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From the Kathmandu Press: Tuesday, April 2, 2019

Meteorological Forecasting Division not having a proper technology to predict the storm that killed dozens in Bara and Parsa district on Sunday has been featured in almost all national dailies on Tuesday. The news of heavy industrial damage has also been reported in Tuesday’s papers along with the government promising to help those affected by the storm.

Here is a summary of important, ignored and interesting stories from the front pages of national broadsheets:

Important

More radars would have helped avoid calamities

Kantipur, Annapurna Post, The Kathmandu Post and Republica report that Meteorological Forecasting Division (MFD) officials said there would have been enough time to take precautions if enough radars had been in place in the country.

Sunday’s storm, which left at least 27 persons dead and destroyed hundreds of houses, hit areas that were beyond 200 kilometres of the weather radar in Surkhet. The Surkhet radar was supposed to be the first of three that were being installed to keep the country safe from such weather incidents. The other two radars were to be installed in Palpa and Udayapur.

According to MFD, the storm that hit villages in Bara and Parsa on Sunday had a vertical direction of action. MFD currently uses satellite mapping, numerical analysis and data from neighbouring countries to forecast storms.

According to spokesperson of the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pravin Raj Aryal, it will take some months for the radar installation in Palpa and Udayapur.

 Government will take care of treatment and shelter: Cabinet

File: Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers

Gorkhapatra and Naya Patrika report that the Cabinet has said that the government would take responsibility of those affected by the wind storm that affected Bara and Parsa on Sunday evening. The Cabinet has said that it will contribute towards the treatment of the injured. The Cabinet has also formed a team to look into how many people were displaced by the storm and said that it will make sure that the government will put a roof over their head after the detailed report is submitted.

Ignored

Huge industrial lost expected in Bara and Parsa

The Himalayan Times reports that the windstorm that occurred in Bara and Parsa on Sunday night is likely to have inflicted a huge industrial loss.

Although there was no casualty reported from the industrial corridor of Bara and Parsa, industrial infrastructures have been destroyed. According to industrialists from the affected districts, the industrial corridors have seen huge loss of infrastructure as well as products.

Of the two, Parsa has seen major losses.

Anil Kumar Agrawal, vice-president of Birgunj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said most of the factory buildings in the industrial area were damaged by the windstorm. As the windstorm blew away roofs of some industrial buildings, products that were stored in buildings have been destroyed by the rain that followed the storm.

According to him, the food industry, in particular, has suffered a major share of the loss, with buildings and products ruined. The cement industry has also faced a similar fate. Meanwhile, industrial areas in Bara and Rautahat districts have witnessed little damage. Likewise, in Rautahat a few industrial workers were injured within the industrial corridor, but no infrastructure was damaged.

Institute of Foreign Affairs without chief for over a year

The Kathmandu Post reports that the government is struggling to appoint the executive director at the Institute of Foreign Affairs, country’s premier foreign policy think tank under the aegis of Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has remained without a chief for over a year.

Though three names were sent to the Cabinet three months ago, a decision is yet to be taken. In the absence of the executive director, the institution has largely remained inactive.

The post of the executive director of the institute has been lying vacant after Professor Panna Kaji Amatya died last year.

Interesting

File: Tenzing Hilary Airport in Lukla, Solukhumbu

Air service to Lukla to be operated from Manthali

The Kathmandu Post reports that Air service to Lukla in the Himalaya will be operated from Manthali Airport in Ramechhap from Tuesday as Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport will be partially closed for renovation.

The shift to Manthali will take off a lot of pressure from Tribhuvan International Airport as at least 90 takeoffs and landings will be transferred. Lukla, the gateway to Everest, accounts for 20 percent of the 500 daily flight movements at Kathmandu’s airport in the peak season.

Manthali, located 132 km northeast of Kathmandu, is a 5-hour drive. The airport is situated at an elevation of 474 metres above sea level and has a 518-metre runway.

Lichchhavi era statute found in Kirtipur

Republica reports that the Department of Archeology (DoA) on Monday verified that the Vishnu-Laxmi statue found while reconstructing an earthquake-hit temple in Kirtipur is from the Lichchhavi era (400-750 AD).

Locals of Kiritpur Municipality-6 were reconstructing the earthquake-hit Jalapadevi temple on Saturday when they found the statue of Hindu god of preservation Vishnu and his consort goddess of wealth Laxmi.

Initially, the locals were surprised after discovering the ancient looking statue a couple of feet under the ground on the temple premises. They had no idea how to respond to the discovery. It was only after a series of procedures including requests to the DoA for an inspection that the statue finally came to the attention of the department.

Spokesperson Kunwar added that the statue has been handed over to the local level for safekeeping.

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