the 2015 earthquakes. Three months end of the fiscal year. to put out to tender, it has so far called bids for 800 road projects have liabilities to contractors budget was presented in July, government after two massive earthquakes, the BP Koirala “We could not meet this deadline because only about five projects. to be cleared from the last fiscal year.” agencies used to call for tenders only by Institute of Health Sciences, Dharan had necessary preparations could not be completed “We also need to ensure resources for the “We can call tenders soon only for about 200 mid-December,” he said. alerted the Epidemiology and Disease Control in some of the projects because of the current projects from the finance ministry before road projects,” Suwal said. But if things for Yogesh at the Road Division Division about six children with unusual Covid-19 situation as movement of people has announcing the tender,” said Sunil Kumar Das, But, most of the development works Office in Hetauda go to the plan, the constitu- fever and severe respiratory features. been restricted in Makawanpur, Bara and director general at the department. “We can remained suspended due to the Covid-19 pan- tional provision may bear fruit. The magnitude of the outbreak escalated in Parsa,” said Suman Yogesh, chief of Road call two more tenders at most by August 16.” demic since the lockdown was enforced on “I am preparing to issue tenders by the end 2016—831 cases of scrub typhus were reported Division Office in Hetauda. According to Das, the Finance Ministry March 24, which lasted till July 21. As a of August for the projects under this office,” in 47 districts and 14 people died by the end of Despite the intentions of the constitution, directive says that new contracts should not be result, the capital budget expenditure remained he said. that year. Rights watchdog comes down on government over migrant repatriation As a result of poor preparations, the number of workers languishing abroad goes up by the day and they get no support from authorities, National Human Rights Commission says.

CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL triation of tens of thousands of on the other hand, said that 210,871 KATHMANDU, AUG 14 migrant workers stranded in various needed to be immediately rescued. labour destinations for months now. Government authorities do not On Wednesday, the Nepal Embassy in Months of indecision and poor seem to have one set of data on on the United Arab of Emirates pub- preparations on the part of the gov- Nepali migrant workers awaiting lished a notice on its official Facebook ernment have exacerbated the situa- repatriation. page informing that 13,785 migrant tion of Nepali migrant workers, who “If we calculate on the basis of the Nepalis had been repatriated through were already suffering after losing number of work permits that expire 82 flights since June. their jobs due to the pandemic. every day, then around 214,000 such What followed in the comment The National Human Rights permits have expired as of thread of the page was a barrage of Commission, Nepal, has raised seri- Wednesday,” said Rameshwar Nepal, a criticisms and complaints from the ous concerns over the situation of labour migration researcher and the Nepali workers based in the Gulf state Nepal’s migrant workers awaiting co-author of the Commission report. against the embassy and the govern- government help to return home. “The repatriation process was ment of Nepal. The clear lack of preparations to delayed in the first place because the “It’s been six months and I have not bring home stranded Nepali migrant data prepared by Nepali missions and got a ticket. The Nepal Embassy workers in the early months of the government agencies were not relia- doesn’t even open the embassy gate. pandemic has made the situation ble,” said Sudip Pathak, a member of They make us wait outside in 40 worse as the number of people who the commission. degrees heat for two hours and turn us need to be repatriated is increasing, The knock-on effect of the disputed away saying our work will be done,” the rights body said in its report pub- data was delayed repatriation, which commented one Rupesh Katuwal, who lished on Thursday. in turn led to more and more workers also mentioned in the comment that A large number of Nepali workers losing their jobs and facing pay cuts as his visa expired on March 2. “Someone are stranded in various countries that the months wore on. please help me return home.” have been hit by the Covid-19 pandem- “Workers were terminated and Another commenter Narayan Lama ic. Many of them are struggling to POST FILE PHOTO some did not get their full salaries, wrote: “Only 13,785 out of 42,000 peo- survive after their employers have not The National Human Rights Commission reports that some Covid-19-infected Nepalis are being deprived of health services, test and treatment and they could not even exercise ple who had registered for repatria- only stopped paying them but have in labour destination countries, but the concerned Nepali missions have no record of those who have been infected or have died. their rights as per the labour laws of tion flights have returned to Nepal, also refused to fund their air tickets to the host nations,” said Pathak. and that after using their power or return home. These cannot afford for announced it would bring home the assistant director of Centre for the getting any support and that they con- While the government underestimat- purchasing tickets from Nepal.” repatriation chartered flights. stranded migrant workers, things got Study of Labour and Mobility tinue to languish in foreign lands, the ed the number of workers who “Is the embassy’s job only to publish “The government spent a long time delayed once again due to the repatri- (CESLAM) under Social Science Baha. report said. needed to be rescued, the number of the data? Shouldn’t it investigate the on a wait and watch mode. There was ation guidelines full of procedural The National Human Rights According to the government, 50,130 out-of-job migrant workers were conditions of workers stranded for a so much confusion on starting the complexities, like ascertaining work- Commission, reports that some Covid- Nepalis from 30 countries have increasing with every passing day, long time and send them to Nepal at repatriation process,” says Jeevan ers’ status and who pays for their 19 infected Nepalis are being deprived returned home since the lockdown according to Nepal. the earliest?” he said and urged the Baniya, a labour migration researcher tickets. Once again, it was migrant of health services, test and treatment was enforced on March 24. “Workers are still stranded abroad concerned government agencies to and one the co-authors of the report, workers who paid the price. in labour destination countries, but In May the Foreign Employment because the repatriation process was display some humanity. said. “The effect of this delay was on “It was an extraordinary situation the concerned Nepali missions have Board had estimated that over 400,000 not expedited. Our diplomatic initia- The government of Prime Minister the workers who had already lost their that called for extraordinary meas- no record of Nepalis who have been Nepali workers were likely to return tives were not adequate to protect KP Sharma Oli has come under a bar- jobs and were barely getting by. Many ures from the government. But that infected or have died of the disease. home as a result of the pandemic and Nepali workers. Life and aspirations rage of criticism over its handling of had to ask for money from their fami- did not happen. The whole repatria- Nepalis who cannot pay for their 127,000 were waiting to return imme- of poor migrant workers are under the Covid-19 pandemic at home. It has lies in Nepal.” tion process has been a sluggish flights, quarantine fees and travel diately. A few days after this data came threat because government policies fared no better when it comes to repa- When the government finally affair,” said Baniya, who is also the expenses to their home towns are not out the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have not helped them,” Nepal said.

C M Y K 05 | SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020 MONEY Nepal Telecom sees profit plunge as people use apps to make phone calls There has been a drop in voice, international and roaming calls, state-owned firm says.

KRISHANA PRASAIN According to the report, the telecom ed to boost company revenues in the KATHMANDU, AUG 14 giant’s gross income reached Rs41.49 upcoming year, it said. billion in the review period, down The number of voice calls declined Nepal Telecom saw its net profit from Rs43.83 billion in the previous during the four-month-long lockdown, fall by 12.30 percent to Rs8.55 billion in fiscal year 2018-19. The company said Adhikari. People stayed home the last fiscal year, largely due to earned Rs34.57 billion by selling these with their families and business came a drop in voice, international and services in the last fiscal year, against to a complete stall, as a result of roaming calls, its main money-making Rs36.86 billion in the previous fiscal. which demand for voice calls plunged, segments. Nepal Telecom’s profit has been he said. More people are using communica- dropping since 2018-19 when its net On the bright side, the number of tion apps to make phone calls instead profit took a 44.19 percent dive, mainly users of mobile data increased by of the traditional phone system, the due to increased use of smartphones 30-40 percent and of fixed broadband state-owned company said. that led to massive use of apps like by 40 percent with a rise in interna- A series of events prompted by Viber, WhatsApp, Messenger and IMO, tional bandwidth utilisation. Daily Covid-19—mass return of foreign among others, to make phone bandwidth capacity utilisation rose to migrant workers, government direc- calls, reducing incoming calls from 75 percent from 70 percent of the total, tives to give a 30 percent discount on foreign countries, including domestic said Adhikari. mobile data and internet, and halt in voice calls. “YouTube was the most visited site POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI tourism—combined to drag down followed by Facebook and TikTok dur- A worker sleeps on the premises of Kuleshwor Wholesale Fruit Market in Kathmandu. On Thursday, Ward No. 14 of profits in the last fiscal year that ing the lockdown,” he said. Adhikari Kathmandu Metropolitan City (one of the most crowded places in Kathmandu) was sealed after a sudden surge in ended mid-July. Nepal Telecom’s said that data users were using data coronavirus cases in the area. Only shops selling essential items are allowed to be open and they can only operate from 5am The company’s interim fourth quar- almost all the time, with traffic spik- to 9am to limit public interaction and movement. ter financial report released on Friday 4G LTE service has ing during the mid-afternoon and shows that Covid-19 shaved Rs1.2 bil- evening to late evening. lion off its earnings. Fierce competi- been implemented Despite the competitive telecom tion in the market and external fac- environment, higher operating tors like over-the-top (OTT) applica- nationwide in all expenses and operational unease Malaysia to lift tions that allow people to make phone 77 districts. created by Covid-19, the company Chinese firms hit by calls using the internet hit income, said it managed to record noteworthy Nepal Telecom said. performance by expanding products Dilli Ram Adhikari, managing and services. limit on hiring of director of Nepal Telecom, said Increased expenditure on telecom- “Due to changes in customer tastes that a reduction in economic activity munication infrastructure also and preferences, and the wide choices new import hurdles due to the lockdown that lasted nearly reduced its net profit, the company available in the market for customers, foreign labour four months slashed the company’s said. catering to fast-changing customer revenues. As demand for data services is expectations is challenging,” said the REUTERS “Following the lockdown, demand increasing faster than for voice, Nepal company’s report. KUALA LUMPUR, AUG 14 in India, sources say for major revenue earning services Telecom is focusing on enlarging data Nepal Telecom plans to establish like voice call, international call and services. mobile financial services in collabora- Malaysia has decided to lift an earlier REUTERS and Indian officials expect the damage roaming service shrank with people The expansion of LTE advanced 4G tion with Rastriya Banijya Bank to limit on the hiring of foreign workers NEW DELHI/SHANGHAI, AUG 14 to get worse. being confined to their homes,” he services, high speed internet, quality explore new avenues of revenue. meant to protect jobs for locals in most “The relationship has gone south said. These three services account telephone and television from a single Nepal Telecom’s 4G LTE service has sectors, the Human Resources Chinese firms like Xiaomi are facing dramatically,” said one official, adding for 60-70 percent of the company’s line (FTTH) and value-added services been implemented nationwide, reach- Ministry said late on Thursday. delays getting approvals from India’s India was unlikely to immediately revenues. that increase data demand are expect- ing all 77 districts in the country. Last month, the ministry said the quality control agency for their approve several investments propos- hiring of foreign labour would be lim- goods, five industry sources told als from Chinese companies. ited to the construction, agriculture Reuters, as the business environment “We cannot do business as usual.” and plantation sectors, a move to deteriorates after a clash on their India had mandated the screening FOREX increase employment opportunities Himalayan border. of investment flows from China in for locals affected by the coronavirus Greater scrutiny of Chinese April but the government has been India’s July palm oil pandemic. imports follows calls for boycotts from slow in approving any since the clash. US Dollar 120.15 The ministry said more than 67,000 Indian nationalist groups linked to India’s trade ministry did not Euro 141.70 local workers and over 4,700 foreign Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rul- respond to a request for comment. workers had lost their jobs as of July. ing party, angered by the killing of 20 A senior Indian official said the Pound Sterling 157.00 imports hit 10-month high “However, there were some employ- Indian soldiers in the border clash in government was working on a new ers who claim to still need a number June. The Bureau of Indian Standards standards policy—likely to be Japanese Yen 11.26 of foreign workers and urged the gov- (BIS) has in recent weeks delayed announced by the end of August—in a Chinese Yuan 17.28 ernment to withdraw the freeze on approvals for mobile phone compo- bid to target low-quality products recruitment of new foreign workers,” nents and televisions, jeopardizing the from China and elsewhere. Qatari Riyal 32.99 Minister Saravanan Murugan said in plans of firms such as Xiaomi as well But those deliberations have stalled Australian Dollar 85.79 the statement. as Oppo, industry sources in India and approvals for even branded Chinese Saravanan urged employers to pri- China said. companies’ hoping to step up sales, Malaysian Ringit 28.65 oritise filling job vacancies with local BIS Director General Pramod one Indian industry source said. workers before considering re-employ- Kumar Tiwari did not respond to “The products are not getting clear- Saudi Arab Riyal 32.04 ing foreign workers who are still in requests for comment. China’s com- ance as quality standards are being Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Malaysia with a valid work permit. merce ministry and the foreign minis- upgraded because of which many The foreign workers, if rehired, must try did not immediately respond. product lines could be affected,” said PRICE PER TOLA work in the same sectors they were Xiaomi declined to comment, while the official, who declined to be identi- BULLION previously employed in. Oppo did not respond. fied. Chinese smartphone brands, Malaysia hosts about 2.1 million The most serious border tension in including Oppo and Xiaomi, account Fine Gold Rs 98,600 documented foreign workers, accord- decades between the Asian giants has for eight of every 10 smartphones sold REUTERS ing to government estimates. hurt already hurt their economic ties in India. Silver Rs 1,355 Palm oil seeds are seen at a plantation in Pulau Carey, Malaysia.

SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA REUTERS India buys palm oil from Indonesia MUMBAI, AUG 14 and Malaysia, and other oils, such as soyoil and sunflower oil, from GASOLINE WATCH India’s palm oil imports in July rose Argentina, Brazil, Ukraine and Gold set for worst week since March 1.4 percent from a year earlier to a Russia. 10-month high of 824,078 tonnes as a Higher imports of palm oil and soy- REUTERS Treasury yield hovered near sev- gradual easing of Covid-19 lockdowns oil lifted India’s edible oil imports in NEW YORK, AUG 14 en-week highs, while hopes for a fresh increased demand at hotels and res- July by 13 percent from a year ago to Gold has risen over round of US coronavirus relief faded taurants, a leading trade body said 1.52 million tonnes, the highest in Gold fell on Friday, on track to post its as Congress went into recess. on Friday. 11-months, the SEA said. worst week since March, as an uptick 28 percent this year Higher yields increase the opportu- The south Asian country is the Edible oil stockpiles had reduced in US Treasury yields and a logjam with most investors nity cost of holding non-yielding world’s biggest importer of edible oils drastically due to lower imports from over a US stimulus bill to help the assets such as bullion, which has and higher purchases could support March to May and that prompted coronavirus-hit economy dented the seeing it as a safe climbed over 28 percent so far this Malaysian palm oil prices and US soy- refiners to increase imports in July, metal’s allure. year. oil prices. said B.V. Mehta, executive director of Spot gold dipped 0.3 percent to haven asset. “We’re going to hit the all-time The country’s soyoil imports in July the SEA. $1,946.56 per ounce by 10:53 am EDT highs again on the likelihood of a sub- surged 52 percent from a year ago to In the first nine months of the 2019- (1453 GMT) and US gold futures fell 0.8 stantial stimulus package and the 484,525 tonnes, while sunflower oil 20 marketing year that started in percent to $1,953.80. After hitting a director of metals trading at High possibility of chaos around the elec- imports rose 4 percent to 208,747 November last year, India’s edible oil record peak of $2,072.50 on August 7 Ridge Futures. tion is going to drive people into a tonnes, the Solvent Extractors’ imports fell 11.4 percent from a year and rising over the previous nine “We might have gone a little flight to safety,” said Jeffrey Sica, Association of India (SEA) said in a earlier due to a sharp drop in imports weeks, bullion declined 4.3 percent too far, too fast, and we believe the founder of Circle Squared Alternative statement. of refined palm oil, the SEA said. this week. market is in need of a pause, a consol- Investments. Among other metals, Palm oil is mainly consumed India imposed restrictions on “The gold market had been in idation. And that’s exactly what we silver shed 2.6 percent to $26.83 per by hotels and restaurants, which imports of refined palm oil and palm- a parabolic state, so when you are seeing.” ounce, set to snap a 9-week winning restarted operations from June olein in January and later suspended throw a little pickup in yields Poor economic data from far and streak, down 5.2 percent so far. onwards and picked up pace in July, 39 licences to import refined palm along with the impasse on the stimu- wide, including disappointing US Platinum fell 0.2 percent to $955.32 said a Mumbai-based dealer with a from neighbouring countries such as lus bill, it was going to see a bit of a retail sales, also did not help safe-hav- and palladium eased 0.2 percent at global trading house. Nepal and Bangladesh. retracement,” said David Meger, en gold. The benchmark US 10-year $2,162.39. China’s economic recovery underwhelms as consumer comeback stays elusive

REUTERS was slightly offset by firmer cent fall. The decline in retail sales Fixed-asset investment fell 1.6 per- BEIJING, AUG 14 property investment, which showed was broad based with garments, cos- cent in January-July from the same recent stimulus was supporting metics, home appliances and furni- period last year, in line with expecta- China’s retail sales slipped in July, construction. ture all worsening from June. tions but slower than a 3.1 percent dashing expectations for a modest Some analysts attributed the loss of A key exception was auto sales, decline in the first half of the year. rise, as consumers in the world’s sec- momentum in the economy to the tor- which surged 12.3 percent, turning July property investment grew at the ond-largest economy failed to shake rential rains that have flooded around from a 8.2 percent fall in June. quickest clip since April last year, off wariness about the coronavirus, Southern China since June and sever- “Despite narrowing declines in underpinned by solid construction while the factory sector’s recovery al fresh Covid-19 outbreaks that led to investment, consumption remained activity and easier lending. New home struggled to pick up pace. partial lockdowns. weak, highlighting the lasting eco- prices rose at a slightly slower pace in Asian markets pulled back on “Although there could be a modest nomic shock from the coronavirus July from a month earlier. Friday following the disappointing set rebound in some investment activities pandemic,” said Zhang Yi, chief econ- Infrastructure investment, a power- of economic indicators, which raised if the floods subside in coming omist at Zhonghai Shengrong Capital ful driver of growth, fell 1.0 percent concerns about the fragility of China’s months, we expect sequential recov- Management. year-on-year, easing from a decline of emergence from coronavirus. ery momentum to get weaker in H2,” “Given we are likely to see a resur- 2.7 percent in the first half. China’s recovery had been gaining Nomura analysts said in a note, citing gence of Covid in the autumn and “After the floods are over, I believe momentum after the pandemic para- factors such as receding pent-up winter, it is not recommended that the reconstruction work for affected lysed huge swathes of the economy as demand, diminished chances of monetary policy be tightened too areas will boost fixed-asset investment pent-up demand, government stimu- more policy easing and rising prematurely and fiscal policy stay and industrial production,” said Iris lus and surprisingly resilient exports US-China tensions. insufficient.” Pang, chief economist for Greater revived activity. Industrial output grew 4.8 percent China’s July nationwide sur- REUTERS China at ING. However, July data from the in July from a year earlier, in line with vey-based jobless rate remained ele- People wear protective face masks as they are seen in a shopping complex in Beijing, China. Another major risk is the increas- National Bureau of Statistics on June’s growth but less than a forecast vated at 5.7 percent, the same as June. ingly tense US-China relationship Friday showed weaker-than-expected 5.1 percent rise. Helping carry the recovery, however, structure spending to accelerate in growth in the second quarter after a ahead of the US presidential elections year-on-year industrial output growth Retail sales dropped 1.1 percent on was investment, which was driven by coming months on the back of govern- deep slump at the start of the year, but in November, which analysts say has and retail sales extending declines year, missing predictions for a 0.1 per- the fast expansion in the property sec- ment support. unexpected weakness in domestic con- prompted Beijing to focus on domesti- into a seventh straight month. That cent rise and following June’s 1.8 per- tor, with analysts expecting infra- China’s economy returned to sumption has slowed the momentum. cally driven growth.

C M Y K SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020 | 06 WORLD India’s coronavirus death toll rises, Seoul cases jump More than 70 percent infected in India have recovered.

ASSOCIATED PRESS have emerged as major sources of NEW DELHI, AUG 14 infections after many of them failed to require worshippers to wear masks or India’s coronavirus death toll over- allowed them to sing in choirs or eat took Britain’s to become the together in diners. Prime Minister fourth-highest in the world with Chung Sye-kyun said authorities will another single-day record increase in be forced to consider elevating social cases on Friday. distancing measures if transmissions According to the Health Ministry, continue to rise. That may include India reported 1,007 deaths in the bans on large gatherings, shutting past 24 hours. Its total rose to 48,040 “high-risk” facilities such as karaoke deaths, behind the United States, bars and again banning spectators Brazil and Mexico. from sports stadiums. India’s confirmed cases reached North Korean leader Kim Jong Un 2,461,190 with at single-day spike of lifted a lockdown at a major city near 64,553 cases reported in the past 24 the border with South Korea where hours, the ministry said. India is thousands had been quarantined for behind the United States and Brazil in weeks over coronavirus worries. But total positive cases. More than 70 per- Kim also at a ruling party meeting cent of people infected in India insisted the North will keep its bor- have recovered. ders shut. State media reported Kim The daily increase in newly report- said the virus situation in Kaesong ed infections was around 15,000 in the was stable and expressed gratitude to first week of July but jumped to more residents for cooperating with the than 50,000 in the first week of August. lockdown. The lockdown was based on AP/RSS The ministry cited its testing efforts, a suspected virus case but North Buskers perform for small change at a busy intersection in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Friday. with more than 800,000 tests in a sin- Korea later said the person’s test gle day, taking cumulative tests to results were inconclusive. more than 26 million. Health experts New Zealand’s government has say it needs to be higher, given India’s extended a lockdown of its largest city population of 1.4 billion. Auckland for another 12 days as it India’s two-month lockdown tries to stamp out its first domestic China attacks demand to register culture institutes imposed nationwide in late March coronavirus outbreak in more than kept infections low. But it has eased three months. The outbreak has and is now largely being enforced in grown to 30 people and extended ASSOCIATED PRESS The designation requires the ment propaganda and interfering in high-risk areas. The new cases spiked beyond Auckland for the first time. BEIJING, AUG 14 Confucius Institute US Center, based academic independence over issues after India reopened shops and manu- Until the cluster was discovered Around 500 US in Washington, to submit reports to such as Hong Kong and Tibet. facturing and allowed hundreds of Tuesday, New Zealand had gone 102 China accused the United States on classrooms are the US government about its funding, China has cast the institutes as its thousands of migrant workers to days without infections spreading in Friday of trying to “demonise and personnel, curriculum and other own version of language and culture return to their homes from coronavi- the community, with the only known stigmatise” relations between the two affiliated with the activities in the United States. centres operated by the US, France, rus-hit regions. Subways, schools and cases travellers quarantined after countries, in a scathing attack on “We’re not kicking them out. We’re Germany, Britain and other nations, movie theaters remain closed. arriving from abroad. Prime Minister the Trump administration’s designa- Confucius Institute. just highlighting the fact that these but controversially has sought to South Korea reported 103 new virus Jacinda Ardern says extending the tion of Chinese-funded language folks do work for the Ministry of embed them in schools rather than cases, one of its biggest daily jumps in lockdown will give health authorities and culture programmes in the US as Education of the [Chinese] Communist having them operate independently. months, as officials express concerned time to get a handle on the cluster and foreign missions of the Chinese Zhao said the accusations against Party,” Assistant Secretary of State The designation is the latest in a that infections are getting out of con- isolate those infected. Communist Party. the institutes were without basis and for East Asia and Pacific Affairs David series of Trump administration deci- trol in cities. Eighty-three of the new A man in his 20s has become the Foreign ministry spokesperson were motivated by “ideological preju- Stilwell said in making the announce- sions against China as tensions cases were from the Seoul area, and youngest person to die of the corona- Zhao Lijian said branches of the dice and self-interest.” ment Thursday. between the two nations rise over infections were also reported in virus in Australia. He was among 14 Confucius Institute US Center operat- “The relevant US approach is to About 500 kindergarten through trade, technology, human rights and Busan, Gwangju and Ulsan. Lee Jae- new deaths and 372 new infections ing at US schools and colleges are a demonise and stigmatise the normal 12th grade classrooms are affiliated the coronavirus, which was first myung, governor of Gyeonggi prov- reported by Victoria state health offi- “bridge and link to help people from operation of China-US cooperation with the Confucius Institute in the US, reported in Wuhan, China. ince near Seoul, issued an administra- cials Friday in an outbreak centred in all over the world learn Chinese, projects. We strongly deplore and Stilwell said. The institute also oper- Last month, the US ordered the tive order to shut down the province’s Melbourne, the second-largest city. understand China, and strengthen oppose it,” Zhao said at a daily brief- ates on 65 US campuses, less than Chinese Consulate in Houston to 15,779 religious facilities, mostly And Prime Minister Scott Morrison educational and cultural exchanges ing. He said China would “reserve before because some universities have close, prompting China to shutter the Christian churches, for two weeks to said 188 elderly people had died over and cooperation between China and the right to make further responses to closed the programs over concerns American Consulate in the southwest- slow the spread of the virus. Churches the past week. other countries.” this matter.” they were spreading Chinese govern- ern city of Chengdu.

BRIEFING South Asian countries count losses China’s potential vaccine Vietnam to buy Russian vaccine triggers antibodies in trials HANOI: from devastating monsoon floods Vietnam has registered to buy a Russian Covid-19 vaccine, state tele- vision reported on Friday, as it fights Bangladesh, which is crisscrossed by REUTERS ease control authorities and research a new outbreak after going several 230 rivers, is the last channel through BEIJING, AUG 14 institutes. months with no local cases. Russia which waters are drained into the Bay The results were based on data said on Wednesday that it would roll of Bengal. A coronavirus vaccine candidate from 320 healthy adults in Phase 1 and out the world’s first Covid-19 vaccine Experts have long been warning developed by a unit of China National 2 trials. within two weeks, rejecting the con- that a densely populated delta country Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) The candidate triggered robust anti- cerns of experts who said it should like Bangladesh is one of the worst appeared to be safe and triggered body responses in inoculated people, not have been approved before com- victims of climate change, and severe antibody-based immune responses but it remained unknown if that was pleting large-scale trials. “In the and frequent floods indicate that in early and mid-stage trials, research- sufficient to prevent Covid-19 infec- meantime, Vietnam will still something has gone wrong. ers said. tion, researchers developing the vac- continue developing the country’s “The current major floods affecting The candidate has already moved cine said in the paper. own Covid-19 vaccine,” state broad- millions of people in Bangladesh into a late-stage trial, one of a handful Sinopharm’s chairman told state caster Vietnam Television (VTV) along with super cyclone Amphan of candidates being tested on several media last month that a potential vac- said, citing the Ministry of Health. that hit the country a few months ago thousand people to see if they are cine could be ready by the end of this Vietnam has signed up for 50-150 mil- are both linked to human induced cli- effective enough to win regulatory year with Phase 3 testing expected to lion doses of the vaccine, Tuoi AP/RSS mate now becoming a reality,” said approval. be completed in about three months. A Bangladeshi man cuts an uprooted tree as the area around him is seen submerged with Saleemul Huq, a Bangladeshi expert Sinopharm is testing the potential The novel coronavirus, which has Tre newspaper reported. Some flooded waters in Manikganj, some 100 km from Dhaka, Bangladesh, on Thursday. on climate change and director of the vaccine in the United Arab Emirates killed more than 750,000 people global- will be a “donation” from Russia, International Center for Climate in a Phase 3 trial expected to recruit ly, has prompted a race to develop a Tuoi Tre said, with Vietnam paying ASSOCIATED PRESS as a result of the devastation of this Change and Development. 15,000 people, as China has too few vaccine. More than 150 candidate vac- for the rest. DHAKA, AUG 14 year’s monsoon floods. Nearly 700 He said Bangladesh needs to ramp new cases to be a useful trial site. cines are being developed and tested have died. up its diplomacy to convince global The state-owned company will also around the world. Doctors wary of rapidly When the Dharala River burst its A third of Bangladesh went under- powers to reduce their greenhouse gas supply the candidate to Pakistan as Russia became the first country to banks in early July, Kamal Hossain water, including Hossain’s district of emissions as many countries had part of a trial agreement, the Wall grant regulatory approval to a vaccine approved vaccine left his home with five members of his Kurigram, after most of its 16 rivers agreed in the Paris Agreement on Street Journal reported. after less than two months of human MOSCOW: A majority of Russian doc- family to take shelter in a school in overflowed following torrential rains Climate Change in 2015. The impact of The shot did not cause any serious testing, and a shot developed by tors would not feel comfortable being northern Bangladesh, carrying their and violent onrush of waters from global warming in South Asia is evi- side effects, according to a paper pub- Chinese firm CanSino Bilogics has injected with Russia’s new Covid-19 most prized belongings: cattle, a few upstream India, which was also tor- dent by a steady sea level rise, changes lished on Thursday in the Journal of been cleared for use in the military. vaccine due to the lack of sufficient sacks of rice and clothes. mented by the floods as rivers cut in ambient temperature and rainfall the American Medical Association China is leading the development of data about it and its super-fast Like him, an estimated 17.5 million their ways from as far as the patterns and an increase in cyclonic (JAMA) by scientists who are part of at least eight vaccine candidates in approval, a survey of more than 3,000 people across South Asia are suffering Himalayan nation of Nepal. activity, experts say. Sinopharm and other China-based dis- different stages of clinical trials. medical professionals showed on Friday. Russia has said that the world’s first vaccine for the novel coronavirus will be rolled out by the end of this month, with doctors among those set to be administered As UAE hails Israel accord, silence from Saudi Arabia with it on a voluntary basis. The vaccine, called “Sputnik V” in hom- age to the world’s first satellite REUTERS US President Donald Trump in Middle kingdom shared pictures of the late launched by the Soviet Union in 1957, DUBAI/RIYADH, AUG 14 East diplomacy ahead of his Nov 3 King Faisal, who during the October has yet to complete its final trials and re-election bid. But, should he be 1973 Arab-Israeli war led an oil embar- some scientists said they fear Moscow As media and people in the United defeated by Democratic presidential go that aimed to punish the United may be putting national prestige Arab Emirates hailed the Gulf state’s candidate Joe Biden, the UAE could States and other countries for their before safety. deal to normalise relations with Israel gain an advantage over Riyadh in rela- support of Israel. as a diplomatic victory that helps tions with the United States. Users shared a quote from one of the Palestinians, silence reigned in “The move positions the UAE nicely Faisal’s speeches: “If all Arabs agreed Australian Biden-Harris Saudi Arabia, longtime figurehead of should Biden win, as it will help to accept the existence of Israel and cartoon sparks furore regional policy towards Israel. smooth things over with [the US] dividing Palestine, we will never join Analysts see the surprise UAE- Congress and, by doing so, leave Saudi them.” On Thursday morning, the MELBOURNE: A cartoon in Australia’s Israel agreement announced on Arabia outflanked and more exposed Arabic hashtag “Gulfis_Against_ biggest national newspaper drew con- Thursday as a strategic boost for the than ever before,” said Neil Quilliam, Normalisation” was trending in third demnation on Friday as being racist UAE’s regional and global standing associate fellow with Chatham place in Saudi Arabia. for portraying US Democratic presi- that could put it ahead of its powerful House and managing director of Saudi Arabia, a close US ally, has dential candidate Joe Biden describ- Saudi neighbour and ally, especially in Azure Strategy. been ruled by 84-year-old King Salman ing his new running mate, Kamala critical relations with Washington. “This must be the real concern for since 2015. He has overseen bold Harris, as “this little brown girl”. The Saudi Arabia is the Gulf ’s largest the Saudi leadership right now - and changes at home and abroad led by cartoon by Johannes Leak in Rupert economy and the world’s biggest oil the lead calculation on how to respond Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Murdoch’s The Australian newspaper, exporter, but the UAE has in recent to the UAE-Israel move.” or MbS as he is widely referred to, known for its conservative views, years become increasingly assertive Last year Congress passed legisla- Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler and next AP/RSS depicted a beaming Biden saying in its own foreign policy, especially in tion to block sales of some weapons to in line to the throne. Tel Aviv City Hall was lit up with the flags of the United Arab Emirates and Israel as the nations Harris, the first Black woman on a regional hot spots such as Libya, Saudi Arabia and the UAE in an Both Saudi Arabia and Israel view announced they would be establishing full diplomatic ties, in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Thursday. major-party national ticket, would Sudan and Yemen. In July last year attempt to pressure the Gulf states Iran as the major threat to the Middle help “heal a nation divided by rac- the UAE said it was withdrawing its over civilian casualties in the Yemen East. Increased tension between two. However, King Salman’s position peace deal remains elusive. ism” while he went “for a lie-down.” troops from Yemen where it had joint- war. The legislation was vetoed by Tehran and Riyadh has fuelled specu- as custodian of Islam’s holiest sites “To do so would risk losing public It’s offensive and racist, Andrew ly with Saudi Arabia led a Western- President Donald Trump. lation that shared interests may push makes it harder or the kingdom to support at a time of significant Giles, an Australian Labor politician backed coalition fighting the Iran- While there has been no official the Saudis and Israel to work together, take the same step as the UAE while economic crisis and would give a and shadow cabinet minister, said aligned Houthis since 2015. comment from the Saudis on the UAE- and there have been signs in recent the status of Jerusalem remains unre- boon to Iran at such a delicate time,” on Twitter. (AGENCIES) The accord was a rare triumph for Israel pact so far, Twitter users in the years of some thawing between the solved and an Israeli-Palestinian said Quilliam.

C M Y K 07 | SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020 SPORTS | MEDLEY Leipzig stun Atletico to reach semi-final Looking forward to Leeds United M SHRESTHA mid-table Championship team, Leeds United had seen glory days in the The German side earn 2-1 win to enter the Champions League last four for the first time, to meet PSG on Wednesday. PL WATCH Premier League era. In the 2000-01 season they reached the semi-final of REUTERS the Champions League, beating LISBON, AUG 14 Real Madrid on the way. While in the Legend has it that Marcelo Biesla, Premier League from 1992 to 2004 RB Leipzig stunned Atletico Madrid, then coaching at the Argentine club they routinely competed for European with a 2-1 victory in their Champions Newell’s Old Boys, recruited young places. The gamble for riches Europe League quarter-final on Thursday, to Mauricio Pochettino on the evidence promised, signing players beyond reach the competition’s last four for of the size of his thighs seeing him their reach, however, proved the first time in their club’s short his- sleeping. He had arrived at the young to be their undoing. They were rele- tory. With two minutes of normal time kid’s home late and did not want to gated to the Championship, slid fur- remaining, United States midfielder wake him up. Before Pep Guaridola ther down to League One in 2007, went Tyler Adams snatched victory with a began his managerial career he went bankrupt, changed ownership three deflected shot from outside the box to to meet Biesla to pick his brains and times, lost in the play off fincal in set up a semi-final clash with Paris St later called him “the best coach in the 2016-17 before the arrival of the Germain. world”. When Leeds United represent- maverick. The German side had taken the lead atives approached him before the 2018- Two off the pitch incidents in in the 51st minute with a header from 19 season began, he flummoxed them Biesla’s first season stand out. He Spanish forward Dani Olmo but a dis- with a tactical analysis of every team made his players humbly pick litter jointed Atletico were shaken into life of the Championship. around the training ground to make when record signing Joao Felix came He is El Loco, or the crazy one. In players understand the work fans put off the bench, earning and scoring a August 2015 he quit Marseille after a in to earn enough to watch them play. penalty to level in the 71st. Atletico, game into the season saying he had The other was Biesla sending a mem- runners-up in 2014 and 2016, looked not been supported in the transfer ber of the coaching staff, equipped more likely to score the next goal but window, having already managed the with binoculars, to spy on Derby it was the club founded only eleven team one full season. Next year, he County’s training session. Hell broke years ago who were left celebrating in quit Lazio two days after signing as loose. Leeds were fined 200,000 pounds. front of the empty seats of the Estadio the manager and even before the Biesla never denied the accusation Jose Alvalade. Now the team, built up season began again for the lack of and paid the fine from his own pocket. from the lower leagues and owned by support. The year after that True to form, the crazy one, instead, energy drinks company Red Bull, will Lille sacked him after 13 games in his next press conference, which come up against Neymar and compa- in-charge with the team second from lasted two hours, expounded on the ny with a chance at a place in the bottom following disagreements with tactics of every opponent as if to say, August 23 final. the club. “I don’t need to spy. I know all I need to As with all games in this ‘final Leeds United players were initiated know anyway.” eight’ mini-tournament, there were no into his exacting ways early on. Biesla’s second season was more of fans to witness the drama but it was Training sessions were grueling, and the same as his first, competing with clear from the outset that Leipzig felt sometimes there were two a day. He West Bromwich Albion, the recent at home among European football’s AP/RSS demands that players are on the move arrival from the Premier League, elite. They fired an early warning shot Leipzig’s Dani Olmo (left) and Atletico Madrid’s Koke vie for the ball during their Champions League quarter-final match in Lisbon on Thursday. all the time playing in a 3-3-3-1 system and armed with parachute payments, when Marcel Halstenberg was picked with seven players attacking and nine for the top spot throughout the out at the back post but his difficult Dayot Upamecano that was the most header flashing past Jan Oblak and Atletico sensed the momentum had defending while he watches from the season. Fortunately, there was no volley flew off target. Atletico impressive. Solid defensively, taking into the far, bottom corner. shifted and they pushed forward in sidelines sitting on a ‘plastic bucket’ repeat of the first season. Some responded with Yannick Carrasco care of Atletico’s over-isolated striker The goal prompted Atletico boss search of a winner, which looked the with height of his specification say had it not been for the pandemic bursting in from the left and firing Diego Costa, he also had the confi- Diego Simeone into a change, with more likely outcome, possibly in because that is where he gets the best break, the team would have unravelled goalwards but Leipzig keeper Peter dence to bring the ball out of the back Felix, the 20-year-old Portugal interna- extra-time, as Leipzig struggled to view of the game. The exhaustion the again. But we will never know. Gulacsi reacted well to push the and be the starting point for Leipzig’s tional and club record signing, intro- regain control of the game. continuous movement entailed had its Leeds United, the team with a fan base effort wide. moves. duced in the 58th minute. But with two minutes of normal say in Biesla’s first year. They had that competes with the likes of Julian Nagelsmann’s side quickly It was impossible not to wonder how The move paid off when Felix glid- time remaining, substitute Adams been neck in neck with Norwich at the Liverpool and Manchester United in settled though into the brand of different the game might have been if ed into the box and was brought down tried his luck with shot from outside top throughout the season. However, English football, won the attractive passing and movement that Leipzig had not sold their top scorer by an ill-timed tackle from Lukas the box, which deflected off defender the 46-game league was too much to Championship trophy and are back in has earned them many admirers. Timo Werner to Chelsea in June, Klostermann for a penalty. Felix Stefan Savic and beat the wrong-foot- take with the Biesla brand of football. Premier League after 16 long Kevin Kampl was busy in the centre given the lack of a real threat in hasn’t had the most impactful of debut ed Oblak. Having lost the automatic promotion years. And a philosopher of the game of midfield and left wing back attack. But six minutes after the inter- seasons but he had the confidence to Atletico piled on the pressure but places, Leeds played in the leads it. Angelino was enjoying plenty of space val, they found a way through - Marcel get to his feet and bury the spot kick to Leipzig had the belief and the play-offs and lost to Derby County in But with El Loco uncertainty down the flanks but it was the perfor- Sabitzer’s cross from the right was get the Spaniards back on level terms fortitude to hold on for their most the semi-final. always reigns. He is yet to renew his mance of French central defender met by Olmo, the Spaniard’s angled with 19 minutes left. famous victory. But the fans had been won over. A two-year contract. Holder Andreescu withdraws from US Open tennis REUTERS “After many discussions with those Elina Svitolina (five) and Dutchwoman degree necessary to play at my TORONTO, AUG 14 closest to me, I have made the difficult Kiki Bertens (seven). highest level.” decision not to return to New York Her decision also means the Grand The United States Tennis Bianca Andreescu said on Thursday this year,” said Andreescu, who beat Slam will be missing both reigning Association decided to go ahead she will not defend her title at the Serena Williams last year to become singles champions as men’s world with the Grand Slam without specta- US Open in New York as the Covid-19 Canada’s first tennis Grand Slam sin- number two Rafael Nadal previously tors while players will be asked to pandemic has compromised her gles champion. said he would skip the event. follow strict measures, including reg- ability to reach her highest level of “I have taken this step in order to “The US Open victory last year has ular testing, in a bid to avoid spread of form. focus on my match fitness and ensure been the high point of my career this the virus. The 20-year-old Canadian, who has that I return ready to play at my high- far and I will miss not being there,” “I want to express my appreciation not competed since she suffered a est level.” said Andreescu. to the USTA and the WTA for all of knee injury last October at the WTA World number six Andreescu is the “However, I realise that the unfore- their efforts in making the event hap- Finals in Shenzhen, joins a growing latest top-10 player on the women’s seen challenges, including the pen,” said Andreescu. “I look forward REUTERS list of high-profile players to pull out side to skip the US Open, joining pandemic, have compromised my to joining my competitors back on Bianca Andreescu. of the August 31-September 13 event. Australian Ash Barty (one), Ukraine’s ability to prepare and compete to the court soon.” HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) ***** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) *** Why would you listen to anyone who tells you that Your friends are adding a lot of positivity to your life If someone confuses you today, just avoid them, no You have lots of positive energy right now, and you can’t reach one of your goals? Someone as right now, and they represent the answer to the puz- matter how attractive you may find them. People there’s the possibility of some exciting changes. It charming and dedicated as you can work their way zle you’ve been trying to figure out. One of them also who send mixed messages, play games, and just could even mean an additional income source. Be around any obstacles thrown in your path. Listen has an excellent idea that can help you initiate a new aren’t clear about who they are in general have noth- prepared for a lot of negotiation, but the outcome only to yourself. plan of action toward that latest goal. ing of any real value to add to your life. could be positive.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) ***** You have the ability to see yourself objectively. This You have a lot of power today, which could cause There could be an unexpected snag in a relationship You are in a learning phase right now, and level of insight is a luxury, so take advantage of it. some conflict with your partner. They might not be today. Luckily, it will be funnier than it is serious, your mind is seriously ready to take in new Evaluate some recent accomplishments in your life comfortable with this fact and they could even be and the two of you will end up laughing over it even- information. You’re ready to hear the arguments for and reward yourself in some way. It’s okay to praise feeling a bit paranoid that you’re going to take some- tually. As long as you utilise your sense of humour and against issues without getting defensive or yourself if no one does. thing from them. when things get tense, you two will do just fine. offended.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) *** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) ***** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** You need some healthy debate to stimulate your mind An opportunity for a trip could be coming your way You can handle any negotiations easily today. Take time to appreciate the simple beauty all around and amp up your energy, so try not to totally sur- soon. If you already have a trip planned, you can But the best part of it all is that everyone will you today, whether it’s a flower, your cat, or a perfect round yourself with like-minded people. It might expect it to go incredibly well. A big payoff is due give you preference gladly. Your style and charm cup of coffee. Your creativity needs some aesthetic make for a mellow and calm day, but it will also stifle today on the financial front as well, and it’s one you enable you to get what you want without ticking inspiration to fully blossom right now, so feed it all your creativity and limit your opportunities. should share with the people you love. anyone off. the natural beauty you can. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2020 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 'Libraries are fundamental for the transformation of society' Indira Dali, a librarian advocate, talks about her passion for libraries and how such a facility has been neglected over the years of the country’s development.

or Indira Dali, books knowledgeable person in the turns to run the library through are her whole life. The world.” four rooms in Sanepa at Biddya 72-year-old librarian, Hada Shrestha’s house. About 15 who is also an advocate Did that dream change with children from the neighbourhood of libraries, has worked time? used to visit almost every day to build the foundation before the pandemic started, Fof many libraries in the country. In grade 6, my whole life crashed. sometimes the children number She is currently the chair of the After my younger sister was born, reached up to 40 to 45. Many of Dilli Raman Kalayani Regmi my father left us to marry another the children who visit the library Memorial Library Development woman in Kathmandu, as my are from the lower economic stra- Board. She was also the coordina- mother could not give him a son. ta, for them our library is a safe tor of the library master plan And we didn’t have money and I learning space. committee for the Nepal National had stopped going to school. But my dream to open a library Library and the library digitisa- I was broken but I really want- is still not fulfilled. What I want to tion and automation committee, a ed to study. do is open a National Children task force committee created in One day, my headmaster, in Library, and then I will be able to 2016 by the Ministry of Education Tika Bidya School, came to visit die in peace. to develop the library system and me and gave me the opportunity services in the country. to study in a free seat. And that’s What does the current situation After the national library was how I continued my education. of the National Library reflect ravaged by the 2015 earthquake, it How I got into higher education about Nepal? was Dali who had pushed forward is another interesting story. I was the conversation of having a sepa- trying to get into Madan Memorial Not many understand the need, rate space for the national library Girl’s High School for grade 10, importance and the role of the with former chief librarian Yadav and Parijat [the writer] was in national library in the transfor- Chandra Niraula. charge of holding the test. She mation of society as well as And ever since the government asked me to write an essay about national development. A national called off the construction of the books, but I struggled. By the end, library is an apex body that library, she has been angry. Dali I could only write two lines, which needs to collect all kinds of intel- says the news has only consolidat- I thought would not be good POST PHOTO: SRIZU BAJRACHARYA lectual and cultural heritage cre- ed what she’s always felt: the enough. But Parijat insisted that I the campuses around the city. looking at the recent state of the of achieving an advanced level of ated and published within and country cares little for the devel- should get a chance to study, And they sent me to manage Nepal National Library. And study. And after that I also went to outside the country. It’s a cultural opment of libraries, and for its because of the two lines I had Padma Kanya Campus Library. At those days were no different, it teach in the Department of heritage that a country can take people’s minds. written. And to this day, I remem- first, I was reluctant to go with was never given the respect it Library Science in Tribhuvan pride in. In a conversation with the Post’ ber the lines very clearly: Book is the offer, as at the time I was only deserved. And that was why I University. However, our country’s library Srizu Bajracharya, Dali talks the medicine of minds that cures thinking of completing my PhD became determined to do some- has been in ruins since the earth- about her love for books, her even those diseases which can’t and I knew nothing about run- thing in this field. And so, instead You have always wanted to start quake. More than 5,000 sacks of dream of studying and her view be cured even by any medicine or ning a library. But they insisted I of pursuing my PhD degree in a children library. How is that books are still stored in two rooms about the national library’s con- doctors. take library science training for a Economics, in 1980, I went to plan going? and about 21,000 books are shelved struction halt. month, and in 1975, I started study Bachelors in Library in open racks. And many of these How did your journey as a librar- working in the Padma Kanya Science at Punjab University, In 2010, professor Dr Jiwan books are rotting away. How were you introduced to the ian start? Campus Library. Chandigarh, India. Shrestha, human right activist It is so sad to see the National world of books? But with time I realised the And after that, I came back and Ganga Kasaju, professor Biddya Library in the condition it is in In 1967, I started working for the importance of libraries and came worked at Tribhuvan University’ Hada Shrestha shared their idea today. For the first time, we were My father was a teacher, and at Department of Hydrology and to learn the job of a librarian is Central Library. There I met about starting an organisation for developing a master plan to make our home in Yangal, where we Meteorology as a senior climato- one of the most pious professions Nobue Yamada, who was a volun- women and children and asked me the library a separate entity in lived in the 1950s, there were six logical assistant. But it was really in the world. A librarian wel- teer from Japan Overseas to be a member. But I told them I itself. But the government abrupt- to seven shelves full of books, difficult to juggle studying with comes each and everyone without Cooperation Volunteers. She was not interested in the idea. ly halted all our plans. The poli- mostly containing English litera- the job because of long shifts at any discrimination to fulfil their worked at the UN section of the But when they insisted we work tics and corruption is clearly visi- ture. My father used to read them work. I was trying to complete my knowledge needs. And I wanted to library. Yamada really liked my together, I told them I always ble but we are stuck. And this to me. PhD and it was really difficult for be that person who could connect working style and she recom- wanted to open a children library. really hurts because libraries are As a child, I used to dream of me to even meet my guide teacher people with knowledge. mended my name for advanced I also told them I would provide fundamental for the development reading books from all around the or visit the Central Library. library science training in Japan. all necessary books and educa- of the country. What was more world. And I was innocent to And Tribhuvan University had Were libraries popular in those This was in 1983 and I visited tional toys, furniture and take on disheartening was that this believe that I would be able to do announced a few vacancy posi- days? many libraries there. the management of the library by obstruction didn’t see a public that. Every morning, I used to tions for assistant administrators And then in 1998, I went to myself. In return, I asked them to outcry, which only solidifies what announce to my father: “I and so I applied for it. But I later No, it was the opposite. You can Bangalore University in India to arrange for a space, which they I was saying earlier: that the don’t want to do anything in life realised the position was not for imagine how our attitude has pursue Masters in Library and accepted. country doesn’t value an institu- but study. I want to be the most the Kirtipur-based university but been towards libraries just by Information Science, as I dreamed Since then we have been taking tion like the library. BEST-SELLERS | NEW RELEASES

Fiction

1. Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud and the Last Trial of Harper Lee by Casey Cep 2. The Secretary by Renee Knight 3. The Golden House by Salman Rushdie 4. The Guardians by John Grisham 5. Raavan by Amish Source: Mandala Book Point Source:

Non-Fiction 1. Studies In Nepali History and Society: Volume 25, No.1, June 2020 by Pratyoush Onta, Mark Liechty, Seira Cabals and Cartels Parityakta Shameless Tamang, Tatsuro Fujikura Author: Rajib Upadhya Author: Bhuwan Dhungana Author: Taslima Nasreen Publication: FinePrint Publication: Publication Nepalaya Publication: HarperCollins 2. 8 to Great: How to Take Charge of Price: Rs 720 Price: Rs 275 Price: Rs 638 Your Life and Make Positive Changes by M K Muller Upadhyay’s new book is part Bhuwan Dhungana tells a Taslima Nasreen’s Shameless is a 3. The Politics of Nepal: Persistence and memoir and part political-economy fictional story about a woman’s awak- sequel to her bestseller Lajja about Change in and Asian Monarchy by Leo analysis of the reform years of ening to her identity amid her Suranjan. In this book, Taslima her- E Rose and Margaret W Fisher the 1990s. It talks about the roles as a daughter, wife and self is a character revisiting the char- 4. Nepal’s Quinquennial Mission to China country’s development and its mother, which she had been acter of her book Suranjan who has by Tri Ranta Manandhar & Tirtha political and economical transition undertaking for years. Dhungana been living an incomplete life in their Prashad Mishra and gives a glimpse into how cartels questions society and through so-called safe haven. The story revolves and cabals shaped the country’s her story aspires women to be around the Dutta family, who have 5. Nepal World View by Madhu Raman reforms. ambitious. arrived in the Hindu land from Dhaka. Acharya

Despite its predictability, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl is an engaging watch What’s refreshing about the film is that it shows Gunjan Saxena as a human being with her own dreams, rather than as an hyper-nationalist ‘daughter of the nation’.

ANKIT KHADGI than just that, it is also a person- while I was dubious at first, of instance, take the last scene, KATHMANDU al, moving tale of a young girl whether the actor was the right when the flight-commander-in- who fought sexist and patriarchal choice to play the role of Gunjan chief who always troubled he film starts thus: notions to realise her desire of Saxena (judging her on the basis Gunjan realises his mistake in the flight command- flying. of her first film Dhadak), here, misjudging Gunjan, as she ends er-in-chief is From her childhood, all Saxena she had done a fairly decent job. up saving his life, the creators use informed that there’s dreamt of was becoming a pilot, As an actor, she has made a typical Hindi filmi-esque way to an immediate need for flying high in the sky. But since a progress. Her calm demeanour depict his realisation. The an air force officer for young child, she is constantly and her stoic voice brings an over-dramatised scene brings Ta rescue operation. Tension reminded, either by family mem- innocence, sincerity and vulnera- down the film’s otherwise overall builds, the army panics and then bers or society, that as she is a girl bility that Gunjan’s character nuanced story-telling. we see someone running towards her dreams should be limited. required. Regardless, the film celebrates a helipad. The camera moves in But regardless of whatever Likewise, the colour palette of Gunjan Saxena, a strong woman, slow-motion, and then we see views society passes onto her, she PHOTO CREDIT: SCREENGRAB VIA NETLIFX the movie as well as the produc- who doesn’t just fulfil her duty as Gunjan Saxena, taking charge of is determined to fulfil her dreams, or his actions (in one scene, he ed society. tion design also encapsulates the a soldier of the state but also as a the mission. which her father (played by makes her arm wrestle with Likewise, the beauty of the film time and space the movie is set in, woman who follows her dream. This is how the audience is Pankaj Tripathi) is fully support- another air force officer to prove also lies in how the creators have making the movie quite authen- And while the film may not be introduced to Gunjan Saxena ive of. But her journey of becom- his point that women are weaker humanised Gunjan’s story. The tic. The war scenes are choreo- an as powerful and nuanced femi- (played by Janvi Kapoor), a ing one of the first female air than men), Singh constantly protagonist is not a hyper-nation- graphed well as well; however, nist movie like Kangana Ranaut’s 24-year-old flight lieutenant, who force officers isn’t easy. comes in her way. alist character, whose only aim is there are moments where the CGI Queen, in the landscape of Hindi was the only female pilot to be There are struggles—whether However, Singh isn’t portrayed to protect the valour of the nation. is not as good. cinema, which still mints money part of the 1999 Kargil War, fought it’s the constant change in the as a menacing villain who is plot- She is an ordinary girl, who has However, regardless of the by making Munni Badnam or by between India and Pakistan, requirements in the Indian air ting plans against her and whose her own dreams and aspirations, heartfelt story and good acting, making audiences lusting over where she played a major role in force (which is cleverly shown only life goal is to stop Saxena her own inner conflicts and the film becomes too simplistic at Sheila’s jawani, Gunjan Saxena is conducting rescue operations as through a series of montages) or from flying or make her life mis- dilemmas. times. The ‘hero’s journey’ trope a film that gives space for women well as transporting supplies and the constant sexism showed by erable. Rather it’s his thought, his Another highlight of the movie is so evident and has been used so to tell their personal story—of helping in surveillance for Indian her colleagues, who find various mindset, and his fragile male ego is Gunjan’s warm relationship many times that there’s no sur- struggles and successes that are force. ways not to fly with her, as they that is shown as villainous, mak- with her father. Whenever Pankaj prise element in the movie. It fol- they own. Based on her life, Netflix’s lat- believe she isn’t capable of flying ing the movie depict a nuanced appears, his presence lightens up lows the basic template of how est movie Gunjan Saxena: The because she is a women. These and subtle depiction of sexism. the screen, both literally and figu- most biographies are written: the Kargil Girl brings forth a rousing struggles become the focal point And writers Sharma and ratively. A true chameleon, he protagonist faces a series of hur- GUNJAN SAXENA: THE tale of a woman, who, fighting all of the narrative. Mehrotra deserve credit for hav- deeply immerses himself into the dles but emerges victorious in KARGIL GIRL of the odds, was successful in ful- One character that makes life ing written a very tight script, skin of the character, that of a the end. filling her duties as an Indian air difficult for Saxena is the one that allows a nuanced por- supportive pillar of a father, Similarly, some scenes are just Starring: Janhvi Kapoor, force officer. But the film—direct- flight-commanding officer, Dileep trayal of its characters and how which strikes a chord with the overdramatised, written with the Pankaj Tripathi, Vineet ed by Sharan Sharma and co-writ- Singh (played by Vineet Singh). women have to struggle to make audience. sole motive of targeting the Director: Sharan Sharma ten by Nikhil Mehrotra—is more Whether it’s his rude behaviour their own way in a male-dominat- As for Kapoor’s performance, pathos of the audience. For

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