WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 177 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 33.5 C 15.0 C Thursday, August 20, 2020 | 04-05-2077 Biratnagar Jomsom After two high-level engagements, Nepal and India look for a boundary meeting Though Boundary Working Group is not mandated to look into the row over Kalapani, experts say its inputs could be valuable for a future meeting at the foreign secretary level.

ANIL GIRI Group is not mandated to look into KATHMANDU, AUG 19 Susta and Kalapani, over which the recent tensions have flared up between After two back-to-back high-level Nepal and India, it has been tasked engagements between Nepal and with providing inputs to the mecha- India over the past few days, the two nism formed at the foreign secretary neighbours are now looking to hold a level. meeting of their Boundary Working The foreign secretary level mecha- Group. nism is tasked with resolving the dis- Officials familiar with the develop- putes concerning Susta and Kalapani. ment say the meeting will be held However, it has not held any meeting “very soon” and that it will be signifi- despite both sides expressing willing- cant at a time when the two countries ness for the same. are embroiled in boundary disputes. Experts say engagements between Nepal has proposed the meeting the two countries are always welcome, either in the last week of August or as such meetings and exchanges some time in September, according to help clear confusion and de-escalate two officials from the Ministry of tensions. Foreign Affairs and Department of “The telephonic conversation POST PHOTO: HEMANTA SHRESTHA Survey. between the prime ministers of the Devotees light butter lamps at Gokarneshwor temple in Kathmandu on Wednesday in the name of their dead fathers on the occasion of Kushe Aunshi. A response from India is awaited, two countries and the high-level meet- they said. ing between our foreign secretary and The Boundary Working Group is a Indian ambassador definitely helped joint agency constituted by the gov- break the ice,” said Madhuraman ernments of Nepal and India in 2014 to Acharya, former foreign secretary carry out works in the fields of con- and ambassador. “We can hope for Empowering chief district officers in Covid-19 fight struction, restoration and repair of more bilateral engagements in the boundary pillars including clearance coming days.” of ‘no-man’s land’ and other technical No diplomatic dialogue or high-lev- tasks. el meetings had been held between tramples upon the spirit of federalism, experts say The Group so far has held six Nepal and India until a few days ago meetings. since November when New Delhi pub- The last meeting was held in August lished a new map placing Kalapani Amid criticism for its failure to contain coronavirus spread, the Oli administration has ignored provincial and local last year in Dehradun, India. within India’s borders. governments and granted powers to the district administration offices to issue prohibitory orders. Even though the Boundary Working >> Continued on page 2

BINOD GHIMIRE ments and a ban on all non-essential More than four years since the KATHMANDU, AUG 19 services. On Tuesday, the chief dis- promulgation of the constitution that trict officers of Kathmandu Valley guaranteed federalism in the country, Amid criticism over its response to too imposed prohibitory orders in politicians in the national capital the coronavirus pandemic, especially Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Bhaktapur Kathmandu have not been able to shed after the decision to lift the lockdown for a week effective from Wednesday their penchant for the concept of on July 21, the Oli administration midnight. chief district officers. authorised chief district officers to The federal government’s decision In the past, provinces had com- take measures to contain the virus. to grant powers to the chief district plained about the roles of chief dis- More than a half of the 77 districts officers to respond to the virus spread, trict officers and the rationale behind across the country over the past weeks however, has come into question, with having them to look after the adminis- were put under prohibitory orders, many saying the move is against the trative affairs even when provincial which meant strict restrictions on spirit of the constitution and calling it governments were elected. public mobility and vehicular move- Kathmandu’s double standard. The ministers for internal affairs “Provincial and local govern- and law of all the provinces, during ments should have been respond- their meeting with Prime Minister KP ing, in tandem with the federal POST PHOTO Sharma Oli and Minister for Home government, to this crisis of Provincial governments are opposed to the Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa on July national proportion,” said idea of empowering chief district officers. 30, raised the problem of a lack of Shalikram Jamarkattel, minis- coordination between them and the ter for internal affairs and law of federal government, however, has chief district officers. Bagmati Province. “Provincial undermined the provincial and local The concept of chief district and local governments have been governments by empowering the chief officers has continued from the at the forefront to fight the district officers. Panchayat era. Even after the restora- virus—from management of “The federal government’s decision tion of democracy, chief district quarantine and isolation centres is against the spirit of federalism officers continued to enjoy immense to facilitation for the treatment.” enshrined in the constitution,” power. POST ILLUSTRATION According to Jamarkattel, the Jamarkattel told the Post. >> Continued on page 2 Tensions have flared up between Nepal and India lately over boundary disputes.

C M Y K THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL 14 dead, 16 missing in floods and Empowering chief district ... >> Continued from page 1 Covid-19 cases had crossed the 17,000 mark. Experts say politicians in Kathmandu are yet Over the last one month since the lifting of to internalise the fact that in the federal sys- the lockdown, there has been a sudden spike landslides in Sudurpaschim, Karnali tem, the federal government needs to devolve in cases across the country. The Valley too powers to subnational governments. Since has reported a steady rise in infections. chief district officers are appointed by the As of Wednesday, 28,938 persons have been federal government, they owe their alle- infected with the coronavirus across the Achham district hit hardest after floodwaters entered settlements, killing six people and sweeping away 11. giance to Kathmandu and report to the Home country; 2,498 of the cases are in Kathmandu Ministry, thereby undermining the internal Valley. On Wednesday alone, 681 new cases Mayor Dhana Bahadur Bista, affairs and law ministry of the provinces. were reported–159 in the Valley. The death however, claimed that the land- Constitutional experts say the provincial toll stands at 120 with six fatalities reported slide was not triggered by the con- and local governments’ demand that they in the past 24 hours. Twelve people have died struction of the cricket ground but should have a decisive voice in any decision from Covid-related conditions so far in due to the construction of a rural that applies to their area is legitimate. Kathmandu Valley. road to Luyati. According to them, the federal government Not only provincial governments, the fed- “The road construction obstruct- has cited the outdated Infectious Disease Act eral government’s move of granting powers ed the natural outlet of rivulets from 1964 to grant discretionary powers to to chief district officers to take their own and caused the disaster. The the chief district officers. decisions to contain the virus as per their municipality will provide compen- “There should be common decision-making assessment also undermines the local gov- sation to the victims and take pre- in a situation like a pandemic where all tiers ernments. ventive measures to avoid such of government have their say,” Bipin Adhikari, Municipalities are left with no role, as disasters in the future,” he said.. former dean at Kathmandu University School chief district officers, as per the direct orders Floods and landslides also killed of Law, told the Post. “Giving chief district from the federal government, are taking four people and led to the disap- officers the absolute authority to issue prohib- actions, according to Bhim Prasad Dhungana, pearance of five others in Kalikot, itory orders is against the spirit of constitu- general secretary of the Municipal Dailekh and Surkhet districts of tion and federalism.” Association Nepal, a grouping of municipal- Karnali Province. Schedule 6 of the constitution gives the ities across the country, who is also the Four villagers of Rupsa in provincial governments explicit authority to mayor of Neelkantha Municipality in Naraharinath Rural Municipality maintain peace and order in their provinces. Dhading. Ward No. 5 in Kalikot district went Enforcing prohibitory orders and curfew is a “Local governments hold information at POST PHOTO: MENUKA DHUNGANA missing after they were swept part of maintaining law and order in the the household level. They know better about The flood in Achham also swept away 22 houses in Saini Bazaar, a concrete bridge at Darna and nine suspension bridges. away by a flooded stream. The society. the measures to be taken in the time of cri- missing people had gone to “I won’t be surprised if one of the chief sis,” Dhungana told the Post. “But by empow- MENUKA DHUNGANA local unit and five micro hydro- Sristi Regmi, the deputy mayor Chauthe grassland to graze their district officers in my province imposes pro- ering chief district officers, the federal gov- ACHHAM, AUG 19 power projects were also damaged of the municipality, said that the cattle. “Security personnel and hibitory orders or curfew without my infor- ernment has ignored local governments’ in the disaster. flood also damaged around 900 locals are searching for the vic- mation,” said Gyanendra Yadav, minister for existence, while also directly controlling At least 14 people were killed and “The arable land on the banks of ropanis of paddy fields. tims,” said DSP Shyambabu Oliya. internal affairs and law in Province 2. everything from Kathmandu.” 16 others went missing in floods the Kailash stream has been swept In Bajhang, a landslide in The rural municipality had suf- Critics say they would have not questioned Jamarkattel said the decision to empower and landslides in various districts away. Ramroshan Rural Bungal Municipality killed two fered 11 deaths in landslides in this latest move of the federal government chief district officers also exposes the double of Sudurpaschim and Karnali Municipality has suffered a huge children of the same family early July. In Dailekh, a 12-year-old boy had it been able to contain the virus. standard of the federal government. provinces in the last 24 hours. damage. It is not clear how many on Wednesday morning, police died while an 11-year-old went The Oli administration’s move of empow- “It says it will work in close coordination Achham, a hill district in families have been displaced. We said. “Two children died and four missing in a landslide in ering chief district officers seems to stem with sub-national governments to fight the Sudurpaschim Province, has been have not yet completed assessing other family members were Thatikandh Rural Municipality from the fact that it failed to respond to the pandemic but empowers bureaucrats to hit hardest as gushing floodwaters the damage,” said Saud. injured in the landslide,” said DSP Ward No. 4 on Wednesday. coronavirus crisis in an effective manner. assess the situation and impose restrictions from Kailash Khola entered sever- An inspection team ,led by Chief Ganesh Bam. “Four other people have sus- Many say the federal government decided accordingly,” he said. al settlements in Ramroshan Rural District Officer Gokarna Prasad The locals claimed that the land- tained critical injuries in the dis- to let chief district officers take charge of the Experts on federal affairs say the federal Municipality causing a massive Upadhyay, also visited Saini slide was caused by haphazard aster,” said DSP Hari Bahadur Oli. fight against the virus so that it can wash its government’s recent decision is one more human and property loss. Bazaar on Wednesday. development activities, mainly the Fifteen families who were at hands of, even though the chief district example of how Nepali politicians continue At least six people died in the “A team of security personnel construction of a cricket ground high risk of landslide were moved officers will be working at its behest. to work with the centralised mindset even disaster while 11 others are miss- has been mobilised for a search and just above a settlement in to a safer location. When it imposed the nationwide lockdown though the country adopted the federal sys- ing, according to the district police. rescue mission” said Upadhyay. Khollekdanda. Earlier on Tuesday night, a per- on March 24, the number of cases in the tem five years ago. Deputy Superintendent of In Bajura, two persons died and The cricket ground was complet- son was buried alive when his country stood at just two. It, however, squan- “The main problem is that the federal gov- Police Yogendra Singh Thapa said two others sustained injuries in ed three years ago, but the debris house collapsed after being hit by a dered the four months of lockdown—as it ernment takes provincial and local govern- four bodies were recovered from separate landslides at Khaptad from the construction site had not landslide in Bhagwatimai Rural neither improved quarantine facilities nor ments as its subordinate bodies, not as paral- Koseda area in Darna of Bannigadi Chhededaha-5 and Budhinanda been disposed of. Municipality Ward No. 5. increased isolation beds. lel governments as envisioned by the consti- Jayagad Rural Municipality while Municipality-6 on Tuesday night. “A house was buried when a In Surkhet, a two-year-old boy The economy took a beating due to the tution,” Khim Lal Devkota, who extensively two other bodies were found at According to Chief District huge mound of construction died when a rain-swollen local lockdown as people from lower economic writes on federal affairs, told the Post. Lamatna and Seri in Mangalsen Officer Krishna Gaire, a landslide debris was washed by rainwaters, stream swept away a house in strata suffered the most. The Oli administra- “The federal government’s failure to Municipality. Search was under- at Budhinanda Municipality killed killing two people,” said Jaya Simta Rural Municipality Ward tion was going broke with its coffers deplet- ensure proper coordination with the provin- way for the missing people until a 65-year-old Jhimu Lohar while a Dhami, a resident of Khollekdanda. No. 1 on Tuesday. According to ing. There was pressure to ease the lock- cial and local governments is mainly respon- late Wednesday afternoon. three-year-old died in another “We had requested the municipali- Kabindra KC, the chairman of the down, but on July 21, the government com- sible for the poor response to the Covid-19 The flood also swept away 22 landslide at Khaptad Chhededaha ty not to dump soil, sand and local unit, a woman and two chil- pletely lifted the restrictions. By that time, pandemic.” houses in Saini Bazaar, a concrete Ward No 5. stones carelessly. It was a threat to dren were injured in the incident. bridge at Darna and nine suspen- Likewise, flood in the the settlement below, but they did sion bridges in the area, according Dhupagadh stream damaged a not listen to us.” (Basanta Pratap Singh in Bajhang, to Jhankar Saud, the chairman of drinking water project and three Fifty houses in the area are at Tularam Pandey in Kalikot and Ramaroshan Rural Municipality. irrigation canals in Budhinanda high risk of landslides, said anoth- Jyotee Katuwal in Dailekh An ambulance belonging to the Municipality Ward No 2. er local Suresh Kunwar. contributed reporting) Rice shortage looms over Bajura villages due to road disruptions ARJUN SHAH Chiranjibi Shahi, chairman at DHANGADHI, AUG 19 Swamikartik Rural Municipality, said, “We need at least 3,000 quintals of rice right away. On Sunday, Man Bahadur Rokaya from The rural municipality recently conducted a Sapatta Joru in Bajura, accompanied by his survey in five wards of Swamikartik and five neighbours, reached Kolti, which is a found that almost all families are reeling day’s walk away from his home, in search of under rice shortage.” rice. But when he reached Kolti, he was told According to depot chief Acharya, the that the depot of the Food Management and District Security Committee in Bajura has Trading Company Ltd had been closed for demanded the government to airlift 2,000 more than a month now. quintals of rice for Kolti and 1,000 quintals of “We have been facing a shortage of rice in rice for Martadi. Sapatta Joru for almost two months now,” said Even Martadi, the district headquarters, Rokaya. “And I had to return empty handed has started running out of its rice stock. from Kolti since the depot was closed.” Mekhraj Ojha, chief at the Bajura depot of Nabin Acharya, chief at the depot in Kolti, the Food Management and Trading Company said, “There is no stock of rice left in the Ltd, said, “We sold more than 1,000 quintals godowns so we had to shut down the depot.” of rice between mid-July and mid-August. According to him, Bajura has not been able But now, we only have a limited stock availa- to bring in rice, as the roads that link ble. The depot is selling around 100 quintals Martadi, the district headquarters, with of rice on a daily basis.” other districts have been blocked due to land- Tula Rokaya, vice-chairperson of the slides. “The Martadi-Kolti road and the Bajura Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Sanfe-Martadi road have been blocked by said that traders in Martadi haven’t been landslide debris,” Acharya said. able to import food grains due to road block- Every year, the eastern part of Bajura, ages caused by landslides. Continuous rain- including Kolti, faces a shortage of rice fall in the past few weeks has hindered road grains. Kolti, which is around 45 kilometres repair works, said Daman Bista, engineer at from Martadi, covers three rural municipali- the Division Road Office in Sanfe. ties and one municipality. All three rural “Multiple landslides have occurred along the municipalities—Himlai, Swamikartik and Sanfe-Martadi road section. With the continu- Jagannath— and Budhinanda Municipality ous rainfall, we haven’t been able to initiate are out of stock of rice grains. any repair works on the road section,” he said.

After two high-level engagements ... >> Continued from page 1 year in Dehradun, India, both sides agreed to Tensions, however, flared up in the first week advance boundary-related works through the of May after the Indian defence minister use of modern technology, including IBN inaugurated a road link via Lipulekh to GNSS (international border navigation / Kailash Mansarovar in the Tibet Autonomous global navigation satellite system) network, Region of China. In response, Nepal pub- continuous operating reference system lished its own political map depicting (CORS), high resolution satellite imagery Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura with- (HRSI) and UAV/drone survey. in its territories. The fifth meeting of the group held in Nepali officials said the telephone conver- Kathmandu in 2018 had revised the deadline sation between Prime Minister KP Sharma and concluded that it was impossible to clear Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra the boundary work by 2022, a date fixed by Modi on August 15 and the virtual meeting the fourth meeting. between Foreign Secretary Shanker Das Since the flare-up of recent border ten- Bairagi and Indian Ambassador sions, both sides have expressed willingness Vinay Mohan Kwatra on August 17 helped set to hold talks and resolve the issues. Nepal’s the tone for the Boundary Working Group proposal for a meeting at the foreign secre- meeting. tary level had initially failed to get a response The August 17 meeting was held to review from Delhi. After Nepal objected to the road and assess the progress made in India-funded link via Lipulekh, India stressed talks after projects in Nepal. the Covid-19 pandemic. “Both sides are exchanging correspond- Officials say since the Boundary Working ence to fix the date through diplomatic chan- Group is also tasked with providing inputs to nels,” Damodar Dhakal, spokesperson for the the foreign secretary level mechanism that Department of Survey, told the Post. “This was formed to resolve Susta and Kalapani time the meeting should take place in Nepal issues, its meeting in near future holds sig- but due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is likely nificance. Acharya, the former foreign secre- to be a virtual meeting.” tary and ambassador, said bilateral ties According to Dhakal, since diplomatic should not be held hostage to one issue or a issues are dealt with by the Foreign Ministry, minor difference. the Survey Department will know about the “Such continuous engagements help build dates once they are fixed. confidence in bilateral relations. If disputes According to the department, the upcom- surface, we should attempt to resolve them ing meeting will review the work carried out amicably,” said Acharya. “If India shows its in the last one year and assign the task for the willingness to accept the report of the coming years. Eminent Persons Group on Nepal-India rela- At the last and sixth meeting of the tions, it will also help in building confidence Boundary Working Group held in August last and trust.”

C M Y K 03 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 NATIONAL BRIEFING Teachers unpaid as schools can’t collect pupils’ fees Prohibitory order extended by 13 days With the pandemic worsening, the future remains uncertain and the federal government says local governments should look into the matter. RAJBIRAJ: Saptari District TSERING NGODUP LAMA Institutional Schools’ Teachers’ Administration has extended its KATHMANDU, AUG 19 Union, doesn’t believe that private prohibitory order until August 31 schools are incapable of paying their with spikes in Covid-19 cases. The On March 19, when the government teachers’ salaries. order had been imposed in the dis- announced the closure of schools to “The majority of private schools trict from July 23 to August 18. A curb the spread of Covid-19, Akash have made enough profit over the meeting of the district security com- (name changed), a mathematics teach- years. But faced with a crisis, they say mittee headed by Chief District er at a private school in Kathmandu, that they do not have enough funds to Officer Shankarhari Acharya on wasn’t very worried. He thought that pay their teachers,” said Thapa. Tuesday decided to reimpose the schools would reopen in a few weeks “Teachers are not even demanding order for 13 days starting from and he’d go back to taking classes. that the schools pay them their full Wednesday. A total of 654 positive “I had no idea it would last this salary during such a difficult time. All cases have been reported in Saptari long. In the 15 years that I have worked we are saying is just pay us a living as of Wednesday. The government has as a teacher, this is the longest I have wage with which we can fulfil our authorised district officials to issue gone without teaching,” said Akash. basic needs, and the schools can pay necessary orders to curb the spread “I have never had this much free time back the remaining portion of our of Covid-19. in many years.” salaries when things return to nor- For Akash, the free time has come malcy.” Blood bank starts operations at a huge personal expense. “Ever PABSON’s Puri disagrees. “Unlike since the school closed, I haven’t other businesses, the education busi- in Bajhang Hospital received a single rupee in salary,” said ness is such that owners usually rein- BAJHANG: A blood bank service has Akash. vest the profit into the business,” said been started in Bajhang Hospital Akash’s case is not an outlier among Puri. “But this crisis has made schools from Wednesday. Dr Milan Khadka of the country’s private school teachers. realise the importance of setting up the hospital said, “We had to refer Since the schools closed, the majority an emergency fund to fall back on patients to other district hospitals of private school teachers haven’t times like this.” due to blood shortages. Now, blood received their salaries, and those who Thapa said that he knows of 600 shortage is no more a problem.” The have, have received only a fraction of teachers that have been laid off but bank was established at a total cost of their total salaries, according to the number could be more. Rs 5 million. teachers. “Many schools have stopped renew- This has left many private school ing contracts of contractual teachers.

teachers struggling to make ends Some teachers have been let go Hospital directed to halt testing meet. because they don’t have the technical According to Tika Ram Puri, chair- knowledge needed to conduct virtual BIRGUNJ: Parsa District POST ILLUSTRATION Administration has directed person of Private and Boarding classes. And others have been fired by Narayani Vayodha Hospital to stop Schools’ Organisation Nepal they were facing problems managing schools that are providing online Education and Human Resource their schools because they wrote on PCR testing after it was found that it (PABSON), schools are unable to pay expenses. classes. Development, under the Ministry of their social media platforms of not did not have the permit to conduct the teachers’ salaries because the gov- This, the government said, would Mukunda Raj Sharma, principal of Education. “However, as the authority having received their salaries,” said such tests. Asman Tamang, chief dis- ernment has directed schools not to ease the financial burden that many Little Angels’ School in Lalitpur says to manage schools lies with the local Thapa. trict officer, said that the hospital has collect student fees. have had to bear due to the lockdown. that his school has been running governments now, I believe the respec- “It is a difficult situation for every- been told not to conduct tests after “Student fees are the only source But private schools objected to the online classes from April and paying a tive local governments should take body involved—the school, the teach- authorities found that hospital staff- of our revenue, and with no government’s decision stating the partial salary to teachers with its own proactive measures in resolving the ers, and the parents,” said Sharma, ers were collecting swab samples revenue coming in, how are schools decision was made without consulting resources. issues,” the school principal. “And the since last week. supposed to pay their teachers,” said them. “We don’t know how long we can At the receiving end of the tussle pandemic seems to be getting worse Puri. A few days later, on May 7, the continue to pay teachers’ salaries with are the teachers. each day.” Demand for moving Covid-19 Puri claims that there are around Education and Health Committee of our resources,” Sharma said. One of the teachers that the Post With social distancing becoming patients out of Mechi hospital 10,000 private schools in the country Parliament further reiterated that In July, private schools threatened spoke to for the story was a teacher the new norm and medical experts and they employ nearly 200,000 teach- schools should not charge fees until to stop online classes if they aren’t from a reputed school in Kathmandu. advising people to reduce in-person BIRTAMOD: Nepali Congress’ Jhapa ers although the Economic Survey of the situation returns to normal and it allowed to collect fees from students. “Before the lockdown, teachers at interaction, demand for home tutor- unit has demanded that Covid being 2109-20 the number of schools is less also directed schools not to enrol new “It was only after the government our school used to take five classes a ing, which is what many teachers rely treated at Mechi Hospital be shifted than 6,000. students. assured us that it would look into the day. Ever since we started virtual on to make extra income, has hit an elsewhere. The party’s Area No. 3 “During the lockdown, only around “Despite the lockdown, schools have matter that we decided to continue the classes, we have been taking four a all-time low. Committee demanded that 15 percent of the schools have contin- been providing online classes with an online classes. But it has been more day, But our salaries have been “Before the pandemic, after finish- authorities not treat Covid patients ued to pay their teachers some salary. aim to complete the academic year. than a month and the government reduced significantly,” said the teach- ing my time at the school, I used to go on the premises of the hospital as Most of these schools are the top Our teachers have been working hard hasn’t come up with any concrete er, requesting anonymity. “For the and teach mathematics to a ninth- doing so would deprive other patients schools in the country. The rest 85 per- to take these online classes despite the decision on this matter,” said Puri. past four months, teachers at our grade student who lives near me. But of treatment. According to Ganesh cent of schools are in no position to difficult time,” said Puri. “But we can The federal government has passed school have only been paid 50 percent after the pandemic hit, the family Pokharel, regional president of pay salaries,” said Puri. only urge our teachers to continue the buck to local governments. of the basic salary. At just Rs 15,000 a asked me to discontinue the class,” Nepali Congress, the flow of patients On April 29, the government taking online classes despite receiving “We have received complaints about month, after paying my monthly rent said Akash. in Mechi Hospital has decreased by 50 informed private schools not to charge no salary or only partial salary.” non-payment and delay in payment of and internet charges, I have nothing “I used to regard teaching as a sta- percent after the hospital started students school fees for the months of What percentage of their salaries salaries. Representatives of the Nepal left. I have been making do by taking ble profession but this pandemic and treating Covid patients. The Chaitra and Baisakh (mid-March to teachers get varies from school to Teachers Federation have also loans from family and friends for the the way teachers have been treated by hospital is the largest govern- mid-May). It also said that it would school, according to Puri. informed us about it,” said Tulashi past several months.” the schools have made me realise it’s ment-run hospital in the district. provide schools with soft loans if There is no data on the number of Thapaliya, director-general Centre for Hom Kumar Thapa, chairperson of no longer the case.” Parliamentary Secretariat rejects lawmaker Rauniyar’s plea seeking explanation for his suspension Rauniyar, owner of Pappu Construction, claims he has the constitutional right to know because the matter concerning him and his company is an issue of public concern.

PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA The rule states that a lawmaker’s the Public Procurement Monitoring KATHMANDU, AUG 19 pay, perks and privileges will be sus- Office, five times in the last one and pended when s/he is in custody on half years, for underperformance in The Parliamentary Secretariat has criminal charges. five construction projects. refused to register an application by A lawmaker remains suspended for A blacklisted firm cannot take part suspended lawmaker Hari Narayan the period of imprisonment once con- in any government bids for maximum Rauniyar seeking update on his earli- victed by the court. three years as per the Public er application demanding explanation “I am neither in custody nor in pris- Procurement Act. Even before Pappu behind his suspension. on, I should not have been suspended,” Construction was formally blacklist- Rauniyar was suspended as a law- Rauniyar told the Post. ed, the company was denied the con- maker after the Commission for But Dhamala, the information tract of over Rs 2 billion to construct Investigation of Abuse of Authority officer of the federal parliament, disa- the building of Nepal Rastra Bank in on October 5, 2018 filed a corruption grees with Rauniyar’s contention. Baluwatar, Kathmandu. case against his construction firm for He said Rauniyar lost his seat in the In March last year, the Public POST PHOTO: ELITE JOSHI substandard work in a bridge project. House of Representatives under a sep- Procurement Monitoring Office had A Nepal Army soldier takes part in a ceremony held to accord state honours to Rastra Kavi Madhav Prasad Ghimire, who died on Tuesday, at Following his dismissal, Rauniyar arate anti-corruption law that auto- blacklisted Coastal Pappu JV, a joint Pashupati Aryaghat in Kathmandu on Wednesday, had registered an application at the matically disqualifies an individual venture firm, which was awarded the Parliamentary Secretariat on holding public post for corruption contract to construct the main and December 1, 2018, seeking explanation charge. link canals and rehabilitation of head- why he was suspended. He had argued works of the Dunduwa Irrigation that his suspension was against the System, under the Sikta Irrigation regulation of the House of The secretariat says Project. Traffic lights installed and repaired at Representatives. The joint contract was annulled cit- On Tuesday, Rauniyar had tried to the application can’t ing poor progress in the implementa- register a right to information appli- tion of the project. The JV was also cation, seeking an update on the state be accepted until a barred from participating in govern- major junctions of Kathmandu Valley of his previous application. ment bids for the next three years. The Parliament Secretariat, howev- graft case is settled. The procurement monitoring office ANUP OJHA At least there is a system now. The er, refused to entertain Rauniyar’s also blacklisited Raman Pappu JV last KATHMANDU, AUG 19 traffic lights will help the motorists application, arguing that the case con- year for one year for failing to deliver as well as make the job of traffic cerning him and his company, On October 5, 2018, the anti-graft the promised works on a postal high- Most of the major junctions in officers easier. Pappu Construction, is still under body had filed a corruption case at the way project. Kathmandu Valley now have working Meanwhile, the traffic division investigation. Special Court against Rauniyar and Raman is currently involved in the traffic lights, thanks to the initiative office is also consulting with the offi- The secretariat cannot accept his his son Sumit for building a substand- restoration project of Dharahara in taken by the local administrations, cials of Bhaktapur and Lalitpur met- application until the corruption case ard bridge over the Babai river in Kathmandu. traffic police and the Department of ropolitan cities as well as 16 munici- reaches its conclusion, Dashrath Jabbighat, Bardiya. Pappu was also blacklisted for three Roads to install new signals and repair palities in the Valley to install more Dhamala, information officer of the The bridge built by the Pappu years in February this year for failing the old ones. traffic lights. federal Parliament, told the Post. Construction had collapsed in 2017 to build a bridge over the Bagmati Only on Tuesday, the Metropolitan “We are consulting with the con- “As long as Rauniyar is not cleared before it could be formally handed river in Tinkune, Kathmandu. Traffic Police Division, in association cerned local governments in coordina- of the corruption charge, neither over to the Department of Roads. According to the Postal Highway with the Lalitpur Metropolitan City, tion with the Department of Roads to Parliament nor the Parliamentary It was the first time a serious action Directorate, Pappu/Bamti JV was installed new traffic lights in install traffic lights at busy road inter- Secretariat can do anything about his was taken against Pappu Construction, blacklisted for one year in July and Pulchowk and Hariharbhawan. The sections,” said SSP Bhim Prasad application,” said Dhamala. which had earlier avoided govern- Pappu/Nepal Pragati was blacklisted traffic signal in front of Alka Hospital Dhakal, chief at the division. The snub has not gone down well ment action despite dismal perfor- for three years that same month as per was also repaired. POST PHOTO “We hope to see less traffic jams on with Rauniyar. mance on the projects handled by the the request of Mid-Hill Highway “We now have working traffic lights Over 90 percent traffic lights in the Valley the Valley roads in the future.” “Every citizen has the right to infor- company. Project Directorate. in 28 junctions of Kathmandu Valley,” had fallen into disrepair for over a decade. The division office has been deploy- mation as per the constitution, but the Even as a majority of the projects The Public Procurement Monitoring said Bamdev Gautam, spokesperson at ing around 1,500 traffic police through- General Secretary of Parliament under Pappu Construction were run- Office is still in the process of decid- the division. repaired and installed in Bhaktapur’s out the Valley to manage the traffic Secretariat, Bharat Raj Gautam, vio- ning behind schedule, the company ing whether to blacklist Runiyar’s “Many traffic lights were repaired Thimi and in Mahapal area in Lalitpur. flow. Dhakal said the number of traf- lated my constitutional right by refus- had managed to evade inquiries and company as per the request made by and installed during the four-month “This is a welcome move. I hope the fic officers can be slashed by half once ing to register my application,” said penalties due to Ruaniyar’s political two government entities. long Covid-19 lockdown.” Valley’s traffic congestion problem traffic lights have been installed at all Rauniya r. clout and connections. “We have received requests from the In Kathmandu, traffic lights have will be eased to a certain extent with major junctions. He said his case was an issue of The corruption case against two road offices to blacklist Pappu for been installed and repaired at places the working traffic lights in place,” Over 90 percent of the existing traf- public concern because he was a law- Rauniyar emerged as a key turning poor construction of a bridge over the like Singhadurbar, Anamnagar said Kamal Sapkota, a 43-year-old fic lights in the Valley had fallen into maker elected by the people in his point not only for his political Bishnumati river and the other bridge Chowk, Padmodaya Chowk, taxi driver. disrepair for over a decade, which had constituency. career but also for the fate of his own project on Mid-Hill highway,” an offi- Putalisadak, New Baneshwor, Old Dhurba Ghimire, a tempo driver, contributed to unnecessary conges- Rauniyar also claimed that under company. cial at the procurement monitoring Baneshwor, Subidhanagar, Gairgaun, said: “When traffic officers were being tion on roads, particularly during the Rule 244 (3) of the House of Rauniyar continues to remain sus- office said. Munibhairav, Kalimati, Gaushala, used to manage the city’s traffic, there rush hours. With working traffic Representatives Regulation, he should pended from the post of lawmaker “We are in the process of taking a Mitrapark and Narayangopal Chowk. used to be a lot of confusion and snarl- lights, officials claim the Valley’s traf- be allowed to continue as a lawmaker. while his firm has been blacklisted by decision regarding these requests.” Traffic lights have also been ups for no apparent reason. fic jam could be reduced by 40 percent.

C M Y K THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Monetary policy’s misguided focus Authorities are trying Test, trace, contain to placate investors that We cannot afford to let this window of are desperate for opportunity slip by. higher prices.

In June, Health Ministry officials estimated Covid-19 infections to PABAN RAJ PANDEY double within a week, saying cases could peak at 20,000 with deaths between 400 to 500. Officials later revised the infection estimate at 45,000. While the current national tally stands at 28,938 infections and 120 deaths, a fresh revision by the ministry estimates that the cases could cross the 90,000 mark. While the epidemiological model used by the ministry is unclear and off public domain, a ‘confidential’ report by Oxford Policy On balance, the July 17 monetary poli- Management and the University of Oxford is also doing the rounds cy for the fiscal year 2020-21 drew more in Nepal. The study, commissioned by the Department for praise than criticism. Nepal Rastra International Development, developed the SEIR (susceptible-ex- Bank delivered the policy at a difficult posed-infectious-recovered) model to estimate the trajectory of time. In an economy badly hit by the Covid-19 and analysed the impact of three disruption strategies— Covid-19 pandemic, everyone was hop- low, medium and high. ing for relief measures. It is impossible to please everyone. Still, kudos to the While the study explicitly states that its analysis is a rough esti- bank’s new leadership—the policy mate of potential future scenarios and is based on various assump- drew more cheers than jeers. tions and thereby limited and subject to change, Oxford Policy Among others, the existing moratori- Management, which is currently advising the ministry, prescribes um on loan repayment was extended by implementing and reviewing a high disruption strategy since it six months to two years. The central ‘seems to’ significantly avert the burden of the disease. bank’s refinance facility was raised As per the study, the low disruption strategy estimates 81 percent and concessional rates were intro- duced. Banks and financial institu- of the population to be infected by the end of the year, the peak of tions’ CCD (credit to core capital plus which would occur between June and September. It also estimates deposit) ratio was raised from 80 per- 49,200 deaths by year end, which would be roughly 25 percent of cent to 85 percent. The cash all-cause mortality. Similarly, a medium disruption strategy would reserve ratio was cut from 4 percent to reduce the burden by approximately 5,000 cumulative deaths, 3 percent. accounting for 23 percent of all-cause mortality by year end, and Several of these measures are geared peak infections would occur between July and October. toward enhancing banks’ liquidity. The high disruption strategy would see the lowest number of Banks are already sitting on tons of extra cash. Deposits continue to come deaths, reducing the cumulative mortality by approximately 15,800 in, but loan demand is not keeping up, deaths, accounting for 19 percent of all-cause mortality by year end although it has improved in recent SHUTTERSTOCK while peak infection would occur between June and September. weeks. In the first 11 months of the last Unlike a cash account in which custom- NEPSE. We will find out when mid-Au- vide as many tools as possible for both As startling and astronomical as these projections are, cases fiscal year through mid-June, banks ers pay the full amount for the stocks gust numbers are reported in a month sides, not to only wish for higher pric- have spiked exponentially following an increasing number of tests had Rs3,768.1 billion in deposits, up they purchase, a margin account uses or so. The fact is, margin debt may help es. In this respect, SEBON, which too is and the abrupt lifting of the lockdown last month. On Tuesday, the from Rs3,668.2 billion mid-April. Loans, borrowed money, which entails in the short term but can come back to under a new leadership, has plans to ministry reported the highest daily spike of 1,016 cases, including on the other hand, contracted from interest cost. Currently, rates from haunt later, as it cuts both ways. The begin a commodities exchange. In fact, Rs3,264.1 billion to Rs3,238.4 billion. In banks are lower than what the brokers same way it helps on the way up, it it has already received six applications the Kathmandu Valley which reported its most single-day infec- this context, the increase in the CCD can offer. Further, not all Nepal Stock hurts on the way down. In the end, from interested parties. Unlike NEPSE, tions at 205 after reporting more than 100 cases daily for ratio looks irrelevant on the surface, as Exchange (NEPSE)-listed stocks are unseasoned investors could be left which at 58.7 percent is majority-owned over a week. banks are already operating at a sub- marginable. Regardless, in an obvious holding the bag. That is the risk. Banks, by the government, the commodities The government, on Tuesday, also authorised district adminis- stantially lower ratio. But once the attempt to go toe to toe with the recent on their part, will be more than happy exchange will be in private hands. trators to issue prohibitory orders, following which chief district economy gets back on its feet—timing rise in financial institutions’ initial to oblige should investors’ risk appetite NEPSE concurrently is working on a officers have issued stern restrictive measures for the Valley for notwithstanding—and loan demand margin limit, the Securities Board of grow and the demand for these loans futures product involving an equity seven days. Similar restrictions are in force at select districts, cities picks up, this additional liquidity Nepal (SEBON), which regulates rise. Flush with cash, banks are com- index. Currently, equities essentially and municipalities identified as red zones since last month; but should help. Nepal’s securities markets, is consider- ing up with various plans to encourage are the only financial instrument avail- ing raising it from the current 50 per- auto and home loans. In fact, they treat able. Some bonds do trade in Nepal, but what has been long clear is that restrictions, call it lockdown or not, Not all liquidity is good cent to 70 percent. margin loans as relatively safe, as they nothing major. Derivatives are non-ex- will work only if we increase community testing followed by a Nepal Rastra Bank also sought to Authorities have their priorities mis- can quickly sell the shares held as col- istent. strategy that can trace, isolate and quarantine susceptible cases in increase liquidity in the stock market. placed. They are trying to placate lateral if needed. SEBON and NEPSE should be com- order to prevent people from exposure to the disease. Up until now, financial institutions investors that are desperate for higher At the policy level, short-term focus mended for these efforts. In a nation If it serves any warning to heed, the aforementioned study antic- were allowed to give out 65 percent of prices. NEPSE reached its all-time high can hurt long-term success. NEPSE’s that needs to attract foreign direct ipates that there will be significant pressure to treat Covid-19 cases. the value of shares in margin loans. of 1888 in July 2016 and bottomed at history only goes back to January 1994, investment, the sooner genuine efforts Epidemiologists stress community testing to identify cases and This was raised to 70 percent. Plus, the 1099 in March last year. Since that peak, hence does not offer an array of invest- are made toward gaining maturity, the value of shares to be used as collateral rallies have failed to sustain. From last ing tools. Initially, focus on margin debt better. At the same time, regulators trace their contacts effectively in order to understand the scope of was based on the 180-day average price year’s low, the index went on to rally to can put upward pressure on prices as such as Nepal Rastra Bank should be transmission and also to contain further spread of the disease. We or the prevailing market price, which- 1668 in March this year. Then the novel loans are taken out. However, this helps careful not to spoon-feed investors. It cannot afford to let this window of opportunity slip by. To break the ever is lower; this is now 120 days. The coronavirus hit, owing to which trad- create a lop-sided market. Other than to can learn a thing or two from its coun- chain of transmission, the mantra remains the same—test, primary motive behind the policy ing was halted between March 22 and go to cash, there are currently no tools terparts in developed markets. To deal trace, contain. change is to support stocks by encour- May 12. The post-pandemic low of 1150 for bears to take. Shorting, for instance, with Covid-19 disruptions, the US The four-month-long lockdown pushed the country to the brink aging more lending. Here is the rub. was hit in June. Come July 19, inves- is not allowed; in it, bears sell borrowed Federal Reserve has essentially provid- of chaos, manifesting in physical, psychological and economic con- Banks can issue up to 40 percent of tors reacted to the monetary policy by shares hoping the price drops and the ed a backstop to equity investors. sequences for the masses. With next to nothing to cushion the their primary capital—comprised of pushing NEPSE up 6 percent. The next shares can be bought back cheaper, Despite a struggling economy, US equity capital and disclosed reserves— day, in a typical ‘buy the rumour, sell pocketing the difference. In developed stocks are near their highs; each time social and economic impacts of disruption, the government has in these loans, which can amount to the news’ phenomenon, it rallied anoth- markets like the US, margin debt and there is even a modest selloff, investors also done little to prepare and upgrade its healthcare capacity as nearly Rs200 billion. As of mid-June, er 5.2 percent intraday to 1556.19 but short interest, at their extreme, are are now wired to expect intervention the number of Covid-19 patients in need of ICU beds and ventila- they had only issued Rs47.7 billion only to reverse and close 1 percent routinely used as contrarian signals. from the Fed, which is cornered. tors increases. worth. lower. Shorts create downward pressure but Nepal’s central bank should not want The government cannot repeat the same errors over and over Additionally, beginning last can be a source of upward pressure as to fall into this trap, no matter how again. By granting discretionary powers to district administrators, September, 21 of the nation’s 50 brokers Margin debt cuts both ways well when squeezed. good the wealth effect argument. the government has also isolated itself from its responsibilities were allowed to extend margin loans. It is possible that the central bank’s For markets to work efficiently, the Nearly a year later, there are no takers. new margin-loan policy lent a helping shorts’ role is no less important than Pandey talks markets, money and towards the public. This is not how a pandemic is contained. Broker loans come with restrictions. hand in the two-day euphoric jump in the longs’. A regulators’ job is to pro- macroeconomics on hedgopia.com.

Respect the rights of all people

suffering from chronic diseases, who Development and are on regular medication and are staying indoors amid infection fears, humanitarian efforts can bringing them medicines. As the pan- demic is still ongoing, he reaches out never be traded off for to pregnant women and lactating mothers to ensure they are taking increased natural risks. necessary precautions to avoid infec- tion. Furthermore, he counsels adults on how they protect themselves and VALERIE JULLIAND their families. These are but two of the many people in Nepal working tirelessly during these difficult times. When I look ahead, I wish that Nepal will take advantage of the wealth of capacities, knowledge and diversity that exists and is part of the richness of the country. The willingness, resil- World Humanitarian Day comes at a ience and strength in communities are time when the whole world is facing one of the best and strongest combina- the challenge of responding to the tions to respond to any disaster and Covid-19 pandemic; a crisis that has uplift societies. Particularly at the pro- already claimed many lives and vincial and local level, we have seen an threatens many more. Today we are opportunity to benefit from the prox- paying special tribute to the real-life imity and knowledge of the communi- heroes who are fully committed and ties. Nepal is in many ways ahead of dedicated to helping people all over the game; it has the advantage of hav- the world. We recognise and celebrate ing long-standing research and aca- this solidarity, community and global demic interest on disaster risk reduc- partnership which drive humanitari- tion from which it can benefit. A scien- ans to save and protect lives despite tific evidence base can help make the conflict, insecurity, and risk to sound and strong policy decisions. their own health. Development can never be a trade-off When I first arrived in Nepal, the for increased natural risks. I hope that country was building back from the Nepal continues on its development 2015 earthquakes. Now, it is looking to trajectory, with disaster risk manage- recover from a pandemic. The effects ment as an integral part of it, to spare have not just been on the health sys- populations from humanitarian crises. tem, but also on social development POST FILE PHOTO Let me end by saluting my col- and the economy. Sadly, in Nepal, extreme circumstances and pressure, In communities across Nepal, we first few people in Nepal to be infected gle her duties at work with that of leagues—national and international— humanitarian emergencies are fre- however, does not mean that we let have countless examples of real-life by the novel coronavirus. She recalls caring for her family—including who have worked tirelessly alongside quent events, as I have witnessed down our guard and our standards. I heroes who are working to alleviate this period as being one of extreme elderly members—all of whom were me during Covid-19 as well as other myself—the recovery from the earth- would like to call on all actors in the the hardship of others and help those stress, uncertainty and fear. Hema and deeply worried for her. emergencies. This is a day to com- quakes and the reconstruction, recur- ongoing responses in Nepal to contin- that are most vulnerable. One such her team were away from their fami- Another front-line humanitarian is memorate humanitarian workers rent floods, landslides, droughts and ue to respect the rights of all people, humanitarian is Hema Thapa, who is lies for extended periods of time, as Mitraminu Dhakal, who is in-charge killed and injured in the course of now the pandemic. The monsoon rains especially women and girls, youth, a hospital administrator and has been they were doing two-week shifts. After of Prapcha Health Post, Molung Rural their work, and to honour all aid work- are a daily reminder that we might be minorities and marginalised groups, to involved in treating Covid-19 patients their two-week work shift was over, Municipality, Okhaldhunga. Follo- ers who continue, despite the odds, to facing concurrent disasters. be safe from discrimination, sexual from the start of the pandemic in they had to quarantine themselves for wing the Covid-19 outbreak, he has provide life-saving support and pro- Across all these challenges, people in exploitation and abuse. Our humani- Nepal. She is a nurse administrator at another two weeks before going back done all in his power to mitigate the tection to people most in need. their communities have worked tire- tarian support must not come at the the Narayani Hospital in Birgunj, to their families. Being a woman front- impact of the pandemic. In addition to lessly with the government at all levels expense of the safety and wellbeing of Parsa. Hema was part of the team at line worker added to the challenge, treating patients at the health facility Julliand is the UN Resident to assist those in need. Working under those we are committed to serve. the hospital that treated some of the according to Hema, as she had to jug- until late at night, he visits people Coordinator in Nepal.

C M Y K 05 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 MONEY Nepal Airlines gives official send-off Asia to import record LPG to the pilots of its Chinese aircraft in 2020 as pandemic boosts The Tourism Ministry says it will take a further decision on the grounded planes after the Finance Ministry’s inputs. demand for protective gear POST REPORT and two 56-seater MA60 from July tions with the Finance Ministry amounting to 0.4 percent of the KATHMANDU, AUG 19 16 as per the decision of its board of and other stakeholders including overall loan amount. directors. the aircraft supplier AVIC as per Nepal has been offered a sev- Nepal Airlines has said goodbye to A board member told the Post the agreement.” en-year grace period for repayment. the four pilots hired to fly its that the board decision was purely The accord also contains a clause This implies that Nepal will have a Chinese-made Y12e and MA60 after aimed at stemming the losses that says that the government has period of 20 years to settle the loan grounding the aircraft permanent- caused by the Chinese-made planes, to obtain the consent of AVIC, a together with interest. ly since mid-July as they were a which had reached Rs2 billion Chinese government undertaking, The Finance Ministry, in turn, drain on resources. as of the last fiscal year ended for further management of the charges Nepal Airlines an annual Airline spokesperson Archana mid-July, mostly in insurance and planes. interest rate of 8 percent on the Khadka told the Post that the four operating costs. Acharya said that after receiving disbursed loan amount. captains had been employed on a After having hangared the the Finance Ministry’s input, In November 2014, Harbin contract basis, and they were given loss-making aircraft, the state- the Tourism Ministry will take fur- Aircraft Manufacturing Corpora- an official send-off on Tuesday. owned carrier is pondering its next ther decisions. tion officially handed over the “The other pilots who are move. The minutes of the decision “The issue is complicated first of the Y12e, with registration permanent employees of the airline have been sent to the Tourism because Nepal Airlines decided to mark 9N-AKS, to Nepal Airlines at will be assigned to other planes in Ministry for further action ground the planes without consult- a ceremony held in Kathmandu. REUTERS the fleet.” since the plane was purchased ing the Finance Ministry.” But air- The 56th annual audit report of Empty Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) cylinders are seen at a gas distribution centre at Dujana village in Since the national flag carrier through a government-to-govern- line officials say a representative of the Office of the Auditor General Noida, on the outskirts of New Delhi. will not fly the MA60 and Y12e any- ment deal. the Finance Ministry sits on the released in April last year shows more and has phased out its Boeing Tourism Joint Secretary Suresh company board. that the Chinese-made planes have REUTERS to curb the spread of the pandemic crushed fleet, it now has only two types of Acharya said that they have sought In November 2012, Nepal Airlines been incurring heavy losses to the SINGAPORE, AUG 19 appetite for oil products such as jet fuel and aircraft in its fleet—Airbus and suggestions from the Finance Corporation had signed a commer- national flag carrier every year gasoline this year, there was growing Twin Otter. Ministry which signed the cial agreement with AVIC to pro- since they were purchased, and it Asia will likely import record volumes of demand for LPG as a cooking fuel in places Captains Satish Bikram Shah agreement on behalf of the govern- cure six aircraft. had urged the corporation to make liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) in 2020 as like India and Indonesia, as more people and Rajendra Man Shakya used ment with Exim Bank of China. Subsequently, in 2013, Exim Bank a proper plan. firms snap up the fuel to make petrochemi- stayed at home. India, Asia’s second biggest to fly the MA60, and Phizonath “We dispatched the letter asking of China and the Finance Ministry On different occasions, the man- cals used in protective gear against the importer of LPG, is expected to buy a Nepali and Suraj Upadhyaya Luitel the Finance Ministry for its signed a concessional loan worth agement has been trying to coronavirus, while households under lock- record 15.8 million tonnes of LPG from the Y12e. recommendation earlier this RMB 218 million for the acquisition convince the government to lease down ramped up purchases for cooking. abroad this year, a 9 percent rise from 2019, Captain KB Limbu was suspend- week,” he said. of four aircraft—three Y-12E and out the Y12es to the Nepal Army, The region will buy some 67-69.5 million data from FGE showed. ed for two years for ‘faulty judge- Acharya said the Nepal Airlines one MA60. Nepal received two which is short of fixed-wing planes tonnes of the gas from abroad this The country’s imports had surged 16 per- ment’ during the approach and board decision contained three planes—one MA60 and one Y12e— for emergency and rescue purpos- year, surpassing last year’s record, analysts cent in the first half of 2020 compared to landing phases of the Y12e bearing options to manage the Chinese as a gift. es, to get rid of the burden. from consultancy firms IHS Markit, the same period last year after the govern- registration number 9N-AKU at planes—sell them, lease them out As per the agreement, Nepal had According to Acharya, the FGE and Wood Mackenzie said. That would ment said it would provide free LPG fuel for Nepalgunj airport on March 28. or send them back to China. decided to pay an annual interest Finance Ministry had cleared all represent a 1-3 percent increase on 2019 cooking for three months until June. Nepal Airlines permanently “All three options, however, are rate of 1.5 percent and a service the money owed to AVIC last import volumes. Although India has overbought the fuel, grounded its four 17-seater Y12e not easy. They need wider consulta- charge and management expenses February. Strong Asian demand could weigh on the backlog could clear by September, with supplies in coming months just as Europe is demand set to rise ahead of the Hindu festi- likely to step up purchases of the fuel for val of Diwali or Deepavali in November, heating in winter, an industry source in industry sources said. FOREX Singapore said. While supply was hit by a “In general we should continue to see cut in commodity production in the second strong demand from India but maybe after quarter, output has recovered some ground a slight slowdown as stocks are absorbed,” US Dollar 120.02 since then. said Alexander Booth, head of research at Euro 143.31 “We expect (LPG) import demand to data intelligence firm Kpler. increase in 2020 over 2019 with stronger This sentiment was shared by consultant Pound Sterling 158.80 demand in both residential and petrochem- Jeslyn Chua at FGE. ical sectors,” said Rui Hou, research ana- “We believe the Indians will definitely be Japanese Yen 11.40 lyst of Wood Mackenzie. back for October delivery [cargoes] given Chinese Yuan 17.37 He Yanyu, IHS Markit’s executive direc- that their inventories would be drawn down tor of natural gas liquids research, said by then. On top of that, the Indians will Qatari Riyal 32.96 some 33 million tonnes of LPG had already need to prepare for Deepavali,” she said. Australian Dollar 87.25 been imported in the first half of 2020. Another country which uses LPG pre- In total, Asia would get some 52 percent dominantly as a cooking fuel is Indonesia, Malaysian Ringit 28.76 of its LPG supplies this year from the Asia’s fifth largest LPG importer. Middle East, 35 percent from the United Indonesia’s LPG imports are expected to Saudi Arab Riyal 32.00 States and the rest from countries including hit 6.1 million tonnes this year, a 7 percent Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Canada and Australia, said He. rise from 2019, and a record high volume for While lockdowns and travel restrictions the country, said Chua. Shares Nepse 1,391.29pts -1.18%

HIGHEST LOSERS PICL MDB HDHPC RRHP AHPC SINDU People Care Nepal -3.79% -3.26% -3.22% -3.22% -3.15% -3.12% Buddhanagar, Nakhipot-14, Lalitpur MODERATE LOSERS Province No 3, Nepal LLBS IGI SLICL SHIVM NADEP ACLBSL -3.12% -3.08% -3.01% -3% -2.88% -2.81% MODERATE GAINERS Invitation for Bids GHL MSMBS MPFL NEF SPDL KSBBL 1.78% 1.81% 1.88% 1.9% 1.92% 2.12% POST PHOTO: KESHAV THAPA HIGHEST GAINERS Contact Identification No:- RFQ- KTM-15-0050 BBC SDLBSL CHL UNHPL PMHPL SFCL People walk past a shuttered store with a ‘To-Let’ notice in Kathmandu. Hundreds of businesses, like cosmetic Date of Publication : 20 August 2020 2.6% 3.32% 3.44% 3.44% 5.12% 10% stores, beauty parlours, hotels, restaurants and bars, in the Kathmandu Valley are on the verge of folding due to the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. 1. American Relief has allocated funds of People Care Nepal for Supply of Grain Vegetable and the People care Nepal here by invites bid. Bid is BULLION PRICE PER TOLA open to eligible Nepalese Bidders. 2. The People Care Nepal invites sealed bids from registered supplier. Fine Gold Rs 100,400 WTO goods trade index hits record 3. Eligible Bidders may obtain further information and inspect the bidding Silver Rs 1,375 documents at the office of Nepal Care Nepal, Buddhamarg, Nakhipot-14, Lalitpur, Tel: 01-5170096,523032, E-mail : [email protected] SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA low, detects some recovery signs 4. Bidding documents may be purchased by eligibles Bidders from People GASOLINE WATCH Care Nepal office, Buddhanagar, Nakhipot-14, Lalitpur upon submission REUTERS become clear only when official of notarized company Registration Certificate, pan/Vat Registration ZURICH, AUG 19 trade data for April to June become Certificate & Tax clearance Certificate of FY 077|078 & up payment of The reading is available. The World Trade Organization on par with the The WTO had forecast in April a non-refundable fee Rs. 3000/- (In words Rs. Three Thousands Only) said on Wednesday its goods trade that global trade in goods would with in 30 day of notice published. barometer hit a record low, sug- nadir of the 2008 fall between 13 percent and st gesting global merchandise trade 32 percent in 2020 before rebound- 5. Bids must be submitted on or before 12:00 noon of 31 Day of notice registered a historic fall in the financial crisis. ing by 21-24 percent in 2021, published Documents received after this deadline shall not be accepted. second quarter of 2020 as the coro- but in June said rapid responses navirus pandemic raged. by governments meant its pessi- 6. Bids will be open in the presence of Bidders representatives who choose “Additional indicators point to the pandemic has reduced its pre- mistic scenario for this year attend at 14:00 on 31st Day of notice published. Bids must be valid for partial upticks in world trade and dictive value. was unlikely. a period of 180 days after bid opening and must be accompanied by bid output in the third quarter, but the “This reading—the lowest on “The WTO’s June statistics strength of any such recovery record in data going back to implied a 14 percent drop in global security amount which most be minimum 4.5% of bid amount. remains highly uncertain: an 2007, and on par with the nadir of merchandise trade volume 7. Bid security should be deposited in the form of cash, and submit cheque L-shaped, rather than V-shaped, the 2008-09 financial crisis—is between the first and second quar- trajectory cannot be ruled out,” broadly consistent with WTO sta- ters of this year. This estimate, voucher. the WTO said on its website. tistics issued in June, which esti- together with the new Goods Trade 8. If the last date of submission and opening falls on a government holiday The barometer reading of 84.5 mated an 18.5 percent decline in Barometer reading, suggest that was down 18.6 points down from merchandise trade in the second world trade in 2020 is evolving in then the next working day shall be evaluated as the last day. the year-ago period. In normal quarter of 2020 as compared line with the less pessimistic of 9. Bid will be the evaluated based on (A) Compliance with technical times, it anticipates changes in the to the same period last year,” the the two scenarios outlined in the trajectory of trade by a few WTO said. WTO’s April forecast,” it said on specifications and quality standards, (B) ability to quality/price ratio. months, but volatility triggered by The exact extent of the fall will Wednesday. 10. People Care Nepal reserves the right to accept or reject, wholly or partly any or all the bids without assigning any reason, whatsoever. 11. Bidder should submit the documents showing the experience of supply same type of goods. Game reserve turns to meat sales to survive 12. Total cost estimation for all items is Nrs. 9,67,00,000/- 13. The Detail of item required is as follows. REUTERS ing that meat away or selling it Description of Unit Sub PONGOLA (SOUTH AFRICA), AUG 19 at a very low price locally, we S.N Quantity Unit tried to market it,” said Kloppers, Work (Supply) Price Total South Africa’s luxury game lodges adding “we would rather have the are empty and safari vehicles gath- doors open”. 1 Mansuli Grain 2 Lakhs kg er dust, with borders closed and Before the pandemic, local and airlines struggling due to the coro- international tourists would watch 2 Red Pulse 60 Thousands kg navirus crisis. animals from lions to wild dogs—as For Somkhanda, a communi- well as the impala and nyala—on 3 Black Pulse 60 Thousands kg ty-owned “Big 5” game reserve, sell- guided bush walks and game drives ing game meat has thrown it a life- on the 12,000 hectare reserve. 4 Sugar 20 Thousands kg line as Africa’s multi-billion-dollar Rising costs from safety proce- 5 Potato 60 Thousands kg safari industry unravels. REUTERS dures such as hand sanitiser sta- The reserve normally gives away The entrance to Somkhanda, a game reserve, is seen near Pongola, South Africa. tions, temperature checks and pro- or sells at low cost the meat from tective equipment for staff have 6 Salt 100 Thousands kg grazers such as impala and nyala, a actively marketing the meat—often “The tourism industry has col- added to the reserve’s burden since 7 Oil 60 Thousands kg spiral-horned antelope, that it culls seen as a delicacy bought by lapsed. There has been no one com- South Africa imposed its lockdown each year to manage stocks, depend- restaurants and foreign tourists— ing to visit,” said Roelie Kloppers, at the end of March. Eight jobs have 8 Beaten Rice 70 Thousands kg ing on the weather conditions and to bring in between 50,000 rand to chief executive at the Wildlands, been cut. The meat is sold online available grassland. 100,000 rand ($2,875 to $5,730) per which co-manages the reserve in through a partnership with KZN 9 Cumin Seed 15 Thousands kg Now, faced with a loss of up to 90 month, according to the reserve’s the heart of northern Zululand. Game Meat, at farmers’ markets percent of its revenue, is it more management. “Instead of culling and just giv- and at some Pick n Pay stores.

C M Y K THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 | 06 WORLD EXPLAINED Coronavirus surge continues in India World Health Organization’s struggle with highest single-day death toll The actual numbers, like elsewhere in the world, are thought to be far higher because of limited testing. for a global Covid-19 ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW DELHI, AUG 19

India reported 1,092 new fatalities vaccine plan from Covid-19 on Wednesday, its high- est single-day total. The country has the fourth-most deaths in the world REUTERS spent tens of billions of dollars on and the third-most cases, with over 2.7 deals with vaccine makers such million—including more than 64,000 The World Health Organization as Pfizer Inc, Johnson & Johnson, new infections reported Wednesday. (WHO) on Tuesday urged countries to AstraZeneca Plc and others. The The actual numbers, like elsewhere join a global pact aimed at ensuring United States alone has committed in the world, are thought to be far less wealthy countries have access nearly $11 billion for development, higher due to limited testing. Four of to Covid-19 vaccines, warning about testing, manufacture and stockpiling India’s 28 states now account for 63 the risks from so-called “vaccine of hundreds of millions of doses. percent of total fatalities and 54.6 per- nationalism.” Here is a look at the Russia and China are also working cent of the caseload. WHO’s plan and the approaches by on vaccines and have already begun The western state of Maharashtra wealthier nations. vaccinating some of their citizens. and the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka What is the WHO’s vaccine What kind of resources are being are the country’s worst-hit regions. programme? brought to bear? In South Korea, health workers found more than 600 coronavirus The COVAX global vaccines facility is The ACT Accelerator is financed by a infections linked to a Seoul church led a programme designed to pool funds variety of nonprofits and govern- by a vocal opponent of the country’s from wealthier countries and nonprof- ments. It is aiming to raise about $31 president as officials began restrict- its to develop a Covid-19 vaccine and billion. So far, the COVAX facility has ing gatherings in the greater capital distribute it equitably around the attracted interest from 92 poorer coun- area amid fears that transmissions world. Its aim is to deliver 2 billion tries hoping for voluntary donations are getting out of control. doses of effective, approved Covid-19 and 80 wealthier countries, a number Vice Health Minister Kim Gang-lip vaccines by the end of 2021. little changed from a month ago, that said Wednesday that health authori- The details of the programme are would finance the scheme, according ties are also seeking location data still being hashed out ahead of an Aug to the WHO. provided by cellphone carriers while 31 deadline for nations to join. It is led trying to track thousands who partici- by the WHO, along with the Gavi What is the WHO’s concern? pated in an anti-government protest vaccine alliance, and the Coalition for on Saturday, which worsened the AP/RSS Epidemic Preparedness Innovations The WHO has expressed concern that virus’s spread. Community health workers screen people for Covid-19 and malaria symptoms in a school in Dharavi, one of Asia’s biggest slums, in Mumbai, (CEPI). COVAX is part of a broader wealthier countries hoarding vac- The march was attended by mem- India, on Wednesday. India has the third-highest coronavirus caseload in the world after the United States and Brazil. programme, called the Access to cines for their own citizens could bers of the Sarang Jeil Church and its Covid-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator, that impede efforts to end the pandemic. ultra-right pastor, Jun Kwang-hun, pany AstraZeneca. “Under the deal, more than five weeks. The Victoria would be deployed to quarantine works to ensure that vaccines, treat- “We need to prevent vaccine nation- who has been hospitalized since every single Australian will be able to state Health Department said hotels as the nation looks to reduce ments, diagnostic tests and other alism,” WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Monday after testing positive. The receive the University of Oxford Wednesday that 216 new virus cases the number of private security guards healthcare resources are broadly Ghebreyesus said during a Tuesday country on Wednesday reported 297 Covid-19 vaccine for free, should trials and 12 deaths were reported in the it employs and tighten its border available to combat the pandemic. virtual briefing. new cases of the virus, its biggest prove successful, safe and effective,” latest 24-hour period. controls. “Sharing finite supplies strategical- daily rise since March 8. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said in New Zealand appeared to be gaining Meanwhile, in a case that has been What are wealthier nations doing? ly and globally is actually in each It was the sixth straight day the a statement. control over a coronavirus outbreak closely followed by law students but country’s national interest.” country reported daily increases in “If this vaccine proves successful, in Auckland after just five new com- will likely have few real consequences, They have focused on securing vac- WHO leaders have said that triple digits, with most of the cases we will manufacture and supply vac- munity infections were reported a New Zealand court has found that cines for their own citizens, striking developing a coordinated global coming from the densely populated cines straight away under our own Wednesday. the government overstepped its legal deals for the first doses even as data distribution system for Covid-19 Seoul metropolitan area. steam and make it free for 25 million A sixth infection was found in a authority in the early stages of a sev- has yet to prove the vaccines to be vaccines that prioritise those at Australia reached a deal to manu- Australians,” he said. quarantined traveller who had en-week coronavirus lockdown by effective. Governments including greatest risk of getting sick, such as facture and distribute a potential coro- The deal came as Australia’s hard- returned from Qatar. ordering people to stay home, but then United States, the United Kingdom, healthcare workers, would help curb navirus vaccine being developed by hit Victoria state announced its lowest Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern remedied that nine days later by issu- Japan, and the European Union have the spread of coronavirus worldwide. British-Swedish pharmaceutical com- number of new coronavirus cases in said 500 more military personnel ing a more explicit health order.

BRIEFING Belarus opposition leader

China says US sailing near Taiwan ‘extremely dangerous’ urges EU to reject vote BEIJING: China’s military said on AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE EU ministers agreed last week to Wednesday the latest US navy sailing MINSK, AUG 19 draw up a list of targets for new sanc- near Chinese-claimed Taiwan was tions and Germany has said even “extremely dangerous” and stirring The exiled head of Belarus’s opposi- stronger penalties should be consid- up such trouble was in neither coun- tion urged European leaders to reject ered. Russian President Vladimir try’s interests. The US guided-missile President Alexander Lukashenko’s Putin has said that his country could destroyer USS Mustin sailed through “fraudulent” re-election ahead of an intervene in the crisis if necessary the narrow and sensitive Taiwan emergency EU summit on Wednesday. and this week warned against “unac- Strait on Tuesday, the US navy said, The European Council was due to ceptable” foreign interference in in what have become relatively rou- convene to discuss the fallout from the Belarus or pressure on its leadership. tine trips in recent months, though vote that saw security services in Yet Minsk’s ties with Moscow have they always anger China. The ex-Soviet Belarus brutally disperse cooled in recent years after Eastern Theatre Command of peaceful demonstrators demanding Lukashenko resisted Putin’s efforts to China’s People’s Liberation Army that their authoritarian leader resign. integrate the two countries. said its air and naval forces followed Protesters gathered for a 10th night Ahead of the vote, the Belarusian and monitored the US ship through- of demonstrations on Tuesday, with leader accused the Kremlin of dis- out its voyage. “Any words or deeds thousands rallying in central Minsk patching mercenaries to Minsk to stir that ... cause trouble in the Taiwan waving the red-and-white flags of the unrest with the opposition. Strait are not in line with the funda- opposition and calling on Lukashenko Europe’s longest-serving leader, mental interests of China and the to step down. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Lukashenko has resisted calls to United States, harm the well-being of a 37-year-old political novice who fled resign or hold new elections. compatriots on both sides of the to neighbouring Lithuania after On Tuesday, he said the opposition strait, pose real threats to peace and claiming victory in the vote, called on was planning to seize power and stability in the region and are EU leaders “not to recognise these vowed to take “adequate measures” extremely dangerous”, it said. fraudulent elections”. in response. Chinese forces will remain on “Lukashenko has lost all legitimacy Tikhanovskaya, a trained English high alert at all times to safeguard in the eyes of our nation and the teacher who said she never planned to China’s sovereignty and territorial world,” she said in the video appeal. enter politics, contested the vote after integrity, it added. Taiwan’s defence Ahead of the summit, European her husband was jailed and barred ministry said the US ship was on an leaders including French President from running against Lukashenko. “ordinary mission” and passed Emmanuel Macron and German She has vowed to hold new elections through the Taiwan Strait in a south- Chancellor Angela Merkel urged and a Coordination Council which her erly direction. Lukashenko’s close ally Russia to fos- allies created to oversee the transfer AP/RSS ter dialogue between authorities and of power was due to convene on Democrats nominate Biden A polar bear refreshes in the water on a hot summer day at the zoo in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, on Wednesday. the opposition. Wednesday. for challenge to oust Trump WILMINGTON: US Democrats formally nominated Joe Biden as their presi- dential candidate, with party elders, a new generation of politicians and Millions of women lose contraceptives, abortions in Covid-19 voters in every state joining in an extraordinary, pandemic-cramped virtual convention to send him into ASSOCIATED PRESS ue to prevent many women and girls No one expected the lockdown to ministries report annual data, experts said Nondo Ejano, coordinator for the the general election campaign to oust NEW DELHI, AUG 19 from care. Some countries didn’t deem continue for months, Dalvie said. Now say. But it will be incomplete. Women’s Global Network for President Donald Trump. For some- sexual and reproductive health servic- many women face second-trimester In Haiti, the health ministry report- Reproductive Rights Africa. one who has spent more than three Millions of women and girls globally es as essential under lockdown, mean- abortions, which are more expensive ed a 74 percent drop in births at health In Tanzania, he said, a major mater- decades eyeing the presidency, the have lost access to contraceptives and ing women and girls were turned and complicated, especially “because facilities in May compared to the same nity hospital in Dar es Salaam was moment Tuesday night was the reali- abortion services because of the coro- away. Even after NGOs in Romania everyone who is involved needs to period last year. Many women are converted into a Covid-19 response sation of a long-sought goal. But it navirus pandemic. Now the first wide- pressured the government to declare wear PPE.” delivering at home, but deaths there centre. “You can ask yourself,” he said occurred in a way that the 77-year-old spread measure of the toll says India the services essential, many hospitals Abortion access has improved in are not reported. of women seeking care, “where would Biden couldn’t have imagined just with its abrupt, months-long lock- still weren’t providing abortions, said India, but the pandemic resulted in “Small examples can tell us a lot,” they go?” months ago as the coronavirus pan- down has been hit especially hard. Daniela Draghici, a member of the abortion pill shortages in several demic prompted profound change Several months into the pandemic, IPPF European network’s executive states surveyed by Foundation for across the country and in his presi- many women now have second-trimes- committee. Reproductive Health Services India. dential campaign. ter pregnancies because they could In India’s megacity of Mumbai, one Only 1 percent of pharmacies in not find care in time. woman was unable to find a pregnan- northern states like Haryana and Across 37 countries, nearly 2 mil- cy testing kit after the lockdown start- Punjab had them, 2 percent in the Earthquakes shake lion fewer women received services ed in March, and then couldn’t find southern state of Tamil Nadu and 6.5 between January and June than in the transport to reach care in time, said percent in the central state of Madhya western Indonesia same period last year, Marie Stopes Dr Shewetangi Shinde, who attended Pradesh. In Delhi it was 34 percent. JAKARTA: Two powerful and shallow International says in a new report—1.3 to her in a public hospital. By then, Meanwhile, women’s health provid- undersea earthquakes shook western million in India alone. The organisa- medical abortion wasn’t an option ers have scrambled to find solutions Indonesia on Wednesday, causing tion expects 900,000 unintended preg- since the pregnancy was too advanced. such as telemedicine, home deliveries panic but no immediate reports of nancies worldwide as a result, along India listed abortions as essential of contraceptives and home-based casualties or damage. The US with 1.5 million unsafe abortions and services under lockdown but many medical abortions. Geological Survey said the magnitude more than 3,000 maternal deaths. weren’t aware, said Shinde, who is But even now, “we’re hearing every- 6.8 earthquake occurred at a depth of Those numbers “will likely be great- part of the India Safe Abortion Youth where that numbers are down” as 22 kilometres under the sea. Another ly amplified” if services falter else- Advocates organisation. public health facilities struggle 6.9 magnitude quake jolted the area where in Latin America, Africa and The pandemic has highlighted how because thousands of staffers have six minutes later, a bit deeper and 13 Asia, Marie Stopes’ director of global difficult it already was for many been infected with the virus, said kilometres from the first, but no tsu- evidence, Kathryn Church, has said. women to safely access abortion ser- Marion Stevens, director of the South nami warning was issued for the rela- Lockdowns, travel restrictions, sup- vices, said Dr Suchitra Dalvie, a Africa-based Sexual & Reproductive tive shallow quakes. Indonesia is fre- ply chain disruptions, the massive gynaecologist in Mumbai and coordi- Justice Coalition. AP/RSS quently struck by earthquakes and shift of health resources to combat nator of the Asia Safe Abortion The real global measure of lock- People walk along a street in Johannesburg, South Africa. Millions of women and girls globally tsunamis. (AGENCIES) Covid-19 and fear of infection contin- Partnership. downs’ effects will come when health have lost access to contraceptives and services related to abortion because of the pandemic.

C M Y K 07 | THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING PSG ease past Leipzig to reach Koeman will be new coach, Individual tests positive for says Barcelona president Covid-19 at US Open bubble REUTERS led to qualify for Euro 2020. NEW YORK: A non-player has tested first Champions League final BARCELONA, AUG 19 Koeman is fondly remembered positive for Covid-19 within the con- at Barca for the role he played in trolled environment that will host Ronald Koeman is set to become Johan Cruyff ’s hugely successful this year’s Western & Southern Open Thomas Tuchel’s side comfortably beat the German club 3-0, become the first French League Barcelona’s next coach and the side known as the ‘Dream Team’ and US Open in New York over the Dutchman will construct his team and for scoring the only goal next month, the United States Tennis club to make to the finals of the Europe’s top competition since Monaco in 2004. around Lionel Messi, president against Sampdoria in the 1992 Association said on Tuesday. The Josep Maria Bartomeu said on European Cup final. The defender individual is asymptomatic and has REUTERS Tuesday. later became the club’s assistant been advised that they must isolate LISBON, AUG 19 Koeman, who is revered by coach before embarking on an for at least 10 days, while contact trac- Barca fans for delivering their eventful career as a head coach, ing has been initiated to determine if Paris St Germain reached their first ever first European Cup as a player, managing Dutch sides Ajax anyone else must go into quarantine, Champions League final with a convinc- will be expected to lead the club’s Amsterdam, PSV Eindhoven and the USTA said in a statement. ing 3-0 win over RB Leipzig on Tuesday, rebuilding work after they were Feyenoord plus Premier League According to the USTA, it was the finally delivering the reward of the big- thrashed 8-2 by Bayern Munich in teams Southampton and Everton only positive result from the 1,400 gest game in European football for their the Champions League quarter-fi- and La Liga’s Valencia. tests administered for Tier 1 individ- Qatari backers. nals last Friday. “If there is no “We are betting on him because uals during testing, which began last Goals from Marquinhos and Angel Di change then we will announce we know him very well, we know Thursday. Due to the pandemic the Maria put PSG 2-0 up at the interval Koeman as our next coach and he how he thinks and how his teams Western & Southern Open, typically and Juan Bernat added the third in the will lead this team and these play- play, but also because of his expe- held in Ohio, is being played at the 56th minute for what was a comfortable ers forward with a different type rience and as he was in Johan’s Billie Jean King National Tennis victory at the Estadio da Luz as the of project, led by a coach who all ‘Dream Team’ he knows Barca Center this year as a lead-up to the French club, celebrating the 50th anni- Barca fans know,” Bartomeu said and how we understand football,” US Open, which is scheduled to start versary of their founding in 1970, ended in an interview with the club’s Bartomeu added. on August 31. what some felt was a mental block in the official television channel. Bartomeu also said captain knockout stages. Koeman’s imminent arrival Messi was not about to leave the PSG have gone out in the last 16 for the will be the third phase of a club and would be an integral part FIFA cancels next round of past three years, but they proved a step restructuring of the club which of the team under Koeman. internationals outside Europe too far for Leipzig, who were playing in began with Quique Setien’s sack- “Messi wants to end his career LAUSANNE: FIFA on Tuesday the regional leagues just 11 years ago. ing on Monday and continued on at Barca, he has said that many announced international matches The Germans, financed by the Red Bull Tuesday as sporting director Eric times. I’ve spoken to Koeman will only be played in Europe in the energy drink company, have outper- Abidal agreed to terminate his about him and he has told me window that opens at the end of formed all expectations by reaching the contract. Messi will be the pillar of his pro- August to reduce travel for players. last four, knocking out Tottenham Koeman, 57, arrived in ject,” Bartomeu said. FIFA said in a statement it was Hotspur and Atletico Madrid en route. Barcelona on Tuesday after spend- “Messi has a contract with replacing the period scheduled from “We showed quality and determination. ing the morning at the Barca until 2021. I speak to him August 31 to September 8 with a new A good mix. We deserved to win,” said Netherlands’ headquarters to and his father regularly and they window from January 24 to February Thomas Tuchel, who had faced a heavy negotiate being released from his know that we have a solid project, 1 next year “for all confederations expectation to deliver in Europe this contract with the national team, that a new coach is coming and except UEFA.” This means non-Euro- season. who he has coached since 2018 and that he will count on him.” pean players will not have to travel to With French World Cup winning for- play with their national team. FIFA ward Kylian Mbappe back in the starting said the new period in January and line-up after fully recovering from his February had been chosen with the ankle injury, Tuchel was able to field his African Cup of Nations in mind, with preferred attacking trident with England leaves out Test “the exact dates to be determined at a Brazilian Neymar and Di Maria. later date”. FIFA said its Council had Right from the outset, PSG looked a decided on these calendar changes threat to the Leipzig defence with “in response to the global disruption Neymar clipping the post after he was squad players for T20 series caused by the Covid-19 pandemic that slipped in by Mbappe in the sixth minute. continues to plague many parts of Seven minutes later though, PSG had the REUTERS The England and Wales Cricket the world.” It also cancelled the wom- lead — Neymar and Di Maria lined up to LONDON, AUG 19 Board also confirmed assistant en’s international, scheduled for take a free kick on the left and it was the coach Graham Thorpe will take September 14-22, for all confedera- Argentine who floated in a lovely cross England named a 14-man on the role of head coach for the tions except UEFA. which was nodded home by Marquinhos. Twenty20 squad on Tuesday for T20 series. Paul Collingwood, who Former Real Madrid and Manchester the upcoming three-match series took charge as head coach of United winger Di Maria was in fine form, against Pakistan, with selectors England’s one-day international Holebas returns to Olympiakos constantly probing, while Neymar creat- AFP/RSS leaving out players from the Test squad for the Ireland series that PIRAEUS: Jose Holebas has returned to ed from deep and Mbappe pushed on to Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos heads to score their opening goal against Leipzig during the squad in the ongoing series concluded earlier this month, will Olympiakos after five years at the last defender looking to use his pace. Champions League semi-final match at the Luz stadium in Lisbon on Tuesday. against the Asian side. be assistant coach, while Marcus Premier League club Watford, the The Germans were struggling but did Eoin Morgan will captain the Trescothick has been appointed Greek champions announced on threaten in the 25th minute when Konrad shift the momentum of the game and good season we’ve had in the Champions side, with all three matches to be batting coach. Tuesday. The 36-year-old former Laimer burst down the right and found made two changes at the break but after League but in one week it will be ok. We played behind closed doors at Old England currently lead the Test Greece international, who played for Yussuf Poulsen but the forward’s shot a bright start, PSG put the outcome know that it was a good season for a Trafford in Manchester when the series 1-0 after winning the first Olympiakos from 2010 to 2014, signed was just off target. beyond doubt. young team and we will try to do it again series begins on August 28, three Test in Manchester while the a one-year contract for an undisclosed Neymar then went close with an auda- Leipzig defender Nordi Mukiele next season,” he said. days after the end of the third and rain-hit second Test in fee. “Olympiakos made me what I am cious free kick from deep and wide on the slipped while attempting to clear, allow- The French club have played 110 games final Test match in Southampton. Southampton was drawn after today,” Holebas said after signing his right, the former Barcelona man going ing Di Maria to cross the ball back in to in the competition – the most played by a “In this crowded international only 134.3 overs were possible in new deal. German-born Holebas won for Peter Gulacsi’s near post and striking the box and Bernat’s glancing header side before reaching their first final, summer, players who are current- the entire match. The third Test four Greek Super League titles and the post as the Hungarian keeper floated into the far corner. Mbappe forced overtaking Arsenal’s record of 90 ly in the Test match bio-secure begins on Friday. two Greek Cups during his first spell scrambled. It was a poor clearance from a good save out of Gulacsi as PSG pushed between 1971-2006. PSG’s only other bubble for the Pakistan Test series England’s T20 squad has Eoin at the club based just outside Athens. the keeper which led to PSG’s second. for a fourth while PSG keeper Sergio appearances in the final of a European are not included in this squad,” Morgan (captain), Moeen Ali, He left Watford before the end of last Leandro Paredes collected the ball and Rico had his hands warmed by a fierce competition came with their UEFA Cup national selector Ed Smith said in Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), season after finding playing time then found Neymar who cleverly flicked drive from fellow Spaniard Angelino. Winners’ Cup victory in 1996 and their a statement. Tom Banton, Sam Billings, Tom hard to come by. He earned 38 caps it with the back of his heel into the path “After the second goal, the belief of runners-up spot in the following season. “We want to give multi-format Curran, Joe Denly, Lewis Gregory, for the Greek national team from 2011 of Di Maria who made no mistake. our players went down a little bit,” said Olympique Marseille are the only players some opportunity to rest Chris Jordan, Saqib Mahmood, Leipzig’s 33-year-old coach Julian Nagelsmann. “That’s normal. It’s not and refresh, while still selecting Dawid Malan, Adil Rashid, Jason to 2016, scoring once. (AGENCIES) French team to win the European Cup, Nagelsmann needed to find some way to that easy right now to think about the triumphing over AC Milan in 1993. strong squads for every series.” Roy and David Willey. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) *** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** Instructions belong in a board game, not in romance. Now that things have calmed down a bit in your life, If you’re in the middle of any business dealings, be The natural world holds a great deal of appeal for It’s important to do things your own way, and yes, this is a good time to start thinking about new places extra careful today. You shouldn’t have to worry you today, so try to get outside and enjoy it for a that may include making your own mistakes. If you want to go and new things you want to do. Look about anyone’s honesty or integrity, but you should while. Even if the weather is less than ideal, you can other people are giving you unwanted advice, thank to the people you admire the most for guidance and be very mindful of details. Things could get a little still get a huge boost in both your mood if you can them and then ignore them. inspiration. bit messy before the end of the day. take a walk.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) ***** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) **** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) **** Life has been calm lately, but there’s a growing part You are definitely going to be the smartest person in Things that are beyond your control might be bum- If the people around you react explosively to a situa- of you that’s looking around for something fun to do. the room today, but you’ll have to be modest and ming you out today, but try not to get discouraged. tion today, don’t follow their example, no matter how Could you be getting dangerously close to being not let on that you know best. You can’t be too vocal There is always hope. Take a more peaceful approach justified they may be. Screaming at someone who has bored? Today you need to mix up your regular about your opinions, nor should you be critical of and talk things out with the people around you who been inconsiderate isn’t going to mitigate the stress. routine. others. feel the same way you do. It will only increase it.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) *** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) **** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** Don’t be surprised if one of your co-workers As inviting as the water may look, it could be freez- No one is going to walk up to you and ask your ideas Take a chance and express what you truly feel today, acts a bit more critical of your decisions or ing cold. Dip a toe into a potential new experience about things. You have to step in and become part of especially if you think other people will be aston- actions than you would like. You’re focused on tack- today and get a feel for what you may be in for. Ask the discussion first. If you come from an insider’s ished by what you have to say. You are in for one heck ling the more creative aspects of this task and people who have gone in before you for their insight, position, what you say will be listened to and taken of a surprise when everyone pretty much agrees they aren’t. but be sure to use a critical ear. more seriously. with you. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K THURSDAY, AUGUST 20, 2020 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 Are we witnessing a rise in new-age spiritualism in Nepal? In this modern, sceptic world, more and more people—particularly those belonging to the young demographic—seem to be seeking spiritual gurus for inner balance. Why?

SHASHWAT PANT senior teacher at the Art of Living KATHMANDU Foundation, founded by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. She says that the reason more and fter Rajeev wakes up in the more young people are getting into spirit- morning, he freshens up ualism is that they have the urge to know and heads up to his terrace themselves and where they stand in life. with a yoga mat in hand. “If you look at the literal translation of After meditating for spiritualism, it means ‘connecting with around 30 minutes, he the spirit’. But we’ve become so engrossed startsA doing dynamic meditation, some- in our life, people seem to have forgotten thing he learnt at Osho Tapoban around to live,” says Rathi, who joined the Art of eight years ago. Living in 1998. “Doing this has changed my life. If She says that the reason for change in you’re lost in life, I’d recommend you to try people primarily has to with breathing. it, at least once,” says Rajeev, who asked to She says that when one meditates, it not be identified only by his first name. only refreshes the mind, but also controls Rajeev joined Osho after a traumatic the way they breathe. incident which he says broke him down “That is why people who meditate tend completely. Ten years ago, he lost his father, to be more composed,” says Rathi. mother and his 13-year-old brother in a car She says that the yoga that the spiritual accident, and for two years, he was in a gurus teach has many other benefits. state of shock. He became addicted to all Rathi, who had asthma and migraine sorts of drugs and started drinking heavily ,says that both vanished a year into her to numb the pain. But nothing helped. He practicing the yoga and meditation tech- started to fall into depression. He even con- niques offered by Art of Living. sidered taking his own life, he says. “These are age old practices that we “I was in a dark place. One from which offer which actually have scientific bene- I never thought I would come out of. I was fits. People will have to try it to know alone, lonely and on the verge of doing about it,” she says. something really stupid. Then I found But such gurus have many naysayers Osho. And my life changed,” says the too. Many have called Osho’s followers a 31-year-old. SHUTTERSTOCK cult and there was an entire docu-series In recent years, a lot of young people me. It was a revelation and after that I lives. He teaches us how we can make it produced by Netflix as well to lay stake to have been attracted towards, and have went to Tapoban and stayed there for better,” says Dhungel. that claim. Same is the case for Sadhguru found faith in, spiritualism across the seven days. That was probably the best Osho Tapoban, The details of the practices, however, and Sri Sri Ravishankar whose political world. In Nepal too, spiritual gurus like decision I’ve ever made in my life.” the Art of Living and are limited to Sadhguru’s followers. affiliation with the Hindutva movement Osho, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Sadhguru Rajeev says they did a lot of activities While Osho’s techniques are open for has been criticised by a lot of people. have a huge following, especially among in the commune in Tapoban, which was Isha Foundation all everyone, Sadhguru’s are more secretive. But Neerav says that people have been Nepali youths who seem to connect with setup in 1990 by Swami Anada Arun. It is When asked why, the mystic gives two pointing fingers without experiencing what these gurus have to say. there he says he learned how to enjoy life have around 100,000 reasons. The first he says is if the tech- what these gurus’ methods teach. He fur- Osho Tapoban, the Art of Living and again. More importantly, he gave up nique is done wrongly it will affect people ther claims that it’s the West who dubbed Isha Foundation all have around 100,000 drinking and drugs. members each. wrongly. And the second, he says that spiritualism as a cult, because it was members each, out of which over 50 per- “I had given up hope. I was skeptical people don’t value things which are interfering with other religions, like cent are under the age of 35, according to about it all, about life. But gradually peo- offered for free. Christianity. numbers collected by the Post. But why ple there taught me how to be happy. They follower of Sadhguru since 2016, says it’s “I can assure you that you will see “If you listen to Osho, Sadhguru and are more and more people getting into taught me the importance of meditation,” the same for him. Getting into spiritual- changes in yourself if you do the course,” Sri Sri Ravishankar talk, you’ll notice spiritualism? What makes people connect he says. ism has given him clarity. says Dhungel. “But you’ll have to do it that they don’t talk nonsense. They give to the gurus? And how has their ideolo- Sami Atmo Neerav, an Osho Sanyashi “I felt there was more to life than what honestly and with discipline.” He says facts. It’s clear that not a lot of people like gies changed their lives? (disciple) who works closely with Anda I was seeing,” says Dhungel. “I had a after seeing changes in him, his parents to be told the truth about things, but Rajeev found Osho staring at him at a Arun, who set up the commune in yearning for intellectual thirst that I got and his younger brother all took the inner that’s a fact,” says Neerav. coffee shop in Kathmandu, he says. As Tapoban, says that Osho Tapoban has through Sadhguru.” engineering course. Whatever the world may think, for soon as he saw the book, he picked it up become a haven for a lot of people. Dhungel says a lot has changed since He believes that such teachings are Rajeev, the path he undertook eight years because he was very curious. After read- “They come here with all sorts of prob- he started following Sadhguru. Every day crucial for the well-being of young people, ago has shaped his life. Things are now ing a few pages of the book, he bought it lems: from depression, anxiety, drug he gets up at five in the morning and does particularly in a society like Nepal, where very different for him, he says. Someone and took it home. abuse to relationship issues with family the Shambhavi Maha Mudra, a yoga prac- they have been brought up in a competi- who couldn’t live a day without doing “It felt like he was watching me with and issues at work. We don’t solve those tice which is taught after one takes tive environment, one that doesn’t give drugs, he now offers counselling sessions at that gaze he has in his eyes. It pulled me problems, but we offer ways in which one Sadhguru’s inner engineering class. much time to people for themselves. “I a rehabilitation centre in Kathmandu tell- towards him,” he says. “I had heard a lot can make him/herself better,” says That, he says, has taught him how to be think all spiritual leaders have been pro- ing young addicts how to get out of a slump. about Osho but not much of it was posi- Neerav. more composed while making decisions, moting one thing, and that is meditation. “If I can do it, anyone can. People need tive. But when I started reading Osho, I “We use methods developed by Osho to taught him how to deal with anger and And that is what the world needs right to believe in themselves. I know it’s not could relate to him. Or he could relate to bring some clarity in people’s lives.” taught him how he can improve his life. now,” says Neerav, from Osho. easy, but with time and the right guidance me. It was as if the book was written for For Ayush Dhungel, 27, who has been a “Sadhguru doesn’t tell us how to live our His thoughts are echoed by Seema Rathi, anything is possible,” says Rajeev.

Appeals court rules Spanish museum Lawsuit: Actor Cuba Gooding Jr can keep looted Nazi art raped New York woman in 2013 Actor’s lawyer has called the allegations ‘incredulous’ and At stake is ‘La Rue St. Honoré, effet de Soleil, Après-Midi, 1898,’ Camille Pissarro’s oil-on-canvas assailed the prosecution as a waste of taxpayer dollars. work that is estimated to cost $30 million. LARRY NEUMEISTER The federal lawsuit said the woman NEW YORK agreed to accompany Gooding to a nearby SoHo hotel, where they were to be joined ctor Cuba Gooding Jr is at the hotel’s ground-floor bar and restau- Courts also criticise accused of raping a woman rant by Gooding’s friends and a friend of twice in a Manhattan hotel the woman who was with her when she Spain for not living room in 2013, according to met Gooding at the VIP lounge. up to ‘moral a lawsuit that escalates the But when they arrived at the hotel, severity of the growing Gooding convinced her to go upstairs commitments’ to numberA of claims against him. with him to a room, saying he wanted to The lawsuit, dated Monday but filed quickly change his clothes, the lawsuit return Nazi-looted art. publicly Tuesday in Manhattan federal said. court, alleged that the Oscar-winning Instead, he put on music and attacked “Jerry Maguire” actor attacked the her, taking off her clothing and holding reached US courts in 2005, hailed woman, identified in court papers as her arms to pin her down as he sexually Monday’s decision, noting that the paint- “Jane Doe” to protect her privacy, after assaulted and raped her twice, the lawsuit ing was sold and resold to numerous she met him at a Greenwich Village VIP said. legitimate and prominent collectors over lounge. The lawsuit said the woman told the years before the baron obtained it, Attorney Mark Heller, who represented Gooding during the attacks “’no’ numer- with none discovering it had been seized the 52-year-old actor, said the “alleged ous times but he wouldn’t stop.” by the Nazis. event never took place.” According to court papers, the August He said there also appeared to be no “And my client is totally innocent of 2013 attack has left the woman with “emo- effort by Thyssen-Bornemisza or any any of these false allegations and we’re tional pain, suffering, and a loss of enjoy- other collector to hide it from the public. confident it will be dismissed,” he said. ment of life.” The suit seeks unspecified “We’ve been transparent from the start “She’s probably just somebody who’s damages. of this case, and we’re very pleased that looking for some glory to bask in the pub- Gooding appeared last week in there’s been a trial now and it brings it to licity and notoriety of Cuba Gooding Jr.’s Manhattan state court, where he has a conclusion, we trust,” he said Tuesday. case,” he added. pleaded not guilty to six misdemeanour He did say the Cassirer family may Gooding already faces misdemeanour charges of forcible touching and sexual appeal to the full 9th Circuit or even the criminal charges of sexual abuse and abuse. If convicted, he faces up to a year AP/RSS US Supreme Court. forcible touching related to claims women behind bars. This May 12, 2005 photo shows a visitor viewing the Impressionist painting in the The family did not respond to a request have previously made against him. He State prosecutors say more than two Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum in Madrid. for comment Tuesday, but the president has pleaded not guilty to those charges. dozen women have made claims against of the Holocaust Survivors Foundation Heller has called the state court allega- Gooding since allegations first arose JOHN ROGERS David Cassirer of San Diego, has contin- USA denounced the decision. tions “incredulous” and assailed the pros- against him. LOS ANGELES ued the litigation since his father’s death. “The Nazis murdered more than 6 mil- ecution as a waste of taxpayer dollars. —Associated Press Neither Cassirer’s heirs nor Spain’s lion Jews, including 1.5 million children US appeals court has ruled Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum dispute under the age of 12, and including 105 mem- that a Camille Pissarro the painting’s early history. bers of my family,” David Schaecter said. painting a Jewish woman What’s at issue all these years later is “How on God’s Earth can Spain fight so traded to the Nazis to whether Baron Hans Heinrich Thyssen- hard to deny a Jewish family its precious escape the Holocaust in Bornemisza made any serious effort to legacy that was looted by the Nazis? And 1939 may remain the prop- determine the painting was looted art how on God’s Earth can an American court ertyA of a Spanish museum that acquired when he acquired it from a New York gal- ignore the unprecedented trauma of the it more than a half-century later. lery owner for $275,000 in 1976. Holocaust and reward Spain for its greed?” The unanimous ruling issued Monday Also whether Spanish curators did Both US District Judge John Walter, in by a three-judge panel of the 9th US their due diligence in tracing its prove- a 2019 ruling, and the appeals court in Circuit Court of Appeals is the latest— nance when a Spanish nonprofit founda- Tuesday’s, criticised the baron and the but possibly not the last—in a case that tion acquired it and hundreds of other Spanish foundation for not doing more has wound through the courts of Spain paintings from the baron’s collection in to discover whether the painting was loot- and the United States for 20 years. 1992 and created the Madrid museum that ed art. But both courts concluded there At stake is ‘La Rue St. Honoré, effet de bears his name. was no proof either deliberately hid that Soleil, Après-Midi, 1898,’ an oil-on-canvas Lilly Cassirer’s heirs say she spent it was. work of a rain-swept Paris street that years trying to recover the painting Both courts also criticized Spain for Pissarro painted as he gazed at the scene before concluding it was lost and accept- not living up to what the courts called from his hotel window. Its value has been ing $13,000 in reparations from the “moral commitments” to return Nazi- estimated at $30 million. German government in 1958. looted art. Lilly Cassirer’s father-in-law bought it It wasn’t until 1999 that her grandson, “It is perhaps unfortunate that a coun- directly from Pissarro’s art dealer and Claude, who had vividly recalled seeing it try and a government can preen as moral- left it to her and her husband when he hanging in the family’s German home, istic in its declarations, yet not be bound died. In 1939, she traded it to the Nazis in discovered it in the Madrid museum. After by those declarations. But that is the state exchange for exit visas for herself, her Spain refused to hand it over, he sued. of the law,” the appeals court said in its husband and her grandson, who eventual- Attorney Thaddeus Stauber, who has ruling.

ly settled in the US. Her great-grandson, represented the museum since the case —Associated Press AP/RSS

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