All major Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kathmandu on Sunday have given priority to a host of political, diplomatic, sociocultural and economic issues. The umbrella organisation of Nepali medical doctors, Nepal Medical Association, has announced a protest programme including imposing a shut down at hospitals and health facilities; and many newspapers have given the top priority to the issue today. As the fourth summit of BIMSTEC concluded in Kathmandu on Friday, follow-up stories relating to what Nepal will get from the regional body have been highlighted on the front pages.
Meanwhile, some contemporary political issues including the formation of lower level committees of Nepal Communist Party and interparty conflicts in some places have also got significant coverage.
Important
Doctors to shut down services
The Kathmandu Post reports in a three column lead story that the Nepal Medical Association has announced to shut down all the medical services except emergency care on Sunday as part of its phase-wise protests over some provisions of the newly enforced criminal code.
The new law has provisions of stringent actions against doctors if their negligence results in the death of patients. The doctors have been claiming that doctors’ negligence cannot be rightly measured; hence the provisions can be misused.
Meanwhile, the organisation will also demonstrations at Maitighar Mandala in Kathmandu and in front of district administration offices in other districts.
The doctors have also warned of returning their professional licences to the Nepal Medical Council during the protest, according to Rajdhani. The Council has issued licence to 22,000 doctors so far.
On the other hand, Nagarik claims in its lead story that the criminal code was drafted under the funding of international agencies and it is sure to serve their interests.
Kathmandu airport closed as Yeti Airlines plane overshoots runway
The runway of Tribhuvan International Airport remained shut for some hours after a Yeti Airlines aircraft overshot the runway while landing at around 8:30 pm yesterday, according to newspaper reports.
Five persons have sustained minor injuries in the accident, according to a snippet in Kantipur. The Himalayan Times informs that there were 21 passengers in the plane with call sign 9NAHW that came to Kathmandu from Nepalgunj.
The plane’s landing gear was damaged in the crash, according to The Kathmandu Post.
Ignored
Leaders’ love for foreign trips affects NCP unification process
Some key leaders of the ruling Nepal Communist Party are currently abroad, and it is affecting the formation of the party’s lower committees, according to Annapurna Post.
Of nine members of the party’s secretariat, Madhav Kumar Nepal is in the United States whereas Ishwar Pokharel has left for Poland and Lebanon. On the other hand, Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Narayan Kaji Shrestha are preparing to leave for India and China.
Govt bars regulatory bodies from distributing bonus
The government has amended a regulation of distributing bonus to staff, according to which regulatory bodies are barred from distributing bonus, Karobar reports in a four column story.
The amendment comes at a time when staff of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal were lobbying for the bonus. The Authority had already sent a proposal of distributing Rs 590,000 for the purpose. Now, the process has been halted, according to the report.
Dharan hospital overcrowded with parturition cases
The lead story of Kantipur says the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan is compelled to keep three patients in labour in a single bed as it has been overcrowded.
Currently, the hospital is admitting 60 to 80 patients for child birth every day. On the other hand, the hospital has begun construction of a new building for the parturition service. But, it is in limbo for past two years, according to the report.
TRC complains of lack of budget
The Truth and Reconciliation Commission, one of twin transitional justice bodies, has complained of lack of budget to carry out its assignment, Nepal Samacharpatra reports in a brief story.
The report quotes TRC member Madhavi Bhatta to say that the government allocated Rs 120 million to the Commission for this year, but it is yet to receive a single penny though one and half months have already passed since the commencement of new fiscal year.
Dang woman kills mother-in-law on witchcraft charge
Republica reports in a two column story that a woman in Dang district of Province 5 allegedly killed her 69-year-old mother-in-law accusing her of practising witchcraft.
Tanki Rawat of Dangisharan Rural Municipality-3 has already confessed to the crime, but said she did so as per the instruction of a shaman, according to the report.
Though the incident took place around two weeks ago, police arrested her only yesterday.
Interesting
Govt to offer subsidised loan to youth
The government is preparing to execute the provision it announced in the annual budged that youth will be given a subsidised loan upto Rs 700,000 against their academic certificates as collatgeral, The Himalayan Times reports.
To implement the provision, the Ministry of Finance has submitted the related guideline to the Cabinet for approval. After the approval, Nepal Rastra Bank will instruct banks and financial institutions in the country to issue loans, according to the report.
