WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR

Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 208 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.0 C 13.7 C Sunday, September 20, 2020 | 04-06-2077 Dipayal Jomsom Arbitrary awarding of Constitution Day honours draws widespread flak Writers who praised the prime minister and the driver of the chief secretary among 594 awarded for contributing to national life in the past year.

TIKA R PRADHAN year, Nepal will become the country KATHMANDU, SEPT 19 having the highest number of awar- dees per 10 million population,” said Writers who wrote paeans for Prime former Supreme Court Justice Minister KP Sharma Oli and the driv- Balaram KC. er of Chief Secretary Lok Darshan But the government’s move to deco- Regmi were found to have made “out- rate a large number of people has standing contribution to various drawn criticism from various sections walks of national life” in the past year. of the society claiming that the indis- They were among the 594 individu- criminate selection of the individuals als recognised with titles and hon- for the decorations has diminished its ours, decorations and medals on the value instead. occasion of Constitution Day on The existing regulation related to Saturday. decorations drafted two years ago was According to the Decoration Act amended by the Home Ministry on 2007, honours and titles, decorations July 6, limiting the number to 200 indi- and medals on behalf of the country viduals. can be awarded by the state to any cit- “But that did not last for more than POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC izen of Nepal who has rendered spe- a month and the ministry again The National Reconstruction Authority, which has completed rebuilding the Rani Pokhari, fills the historic pond with water. The Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited helped out by bringing cial contribution to the political, eco- removed the provision to incorporate Bagmati river water from Sundarijal using its newly laid Melamchi water supply pipeline up to its Lazimpat reservoir and then to the heritage site. Conservationists were opposed to the idea of nomic, social, cultural and research their near ones,” said an under-secre- pumping out millions of litres of water to recharge the pond damaged in the 2015 earthquakes. aspects of national life as well as other tary at the Home Ministry on condi- walks or international sectors. tion of anonymity. “We also feel that The decision to award them was awarding so many people and people made by a nine-member decoration having not much contribution to the committee, which is led by the society has rather diminished the deputy prime minister and includes weight of the decoration itself. But Migrant workers would return home with the home minister and six members what can we do?” nominated by the Cabinet—at least There had even been a Supreme one of them a woman, with the home Court ruling to bring some prestige to secretary as the member secretary of the Constitution Day, which is also the money and gifts. Now it is just themselves the committee. National Day, awards. “With some 600 people awarded per >> Continued on page 2 With contracts terminated and jobs lost due to the pandemic, homecoming for Nepalis who left the country for work is not a joy amidst an uncertain future.

country’s lone international airport during normal times. The scene at the airport has changed lately. “I was paid my dues of Malaysian Ringgit (RM) 1,300 three months back, and since then there was no money,” said Khatri. Bikash’s job once fetched him around RM 2,400 (Rs 68,407) per month during pre-pandemic times when there used to be allowances as well as overtime work. With the pandemic making their employment prospects uncertain and leaving them with no option other than returning home suddenly, these workers are not only coming home unpaid but also empty-handed. Khatri, who had married in 2018 during his job break, had planned to bring a television set, blankets and other household items when return- ing later this year when his visa was due to expire. “Now I am returning with a torch- light and a water dispenser for hot water and some chocolate. Thankfully, I had bought these items before Covid- 19,” said Khatri. “My wife and other family members have no expectations. They know the situation. All they want is for me to return home. They will understand.” In the three bags he has are all the belongings he had been using at his room in Kepong, a town in northern Kuala Lumpur. “I could not even buy a new phone for myself,” said Khatri. “I had thought of replacing my phone, which I have been using for the last four PHOTO COURTESY: BIKASH KHATRI years, before returning home.” Bikash Khatri and his colleagues at Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Friday night as As Covid-19 ripped through Nepal’s they wait for flight RA 416 to fly to Kathmandu early Saturday morning. labour destinations in the Persian Gulf, Malaysia and South Korea, thou- CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL home,” Khatri told the Post from sands of Nepali workers like Khatri KATHMANDU, SEPT 19 Kuala Lumpur International Airport have had to return empty-handed after before boarding his flight to being terminated from their jobs or For months Bikash Khatri had been Kathmandu on Saturday morning. after leaving them due to the fear of telling his employer he wanted to Khatri, who worked at a restaurant infection. return home. On Saturday he left since 2014, has been sent home since Most had to wait for months to be Kuala Lumpur with a ticket his business was affected in the face of repatriated, and when they finally got employer bought him, and a negative the Covid-19 pandemic. their tickets, they would rush to pack polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test All he had with him was Malaysian their belongings to return home. With his employer paid for. Ringgit (RM) 100, equivalent to no income for months, they could not But he is not excited he will be Rs2,850. With this he has to get to his buy anything for their families. home soon. He is coming back emp- village in Dolakha once he lands in “I am returning with some Rs5,000,” ty-handed. Kathmandu. He did not have any said Ashok Rai, from the airport at “There was no work nor much money to buy gifts for his family Kuala Lumpur. “Let’s hope I can at income, so I thought of returning before boarding the flight. least reach my home with this money.” Earlier when they returned He is from Jhapa and one of the from Gulf countries, Malaysia nine in Kharti’s group who worked and elsewhere, migrant workers together at a restaurant in Kepong. came back with not only remit- “I wanted to return home with a lot tance but also with household of money if not any household items,” items like television sets, mobile Rai, 28, said. phones, cameras, music systems, Despite widespread exploitation of among other electronic gadgets migrant workers by recruitment and appliances, and gold and agencies in Nepal and by employers other valuables. abroad, foreign employment has #daagramrochha The sight of returnees strug- also improved the livelihoods of mil- gling to push their luggage trol- lions of migrants and their families leys loaded with bags and a box back home. facebook.com/surfexcel.np of TV used to be common at the >> Continued on page 2

C M Y K SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL Arbitrary awarding of Constitution Day ...

>> Continued from page 1 his hold on all sections of the state While Dinesh Thapaliya, who cur- “I had issued an order when I was including the administration and the rently leads the Election Committee, justice of the Supreme Court that the security bodies,” said Rajendra has been a frequent receiver buto was government should justify that the Maharjan, a political commentator. not awarded honours this year, Nabin awardees must have outstanding con- “The mindset of the rulers has not Kumar Ghimire, who recently retired tribution to the nation,” KC told the risen above that of the Rana regime or as the chief of the Commission for Post. the monarchy during which loyalty Investigation of Abuse of Authority, Among the awardees was Dr Sandak used to be the only criteria to get posi- Shailendra Khanal, inspector general Ruit, the internationally renowned tions or awards.” of the Armed Police Force, were eye surgeon and winner of the prestig- Among the awardees are Dayal repeat awardees. ious Ramon Magsaysay award, also Bahadur Shahi, who has been exten- “Democracy wants the rulers to called the Asian Nobel, in 2006. In 2018 sively writing in favour of Oli and consider what people think of their India awarded him the Padma Shri, a Badri Bishal Pokhrel, who has been actions,” said Maharjan. civilian award. writing articles praising Oli and his When Pushpa Kamal Dahal was the Around 150 medical workers were government. prime minister for the second term in also honoured at a time when the Even the journalists and social 2017, his personal secretary and son country is facing the challenge of the workers selected for the awards were Prakash Dahal, who died later, had Covid-19 pandemic. close confidantes of the prime minis- also been given honours, attracting According to an official at the home ter, according to a ruling party leader widespread criticism. ministry, the decorations cost at least who did not want to be named. Last year, the government had Rs50 million each year. “These are new kings and they fol- decided to award 634 individuals on Leaders and analysts, however, have low what monarchy used to do just in Constitution Day. criticised the attitude of the govern- a new form,” said Ram Kumari Jhakri, According to an officer at the Home ment to award people close to the rul- a central committee member and rul- Ministry, Chief Secretary Lokdarshan ing party and those loyal to its lead- ing party lawmaker. “This is nothing Regmi not only received the awards ers--especially Prime Minister KP but an award ceremony of the prime twice in the last five years, he also Sharma Oli. minister and his people for their loyal- awarded his father Laxmi Kanta Such random decisions of the gov- ists.” Regmi in 2016 when he was the home ernment have only promoted the prac- The prime minister has long been secretary and therefore the member tice of the previous autocratic regimes trying to take all the organs of the secretary of the Decoration of monarchy during which such state into confidence and therefore, Committee. awards were distributed to those loyal according to experts, all his appoint- “This is devaluation of the awards to the rulers, said a ruling Nepal ments are made on the basis of loyalty and misuse of authority,” KC said. Communist Party (NCP) leader who and not competence. “Had the government abided by the POST PHOTO: BEEJU MAHARJAN did not want to be named. There are some powerful individu- Supreme Court rulings, there wouldn’t Elderly citizens while away their time at a falcha, a traditional resting place, in Harisiddhi, Lalitpur. “Oli basically intends to increase als who have also been awarded. have been any controversy.” Employment programmes not stopping Bahrabise-Tatopani road in Sindhupalchok in sorry state Sudurpaschim folk from going to India ANISH TIWARI caving in at several places, as the road sup- SINDHUPALCHOK, SEPT 19 port was not repaired properly, he added. China Railway Construction Group Over 10,000 Nepalis have already crossed the border at Gauriphanta to reach India since mid-August. The Bahrabise-Tatopani section of the Company had spent Rs 1.36 billion to repair Kodari Highway, a major road that the road at 17 places damaged by quake-trig- MOHAN BUDHAAIR ministry. “Farmers can download the form for rupees are being imported from India on a daily links Nepal with China, is in a dilapidated gered landslides and floods two years ago, DHANGADHI, SEPT 19 the programme from the website of the basis, Dinesh Bhandari, former chairman of condition. according to the Charikot Division Road Agriculture Ministry,” said Santosh Mudbhari, the Kailali Chamber of Commerce and Industry, The 26 km-long road stretch has been dam- Office. The Sudurpaschim provincial government on chairman of Ward No. 1 in Dhangadhi Sub said that the government could encourage aged by several monsoon-induced disasters The road has sustained severe damages by September 1 had issued a notice directing peo- Metropolis.” youths to get involved in vegetable farming. this year. The road has sunk down in various floods and landslides this rainy season. ple not to go to India in search of jobs amid the Meanwhile, most people in Sudurpaschim say “But the government cannot even hold places as the flooded Bhotekoshi river contin- The poor road condition has been the cause coronavirus pandemic. But many youths from they do not have any information on the govern- migrant workers in their villages for three ues to erode its embankments. During the of hardships for many locals. the province continue to migrate to India from ment’s new programme. months. The local and provincial governments monsoon, vehicular movement along the According to the District Traffic Police the western border point on a daily basis. have failed to provide employment opportuni- road section gets obstructed on a regular Office in Sindhupalchok, the Bahrabise- According to the Police Inspector at ties to the youths,” he said. basis by numerous landslides. Tatopani road is frequently obstructed by Gauriphanta border point in Kailali Rajendra Agriculture-based projects In the current fiscal year, the Sudurpaschim China Railway Construction Group landslides. Kunwar, 10,458 Nepalis have already crossed the government has allocated Rs 5 billion on pro- Company had repaired the Baseri-Liping “The condition of the road section is not border in Gauriphanta to reach India since have been launched to jects and programmes to create employment road section, which was damaged in the dev- good. Moreover, landslides obstruct the road mid-August. opportunities to returnees from India and over- astating 2015 earthquakes, two years ago. The frequently during the monsoon, leaving “Around 500 to 1,000 individuals arrive at the provide jobs for returnees. seas. The government has also set aside a budget highway that was constructed in 1960 with locals and travellers in hardship,” said Sub- border to go to India these days,” said Kunwar. for skill training programmes and plans to pro- the grant assistance of China is the oldest Inspector Rajesh Kumar Dahal, chief at the Many Nepalis from the province have for vide loans to farmers without interest, accord- road connecting Nepal with the northern district traffic police office. years been working in the apple orchards of Dan Bahadur BK, a resident of Tikapur in ing to Minister for Internal Affairs and Law neighbour. People’s representatives complain that the various Indian states. Kailali who was on his way to India on Saturday, Jhapat Bohara. “The fragile topography weakened by the authorities concerned are indifferent to Hem Awasthi, spokesperson at the Ministry said, “I had returned home from India in mid- According to him, the Ministry of Social 2015 earthquakes has led to the occurrence of improving the road condition. of Agriculture, said, “The ministry has April, hoping to start a business here or get a Development, the Ministry of Industry, Tourism various landslides along the Bahrabise- “We frequented the Ministry of Physical launched agriculture-based programmes to pro- job. But there’s no work available and I don’t and Environment and the Ministry of Tatopani section,” said Bijaya Kumar Infrastructure and Transport and the vide jobs to unemployed citizens. The pro- have enough money to start a business. If I had Agriculture and Land Reform have allocated Mahato, chief at the Charikot Division Road Department of Roads dozens of times, urging gramme aims to stop youths from migrating to known about such an agriculture programme budget for self employment and subsidies pro- Office. According to the office, frequent land- them to repair the road section. But they paid India in search of jobs.” before, I would have started vegetable farming grammes. slides disrupt the vehicular movement at no heed to us,” said Raj Kumar Paudel, chair- According to him, the ministry has allocated and stayed home.” “But we cannot provide jobs to all returnees Chaku, Jhirpu, Mahabhir, Sirese, Jambu to man of Bhotekoshi Rural Municipality. Rs 150 million for the programme. Arjun Pariyar, a resident of Lamki Chuha, immediately as the employment programmes Dashkilo, Duguna and Liping in the rainy The locals have urged Agni Prasad Sapkota, “Under the programmes, more than 9,000 who was also on his way to India from are still in the implementation phase. It will season. speaker of the House of Representatives who individuals can grow and sell agricultural pro- Gauriphanta, said, “Such programmes are not take some time to implement those pro- A technician preferring anonymity said was elected from Sindhupalchok, to upgrade duce and start their own businesses,” said for genuine farmers. They are only for party grammes,” Bohara said. He added that all of the the asphalt concrete has come off in many the road section. Awasthi. “The ministry will provide farmers activists and supporters.” programmes will be implemented from the first areas of the road section, as the Chinese com- “We are hopeful that the problem will be with Rs 100,000 to Rs 500,000 in subsidy. To get Bhim Bahadur Sarki, a local of ward No. 7 of quarter of the current fiscal year. “I request pany used substandard construction materi- resolved soon, as the Speaker has expressed the subsidy, farmers have to submit their pro- Parashuram Municipality in Dadeldhura, said, people to participate in the programme and be als while repairing the road. The road started his concerns about it,” said Paudel. posal to the District Agriculture Knowledge “Some of us in my village had filled up the patient.” Centre via the agriculture section of their forms. But I don’t think I will get the subsidy. According to the data of the Ministry of respective local units. The ministry also facili- Such programmes are only for well-connected Social Development, an estimated 300,000- tates farmers while taking grants from banks.” people. That is why I have decided to go back to 400,000 individuals working in India and over- Farmers can apply for the agricultural pro- India to work.” seas have returned to Sudurpaschim Province gramme until September 22, according to the Stating that vegetables worth millions of since the start of the pandemic.

POST PHOTO: ANISH TIWARI Multiple landslides and floods have damaged the road, which links Nepal with China, in several places. Migrant workers would return ... >> Continued from page 1 sets, and their hand-carry luggage would With no jobs at home, labour migration has have items like mobile phones, gold and choc- been the saviour for not only the workers and olates for kids. Now they are returning the families but also Nepal’s economy. In the fis- way they had left the country.” cal year 2019-20, remittances brought in Rs875 Migrant workers finally returning home billion, according to Nepal Rastra Bank fig- are not only coming back with almost noth- ures. This amount does not include money ing, but also with loans since they were com- migrant workers send through illegal chan- pelled to return midway even before they nels and the worth of goods they bring back would clear their loans. while returning. Govinda Budha Magar, one of Khatri’s With the influx of remittance, which has colleagues, is returning with over Rs400,000 also been the lifeblood for the country’s econ- in debt. omy, families’ access to nutritious food, “I built a house and a few months back my clothes, education and communication tech- son got married, for which I had to take nology has got better. These resources for loans. I don’t know how I am going to pay families, experts say, would not have been them back now,” said Magar of Saptari. “In possible without remittances. my bags are my personal belongings and Although a big chunk of incoming remit- some biscuits to eat while waiting for my tance has been spent on daily consumption flight. But my mind is burdened with the and unproductive purposes, families’ social thought of the big loan.” status have improved, according to Swarna Kalim Miya from Gorkha went to work as a Kumar Jha, a labour migration expert. cab driver in Sharjah in the United Arab “Nepal Living Standards Survey 2011 had Emirates last year with dreams of returning concluded that among migrant families, 79 home like his neighbours. percent of remittance was spent on daily “I had seen people returning home with so consumption and seven percent on repaying much stuff,” said Miya. “I had thought I loans,” said Jha, who is also a coordinator of would bring home valuable household items the National Network for Safe Migration. too, and an iPhone for myself.” “Once their hand to mouth problem is solved, None of this happened. they have been able to send their kids to pri- After months of struggle, Miya instead vate schools. Gadgets like TV and mobile returned home in July with loans over phones have established their connection Rs400,000, including Rs345,000 which he had with the outer world.” paid to the recruitment agency. But the scenario has now changed with “I returned empty-handed like most of the workers returning home jobless and penni- people who are returning these days,” said less and suffering wage theft after their con- Miya. “But I could not disappoint my chil- tracts were arbitrarily terminated, according dren, so I bought some clothes for them with to Jha. the money my family had sent me to survive “Earlier, migrant workers returning home while I waited to be repatriated.” would feel like a festival for their families as “I returned with nothing but hope. I don’t they would get lots of gifts,” said Jha. think I will go back ever again,” he added. “Trolleys at the airport would have LED TV “I’d rather do something in Nepal.”

C M Y K 03 | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 NATIONAL After two postponements, pandemic pushes rhino count further Counting of one-horned rhino, which was scheduled for March 2020, is likely to take place only next year with Covid-19 concerns and a wait for perfect timing.

CHANDAN KUMAR MANDAL erses parallel across their habitats, In 2019, the rhino census had to be the fiscal year 2017-18, 43 in 2018-19, KATHMANDU, SEPT 19 counting all the sighted rhinos indi- called off after the government could and 26 in 2019-20. vidually and recording details in a not manage the required funds. Then Recently, a rhino was killed after Like much else the census of one- specified format. These details include the rhino count was rescheduled for 1,249 days of zero poaching. horned rhinos in Nepal’s protected shape, horn sizes, folds present in the March 2020 when, for the first time, However, Acharya says delay by areas has also been affected by the neck and rump, unique body mark- the government would have counted some months in counting would not Covid-19 pandemic. ings like cuts, scars, skin lobes and Nepal’s rhinos with its own budget make a big difference towards rhino The counting of the endangered any other special characteristics pres- without seeking any financial sup- conservation. species was initially planned for the ent on both sides of their body. port, except technical assistance, from “With the census, the trend of popu- last fiscal year but did not go as sched- “Whenever a rhino is between two conservation partners. lation increase or decrease will be uled and it could be months before it counters on two elephants, they com- The new census is also crucial studied, and the required manage- begins. municate with each other through because there has been an alarming ment intervention will be introduced,” The rhino count, which was to start their walkie-talkie and confirm who surge in death of one-horned rhinos said Acharya. “Few months of delay on March 23, had to be called off for an counted that particular rhino so that in Chitwan due to natural causes. In will not affect rhino populations as indefinite period after the government duplication doesn’t happen,” said the fiscal year 2016-17, 25 rhinos were they are living in their own space had barred gatherings with more than Acharya. “There is also little chance reported dead, including one killed by while other conservation activities 25 people in one place as part of meas- of a rhino being counted twice as poachers. Twenty-six rhinos died in have continued.” ures to contain the spread of coronavi- counting of rhinos in a rus in the country. The country then particular patch is com- went under a four-month lockdown POST FILE PHOTO pleted within a day. from March 24. According to officials, February to April is the perfect time for conducting rhino count in Geographical barriers Now the Department of National Nepal’s protected areas. like jungle or river distin- Park and Wildlife Conservation—the guish their habitats and government authority responsible for count.” Postponement of rhino count offering better visibility for sighting block them from travel- the management of parks and other was seen as one of the major impacts rhinos,” said Acharya. “Therefore, we ling farther.” conservation activities—has resched- of Covid-19 pandemic on Nepal’s con- have to wait until March to begin the According to the last uled the headcount of one-horned rhi- servation sector, putting a halt to count. The department is all prepared count, which took place nos once again for this fiscal year. ongoing conservation activities. with the required logistics and in 2015, Nepal is home to According to Haribhadra Acharya, The department has allocated Rs8 resources.” 645 rhinos—605 in spokesperson for the department, million for the counting of rhinos, For enumerating rhinos in protect- Chitwan, 29 in Bardiya rhino census has been enlisted in dwelling in Chitwan National Park, ed areas and adjoining forests, park National Park, eight in the annual programmes of the Parsa National Park, Bardiya officials, technical experts, represent- Shuklaphanta National department. National Park and Shuklaphanta atives of partner organisations and Park, and three in Parsa “The rhino count is one of the pri- National Park. Nepal Army personnel, as well as 40 National Park. ority activities of the department this According to Acharya, February elephants are mobilised. A counter This is the second time fiscal year. However, since there are to April is the perfect time for con- mounted on the elephant performs the the regular rhino census still Covid-19 concerns and we do not ducting rhino count in Nepal’s headcount of rhinos traversing across has been postponed. As know when it will be over, we can not protected areas. the park. per the existing rhino set a particular date for it to begin,” “These months are considered the Each rhino is located and counted conservation action plan, Acharya told the Post. “Also, the cur- best time for rhino counting because by well-trained officials, technicians rhino count can be done rent time is not ideal for the rhino grasslands are clear with short grass and wildlife biologists. The team trav- every four or five years. Local councils fail to pass enough laws: Report Absence of human resources and lack of understanding of local governments’ powers are listed among reasons. PRITHVI MAN SHRESTHA tutional provisions. introduced even in areas which fall government’s help has also delayed KATHMANDU, SEPT 19 As a result, federal agencies under the complete jurisdiction of the introduction of a number handle many activities related to the local governments. For exam- of laws. Thulibheri Municipality in Dolpa education, agriculture and land ple, none of the 49 local govern- In case of some of the laws, the wants to utilise its forested area to management, although they come ments has prepared legislation on central government has shown collect revenue. But it can’t do so as under the jurisdictions of local the collection of local statistics, the willingness to take charge even of the federal government has yet to governments, the report, management of archives, and the sectors that fall under the jurisdic- prepare a law to allow local govern- ‘Comparative Study of Laws protection of mines and minerals. tion of local governments. ments to do that. Introduced by Local Level-2077,’ Most of the local governments The lack of knowledge and Local governments should pre- says. have prepared laws utilising the expertise among elected represent- pare their own laws based on feder- The report, which deals with 49 federal government’s model laws, atives and staff of the local govern- al laws, according to the constitu- local governments, showed that mostly related to the running of ments has resulted in a mismatch tion. Management of forests and only three have introduced more the administration, said the report. between local and federal laws, wildlife falls under the shared than 15 pieces of legislation. But, local governments have according to the report. jurisdiction of federal, provincial According to the study, four failed to promulgate laws that help Such a situation arose also due and local governments. local have prepared 11 to 15 legal them carry out activities related to to the lack of legal staff at local “Without the federal govern- documents. their constitutional powers, it said. governments. “We need a legal ment preparing its own law first, The authors of the report said “One of the main reasons why officer but we don’t have the funds we can’t prepare our own laws,” that local governments haven’t local governments haven’t promul- to appoint one,” said Mayor Shahi. said Mayor Ganesh Bahadur Shahi. promulgated laws related to issues gated their own laws is the federal Another reason behind the delay According to a study conducted such as charging of service fees government’s failure to work as a and discrepancy in lawmaking is by the Ministry of Federal Affairs and penalties, and collection of guardian to the local governments the frequent transfers of chief and General Administration, many revenue from natural resources until they become institutionally administrative officers, the report local governments have been una- like forests, wildlife, birds, water, stronger,” said Khim Lal Devkota, says. With the centre not sending a ble to draft their laws even for environment, ecology and biodi- an expert on federalism. “The fed- replacement, the post remains issues under their constitutional versity that are under the concur- eral government failed to provide vacant for a prolonged period, jurisdictions due to a number of rent jurisdictions of the federal, adequate model laws for them.” according to the report. factors. provincial and local governments. According to him, given the lack Dispute among representatives Local governments don’t have Areas such as civil registration, of expertise with the local govern- has also delayed lawmaking in the human resource to prepare cru- archaeology, management of ments, the central government some local governments. “We failed cial pieces of legislation and the ancient monuments and museums could have formed a neutral think to introduce some laws due to a frequent transfers of chief admin- and landless squatters have also tank to help all local governments dispute among elected representa- istrative officers also don’t help the been overlooked. prepare their laws. He also added tives,” said Balaram Yadav, chief cause. Even the people’s represent- The study also found that not a that the tendency among local gov- administrative officer of Siraha atives are not abreast with consti- single piece of legislation has been ernments to wait for the central Municipality. Constitution Day is like any other for city’s poor Official celebrations take place barely a hundred metres from the people queuing up for free meals.

President Nanda Bahadur Pun, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, were observing the Constitution Day celebrations. Before the Covid-19 pandemic Rai used to sell biscuits, cigarettes and noodles on the streets in Thamel. Rai’s husband is in Malaysia for the past five years and is out of contact. “I don’t know whether he is alive,” said Rai, as her voice drowned in the shrills of the trumpets blowing the national anthem. “The national anthem talks about unity among people, but the disharmony between us is visible here today,” said a volunteer serving food pointing at the Constitution Day celebrations going on a few hundred metres away. “We can’t blame the disease because it’s a worldwide pandemic, but I don’t see any signif- icance of this pompous ceremony,” said Niharika Gurung, 24, one of the volunteers dis- tributing food. POST PHOTO: ANISH REGMI “They should have been more concerned People eat free meals provided by volunteers at Khula Manch in Kathmandu, as a Nepal Army helicopter flies over the about how to resolve the problem at hand,” said adjacent Sainik Manch, where an official ceremony was taking place on Saturday to mark the Constitution Day. Gurung, who along with her friends, provided food to the hungry after the 100’s Group finished ANUP OJHA buzz over their heads. providing the day’s free meal. KATHMANDU, SEPT 19 “I don’t know why these choppers are here,” Similar sentiments were expressed on social said Rai holding her kids—all of them wearing media, where the celebrations received a lot of As the sun reached its highest point in the sky surgical masks. By the looks on their faces, criticism. Many criticised the government for on Saturday, its scorching heat could be felt by many working class people queuing up for food organising a pompous ceremony while many everyone gathered at Khula Manch in didn’t know or couldn’t care less that Saturday people didn’t have anything to eat. Kathmandu. Around half of the ground was was the country’s Sixth Constitution Day. “Spreading flowers on the empty stomach of filled with buses, and the other by over 150 “I know, the constitution guarantees us our poor, #Constitution,” tweeted Dipesh Shahi, starving people waiting for their free meal for basic rights to food, shelter and employment,” a journalist, with a video showing choppers the day. said Pashupati Thakuri, 65, who has been living showering flowers over people waiting for their “We don’t have anything to eat. If these people alone in Mahaboudha for over a decade. Thakuri, free meals. Another twitter handle noted that hadn’t given us food, we would have been dead who was also queuing up for food, said the state Prime Minister Oli says everything is going on by now,” said Pabitra Rai, 45, a mother of two has done nothing for people like him. He does fine in the country, but citizens with empty stom- kids who came to Kathmandu from the east-- she not see the significance of celebrating the achs are expecting food to eat right next to his wouldn’t reveal the name of her village. Constitution Day. microphone. She has been coming to Khula Manch from “I used to sell flowers outside the Sankata For Rai, meanwhile, each visit to Khula her rented room in Ason every day for the past Temple, and haven’t earned a penny since the Manch is a stark reminder of the hardships of six months with her five-year-old Ranjit and six- government imposed the Covid-19 lockdown on her family in the city. year-old Sujita to get food provided by youths March 24. I haven’t received any assistance from “Thamel is completely closed now, I have to from the 100’s Group (a Facebook group) in coor- the local government, as my citizenship card feed my two kids, I don’t have any work and dination with other volunteer organisations. was lost,” he said. there is no one to look after me,” she said. Rai is But Rai and many other hungry, working class After a while the choppers began showering living in constant fear of getting infected with people, whose jobs were snatched by the Covid-19 flowers on the Sainik Manch on southern part of Covid-19 as she gets her free meals. “If I get lockdown, seem to have forgotten their hunger, Khula Manch, where country’s top dignitaries, infected, I do not have money for treatment, and at least for a moment, when they heard choppers including President Bidya Devi Bhandari, Vice the government is indifferent towards our pain.”

C M Y K SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 | 04 OPINION Achievements of the federal constitution

complained to the federal and provin- The need to travel to cial governments that they have not been cooperating fully in the planning Kathmandu for small system. Further, there is still some disagree- tasks has been ment between some sections and regions towards the constitution. completely reduced. There is a provision in the constitu- tion that it can be amended in a way that is not against the sovereignty, KHIM LAL DEVKOTA geographical integrity, independence and sovereignty of the people. Voices of dissatisfaction need to be addressed with care and diligence. However, the fact that the powers of Singha Durbar have reached the doorsteps of the peo- ple due to the federal constitution cannot be ignored. The constitution Nepal’s federal constitution was has made citizens more powerful. promulgated in 2015, but its formal implementation started only in 2017. Signs of improvement The greatest achievement of this con- The citizens have reached a position of stitution is to ensure a federal demo- being able to work in the local and pro- cratic republic with a multiparty com- vincial governments. With a few excep- petitive system of governance, period- tions, there are signs of improvement ic elections, an independent judiciary, in almost all areas. A sense of positive human rights, fundamental rights and competition has been created between complete freedom of the press as con- different local and provincial govern- stitutional rights. After the promulga- ments. Thoughts have been developed tion of the constitution, the state on how to strengthen financial means structure of the country has under- and resources, how to make maximum gone great changes. State power in the development with limited means and former unitary system has been divid- resources, and how to provide services ed into three levels of government; to the citizens in a comfortable and accordingly, the provincial and local easy way. The people have found the governments have been functioning in government at their doorsteps. a new federal set-up. Peace and stability have emerged in The organisational structure of the the country. The need to travel to three tiers of government (federal, Kathmandu, or to even the district provincial and local) has been pre- headquarters for that matter, for small pared, and most of the work related to tasks has been completely reduced. staff adjustment has been completed. Further, to some extent, internal The sub-federal governments have migration has also been controlled. To reached the stage of making laws, carry the momentum and reduce fric- making annual budgets, making deci- tion, inter-governmental relations and sions, formulating policies and plans, coordination need to be continuously and implementing them within their active to foster cooperation between economic jurisdiction. the tiers of government. Constructive vigilance from all spheres of society, A novel experiment including civil society and the media, In terms of fiscal federalism, the con- is also necessary. There have been stitution has assigned responsibilities many achievements in the short peri- to the sub-federal levels, including rev- POST FILE PHOTO od since the promulgation of the con- enue-raising powers, fiscal transfers to their respective local governments. eral and provincial governments Council (chaired by the prime minis- exclusive and concurrent powers, set- stitution. However, despite the and borrowing. Regarding fiscal The constitution has been promulgat- (Allocation of Business Rules), ter for resolving political disputes tlement of intergovernmental dis- achievements, there is great dissatis- transfers, the provincial and local gov- ed to achieve economic equality and Intergovernmental Fiscal between the federal and provincial putes, and formation of the National faction among the citizens—discon- ernments have been receiving all four social justice by ending all kinds of Arrangement Act 2017 and Local governments), Intergovernmental Coordination Committee and sectoral tent among Madhesis and other types of grants stated in the constitu- discrimination and inequality includ- Government Operation Act 2017 have Fiscal Council (chaired by the finance committees. minority or vulnerable groups being a tion: fiscal equalisation, conditional, ing the existing ethnic, geographical, been prepared. This exercise has laid minister to consult fiscal issues The formation of the three tiers of major one. According to the dreams special and matching grants. The cultural and gendered differences in the foundation for the implementation between the federal units) and government represents a novel experi- and aspirations of the people, the fed- sub-federal levels have also been the previous unitary system. After the of federalism in Nepal. Provincial Coordinating Council ment in Nepal’s federal journey. A few eral, provincial and local levels have receiving revenue sharing from val- promulgation of the constitution, the With the transfer of constitutional (chaired by the chief minister to coor- problems and uncertainties cropping not been able to work as expected. ue-added tax and excise duty, and roy- country has shown many signs of powers and responsibilities to the dinate planning and budgeting issues up are but natural in a new system of Governments at all three levels need alty from natural resources. change and reform. sub-federal levels, new organisational between the provincial and local lev- governance. Some difficulties have to seriously review their work and The constitution provides for a The constitution lists exclusive and structures and staffing of government els) have been formed, and some visi- emerged, particularly in the exercise attitude. Lastly, it is important to seri- National Natural Resource and Fiscal concurrent powers for the three levels services have been determined. The ble work has been initiated. The feder- of power. The provincial governments ously review the implementation of Commission as a constitutional body of government. These powers were work of integrating the existing gov- al Parliament recently enacted an have been complaining that the centre the constitution including federalism to work in matters related to fiscal elaborated through an unbundling ernment employees of the civil ser- inter-governmental coordination law. has not been very cooperative when it at the political level. transfers. The commission has been exercise carried out to resolve possi- vice in all the federal units based on The law comprises the basis of comes to staff appointment and reten- formed and it has started its work. ble disputes between the federal units. approved organisational structures inter-governmental relationships tion, capacity building, land acquisi- Devkota holds a PhD and is a Fiscal transfers have been made not Based on this unbundling exercise, and personnel is almost complete. between the federal units, guidelines tion, formulation of laws, devolution fiscal federalism and local only from the federal government but the division of work responsibilities Inter-governmental coordination to prepare legal documents, policy and of authority and allocation of resourc- government analyst. He can be also from the provincial governments of the council of ministers of the fed- agencies such as the Inter-Provincial planning, a basis for drafting laws for es. The local governments have also reached at [email protected].

Reducing Nepal’s landslide risks

munities and critical facilities such as Communities can build schools, shelters, hospitals, bridges and roads with a high risk of land- disaster resilience by slides. It is too costly to mitigate land- slide risks of all houses in Nepal, but implementing geohazard risk mitigation can be prioritised for criti- cal facilities with higher risks. Based management measures. on in-depth field investigation and designs, mitigation measures should be implemented at these critical facil- FARIS HADAD-ZERVOS & ities. Such an approach has been JOHN A ROOME undertaken in Sri Lanka. Community-Based Disaster Risk Management. The communities and houses that remain in high landslide risk areas should be equipped with cost-effective and reliable early warn- ing systems. A successful pilot is in The recent loss of lives and the devas- Dolakha where observed data from tation caused by landslides in Nepal, various sensors and rain gauges are triggered by heavy rains, breaks our transmitted to responsible organisa- hearts. More than 330 precious lives tions in real-time to circulate warn- were lost or are still missing because ings. Some communities were trained of landslides during this monsoon. in slope stabilisation using bioengi- ‘One hundred and seventy-two neering. Working closely with provin- households are at substantial risk, cial and local governments, these suc- and we demand to resettle them to a cessful community-based disaster risk safer location’, said Srijana Tamang, management efforts need to be deputy chairperson of Jugal Rural expanded to other vulnerable commu- Municipality, Sindhupalchok district. nities. Thirty-nine lives were lost in Lidi vil- Establish a geohazard risk manage- lage by a landslide in the morning of ment training centre. Landslide and August 14, of which more than 15 were Geohazard Risk Management is an children. The inhabitants survived inter-agency and interdisciplinary the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, recov- effort that requires multiple agencies’ ered and rebuilt their homes and lives, coordination in early warning and just to perish from another disaster. mitigations. We propose to build a geohazard risk management training Mountainous terrain centre not only for government offi- Nepal’s challenging mountainous ter- cials to visit and learn different best rain is a great asset that offers tour- practices, but also for community vol- ism prospects. At the same time, the unteers and school children to raise steep slopes pose a significant chal- public awareness. An applied research lenge to the communities in the vicin- function can be added to test mitiga- ity. These communities have protected tion technologies and conduct soil themselves with indigenous measures testing to identify the best mitigation such as bioengineering. After the 2015 designs. Such training and research earthquake, the vulnerable house- SHUTTERSTOCK functions are practised in different holds were resettled to safer locations. Reduction and Management Act of capability of the Department of which Nepal can strengthen resilience exchange protocol to coordinate and countries including Japan and the Institutionally, the establishment of 2017 to strengthen provincial and local Hydrology and Meteorology to pro- to landslide hazards: communicate with line agencies such United States as government-universi- the National Disaster Risk Reduction governments for the communities to vide accurate weather and flood fore- Establish a 24/7 geohazard early as the Department of Hydrology and ty partnerships. and Management Authority as an be better prepared as well as effective- casts, which has contributed to reduc- warning unit at the National Meteorology to receive real-time rain- By implementing these bold geohaz- apex agency responsible for overall ly respond to disasters for fast recov- ing the loss of lives due to floods. Emergency Operation Centre as the fall data and predictions, the ard risk management measures, the disaster risk reduction and manage- ery and rehabilitation. frontline to protect people’s lives with Department of Roads to block at-risk loss of life and property from land- ment including landslide early warn- The World Bank has supported Key areas early warning. The unit will dissemi- roads in advance, and the Department slides in Nepal can be significantly ing dissemination with line agencies Nepal’s journey to strengthen resil- Intensified or prolonged rainfall due nate early warning through SMS, of Mines and Geology in case of an reduced, and communities can be and provincial and local governments ience with a number of interventions. to climate change and human inter- social media and TV to communities earthquake. Such a dedicated geohaz- made disaster resilient. The World paved the way for further engagement. The Earthquake Housing ventions in vulnerable areas are likely with increasing landslide risks in ard early warning unit has been Bank stands ready to assist. The World Bank has worked with Reconstruction Project is supporting to increase the number and impact of real-time, and to communities where adopted in different countries includ- the National Disaster Risk Reduction the reconstruction of 335,700 mul- landslides. However, the adoption of landslides occurred nearby with safe- ing New Zealand. Hadad-Zervos is the World Bank and Management Authority to sup- ti-hazard resistant houses in earth- modern technology building on ty information such as road blockages Landslide hazard mapping and risk Country Director for Maldives, Nepal port federalisation of the disaster risk quake-affected areas. The Building Nepal’s landslide disaster risk reduc- or safe routes to shelters. The unit mitigation for critical facilities. First, and Sri Lanka; Roome is the World reduction and management agenda as Resilience to Climate-Related Hazards tion efforts can help reduce tragedies. needs to have a dedicated team, high landslide hazard maps should be pre- Bank Regional Director for South Asia required by the Disaster Risk (BRCH) project has enhanced the The following are key areas through ICT capacity, and common data pared nationwide that identifies com- Sustainable Development.

C M Y K 05 | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 MONEY

FOREX Bangladesh US Dollar 117.82 Subcommittee suggests Act amendment Euro 139.65 economy shows Pound Sterling 152.99 Japanese Yen 11.27 early signs of Chinese Yuan 17.43 to regulate networking businesses Qatari Riyal 32.36 Australian Dollar 86.19 Lawmakers call for a number of interventions such as increment in paid-up capital of companies and regular inspection. pandemic recovery Malaysian Ringit 28.56 ASSOCIATED PRESS Saudi Arab Riyal 31.41 KRISHANA PRASAIN ti-level networking businesses. tive of the Act, direct sales companies forming an inspection committee that DHAKA (BANGLADESH), SEPT 19 Exchange rates fixed by Nepal Rastra Bank KATHMANDU, SEPT 19 The report suggests that while the should commit to selling a minimum includes experts appointed by the minimum paid-up capital of direct of 50 percent of domestic goods director committee. Similarly, if there A rebound in garment orders after PRICE PER TOLA The subcommittee formed under the sales companies should be Rs30 mil- while licensed companies should is any provision of networking busi- demand crashed during spring shut- BULLION parliamentary Industry, Commerce, lion, the licensed company should compulsorily sell and distribute ness operation on the administrative downs is helping to revive the Labour and Consumer Welfare raise its paid-up capital by Rs30 mil- domestically produced goods within paper or in regulation, then such type Bangladesh economy. Fine Gold Rs 97,000 Committee, regarding the direct sales lion within six months. Panday two years. If they fail to do so, there of provision needs to be immediately Apparel makers, the country’s main of goods for networking businesses, said that the report has made this sug- should be provision to cancel amended as per Act and regulation. A export industry, say they are looking Silver Rs 1,330 has submitted a report suggesting an gestion in order to avoid customers the license. separate inspection mechanism needs ahead to Christmas orders from the SOURCE: FENEGOSIDA immediate amendment to the Direct being cheated on and if they are, the However, the Department of to be created in the department or in US and other major markets. Sales of Goods (Management and suggestion will ensure consumers get Commerce, Supplies and Consumer the Ministry. Remittances from Bangladeshi Regulation) Act 2017 to regulate the compensated. Protection currently does not have the If any licensed company is found to workers employed overseas have also GASOLINE WATCH businesses strictly. physical infrastructure nor the human be cheating consumers, then the recovered, helping to relieve pres- Som Prasad Pandey, member of the resources for the inspection, regula- transaction of the said company needs sures from a pandemic quasi-shut- parliamentary committee, said that tion and control of work-related direct to be stopped by seizing their bank down during the spring. the different clauses of Direct Sales of Businesses that sales of goods. guarantee, says the report. And if The Asian Development Bank Goods (Management and Regulation) engage in direct The licensed companies, however, the bank guarantee is not enough to reported this week that the economic Act 2017 and Regulation 2019 can lead have not been able to submit any spe- compensate for the cheated amount, comeback was encouraging. It is fore- to the forming of a pyramid scheme sales of goods have a cific work plan because they are cur- then the personal assets of the opera- casting the economy will grow at a and that it is important to amend the rently in a dilemma, unsure of which tor of the said company will be on robust 6.8 percent annual pace in the Act immediately by fulfilling the nec- history of cheating method and procedure to operate their the hook to make up for the shortfall, fiscal year that ends in June if current essary process. businesses, say business owners. They it adds. conditions persist. “We have already submitted the customers. have requested for directives and work Companies like Unity, Herbo, Goal That’s a much brighter outlook than report to the committee and the meet- procedures related to direct sales of Quest and others have been found to in April-May, when global clothing ing on Sunday (September 20) will goods to be prepared. cheat customers in the past by restart- brands suspended or cancelled orders make the decision regarding it,” With the implementation of Direct The report also states the director ing their business by registering the worth more than $3 billion, affecting Pandey told the Post. Sales of Goods (Management and committee, as provisioned by the Act company in new names. about 4 million workers and thou- The subcommittee was formed to Regulation) Act, 2017 and Regulation for the inspection, needs to be active The government has suspended the sands of factories. conduct an investigation into seven 2019, a huge amount has been going and supervise such companies by issuance of new licences and tempo- “At the moment we can say that the companies that had received the busi- outside the country through the making sure that customers are rarily halted business transactions of ready-made garment industry has ness licenses on July 30 and the gov- illegal operation of networking and getting the product only from the the seven companies that have been able to regain its growth trajecto- ernment has been mired in controver- digital currency business, say con- original seller and not a new seller received permits to conduct direct ry upward compared to March-May,” sy since. sumer activists. to prevent such businesses from sales of goods, following a directive Rubana Huq, president of the Consumer activists have criticised Such types of business activities expanding their network into a pyra- of the parliamentary Industry, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers the government’s decision, calling it need to be stopped immediately.The mid model. Commerce, Labour and Consumer and Exporters Association, or an attempt to promote illegal network- study, that was conducted for a month, The report further states regular Welfare Committee and opposition BGMEA, told The Associated Press. ing businesses, also known as mul- suggests that as per the major objec- monitoring needs to be conducted by from consumer welfare activists. “As economies in the West were turning around we were successfully able to get the buyers back to the nego- tiating table, which is why 80 percent to 90 percent of the $3.18 billion in cancelled orders have been reinstat- Indian government’s Tiktok fights US ban by filing complaint ed,” she said. Bangladesh earns about $35 billion annually from garment exports, main- ly to the United States and Europe. against Donald Trump administration The industry is the world’s second loan relief plan under largest after China’s. REUTERS Bangladesh’s exports rose 0.6 per- WASHINGTON, SEPT 19 cent to $3.9 billion in July, after plum- meting 83 percent to $520 million in fire for charging interest Popular video-sharing app TikTok has asked a US April. Imports, which are reported on judge to block the Trump administration from enforc- a quarterly basis, began recovering ing a ban on the Chinese social media network, earlier, rising 36 percent in May-June. according to court documents filed late on Friday. In August, exports rose 4.3 percent TikTok and its parent company, ByteDance Ltd, from a year earlier, to $2.96 billion, filed a complaint in a Washington federal court chal- mostly driven by apparel shipments, lenging the recent prohibitory moves by the Trump according to the government’s administration. Export Promotion Bureau. Garment The US Commerce Department announced a ban shipments totalled $5.7 billion in July on Friday blocking people in the United States from and August. downloading Chinese-owned messaging app WeChat REUTERS “The garment sector is making a and TikTok starting September 20. TikTok said the ban would irreversibly destroy the TikTok good comeback. Our agriculture is The ban was being introduced for political reasons, business in the US. doing well. Remittances are coming. TikTok and ByteDance alleged in their complaint. These all are good signs for the econo- TikTok also said the ban would violate the company’s liminarily and permanently enjoining the my,” said Ahsan H Mansur, executive First Amendment rights. Prohibitions and the August 6 order,” according to director of the Policy Research US President Donald Trump, who has been locked the complaint. Institute, a think tank in Dhaka. in a long-running trade dispute with China, issued an The White House did not immediately respond “The pace of the recovery is clearly executive order on August 6 that prohibited US trans- when Reuters contacted it for comment early on visible. But challenges have been actions with the Chinese owners of messaging app Saturday. there too. The pace of the recovery WeChat and TikTok. TikTok, which has over 100 million users in the will depend on how the pandemic Both ByteDance and TikTok are seeking a “declar- United States, said the ban would “irreversibly behaves in the West over the next few atory” judgment and an order “invalidating and pre- destroy the TikTok business in the US”. months,” Mansur said.

REUTERS Gajendra Sharma, 53, an optician, poses inside his shop selling eye glasses in Agra, India.

REUTERS Now, even with the moratorium, “the AGRA (INDIA), SEPT 19 interest-on-interest will result in winding up various real estate and other companies,” When business evaporated at Gajendra said Utsav Trivedi, a lawyer representing Sharma’s eyeglass shop a couple of miles one group of Sharma’s fellow complainants. from the Taj Mahal during India’s strict In a typical case, a homeowner with 15 Covid-19 lockdown, he was relieved to hear years remaining on a roughly $40,000 about a pandemic debt moratorium that loan would pay an additional $6,000 in inter- would give him breathing room on his est due to the moratorium, an extra 16 home loan. months’ worth, explains SBI, India’s top Now, however, the 53-year-old optician’s state-run bank. $13,500 debt risks destabilising India’s banks, Citing Sharma’s case, the finance ministry authorities warn. last week ordered a panel to analyse the That is because a complaint he brought impact of withdrawing interest and the com- challenging the loan relief plan, grouped pounding levy. with those of other borrowers and now The Supreme Court appears sympathetic before the Supreme Court, could mean a $27 to the borrowers on the extra interest. billion hit to lenders—more than half their During the most recent hearing on September annual profits—that could shake the nation’s 10, Justice Ashok Bhushan said the court financial system, the industry and regula- was “inclined to pass an order” that banks tors fear. forgive the additional levies. The battle, launched from Sharma’s small India’s banks, too, are reeling from the shop in the northern city of Agra and now pandemic, and the industry fears a major involving more than 120 lawyers, has the judicial setback, given that the court has central bank and government struggling to previously overturned government deci- defend what was meant to be a helping hand. sions in ways that hit sectors from coal min- The problem, as the other borrowers see it, ing and telecommunications. is that they must pay additional interest on Banks already have bad loans of over $120 their skipped repayments during the morato- billion, much of it on the books of state-run rium, which they call “interest-on-interest.” lenders, which dominate India’s banking The borrowers—including a leading real landscape, and the non-performing debt is estate industry group, power utilities, shop- set to surge in coming months. Any deterio- ping malls and small businesses—says the ration in their books would force the govern- scheme unfairly hits them even as many ment, itself deeply indebted, to set aside bil- have been financially devastated by the pan- lions of dollars to recapitalise the banks. demic, that the banks must forgive the inter- Combined annual profits at private banks est and compound interest that accrued and state-owned banks is some 3.2 trillion while their payments were suspended. rupees ($43 billion), “so a waiver of interest Sharma, a voluble man with a thick mous- will be totally destabilising,” said analyst tache and a crop of dark hair, says the six- Anil Gupta at credit rating agency ICRA. month reprieve, which ended on August 31, The Reserve Bank of India told the court increased his debt load because of the extra an “interest-free” moratorium would cut the interest. He is also paying monthly instal- sector’s income by at least 2 trillion rupees ments on a $21,700 business loan, for which ($27 billion), or 1 percent of India’s GDP. he did not seek a moratorium. “There would be huge consequences for the “I realized this scheme was not to give us stability of the banking system,” the central relief, but to give us more grief,” he told bank said. Reuters in his shop, where idols of Hindu The finance ministry told the court last deities compete for space with Ray Ban and month what waiving what it says is standard Prada sunglass displays. compound interest would be “against the After Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s basic canons of finance”, adding it was cru- government imposed the world’s strictest cial to protect the more than 1.9 billion Covid-19 lockdown in March, Sharma saw no deposit accounts that earn interest income. customers for months, though he had to keep The central bank and ministry did not paying his $2,700 in monthly recurring costs. respond to requests for comment. Sharma, Across this nation of 1.3 billion people, while performing his daily Hindu prayers, companies say they are struggling to keep up said he remains hopeful he will get relief. with their loans as the lockdown has choked “With faith in God I’ve thought of ways business and consumer spending. The econo- to come out of this muddle,” he said about my collapsed a record 23.9 percent in the his case, which will next be heard on April-June quarter from a year earlier. September 28.

C M Y K SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 | 06 WORLD

BRIEFING Thousands rally in India maintains surge in coronavirus Thai capital against India arrests 9 Qaeda militants planning ‘terrorist attacks’ government NEW DELHI: cases with over 1m active infections India’s National Investigation Agency (NIA) said on REUTERS Saturday it has arrested nine al Parliament’s session cut short after 30 lawmakers test positive for Covid-19 as centre orders states not to hoard oxygen. BANGKOK, SEPT 19 Qaeda militants who were planning attacks in several locations including ASSOCIATED PRESS/REUTERS Thousands of protesters in Thailand’s the capital New Delhi. “The group NEW DELHI, SEPT 19 capital demonstrated against the was planning to undertake terrorist government of former coup leader attacks at vital installations in India India has maintained its surge in and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan- with an aim to kill innocent people coronavirus cases, adding 93,337 new ocha on Saturday, with many also and strike terror in their minds,” the confirmed infections in the past 24 demanding reforms to the powerful country’s main counter-terrorism hours. monarchy. arm said in a statement. Those The Health Ministry on Saturday “Down with feudalism, long live the arrested “were motivated to under- raised the nation’s caseload to more people,” was one of the chants. take attacks at multiple places” than 5.3 million out of the nearly 1.4 Protests have been building since including the capital region. Six of billion people. It said 1,247 more peo- mid-July to call for the removal of the the militants were arrested in the ple died in the past 24 hours for a total government, a new constitution eastern state of West Bengal and of 85,619. The country has over a mil- and elections. They have also broken while three in the southern state of lion active cases with about 80 percent a long-standing taboo by criticising Kerala, the NIA said, adding the indi- recovery rate. the monarchy of King Maha viduals were “associated with India has been reporting the high- Vajiralongkorn. Pakistan sponsored module of al est single-day rise in the world every Police said at least 5,000 people had Qaeda”. A spokesman for Pakistan’s day for more than five weeks. It’s gathered at the campus of Thammasat foreign office did not immediately expected to become the pandemic’s University, long seen as a hotbed of respond to a request for comment. worst-hit country within weeks, sur- opposition to the military and royalist Pakistan has often denied giving passing the United States. establishment, and scene of a massa- material support to militants. India Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cre of protesters in 1976. has stepped up an offensive against government has faced scathing criti- Under light rain, protesters spilled militants in the Muslim-majority cism from opposition lawmakers in onto Sanam Luang, a public space region of Kashmir and elsewhere. India’s Parliament for its handling of opposite the Grand Palace where state the pandemic amid a contracting ceremonies are traditionally held. economy leaving millions jobless. “Today the people will demand back Navalny posts photo More than 10 million migrant their power,” Arnon Nampa, a human of himself walking workers, out of money and fearing AP/RSS rights lawyer who has emerged as a starvation, poured out of cities and A man wearing a face mask as a precaution against the coronavirus carries a load on his head in Jammu, India, on Saturday. leading figure in the protest move- MOSCOW: Russian opposition politi- headed back to villages when Modi ment, said on Twitter. cian Alexei Navalny was seen walk- ordered the nationwide lockdown on said one of the two officials, who are officials and experts said, putting crit- working. The city has a 14-day new September 19 is the anniversary of ing down the stairs in a photo posted March 24. involved in the functioning of parlia- ical healthcare at risk. case average of 39.3, well below the the coup against the populist then- on his Instagram feed on Saturday, The migration was one key reason ment proceedings. “Any impediment in the supplies of state’s target of 50, despite a few clus- prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra five days after a Berlin hospital said that the virus spread to the far reaches The government has also mandated medical oxygen in the country may ters of cases in several southeastern in 2006. Among the protesters were he had been taken off a ventilator of the country while the lockdown daily tests for journalist entering par- critically impact the management of suburbs. It comes as state Premier many of his red shirt followers, veter- and could breathe independently. caused severe economic pain. The liament to cover the session from patients suffering from Covid-19 dis- Daniel Andrews urged anti-lockdown ans of clashes a decade ago with Navalny, the leading opponent of economy contracted nearly 24 percent Saturday. ease,” the federal home ministry said protesters not to gather following pro-establishment yellow shirts. Russian President Vladimir Putin, in the second quarter, the worst among Piyush Soperna, joint director at in a circular late on Friday. reports of more planned protests in “I’m here to fight for the future of fell ill in Siberia last month and was the world’s top economies. the country’s upper house’s secretari- “There shall be free movement of Melbourne. It was unclear exactly my children and grandchildren. I airlifted to Berlin. Germany says lab- The country’s parliament session at, said in an email response that it oxgygen carrying vehicles into the where the demonstrations would be, hope that by the time I die, they will oratory tests in three countries have that began this week is likely to be cut has no information on the issue of cities, without any restriction of tim- with protesters taking caution not to become free,” said 68-year-old Tasawan determined he was poisoned with a short after 30 lawmakers were found prematurely ending the parliament ings, while also enabling inter-city make their plans easily accessible on Suebthai, a redshirt with amulets Novichok nerve agent, and Western infected with the coronavirus, two session next week. supply without restriction,” it said. social media. round her neck to ward off bullets. governments have demanded an senior parliament officials said. The lawmakers who have been Meanwhile, Australia’s death toll There have already been a number So far the protests have been peace- explanation from Russia. “Let me tell The Indian parliament met for the infected include Nitin Gadkari, high- from Covid-19 rose to 844 on Saturday of rallies over the past several ful. The biggest to date drew more how my recovery is going. It is first time in six months on September ways and medium and small enter- with 21 more cases and seven fatalities weekends, with police responding than 10,000 people last month, but already a clear path although a long 14 and was to function until October 1, prises minister in Prime Minister’s in Victoria state. with a heavy presence, handing out organisers expect more this time. one,” Navalny wrote. Navalny but the two officials said its duration Narendra Modi’s Cabinet. The hardest-hit Victoria has had 757 dozens of fines and making arrests. Thai politics has for years been said in the Instagram update he still could be reduced by a week. India has ordered its states not to deaths. Its capital city of Melbourne, “People should be positive and opti- marked by challenges to the royalist could not use his phone and had diffi- “Since the commencement of the hoard oxygen supplies and allow free with a population of 5 million, has mistic this strategy is working, and military establishment by politi- culties trying to pour water into his session the number of positive cases movement amidst reports of shortag- been in lockdown for a month and and therefore, let’s not any of us do cians backed by poor urban and rural glass or climbing stairs because his have gone up so the government is es. Oxygen supply has become scarce faces nightly curfews in an effort to anything to undermine that,” voters, and more recently by the stu- legs trembled. (AGENCIES) thinking of cutting short the session,” in some parts of India, government stem the increases. It appears to be Andrews said. dent protesters. Running out of storm names, US Supreme Court Justice Ginsburg, a feminist Atlantic season goes Greek icon memorialised as the ‘Notorious RBG’ ASSOCIATED PRESS This is only the second time National ASSOCIATED PRESS WASHINGTON, SEPT 19 Hurricane Center forecasters have had to WASHINGTON, SEPT 19 pull out the Greek alphabet for names, with The Atlantic’s record-breaking “crazy” hur- the last time being 2005. US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ricane season got a bizarre European Tropical Storm Wilfred, the last of tradi- moved slowly. remake on Friday as forecasters ran out of tional names, officially formed little more When court was in session, she often had her traditional names and trotted out the Greek than an hour before Alpha, prompting the head down, sometimes leading visitors to think alphabet for subtropical storm Alpha. And hurricane center to tweet “get out the Greek she was asleep. She once acknowledged that she the geographically misplaced storm alphabet.” And they quickly had to use it did occasionally nod off. She once confessed to promptly sloshed ashore in Portugal. again, when a tropical depression in the dozing during a State of the Union. But wait there’s more. The busy Atlantic western Gulf of Mexico became Tropical But it was a mistake to equate her gait and is beta testing the Greek alphabet as Beta Storm Beta. That’s three storms forming in gaze with frailty, for Ginsburg showed over and formed late Friday afternoon. about six hours. over a steely resilience in the face of personal loss and serious health problems that made the diminutive New Yorker a towering women’s rights champion and forceful presence at the court over 27 years. She made few concessions to age and recur- rent health problems, working regularly with a personal trainer. She never missed any time in court before the age of 85, and then only follow- AP/RSS ing surgery in December 2018 for lung cancer. In this Aug 19, 2016, file photo, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is introduced during the keynote address Ginsburg died on Friday of complications for the State Bar of New Mexico’s annual meeting in Pojoaque, New Mexico. from metastatic pancreatic cancer at her home in Washington at 87, the court said. She voted most often with the other liber- Women’s Rights Project of the American Civil Late in her court tenure, she became a social al-leaning justices, fellow Clinton appointee Liberties Union. She had worked on the legal media icon, the Notorious RBG, a name coined Breyer and two Republican appointees, John team that persuaded the high court to rule for the by a law student who admired Ginsburg’s dissent Paul Stevens and David Souter, then later with first time ever in 1970 that a state had violated in a case cutting back on a key civil rights law. President Barack Obama’s two appointees, the Constitution by denying women equal treat- In her final years on the court, Ginsburg was Sotomayor and Kagan. ment. At argument sessions in the ornate the unquestioned leader of the liberal justices, as In the most divisive of cases, Ginsburg was courtroom, Ginsburg was known for digging outspoken in dissent as she was cautious in ear- often at odds with the court’s more conservative deep into case records. lier years. Criticising the court’s conservative members. Yet she was personally closest on the In 1999, Ginsburg had surgery for colon cancer majority for getting rid of a key part of the land- court to Justice Antonin Scalia, her ideological and received radiation and chemotherapy. She mark Voting Rights Act in 2013, Ginsburg wrote opposite. She once explained that she took had surgery again in 2009 after being diagnosed that it was like “throwing away your umbrella in Scalia’s sometimes biting dissents as a challenge with pancreatic cancer and in December 2018 to a rainstorm because you are not getting wet.” to be met. “How am I going to answer this in a remove cancerous growths on her left lung. Her stature on the court and the death of her way that’s a real putdown?” she said. Scalia died In 2019, doctors treated Ginsburg with radia- husband in 2010 probably contributed to in 2016. tion for a tumor on her pancreas. She maintained Ginsburg’s decision to remain on the bench As for her own dissents, Ginsburg said that an active schedule even during the three weeks beyond the goal she initially set for herself, to some were aimed at swaying the opinions of her of radiation. match Justice Louis Brandeis’ 22 years on the fellow judges while others were “an appeal to the Her determination was perhaps most evident court and his retirement at the age of 82. intelligence of another day” in the hopes that on the day the court met for the final time in Besides civil rights, Ginsburg took an interest they would provide guidance to future courts. June 2010. in capital punishment, voting repeatedly to limit Joan Ruth Bader was born in Brooklyn in 1933, Her husband had died a day earlier, and her its use. During her tenure, the court declared it the second daughter in a middle-class family. Her children told her their father would want her to unconstitutional for states to execute the intel- dream, she has said, was to be an opera singer. go to work. The justices filed into the courtroom lectually disabled and killers younger than 18. She first gained fame as a litigator for the that Monday, and Ginsburg was there.

Government of Nepal Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Department of Roads Lebanon’s army finds Federal Highway Supervision and Monitoring Office Road Division, Bharatpur firework cache in Beirut

REUTERS warehouse during a search Expression for Acceptance of Bids BEIRUT, SEPT 19 of the port. Date of Publication: 2077-06-04 (Sep 20, 2020) It said army engineers Lebanon’s army said it had disposed of them. The port As per the financial opening proposal notice published in Kathmandu Post National Daily Newspaper on found 1.3 tonnes of fire- and a swathe of central 2077/05/18 in accordance with the Public Procurement Act-2063, Clause -27, sub clause -2, the name and address works during a search of Beirut was ruined by the of the lowest evaluated substantially responsive bidder with the Name of works, Contract number and the Bid Beirut port, which was dev- huge blast on August 4 Price, given in the table below, is published to notify all concerned bidders for the purpose of the clause -47 of the astated last month in a that killed at least 190 peo- same Procurement Act. huge blast that was blamed ple, according to official on a large quantity of figures. Name of work Name of Bid Amount With SN Contract Number chemicals kept in poor It was blamed on 2,750 Contractor VAT & PS condition. tonnes of explosive ammo- Upgrading and Improvement of The army said in a state- nium nitrate kept at the RDBHT/33701138/ Gondrang - Pulchowk Section of M/S Indo-Sagun 1,12,45,45,349.79 1 076/77-90 East West Highway, Bharatpur JV, Butwal ment, released on its web- port for years in poor con- (Mahendra Highway NH01 site on Friday, that 1,320 dition. Warehouses and l8lehg k|d'v kgs of fireworks were concrete grain silos at the found in 120 boxes in a port were destroyed.

C M Y K 07 | SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 SPORTS | MEDLEY BRIEFING Calvert-Lewin treble fires Everton as West Brom implode Liverpool rope in Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich The Toffees make two wins from two as a hat-trick from the 23-year-old Englishman and first goal from new signing James Rodriguez give them 5-2 victory. LIVERPOOL: Liverpool have signed AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE West Brom are to avoid an immediate Spain midfielder Thiago Alcantara LIVERPOOL, SEPT 19 return to the Championship, they will from Bayern Munich on a long-term have to improve their defence rapidly contract, the Premier League champi- Dominic Calvert-Lewin hit a hat-trick after shipping eight goals in succes- ons said on Friday. British media and James Rodriguez bagged his first sive defeats. reported Thiago signed a four-year Premier League goal as Everton Diangana put West Brom ahead in deal with Liverpool after the crushed 10-man West Bromwich the 10th minute when he advanced Merseyside club agreed a transfer fee Albion 5-2 to extend their perfect start from inside his own half before drill- worth 20 million pounds plus five mil- to the season on Saturday. ing a long-range drive past Jordan lion pounds in add-ons with Carlo Ancelotti’s side fell behind to Pickford. Calvert-Lewin equalised in European champions Bayern. Thiago, Grady Diangana’s early goal at the 31st minute with a back-heel from 29, won the Bundesliga title in each Goodison Park. But Calvert-Lewin virtually on the goalline after Albion of his seven seasons with Bayern and equalised and James put them ahead defender Darnell Furlong inadvertent- played in last month’s Champions before West Brom imploded. ly headed Seamus Coleman’s cross League final victory over Paris St Kieran Gibbs was dismissed for into his path. Germain. “I think it’s an amazing pushing James in the face in first half The goal was initially disallowed for feeling. I was waiting for this moment stoppage-time. Then Albion boss offside before a VAR review changed for a long time and I am very, very Slaven Bilic was sent to the stands the decision in Everton’s favour. happy to be here,” Thiago said. after storming onto the pitch for a Rodriguez put Everton in front in the furious rant at referee Mike Dean. 45th minute when he took Richarlison’s Manchester City’s Aguero could Matheus Pereira equalised for pass and lashed a fine low finish into Albion after the interval, but Michael the far corner from 20 yards. be out of action until November Keane restored Everton’s lead and Gibbs added to West Brom’s woes MANCHESTER: Manchester City striker Calvert-Lewin sealed the points with when he was sent off for lashing out at Sergio Aguero could miss the first his second and third goals. At 23, James in retaliation for a challenge by two months of the Premier League Calvert-Lewin is the youngest the Colombian. Bilic lost his cool as season as he has yet to train with the Englishman to score a Premier League well moments later, angrily telling club since suffering a knee injury in hat-trick for Everton. Dean that his decisions could “kill” June, manager Pep Guardiola said on After a summer spending spree, his team. Now watching from the Friday. The Argentine was sidelined Ancelotti is under pressure to deliver stands after his dismissal, Bilic saw for the last 12 matches of City’s 2019- a big improvement on last season’s Pereira equalise with a superb free- 2020 campaign, including their two 12th place finish and the early signs kick in the 47th minute. But Keane Champions League fixtures in are promising. Having beaten poked Everton back in front after August. Guardiola said the 32-year-old Tottenham in their opening game last Richarlison’s header was pushed out may not be fit until November. “We weekend, Everton have started a by Sam Johnstone in the 54th minute. knew the injury was difficult,” Premier League season with consecu- Calvert-Lewin struck again in the Guardiola was quoted as saying by tive victories for the first time since 62nd minute, the striker sliding in to the BBC. “He still hasn’t had one 2012-13. meet Richarlison’s cross with a close- training session with us and Sergio is Calvert-Lewin already has four range finish. And Calvert-Lewin’s red- not a guy who regains his physical goals and Colombia midfielder James, hot start to the season continued four condition quickly. He has been out for making his first home appearance minutes later when he completed his a long time, so maybe in one or two since his £12 million from Real AP/RSS hat-trick as the ball bounced off his months he will be ready.” (AGENCIES) Madrid, looks a quality addition. If Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin (right) attempts a header in their English Premier League match against West Brom in Liverpool on Saturday. back into the net. Bayern dismantle Schalke 8-0 in season opener No fond farewell but coach Zinedine REUTERS Manchester City. “The team is still hungry MUNICH, SEPT 19 despite winning the treble last season and to have Zidane praises Gareth Bale impact such a start is outstanding.” Treble winners Bayern Munich crushed Schalke Bayern finished their season in August when REUTERS was absent from most of the second campaign 04 8-0 with a hat-trick from Serge Gnabry and a they added the Champions League to their MADRID, SEPT 19 due to injuries and never managed to re-estab- superb debut from Leroy Sane on Friday as they Bundesliga and German Cup titles and then had lish himself as a first-choice player for the made a sensational start to the new Bundesliga only a short preparation for the new season. Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said he Frenchman, even after scoring twice in the season and sent an ominous warning to potential Last season’s top scorer Robert Lewandowski did not say anything to Gareth Bale before he 2018 final against Liverpool. challengers. found the net with a 31st-minute penalty to left to sign for Tottenham Hotspur but insisted But Zidane disagreed with the perception With the biggest opening win in Bundesliga become the first player to score in 10 successive he had no personal issue with the Wales he forced Bale out. “It’s not like that. It’s more history, Bayern showed they had lost none of appearances against the same Bundesliga oppo- forward and praised what he did for the complicated. With Bale it’s always about one sharpness that helped them to lift the Champions nents. Gnabry then scored twice from Sane’s Spanish club. side against the other. But I’ve never had a League trophy less than a month ago in domi- assists in the 47th and 59th before Thomas Bale travelled to London on Friday to final- problem with Gareth. There will always be nant fashion. Mueller made it half a dozen after Lewandowski ise a return to Tottenham on loan after seven things that happen. Now he’s making a change, Gnabry grabbed his first goal for the hosts set him up with an impressive rabona kick. years at Real which witnessed a remarkable all we can do is wish him the best... These with a fine turn and shot in the fourth minute in Sane then capped his superb Bayern debut haul of trophies and goals but ended with things happen in football, but I’ve always said what turned out to be a one-sided affair that with a fine finish from a counter attack in an the player barely featuring at the end of last he was a spectacular player.” stretched Bayern’s unbeaten run to 31 games this empty Allianz Arena, after the city banned spec- season. There will now be more expectation on year, having now won the last 22 matches in a tators due to rising coronavirus infection num- “I did not speak to him,” Zidane told a news Real’s joint-most expensive player, Eden row. Schalke, without a league win in 17 consecu- bers in the region. conference ahead of Real’s first game in La Hazard, although the Belgian is unlikely to tive matches since January, were helpless against A little later substitute Jamal Musiala drilled Liga away to Real Sociedad on Sunday, where feature against Real Sociedad. Hazard’s debut Bayern’s lightning-quick game and Leon in goal number eight to become the youngest ever they will begin their title defence. “But I know season at Real was marred by two ankle inju- Goretzka found plenty of space to drive a Bayern scorer in the league at 17 years old. The what he has done for this club. He always ries and other fitness troubles. Zidane said he low shot past keeper Ralf Faehrmann in the result piled more pressure on already-embattled proved his quality and what he has achieved would not rush him back to action. “We have 19th minute. Schalke coach David Wagner, who has been with the club cannot be argued with.” more time to prepare for the season and all he AP/RSS “You can see that the team was already strong under intense scrutiny during their winless run While Bale was key to Real winning the 2016 needs to do is ensure he gets to 100 or 120 per- Bayern’s Serge Gnabry shoots to score a goal. last season,” said Sane, who joined from this year. Champions League in Zidane’s first season, he cent fitness,” he said. HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) **** CANCER (June 22-July 22) *** LIBRA (September 23-October 22) **** CAPRICORN (December 22-January 19) ***** Acting impulsively is not only okay today, it’s highly Your upcoming plans are causing you to get a bit You could get some exciting news today, which You have lived long enough to know that nothing— encouraged! Caution has its place in your life, but distracted from your daily drudgery, which is to be means that you could be in a power position for a and no one—is perfect, so why are you holding your- not right now, so throw it to the wind! You are in a expected, but don’t let your focus on the future keep while at least. Get ready for some attention. Others self to such an impossibly high standard? You are safe place both emotionally and professionally, which you from getting the job done right today. Get your will look to you for the answers because it’s going to being far too demanding of yourself. Who you are means you could take a little risk. mind focused on the here and now. be obvious that you have them. right now is more than good enough.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) **** LEO (July 23-August 22) *** SCORPIO (October 23-November 21) *** AQUARIUS (January 20-February 18) *** Is someone in your life getting a bit too full of them- You might be thrown into a situation that you feel The fastest way to build your self-confidence is to try A recent compromise you made might appear to have selves? As much as you hate arrogance, you can’t let you’re not prepared for, but you are! Just relax and something that you’ve never tried before. Sure, it been a mistake, but you should give it a little more them push your buttons. They would just love to get you will charm. Getting nervous will only make you might be a little scary but when you rise to the chal- time before you try to undo what you did. Hindsight a reaction out of you, so why give them the satisfac- put up a wall that no one will want to try to vault lenge and blow everyone away, you will feel pretty might be 20/20, but having that clarity in retrospect is tion? over, so what’s the point? darn good about yourself ! not always a helpful thing.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21) **** VIRGO (August 23-September 22) ***** SAGITTARIUS (November 22-December 21) **** PISCES (February 19-March 20) *** Don’t let your actions be dictated by others’ expecta- Any conversation you have with an authority figure A new job opportunity could come your way, so if Your latest health concern should be addressed soon- tions today. Do whatever you feel is the right thing to should go very well, especially if you don’t brag too you want to reach out and grab it, just go for it! This er rather than later. Chances are it’s caused mostly do, no matter what anyone else says. Sure, you may be much. There is a time for tooting your own horn, but could involve a certain level of risk-taking on your by the stress you’ve been under lately. You need to accused of being selfish, but only by narrow-minded this is not it. Humility will earn you a lot more part, so if you’re not totally committed to making a start taking better care of yourself ! Start practicing people who are acting out of jealousy. respect than pride. change, you might want to let this chance go by. better habits. CROSSWORD SUDOKU

YESTERDAY’S SOLUTION

C M Y K SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2020 | 08 BLACKBOARD (C.R.P.D.) - 3/052/053 As the head hits the bed Nepal’s vulnerability to earthquakes USHA KIRAN

Now the dust settles and the lights are off Nepal, an earthquake-prone country, should adopt long-term, It’s time to go back home from this “cramped comfort” called work She waits for the last bus to arrive sustainable efforts to minimise the impact of quakes. Down the streets where hunger is never satisfied, ANUPA TIWARI The lights will go off any second now And it will be dark; finally somehow... arthquake disasters often cause The station, unknown, unnoticed, unseen damage to a huge number of Is the place that intersects her mind; physical infrastructure and kill many. Many people in our coun- Here, a place where she is smart and cool try still consider it as a natural Soon, a place where she’ll be cold and blue. mystery, but earth science has As the head hits the bed, I recall Erevealed its causes of existence. Simply, It’s difficult for me to cry sometimes, earthquakes are a sudden movement of the Maybe I’ve started to believe I’m fine, so strong earth’s crust accompanied by the release of energy that generate seismic waves and That I think I’ve built a bullet proof vest inside travel outward from the source in all direc- I don’t remember when was the last time I laughed, tions. The seismic wave causes the shaking Or the time I felt great in my life of the earth’s surface. Nepal lies in the I’ve always feared of being judged, centre of a 2,500km-long Himalayan range So trying too hard to find the “Correct Words” which originated due to the collision of the Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates. Thus I distance myself from my imperfections the entire Himalayan terrain and its sur- I mindlessly follow unspoken useless traditions yet, rounding is a highly active seismic zone. I am the “modern”, smart and bold girl The Himalayas are still rising by a few I am that “yes, sir”, “yes, ma’am”, “sure, why not?” centimetres per year as the Indian plate continues to move northward pushing the I do that, I am all that Eurasian plate. This plate collision process But I am also that invisible “jack of all... master of none” girl has made Nepal one of the earthquake Well it’s late now, I hope mom is doing okay, prone regions in the world. This explains But even if she isn’t, what can I do anyway? why destructive earthquakes often occur in POST FILE PHOTO Sure, I can call her and ask: Hey, mom. How are you today? the region. In fact, not only Nepal but but that had built up inside earth’s crust, there geological situation of the region, mostly the entire Himalayan terrain and its sur- remains a possibility of another earth- old, non-engineered buildings, increasing But it’s not like I can hold her arms and say: Look mom, your hair is gray! rounding regions belong to a highly active quake likely to occur to the south of the population, unplanned settlement, Just before I sleep, these voices force me up, seismic zone on the earth. Kathmandu valley. untrained human resources, lack of pre- Probably because I’ve turned to a person I never wanted to become The energy released during sudden Similarly, western Nepal is also consid- paredness as well coordination among dis- But I can only smile and sigh now ground motion comes from a continuous ered an earthquake prone region, as there aster management stakeholders are the Because no whisper will say: It’s all right darling, it’s quite okay. movement of tectonic plates that lies in the has not been a great earthquake there since reasons for the devastating consequences thick molten layer of the mantle. Plates the last 500 years ago. The long overdue has of earthquakes. slide around and travel up to 6 cm each made Nepal highly vulnerable to earth- From the recent destructive earthquake Kiran is a Bachelors in English student at year. Geological investigation in the quakes, according to research papers and of 2015, we came to know about our poor Padma Kanya Campus, Kathmandu. Himalayas has revealed that when the experts. But the point to be highlighted earthquake engineering research as the Indian and Eurasian plates collided, about here is that: despite the fact that the scien- earthquake didn’t occur in a predicted 55 million years ago, the continental crust tists are working hard, it has not been pos- region with its expected magnitude esti- of the Indian tectonic plate was forced sible to predict the exact date of earth- mated by the experts. This implies that under the Eurasian plate and is still sub- quake occurrence, which means we have to detailed studies and further technical ducting. When one giant plate tries to slide clearly demand preparedness activities, research work of earthquake engineering under another, stress is built upon the rock which are currently lacking. in our country is crucial to correctly pre- around the collision zone. Once the stress Some scientific reports show that as the dict the possibility of an earthquake and to exceeds the strength of the rocks then the Indian plate forcibly pushes towards the find solutions to reduce its impact. Nepal stored energy released in the form of seis- North, the Indian crust breaks itself into should adopt long-term, sustainable efforts mic waves and the area experiences imme- the lower and upper block along the Main to minimise the impact of earthquakes. diate seismicity. Himalayan thrust (MHT). Scientists say the Moreover, the government should make Time and again earthquakes in Nepal block below the MHT will slip to the north, new laws and policies like construction of have caused huge losses not only in terms beneath the Eurasian plate, and the upper earthquake resistant infrastructure, effec- of casualties and injuries but also in terms block will move to the south i.e. the Indian tive implementation of building code, of the economy. Some of the most devastat- plate and thus MHT emerges on the ground license system for engineers and other leg- ing earthquakes that hit Nepal were the at the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT). During islation. Also, mass awareness and prepar- great earthquake of 1934 (8.3magnitude); high magnitude earthquakes, movement edness, modern technology and strategic strong earthquakes of 1980 and 1988 (6.5 often occurs at MHT. The earthquake-in- communication, risk mapping, satellite magnitude) and major earthquake of 2015 duced movement along the MHT will ulti- mapping, earth observations are important (7.8magnitude). The most recent one we mately shake all the regions around MFT— tools and techniques in reducing disaster Nepalis experienced is the 2015 Gorkha which is exposed at the contact between the risk. With greater capacity in the level of earthquake whose epicentre was at the Terai and the Churia range. the individual, the community and the Barpak village of Gorkha district, about Nepal is on the top of earthquake-vulner- country itself, we can manage the disaster 181km north-west of Kathmandu. The able countries in the world. It is true in a way that significantly reduces the quake was followed by a number of after- that earthquakes do not kill people, impact of such natural hazards. shocks throughout Nepal with one shock rather weak physical infrastructures (resi- reaching 6.7 magnitudes As the Gorkha dential buildings, schools, colleges, hospi- Tiwari is a Bachelors in Science student at

SHUTTERSTOCK earthquake didn’t release all the stresses tals, etc.) do. In addition to the complex Trichandra Multiple Campus, Kathmandu. FICTION PARK A sleepless night The rain was getting heavier followed by the hailstorm. Despite the turmoil in the background, Krishna was lost in silence.

SUGAM GAUTAM

’ll drop Suju to his boarding school on my motorbike. Reema will assist me in run- ning our grocery shop.” Krishna was lost in his thoughts lying on the “Icemented chautari. The sun was slowly setting down the horizon. He had not yet managed to procure the eggs and pulses which Reema had asked him to get for Suju, their only child. The chirping of the birds returning to their nests distracted him. Krishna was sad this evening. It had just been a week since he received his salary. But it was already consumed. He had bought Reema a new sari and a cycle for Suju. The amount he had yet to pay to the shop had already exceeded and the shopkeeper had warned Krishna he would only give him stuff for cash now. But Krishna didn’t have enough money to buy what he was supposed to. He only has Rs 50. When he reached the shop, which was near his home, he asked the shop- keeper to give him a kilogram of pulses and five eggs, showing the 50 rupees note he had. The shopkeeper grumbled that the money wasn’t enough for what he wanted to buy. Krishna requested the shopkeeper to add the remaining money to his account. The shopkeeper denied. With a heavy heart, he reached home with just a couple of eggs and half a kilo- gram of pulses. There were only two eggs for the SHUTTERSTOCK family of three. It was Krishna who ised. But he could only afford a sari with whole world was supposed to be in a tomorrow, he mourned. didn’t eat. Maybe his paunch was packed his money. pleasant sleep, dreaming with their eyes The cigarette had already died up but with some other things. Maybe it was 11:43pm. Krishna took out a Khukuri It had just been a closed. Checking a cigarette in his pocket, the questions in his mind never stopped poverty? cigarette and walked out into the he rested himself on the floor. The little arising. That night, Krishna’s mind went wild. balcony. The first puff of the cigarette week since he received drizzle was turning into a rainstorm with “Suju will grow up one day. He must He asked himself a lot of questions but in warmed his cold heart but it did not last. time. It had been five years since he last have a good education to compete with reply, only silence came, followed by tears. The last smoke mixed up with the clouds, his salary. But it was repaired his house. Every summer, their the people around the globe. He may even Krishna used to console himself, “Good anguishment recurred, making him family of three shared a single bed on the demand a motorcycle when he grows up.” days will come”. But when? Had his heartsick. He used to hear clattering on already consumed ground floor to avoid the disturbance One after another, these thoughts both- father saved some property, he might have the first floor but it was not quite enough caused by the rain and the hailstorm ered him. been spared this suffering. His father died to distract his mind, which was full of upstairs. The clock struck 4am. Krishna, wiping of liver failure a few years ago due to frustration. Suddenly, he got lost in his his family by splinting logs in a furniture The rain was getting heavier followed the tears with his old muddy shirt, stood excessive consumption of alcohol. What thoughts. shop. Neither Reema was literate enough by the hailstorm. Despite the turmoil in on his feet. Lights were getting turned on little savings he had were spent on the “What about my dream of going to to earn more money. She had been work- the background, Krishna was lost in all over. He trudged towards his bed. Now, treatment of his alcoholic father. That Qatar and opening a grocery store after I ing as a peon at the school near their silence. He drew out the last stick of his he has to sleep well and strive in the early was the money he had saved to pursue the return? What about my dream of buying house. She somehow manages a little cigarettes from his pocket to ease his morning in order to feed his son, Suju and dream to fly to Qatar and earn a decent a motorcycle and dropping my son to his money by working all day to assist her annoyance. But how would a cigarette wife, Reema. living for his family. boarding school on the motorbike?” husband, Krishna. help? The water drops falling in front of 7am. Myna’s chirping served as an The night passed miserably for One after the other, these questions The roof had given up on this small him fuelled his trauma, increasing his alarm to him. The Sun has risen along Krishna. Tomorrow, he had to buy healthy arose in his mind. And they seemed to family too. As it started to drizzle out, urge to repair the roof. “How can I man- with his hope. Krishna strides towards food, full of protein, for his little son, never end. His alcoholic father had sold rain made its way into the small house. A age to fix this rusty house?” He raised the furniture shop, as usual, bidding a Suju. Suju was not as strong as other kids. away all their land to pay away debt. drop of water splashed on Krishna’s this question, but another question arose good-bye to his loved ones. Krishna’s promise to buy his wife a neck- Given he was only educated until the wrist. He pulled himself back to this real- in the nick of time that overshadowed the lace seemed to fade from his memory. It sixth standard, a decent job was hard to ity to get rid of those water droplets. It previous one. How can I think of repair- Gautam is an IT student at GMMC, was on her last birthday, he had prom- come by. He had been earning meals for was 1:10am already. By that time, the ing the house when there’s no food to eat Pokhara.

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