Kathmandu Metropolitan City buldozzing the shops built at Khulamanch has been reported in all major newspapers along with the news of an ‘unknown’ disease killing nine people in 19 days in Humla.
Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the front pages of national broadsheets:
Important
Khulamanch shops bulldozed
Rajdhani, Nepal Samacharpatra, The Himalayan Times, Republica, Nagarik, Kantipur and The Kathmandu Post report that the unauthorised shops and sheds at Khulamanch — where the local bus park had temporarily been shifted — in the heart of the central capital have been bulldozed on Saturday.
These sheds and shops were constructed on public land grabbed by an individual who then rented them out to others for operating shops. Forty-three such structures with shutters were demolished in the presence of security personnel, the Chief District Officer of Kathmandu district, Kathmandu Metropolitan City mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya, and local people’s representatives.
The move comes amid public pressure against the construction of those structures for business purpose.
KMC said it demolished the structures upon the directive from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu.
Nine die of unknown disease in Humla
Gorkhapatra and Nagarik report that nine people have died due to an unknown disease in Tanjakot Rural Municipality of Humla district. More than a dozen others have been taken ill. Those affected by it have shown symptoms such as headache, dizziness, chest pain and fever, before succumbing to it.
Majority of those who died were also found suffering from asthma or respiratory problems, according to the rural municipality chair Bagchal Chatyal Malla. It has been noted that elderly people and children have been most affected.
However, Naya Patrika reports that people are dying because they do not have access to proper medicines. Doctors in Kathmandu think that the people might be suffering from swine flu. The government hasn’t been able to send doctors and medicines because it ‘doesn’t have helicopters.’
Bhandari and Xi meet
Kantipur reports that President Bidya Devi Bhandari met Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday. Chinese President Xi welcomed various Heads of State and Government attending the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation to a ‘Leaders’ Roundtable’ on Saturday. Xi said that he was impressed with Nepal’s progress and said that China would help Nepal to reach the next step with the help of the Belt and Road initiative.
Ignored
Ploy to save Bishnu Paudel
Nagarik reports that measures are being taken to drag NCP general secretary Bishnu Paudel away from the Lalita Niwas land case. Minister for Land Reform and Management Padma Kumari Aryal has said that the government will not seize the land purchased by the ruling Nepal Communist Party General Secretary Bishnu Paudel at Lalita Niwas arguing that the land was transferred in the name of Poudel’s son Nabin from the landowner legally.
Many believe that Paudel is being spared because he is a ruling party member and that that has resulted in the case being thrown in limbo.
Concrete building built instead of eco-friendly cottages
Kantipur reports that Chandragiri Hills Limited, which took a permission from the government to build environment-friendly cottages in Bhaleswar Danda, instead constructed concrete buildings around the area. The government, after going through Environmental Impact Assessment report, had given permission to construct 40 eco-friendly cottages. However, Chandragiri Hills Limited has built eight concrete buildings instead.
Traffic jam expected on Everest
Republica reports that Everest climbers are likely to face a serious traffic problem on the slopes of the world’s highest mountain this spring. A record number of people have received climbing permission from the Tourism Ministry for the spring climbing season. As of now, 375 climbers have received permission from the Department of Tourism Management (DoTM), the body that handles the mountaineering industry. The number of permits issued for Everest is the highest issued in a season so far, according to tourism officials.
The spring climbing season has already started. Some climbers have reached Everest Base Camp for acclimatisation. Climbing expedition firms are still lined up at the department for permission for still more climbers. So the number is likely to increase by another 10 or 12.
Interesting
Nothing done to create special, protected or autonomous regions
The Himalayan Times reports that although the government drafted dozens of bills and created multiple structures to implement the constitution, it failed to create special, protected or autonomous regions, a key provision of the constitution aimed at empowering marginalised and vulnerable communities.
The Balananda Paudel-led Local Levels Restructuring Commission, which was to create special, protected or autonomous regions, failed to do so when it submitted its report to the government, recommending the number of local levels across the country. Article 56 (5) states that any special, protected or autonomous region can be set by the federal law for social, cultural protection or economic development.
Tatopani border to reopen in May
Republica reports that the government has expedited preparations to reopen Tatopani border point between Nepal and China that has been closed for the last four years following the devastating 2015 earthquake.
According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, the border point is going to be reopened as soon as the dry port at Larcha, Tatopani, is handed over to the Nepal government. The port being constructed with the support of the Chinese government is scheduled to be handed over to Nepal on May 20.
Forced labour practice still prevalent in Nepal
The Kathmandu Post reports that a total of 31,338 individuals are in forced labour in Nepal, according to the Labour Force Survey 2017-18 unveiled by the Central Bureau of Statistics.
The assessment of forced labour in the country was done in line with the Convention 29 of the International Labour Organisation, a United Nations body, which has suggested the guidelines regarding the measurement of the forced labour. The statistics bureau said it is the first time that it has conducted the survey on forced labour and Nepal is one of the first countries in the world to do so in the national survey.
In the last five years, 61,252 individuals were found to be in forced labour in different times, according to the survey.
Govt to wave 35 per cent off registration fee on new woman-owned business
Nepal Samacharpatra reports that the government, to promote more women entrepreneurs, has decided to waive off 35 per cent of the registration fee. The government is also bringing programs to revive old industries and form policies for the stability of current industries. The government has also said that it will close down all businesses which are running without registering.
