WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 334 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 23.9 C -6.5 C Sunday, January 31, 2021 | 18-10-2077 Dipayal Jumla Oli, despite leading caretaker Cabinet, on spree to inaugurate and award projects Inaugurating them is an attempt to influence elections which the poll body should look into and awarding them risks future governments not owning them, observers say.

ANIL GIRI KATHMANDU, JAN 30

If there has been any direct act of defiance by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli against his ally-turned-foe Pushpa Kamal Dahal, it was on Saturday when he addressed a mass meeting in Chitwan, Dahal’s electoral constituency. Oli also inaugurated the local city hall of Bharatpur Metropolitan City and the ring road there. Conspicuous by her absence was Bharatpur mayor Renu Dahal, daugh- ter of Pushpa Kamal and chair of a faction of the Nepal Communist Party. Oli decided to go ahead with the RSS inauguration despite the mayor’s KP Sharma Oli in Chitwan on Saturday. opposition because it was too good an opportunity to be missed for his elec- have been urging Oli not to take deci- tion hustings, and that it was in father sions that have long-term ramifica- Dahal’s constituency seems to have tions and we have been opposing his been an added attraction. move,” said a Standing Committee According to a leader belonging to member of the Dahal-Nepal faction of POST PHOTO: DIPENDRA ROKKA the faction led by Dahal and Madhav the communist party. Terraced fields worked by farmers for potato plantation at Doleshwor in Bhaktapur. Kumar Nepal, since the Oli govern- On January 25, Oli inaugurated ment has turned into the caretaker a bridge over the Rapti river in one as elections have already been Rapti Valley, the capital of Lumbini announced, the prime minister does Province. Later Oli and Shanker not have the moral authority to inau- Pokharel, chief minister of Lumbini gurate development projects. promised other half a dozen projects Ad hoc decision to allow math as a compulsory “Since day one after the Oli govern- in and around Dang district. ment became the caretaker one, we >> Continued on page 2 subject in grades 11 and 12 under fire Court had rejected a petition to make the subject compulsory but told the government to make a final decision. Now students can choose it or Social Studies and Life Skills.

BINOD GHIMIRE According to officials at the Hoping that the court would halt the KATHMANDU, JAN 30 Curriculum Development Centre, the introduction of the new curriculum, subject was introduced to provide private school operators, when classes In normal times classes for grade 11 students with communication, critical began in September, continued teach- begin in July. But this year, given the thinking, problem-solving and deci- ing the old curriculum. pandemic they began only in sion making skills along with teach- However, the Supreme Court, four September. ing them the social aspects of Nepali months after the petition was filed, As if that was not an issue enough, society. gave the go ahead to the new curricu- the Curriculum Development Centre “It also provides thinking, social lum on January 12. had prepared a new curriculum and emotional skills,” Ganesh On the issue of making Mathematics for grades 11 and 12 from this Bhattarai, director at the Curriculum a compulsory subject, the court academic year switching to a sin- Development Centre, told the Post. asked the Ministry of Education to gle-track curriculum from the earlier According to Bhattarai, thinking revisit its decision to exclude system of having different streams for skills enhance logical faculty of the Mathematics as a compulsory subject Science, Management, Humanities students while interpersonal relation- and thus leaving the decision up to the and Education. ship, cooperation, leadership and ministry whether or not to incorpo- rate the subject in the curriculum. It asked the ministry to consult with experts and the concerned stakehold- ers before taking any decision regard- ing the subject. On Thursday, backtracking on its decision from last year, the Ministry of Education announced that Mathematics would be included as a compulsory subject. However, students who don’t want to study Mathematics can take Social Studies and Life Skills Education, the National Curriculum Development and Evaluation Council led by Minister for Education Krishna Gopal Shrestha decided. “Though the Supreme Court had given a go ahead without incorporat- ing Mathematics, the council made POST ILLUSTRATION the decision to this effect to end the dispute over the curriculum,” The rationale behind the new cur- team building skills are imparted to Bhattarai told the Post. “This, howev- riculum was that the eighth amend- the students under social skills. The er, doesn’t mean our earlier decision ment to the Education Act in 2016 course is designed to provide self-man- [to have Mathematics only as an elec- integrated grades 11 and 12 into the agement and dealing with different tive subject] was wrong.” high school system from the earlier situations under emotional skills. Thursday’s decision has, under- higher secondary system. The govern- But not everyone was happy with standably, come under fire. ment in January last year decided to the decision, especially one to exclude Education experts say the adopt the new curriculum. Mathematics as a compulsory subject. government shouldn’t be taking ad According to the new curriculum, A newly formed Mathematics hoc decisions on serious issues like students in grades 11 and 12 would Concern Group even knocked on the the curriculum. study three compulsory subjects— door of the Supreme Court demand- “The council should have a proper English, Nepali, and Social Studies ing a halt to the adoption of the new answer to what led it to exclude and Life Skills—and choose three curriculum without Mathematics. Mathematics from the curriculum more from among 80 electives, taking With the country going into a earlier and why is it incorporating the number of subjects to six from five lockdown in March, that was extended now,” said Tanka Nath Sharma, for- earlier. for four months, the cancellation of mer dean at Kathmandu University Social Studies and Life Skills was a the grade 10 School Education School of Education. new addition. Examination and the decision that Sushan Acharya, a professor its results would be based on at Tribhuvan University, said a lot internal evaluation of the indi- of work goes into designing a curricu- vidual schools, the confusion in lum with its long term effect on the education sector was unprece- students’ learning taken into dented. consideration. School operators, especially “The government cannot make such those of private ones, asked the knee-jerk reactions,” she told the Post. government to introduce the new “I disagree with the very decision to curriculum in the next academic make Mathematics as an alternative year rather than during the time to Life Skills Education. While stu- of Covid-19 pandemic while the dents should be learning Mathematics, Supreme Court was looking into life skill education should also be a the petition demanding that the part of the education system.” new curriculum be not adopted. >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021 | 02 NATIONAL Number of leprosy patients on the rise in Bagmati Province According to the data of Health Directorate in Hetauda, the province has 367 leprosy cases in the current fiscal year, a rise from 209 cases in the last fiscal.

PRATAP BISTA According to Jayaram Duwadi, HETAUDA, JAN 30 tuberculosis and leprosy officer at the Health Directorate in Hetauda, Thirty-nine-year-old Kanchhimaya the number of leprosy patients in Chepang of Khairang in Raksirang Bagmati has increased in the current Rural Municipality Ward No. 9 has fiscal year. lost her fingers and toes to leprosy. “We have 367 leprosy cases in the She said she was also driven out of running fiscal year, a rise from 209 her village after she contracted the cases in the last fiscal,” said Duwadi. disease. The government distributes free “Two years ago, my wife almost got medicines to leprosy patients from paralysis due to the disease. The vil- various government-run health insti- lagers ostracised her, as they feared tutions across the country. she would transmit the disease to oth- According to the data of the Health ers. We kept her in a flimsy makeshift Directorate, there are a total of 20,044 tent in the forest. But her life was leprosy patients reported across the saved after she received treatment in country. Among them, 337 are chil- Raksirang,” said Pote Chepang, dren. The data showed that there are Kanchhimaya’s husband. 271 leprosy patients in Province 1,554 According to him, Kanchhimaya patients in Province 2, 367 in Bagmati, recovered from the disease by taking 420 in Lumbini, 100 in Gandaki, 84 in medications prescribed by a doctor. Karnali and 228 in Sudurpaschim Similarly, Bishnu Sharma, a local Province. resident of Hetauda Sub Metropolitan City and a former leprosy patient, also got rid of the disease after taking medicines. There are a total of “If I had relied on shamans, like the 20,044 leprosy other villagers did, I would still be POST PHOTO: ANISH REGMI with the disease,” he said. patients reported An elderly man looks at the surroundings from a hilltop with a single tree at Bungamati, Lalitpur on Saturday. According to doctors, leprosy caused by Mycobacterium leprae is across the country, transmittable. That is why most patients do not speak openly about according to data. the disease nor do they seek treatment for it. If left untreated, the disease Ad hoc decision to allow Math as a compulsory ... could permanently damage nerves, Leprosy was believed to have been eyes and limbs of the host body, eliminated globally in the year 2000 doctors say. with the disease prevalence rate drop- >> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 “What good can we expect from the Bhattarai, however, doesn’t buy sion on Mathematics and the confu- The data of the District Health ping to below 1 per 10,000 people. School principals too have come down council that doesn’t have the partici- Kusiyait’s suggestion. He said Nepal sion over the new curriculum, school Office in Makwanpur states that the Though all countries have achieved on Thursday’s decision. pation of experts,” he told the Post. has its own standards and principles operators have demanded the post- district has 10 reported leprosy this rate at the national level, at the “The new decision is against the “The education minister leads it and for education which need to be reflect- ponement of the academic session by patients on medication at present. sub-national level, it remains an very motive of introducing Social bureaucrats are its members.” ed in the curriculum. a couple of months. “These are just identified cases. unfinished agenda. Studies and Life Skills,” Narayan The council led by the education “Our grade 11 and 12 is not like A “We have proposed to the Cabinet There might be many more such cases Leprosy continues to afflict the vul- Gautam, acting principal at minister has the education secretary Levels,” he said. “We need to have accordingly,” Deepak Sharma, hidden from everybody, as leprosy nerable, causing life-long disabilities Padmodaya High School, Kathmandu, and director generals at Centre for some compulsory subjects to ensure spokesperson for the Education patients don’t openly talk about their in many patients and subjecting them told the Post. Education and Human Resource the school level students have some Ministry, told the Post. “We are wait- disease in fear of being ostracised by to discrimination, stigma and a life Most schools had already been Development and Curriculum knowledge of literacy, numeracy and ing for the Cabinet to take the neces- the society,” said Bhola Chaulagain, a marred with social and economic teaching Life Skills and Social Studies Development Centre as its members. social science.” sary decision.” health worker. hardships. for grade 11. Education experts also say that A Level is a British curriculum But as far as the teaching learning Ten out of 13 districts in Bagmati The World Health Organization “But now students who want to pur- rather than forcing students to study some private schools in Nepal offer in process in classrooms goes, schools Province have reported cases of (WHO) has considered Bangladesh, sue Science at the university level particular subjects, they should be place of grades 11 and 12. say the decision to include leprosy. There are 243 leprosy cases in India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal have already started asking for the given the option of studying the sub- Education experts say the only way Mathematics in the middle of the Lalitpur, 51 in Chitwan, 26 in and Sri Lanka as high-endemic introduction of Mathematics,” jects of their choice. to ensure that such problems do not academic session has created further Kathmandu, 10 in Makwanpur, nine countries, contributing 99.8 percent Gautam said. “I think an overwhelm- “I believe there should be no limita- arise again is to have experts of school confusion. in Sindhuli, eight in Dhading, of new cases from South-East Asia ing number of students will now shift tion for students to study the subjects curriculum in the council instead of “The indecision of the Supreme seven in Ramechhap, four in Kavre in 2014. to Mathematics.” of their choice,” Binay Kusiyait, a ministers and bureaucrats. Court created a dilemma for months,” and two each in Nuwakot and The WHO had aimed to eliminate For Sharma, the former dean, the professor at Tribhuvan University, “Allow the experts from the respec- said Gautam, the acting principal. Bhaktapur districts. Rasuwa, the disease from Nepal by 2020. problem lies with the very composi- told the Post. “Let the students make tive fields to take the decision, not the “Now the government’s decision to Sindhupalchok and Dolakha districts The World Leprosy Day is observed tion of the council that made the the choice based on their career politicians and bureaucrats,” said include Mathematics has messed up are the only ones with no reported on the last Sunday of January decision. goals.” Sharma. Meanwhile, with the deci- everything.” cases of leprosy. every year. Oli, despite leading caretaker Cabinet, on Water supply project relieves Patle spree to inaugurate and award projects villagers of acute water shortage

>> CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 When the status of the government is Nepal faction. “We have also drawn The scarcity had affected every household in Patle village of Baglung for last two decades. The foundation of the bridge that Oli being questioned, the present govern- the attention of the commission to inaugurated had been laid by Dahal ment should stay away from taking such matters.” PRAKASH BARAL in 2017. such decisions.” The Election Commission, however, BAGLUNG, JAN 30 Pokharel on Saturday laid the foun- Such activities of the government has not implemented the election code dation for a road project in Rolpa after could also influence elections, others of conduct. Chandra Kala Rasaili, a resident of 25 percent of the construction work s a y. “We will hold a meeting with all Badigad Rural Municipality-10, had to had been completed and over 14 per- “These are attempts to influence the political parties and will enforce the wake up every morning at 4am to cent of it paid for. elections,” a government secretary election code of conduct,” said fetch water from a well. The tenth On Monday, the prime minister is said, on condition of anonymity. Rajkumar Shrestha, spokesperson for grader would walk for an hour to the scheduled to inaugurate the country’s It would not be for the sake of the the Election Commission. nearest well and back before she could largest electricity transmission sub- project that it is undertaken, he added. Generally, election code of conduct rush off to school at Netadarlig in station in Dhalkebar, Dhanusha. comes into effect once the election neighbouring Gulmi district. Not only is Oli on an inauguration dates are announced, observers say. Sabitra Raskoti, a housewife from spree, he has also been awarding Whether a caretaker “But in our case, we do not have a the same village, also woke up to busy major government contracts. definite law about election code of mornings. Her day would start like On Friday evening, a meeting of government should conduct,” said Gopal Siwakoti, who that of Chandra Kala’s. She would Investment Board Nepal chaired by monitors the election process in also go to the nearest well to fetch Prime Minister Oli awarded the award big projects to Nepal. “In practice, when the election water which would take most of her tender to develop the 679-megawatt date is declared, the process of elec- morning. She would then get home to Lower Arun Hydropower Project to anyone is a question tion begins. But in our case the feed her children and send them to India’s Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam under Election Commission begins imple- school. the build, own, operate and transfer many have raised. menting the code of conduct only after Water shortage in Patle village for modality. the formal election process or timeta- the past two decades had affected Whether a caretaker government ble begins.” every household in the settlements. should award such a big project to “Such political ego and competition The elections will happen only if Children would miss out school anyone is a question that observers will hamper development projects the Supreme Court upholds the disso- because they would mostly be busy have raised. and finally they may not be complete lution of the House. But Oli continues fetching water for their families. Even “Awarding such a big project by a on time because none of the sides to reiterate that elections will be held rearing livestock had become a diffi- caretaker government may invite cooperates with each other in on the announced dates of April 30 cult task for the villagers. Most of the problems in the future as we have a such a divided situation,” the secre- and May 10. livestock farmers had to build sheds very bad history of [governments] not tary said. Oli has not been missing any oppor- near local streams away from their owning projects awarded by predeces- Of the different legal challenges tunity to declare that the House will homes, as there was no water in the sors,” said Bipin Adhikari, an expert that Oli has been facing since he rec- not be restored, a claim that has village. The villagers would often on constitutional matters, said. ommended the dissolution of the attracted the attention of the court quarrel over drinking water. “Budhi Gandaki is a good example.” House of Representatives on which has summoned him to be However, the drinking water crisis The Pushpa Kamal Dahal govern- December 20, that his is a caretaker present in person by February 4 to is now a thing of the past for Patle ment in May 2017 had awarded a con- government which cannot take big face a contempt case for influencing villagers with the construction of a tract to the Chinese firm Gezhouba decisions is one. the court. drinking water project last year. The PHOTO CREDIT: PRAKASH BARAL Group under the engineering, On December 25, Oli reshuffled his For its part, the Election village now has a regular supply of An 11,800-metre-long pipeline has been installed from Nigalpani to supply water to the procurement, construction, and Cabinet and inducted several minis- Commission is in a state of confusion water with the help of the rural settlement of 41 households. financing modality without competi- ters as those belonging to the Dahal- and it is not speaking up because it is municipality, social organisations and tive bidding. Nepal faction had resigned on under the shadow of the Oli govern- labour donation of the local people. The then District Development According to the ward office, an The decision was overturned by the December 22. Subsequently, a petition ment, say leaders who belong to the “We led miserable lives because of Committee, drinking water and sani- 11,800-metre-long pipeline has been Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government was registered in the Supreme Court Dahal-Nepal faction. water scarcity,” said Santa Bahadur tation division office and several installed from Nigalpani to supply in November 2017, saying there were saying since his had become a caretak- “Oli’s intention to visit Dahal’s Raskoti, chairman of Patle non-governmental organisations had water to the settlement. A 4,000-litre some procedural flaws while awarding er government Oli did not have the home district and to inaugurate the Jhakristhan Drinking Water conducted initial surveys for a drink- reserve water tank and five distribu- the contract. Since then the fate of the authority to appoint ministers. city hall and ring road shows how des- Consumers’ Committee. “But now, ing water project in the village but the tion tanks of 2,000 and 1,000 litres have much-hyped project with an installed If Oli’s is a caretaker government perate and fearful he is,” said Beduram with the construction of the drinking project took off only last year. also been constructed for the project. capacity of producing 1,200 megawatt and does not have the moral authority Bhusal, a Standing Committee mem- water project, we rest easy. Children The total cost of the drinking water Similarly, five solar panels and a power is in limbo and it remains to make big decisions is one argu- ber of the Dahal-Nepal faction. “His from our village will no longer project is around Rs 4.5 million. motor have been installed to lift uncertain who will build it. ment, that his actions are against the attempts are to divert public attention have to miss school because of water “Out of 41 households in the village, the water. “If an issue over any project is election code of conduct is another. from the main issue. But his tactics to shortage.” 35 households have received drinking Patle is still disconnected from the raised in future, then someone has to “It is up to the media and the win the elections by blaming us or There are a total of 41 households in water through pipelines whereas six road network. The villagers have to be accountable,” said Adhikari. “Such Election Commission to monitor such others, by inaugurating projects or by the settlement. Each family from the houses have been supplied water walk four hours to reach Burtibang, big projects that have been initiated activities,” said Raghuji Pant, a stand- doing any other political stunt will not village worked for about a year to com- through lifting technology,” said the nearest marketplace, to purchase abruptly may face risks in the future. ing committee member of Dahal- save him.” plete the drinking water project. Birendra Budha, the ward chairman. daily essentials.

C M Y K 03 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021 NATIONAL

BRIEFING 900,000 Tumlingtar Airport closed for names added tarmacking of runway SANKHUWASABHA: Tumlingtar Airport in Sankhuwasabha district has closed to voters’ list for maintenance for two months start- ing from Saturday. According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, the ahead of polls airport’s 1,420m runway, which was last tarmacked a decade ago, will POST REPORT now be tarmacked in the coming KATHMANDU, JAN 30 days. Around 900,000 names have been added to the voters’ list since the last 400 schools, 16 offices parliamentary elections were held in 2017, officials said as the Election reconstructed in Ramechhap Commission wraps up the updating RAMECHHAP: A total of 400 schools and process. 16 government offices damaged by the The commission stopped register- 2015 earthquake have been recon- ing new voters after President Bidya structed in Ramechhap so far. Nara Devi Bhandari, upon the recommen- Bahadur Magar, mayor of dation of the Cabinet, dissolved the Ramechhap Municipality, said, “The House of Representatives on people’s representatives are happy December 20 and announced snap with the reconstruction work.” He polls on April 30 and May 10. said that work on other buildings “With over 90,000 new voters added, damaged by the quake is also ongo- we now have over 16.3 million people ing. on the voters’ list,” said Raj Kumar Shrestha, spokesperson for the com- mission. Centenarian woman dies in fire Provisions for a cut-off date for vot- KHOTANG: A centenarian woman died ers’ registration were made in the of burns at Khotehang Rural voters’ registration law to give enough Municipality-7 in Khotang on Friday. time for the election body to prepare Police identified the victim as Hima for polls, rather than spend time on Devi Adhikari, 101. The victim’s processing data related to the registra- clothes caught fire while she was tion of voters under a tight schedule. keeping herself warm. Local people As per Section 4 of the Voters’ rescued her when she was already in Registration Act-2017, no new voters a critical condition. Adhikari died in can be registered once the dates for course of treatment at a local POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC. elections are announced. health facility. Labourers on a crane at the construction site of the new Parliament building at Singha Durbar, Kathmandu on Saturday. A total of 15.42 million people were on the voters’ list ahead of the previ- ous federal and provincial elections. During the process to update the voters’ list, voters are allowed to recti- fy errors on the list and make claims and counterclaims. The updated list is Disappearance commission starts issuing ID cards made public at the local government’s offices to check if there are any claims over the updated list. Kin of victims say cards not associated with any facility from the state are of no use when officials are reluctant to address their concerns. The commission said it has started receiving feedback, claims, and coun- BINOD GHIMIRE 14 years just to start issuing identity can provide subsidies and relief to the mission, told the Post. “This will now will have to issue an ordinance to terclaims over the updated list. “After KATHMANDU, JAN 30 cards to the kin of the victims. victims, he added. open doors for reparations.” revise the law--to both extend the ten- we stop receiving claims and counter- Ganga Dhar Adhikari, spokesper- “We will press local, provincial, and The commission aims to complete ure of the commissions and amend claims, we will be able to confirm the With just two weeks left in its tenure, son for the commission on enforced federal governments to announce the distribution of identity cards the laws governing them as per the exact number of people on the list,” the Commission of Investigation on disappearance, said it is up to the packages for the victims if our term is within three months if its tenure is directives issued by the Supreme said Shrestha. Enforced Disappeared Persons on government to provide facilities and extended,” he said. extended. Its present tenure is set to Court in 2015. However, all those registered won’t Thursday started distributing identity concessions to cardholders, and the The distribution of identity cards expire in February. The Ministry of Law and Justice be automatically eligible to cast their cards to the kin of people who disap- commission can only make recom- was also one of the tasks assigned to Meanwhile, Suman Adhikari from says it is consulting leaders from the ballots in the upcoming elections. As peared during the Maoist insurgency. mendations. the two transitional justice bodies--en- the Conflict Victims’ Common Nepali Congress and the Pushpa per the law, one can get registered on Representatives of the victims, He said the commission has recom- forced disappearance and the truth Platform told the Post that the transi- Kamal Dahal and Madhav Kumar the voters’ list after crossing 16 years however, aren’t happy with the identi- mended the government to provide commissions--formed in February tional justice commissions have com- Nepal-led Nepal Communist Party to of age, but one can be eligible to vote ty cards as they are not associated subsidies in health, transportation, 2015. “This is a step towards recognis- pletely failed to investigate complaints decide the fate of the commissions only after completing 18 years of age. with any government facility or con- and education to cardholders. Officials ing the victims,” Ganga Dhar filed by victims of the decade-long and the transitional justice law. Voters’ registration continues cession. from the three tiers of government Adhikari, spokesperson for the com- conflict. “We have held discussions with the throughout the year until the election They allege that the commission is The truth commission received Nepali Congress leaders,” Minister dates are announced. distributing cards just to show the 63,718 complaints but has recorded for Law and Justice Lila Nath Shrestha The commission will now start government that they have been work- statements of concerned parties only told the Post. identifying eligible voters. Based on ing hard. in 3,787 cases. Similarly, 3,223 com- “We will make a decision on the the voters’ list, ID cards will be print- “What is the meaning of holding plaints were filed with the disappear- tenure of the commissions and the ed and distributed to eligible voters. the cards when it is of no use to the ance commission by family members amendment of the transitional justice Meanwhile, experts and observers victims? This is nothing but a sham to saying their loved ones had disap- law after conducting proper discus- said the sudden announcement of show that the commission is working peared during the decade-long con- sions,” he added. He said the govern- elections could deprive a large num- hard,” Suman Adhikari, founding flict. Of these, the commission is ment will take the necessary decisions ber of people of the opportunity to chairperson of Conflict Victims’ investigating only 2,506 complaints by Thursday. cast their ballot as many people eligi- Common Platform, told the Post. “The saying that the rest don’t fall under its Conflict victims, however, aren’t ble to vote might not have felt the government should announce some jurisdiction. optimistic that the government will urgency to register themselves. facilities for cardholders.” In February 2015, the Supreme take steps towards amending the law “People usually tend to register Families of 21 people who disap- Court ordered the government to to do away with the controversial their names on voters’ list in the last peared during the Maoist insurgency, amend the transitional justice law in amnesty provision. hour. Many people eligible to vote received their identity cards in the line with international principles of Maina Karki, chairperson of the might not have registered thinking presence of Minister for Foreign transitional justice. The court held platform, said they have been request- that the elections would be held five Affairs Pradeep Gyawali in Bardiya convicts in cases related to rape, extra- ing an appointment with Prime years after the last elections,” Bhojraj on Thursday. judicial killing, enforced disappear- Minister KP Sharma Oli. However, he Pokharel, former chief election com- Though the parties—then-govern- ance, and torture cannot be granted hasn’t given them time. “Though the missioner told the Post in a recent ment and the CPN Maoist-- to the amnesty. However, successive govern- prime minister is meeting former interview. Comprehensive Peace Accords signed ments are yet to amend the law as Maoist combatants, he is reluctant to The next general elections were in 2006, agreed to make public the POST FILE PHOTO directed by the court. meet the victims’ representatives. It is supposed to be held in 2022, but the whereabouts of the disappeared with- In February 2015, the Supreme Court ordered the government to amend the transitional As the House of Representatives clear that the government isn’t seri- President announced the mid-term in 60 days, it took the commission over justice law in line with international principles of transitional justice. has been dissolved, the government ous about our concerns,” she said. elections in early 2021. Primary health centres to administer Ghodaghodi lake area being Covid-19 vaccine to expedite first phase developed into bird habitat Ministry aims to complete the innoculation drive by February 5, officials say. With natural lakes in Kailali drying up, authorities are making efforts to turn Ghodaghodi

ARJUN POUDEL the data provided by the Health stored in temperatures between 2 to 8 wetland area into one of the main habitats of migratory as well as domestic birds. KATHMANDU, JAN 30 Ministry. On Saturday, 14,894 frontline degrees Celsius. workers were immunised until 3 pm. Officials at the Health Ministry said GANESH CHAUDHARY In a bid to expedite the first phase “We will increase the number of they are told that additional four mil- TIKAPUR, JAN 30 drive of Covid-19 vaccination, the booths and try to complete the ongo- lion doses of vaccine will come at the Ministry of Health and Population is ing immunisation drive within 10 earliest but do not know when. Ghodaghodi lake in Kailali is being working to expand the ongoing immu- days,” added Adhikari. “We are told that additional doses developed as an important habitat for nisation drive to be carried out from Female community health volun- will come within a month and we are birds. With natural lakes in Kailali primary health centres. teers of remote villages and health told to plan accordingly,” an official at drying up, authorities are making Earlier, the ministry had decided to workers serving in rural municipali- the Health Ministry told the Post, ask- efforts to turn the Ghodaghodi wet- immunise frontline workers such as ties have not been able to reach immu- ing not to be named. land area into one of the main habi- health workers, supporting staff, sani- nisation centers due to various rea- Sharma, chief of the Child Health tats of migratory as well as domestic tation workers, female community sons including transportation. Section, said he is hopeful to get the birds, according to conservationists. health volunteers, security personnel, Moreover, health workers serving additional doses of vaccines. “There “Puraina lake, which was spread people taking refuge in old age homes, in private health facilities and phar- is no reason for not believing,” over 80 bighas of land in Bhajani and prisoners from district hospitals macy operators have not sought Sharma added. Municipality, Kailali, has been drying only. immunisation. Over 21 million Nepalis (72 percent up for the last few years. Local resi- “To expedite the ongoing drive and “We have been trying to clear the of the population) need to be vaccinat- dents have started cultivating vegeta- for the ease of the people to come to confusion and are requesting people ed against Covid-19 as vaccines pro- bles and crops in the lake area now. the vaccination centre, we have been to seek immunisation,” Dr Jhalak duced so far have not been tested on The native birds of Puraina lake have working to immunise people from pri- Sharma, chief of the Child Health children up to 14 years of age. migrated to the Ghodaghodi wetland mary health centers,” Dr Samir Section at the Family Welfare Covishield, however, can be admin- area,” said Hirulal Dagaura, a conser- Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson Division, told the Post. istered only to those aged 18 and vationist in Kailali. for the Health Ministry, told the Post. Nepal rolled out its Covid-19 vacci- above. Authorities have to buy vac- “Puraina was also home to Sarus POST PHOTO: GANESH CHAUDHARY “We will take the immunisation nation drive on Wednesday, a little cines from other companies, which cranes. We could see them all year Ghodaghodi lake is home to several endangered bird species like the great salty woodpecker, programme to the primary health cen- over a year after the country con- are tested on people over 14 years. round at the lake area but they too the great hornbill, vulture, darter and spiny babbler. tres of districts of the Tarai region firmed its first coronavirus case on Each person needs two doses of have moved away,” he said. and some hilly districts, where the January 24, 2020. vaccine. Kailali is home to around 200 natu- the lake area is on the Ramsar list for endangered bird species like the great number [of health workers] is high The inoculation drive was launched Dr Shyam Raj Upreti, chief of the ral lakes. But the district is gradually being the playground for many endan- salty woodpecker, the great hornbill, and people have to come to district after India supplied one million doses Covid-19 vaccine advisory committee, losing all its water bodies, conserva- gered bird species. vulture, darter and spiny babbler. The hospitals from very far.” of Covid-19 vaccine, developed by the concedes that it takes over a year to tionists say. Like Puraina, most lakes “The annual bird count revealed lake also welcomes many Siberian The Health Ministry aims to com- University of Oxford and pharmaceu- immunise all eligible citizens even if in Kailali are on the verge of drying that the number of birds in the lake bird species for three-four months plete the ongoing drive by February 5. tical giant AstraZeneca and locally vaccines would be easily available. up. These lakes support various spe- area has increased this year,” said every winter. These birds migrate all According to officials, it will be diffi- manufactured by the Serum Institute Meanwhile, Prime Minister KP cies of fish and are home to aquatic Dayaram Chaudhary, an ornithologist the way to Nepal to escape the harsh cult to vaccinate all targeted people, if of India, the world’s largest vaccine Sharma Oli, who had earlier said all birds and Ghongi (mud-water snails). of the Bird Conservation Network. winter in the northern hemisphere, the pace of administering it is not manufacturing company. eligible citizens will get vaccinated Most of the local units in Kailali According to the data of the net- said Chaudhary. accelerated. The India-manufactured vaccine, against Covid-19 within three months, have leased out natural lakes to fish work, there were 1,798 birds in the Bird species like mallard, ruddy she The ministry aims to vaccinate named Covishield, is Nepali authori- contradicted his own statement on farmers, which has led to the deple- lake area during the counting of ducks, gadwall, Eurasian teal, green- 430,000 people in the first phase and ties’ preferred choice, as the country’s Saturday. Oli, who was speaking at a tion of food sources for native birds January 13 and 14 in 2020. This year, shank, thrushes, flycatcher and boot- complete the drive within 10 days. existing storage facility supports the programme in Chitwan, said all and their migration to other areas. 2,058 birds were counted in the lake ed eagle, among other bird species, fly In the last four days, only 64,822 vaccine to maintain its cold chain. citizens will be vaccinated by the end Fishing and fish keeping are area, said Chaudhary. to Nepal from other countries every people received the jabs, according to The Covidshield vaccine needs to be of 2021. restricted in Ghodaghodi lake since Ghodaghodi lake is home to several winter.

C M Y K SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021 | 04 OPINION Addressing amnesia in Nepal In Nepal, political parties are plunging headlong into a culture of post-truth.

ABHI SUBEDI WORDS & ECHOES

This year’s International Holocaust Remembrance Day, January 27, too brought mails and messages of friends from Nepal and abroad. Browsing through them the theme of amnesia struck me once again. But no plays were staged and no musicals were performed on this day this year. Sabine Lehmann of Hotel Vajra, for example, did not direct or perform any play on the Holocaust Remembrance Day at her Studio 7, Naga Theatre. It is all because of the menace of Covid-19. But I realised this year amnesia has assumed greater meaning; it has come with more challenges than any other time in the past. Ironically, amnesia, whose semantic collocations are forgetting, loss of memories and ennui, has greater pen- chant this time. The question of wheth- er amnesia is a mental or political condition became a subject of debate after the Second World War. But it has raised many uncanny alarms in these two decades of the 21st century, too. Amnesia, or the condition of loss of memories, was caused by the severity of the horrid fate suffered by mankind. Since some nasty rulers and powers had created those conditions, it is important to look at amnesia from crit- ical perspectives. In this article, I will mention amnesia both as a mental SHUTTERSTOCK condition as well as a state of forget- ries through the two World Wars, is Nepali history. As everywhere else weapon in history. research. Post-Truth: The New War on Truth ting the bad days of history stage-man- being forgotten or is allowed to be for- amnesia has assumed more political If we open our eyes to this, we can Vituperative use of language by all and How to Fight Back (2017), shows in aged by the political rulers. gotten. Laksamba as part of this meaning over the last century, espe- see that the rulers in Nepal of all factions of the Nepal Communist simple language how it is happening. A shocking piece of news added to struggle worked with scholars like Dr cially in one historical context. Rulers denominations and nature have Party, the ambivalent use of the lan- Demagoguery is another political my mood of misery. On this very day, I Krishna Adhikari and Dr David of autocratic nature act with a design always loved to use amnesia as a pow- guage by Nepali Congress, and the manifestation of post-truth in many heard that a friend, an ex-Gurkha, an Gellner of Oxford University and oth- to create hegemony in such a manner erful weapon. Do political parties use knowingly fragile and backwards-look- countries today. academic, scholar and writer Dr ers. Laksamba says that the Nepali that the people do not show grievances amnesia as a weapon? Of course, they ing language of the RPP all show that In Nepal, political parties are plung- Chandra Laksamba died of Covid-19 community is one of the fastest-grow- and anger by referring to the hard- do. They use theories and political they are using it as a weapon to lead ing headlong into this culture of post- in a hospital in Farnborough, England. ing ethnic minority groups in ships they suffered in the recent and a doctrines as weapons for making peo- people into forgetting the reality of truth. Generating the bulk of brazen Laksamba has published his analyses England. Through a steady rise, their little remote history. For that, the ple forget the reality of history. That suffering and history. So much so that lies and distortion of reality to gener- and views in this newspaper about the numbers in the UK between 2001 and autocratic rulers develop a mecha- grows sometimes at a virulent pace they distort the language and the ate a culture of amnesia and establish campaigns of the Gurkhas for equal 2016 had reached 100,000, says the bro- nism to write history in such a man- and at other times functions in a very interpretation of reality of just two or a system that you can manipulate to pay and pension for their service in chure that Laksamba gave me at ner that the people either accept the subtle manner. We do not have to go three years ago to make people forget come to power and continue to rule is the British Army. Laksamba’s cam- Farnborough, when I visited using the sufferings, or dukha, of history as very far. What is happening in today’s the very recent history. It’s not ‘The the common strategy. In countries like paign to keep the memories of the opportunity of my Britain-Nepal normal or do not question its origin Nepal is the best example of how Audacity of Hope’ as the title of Nepal, memories do not last long. Nepalis, in general, and the Gurkhas, Academic Council lecture in London and application. The state, in order to amnesia is used as a weapon. One Barack Obama’s book from 2006 goes; People tend to forget faster. For that, in particular, alive in Britain and else- in November 2015. Should I say the create that condition of hegemony, post-graduate student of mine who is it is the audacity of deception. everybody should be alert. The press where makes it very important to demise of Chandra Laksamba on the develops a propaganda mechanism. working on the style of the language Propaganda has assumed another and media become the target because remember him today. He has written Holocaust Remembrance Day is a cos- The rulers spread false propaganda of history was telling me the other day name—post-truth. Ironically, this was in Nepal, as far as my knowledge goes, about that in the Post as well. mic coincidence? His death is an and keep the people in the darkness, that he has culled such resources, much discussed and, sadly, even they juggle people’s memories and Laksamba once said to me that histor- irreparable loss. making them believe as if nothing such propagandist language to create applied in some cases in the greatest prevent them from slipping into a ical amnesia is the worst enemy of the Amnesia has remained the most wrong has happened in the past. This a repertoire of lies and analyse. He democratic country, the United States. state of historical amnesia. Vigilance Gurkhas, whose services of two centu- ignored but the most utilised aspect of amnesia has remained the autocrats’ has found the most original stuff for The title of Matthew d’Ancona’s book, is the price of liberty.

Let’s raise our voice

attempts. A 2013 analysis found that This is a time to unite women who have experienced inti- mate partner violence were almost and educate every twice as likely to experience depres- sion and problem drinking. Children person to speak out against who grow up in families where there is violence may suffer a range of gender violence. behavioural and emotional distur- bances. These can also be associated with perpetrating or experiencing vio- SACHINA PAUDEL lence later in life. Intimate partner violence has also been associated with higher rates of infant and child mor- tality and morbidity (through, for example, diarrhoeal disease or malnu- trition).

Serious violation ‘My uncle gives me chocolates and Sex-selective abortion is still preva- wants me to show my private parts. I lent in Nepal, India and the Republic think this is okay, if he is fulfilling my of Korea. Battering during pregnancy desire I should also fulfil his desire’. has caused serious emotional and (10-year-old girl) physical effects on women and birth ‘My husband slaps me, has sex with outcomes. Coerced pregnancy, for me against my will, and I have to fol- example, mass rape in war, female low. I think this is usual, the way hus- infanticide, and emotional and physi- band behaves’. (45-year-old woman) cal abuse have made conditions worse ‘My boss, he desires to sleep with in society. This may even result in dif- me if I want to continue with my job/ ferential access to food and medical work. I think this is okay because this care for girl infants. Dating and court- work is crucial and sleeping is just ship violence, for example, acid throw- some payback to my boss’. (30-year-old ing and date rape, are serious acts of female) violence against girls/women. Sexual These types of myths and stereotyp- abuse in the workplace is also preva- ical attitudes about gender-based vio- lent, where the boss wanting to have lence shape the way in which society sex with female employees seeking perceives and responds to the violence promotion is a kind of abuse. perpetrated against women. Such Violence against women is a serious myths and attitudes are harmful, as violation of women’s human rights. It they tend to blame the survivors for affects women and has negative health the violence, rather than holding the SHUTTERSTOCK consequences for women and their perpetrators responsible for their men can also experience gender-based for Sustainable Development (Goal 5). physical or sexual violence by an inti- Nepal Demographic and Health children, no matter when, where or behaviours. These are some of the violence, as can sexual and gender Violence against women—particular- mate partner where 49 countries cur- Survey, 22 percent of Nepali women how it takes place. Any form of vio- statements collected in Nepal and minorities. Regardless of the target, ly intimate partner violence and sexu- rently have no laws protecting women aged 15-49 have experienced physical lence is unacceptable, and women and Bangladesh during my study and gender-based violence is rooted in al violence—is a major public health from domestic violence. In 18 coun- violence since age 15; 7 percent have girls who are facing violence during work. While going through various structural inequalities between men problem and a violation of women’s tries, husbands can legally prevent experienced sexual violence, and 6 Covid-19 cannot be ignored. In Nepal, papers, we could easily figure out that and women and is characterised by human rights. It has been supposed their wives from working. Various percent of the women who have ever more than 1,203 girls have been raped this was not limited to the developing the use and abuse of physical, emo- that men are more likely to perpetrate researches have proven that in human- been pregnant have experienced vio- during this pandemic, with more than countries and also existed worldwide, tional or financial power and control. violence if they have low education, a itarian disasters (like earthquakes) lence during pregnancy. Intimate part- five such cases occurring every day. cutting across all generations, nation- Intimate partner violence, sexual history of child maltreatment, expo- women are 14 times more likely ner violence in pregnancy also This kind of situation should be dis- alities, communities and spheres of coercion, childhood sexual abuse, sure to domestic violence against to die or be injured as a result of the increases the likelihood of miscar- couraged. Everyone should be sup- our societies, irrespective of age, eth- rape, trafficking, acid attack, female their mothers, harmful use of alcohol, existing social inequalities. In coun- riage, stillbirth, pre-term delivery and portive of women and girls who have nicity, disability or other back- genital mutilation, honour killing and unequal gender norms including atti- tries where women and men enjoy low birth weight babies. Studies have gone through violence and advocate grounds. dowry death are some examples of tudes accepting of violence, and a equal rights, the number of deaths shown that women who experienced for lessening the problem. gender-based violence. sense of entitlement over women. were not significantly different intimate partner violence were 16 per- Unity is necessary to reduce suffering. Structural inequalities Violence against women and girls is Violence can negatively affect wom- between them. cent more likely to suffer a miscar- This is a time to unite and educate Women and girls are most at risk and one of the most widespread, persis- en’s physical, mental, sexual and In Nepal, the situation is almost riage and 41 percent more likely to every person to raise their voice most affected by gender-based vio- tent and devastating human rights reproductive health, and may increase similar. Males are given priority from have a pre-term birth. against violence. Let’s raise our voice lence. Consequently, the terms ‘vio- violations in our world today. It is a the risk of acquiring HIV in some set- birth to old age due to the existing These forms of violence can lead to against any kind of gender-based vio- lence against women’ and ‘gen- major obstacle to the fulfilment of tings. Worldwide, one in five women patriarchal culture whereas girls/ depression, post-traumatic stress and lence. der-based violence’ are often used women and girls’ human rights and and girls (19 percent) between the ages women experience violence through- other anxiety disorders, sleep difficul- interchangeably. However, boys and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda of 15-49 have reported experiencing out their lives. According to the 2016 ties, eating disorders, and suicide Paudel is a public health officer.

C M Y K 05 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021 MONEY

FOREX

US Dollar 117.03 With less Chiuri flowering, beekeepers’ income plunges Euro 141.74

Pound Sterling 159.95 Honey production has gone down by as much 60 percent due to much fewer flowers on the chiuri trees and changing flowering timings, say beekeepers.

Japanese Yen 11.16 PRATAP BISTA IN HETAUDA & RAMESH KUMAR rudilo (pogostemon benghalensis) Chinese Yuan 18.16 POUDEL IN CHITWAN near the forest chiuri is the main HETAUDA, JAN 30 source of honey and it makes up more Qatari Riyal 32.14 than 80 percent of the grazing area. Australian Dollar 89.46 Last year Aitaram Chepang of Siling Only two lots of honey is extracted in Raksirang Rural Municipality from bees feeding on mustard and Malaysian Ringit 28.95 Makwanpur sold honey worth Rs1.5 buckwheat but four lots of honey is million harvested from his 200 bee- extracted from chiuri and one lot from Saudi Arab Riyal 31.20 hives. He could extract honey from rudilo once. Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank them every 10 days. “It is also easier for bees to graze on “But this year, hardly Rs500,000 chiuri,” Lama said. worth of honey will be produced,” According to Suresh Basnet, co-co- PRICE PER TOLA said Chepang. ordinator of the operational support BULLION He just has 25 beehives and he can committee of the bee zone, some farm- extract the honey only every 15 days. ers think that grazing bees in mustard Fine Gold Rs 92,000 The dramatic decrease in honey and buckwheat reduce honey produc- production, according to beekeepers tion and this is a problem for them. Silver Rs 1,285 from the rural municipality is due to “Farmers also spray pesticides on the less blooming of flowers of chiuri, mustard and buckwheat which affects SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA the Indian butter plant (diploknema bees and honey,” Basnet said. “But butyracea). there is no such problem when bees “With less Chiuri flowering this graze chiuri.” GASOLINE WATCH year farmers have fallen in trouble as Dharmaraj Shrestha, a honey pro- their income source declined,” said ducer who also collects and sells Singh Bahadur Chepang, ward chair- honey, sells honey worth Rs 40 million man of Silinge. a year not only in the country but also Not only Aitaram Chepang, the situ- abroad. ation is similar for all beekeepers in According to him honey from chiuri the Silinge area. can be easily sold at a good price. According to Dinesh Chepang, man- “Last year, I sent 20 tons of honey ager of Sana Kishan Cooperatives grazed in chiuri to Japan,” he said. who buys and sells honey in the Shrestha said that his production Silinge area honey production has went to Japan easily after telling buy- declined by more than 60 percent ers there that the honey was produced this year. in high hills with no pesticide used. Last year, the cooperative had sold POST FILE PHOTO The chiuri trees in the forests of more than 20 tonnes of honey. In the 11 years since beekeeping started in Chitwan and Makwanpur, this season is the first time so few chiuri flowers have bloomed. Makwanpur and Chitwan are old “But it will not be possible to pro- but there are no plans to plant new duce even 5 tonnes of honey this year,” But this year, beekeepers not only the last two years was 35 kg per hive ing to the place and the variety of the ones. It is not even known how long Dinesh Chepang said. have fewer flowers bloomed but they but it will not even be 20 kg this year, chiuri plant. Beekeepers take the bee- they will flower. The cooperative has sold only 2 have not bloomed in time. according to Poudel. hives wherever churi flowers “This year, the weather has changed tonnes of honey after buying it from If the same problem repeats next Dharam Raj Lama, coordinator of are blooming and extract honey from a bit, and continued rainfall which farmers so far this year. year, there will be a crisis for the bee- the operational support committee of the hives. might have caused less flowering,” The cooperative had bought and keeping business, farmers said. the bee zone run by the Bharatpur According to Lama, chiuri blooms Madhav Poudel, Agriculture Officer at sold 12 tonnes of honey by mid-De- Honey from chiuri flowers is con- office of the Prime Minister’s in mid-August in Lothar, Chitwan, in the Prime Minister’s Agriculture cember last year. sidered to be healthy and chiuri forest Agriculture Modernisation Project mid-October in Pyuthand and in Modernization Project Bharatpur There are more than 100,000 lakh lies in areas of Makwanpur and agreed with Poudel. mid-November in Dang. Office. chiuri plants in the forest in the Siling Chitwan districts where Chepangs Although it has been 11 years since Chiuri begins to bloom in the Whatever the reason for the lower- area. Targeting chiuri flowers, more predominate. the beekeeping started in the two dis- Shaktikhor, Chitwan and Raksirang ing is, it is a subject of study accord- than 100 local beekeepers in the area “In my opinion only 20-25 percent of tricts, this is the first time so few chi- areas of Makwanpur after mid-No- ing to Poudel of Federation of Nepal have been keeping bees of the mellif- the Chiuri has blossomed this year as uri flowers bloomed this year. vember. Beekeepers. era variety. compared to the previous years in “Chiuri blooming season has Lama assumed that rainfall contin- “This should be the subject of study, Time to ‘reimagine’ Chiuri is an important source of Chitwan,” said Shiva Prasad Sharma changed too this year and farmers ued from mid-January to mid-Septem- ” he said. “We hope research in this honey for commercial beekeepers in Poudel, central president of have got confused,” said Lama. ber last year and then stopped raining matter will be taken up soon and less travel industry, UK’s the rural municipality. Beekeepers Federation of Nepal Beekeepers. “Chiuri that used to bloom in mid-No- and this is the reason why the flower- blooming and at different times will move around the district carrying “That too has blossomed a month later vember has bloomed in mid-January.” ing is less and at different time. not happen in the coming years. hives as churi flowers bloom in differ- than previous years,” he said. Chiuri starts flowering from According to him, although bees Otherwise, there are chances that the Prince Harry says ent times at different places. The average honey production in mid-August to mid-February accord- also graze on mustard, buckwheat and situation will become difficult.” REUTERS LONDON, JAN 30

Britain’s Prince Harry has urged the travel industry to “reset and US lobby group urges reimagine” its future after the crisis Biden, Democrats hit gas on push caused by Covid-19 pandemic, with a focus on creating a more sustainable model which does less damage to the India not to tighten environment and local communities. for $15 minimum wage Travel firms and airlines have been badly hit by the pandemic, which has ASSOCIATED PRESS Wait and build bipartisan support for put a stop of much of the global tour- WASHINGTON, JAN 30 an increase or move ahead with little foreign e-commerce rules ism business, while those who rely on to no GOP backing, potentially as part visitors have also suffered. The Democratic push to raise the fed- of a package that can pass the Senate REUTERS US Chamber of Commerce, urged the Harry, Queen Elizabeth’s grandson, eral minimum wage to $15 an hour has with Vice President Kamala Harris’ NEW DELHI, JAN 30 Indian government not to make any said the travel, said the “acute emerged as an early flashpoint in the tiebreaking vote. Democratic leaders more material restrictive changes to hardship” of communities in tourist fight for a $1.9 trillion Covid-19 relief appear to be moving toward the latter A US lobby group which represents e-commerce investment rules. destinations had shown the impor- package, testing President Joe Biden’s option, with no guarantee of success. firms including Amazon.com and “Any further changes in FDI rules tance of travel, but had also highlight- ability to bridge Washington’s parti- Even if raising the wage can get past Walmart has urged India not to tight- would limit e-commerce firms from ed the need to reduce its detrimental san divides as he pursues his first procedural challenges, passage will en foreign investment rules for e-com- leveraging their scale,” USIBC said in impact. major legislative victory. require the support from every merce companies again, according to the letter seen by Reuters. “We know that to not travel again is Biden called for a $15 hourly mini- Democrat in the 50-50 Senate, which a letter seen by Reuters. USIBC also asked India’s not an option,” the prince, 36, said in a mum wage during his campaign and could be a tall order. India is considering revising the Department for Promotion of Industry foreword to the annual report of has followed through by hitching it to AP/RSS Leading the charge is Sen Bernie rules after traders in the country and Internal Trade (DPIIT) to engage Travalyst, an initiative he launched in a measure that, among other things, US President Joe Biden Sanders, who unveiled $15 wage legis- accused Amazon’s Indian division and in substantive consultation with com- 2019 with the objective of making the calls for $1,400 stimulus checks and lation this week with the backing of 37 Walmart’s Flipkart of creating panies on e-commerce regulation. travel industry more sustainable. $130 billion to help schools reopen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Rep. Senate Democrats. His bill would complex structures to bypass invest- USIBC and DPIIT did not respond to “Right before us, there is an oppor- Biden argues that anyone who holds a Tom Reed of New York are urging gradually raise the wage to $15 over a ment regulations, Reuters reported a request for comment. tunity to do things differently, to full-time job shouldn’t live in poverty, Biden to split off the minimum wage period of five years. The federal mini- this month. After the Reuters story was pub- do things better. Travel and tourism echoing progressives in the hike from Covid-19 talks and deal with mum is $7.25 and has not been raised The US companies deny any lished last week, the Confederation of are no exception. As the industry Democratic Party who are fully on it separately. since 2009. wrongdoing. All India Traders (CAIT), which repre- re-emerges from crisis, there is an board with the effort. “The more you throw into this buck- Sanders, the incoming chair of the India only allows foreign e-com- sents millions of brick-and-mortar urgent need to reset and reimagine.” “With the economic divide, I mean, et of Covid relief that’s not really Senate Budget Committee, said it merce players to operate as a market- retailers, said it has received assur- Travalyst, an independent I want to see a $15 minimum wage. It related to the crisis, the more you risk was fine with him if Republicans place to connect buyers and sellers but ances from India’s commerce minister non-profit body which is backed by should actually be $20,” said Rep the credibility with the American were not prepared to “come on board.” local traders say the US giants pro- that policy changes were in the offing. some major tourism industry Rashida Tlaib. people that you’re really sincere about He said the government needed to mote select sellers and offer deep dis- On Saturday, CAIT in a statement companies including Booking.com, Some Republicans support explor- the crisis,” Reed said. Including the pump money into the economy to counts, which hurts business for said the USIBC letter was an “uncalled TripAdvisor, and Visa, said the ing an increase but are uneasy with wage increase, Murkowski said, “com- make sure “people are not working on smaller local retailers. for intervention” which runs against industry needed universal $15 an hour. They warn that such an plicates politically an initiative starvation wages.” In 2018, India changed its foreign the interest of 85 million traders. transparency on its sustainability increase could lead to job losses in an that we should all be working together A 2019 study from the Congressional direct investment (FDI) rules to “Such a hue and cry is not under- efforts, and to champion the success economy that has nearly 10 million to address.” Budget Office projected that an deter foreign firms offering products standable,” CAIT said, adding that it of local communities, destinations fewer jobs than it did before the pan- The resistance from moderates has increase to $15 an hour would boost from sellers in which they have an had also written a letter in protest to and operators. demic began. Moderates such as Sen. left Democrats with a stark choice: the wages of 17 million Americans. equity stake. the USIBC President. The government is now considering The government is also considering tightening those rules again to include prohibiting online sales by a seller sellers in which a foreign e-commerce who, for example, purchases goods firm holds an indirect stake through from an e-commerce entity’s whole- its parent, Reuters reported. sale unit, or any of its group firms, Greek zoo on the road to extinction due to lockdown Such a change could hurt Amazon and then sells them on the entity’s as it holds indirect stakes in two of its websites, Reuters has reported. trol restrictions, the zoo continues to the loss of December, usually busy biggest online sellers in India, The 2018 rule changes soured rela- have sizeable operating expenses. due to the Christmas holidays, was Cloudtail and Appario. tions between India and the United Between food, salaries, utilities, particularly heavy. Citing the Reuters story in a States, as Washington said the policy medical care and other expenses, So far, suppliers have shown under- January 28 letter, the US-India changes favoured local e-commerce the cost of caring for the animals cur- standing and are accepting credit. Business Council (USIBC), part of the retailers over US companies. rently exceeds 200,000 euros ($243,000) Two-thirds of the zoo’s per month. staff is on state-supported “That’s the difference between us furlough, and an expected and other companies: When they close instalment of state aid will they close. We close, but we don’t take care of this month’s close,” Lesueur told The Associated pay for the rest, the CEO Press. said.The zoo also has sold Founded in 2000 and located in the 5,000 advance tickets at town of Spata, the zoo occupies 20 reduced prices for when the hectares (50 acres) and is home to 290 lockdown ends, and species, from elephants to prairie Lesueur says that helped dogs. It’s involved in education, pay December’s salaries. conservation and breeding, and belongs to the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, which has about AP/RSS 400 members. Zoo curator Adonis Balas feeds three giraffes at the Attica Zoological Park in Spata, Athens. Having to close again on November 7 after Greece’s two-month spring ASSOCIATED PRESS or—unlike other European zoos— lockdown came at a bad time for Attica ATHENS, JAN 30 enough government aid to cover its Zoological Park. The zoo normally very particular needs, the Attica operates year-round but does a lot of It’s feeding time at Greece’s only zoo, Zoological Park faces huge bills to its business during cooler weather and a capuchin monkey grabs as many keep 2,000 animals well-fed and “because in Greece people go to the mandarins as it can—even tucking healthy. beaches, to the islands, they don’t visit one into his long, supple tail. It might “As things are ... we still can go on zoos” in the summer, the French-born be wise to stock up. for at least one month,” zoo founder Lesueur said. After being closed for almost three and CEO Jean Jacques Lesueur said. Visitors account for more than 99 months due to Covid-19, the zoo on the “After that, we don’t know.” percent of its revenue, from tickets, fringes of Athens could be on the road Unlike some businesses forced food and beverages and gift shop sales. to extinction: With no paying visitors to temporarily close due to virus-con- So every month’s revenue counts, and

C M Y K SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021 | 06 WORLD BRIEFING WHO team, on tightly controlled India cuts internet Japan woman hid mum’s near Delhi as frozen corpse for 10 years TOKYO: A Japanese woman who said China mission, visits Wuhan hospital farmers begin she hid her mother’s corpse in a freezer in her apartment for a decade REUTERS told police she feared eviction if the WUHAN, JAN 30 hunger strike death was discovered, media reported on Saturday. Police told AFP that The World Health Organization-led REUTERS Yumi Yoshino, 48, was held “on suspi- team investigating the origins of SINGHU, JAN 30 cion of abandoning and hiding a Covid-19 during a mission that has female body” found Wednesday in a been tightly controlled by its Chinese India blocked mobile internet services freezer in a Tokyo apartment. hosts visited a hospital on Saturday in in several areas around New Delhi on Yoshino said after finding her mother the central city of Wuhan that treated Saturday as protesting farmers began dead 10 years ago, she hid the body early coronavirus patients. a one-day hunger strike after a week because she “didn’t want to move On its second day after two weeks in of clashes with authorities that left out” of the home they shared, local quarantine, the team went to one dead and hundreds injured. media reported, citing unnamed Jinyintan Hospital, where doctors had Angry at new agricultural laws that police sources. collected samples from patients suffer- they say benefit large private food ing from an unidentified pneumonia buyers at the expense of producers, in late 2019. tens of thousands of farmers have Myanmar army plays down “Important opportunity to talk been camped at protest sites on the coup rhetoric as fears swirl directly w/ medics who were on the outskirts of the capital for more than YANGON: Myanmar’s military on ground at that critical time fighting two months. Saturday vowed to abide by the coun- COVID!”, team member Peter Daszak At the main protest site near the try’s constitution, in an apparent said on Twitter. village of Singhu on the northern out- backtracking after its command- Team members leaving the hospital skirts of the city, there was a height- er-in-chief spurred fears of a coup did not speak to journalists, who ened police presence on Saturday as when he suggested the charter could have been kept at a distance since the hundreds of tractors arrived from be repealed. The army has for weeks group left its quarantine hotel on Haryana, one of two states at the cen- alleged widespread irregularities in Thursday. tre of the protests. November’s election, won in a land- “Just back from visit at Jinyintan “Many farmers’ groups have joined slide by Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling hospital, that specialised in infectious the protest site since last night,” said National League for Democracy diseases and was designated for treat- Mahesh Singh, a 65-year-old farmer (NLD). Tensions were ramped up on ment of the first cases in Wuhan. from Haryana. “They have come to Tuesday when a military spokesman Stories quite similar to what I have show their support and more farmers refused to rule out the possibility heard from our ICU doctors,” team are expected to come.” of a coup. member Marion Koopmans tweeted. India’s interior ministry said on The WHO-led probe has been AP/RSS Saturday internet services at plagued by delays, concern over access Members of the World Health Organization team leave after attending an exhibition about the fight against coronavirus in Wuhan in central three locations on the outskirts of Hong Kong official: Britain has and bickering between Beijing China’s Hubei province on Saturday. The team is investigating the origins of the coronavirus pandemic. New Delhi where protests are and Washington, which accused China occurring had been suspended until 11 no rights to city post handover of hiding the extent of the initial went to an exhibition centre that fea- pm on Sunday to “maintain public HONG KONG: Hong Kong Secretary of outbreak and criticised the terms tures an exhibit commemorating early India’s active cases fall a year after Covid-19’s arrival safety”. Justice Teresa Cheng reiterated on of the visit, under which Chinese efforts to battle the outbreak in Indian authorities often block local Saturday that Britain had no rights experts conducted the first phase of Wuhan, which included a 76-day lock- MUMBAI: India reported its lowest fiscal year to March 31. The govern- internet services when they believe over the city under the joint declara- research. down of the city of 11 million. active number of novel coronavirus ment started easing the lockdown in there will be unrest, although the tion that laid the blueprint for how The WHO, which has sought to man- The investigating team had been set cases in seven months on Saturday, June. India was reporting fewer move is unusual in the capital. the city would be ruled after its 1997 age expectations for the mission, said to arrive in Wuhan earlier in January, a year after the virus was first con- cases until April 2020, but from May Farm leaders said the hunger strike reunification with China. Cheng on Friday that team members would and China’s delay of their visit drew firmed in the country. A year ago, a onwards cases started rising and by hundreds of protesters, primarily made the comments in a blog post on be limited to visits organised by their rare public criticism from the head of student from the southern state of peaked by mid-September to close to at Singhu and two other protest sites the eve of changes to the UK’s visa Chinese hosts and would not have any the WHO, which former US President Kerala tested positive for Covid-19 100,000 daily cases. and designed to coincide with the application programme that will contact with community members, Donald Trump accused of being after returning to India from Wuhan The infection rate has slowed sig- anniversary of the death of Indian allow Hong Kong residents who hold due to health restrictions. “China-centric”. in China, the global epicentre of the nificantly since September and on independence leader Mahatma a British National Overseas (BNO) Exactly a year ago, the WHO China has pushed the idea virus. To arrest the spread of the Saturday 13,083 new cases were Gandhi, would show Indians that the passport to live, study and work in declared a public health emergency of that the virus existed abroad virus, Prime Minister Narendra reported, one of the lowest figures demonstrations were non-violent. Britain for five years and eventually international concern (PHEIC), its before it was discovered in Wuhan, Modi’s government imposed a on record and down from more than “The farmers’ movement was peace- apply for citizenship. BNO status was highest level of alarm. with state media citing the presence nationwide lockdown on the 1.3 bil- 20,000 each day at the beginning of ful and will be peaceful,” said Darshan created by Britain in 1987 specifically The group’s itinerary has not been of the virus on imported frozen food lion population in late March. the month, federal health data Pal, a leader of the Samyukt Kisan for Hong Kong residents. Cheng cited announced but the WHO has said the packaging and scientific papers say- The lockdown, in which domestic showed. India has around 170,000 Morcha group of farm unions organ- former Commissioner of the team plans to visit the seafood market ing it had been circulating in Europe and international travel was banned active Covid-19 patients, the lowest ising the protests. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China at the centre of the early outbreak as in 2019. and factories, schools, offices and since June 2020. It has reported 10.7 Agriculture employs about half of in Hong Kong, Xie Feng, as saying well as the Wuhan Institute of China’s foreign ministry has also all shops other than those supplying million infections and 154,147 India’s population of 1.3 billion, “the UK has no sovereignty, jurisdic- Virology. One hypothesis, rejected by hinted that the sudden closure of a US essential services were shut, crip- deaths--one of the world’s lowest and unrest among an estimated 150 tion or right of ‘supervision’ over China, is that the outbreak was caused army laboratory at Fort Detrick in pled India’s economy, which is set to fatality rates, attributed partly to its million landowning farmers is one of Hong Kong whatsoever after the lat- by a leak at the government lab. Maryland in July 2019 was linked to contract 7.7 percent in the current relatively young population. (Reuters) the biggest challenges to the ter returned to China. (AGENCIES) Later on Saturday, the WHO team the pandemic. government. Firm indefinitely United States military delays plans to retrieve, exhibit criticises Chinese flights Titanic’s radio over South China Sea ASSOCIATED PRESS REUTERS ing through the Bashi Channel,” one NORFOLK, JAN 30 WASHINGTON, JAN 30 source said, referring to the waterway between southern Taiwan and the The company that owns the salvage The US military has said that Chinese northern Philippines. rights to the Titanic shipwreck has military flights in the past week in the “That was not just meant for indefinitely delayed plans to retrieve South China Sea fit a pattern of desta- Taiwan. Most importantly, China is and exhibit the vessel’s radio equip- bilizing and aggressive behavior by trying to tackle the issue of the South ment because of the coronavirus pan- Beijing but posed no threat to a US China Sea: it wants to stop the US mil- demic, according to a court filing Navy aircraft carrier strike group in itary from entering the South China made by the firm on Friday. the region. Sea. China wants to diminish the RMS Titanic Inc cited the “increas- “The Theodore Roosevelt Carrier United States’ weight in the western ing difficulty associated with interna- Strike Group closely monitored all Pacific.” tional travel and logistics, and the People’s Liberation Army Navy The sources spoke to Reuters on associated health risks to the expedi- (PLAN) and Air Force (PLAAF) activi- condition of anonymity as they were tion team.” ty, and at no time did they pose a not authorized to speak to the media. The Atlanta-based company also threat to US Navy ships, aircraft, or China’s Defense Ministry did not said that it’s gone nearly a year with- sailors,” the US military’s Pacific immediately respond to a request for out its primary source of revenue Command said in a statement. comment. after virus restrictions closed exhibits A US official, speaking on condition On Thursday, the ministry tough- of its vast collection of Titanic arti- of anonymity, said the Chinese air- ened its language towards Chinese- facts. Only some of the exhibitions, craft did not come within 250 nautical claimed Taiwan, warning after last which are scattered across the coun- miles of the US Navy vessels. weekend’s stepped-up military activi- AP/RSS try, have reopened. But they’re seeing Taiwan reported that several ty near the island that “independence Rohingya refugees walk to board a naval vessel to be relocated to the island of Bhasan Char, in Chattogram, Bangladesh on Saturday. limited attendance. Chinese air force aircraft flew into the means war” and that its armed forces Bangladesh sent a group of Rohingya refugees to a newly developed island in the Bay of Bengal on Saturday despite calls by human rights The company, however, maintained southwestern corner of its air defense were acting in response to provocation groups for a halt to the process. that it’s financially secure. The firm identification zone last weekend, near and foreign interference. said the radio expedition remains a the Taiwan-controlled Pratas Islands, China claims almost all the ener- top priority and will “take place as including fighter jets and nuclear-ca- gy-rich waters of the South China Sea, soon as reasonably practicable.” pable H-6 bombers. where it has established military out- The company has argued that exhib- Regional security and diplomatic posts on artificial islands. Brunei, iting the radio will help sustain the sources familiar with the situation Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Putin signs bill extending last remaining ship’s legacy while honoring passen- said China’s air force was dispatched Vietnam also claim parts of the sea. gers and crew. Known in 1912 as a on missions beginning mid-morning The waters have become a flash- Marconi wireless telegraph machine, on Jan. 23, coinciding with the US point in the Sino-US relationship. the radio sent distress calls to nearby carrier group passing south of the Washington regularly accuses Beijing Russia-US nuclear arms control treaty ships that helped save 700 people in Pratas. of militarizing the South China Sea lifeboats. China, which has long geared its and trying to intimidate Asian neigh- ASSOCIATED PRESS deployed nuclear warheads and 700 build trust and transparency between RMS Titanic Inc filed its update military towards defending itself bors who might want to exploit its MOSCOW, JAN 30 deployed missiles and bombers, and Russia and the West. with a US District Court in Norfolk, against the United States, was con- extensive oil and gas reserves. envisages sweeping on-site inspec- Arms control advocates hailed New Virginia, which presides over Titanic ducting exercises that would simulate China, in turn, regularly bristles at Russian President Vladimir Putin on tions to verify compliance. START’s extension as a boost to global salvage matters. The company said it an operation against an aircraft carri- US military activity in the region, Friday signed a bill extending the last Biden indicated during the US pres- security and urged Russia and the US to will continue to work on an expedition er, the sources said. saying on Monday that such actions remaining nuclear arms control trea- idential campaign that he favored the start negotiating follow-up agreements. funding plan, which the admiralty “They purposely conducted the are not conducive to peace and stabili- ty between Russia and the United preservation of New START, which Russian Deputy Foreign Minister court has required. drills when the US carrier was pass- ty in the region. States a week before the pact was due was negotiated during his tenure as Sergei Ryabkov, the country’s lead But even without the pandemic, to expire. vice president under Obama. negotiator on New START, said earlier the expedition has been far from guar- Both houses of the Russian parlia- Russia had long proposed prolong- this week that Russia was ready to sit anteed. The firm has been in an ment voted unanimously Wednesday to ing the pact without any conditions or down for talks on prospective arms ongoing court battle with the US gov- extend the New START treaty for five changes, but the administration of cuts that he indicated should also ernment over whether the undertak- years. Putin and US President Joe Biden former President Donald Trump wait- involve non-nuclear precision weap- ing is legal. had discussed the nuclear accord a day ed until last year to start talks and ons with strategic range. Lawyers for the US government earlier, and the Kremlin said they made the extension contingent on a Russia had offered before Biden have argued that the mission is barred agreed to complete the necessary exten- set of demands. The talks stalled, and took office to extend New START for under federal law and an internation- sion procedures in the next few days. months of bargaining failed to nar- five years—a possibility that was al agreement with Britain. New START expires February 5. row differences. envisaged by the pact at the time it The attorneys say the company The pact’s extension doesn’t require After both Moscow and Washington was signed. must seek the government’s permis- congressional approval in the US, but withdrew from the 1987 Intermediate- Trump argued that the treaty put sion to remove the radio because the Russian lawmakers had to ratify the Range Nuclear Forces Treaty in 2019, the US at a disadvantage, and he ini- sunken vessel is a recognized move. Russian diplomats said the New START is the only remaining tially insisted on adding China as a memorial to the roughly 1,500 people extension will be validated by nuclear arms control deal between the party to pact. Beijing bluntly rejected who died. exchanging diplomatic notes once all two countries. the idea. The Trump administration The luxury ocean liner was trave- the procedures are completed. Earlier this month, Russia then proposed extending New START ling from England to New York in 1912 The treaty, signed in 2010 by announced that it would follow the US for one year and sought to expand it to when it struck an iceberg and sank. It President Barack Obama and Russian in pulling out of the Open Skies include limits on battlefield nuclear was discovered in 1985 about 2.4 miles President Dmitry Medvedev, limits Treaty, which allowed surveillance weapons and other changes, and the (3.8 kilometers) below the surface of REUTERS each country to no more than 1,550 flights over military facilities to help talks stalled. the North Atlantic. The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) is pictured as it enters the port in Da Nang, Vietnam.

C M Y K 07 | SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021 SPORTS | MEDLEY Newcastle sink Everton 2-0 Army beat APF to lift Prime Minister Cup ASSOCIATED PRESS The departmental team edge arch-rivals by 33 runs in the final at the TU cricket ground after they claimed last four wickets in a space of 16 balls. LIVERPOOL, JAN 30 SPORTS BUREAU “In fact both the teams played well, Newcastle ended their five-match los- KATHMANDU, JAN 30 but we made fewer errors.” ing streak in the Premier League as The match took a dramatic turn two second-half goals by Callum First edition joint winners Tribhuvan after Sushan Bhari dismissed Amar Wilson earned a 2-0 win at Everton on Army Club claimed the Prime Routel in the last ball of the 40th over Saturday to ease the pressure on man- Minister Cup trophy with a 33-run to claim eighth wicket. Shahab Alam ager Steve Bruce. victory over Nepal Armed Police bowled Kamal Airee in the 41.2 over Wilson headed in a right-wing cor- Force (APF) Club at the TU cricket while Abinash Bohara was the last ner in the 73rd minute before slotting ground in Kirtipur on Saturday. wicket to fall in the following delivery home a finish on the counterattack in Army, the joint winners of the first after being trapped leg before. stoppage time to hand Newcastle their edition along with Nepal Police Club Bikram Sob, Jitendra Mukhiya and first victory in the league since after the final was washed out and Alam claimed three wickets each December 12. limited to runners-up in the last two while Bhari pocketed one. Sob conced- Two points in the intervening nine editions, grabbed the dramatic victory ed 27 runs in his nine bowling overs. games had plunged Newcastle toward after they claimed the last four wick- Mukhiya gave away 37 runs in nine the relegation zone and although they ets in the space of 16 balls. overs bowling with a maiden over. are still in fifth-to-last place, Bruce Put into bat first, Army posted a Alam gave away 28 runs in his 9.3 will be pleased not just with the result moderate total of 211-9 after Abinash overs bowling. He conceded 28 runs but the nature of the performance at Bohara claimed four wickets. In the with two maiden overs. the Goodison Park. run chase, APF were bundled out for APF captain Vesawkar said that Everton were restricted to only 178 runs in 41.3 overs. they could have won had they played half-chances unlike Newcastle, who Army tested Sushan Bhari to open for the whole 50 overs. “The opponents — in Wilson — had the game’s most the innings along with Anil Mandal. POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA played better than us and they made lively player. The striker’s powerful But the experiment turned sour as Tribhuvan Army Club have claimed their first Prime Minister Cup trophy despite playing the finals for the fourth time in a row. fewer mistakes. It was a disappointing header from a corner was tipped onto they lost Bhari for 13 runs, Mandal for tournament for me and also I was out the crossbar by Jordan Pickford in the 11 runs and Bhim Sharki for seven shared a 44-run partnership for the wickets in his 10-over bowling conced- Paudel off Jitendra Mukhiya in the of form. I will try to improve in the first half, before he side-footed wide runs as Army were left struggling seventh wicket with lower middle ing 53 runs. Airee, Bhuvan Kari and 27th over, hit eight boundaries and a coming days.” soon after halftime after being played with 47 runs on the board and three order batsman Rajesh Pulami. skipper Sharad Vesawkar pocketed six. Middle order batsmen Sumit Winners Army bagged a purse of in by winger Ryan Fraser. wickets down. The other remarkable contributor one wicket each. Maharjan and Sundeep Jora who Rs 1 million while runners up APF got After giving Newcastle the lead “We were under pressure in batting Pulami scored 28 off 29 which includ- APF’s run chase received an early scored 19 and 29 runs respectively Rs 500,000. with his ninth league goal this season, as we were playing without three ed two fences and a six. Shahab Alam bowl after their opener Subash were the other major contributors for Kamal Singh Airee of APF was Wilson had an opportunity to make it important players who are in the UAE contributed an unbeaten 25 runs in Khakurel was dismissed for 14 runs APF. named the man of the series while the 2-0 after rounding Pickford, but his to play T10. We sent Bhari to open the his quickfire 14-ball knock. He hit two and skipper Vesawkar for golden duck Once Jora was dismissed in the 38th best batsman award went to Prithu shot from a tight angle struck the post. innings despite pressure and he justi- boundaries and a six. with 2-21 on the board. But the other over as the seventh wicket with 174 Baskota of Bagmati Province. He eventually doubled his tally for the fied the decision,” said Army captain Rohit Paudel scored 13 runs, Lokesh opener Asif Sheikh gave stability to runs on the board, APF lost the Army’s Shahab Alam was named best afternoon after receiving a cross-field Bhandari. Bam 15 runs and Bikram Sob 11 runs the innings scoring 61 off 71. He remaining three batsmen cheaply for bowler and Bivek Yadav of Province 2 pass from Jamal Lewis and beating Hari Chauhan, who came to bat at for the Army who were gifted with 23 played a 71-run partnership with just four runs. was named emerging player. Pickford with a low shot. number three, consolidated the extra runs. Shankar Rana who contributed 21 “We created the base for victory Airee got Rs 50,000 in reward while It was only Everton’s second league innings with 58 runs off 102. He hit six APF’s Bohara gave away 25 runs in runs before being caught by skipper once we got the wicket of Sundeep best bowler and batsman got Rs 25,000 defeat in 10 games stretching back to fences before being caught by Kamal his 10-over bowling with two maiden Binod Bhandari off Shahab Alam. Jora [a reliable batsman] at the right each. The emerging player pocketed November 28. Singh Airee off Bohara. Chauhan overs. Kishore Mahato claimed two Sheikh, caught by Rohit Kumar time,” said Army skipper Bhandari. Rs 25,000. APF maintain perfect record, Biratnagar overwhelm Chaudandigadhi 6-0

SPORTS BUREAU Sabitra then made sure the depart- fighting spirit in the second half but KATHMANDU, JAN 30 mental side walk home unbeaten in Kusum broke their resilience in the the 74th minute. It was Preeti again 82nd minute and Parbati added anoth- Sabitra Bhandari double helped who found the striker inside the box er a minute later to pile misery on Armed Police Force (APF) Club and Sabitra struck a low shot past rock-bottom Chaudandigadhi, who overcome Waling Municipality 3-0 Sabitri. are still looking for their first win in and continue their perfect record in The win strengthened APF’s lead at the league. the National Women’s Football League top with 15 points, eight ahead of the They have already conceded 29 on Saturday, while Biratnagar second placed Tribhuvan Army Club goals in their four matches in reply to Metropolitan City vanquished who have a game in hand. It is also their 1 which came in their 7-1 defeat Chaudandigadhi Municipality 6-0 to their fifth clean sheet in the five games against Chandrapur five days ago. move into third. they have played in the league, having “We could not maintain At the ANFA Complex, Sabitra put scored 20 goals. possession. We could not fight back,” APF ahead in the 13th minute Waling slipped to the fifth with five said Chaudandigadhi coach Dipak when defender Manmaya Limbu points. Thapa. released Sabitra just outside the Earlier in the day, goals from Anu The win helped Biratnagar topple box from the left, who then brilliantly Rai, Ema Rai, Manisha Thapa Magar, Nepal Police Club at third who play beat the Waling goalkeeper Sabitri Kusum Khatiwada and Parbati Ghale sixth placed Chandrapur Municipality Kishan and fired into the left capped Biratnagar’s comfortable win on Sunday. Biratnagar have seven bottom corner. over Chaudandigadhi. points and are level with Tribhuvan Second half substitute Preeti Rai Anu opened the scoring in the Army Club who have superior goal doubled the lead in the 71st minute. 21st minute, and doubled the lead in difference. Preeti volleyed a cross from captain the 36th minute. Ema and Manisha “It is always good to get three Anita Basnet from the left and then got on the score sheet in the 39th points,” said Biratnagar coach Paras the goalie Sabitri parried her shot and 43rd minutes as helpless Chaudhary. which again fell to Preeti`s path. She Chaudandigadhi were down 4-0 before “But we still have a lot of work to do PHOTO COURTESY: ANFA stepped forward and blasted into the the break. so that we could climb to second,” he Sabitra Bhandari (right) and Preeti Rai (third right) scored in Armed Police Force Club’s 3-0 win over Waling Municipality on Saturday. top corner. Chaudandigadhi showed some added. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** Feel like you want some time on your own? Today, do Today, use any downtime you might have to dou- You already know you shouldn’t expect a lot out of If you want to make a change in your life right now, whatever it takes to get some alone time, whether ble-check the work that you’ve done so far. It’s not today, but don’t get upset if things progress even less make it slowly. Hurrying to meet a certain goal or you want to take a vacation day, work from home, or that you’ve been sloppy; it’s just that your recent than you think they will. One day’s failure doesn’t rushing toward what you think you want isn’t wise schedule yourself a getaway solo weekend. good news may be causing you to lose your concen- mean that you’ll continue to underperform. right now. You need to think things through. tration.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** Are you spending too much energy getting involved Getting clutter out of the way in your day-to-day life Having ambition is fine, but just because you Stop thinking so much about tomorrow and start liv- in the lives of others? If so, you’re depriving your- will help you clear the clutter out of your brain too, have a lot of drive for success doesn’t mean that ing in the moment! There are a lot of opportunities self of the attention that you need to be happier and so put some energy into cleaning up around your you know which direction to go. When an opportuni- all around you, but if you’re too busy thinking all feel more content. Cut down on it. house and getting things organised today. ty comes your way, make sure that you don’t just about what you want to do next, you are going to dive right in. miss out.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** If you’re truly happy for a friend who has started a Your organisational skills are brighter than ever, Beauty and other aesthetic ideals are important to Just because you haven’t seen a friend for a long time new relationship, be sure to show it. They might be and people have been noticing. It’s in your best inter- you. And the more attention you pay to beauty today, doesn’t mean that you two have drifted apart for under the impression that you’re jealous about the ests to get involved in this even if you don’t think the more you are going to inspire yourself to come good. They still care about you, and they would love fact that they’ll be spending less time with you in the you have the bandwidth to take on anything new up with new ideas and new ways of solving old prob- to hear from you. Today, call them up. future. right now. lems. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K SUNDAY, JANUARY 31, 2021 | 08 BLACKBOARD (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 My friend, the Giant Hornbill How can I forget?

Ever since I was a child, I have had a great liking for birds and animals. PRITAM KOIRALA

Sometimes these memories Remind me of her sparkling face Sometime these red roses Remind me of those days with her Sometimes the pitter patter of rain Reminds me of her voice And I ask myself: “How can I forget her?”

Her lovely hair Cascading below the shoulders Exactly like a waterfall Falling down to her waist How can I forget? Her brown skin Unsmoothed by those tiny pimples How can I forget? The charm of her lips Her eyes Like sea foam How can I forget? Her bright face More brighter than the full moon How can I forget? Oh! her smile! How can I forget?

Koirala is a class 12 student at Koshi St James School, Itahari.

SHUTTERSTOCK SHAILI BAJGAIN had a great beak and attractive features. It was and suddenly it struck me: “Oh my! It is the fearless. It surprised me because I used to think same bird!”. Everyone was casually talking he greatest oak was once a little nut I was the only one daring and naughty. But alas, about things in the class when I jumped with the that held its ground.” it was more courageous. It used to come near me sudden realisation. My teacher and friends were Ever since I was a child, I have had and nuzzle my hair. so shocked with my behaviour. But I was smiling a great liking for birds and animals. like a crazy person who had taken the wrong No matter how dangerous they were, medicine that morning. I would always try to go near them Every morning, my I whispered to my friends that my long lost Tand learn about them and their activities. I have friend was the Giant Hornbill. I was in utter always liked all birds and animals--except grandmother used delight just by looking at its picture. But my snakes! I would run a mile just when I heard its friends were looking at me all horrified thinking hiss. So far I have managed to avoid it. to feed grains to birds. I had become deranged. Looking at their faces I There were a lot of animals in our home. believed I couldn’t make them believe. Only I Engaged in agriculture, we had lots of land to know what I experienced was true and it was cultivate and so we kept many animals in our It used to play for a while and return to where incredible. home. Every morning, my grandma used to feed it came from. By that time I had noticed even I wish all this deadly situation around the grains to a lot of birds. Early in the morning birds were punctual. My childhood was different globe would end and again we could experience surrounded by birds, my grandma smiling with than it is now. I used to get up early and go for a new things and make lively memories. I just adoration; it was a sight to behold. So I would morning walk with my grandma with the hope wish I could meet ‘Giant Hornbill’ once again always follow my grandma here and there. of getting some money for sweets. Because I who once was my little friend. I just had a won- Trying to be like her, innocent and dutiful, I knew my parents would not give me money after derful glimpse of my past. I felt like all this used to offer grains to those birds. But unlike destroying things at home. But now, Covid-19 has happened yesterday. If only we could have our her, I was also a little playful, and often ruined changed everything. I am just tired of sitting freedom back. Then we could put on our wings things now and then. inside our home. I want things to be like before. and roam around the world freely again. But for Then one day, I noticed a peculiar bird. It And yes I lost track of my little friend as I now we only have hope. pecked on the grains I offered and started com- grew up. But in our last class, before all this ing every day. And might I add, to my liking, it drama and trauma, my science teacher taught Bajgain is a class 10 student at SOS Hermann was bigger than the average bird. I liked that it us about this bird. I was looking at its picture Gmeiner Secondary School, Itahari. SHUTTERSTOCK CULTURE & LIFESTYLE Miss Nepals take a tour of the Valley’s heritage sites As part of promoting cultural tourism for domestic and international tourists, The Hidden Treasure organised a heritage walk for winners of Miss Nepal 2020.

POST REPORT LALITPUR Such tours give he Hidden Treasure on Saturday organised a the participants a ‘Lalitpur Heritage Walk’ in association with Nepal chance to appreciate Tourism Board and Museum of Nepali Arts (MoNA) to pro- the diverse Tmote cultural tourism. This was the second heritage walk the cultural heritage, 2020 Miss Nepal batch participated in, after their first heritage tour in organisers say. Kathmandu last Saturday. This time, the pageant winners were guided through the inner alleys of Patan leading to different cultural sites that have not been explored the experience of the participants with the tourism aspect before but have through a closed-group interaction, and great cultural significance. was targetted mainly for the Miss Nepals “It was a delightful experience, and the who will be representing Nepal in their walk made me realise that I was unaware POST PHOTO: SANJOG MANANDHAR respective international platforms. of so many things of our own culture,” Sandhya Sharma, Miss Nepal International, participates in the heritage tour around Patan. Participants included Namrata Shrestha, said Riya Shrestha, Miss Tourism 2020. “I Miss Nepal World, Supriya Shrestha, believe participating in such walks helps Mahvihra, the Golden Temple. It was my conserving culture and traditions. Such Nepals, with the knowledge of our cul- Miss Nepal Earth and Sandhya Sharma, in sparking the conversation of preserva- first time and I could see the influence of tours are also recognised to give the par- ture and heritage, will be able to reach Miss Nepal International. tion of our culture and heritage and such Buddhism in the architecture of the place ticipants an opportunity to understand more people for sustainable tourism,” Going forward, the organisers are participation helps spread the knowledge and in their cultural practices,” said the diverse cultural practises. said Rajkarnikar. planning to take the winners to various from one person to another,” said Shrestha. According to Diwakar Rajkarnikar, “This initiative hopes to reach out to other heritage sites across the country to Shrestha. “In the architecture and social aspect chairman of The Hidden Treasure, they more youths to promote tourism and start support their experience in representing The heritage tour started from Patan of Patan I could see more influence of wanted to engage the winners in such meaningful conversation of culture the country and its culture and Dhoka and from there the participants Buddhism, and understanding the activities to promote the culture and tour- through the channels of our Miss Nepals. traditions. were led into different chowks and bahas nuanced connection was invigorating,” ism of the country through their interac- It’s high time that our tourism also focus “Our country is very rich artistically of Patan. They were also introduced to added Shrestha. tions in the future. on domestic tourism as well besides inter- and culturally and I think if we are able the living intangible traditions of the dif- Around the world today, heritage walks “Most people think that we are creating national tourism,” added Rajkarnikar. to give our Miss Nepals this hands-on ferent bahas to the stories behind the are regarded to be significant in strength- models, but what we aspire to do is bring The Lalitpur Heritage Walk however experience of different cultures of differ- ancient structures. ening the interaction of people with their to people role models who can inspire was an exclusive tour with only about 25 ent castes, we will be able to promote our “I enjoyed visiting Hirayavara heritage, to instil in people the idea of positive changes. And we believe our Miss participants that focused on enriching country in a better way,” said Rajkarnikar.

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