Newspapers published in Kathmandu on Monday have published reports related to a variety of social, political economic issues. The fire in Kalikot has received considerable attention along with the CIAA’s filing of corruption cases against six civil servants. Here’s a summary of important, ignored and interesting reports that made it to the front pages on Tuesday:
Important
Fire destroys 87 houses in Kalikot
Kantipur, Nagarik, Rajdhani, The Himalayan Times carry stories of the Kalikot which broke out on Sunday night in Patala Rural Municipality destroying 87 houses and injuring seven. Police, along with the locals, put out the fire on Monday afternoon due to a shortage of water
The fire started from the house of Nabin Neupane before spreading around the area. As all houses had thatched roofs, the fire spread in no time. A large number of cattle lost their lives in the fire. The local administration believes that the fire destroyed property worth Rs 30 million. Police say they were informed quite late because the village doesn’t have proper communication facilities.
16 government staff booked for corruption
The Himalayan Times and Republica report that the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority has filed cases at the Special Court against 16 people, including six from the Land Revenue Office, Chabahil. They were booked on the charge of selling around two ropani eight-aana land in Budhanilkantha by creating a fake owner and forging land ownership certificates while keeping the rightful owner in the dark.
Kamal Prasad Timilsina, Khangendra Prasad Aryal, Ram Prasad Subedi, Ranjan Kumar Kharel, Jamuna Kumari Shrestha and Hari Khadka have been accused of altering official record to help Raju Thapa Magar obtain fake land ownership certificate.
Ignored
Kathmandu air crosses dangerous level
The Kathmandu Post reports that Kathmandu’s air quality has reached hazardous levels. The story says how the government had not done anything despite the Supreme Court’s orders to curb air pollution. Article 30 (1) of the constitution guarantees citizens’ right to live in a clean environment. However, that hasn’t been the case for the past few years.
The report states that even healthy people are showing symptoms and people with respiratory or heart disease are being significantly affected due to pollution.
10,000 households yet to receive grants
Rajdhani reports that over 10,000 households in Kavrepalanchowk who lost their house to the 2015 earthquake are yet to receive the first installment of their grants. According to the report, the District Project Implementation Unit (DPIU) hasn’t been able to locate them.
DPIU’s, Grant Management Office in Kavre shares that 30 per cent of the houses built in the area followed National Reconstruction Authority’s guidelines. A total of 82,833 families were eligible for the grand out of which 71,978 families have received their first installment.
EPG member Upreti passed away
Annapurna Post reports that Eminent Persons Group member from the Indian side Bhuwan Chandra Uprety passed away on Monday. Uprety, who was also an expert on India-Nepal relations, died in course of treatment at Eternal Multispecialty Hospital Jaipur in India.
Uprety was appointed as the member of EPG on Nepal-India Relations in February 2016. The EGP has already prepared its report which seeks to redefine Nepal-India relations in the changed political reality.
However, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have yet to receive the report.
Interesting
Women attendants on a night bus
Kantipur in its two-column story, reports that the Myagdi-Korla Yatayat on its Kathmandu-Beni route has added two female attendants to cater to the needs of their passengers. Kusum Rana and Rashu Rayamajhi serve passengers coffee and tea. The paper reports that the duo is confident about their safety and want others to follow suit.
