KATHMANDU, May 21: The Ministry of Home Affairs on Wednesday instructed all the local bodies inside the Kathmandu Valley to seal off the entry points except essential services to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

A meeting of Chief District Officers, mayor of municipalities and metropolitan cities in the Valley and security personnel in the presence of Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, concluding that the valley is in high risk of the transmission given its density of population as the flow of people from outside the valley, took the decision to tighten the lockdown in the valley.

The Ministry has sent circular to all 18 local levels of Kathmandu Valley to implement the decision.

The mayors of the municipalities adjoining the Kathmandu Valley were

The lockdown would be further tightened at coordination with local levels, police and administration.

The ministry has also directed the security bodies to up the security measures at the entry points.

Likewise, a person will require to submit the RDT report before applying for a permit to enter the valley.

KATHMANDU, April 9: Hours after deciding to allow people stranded in Kathmandu to leave for their home town, the government has withdrawn the decision following objections from various quarters.

A meeting of the High-level Coordination Committee had earlier decided to allow the movement on Friday and Saturday.

“As the local and provincial government did not approve the idea, the decision to allow one-way movement of Friday and Saturday has been withdrawn,” the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers said.

KATHMANDU, March 31: The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has decided to feed the stray animals and birds during the nationwide lockdown.

As the fears of spread of COVID-19 disease grow, the government on Sunday extended the lockdown until April 7 after the fifth case was confirmed by the Health Ministry.

As people are confined to their homes and all stores, hotels and restaurants closed since March 24, the start of lockdown, the stray animals especially street dogs and birds have starved.

The Metropolitan will arrange foods to feed the starving animals, and for this, the fund it has sent to the wards will be used.

“The KMC has released extra funds of Rs 400 thousand to the large wards, Rs 300 thousand to the medium wards and more money to the smaller wards to be used for relief and associated works,” Mayor Shakya said.

“More money will be added to these funds if required,” he added.

A meeting held on Monday has also endorsed the COVID-19 Relief Distribution Standard, 2076 BS.

“The helpless, destitute and daily wage-earners living in the inner areas of KMC are in problem without food and essentials at present. This standard has been passed to provide a similar type of relief to all the needy people and families after their identification,” he added.

According to Mayor Shakya, the meeting decided to move forward in consultation with the bodies concerned to reach foodstuff to the homes of the needy and to make the supply system smooth and easier.

Likewise, the meeting has decided to look for space for building quarantine facilities that can accommodate up to 500 people. It has also decided to make the technology-based system more effective for monitoring the COVID-19 situation.

The Metropolitan has stated that it would adopt stringent measures to reduce the movement of people in the inner parts of the city.

(With inputs from RSS, Photo: Amit Shrestha/Facebook)

KATHMANDU, Feb 17: Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli Monday launched a project to move the overhead electric cables of the Kathmandu Valley underground.

Under the first phase of the project, the electric, telephone and internet cables in Maharajgunj and Ratnapark areas will be moved underground.

The government plans to manage the overhead cables of other parts of the city in the next phases.

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) is executing the project at the direction of Energy, Water Resource and Irrigation Ministry.

“Once the work of moving the overhead cables underground is over, the city will look beautiful,” said PM Oli after inaugurating the project in Maharajgunj.

According to NEA Managing Director Kulman Ghising, they are planning to install the optical fiber of 11,000 voltage capacity in 250 kilometers area covering Baluwatar, Panipokhari, Budanilkantha, Tokha, Gongabu, Samakhusi, Dhapasi, Basundhara, Shivapuri, Chunikhel, Sukedhara, Dharmasthali and Teaching hospital.

Likewise, 400 kilometers of cables from the areas including Ratnapark, Bagbazar, Putalisadak, New Road, Anamnagar, Jamal, Lainchaur, Thamel, Naksal, Sorakhutte, Tripureshwar, Teku, Thapathali, Maitighar, Sindhadurbar, Lazimpat, Gaushala, Tribhuvan International Airport, Baneshwor, Chabahil, Boudhha, Jorpati will go underground under the project. 200 km optical fiber will be installed in the area.

According to Ghising, the government is spending around Rs 7 billion for the project.

KATHMANDU, Feb 3: The government is relocating 18 petrol pumps built near the streets and turning points in Lalitpur and Kathmandu as part of its plan to improve road and manage traffic.

The Office of Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers (OPMCM) has already directed the Nepal Oil Corporation and Metropolitan Traffice Police Division to take necessary steps to relocate them, according to OPMCM vice-secretary Chabi Rijal.

According to Rijal, the following petrol pumps are being relocated.

FROM KATHMANDU:

Kot Thuku Petrol Pump, Balaju

Jyanti Petrol Pump, Thapathali

Kanak Petrol Pump, Kalimati

Mayaram Bholaram Petrol Pump, Thapathali

Baba Petrol Pump, Kalanki

Shyama Petrol Pump, Kalanki

Trishul Petrol Pump, Kalanki

Valley Rikesh Petrol Pump, Koteshwor

Kamakhya Petrol Pump, Koteshwor

Jubi Petrol Pump, Bouddha

Baral Petrol Pump, Bouddha

Sita Petrol Pump, Maharajgunj

FROM LALITPUR:

Bajrabarahi Petrol Pump, Chapagaun

Balkumari Petrol Pump, Chapagaun

Tika Bhairaj Disel Store, Chapagaun

Sajha Petrol Pump, Jawalakhel

HP Internationa, Jawalakhel

Gayatri Petrol Pump, Jawalakhel

KATHMANDU, Sept 25: The Agricultural Development Bank’s branch located in Lahan has been robbed of over 10.4 million Nepalese rupees (NRs).

It was robbed by a hacker says the local police.

They also state that a group of hackers is involved in this crime and they executed this robbery by transferring over 10.4 million Nrs from the Lahan branch to Kathmandu.

More details are awaited in this case. We will provide more information as this case develops.

KATHMANDU, Sept 23: The ruling Nepal Communist Party and the Communist Party of China share an unbroken bond of ideology. It is because of a similar thought that the two are able to collaborate and be in affable terms with one another.

For the past year or so the relationship between the two parties has significantly increased. While many leaders from Nepal representing the ruling party have visited China, the same has been witnessed in Nepal from their Chinese counterpart. It has also organized mutual programs for both its cadres.

The Nepal Communist Party and the Communist Party of China will be organizing a joint training program beginning today in Kathmandu.

Mr. Song Tao senior Diplomat and head of the International Liason Department of the Communist Party of China has arrived in the capital to preside over the training program.

200 cadres of the Nepal Communist Party will be participating in this joint training program along with 40 caders of the Communist Party of China. Many cadres of the Nepal Communist Party had vied for inclusion which was a tough call. There were internal disputes within the NCP regarding the selection of cadres for the training program. Many leaders from the NCP have close ties with their counterparts of the Communist Party of China.

China is seen to be rapidly expanding its influence in Nepal, and this joint training program will further strengthen the scope of relations between the two political parties. With a 2/3rd majority, the Nepal Communist party is the single largest party with a stronghold over administration while at the same time China has a one-party system, and they have direct control over the entire administrative affairs.

China is rapidly rising toward being one of the richest economies of the world and its relationship with Nepal will be advantageous and will influence several outcomes. With this in mind, the current ruling Nepal Communist Party leaders are intermingling taking advantage of the shared ideals between the two parties through these programs.

(Photo Source: CPN Website)

KATHMANDU, March 27: Kathmandu has been ranked 19th out of 25 world’s best tourism destinations for the year 2019.

The world’s so far the largest travel site of the Unites States, tripadvisor.com, has included Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu in the list of 25 best tourism destinations for the year 2019.

The website provides comprehensive information about travel and possible visiting sites to the tourists. The website has incorporated Nepal’s capital surrounded by a valley full of historic sites, ancient temples, shrines, and fascinating villages in the list of prime tourism destinations.

Mingle with locals and animals amid Durbar Square’s monuments, or join mountain trekkers in the bustling Thamel District. Explore shops for exquisite work by local artisans—carpets are some of the activities tourists like most in Nepal.

Garden of dreams, Kopan Monastery, Pashupati Nath and er prints are specialties of Nepal for tourists.

United Kingdom’s capital London has been ranked the first followed by Paris of France and Rome of Italy. RSS

AMBULANCES, BUSES GIFTED TO HOSPITALS, CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS

KATHMANDU, Aug 15: The 71^st Indian Independence Day  was celebrated at the premises of the Embassy of India on Tuesday in Kathmandu amid special ceremony.

On the occasion, Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Manjeev Singh Puri gifted 30 ambulances and 6 buses to various hospitals, non-profit charitable organizations and educational institutions of different districts to strengthen education and health services in Nepal in a reaffirmation on the commitment of the Government of India’s support to Nepal in its journey towards development.

The Embassy also distributed cheques worth NRS 57 million and blankets to 15 widows, next of kins and 2 wards of deceased soldiers of Indian Armed Forces. The Embassy also donated books to 61 libraries, educational and training institutions located in different regions of Nepal, including in remote districts.

Since 1994, the Government of India has gifted 632 ambulances to various organizations across 73 districts in Nepal.  This has helped in bringing healthcare services to the doorstep of thousands of people who do not have easy access to health centers.

India has also so far gifted 124 buses to various educational and welfare institutions, making access to education easier for thousands of students.

The function was attended by Embassy officials, their families, members of the Indian community and other guests. The ceremony concluded with a performance by the Nepal Army Band.

Photos: Mukunda Kalikote

KATHMANDU, June 23: The government is planning to lay the electric devices and structures including the cables underground as such unplanned infrastructures are worsening the beauty of the metropolis.
The Ministry of Energy is forwarding the process to make such electric structures undergrounded at Maharajgunj and Ratnapark Power Distribution Centre as the pilot project.

After the implementation of the prgramme, the accidents caused by such unplanned structures are expected to be lessened.

The project is going to be launched with the loan and grant support from the Asian Development Bank under the power extension and distribution capacity increment project, the Energy Ministry sources said.

It is stated that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has also committed to support the project.
Minister for Finance Gyanendra Bahadur Karki shared that the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank has committed to invest Rs 10 billion for the project.

The government is going to launch the project as power leakage and risk of accidents were increasing due to lack of timely reform in power supplies in the capital for past two decades.

After witnessing such worsening situation, the government is launching the project with the support of the donor agencies and foreign aid. RSS