WITHOUT F EAR OR FAVOUR Nepal’s largest selling English daily Vol XXVIII No. 243 | 8 pages | Rs.5 O O Printed simultaneously in Kathmandu, Biratnagar, Bharatpur and Nepalgunj 34.4 C 0.5 C Friday, October 30, 2020 | 14-07-2077 Bhairahawa Jumla POST PHOTO: DEEPAK KC Mountains on the Kathmandu horizon are seen in this view captured from Chobhar on a clear autumn day. Naravane visit a positive step to No risk communication strategy yet as repair ties but has little to do with Covid-19 infections and death toll soar ARJUN POUDEL those outside welcomed the decision, “In medicine, students are taught KATHMANDU, OCT 29 saying that the daily count of corona- ‘to do no harm’,” a doctor at the minis- virus infections and resulting deaths, try told the Post. “People were infuri- boundary dispute, experts say The Health Ministry has stopped daily along with advisories related to the ated at the way messages were given Covid-19 briefings starting Thursday, pandemic had enraged people as the in the daily briefings, even if they and adopted a biweekly reporting—on briefings carried nothing, reminding were correct and scientific. We were Indian Army chief is arriving in Kathmandu next week amid frosty relations between Nepal Sundays and Wednesdays. the general public of the government’s actually doing more harm than good.” Doctors within the ministry and failure to contain the pandemic. >> Continued on page 2 and India and on the heels of the controversy over the trip of a top Delhi spy last week. ANIL GIRI Naravane’s visit will now take place KATHMANDU, OCT 29 on the heels of the controversy over the Oli-Goel meeting. As Indian Army chief General MM According to Brigadier General Naravane is all set to arrive on a three- Santosh Ballav Poudyal, spokesperson day official visit on November 4, all for the Nepal Army, some symbolic eyes are now on the outcome of his military assistance is expected to be visit, mostly the status of the bounda- announced during Naravane’s visit ry dispute between Nepal and India, but the exact nature of the Indian mil- which has emerged an irritant in the itary support is yet to be known. bilateral relations since November But besides strengthening mili- last year, and how military, security tary-to-military relations and upgrad- and strategic ties between Nepal and ing strategic ties, Poudyal said that he India will move on. is not aware whether the issue of Though Naravane’s visit is a cus- boundary dispute between the two tomary one—in line with the countries will be discussed during the long-standing tradition of receiving meeting between Chief of Army Staff the honorary title of the chief of General Purna Chandra Thapa and Nepal Army—a section of the General Naravane. Kathmandu-based intelligentsia has At least two officials familiar with found a new perspective, given the the developments said since the frayed ties and Naravane’s statement armies of the two countries do not a few months ago. directly deal with or discuss boundary Back in May, Naravane said that disputes as such matters fall under the Nepal was objecting to India’s opening PHOTO COURTESY: PTI jurisdiction of political and diplomat- of the road link via Lipulekh at the Indian Army chief MM Naravane ic leaderships, chances are that behest of “someone else”. Though he General Thapa will discuss the matter did not name any country, it was appar- though both sides have expressed unofficially. ent that he was alluding to China. their interests to hold diplomatic talks But the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Experts on foreign policy matters to address the issue, nothing concrete that will prepare the “talking points” and strategic affairs say that Nepal has taken place so far. for Prime Minister Oli, who is also in and India are having some structural “Nepal and India are having several charge of the Defence Ministry, is like- problems in their bilateral ties so structural problems since then, but we ly to include the boundary issue for until they are resolved or addressed, have not seen any concrete steps taken the prime minister’s November 6 the boundary dispute is unlikely to be by both sides to overcome these prob- meeting with the visiting general. resolved. Nepal should carefully handle lems. Until these structural problems Foreign policy analysts say it has its diplomacy while dealing with such a are addressed, bilateral ties will not be now become apparent that both sensitive issue, according to them. normalised,” Khatri told the Post. Kathmandu and Delhi have realised “Military-to-military contacts “The Indian army chief ’s visit is there is a need to mend fences between Nepal and India have just one-way communication; not for and move ahead, as Nepal and India remained intact even during difficult dialogue. Our leadership needs to share a unique relationship. times in the past,” said Prof Sridhar make careful statements and moves According to them, the Indian Army Khatri, who headed three think tanks on such sensitive matters.” chief ’s visit is not enough to improve based in Kathmandu and Colombo in Since November last year, when ties, especially because he is arriving the past. “But the way Naravane spoke India in its new political map showed in Kathmandu for a different and about boundary disputes between Kalapani, Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura customary purpose. Nepal and India was a strong message within its borders, Nepal has sent four “There is no need to make a fuss he delivered on behalf of the govern- diplomatic notes to Delhi seeking about what Naravane had said,” said ment of India.” talks to settle the dispute. After India’s Ramesh Nath Pandey, a former foreign Naravane’s statement in mid-May reluctance to sit for talks, the Oli gov- minister. “Oli, however, may use some came amid rising tensions between ernment issued a new map of Nepal subtle language to convey the message Nepal and India after Delhi inaugurat- incorporating the territories within that Kathmandu wants to address the ed a road link via Lipulekh to Kailash Nepal’s borders. misunderstandings through talks.” Mansarovar in the Tibet Autonomous Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli Some in Nepal have not only ques- Region of China. In response, the Oli earned praise for the move from tioned Naravane’s visit at this time administration unveiled a new politi- across the political spectrum. But last but also called for its cancellation in cal map of Nepal depicting Kalapani, week, Oli’s “nationalistic” credentials view of his May remarks. Lipulekh and Limpiyadhura as parts suddenly came into question. Bipin Adhikari, a former dean of of the Nepali territory. The Oli gov- On October 21, Samant Kumar Goel, Kathmandu School of Law, who often ernment then subsequently got the chief of India’s foreign intelligence writes commentaries on wide-ranging map endorsed by Parliament. agency, arrived in Kathmandu and issues, has called for cancelling Ties between Kathmandu and Delhi held one-on-one talks with Oli at Narvane’s visit. have remained frosty since. Even Baluwatar. The meeting was con- Adhikari wrote on Twitter earlier firmed by Baluwatar, but what this week: “The govt should cancel transpired between them this visit immediately. We have a bor- remains a mystery. der dispute. He has spoken badly Analysts were quick to raise about Nepal.This is a dispute that questions if Oli has given up on needs to be resolved at the political his stance that relations between level. Why talk to the army? How can the two countries should be guid- such people be given an honorary ed and dealt with at the political rank? What does that mean in the int’l and diplomatic levels. Even some community?” members of Oli’s Nepal Surya Raj Acharya, a former leader Communist Party (NCP) includ- of Sajha Party Nepal, who has over ing Bhim Rawal and Narayan 250,000 followers on Twitter, also Kaji Shrestha have objected to wrote a message in the similar vein. Oli’s meeting with Goel. >> Continued on page 2 C M Y K FRIDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2020 | 02 NATIONAL No risk communication strategy yet as Covid-19 ... >> Continued from page 1 In the initial stage of the pandemic, Public health experts say that lack authorities tested the infected people of public trust in the authorities is more than a dozen times and now they responsible for people not taking the have stopped testing. All infected peo- health warnings seriously. And a lack ple were taken to hospital isolation in of risk communication strategy is to the beginning, but now thousands of blame for communication misfire in patients are left at home and authori- many instances, according to them. ties are not even asking about their Even after nine months since Nepal health conditions. reported its first coronavirus case, the Of the 38,952 active cases on Health Ministry has yet to introduce a Thursday, around 30,000 are in home risk communication strategy. isolation. And no one is inquiring “We have completed the drafting of about their health conditions, officials both risk communication strategy and admit. guidelines and forwarded them to the “People started panicking in the Health Ministry for review,” Dabal initial stage when there was little or BC, an official at the Epidemiology no risk,” said Dr Radhika Thapaliya, a and Disease Control Division, told the risk communication expert. “Now Post. “Both the strategy and the guide- there is more risk, but people are not lines will come into effect once they’re taking the risks seriously. This all endorsed by the Health Ministry.” happened due to the failure to commu- Health Ministry spokesperson Dr nicate properly.” Jageshwor Gautam had urged the pub- A risk communication strategy nec- lic to take the blessings of elderly essarily entails communication based people by phone, to wear old clothes, on trust between experts, authorities wear masks, maintain distance, visit and the people who are affected.