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Three Chinese nationals have been arrested in connection with the recent gold smuggling case on Tuesday.

A team of the Central Investigation Bureau nabbed the trio while they were about to board a flight to China from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

The team had also recovered Rs 3.1 million in cash from their possession.

According to a CIB source, three Chinese nationals were apprehended in connection with the gold smuggling case earlier also.

But they were released later due to lack of evidence.

So far, police have detained 23 persons including Indian, Chinese and Nepali nationals in connection with the gold smuggling case.

The Department of Revenue Investigation on June 18 had seized around one quintal gold that had passed the airport customs undetected.

Nine years after signing a power trade agreement (PTA) with India, Nepal is preparing for the same agreement with its northern neighbor. Nepal and China are expected to sign a bilateral power trade agreement during Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal's forthcoming China visit. Prime Minister Dahal is set to visit the northern neighbor in the last week of September.

A senior official of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) said that preparations are now being made to sign a power trade agreement with China during Dahal’s visit. According to him, the agendas of the visit are being prepared in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation. “There is still about a month left for the Prime Minister’s visit to China. The agenda has not been finalized. However, we are planning to conclude the PTA with China during his visit,” he said.

Prime Minister Dahal himself has said that a PTA will be signed during his China visit. Addressing a public function in Chitwan on Saturday, Dahal said there will be a new power trading agreement with China and soon, also with Bangladesh. 

In the last five years, there has been more engagement between Nepal and China in energy sector cooperation. Both countries signed a memorandum of understanding on energy cooperation on 21 June 2018. During Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Nepal visit in October 2019, both countries agreed to bring into full play the Joint Implementation Mechanism (JIM) on Nepal-China Cooperation in the energy sector. Both sides agreed to jointly carry out Nepal-China Electric Power Cooperation Plan and make the plan as an important reference for the next step of bilateral electric power cooperation and promote its implementation.

In the first meeting of the Joint Working Group formed for energy cooperation between Nepal and China in the last week of February this year, the Chinese side formally made a proposal to purchase electricity from Nepal. The northern neighbor wants to purchase power for its autonomous state Tibet which borders Nepal. According to Nepali officials, China wants to import electricity from Nepal, especially for the winter season.

Apart from PTA, Nepal is also proposing one more cross-border transmission line between the two countries during Dahal’s visit. According to NEA officials, there is a proposal to construct a 400 KV transmission line at Kimathanka-Arun point.

While China has sought electricity for the winter season, Nepal currently is not in a position to supply power to the northern neighbor mainly due to a lack of cross-border transmission line between the two countries.

Currently, both countries are doing homework to construct the 400 KV transmission line connecting Nepal and China. The NEA has already completed a feasibility study of the proposed Ratamate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung Transmission Line Project. NEA Engineering Company, a subsidiary of NEA, is taking charge of the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the project.

The construction of the proposed 400 kV transmission line from Ratamate (Nepal) to Kerung (China) will form a basis for power trading between Nepal and China in the years to come, according to NEA. According to NEA officials, since India does not buy electricity generated by projects where Chinese investors and contractors are involved, the Ratamate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung Transmission Line Project will be vital for attracting Chinese investment with the objective of selling power to China.

Energy Ministry sources said that the construction and investment modality of the Ratamate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung Transmission Line Project will be finalized during the Prime Minister’s visit.

The Nepal section of the trans-Himalayan transmission line will have a length of 70 km and 212 towers. The feasibility study of the project has shown that an investment of Rs 13bn is required to build the transmission line of the Nepal section. Officials said the 70km project which can carry 5,000MW of electricity would open the door for power trade between Nepal and China.

According to a Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) official, both countries during the February meeting had agreed to study how much electricity Nepal can be supplied to Tibet in winter and how much power Tibet can purchase.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 31. 80 points to close at 2,045.44 points on Tuesday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 6. 29 points to close at 391. 84 points.

A total of 5,603,179-unit shares of 278 companies were traded for Rs 2. 15 billion.

Meanwhile, Emerging Nepal Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 5. 18 percent. Likewise, Himalayan Distillery Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 7. 69 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 06 trillion.

Conjunctivitis cases are on the rise, and it is mostly affecting school children. Also known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is commonly caused by adenovirus but it can also be caused by other viruses, bacteria and allergic reactions. Sabitri Dhakal of ApEx talked with Dr Dipak Kumar Sah, consultant optometrists and general secretary of Nepalese Association of Optometrists (NAO), to learn more about the infection and its treatment. Excerpts:  

What is conjunctivitis?

Conjunctivitis is a communicable disease that causes inflammation of the conjunctiva, a thin layer of tissue on the inside of the eyelids. It can be caused by a viral, bacterial, protozoan or allergic infection. The disease has been fast spreading across the country.

What are the symptoms?

Reddening of the eyes, swelling of the conjunctiva, increased tear production, feeling like there is a presence of foreign particles in the eyes, swelling, itching, irritation and or burning, pus or mucus discharge are some of the common symptoms. People can first suffer from fever or later conjunctivitis can be seen in the eyes or vice versa as viral infection can affect anywhere first.

Why is it spreading?

Incessant rainfall, floods, increased moisture in the air have fuelled the spread of the disease. There is no sufficient sunlight and this is giving a perfect environment and temperature for the virus to grow and multiply. It is spreading very quickly. 

Who is more infected?

Anyone with low immunity can be infected. Long infection can affect the cornea, which can affect one’s vision. Therefore, when people are infected with conjunctivitis, they must visit the ophthalmologist. Use of antibiotics is strictly prohibited. Also eye drops with steroids are harmful for the eyes. People must not buy the drugs over the counter to treat conjunctivitis. 

What are the best ways for prevention?  

Isolate yourself. Do not send children to school when they have conjunctivitis. Practice public health measures. Wash hands often with soap and water, and help young children do the same. Avoid touching or rubbing eyes. Avoid sharing personal items such as towels, eye glasses. Take a rest. Drink plenty of water. Visit an ophthalmologist.  

The National Examinations Board has prepared to publish the results of grade 12 by this evening.  The exams were held on May 9-19.

The Board said the results will be published by this evening with the possibility of the postponement only in the case of technical issues.

A total of 467,389 students from 1,457 exam centers across the country had participated in the exams. 

According to the Board, this year, over 56,000 took the exams for grade improvement. 

The grade sheet is available if the student secures a minimum of 34 percent marks in theory for each subject.

Last year, only 49 percent of students were eligible to obtain the grade sheets.

According to the Board, the results will be accessible through its official website and Nepal Telecom's various platforms.

One is requested to visit the Board's website www.neb.gov.np or Nepal Telecom's website www.neb.ntc.net.np to view the results.

Likewise, it will be obtained by dialing 1600 or by sending a text to 1601 of the Nepal Telecom.

The gold is being traded at Rs 111, 300 per tola in the domestic market on Tuesday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 110, 750 per tola.

Similarly, the silver is being traded at Rs 1,380 per tola today.

Three school girls have gone missing in Pokhara since yesterday.

The girls in school dress had left home for school on Monday, but neither did they reach school nor returned home, the parents said, urging all concerned for cooperation to find them.

Manika Pariyar (14), Alisha Pariyar (13) and Radhika Pariyar (14) of Bindhyabasini, Pokhara Metropolitan City-2 went out of contact while going to school, according to the District Police Office, Kaski.

Radhika and Manika are the students of Rastriya Secondary School while Alisha is the student of Barpatan Secondary School.

Although the parents briefly talked to Radhika and Manika by phone, it was not clear where and how they were.

The parents lodged applications at the police office, seeking cooperation to search for the missing girls.

Information Officer and DSP at District Police Office Shravan Kumar BK said that police had intensified search for the school girls.

They had not gone to their relatives' home either, he added.

Four persons died when a jeep they were traveling in met with an accident in Sipkopahira of Mugu on Monday.

Two among the deceased have been identified as Ram Pariyar of Sharkegad Rural Municipality-2 and Prakash Bohara of Simkot Rural Municipality-2, Humla.

The identities of the two others are yet to be ascertained.

DSP Mahesh Basnet of the District Police Office, Mugu said that the jeep (Ga 1 Ja 7762) was heading towards Mugu from Shorukot when the tragedy occurred yesterday.

There were nine passengers including the driver in the jeep.

Two died on the spot while two others breathed their last during the course of treatment at the Tarapani Basic Health Post, police said.

Three persons including the jeep driver were injured seriously in the incident, DSP Basnet said.