WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 225 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 35.2 C 8.0 C Wednesday, October 07, 2020 | 21-06-2077 Nepalgunj Jumla Given its failure, Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre’s relevance in question The deputy prime minister-led centre’s role is limited to making recommendations to the Cabinet but they are often shot down by the prime minister.

TIKA R PRADHAN and it ended without a proper decision. KATHMANDU, OCT 6 “After studying the situation, the committee has decided to seek propos- Before Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli als from different ministries,” said got admitted to Tribhuvan University Mahendra Guragain, member secre- Teaching Hospital for his second kid- tary of the centre, after that meeting. ney transplant on the evening of The proposals that he was referring March 2, he formed a high-level coor- to were on safety protocols to be fol- dination committee to prepare the lowed to check the spread of the virus. country for curbing the spread of the Incidentally, the day Guragain said coronavirus. that marked exactly six months since Deputy Prime Minister and Defence the Covid-19 Crisis Management Minister Ishwar Pokhrel headed it. Centre was formed. Then on March 29 when the country By the Centre member’s own admis- was on the sixth day of the nationwide sion, it has been a gross failure. lockdown, the Covid-19 Crisis “There is a tendency that the deci- Management Centre, also headed by sions of the Centre won’t be implement- the deputy prime minister, was formed ed,” a minister said after the meeting. as the implementing agency under the Once Prime Minister Oli became High-level Coordination Committee. active in public life after his success- On June 10, when the number of ful surgery, and subsequent recupera- POST PHOTO: KABIN ADHIKARI cases in the country stood at 4,364, the tion, all decisions regarding the pan- Dr Govinda KC on the 23rd day of his hunger strike at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Kathmandu on Tuesday demanding improvements in public health services. This is KC’s 19th fast High-Level Coordination Committee demic have been taken by the Cabinet against anomalies in the country’s medical education sector. was dissolved and the main responsi- and the centre has now become just an bility of fighting the pandemic fell on agency to make recommendations. the Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre. “After the prime minister recuper- Today, as the number of infections ated following the kidney transplant, continues to rise and Nepal has over- the Cabinet started to take decisions taken China, where the virus was first related to Covid-19 so the High-level There may not be enough health workers discovered, in the number of cases, the Coordination Committee was dis- Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre is solved,” said Education Minister nowhere to be seen. As of Tuesday, the Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, a member of number of cases stands at 90,814 while the coordination committee, but not to attend to patients, doctors warn that of China stands at 85,482. of the Centre. Its last meeting was on September 29 >> Continued on page 2 Hospitals which treat Covid-19 patients lack sufficient personal protective equipment, putting health workers at the high risk of exposure to the coronavirus.

The lack of personal protective equipment is an issue in other hospi- tals in the Capital too like Bir Hospital, which has been converted into a Covid-19 hospital. “Our stock of safety gear including the personal protective equipment is insufficient even for a week, “ Dr Kedar Prasad Ceintury, the hospital director, told the Post. “We depend on the safety gear donated by social organisations.” Health workers serving in the hos- pital have complained to the Post that they are compelled to reuse masks and buy them on their own, due to the fail- ure of the administration to supply them. Around 150 health workers at the hospital have already tested posi- tive for the coronavirus, according to the hospital administration. “We are struggling to manage the human resource, as a lot of our staff are getting infected every day,” said POST FILE PHOTO Ceintury, who added that the hospital Major hospitals are running out of safety gear used by doctors and health workers. needs over 1,000 surgical masks, over 200 personal protective equipment, ARJUN POUDEL nential rise, but health workers are including N-95 masks every day. KATHMANDU, OCT 6 getting infected in rising numbers, The Department of Health Services, which is alarming,” an official at the which is responsible for arranging Dr Dinesh Kafle, executive director at Department of Health Services, told personal protective equipment and the Tribhuvan University Teaching the Post, asking not to be named, as he other safety gear to public hospitals, Hospital, was counting the number of feared retribution. “We have not been said that it had transferred the budget personal protective equipment like taking the risk seriously since the to hospitals to purchase the necessary body covers, N-95 masks, gloves, shoe beginning. A situation may arise in equipment. covers and other essentials in stock on which we will not have enough health “We have allocated the budget to the Tuesday afternoon when the Post con- workers to attend patients.” provinces and to the hospitals to buy tacted him. The Epidemiology and Disease necessary equipment including safety “If the suppliers do not supply addi- Control Division of the Health gears,” said Dr Dipendra Raman tional equipment by the end of the Ministry, which keeps records of Singh, director general at the depart- day, it will be a problem for us to send infected health workers, does not have ment. “Most hospitals buy personal health workers to the Covid-19 ward, the exact data on this since the official protective equipment on their own, and the ICU,” said Kafle. “We need in charge of maintaining it has been and we too have been supplying it to over 100 pieces of personal protective transferred. some hospitals.” equipment every day just to attend to “We are working on new software to Government officials have repeat- the Covid-19 patients.” keep the records,” an official at the edly downplayed the seriousness of Health workers, including doctors division told the Post, asking not to the situation and once said that the serving in other departments as well be named. “If you contact us after number of cases in the country would as the emergency ward, also need per- two weeks, we can provide you with not reach 100. As of Tuesday, 90,814 sonal protective equipment but owing the exact number of infected health people have tested positive with 563 to the shortage, the hospital has not workers.” deaths. In the last 24 hours, 1,551 peo- been able to provide enough quanti- Officials said that the number of ple tested positive, including 1,017 in ties to them. infected health workers, including Kathmandu Valley, according to the “This makes them risk their lives,” doctors, is over 2,000. At least three Health Ministry. The tally for said Kafle. health workers, including a doctor, Kathmandu Valley stands at 32,087. Public health experts warn that a have died of Covid-19. As of Tuesday, Public health experts, however, are rise in infection rate in health work- over 200 health workers, including not surprised by this shortage of safe- ers is a sign of another looming cata- doctors, at the Tribhuvan University ty gear in public hospitals as new strophic situation. Teaching Hospital, have tested posi- cases continue to rise colossally. “Not only are new cases on an expo- tive. The hospital administration said “I had said at the time of the budget that it has been struggling to speech that the budget allocated for continue some of its services, as health would not help in controlling a lot of health workers are test- the pandemic,” said Dr Baburam ing positive every day. Marasini, a former director at the “We shut down the neurosur- Epidemiology and Disease Control gical and neuro medicine unit Division. today as six health workers there With previous restrictions on move- got infected,” Kafle added. ment, and with the number of cases “Other six health workers, rising, much fewer patients have been including doctors, in the going to hospitals, and this has affect- emergency department, also ed revenue streams. tested positive today. We “This is also a reason for the budget disinfected the department and crunch,” said Kafle. have resumed services.” >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL Butwal assembly endorses Lumbini as name of Province 5 by a two-thirds majority The provincial assembly also endorsed Deukhuri Valley in Dang as the capital of the province.

GHANASHYAM GAUTAM ties, social organisations and the gen- members from the Nepali Congress RUPANDEHI, OCT 6 eral public have taken to the street in also resorted to vandalism amid dis- several places of Rupandehi to protest putes in the ruling party over the The provincial assembly meeting of the Province 5 government’s proposal name and capital of the province. Province 5 endorsed the proposal to to designate Deukhuri of Dang as the Meanwhile, in the assembly meet- name the province as Lumbini by a provincial capital. According to them, ing on Tuesday, Shankar Pokharel, majority vote on Tuesday. The meet- the proposal regarding the name and chief minister of the province, said ing also endorsed Deukhuri Valley in capital of Province 5 was registered that the government will develop Dang district as the provincial capital. without discussing with other politi- Butwal as an economic and tourist The provincial assembly endorsed the cal parties at the provincial assembly. destination. name of the province and its capital They were demanding that Butwal in “We had tried to make consensus by a two-thirds majority, as stipulated Rupandehi be named the provincial while naming the province and its in the constitution. capital. capital but we could not do so. The proposal to name the province Butwal was declared the temporary Although I tried to discuss with other as Lumbini garnered 79 votes while 69 capital on January 17, 2018, parties, they did not want to change votes were cast in favour of Deukhuri pending a decision from the provin- their stance,” Pokharel said. POST PHOTO: ANISH REGMI as the permanent headquarters of the cial assembly on the name and capital “Deukhuri can be turned into a city A worker at a building construction site at Balkhu in Kathmandu. province. of the province. that connects Tarai, hills and moun- Four assembly members voted On Monday, provincial assembly tainous districts.” against the name, Lumbini, and 13 assembly members voted against Deukhuri as the provincial headquarters. Illegal construction aggregate mining On Friday, Provincial Minister for Internal Affairs and Law Kul Prasad KC registered a proposal at the Provincial Assembly to name Province business thrives in Mahottari 5 as Lumbini and Deukhuri as its cap- ital. The proposal was tabled after the decision of NCP chairmen KP Sharma People have been pressuring the concerned authorities to stop illegal extraction of Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The NCP leadership has been criticised for riverbed materials but no action has been taken yet, say locals. intervening in the constitutional rights of the provincial assembly to SUNITA BARAL ators do not obey rules and regula- shut them down.” The regulations determine the name and capital of the MAHOTTARI, OCT 6 tions. They have been emboldened by clearly state that crusher plants province. the authorities’ silence.” should be at least 500 metres away In the 87-strong provincial assem- On July 19, a 16-year-old boy drowned “Sometimes locals take control over from highways and rivers, 100 meters bly, 86 were present in Tuesday’s in a sandpit dug for sand mining in the vehicles used in illegal excavation away from high-tension electricity meeting. Among them, 82 members Ratu river in Bardibas Municipality, and hand them over to the monitoring grids and 2km away from schools and participated to vote for the Mahottari. agencies,” said Syangba. “But the con- colleges, health centres and hospitals, provincial headquarters whereas 83 The locals, who claimed that the cerned authorities let off the perpe- security installations, human settle- participated to name the province. sandpit was dug without securing a trators after levying a small fine.” ment, and religious and archaeologi- The remaining members boycotted permit from the local government, According to the prevalent rules cal sites. the voting process. POST PHOTO: AMRITA ANMOL have been calling on the authorities and regulations, the local govern- The majority of crusher plants in Since Friday, various political par- Province 5 Assembly members meet on Tuesday. concerned to regulate extraction of ments as well as the district adminis- Mahottari are not adhering to these riverbed materials to prevent such tration office have the authority to regulations. incidents. No steps have been taken as intervene and take action against ille- Syangba, the land rights activist, of yet to stop illegal mining of sand gal mining businesses. said local governments have largely and stones in local rivers. Neither of these authorities has failed to take action against illegal “We cannot confront the people done anything to shut down illegal crusher plants because some people’s Health posts in Lahan reeling under involved in the extraction of sand and crusher plants so far. representatives themselves are offer- stones. They are dangerous people,” Suresh Prasad Singh, chief at the ing patronage to their operators. said a local man. “Crusher operators District Coordination Committee in “The operators offer handsome shortage of essential medicines extract riverbed materials in broad Mahottari, said, that the committee money or even use force to prevent daylight and no one’s stopping them.” was planning to completely ban min- people from making noise about their The man from Bardibas-14, who did ing activities on local rivers for sand illegal activities. We have found that BHARAT JARGHAMAGAR “What is the point of having the The government provides over 70 not want to reveal his identity due to and stones. people’s representatives and crusher SIRAHA, OCT 6 health post here if there are no medi- types of essential medicines free of security concerns, claimed that there “The law states that crusher plants operators have an equal share in the cines?” she said. cost to patients seeking health care are more than 100 sandpits, each of cannot operate within 500 meters from illegal business,” said Syangba. A health post at Bishanpur in Lahan The health post at Ward No. 15 in services at district hospitals with them 20 to 30 feet deep, along the the water body. But we have received Bidur Karki, mayor of Bardibas Municipality Ward No. 18 has been Lahan has also run out of medicine. 25-bed capacity across the country. banks of Ratu river alone. “These reports from many locals that many Municipality, denies that the local gov- reeling under a shortage of essential “We have run out of paracetamol Patients can get over 40 types of crusher plants are being run within a crusher plants are brazenly violating ernment is working in collusion with medicine, including paracetamol, and Jeevan Jal,” said Ram Sundar essential medicines for free in prima- 500-metre distance from the river the law and running their operation the crusher operators. Jeevan Jal (Oral Rehydration Salts) Chaudary, in-charge at the health post. ry health care centres and 35 types of which has been prohibited by the law,” illegally,” he said. “The crusher operators are using and iron pills, for the last one month. Twelve health posts and one city medicines in health posts throughout he said. Several notices issued by the com- my name for their own benefit,” he Lalita Chaudhary, an auxiliary health clinic in all 24 wards of the the country. Local people say illegal construc- mittee to the local crusher operators, said. “I will take strong action against nurse midwife at the health post, said, municipality have been reeling under Das, the in-charge at the Health Post tion aggregate mining has gained directing them to follow the regula- illegal crusher operators in the Ratu “The health post receives over two to the shortage of essential medicine for in Ward No. 18, said, “The health momentum in the recent months. tions, have gone unheeded, Singh river. I seek the locals’ support to stop three dozen patients on a daily basis. the last month. receives 36 to 58 types of medicines Phauda Singh Syangba, a local land added. the illegal mining of sand and stones.” We have been unable to distribute from the municipality. However, in the rights activist, said: “The situation “If they refuse to operate according The local crusher plant operators medicines to the patients due to the last few months, we were receiving has gone out of control. Crusher oper- to the rules and regulations, we will that the Post contacted refused to com- shortage of medicine.” Government gives 70 only 20 to 22 types of medicines. But ment on the matter. Health offices at the municipality the supply has stopped since last Meanwhile, an inspection commit- are facing a shortage of medicine, as types of medicines month.” According to him, health tee of the District Coordination the ones purchased some three months workers have been facing problems Committee on Thursday took action ago through a tender process did not for free to patients from service seekers due to the short- against 12 vehicles (six tipper trucks meet the WHO standards, according to age of medicines. and six tractors) for illegal excavation Ram Sundar Yadav, chief at the Health at district hospitals. “The situation has worsened after in Ratu river. Section of Lahan Municipality. the start of the nationwide lockdown “We have sent the vehicles loaded “We haven’t been able to distribute in March. Amid many difficulties, we with sand and stones to the Area medicines to the health posts on time. have not stopped our services. The Police Office for further investigation. But we have started the process to health post has been treating patients The police will conduct an investiga- purchase medicines through another on a daily basis. But we haven’t been tion in coordination with the munici- vendor for this fiscal year,” Yadav able to give them free medication.” pality,” said Singh, the committee said. Khemnanda Bhusal, chief adminis- chief. Pramod Kumar Das, the in-charge trative officer of Lahan Municipality, Deputy Superintendent of Police of the health post in Ward No. 18, said says the situation has arised due to Rajan Chapagain at the Area Police patients have stopped visiting the the weakness of the municipality’s Office in Bardibas, said: “The seized health post of late and have started health section. vehicles did not have necessary docu- using self-prescribed medicines. “The medicine that we purchased a ments to transport the riverbed mate- “The number of patients visiting few months ago did not meet the rials. We are looking into their busi- our health post has come down to 15 standards of the WHO. The health ness and the crusher operators these days. Some of the regular section should have vetted the compa- involved.” patients are visiting the pharmacy ny properly before buying from them,” In Mahottari, there are more than and are self-medicating,” Das said. Bhusal said. “I have instructed the 70 crusher plants operating on the Julo Pandit, a resident of Bhadaiya, POST PHOTO: BHARAT JARGHAMAGAR health section to start the process of banks of a half dozen rivers and rivu- went to Bishanpur Health Post seek- The medicines bought by the municipality purchasing medicines immediately. POST PHOTO: SUNITA BARAL lets in Bhangaha, Gaushala and ing treatment for rashes but was una- some three months ago did not meet the The problem will be solved within two Locals say illegal mining of construction aggregate has gained momentum in recent months. Bardibas among other local units. ble to get medicine there. WHO standards. to four days.” We may not Given its failure, Covid-19 Crisis Management Centre’s relevance ... have enough >> Continued from page 1 “The establishment of the Centre ministries. CCMC. According to experts, more than “But the CCMC, which was formed itself was faulty as there were already Yet another evidence of the failure “Since things are getting worse public health and science, bureaucra- later, was not given the authority to set mechanisms at the Home Ministry. of the centre was the shooting down each day, the government needs to cy and politics dominated the corona health workers ... take decisions but to discuss issues Why do we need such a structure that of its recommendations by the prime focus on managing hospitals and med- response, which led to a serious crisis and to make recommendations to the only makes recommendations to the minister. “The prime minister had ical equipment instead of spending in the country and everyone knows >> Continued from page 1 Cabinet.” Cabinet?” said one minister. dumped the recommendations of the more on unnecessary meetings and the Covid-19 Crisis Management Patan Hospital, another dedicated The directive committee of the Some members of the Oli Cabinet centre to ease lockdown many times,” structures of the centre.” Centre remained ineffective in the Covid-19 hospital, has been producing Centre, which is its main committee, claimed that the formation of the said another minister, also a member The different committees of the absence of coordination. the personal protective equipment is led by Pokhrel and has Home Centre was intended just to appease of the centre. centre have different meetings and the “There are experts in the Health in-house and reusing them to cope Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, Federal the Nepal Army, which had no rep- The centre itself on occasions has committee members get allowances Ministry but they are of no use for the with the shortage. Affairs and General Administration resentation in the High-level made muddled decisions. For exam- for attending them. CCMC,” said Dr Bhagawan Koirala, “It is not possible for us to use dis- Minister Hridayesh Tripathi; Industry, Coordination Committee. The coordi- ple, the Centre backtracked on its “The formation of the Centre was chairman of Nepal Medical Council. posable personal protective equip- Commerce and Supplies Minister nation committee of the Centre has April 9 decision to allow people strand- faulty and now the works of the gov- “From my experience of the 2015 ment, as it is too expensive. We are Lekhraj Bhatta; Health and Population the chief of army staff as its member. ed in Kathmandu to go to their respec- ernment have been affected,” Gagan earthquake, any committees compris- reusing the personal protective equip- Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal, the The office of the centre is at the tive districts after objections from Thapa, an opposition lawmaker and ing ministers cannot function as they ment for a fortnight,” Dr Ravi Shakya, finance minister, Agriculture Minister army barracks at Chhauni, which has within the ruling party. former health minister, told the Post. can only give directions which can’t director at the hospital, told the Post. Ghanashyam Bhusal, Foreign invited severe criticism. But now with the Cabinet decision “They don’t even hold meetings. So be implemented properly,” said Dr “I have been in isolation for a week. Minister Pradeep Gyawali, Energy Despite the number of ministers to allow district administration offic- the question arises why such a struc- Baburam Marasini, former director Over six dozen health workers, includ- Minister Barshaman Pun; and whose ministries are not directly es to announce restrictions to check ture was formed in the first place.” of the Epidemiology and Disease ing doctors at our hospital, have Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation involved in fighting the pandemic, or the spread of the virus, experts have The Centre also has a facilitation Control Department. “So I don’t see already been infected.” Minister Yogesh Bhattarai. rather because of it, the bloated started questioning its relevance. committee led by the chief secretary, any relevance of the CCMC.” “The lack of personal protective Bhusal, Pun and Bhattarai were Centre has been totally ineffective. With this decision, meetings of the with chief of the army staff, home Despite the existence of the Covid- equipment for health workers means later additions to appease co-chair of “Centre has become ineffective to centre have become less frequent. secretary and inspector generals of 19 Crisis Management Centre, major inviting a disaster,” said Marasini. “If the ruling Nepal Communist Party combat the virus because there was no “The expenditure of the CCMC Nepal Police and Armed Police Force decisions on the response to the pan- health workers get infected, they will Pushpa Kamal Dahal and senior lead- proper coordination among the minis- must be saved for medical equipment, and chief of the National Intelligence demic are being taken by the Cabinet. be superspreaders.” er Madhav Kumar Nepal. tries,” said the Cabinet minister, also facilities and medicines necessary to Department as members. “Ultimately, the top political leader- “We may lack health workers if we From the time of its establishment, a member of the Centre. combat the virus,” said Narayan Neither of the committees has a ship is accountable for the ineffective- fail to protect those working on the the Centre’s raison d’etre has been Ironically, the Centre was set Bidari, former secretary of the High- health expert, or any other expert for ness of the Covid-19 response,” said front line.” questioned. up for coordination among the various level Coordination committee and that matter. Koirala.

C M Y K 03 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2020 NATIONAL

BRIEFING Crowded prisons Tatopani border closed again SINDHUPALCHOK: The Tatopani border have raised Covid-19 point at the Nepal-China border in Sindhupalchok district has been closed from Tuesday after three risk among inmates employees at the Customs Office test- ed positive for Covid-19. The border BINOD GHIMIRE point, which was closed for almost KATHMANDU, OCT 6 three months due to the coronavirus restrictions, was opened only on As the cases of coronavirus are increasing at a rapid pace, Monday. Umesh Kumar Dhakal, chief keeping inmates safe in overcrowded prisons has become a district officer, said: “The border will challenge. be opened after we finalise a new There are 71 prisons across the country and they have modality to resume customs 24,700 convicts. The combined prisoner capacity of these services.” Until now, seven employees prisons is only 16,000. With the country’s prison system at the Customs Office have tested stretched more than 50 percent beyond its capacity, there is positive for Covid-19. a high risk of the coronavirus spreading among the inmates. The latest Covid-19 test report released by the Department Mahout dies in elephant attack of Prison Management just goes to show that. NAWALPARASI (EAST): A mahout who According to the department, 757 among the 1,929 pris- was seriously injured following an oners in 17 prisons in different parts of the country who elephant attack at Kawasoti of underwent real time polymerase chain reaction tests have Nawalparasi (East) died on Monday. tested positive for the infection. The test subjects were Lok Bahadur Khojuwar, the caretaker selected based on symptoms and contact tracing approach. of the elephant named Laxmikali of The department also said that eight prisoners have died Island Hotel, died while undergoing of Covid-19 so far. treatment for his injuries. The hotel’s On September 21, the National Human Rights manager Dipak Tiwari informed that Commission had urged the government to become sensi- the elephant might have attacked tive towards protecting the prisoners’ right to live in a safe Khojuwar, as it was experiencing environment amid growing number of Covid-19 cases Musth, a periodic condition in bull among inmates. (male) elephants characterised by The national rights watchdog had also formed a team to highly aggressive behaviour and rise POST PHOTO: KESHAV THAPA monitor the prisons in all seven provinces. in reproductive hormones. A worker paints a building at Lainchour in Kathmandu on Tuesday. The team, led by the commission member, Sudip Pathak, that monitored 27 prisons found that the prisoners were highly vulnerable to coronavirus infection. With this find- ing, the team had recommended that the government take a serious step towards keeping the inmates safe before the situation turns worse. Task force suggests dialogue as basis for “The prisons are so poorly managed that the inmates in most of them are prone to get infected,” Pathak told the Post. “The overcrowded facilities mean that the prisoners cannot maintain physical distancing.” The Pathak-led team also found that most of the prisons reclaiming areas disputed with India didn’t have dedicated quarantine and isolation centres. One does not have to go far to see the woeful prison con- dition of Nepal. The Central Jail in Kathmandu is holding After gathering evidence from various sources, the committee recommends strategies that Nepal can use during negotiations with India. 3,100 prisoners against its capacity of 1,400. Pathak said the issue of overcrowded prison amid the ANIL GIRI formed by the Cabinet but the Uprety-led it guides the government on Nepal’s strate- ied the tributaries of the Kali river for fix- Covid-19 pandemic continues despite the Supreme Court’s KATHMANDU, OCT 6 committee submitted the report to Foreign gy for holding the boundary talks, sources ing the boundary, one member of the team directive to the government to either release or reduce the Minister Pradeep Gyawali on Sunday after said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is like- said. Nepal and India have adopted the fixed sentences of some inmates. A team of experts commissioned by the dozens of officials at the prime minister’s ly to release an executive summary of the boundary principle in river areas. The court had issued two directives in March and government to collect evidence, historical residence tested positive for Covid-19. report later. As per the fixed boundary principle, the September ordering the government to reduce the number facts, and documents to support Nepal’s “Basically, we have gathered evidence “The report is for our internal use and demarcation of boundary along the river of prisoners amid the pandemic. claim to Kalapani, Lipulekh and and suggested strategies on five thematic considerations,” Foreign Minister Gyawali when it was agreed in first delineation is Stating that overcrowded prison facilities were violating Limpiyadhura has concluded that there is areas,” Uprety told the Post. “We have pro- told the Post. “The report will help us while considered the boundary line. the right to health of inmates, the apex court had ordered no alternative to holding talks with India to vided historic pieces of evidence, what we’re at the negotiating table.” This is useful when a river changes its the authorities to seek alternative ways of penalising those bring back the land occupied by India international laws and practices say and “After establishing territorial sovereign- course and new claims and counter-claims behind bars. stationing its forces for decades. what domestic legal provisions we have, the ty that east of Limpiyadhura belongs to emerge, the member said. The Parliamentary Law, Justice and Human Rights Following a boundary row with India, the cartographic evidence available to us, Nepal as per the Treaty of Sugauli, we can The team has collected old and historic Committee had also issued a separate directive to the gov- government had formed a nine-member hydrological facts on the origin of the river, discuss the modalities on what to do on maps as evidence. The Treaty of Sugauli ernment to minimise the number of prisoners through a team some three months ago led by and strategic considerations.” Kalapani where India has its military base,” and other boundary protocols that policy decision to ensure proper management of the coun- Bishnuraj Uprety, executive chairman of Initially, questions were raised why the a member of the task force told the Post. Nepal and India signed in the past would try’s prison system during the pandemic. the Policy Research Institute, a government government formed the task force when the “We have provided some undeniable evi- be presented as evidence, the second Section 155 of the 2017 Criminal Code allows authorities think tank, and tasked it with gathering map had already been released and approved dence and what strategy Nepal should adopt member said. to release inmates sentenced for up to a year by converting evidence and suggesting a strategy that Some of the evidence was sourced from their jail terms into fines. would be instrumental in holding talks with the British Library, the member said. “We “Reducing the number of jailbirds as per the court’s New Delhi. have collected evidence enough to prove our directive is necessary if arranging adequate spaces for With renewed tension at the India-China claim,” the member said. them is not possible,” Pathak said. “The lack of precau- border, the recent road construction by The team also furnished evidence related tions could invite the situation just like in Siraha prison.” India in the Lipulekh area, the boundary to land taxes that people in Kuti, Navi and Among the 587 prisoners in Siraha 514 had tested issue between Nepal and India is complicat- Gunji paid to the government of Nepal until positive for the coronavirus. ed and demands skilled negotiation by 2030 BS, along with various government The government officials agree that the lack of adequate Nepali officials, at least two members of the reports, directives of successive govern- infrastructure has created problems in keeping the panel said. ments, administrative orders, court orders, prisoners safe. After the boundary dispute emerged with land certificates possessed by the people “We are committed to maintaining maximum India last November when New Delhi living in the disputed areas, and documents precautions in prisons despite poor infrastructure,” Dorna released a new political map incorporating related to land certificate and land tax. Pokharel, director General at Department of Prison the territories claimed by Kathmandu, A senior government official said since Management told the Post. “I believe the Covid-19 situation Nepal too issued a new political and admin- Nepal issued a new map showing the three in prison facilities is largely under control.” istrative map on May 20 showing Kalapani, areas within the country’s borders, Pokharel also claimed that quarantine and isolation Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura within the FILE PHOTO: RSS Kathmandu has few options considering centres have been set up in most of the prisons for new country’s borders. The territorial dispute between Nepal and India came to the fore after India announced the opening of a Kalapani’s strategic importance for New inmates and those who have to be taken out for court The constitution was subsequently road through the disputed Lipulekh (pictured) in May 2020. Delhi, especially when it is embroiled in a hearings and treatments. amended to give the new map legal status, bitter territorial dispute with China. Besides, he added, the prisons have also halted visit and the government sought diplomatic talks by the Cabinet. Even though India claims while sitting for talks with India,” said Surya Prasad Subedi, professor at days as a preventive measure against the coronavirus with New Delhi to resolve the boundary the disputed territories as its own, Nepal Uprety, the coordinator. University of Leeds in the United Kingdom; spread among prisoners. issue. But the fate of the talks still remains says it has enough evidence to prove that On historical facts and evidence, the com- Ramesh Dhungel, a historian; Bipin Meanwhile, the prison department has also uncertain. they belong to Nepal. mittee has gathered documents signed Adhikari, a senior advocate; Jagat Bhusal, been transferring inmates in overcrowded facilities to Officials in Kathmandu are of the view Until 1962, the Nepal government con- between the two countries on boundary water expert; Toyanath Baral, former direc- other prisons. that foreign secretary-level talks, at the very ducted census, collected land revenue and matters, old treaties, agreements, under- tor-general at the Department of Survey; “We have so far transferred the prisoners in Syangja to least, should be convened immediately to issued land registration certificates in the standings, correspondence and letters Himalaya Thapa, a retired Nepal Army Tanahun and those in Khotang to Udayapur. We plan to resolve the decades-long dispute. But India areas now controlled by India. Following exchanged between the two sides in various general, and Apsara Chapagain, a commu- adopt this approach for other prisons as well,” Pokharel has been reluctant to hold dialogue citing India’s war with China, New Delhi set up periods particularly after 1816. nity forestry activist, are members of the said. “Nevertheless, poor infrastructure remains a major the Covid pandemic. military bases in Kalapani, which remain The Uprety-led committee has gathered committee. Ram Prasad Subedi, joint-secre- challenge. We haven’t been able to do enough because The report was to be submitted to Prime there until now. information to prove that the origin of the tary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, is we haven’t been able to expand or improve our prison Minister KP Sharma Oli as the panel was Though the report is kept secret because Kali river is Limpiyadhura. They also stud- member-secretary. facilities.”

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2020 | 04 OPINION EDITORIAL Coming clean on energy in South Asia An assembly of vandals South Asian economies Nepali Congress must show that a well-behaved are growing at a rapid opposition is paramount to democracy. pace, but so are their carbon footprints. Five years of the constitution that transitioned Nepal into a federal democratic republic, and two and a half years since the PRAMOD RIJAL assemblies in the seven provinces came into place, there seems to be little understanding among our elected representatives as to why they are there. What happened on Monday in the Province 5 assembly just leaves a bad taste. As a proposal to name Province 5 Lumbini and declare Deukhuri Valley as its capital was tabled in the assembly, some assembly members of the opposition party Nepali Congress resorted to vandalism. Progress towards a renewable ener- They flung their chairs and smashed them on the tables as they gy-driven economy continues to face a chanted slogans in protest. predictable stumbling block globally— over-reliance on the use of fossil fuels. What has so far been apparent, though, is that Nepali politi- Despite the great advances made in the cians are still refusing to commit themselves to federalism even renewable energy sector, both the though they are not tired of boasting that they fought hard to developed and developing economies are reluctant to switch to renewable achieve it. Despite having people’s representatives of their own sources due to concerns it may detract in the provinces, the central leaders still continue to bulldoze them from their growth targets. their ideas and orders on the assemblies. The ruling Nepal In South Asia, big economies like Communist Party chairs’ instruction to Province 5 Chief India, Bangladesh and Pakistan rely mostly on fossil fuels, including coal, Minister Shankar Pokharel on the provincial name and capital diesel and gas-powered thermal plants is the root cause of this problem. which generate most of their electrici- Even as a section of the Nepal Communist Party in the pro- ty. The World Bank’s Sustainable vincial assembly opposed the party high command’s directive Energy for All database shows that India has only a 36 percent share of on the name and capital of the province, the Nepali Congress renewable sources in its energy con- jumped into the fray. In a democracy, any party holds the right sumption, while the same for SHUTTERSTOCK to protest and register its dissenting views, but resorting to Bangladesh is 34 percent. Pakistan has less than 30 percent renewable sources (ICIMOD) has linked high emission of coming years. Hence, timely invest- Environment of trust vandalism—that too in the hallowed chambers—is condemna- in energy. On the other hand, smaller greenhouse gases in South Asia with ment in cross-border energy infra- Long-term energy cooperation between ble and beyond justification. economies like Nepal and Bhutan have accelerated melting of Himalayan gla- structure will go a long way in ensur- Nepal, India and Bangladesh could The assemblies of the elected people’s representatives are the a bigger share of renewable sources in ciers and changing monsoon circula- ing that these Indian states do not miss prove to be an attractive prospect for all highest law-making bodies. Their role in shaping democracy their energy consumption. This is not tions and distribution of rainfall in the out on their growth potential. The three countries. For landlocked Nepal, necessarily due to high generation of region. Power Trade Agreement signed it offers a lucrative market and oppor- and nurturing a democratic culture is immense. It’s true that renewable energy, but rather due to Luckily, there are silver linings point- between India and Nepal sometime tunity to balance its trade deficit while they are also a forum for politics, and so the elected represent- increased reliance on traditional biofu- ing towards gradual improvements back will enable India to import the for both India and Bangladesh, it offers atives do use them to communicate to their electorate. But that els, like wood, dung, crop residue and globally, following the Paris Accord on required electricity from Nepal and a secure line of supply amid uncertain- in no way means that the elected representatives can turn into charcoal, for cooking and heating pur- reducing the impacts of climate change. meet its increased demand. ties in their domestic energy poses in the rural areas. Both the developed and developing Bangladesh’s need to switch to markets. But mere technical feasibility hooligans. Such an act does not only undermine the assembly countries are slowly but surely making renewable energy sources is even more and complementary needs will not be but also comes as disrespect to the electorate. Diminishing coal reserves efforts to increase the ratio of clean urgent. Thermal plants powered by sufficient. There has to be a The constitution bestows immense power on lawmakers. As With rapid urbanisation, there is a energy sources in their overall produc- coal, diesel and natural gas account for political environment of trust among steady rise in the domestic consump- tion and consumption. Solar and wind 93 percent of the total electricity gener- the participating countries that can elected representatives, they are accountable to the people who tion of electricity for cooking, heating, technologies, in particular, have seen ated in the country. In 2018, Dhaka encourage the private sector to invest voted for them. But the representatives do not seem to recognise and more recently, transportation great improvements over the past dec- admitted that its natural gas reserves in such a project. Recent diplomatic the power they possess by which they can change things through across South Asia. Besides this, grow- ades. The price of generating electricity which help to produce more than 60 tensions between India and Nepal over informed debate and discourse. While Nepal’s Parliament and ing industrialisation in the region from solar and wind technologies is percent of the country’s electricity disputed border territories certainly do means annual demand for electricity gradually decreasing, and they have may be gone within the next decade. not help this cause. Both India assemblies are turning into rubber stamps, some politicians are will only increase in the future. It can now become as cost-efficient as hydro- For this reason, Bangladesh aims to and Nepal need to bilaterally resolve taking advantage of the lack of culture of disciplinary action. only be ironic then that most of the power. However, while solar and wind increase the power consumption from any irritants that could jeopardise Vandalism, high-handedness and muscle-flexing rule the roost electricity produced in the region is can prove useful complementary sourc- renewable sources to 10 percent by next their mutual economic and strategic while debates and discourse are put on the back burner. from fossil-fuelled plants. es, they cannot become a reliable alter- year, and continue to expand it in the interests. In India, most of this comes from ther- native as demand for electricity is not following years. Unlike India, Robust energy trade between Nepal, On Monday evening, some prominent Nepali Congress lead- mal plants that produce approximately subject to the availability of sunlight or Bangladesh has less potential to expand India and Bangladesh will not only ers, including spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma and law- 64 percent of the total electricity con- steady wind flow. This means clean and its renewable energy sources through reduce the carbon footprint in South maker Gagan Thapa, were quick to react on social media, con- sumed. India’s rich coal mines are deplet- reliable hydroelectricity produced by solar and wind technology, due to lack Asia, but it will also help to create ing while 269 thermal plants across the countries like Nepal and Bhutan can of sufficient open spaces. Therefore, many clean jobs that can contribute to demning the vandalism perpetrated by their colleagues in the country continue to pollute the air and offer a viable alternative for the South importing hydroelectricity from Nepal reverse out-migration of thousands of provincial assembly. As the foremost political party that fought soak up India’s scarce river basins. The Asian region. using Indian transmission systems people from these countries. India and hard to institutionalise democracy in Nepal, the Nepali fact that thermal plants in water-scarce According to a report published by offers a more viable alternative. Bangladesh have an opportunity to Congress must tender an official—and unconditional—apology Maharashtra state have been shut down the Central Electricity Authority of Bangladesh’s interest in Nepal’s come clean on their energy dilemma, for months due to lack of water points to India, the states of Bihar and Uttar hydropower sector is, therefore, and the good news is they need not look for the fiasco, take disciplinary action against its rowdy lead- an urgent need for India to strike a bal- Pradesh have a combined power deficit timely and will benefit both further than Nepal for an answer. ers, and set an example for other political parties to follow. As ance between its energy security, water of 588 megawatts, which peaks during countries. The two countries have the main opposition party, the Congress must also lead by security and international commitments the evenings, especially in the summer. already signed an agreement to this Rijal is the Director of Practice: Economy example in establishing that a competitive and well-behaved on reducing emissions. A 2019 study con- Increasing domestic and foreign invest- effect with informal conversations & Energy at Kathmandu-based ducted by the International Centre for ments in these states indicate that they with India expected to make progress development and research company opposition is essential for democracy. Integrated Mountain Development will require more electricity in the in the coming days. Policy Entrepreneurs Inc.

The UN’s existential crisis

Council is stalemated by fundamental When the current crisis is differences among its permanent members. over, the UN must lead the To be sure, the UN is still doing vital work around the world. About 95,000 world in learning lessons troops, police, and civilian personnel serve in over 40 UN peacekeeping about what happened. operations and political missions. But unpaid contributions to the UN peace- keeping budget, which is a little over SHASHI THAROOR $8 billion, totalled $1.7 billion in the last fiscal year. Likewise, $711 million in assessed contributions are owed to the UN’s general budget. Developing countries remain the UN’s core constituency: the organisa- tion works for them, serves as a ‘force multiplier’ for their voices on the glob- On October 24, the United Nations will al stage, and frames the challenges celebrate the 75th anniversary of its they face as the collective responsibil- founding in 1945, when the historic ity of all. When a country like India UN Charter entered into force. Sadly, clamours for UN reform, it is acknowl- the organisation will do so at a time edging that the institution has done when multilateralism has never well enough on a wide range of issues seemed more in peril. to be worth reforming. Multilateralism The Covid-19 pandemic has inaugu- protects those who otherwise would rated a new era of deglobalisation. be left exposed to the depredations of Evidence of isolationism and protec- an unequal world. tionism is mounting, with many gov- But Covid-19 has buffeted the UN. ernments loudly emphasising sover- Had the system worked effectively, a eignty, nationalism, and self-reliance, global alarm about its danger would and questioning treaties and trade have been sounded as soon as the coro- agreements. The UN, therefore, has navirus emerged, best practices to pre- every reason to worry about its con- ALEXANDROS MICHAILIDIS/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM vent or limit its spread would have tinuing salience. States is backing away from multilat- first centre of the Covid-19 outbreak leave partner countries dependent Perhaps the most serious global fail- been identified and publicised, and all In his address to the UN General eralism, prompting French President outside of China, was initially denied and indebted. ure relates to mitigating climate countries would have been encour- Assembly on September 22, UN Emmanuel Macron recently to decry medical equipment by its EU neigh- When the WHO attempted to exer- change. Once a priority only for scien- aged to adopt them. Secretary-General António Guterres America’s unwillingness to remain bours, who introduced export controls cise its oversight role in Wuhan at the tists and activists, the impact of global Instead, the pandemic revealed a called Covid-19 a ‘fifth horseman’ of a the international system’s ‘guarantor instead of showing solidarity toward start of the pandemic, China rebuffed warming is now more visible and dev- world of nation-states locked in a potential global apocalypse. The coro- of last resort’. Trump’s recent fellow Europeans in distress. The it. Far from showcasing the multilat- astating than at any time in history. destructive zero-sum contest. When navirus’s emergence, rapid spread announcement that he intends to credibility of EU multilateralism will eral system’s ability to fight a global Today, climate migrants outnumber the current crisis is over, the UN must worldwide, and rising death toll (now withdraw the US from the World take a long time to recover. health emergency collectively, Covid- refugees fleeing conflict or seeking lead the world in learning lessons exceeding one million), together with Health Organisation may be a harbin- The threat to the multilateral world 19 has demonstrated the waning legit- economic opportunity. Although sev- about what happened, and assessing the pervasive fear it has stoked, have ger of a broader unravelling of the order is accentuated by increasing imacy of international institutions. eral world leaders spoke of climate how international systems and institu- been accompanied by a dramatic con- multilateral system painstakingly Sino-American tensions, even as The WHO’s pandemic response change at the recent General Assembly, tions can be strengthened and radical- traction in world trade and the most constructed after World War II. well-meaning liberals warn that showed that many global institutions there was no renewed commitment to ly reformed to forestall a recurrence. calamitous recession since the Great But Europe also has been buffeted China will take advantage of the and their agencies are politicised, a common effort to tackle it, even Otherwise, the UN’s 75th anniversary Depression of the 1930s. Achieving the by pandemic-related strains. The con- West’s abandonment of the UN by manipulated by major powers, and though the 2020s are certain to be a may be remembered as the moment Sustainable Development Goals is tinent was once seen as a poster child seizing leadership of the multilateral lack independent leadership and pur- make-or-break decade for doing so. when a lethal virus destroyed the very now beyond reach in a world suffering for the virtues of regional integration, system. But China’s multilateralism is pose. China, a leading player in the Given that the world is struggling to idea of our common humanity. from economic collapse and social but European solidarity quickly crum- largely rhetorical. Its preferred modus WHO, preferred to safeguard its manage its most pressing existential dysfunction. bled under the onslaught of the pan- operandi, evident from President Xi national interests rather than safe- risk, it is no surprise that other inter- Tharoor, a former UN under-secre- The UN faces an existential crisis, demic, with the Schengen area’s guar- Jinping’s signature transnational guard global public health. national policy regimes are grid- tary-general and former Indian in which its biggest former advocates antee of border-free travel being infrastructure investment pro- This is not the only area where locked, too. Twentieth-century rules Minister of State for External Affairs are challenging the very premises of among the early casualties. gramme, the Belt and Road Initiative, nationalism and economic parochial- relating to trade, connectivity, innova- and Minister of State for Human the multilateralism upon which the In fact, European Union member is to pursue unequal bilateral arrange- ism have fractured the post-war inter- tion, peace, and security have all Resource Development, is an MP for organisation was founded. Under states threw up national barriers at ments—without multilateral supervi- national order and diminished the become forums for perverse unilateral the Indian National Congress. President Donald Trump, the United the first sign of the virus. Italy, the sion by an independent UN body—that UN’s capacity for collective action. state behaviour. The UN Security —Project Syndicate

C M Y K 05 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2020 MONEY

FOREX India’s services sector US Dollar 117.83 Nepal seeks duty-free access Euro 138.82 Pound Sterling 153.02 slump eases in September, Japanese Yen 11.16 to Bangladesh for 76 goods Chinese Yuan 17.35 but job losses balloon Qatari Riyal 32.35 Nepal has been urging Bangladesh to expand the list to cover major exportable items such Australian Dollar 84.42 REUTERS ics associate director at IHS Markit, as tea, coffee, large cardamom, broom, fresh fruits, kattha and pashmina, among others. BENGALURU, OCT 6 said in a release. Malaysian Ringit 28.37 But the root cause of chronic busi- status of the agreements between The plunge in India’s services sector ness disruption shows no sign of Saudi Arab Riyal 31.41 Nepal’s Department of Food activity eased considerably in abating as the coronavirus death toll Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank Technology and Quality Control and September after the government lifted in the world’s second-most populous the Bangladesh Standard and Testing some coronavirus restrictions, but country rose past 100,000, only the Institution, and Salt Trading demand continued to contract, third country in the world to reach Shares Corporation and Trading Corporation prompting firms to cut more jobs, a that bleak milestone, after the United of Bangladesh. These pacts were private business survey showed on States and Brazil. Nepse 1,586.29pts 0.26% signed at the fifth meeting last year. Tuesday. The services sector accounts for The agreements are intended to Signs of stabilisation in services around 55 percent of India’s economy HIGHEST GAINERS help in exchanging standards and are likely to provide more comfort to and nearly a third of its jobs. DHPL NHPC NGPL MHNL NFS RHPL 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 9.95% information on quality control policymakers after a sister survey on Even if restrictions are eased fur- between the two countries, said Dahal. Thursday showed India’s manufactur- ther, the economy is unlikely to return MODERATE GAINERS KKHC KPCL SJCL BARUN RHPC UMHL Nepal and Bangladesh are sched- ing expanded at its fastest pace in over to pre-Covid-19 levels in the coming 9.91% 9.88% 9.83% 9.76% 9.74% 9.66% uled to sign a memorandum of under- eight years, suggesting business con- year as people remain cautious about

MODERATE LOSERS standing to share agriculture know- ditions were gradually returning to discretionary spending and millions EBLCP NSEWA MMFDB SIL MLBBL KMCDB how between the Department of normal in Asia’s third-largest econo- more are pushed into poverty. -1.87% -1.89% -2.16% -2.19% -2.24% -2.42% Agriculture Extension of Bangladesh my. The Nikkei/IHS Markit Services Although improved from August, HIGHEST LOSERS and Nepal’s Department of Purchasing Managers’ Index bounced sub-indexes tracking domestic and SIFC KRBL NIBSF1 KSBBL NLBSL AHPC Agriculture. to 49.8 in September from August’s foreign demand remained firmly in -2.65% -2.99% -3.03% -3.18% -3.33% -4% There are many customs proce- 41.8, a touch below the 50 mark that contraction territory, leading firms to dures that Nepali farm products have separates expansion from contraction reduce their workforce for the seventh to undergo in Bangladesh. Though on a monthly basis. straight month, the longest streak on POST FILE PHOTO Bangladesh has pledged to address the But September was the seventh record. PRICE PER TOLA Workers load jute on to a Bangladeshi truck from a Nepali one at the ‘zero point’ of the problem, no steps have been taken yet. straight month that activity had con- Weak demand also forced firms to BULLION Indo-Bangladesh border. “It will be one of the items on the tracted, the longest such stretch since absorb much of a jump in input costs, agenda,” said Dahal. a 10-month run to early 2014. which increased at the quickest pace Fine Gold Rs 94,900 KRISHANA PRASAIN major exportable items such as tea, Last year, Nepal and Bangladesh “The relaxation of lockdown rules since February. KATHMANDU, OCT 6 coffee, large cardamom, broom, fresh discussed direct flight connectivity in India helped the service sector After giving a neutral outlook in Silver Rs 1,200 fruits, kattha and pashmina, among through Saidpur in Bangladesh and move towards a recovery in September. August, services firms were Nepal has sought duty-free and quo- others. Items not getting duty-free Bhadrapur or Biratnagar in Nepal. Participants of the PMI survey sig- optimistic for the first time since SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA ta-free market access for 76 goods access have difficulties entering Officials said that Bangladesh had nalled broadly stable business activity April about the year ahead, largely on while Bangladesh is seeking preferen- Bangladesh. been positive about the proposal to and a much softer decline in new work hopes that a vaccine for Covid-19 tial treatment for 42 goods as joint “Our major concern is to eliminate promote tourism and operate cargo intakes,” Pollyanna De Lima, econom- would be rolled out. GASOLINE WATCH secretary-level trade talks between the those extra charges completely, and flights for light goods. “This subject two South Asian countries kicked off we will discuss it thoroughly,” said will be discussed again,” said Dahal. on Tuesday. Dahal. “If Bangladesh is positive Bangladesh has proposed a list of Prakash Dahal, joint secretary at about this matter, the preferential pharmaceutical products to Nepal by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce trade agreement will be finalised.” observing the situation on listed med- and Supplies, said they discussed the He said that signing a preferential icine products, which will be dis- draft of a preferential trade agree- trade agreement on additional prod- cussed at the conference, he said. ment and the rules of origin and tech- ucts would increase exports and trim An agreement on Rohanpur- nicalities on the first day of the virtu- the trade deficit to some extent. “In Singhabad railway transit has been al meeting. our context, we will not be able to pro- reached, and discussions will be held A decision on the preferential trade vide greater preferential treatment to about the work to be done by the two agreement will be finalised and signed Bangladeshi goods than Indian goods. sides. This will help in cutting import after the secretary-level meeting Bangladesh is looking for 100 per- costs, he added. scheduled for Thursday. cent customs waiver under the prefer- As Nepali students need to renew “Our main focus is on zero tariff for ential trade agreement, said Dahal. their visas repeatedly while studying the listed goods from Nepal,” he said. But we have not received the final list engineering and medicine in Besides customs charges, of goods from Bangladesh, he said. Bangladesh, discussions will be held Bangladesh levies other detail charges The products that are mostly export- to provide visas for the duration of the (ODC) on Nepali goods that prices ed from Nepal to Bangladesh are listed course. them out of the Bangladeshi market, in a preferential trade agreement, and Bangladesh has raised the subject he said. they include agro products like lentils, of visas for investors and business Bangladesh has been providing green vegetables and fruits, dairy people. There is no provision of on duty-free access to 108 Nepali prod- products, tea and coffee, cardamom, arrival visa for citizens of either REUTERS ucts. Nepal has been urging ginger and yarn, among others. country travelling overland. This sub- A file photo shows an employee setting a table inside a restaurant at a Crown Plaza hotel in Bangladesh to expand the list to cover The meeting will also review the ject will also be discussed, said Dahal. New Delhi, India. China says US TikTok, WeChat Covid aid could bring years of austerity, world’s bans violate WTO rules REUTERS the closed-door meeting on Friday leading charities and social groups warn IMF GENEVA, OCT 6 that the measures “are clearly inconsistent with WTO rules, restrict REUTERS to “immediately stop promoting aus- China said at a World Trade cross-border trading services and vio- LONDON, OCT 6 terity around the world”. Organization meeting that restric- late the basic principles and The IMF has responded to an tions by the United States on Chinese objectives of the multilateral trading Five hundred of the world’s leading unprecedented number of calls for mobile applications TikTok and system,” a trade official familiar with charities and social groups have sent a emergency financing as a result of WeChat are in violation of the body’s the matter, who did not wish to be letter to the International Monetary this year’s pandemic and lockdown rules, a trade official said. identified, said. Fund warning that its support pro- measures driving the global economy The official said the delegate grammes, which have had to be into a severe recession. described the US failure to provide ramped up to cope with Covid-19, were More than 100 countries have The US defended its concrete evidence of the reasons for condemning many countries to years requested its help so far. The IMF has its measures a “clear abuse” of rules. of austerity. doubled the access to its emergency actions, saying they In the same meeting, the United The concern raised before the IMF facilities—the Rapid Credit Facility States defended its actions, saying and World Bank annual meetings next and Rapid Financing Instrument— are intended to they are intended to mitigate national week said current programmes would expecting demand for support to reach security risks, the trade official said. see 80 countries required to imple- about $100 billion. mitigate national The government has previously said ment austerity worth on average 3.8 On Monday, the Fund’s board also security risks. data from American users is being percent of their annual economic out- approved a second six-month tranche accessed by the Chinese government. put between 2021 and 2023. of debt-service relief for 28 member The office of the US Trade An analysis by one of the 500 signa- countries under the Catastrophe Representative had no immediate tories of the letter, the European Containment and Relief Trust. The The Trump administration has comment. An official at the Network on Debt and Development, REUTERS trust has already provided over $30 ordered download blocks on the two Chinese mission to the WTO did not estimated that future fiscal consolida- The International Monetary Fund logo is seen outside its office in Washington, US. billion and is backing an extension of mobile apps and ordered ByteDance, immediately respond to a request for tion would represent almost five times the G20-led Debt Service Suspension the Chinese owner of TikTok, to sell comment. the resources allocated to this year’s 56 countries would be left with higher “For 46 countries for which data is Initiative for over 70 of the world’s its operations to a US company, citing The Chinese statement will not Covid-19 packages. public debts by 2023; 30 would end up available, a decade of austerity meas- poorest countries. “Where debt is national security concerns. have any consequences on its own More than half the projected consol- paying an additional amount equiva- ures will reduce public expenditures unsustainable, it should be restruc- However, US judges have questioned although China could launch an offi- idation measures—equivalent to 2 per- lent to their 2020 Covid-19 packages to from 25.7 percent to 23 percent of GDP tured, the sooner the better,” IMF the government’s case. cial legal complaint about it to the cent of gross domestic product—will creditors as debt service costs rose between 2020 and 2030,” the analysis chief Kristalina Georgieva said as A representative for China said at Geneva body. take place next year, they added. Some every year. said. The letter here called on the IMF part of a blog post here last week. Global stocks shuffle to two-week highs after Trump leaves hospital

REUTERS subdued morning. er after the best daily gain on the S&P already setting the tone. LONDON, OCT 6 “It has not managed to get a mean- in a month overnight, while the opti- “We now fear that the containment ingful lift from it [Trump leaving hos- mism left safe-haven asset demand measures that have to be taken by World stock markets climbed to more pital] and I think it is threatening to mixed. authorities will have an impact on this than two-week highs on Tuesday after take a time out and wait for what Gold recovered from an overnight [economic] recovery,” Lagarde said, US President Donald Trump’s return comes next.” wobble to perch at $1,917 per ounce, adding that it might prevent a long- to the White House from Covid-19 Trump said he felt “real good” after after hitting a two-week peak on hoped for V-shaped rebound. treatment and on hopes of a giant new a three-night hospital stay, although Monday. US 10-year yields were steady at 0.77 US stimulus package. one of his doctors cautioned he may Bond markets also joined in, as a percent while in the currency mar- Despite a subdued London FTSE, not be out of the woods until later in sharp selloff in US bonds on Monday kets, the dollar was under minor pres- Europe benefited from near 2 percent the week. carried over into Asia and Europe. sure from most other majors with the jumps in battered banks and travel MSCI’s broadest index of Asia- Benchmark 10-year German gov- exception of the safe-haven Japanese stocks, along with what Germany Pacific shares had risen 0.7 percent to ernment bond yields, which move yen and Brexit-bound sterling. called a “remarkable” leap in export a two-and-a-half-week high, with Hong inverse to price, hit their highest in The dollar firmed on the yen to orders, to join Asia and Wall Street’s Kong climbing 0.8 percent and Japan’s over a week. Japanese government reach 105.62 yen, not far short of its overnight rallies. Nikkei adding 0.5 percent. China’s bond futures fell to a one-month low in highest levels in three weeks. MSCI’s main world stocks markets remained closed for a public the steepest drop in more than five The Australian dollar gained benchmark was up 0.2 percent at a holiday. weeks and South Korean yields briefly after the Reserve Bank of two-week high too after Trump’s US stimulus hopes were still bub- jumped. However, analysts said selling Australia left rates on hold, as expect- return from the Walter Reed Medical bling in the background after House in other markets was more subdued ed, but later fell back, and the poten- Centre military hospital outside Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Treasury than in the US market because region- tial for further monetary easing Washington on Monday eased nerves Secretary Steven Mnuchin spoke by al investors are beginning to price in a capped gains. about possible disruption to next phone for about an hour on Monday victory for Democratic presidential Oil jumped more than 5 percent month’s election. and said they were preparing to talk candidate Joe Biden in the November overnight and edged higher still in Gold , bonds and the dollar all again on Tuesday. 3 election. Europe, supported by the Trump news dipped amid the modestly improved “If we do see some form of stimulus US Federal Reserve chief Jerome and a supply squeeze as a strike shut risk appetite, though Wall Street coming through, I think the market Powell was also scheduled to speak six Norwegian offshore oil and gas futures had slipped into the red. will take it in a positive light,” said J P later in the day, giving traders extra fields. REUTERS “The market is slightly short Morgan Asset Management’s Chief reason for patience, though caution Brent crude climbed 1.7 percent at Men wearing protective face masks chat in front of a screen displaying Nikkei share average of oomph,” said Societe Generale’s Asia Market Strategist Tai Hui. from European Central Bank $42.03 a barrel while US crude last and world stock indexes outside a brokerage firm in Tokyo, Japan. Kit Juckes, pointing to Europe’s S&P 500 futures were a touch weak- President Christine Lagarde was stood at $39.85 a barrel, up 1.6 percent.

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2020 | 06 WORLD Trump faces In Tokyo, Mike Pompeo slams China Opposition in Kyrgyzstan backlash for claims power after removing mask back and seeks support from Asian allies storming state buildings REUTERS “We see it in the South and East REUTERS at White House TOKYO, OCT 6 China Seas, the Mekong, the BISHKEK, OCT 6 Himalayas, the Taiwan Strait.” REUTERS US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo China has denounced the Quad Opposition groups in Kyrgyzstan said they WASHINGTON, OCT 6 visited Japan on Tuesday to rally as an attempt to contain its develop- had seized power in the strategically-important support from Washington’s closest ment. Central Asian country on Tuesday after US President Donald Trump faced a allies in Asia, calling for deeper Pompeo’s visit was supposed to taking control of government buildings in the backlash on Tuesday for removing his collaboration with Japan, India include trips to Mongolia and South capital during protests over a parliamentary mask when he returned to the White and Australia as a bulwark Korea but was cut back to one day election. House and urging Americans not to against China’s growing regional after President Donald Trump was President Sooronbai Jeenbekov said the fear the Covid-19 disease that has influence. diagnosed with Covid-19. He also country, which hosts a Russian air base and a killed more than 209,000 people in the The East Asia visit, Pompeo’s reiterated the Trump administra- large Canadian-controlled gold mine, was facing country and put him in hospital. first in more than a year, coincides tion’s criticism of China’s handling an attempted coup d’etat. He ordered security Trump arrived at the White House with worsening tensions with of Covid-19 after it first broke out in forces not to open fire protesters however. on Monday in a made-for-television China. Yet the call for a united front the city of Wuhan. One person was killed and 590 wounded spectacle in which he descended from against Beijing is a sensitive sub- “When we met, now, last year, the in unrest overnight, the government said. his Marine One helicopter wearing a ject for Washington’s allies, which landscape was very different. We The opposition said it had freed Almazbek white surgical mask, only to remove it are reliant on China for trade. couldn’t have imagined a pandemic Atambayev, a former president jailed on corrup- as he posed, saluting and waving, on In comments before the start of a REUTERS that came from Wuhan. That crisis tion charges, and was already discussing the the mansion’s South Portico. meeting of the Quad grouping of Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga (right) and US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo was made infinitely worse by the line-up of a provisional government. “Don’t let it dominate you. Don’t be the four nations’ foreign ministers, greet prior to their meeting at the prime minister’s office in Tokyo, Japan on Tuesday. Chinese Communist Party’s cov- It was not clear what role, if any, Atambayev afraid of it,” Trump said in a video Pompeo spoke in typically unspar- er-up,” he said. would receive, and Jeenbekov, the sitting presi- after his return from the Walter Reed ing terms against Beijing’s ruling calling out China directly. and partners from the CCP’s “The regime’s authoritarian dent, showed no immediate signs of relinquish- Medical Center military hospital out- Chinese Communist Party. “As partners in this Quad, it is exploitation, corruption and coer- nature led its leaders to lock up and ing power, although the central election com- side Washington where he was admit- That was in contrast to his three more critical now than ever that we cion,” Pompeo said, referring to the silence the very brave Chinese citi- mission was reported to have annulled the ted on Friday for the disease caused by counterparts, all of whom avoided collaborate to protect our people ruling party. zens who were raising the alarm.” results of the October 4 election. the coronavirus. “I’m better, and maybe I’m immune - I don’t know,” he added, flanked by American flags and with the Washington Monument in the back- ground. “Get out there. Be careful.” Three scientists win Nobel physics prize for black hole research Trump, who received experimental treatment, has repeatedly played down the disease, which has killed ASSOCIATED PRESS dotted around the universe. Nothing, prizes are only awarded to living sci- more than 1 million people worldwide. STOCKHOLM, OCT 6 not even light, can escape their incred- entists. The United States has the world’s ible gravity. They are the ultimate It wasn’t until the 1990s Reinhard highest death toll from the pandemic. Three scientists won this year’s Nobel cosmic dead end. Genzel and Andrea Ghez, each leading White House physician Dr. Sean. P. Prize in physics on Tuesday for “Black holes, because they are so a group of astronomers, trained their Conley, stressed that the Republican advancing our understanding of black hard to understand, is what makes sights on the dust-covered centre of president, who is running for re-elec- holes, the all-consuming monsters them so appealing,’’ Ghez told The our Milky Way galaxy, a region called tion against Democrat Joe Biden in that lurk in the darkest parts of the Associated Press Tuesday morning. Sagittarius A(asterisk), where some- the Nov. 3 election, would have world- universe. “I really think of science as a big, thing strange was going on. They both class medical care available around Briton Roger Penrose received half giant puzzle.” found there was “an extremely heavy, the clock. of this year’s prize “for the discovery Penrose proved with mathematics invisible object that pulls on the jum- Trump has repeatedly flouted that black hole formation is a robust that the formation of black holes was ble of stars, causing them to rush social-distancing guidelines meant to prediction of the general theory of possible, based heavily on Albert around at dizzying speeds.” curb the virus’ spread and ignored his relativity,” the Nobel Committee said. Einstein’s general theory of relativity. It was a black hole. Not just an ordi- own medical advisers. He mocked German Reinhard Genzel and “Einstein did not himself believe nary black hole, but a supermassive Biden at last Tuesday’s presidential American Andrea Ghez received the that black holes really exist, these black hole, 4 million times the mass of debate for wearing a mask when cam- second half of the prize “for the dis- super-heavyweight monsters that cap- our sun. paigning. covery of a supermassive compact ture everything that enters them,” the Now scientists know that all galax- “I was aghast when he said Covid object at the centre of our galaxy.” committee said. “Nothing can escape, ies have supermassive black holes. should not be feared,” said William The prize celebrates “one of the not even light.” In 2019, scientists got the first Schaffner, a professor of preventive most exotic objects in the universe,” Martin Rees, the British astrono- optical image of a black hole, and medicine and infectious diseases at black holes, which have become a sta- mer royal, noted that Penrose trig- AP/RSS Ghez, who was not involved, praised Vanderbilt University Medical Center ple of science fact and science fiction gered a “renaissance” in the study of David Haviland, member of the Nobel Committee for Physics (left) and Goran K Hansson, the discovery. in Nashville. and where time seems to stand still, relativity in the 1960s, and that, togeth- Secretary General of the Academy of Sciences, announce the winners of the 2020 Nobel Prize “Today we accept these objects are “This is a disease that is killing according to the committee. er with a young Stephen Hawking, he in Physics at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, in Stockholm, Sweden, on Tuesday. critical to the building blocks of the around a thousand people a day, has Black holes are perhaps the most helped firm up evidence for the Big universe,” Ghez told an audience at torpedoed the economy, put people out mysterious and powerful objects in Bang and black holes. anyone else since Einstein to deepen delayed to allow Hawking to share the the Royal Swedish Academy of of work. This is a virus that should be astronomy. They are at the centre of “Penrose and Hawking are the two our knowledge of gravity,” Rees said. credit.” Sciences by phone shortly after the both respected and feared.” every galaxy, and smaller ones are individuals who have done more than “Sadly, this award was too much Hawking died in 2018, and Nobel announcement.

C M Y K 07 | WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2020 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING Podoroska becomes first female qualifier De Villiers blames Injured national cricketer poor execution of Bhandari receives cash support KATHMANDU: Cricket Players to secure French Open semi-final berth skills for Delhi loss Association Nepal on Tuesday hand- AGENCIES ed over Rs 628,000 to national cricket- On her second appearance in the main draw of the Grand Slam, the Argentine emulates Belgian Filip Dewulf’s record of 1997. DUBAI, OCT 6 er Lalit Singh Bhandari, who was injured in a bike accident. The left REUTERS Just like his skipper Virat Kohli, handed pace bowler sustained multi- PARIS, OCT 6 Royal Challengers Bangalore’s star ple injuries when his motorbike col- batsman AB de Villiers too feels poor lided with a mini truck at his home Argentine Nadia Podoroska became execution of skills let the team town in Kanchanpur on September the first qualifier to reach the French down against Delhi Capitals, resulting 13. He was airlifted to Grande Open semi-finals in the women’s sin- in a 59-run drubbing in their Hospital, Kathmandu after initial gles draw when she downed Ukrainian Indian Premier League match on treatment in Nepalgunj. He was dis- third seed Elina Svitolina 6-2 6-4 on Monday. charged on Tuesday from the hospital Tuesday. Opting to bowl, Bangalore bowlers after an improvement in his health The world number 131, on her sec- had an ordinary outing and were also conditions. In a donation drive that ond appearance in the main draw of a not helped by butterfingered fielders, the association initiated, around Rs 1 Grand Slam, emulates Belgium’s Filip allowing Delhi to score an imposing million is said to have been collected Dewulf, the only qualifier in either of 196 for 4. Bangalore batsmen failed to and Rs 380,000 paid for the chartered the singles draws since tennis turned rise to the occasion and were restrict- flight. (SB) professional in 1968 to make it to the ed to 137 for 9. last four at Roland Garros, in 1997. “196 was definitely over par. You got “It’s a little bit difficult for me to speak to give credit to them (Delhi), they Jordi Alba doubt for El Clasico after the match, thank you everybody started very well in the first 6 but we BARCELONA: Barcelona full-back Jordi for your support, I’m very very happy,” did well to pull it back. I felt we were Alba has picked up a hamstring inju- Podoroska said on court Philippe very slow to adapt with, our defensive ry, the club said on Monday, raising Chatrier. bowling. It was one of those wickets doubts about his availabilty for the Svitolina, one of the pre-tourna- where we needed to utilise the condi- Clasico meeting with Real Madrid ment favourites after winning the tions and we gave away 20 over par,” later this month. Barca did not say Strasbourg International last month, de Villiers said. how long Alba, who was not called up was on the back foot throughout, fail- All-rounder Marcus Stoinis was by Spain for their upcoming triple ing at the last-eight stage for the third dropped on 30 by Yuzvendra Chahal, header, will be missing, but local time at the claycourt Grand Slam. after which he went on to score a media reported it was likely to be at Since 1968, only Alexandra 26-ball 53 for Delhi. least three weeks. “Tests carried out Stevenson at Wimbledon in 1999 and “It’s a combination of a few things. this morning have confirmed that Christine Dorey at the 1978 Australian First of all they batted really well, so Jordi Alba has a muscular injury in Open had made it to the semi-finals at credit to them. We had an opportunity his right hamstring. He is out and his a major prior to Podoroska. Both of to put pressure on them but unfortu- recovery will determine his availabil- them failed to go one step further. nately we just didn’t execute very ity,” the club said. (REUTERS) Coming into Tuesday’s match, the well. Its one of those days we didn’t 23-year-old Podoroska had won seven AP/RSS get our skills absolutely right,” the matches in a row at Roland Garros, Argentina’s 23-year-old Nadia Podoroska stunned one of the pre-tournament favourites Elina Svitolina of Ukrain 6-2 6-4 in Paris on Tuesday. South African star said. “We dropped Kumar out of IPL due to injury and she kept that momentum going a catch in the field, little bit of slack- NEW DELHI: Injured quick against Svitolina. Six consecutive games went against Ferro 2-6 6-2 6-1 in their last 16 encoun- 22-year-old but proved too experienced ness in the field as well, couple of Bhuvneshwar Kumar will miss the The Ukrainian broke her serve in serve in the second set until Podoroska ter on Monday. as he reached the quarter-final for the fumbles which cost us ultimately 20-30 remainder of the Indian Premier the first game, but then Podoroska held for 5-4 before wrapping it up on It took Kenin a while to find her second time. His reward is a clash runs. But then again we didn’t bat well League, his Sunrisers Hyderabad turned on the engine and bagged five Svitolina’s serve on her second match range but once she di d, she went with top seed Novak Djokovic in a at all. Just a bad day at the office I team said on Tuesday. The 30-year-old games in a row to move to 5-1. Having point with a forehand winner. through the gears and demolished the repeat of their US Open fourth round would say.” appeared to sustain a thigh injury converted all of her four break points Earlier on Tuesday, Unseeded world number 49, the last French play- when the Serbian world number one After struggling for the last 12 sea- during Friday’s match against while Svitolina converted only two of Danielle Collins battled past Tunisian er in the women’s singles draw. was defaulted for inadvertently hit- sons, Delhi is finally looking like Chennai Super Kings in Dubai and six, Podoroska found herself one set Ons Jabeur 6-4 4-6 6-4 to reach the In men’s singles, German wildcard ting a line judge with a ball. title-winning side this year and expe- eventually limped off the field having up after 37 minutes. Perfectly mixing French Open quarter-finals for the Daniel Altmaier’s impressive French Djokovic battled past Russia’s rienced off-spinner Ravichandran failed to complete his fourth over. power and a gentle touch with drop first time in her career. Collins will Open was ended emphatically by Karen Khachanov 6-4 6-3 6-3 earlier on Ashwin attributes the success so far to “Bhuvneshwar Kumar is ruled out of shots, Podoroska proved too skilful for face Australian Open champion Sofia Spain’s Pablo Carreno Busta as the Monday to reach the quarter-finals for team effort. With four wins from #Dream11IPL 2020 due to injury. We Svitolina, who looked nothing like the Kenin next, after the fourth-seeded 17th seed claimed a 6-2 7-5 6-2 victory the 14th time. Djokovic is through to five matches, Delhi is currently lead- wish him a speedy recovery,” his player who reached the semi-finals at American recovered from a wobbly late on Monday. Carreno Busta had to his 47th Grand Slam quarter-final and ing the IPL standings with eight team wrote on Twitter. (REUTERS) Wimbledon and the US Open last year. start to beat Frenchwoman Fiona weather a second-set fightback by the 11th in succession at Roland Garros. points. Manchester United secure Cavani in late transfer dash, Partey joins Arsenal AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE Pellistri. Cavani, 33, has been a free agent since After a forlorn chase of Borussia Dortmund’s table-toppers Everton signed centre-back Ben Memphis Depay or Manchester City defender MANCHESTER, OCT 6 leaving Paris Saint-Germain in June and Jadon Sancho, United also secured two promis- Godfrey for a reported initial fee of £25 million Eric Garcia, but Rafinha left the Camp Nou in signed a one-year deal with the option for a ing 18-year-old wingers in Uruguayan Pellistri and Swedish international goalkeeper Robin a cut-price deal to join PSG. Manchester United swooped for Edinson second season. The Uruguayan scored 200 from Penarol and Atalanta’s Diallo, who will Olsen on loan from Roma. Juventus secured one of the hottest proper- Cavani among four signings on Monday, but goals in seven seasons in the French capital to join in January in a deal that could reportedly According to a report by the Centre for ties in Italian football as Federico Chiesa Arsenal completed the biggest deal of transfer become the club’s all-time top goalscorer. reach up to 41 million euros. Economics Business Research, Premier League joined from Fiorentina on a two-year loan deal deadline day with the arrival of midfielder “Manchester United is one of the greatest Partey has been a long-term target for the clubs were on course for an astonishing 95 per- worth 10 million euros. English defender Chris Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid. clubs in the world, so it is a real honour to be Gunners, who have matched his 50 million cent of the net spend in Europe’s big five Smalling returned to Roma on a permanent United were under the spotlight to respond here,” said Cavani. “I’ve worked really hard euro buyout clause to bolster their threadbare leagues this transfer window. deal from Manchester United. to a humiliating 6-1 home defeat to Tottenham during the time off and I feel eager to compete midfield options. The Ghanaian has made 188 Barcelona’s accounts for the 2019/20 season Bayern Munich added a trio of new players in the Premier League on Sunday. Dutch inter- and represent this incredible club.” The arriv- appearances for the Spanish giants and showed the drastic impact the coronavirus as Douglas Costa returned to the Allianz Arena national midfielder Donny van de Beek had al of left-back Telles from Porto for £13.5 mil- reached the 2016 Champions League final. pandemic has had on even the world’s richest for a second spell on loan from Juventus. The been the only addition to Ole Gunnar lion is even more important to aid a United Uruguayan international Lucas Torreira clubs as the Catalans revealed 97 million euro European champions also signed former PSG Solskjaer’s squad prior to Monday’s arrival of defence that has conceded 11 goals in three has gone the other way from Arsenal to Atletico losses on Monday. Barca’s financial problems striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on a one- Cavani, Alex Telles, Amad Diallo and Facundo Premier League games to start the season. on a season-long loan deal. Premier League meant they could not agree deals for Lyon’s year deal and Bouna Sarr from Marseille. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) *** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) **** Today will be all about feeding your brain, and you Friction with authority figures is never fun, but you When something is troubling you, it can be helpful to It might feel like your emotions are taking over your should waste no time exploring topics and people shouldn’t compromise what you believe just for the try to keep yourself distracted, but this is a short- entire life right now, but maybe that’s not such a bad you don’t know very well. If a conversation drifts sake of not making someone else uncomfortable. It’s term solution. For the long term, you eventually thing. If you feel tears welling or a giggle coming, toward foreign ideas or weird sports, try to keep up time to stick to your guns. Don’t back down, no mat- have to face up to whatever the issue is, and frankly, don’t try to fight it. Just let it go and let yourself feel with it. ter how intense the pressure may be. the sooner you do it the better. whatever you feel right now.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) *** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** Take the time to think about your friends. When was Today could see a number of significant shifts between You may not realise it, but you have just about Look back at recent events that caused a stir in your the last time you checked in with everybody and your personal and your public life. If you woke up this reached a big goal. Slow down today and take a look group and you’ll begin to notice some patterns. found out what’s new in their lives? Your friendships morning sure of where you wanted to devote your at where you are right now. Is this your destination? Someone has been consistently unreliable, and you require effort to stay healthy, so make some dates energy, as this day unfolds you could learn a few It might not look quite the way you expected it to need to point that out today, either to them or to some- with your favourite people. things that sway your opinion in other ways. look, but maybe that’s a good thing. one who holds power over them.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) **** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) *** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** The friendships you have right now could be the A huge opportunity could be coming, and you need You’re getting back into the mood for socialising, You are chock-full of energy and positive ideas right friendships you’re going to have for the rest of your to know what your answer will be before it’s offered. and this is a good time to expand your horizons. Step now. Nevertheless, today isn’t the ideal time to start life. Are you taking good enough care of them? These So take the time to evaluate the situation thoroughly. out of your circle and see what’s going on. People a big, new project or plan any major travel. So put people not only need your time, they need your wise If you take on a higher profile, will it create prob- have connections that could be helpful for you, but away those travel brochures and postpone launching advice now and then. lems with co-workers? you just aren’t aware of them yet. that new endeavor. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 07, 2020 | 08 CULTURE & LIFESTYLE (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 Porters hopeful autumn trekking season will bring some financial relief As the country is slated to welcome foreign trekkers from October 17, porters are hoping that the move will bring much-needed jobs—and money.

PHOTOS: SHUTTERSTOCK The main reason the pandemic has pushed porters on the margins of poverty is because they simply aren’t paid enough. Much of their income goes to meet daily expenses on the trail itself, leaving them little to save, say porters.

TSERING NGODUP LAMA in the midst of a busy spring season. The money,” said Gurung. “So most days I am works as a labourer at construction the industry paid porters better, many KATHMANDU abrupt end of the spring trekking season just at home, working in our family’s sites. “But due to the prolonged lock- would have been able to save enough to ended up depriving many porters, who small field and taking care of our down, there weren’t any construction tide through these extremely difficult t was October 2016 when Manoj are already the least paid professionals in livestock.” jobs to be had as well, and four months times.” Gurung landed his first gig as a the industry, an opportunity to make In June, says Gurung, he ran out of ago, I ran out of money to pay rent,” said Despite the less than satisfactory pay, trekking expedition porter. It was a money that they’d otherwise use to last money, and the family has been in finan- Magar. says Rai, many porters continue to work seven-day trek to Annapurna Base until the trekking season resumes in cial disarray since. “I didn’t even have In September, Magar says he finally in this profession in the hopes that they Camp. autumn. This has left many porters finan- money to buy rice and clothes for my 15- landed a job as a labourer at a construc- may get generous tips from clients. During the expedition, Gurung cially struggling and their families to the and three-month-old daughters. Had it tion site. “The first thing I did was “This one time I got a tip of Rs40,000 Icarried a backpack weighing over 25 kgs, margins of poverty, but now with Nepal not been for the generosity of family and pay my landlord two months of rent. after an expedition. It was the largest tip I and for his service, he was paid Rs1,200 slated to allow foreign trekkers into the friends, things would have become I am still yet to pay two more months have ever received and my happiness per day. country from October 17, porters are hop- extremely challenging for my family,” rent, and the landlord keeps pestering me knew no bound,” said Rai. “But you don’t “Even though it was a very physically ing that it will bring much-needed jobs said Gurung. and threatens to evict me,” said Magar. get such generous tips in every expedi- demanding job, I was quite happy with and money. The main reason that the abrupt tion. It all depends on your luck.” what I managed to save after the expedi- “In any given year I do around 12 treks, end of spring trekking season has In September, when the government tion,” said Gurung, who lives in Ghandruk six each during spring and autumn trek- When the lockdown was pushed many porters on the margins of announced that it will allow forieng trek- village in Kaski district. “Ever since then, king season. I make around Rs150,000 poverty, say Magar and Gurung, is simply kers into the country from October 17, I have been working as a porter, and my working as a porter,” said twenty-nine- announced on March 24, because the industry doesn’t pay porters the news, say porters, was music to earnings, though not much, has allowed year-old Gurung. “The money isn’t a lot, enough. their ears. me to take care of my family.” but it is enough to take care of the needs the trekking industry “Porters get paid anywhere between “That was the best piece of news in Every year, during the months from of my family of six. During the off-season Rs1,200 to Rs1,500 per day,” said Magar. many, many months,” said Rai. “But to be February to May (spring trekking season) months, I work as a farmer and take up was in the midst of a “While it may seem quite a lot, one should honest, I don’t know if trekkers will even and September to mid-December farming jobs in my village.” busy spring season. know that food on trekking trails are come given that the number of cases in (autumn trekking season), porters like But this spring’s trekking season, quite expensive. I work mainly in the the country is rapidly rising.” Gurung lugging heavy loads up and down Gurung says he was only able to do two Annapurna region, and there, a porter But Magar is optimistic that the trek- the steep mountain terrain are a common treks. “My last trek for the season was a has to fork out at least Rs500 on food and kers will come, albeit in lesser numbers sight on Nepal’s famous trekking trails. short trek to Ghorepani just a week before Gurung’s case isn’t a one-off among tea a day.” compared to previous autumn seasons. The two trekking seasons are impor- the lockdown,” said Gurung. “The money porters. The costs for food are much higher in “Even if we get 50 percent of the usual tant for porters because that’s when the I made during the season was only enough When 65-year-old Mansi Baikaji Magar, the Everest region, says Sangam Rai, a number of trekkers, it will bring vast majority of them earn most of their to last my family for a few months.” a porter with more than two decades of porter who works mainly in the Khumbu much-needed jobs to the porter communi- yearly income. To make ends meet, in the last six experience, carried his client’s backpack region. ty,” said Magar. During the off-season months, the months, says Gurung, he has taken up on Mardi Himal trek, back in March, he “If you’re working on expeditions that How the autumn season unfolds will majority of porters work as daily every odd job in the village that has come had no clue that the trek would be his last take you beyond Tengboche, costs of define how porters and their families will wage workers in the cities or work as his way. of the season. meals go up dramatically. Above 4,000 fare until spring 2021, says porters. farmers in their villages and take odd “Unlike in the cities, there are far fewer “When the lockdown was announced, I metres, a price of a simple meal “The past few months have already jobs there. But this year has been marked- paying jobs in the villages. Hoping to had only done two treks, and I knew my costs Rs500, and after two meals a been so difficult as it is,” said Gurung. ly different. make some money, a few weeks ago, I savings wouldn’t last me long. I was anx- day, you save very little,” said Rai. “When “And if I don’t get hired for porter jobs When the lockdown was announced on went to Chhomrong, which is a day’s walk ious and worried,” said Magar. I was starting out in the trade, I used to when the autumn trekking season kicks March 24, which brought the country to a from Ghandruk, to sell chillies. I couldn’t Like many porters, during off-season eat only one meal a day so I could save off, it will be a very long and difficult win- grinding halt, the trekking industry was sell enough and instead ended up losing months, Magar, who lives in Pokhara, some more. Many porters still do this. If ter for me and my family.”

Cineworld brings down curtain on US, UK theatres The closing of the world’s second-biggest cinema chain is leaving as many as 45,000 workers unemployed for the foreseeable future.

MUVIJA M AND YADARISA SHABONG REUTERS The entertainment ineworld, the world’s sec- industry has been ond-biggest cinema chain, will close its UK and US among the heaviest hit movie theatres this week, leaving as many as 45,000 by social distancing and workers unemployed for other restrictions. Cthe foreseeable future as it fights to sur- vive a coronavirus collapse in film-mak- ing and cinema-going. The company said the reluctance of cannot provide customers in both the US studios to go ahead with major releases and the UK. with the breadth of strong such as the new James Bond film had commercial films necessary for them to left it no choice but to close all 536 Regal consider coming back to theatres,” it said. theatres in the US and its 127 Cineworld While some cinemas in China, the and Picturehouse theatres in the UK from world’s second-largest movie market, October 8. have reopened, they too are hurt by a Its statement follows a grim evaluation scarcity of major movies to draw consum- by ratings agency S&P’s of rival AMC ers to watch on the big screen. Studios Entertainment on Friday which gave the have chosen to release some of this year’s US-based company six months unless it is planned blockbusters on Netflix or the able to raise more capital. Disney+ streaming platform and have Cineworld’s announcement on Monday delayed others until 2021. detailed the scale of job losses from its Vue cinemas boss Tim Richards told move, which affects thousands of ancil- BBC Radio: “Our problem right now is we lary staff including cleaners and security have no movies, and this was a big blow as well as its own employees. for us.” In an interview, Cineworld Chief “We are likely going to make it through. Executive Mooky Greidinger said the clo- I’m concerned about the independents sures were temporary, and he did not and the small regional operators right expect any locations to shutter perma- now that are going to really struggle, and nently due to the pandemic. He said he when they close, they may not reopen.” saw mid-December as the “best-case sce- Britain has slid into a fresh round of nario” for reopening but acknowledged it lockdowns and tightened social restric- could be later. tions in the past month. Other major UK The key, he said, is that authorities operator Odeon declined to comment must allow theatres to open in New York in response to Reuters’ questions and more widely in California. Studios about its moves in response to the crisis, have told cinema operators they will not while AMC did not reply to a request for release major films without those mar- comment. kets, he said. “Although the delay of the latest 007 Theaters need to know they will have a PHOTO: REUTERS blockbuster prompted the decision, slate of new films to show for six to eight From October 8, 536 Regal theatres in the US and 127 Cineworld and Picturehouse theatres in the UK will be shut down. Bond isn’t the villain in this piece,” weeks after Wonder Woman 1984, which is Hargreaves Lansdown analyst Susannah currently scheduled to open on Christmas. much as 60 percent to an all-time low ing and other restrictions, with Walt No Time To Die, which had been post- Streeter said. “We need a clear lineup to follow,” within 10 minutes of the opening bell on Disney last week announcing plans to lay poned from April to November, was “The spread of Covid-19 around Greidinger said. “We will not take the Monday as Cineworld said it was looking off roughly 28,000 employees, mostly at its pushed back further to April 2021. Delays the world has been a horror movie risk again to (reopen) and there will be no at all ways of raising additional funds. US theme parks. with other films including Marvel’s Black for the industry and the fresh wave of movies afterward.” The stock closed 36 percent lower. Cineworld began reopening in July Widow have left the months ahead look- infections is the latest instalment in Shares, which have plummeted more The entertainment industry has been after virus-related restrictions started to ing barren. what’s been a devastating story for cine- than 80 percent this year, dropped as among the heaviest hit by social distanc- ease. But release of the James Bond film “Without these new releases, Cineworld ma chains.”

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