Submit your Article

Remember the self-styled civil society’s movement over the decades after the establishment of multiparty democracy with constitutional monarchy in 1990? The movement used to create waves, on the streets of the Kathmandu Valley in particular, after each instance of attack from the powers of the yore on cherished ideals like democracy and human rights. Vignettes from the ‘show of strength’ on the streets may still be fresh in the minds of many of those who were growing up, graying or in their prime in the late 1990s or the mid-2000s. Campaigners representing the movement hitting the streets and excesses of the state during those demonstrations used to fuel further the movement for those ideals. In the initial phase of such protests, political parties used to be conspicuously absent. Why? Because of their own doing, mostly. Because they had, after winning over the forces of the yore after a tough fight, with widespread support from the public, had themselves become the figures they used to detest. Like the faces of the old regime, they too had become, more or less, tyrants donning the garb of democracy and grown corrupt, bothered only about petty interests of their kith and kin at the expense of the larger public. Naturally, they would prefer to wait and watch. Apparently, they would want to join the movement only after finding that the movement of the ‘civic society’, a motley group of liberal-minded people representing various walks of life, had gained significant strength. After Nepal’s switch to a federal secular, republican order, those campaigners from the civic movement appeared to have lost steam. Perhaps the campaigners thought their mission was accomplished. Or they thought that milk and honey had started flowing in the country. But a rude awakening seems to have come to them after police excesses against the victims of loan sharks, who were demanding justice from the state. On Tuesday, a group under the Wider Citizens’ Movement hit the streets, staging a march pass from Shanti Vatika to the Parliament Building in Baneshwar. Issuing a press release, the movement has drawn the attention of the government toward the plight of the victims and the atrocities committed against them. Is this pointing toward the revival of the civic movement? It will be too early to tell.

Khagraj Adhikari is the chief minister of Gandaki Province. He was appointed to the post from the CPN-UML, but with the CPN (Maoist Center) and the Nepali Congress forming the government in Kathmandu, his job is now at risk. Adhikari must win a vote of confidence in order to secure his position. In this context, Smita Adhikari of ApEx talked to him about a wide range of issues related to his works and the future of his government. What are the notable things that you have done after becoming the chief minister? First of all, I reduced the number of ministries by half. Previously, the Gandaki government had 14 ministries. I downsized it to seven in order to limit public expenditures. Likewise, I played a role in the passage of some important Bills that had been pending for months. During the four-month-long chief ministership, 15 legislations and policies have been passed from the Gandaki Province Assembly. Apart from these works, have you done anything that directly changed people’s lives? We have started several programs. For instance, this government has started an agricultural development program, where access roads are being built in some rural areas of the province to provide market access to local farmers and their products. The construction of Triveni-Dumkibas road connecting Chitwan National Park with Korala (along the border with China) has also started. Besides, preparations are underway to acquire public land in Pokhara for the construction of provincial government office buildings. To date, none of the government offices in Pokhara, the provincial headquarters, have their buildings. We still lack many laws and policies to function as an independent province, be it for managing our resources and finances, setting up our own industrial zone, or recruiting employees. So, I have requested the federal government to revise some of the laws and provisions such as the Federal Public Service Act, the topic of 'Mutual Rights' enlisted in the Constitution, and the Financial Act. You listed many achievements and works in progress under your government. But how do you defend the allegation that rather than doing your job, you are busy attending events and functions most of the time? These are baseless allegations. In these past four months, I have hardly attended half a dozen programs during office hours. Some programs I did participate in, but during my off hours. If anything, I have been trying to lead by example by utilizing my office time being productive and trying to run the government efficiently. Do you have any special vision for Pokhara? We all know that Pokhara is endowed with immense natural resources. Preserving and taking advantage of these resources at the same time is a major priority for me. For this, I have come up with ‘Lake Authority Procedures’ that covers a lot of areas including lake conservation. Another task is to connect international flights with Pokhara and bolster the city’s tourism. The other important jobs pertains to managing the regional bus park, developing and improving the road network, running well-managed industrial areas, and establishing a university. You are set to go seek a trust vote from the Provincial Assembly this month, are you confident about securing your job as the chief minister? I had assumed office with the intent of completing a full term. But, I am also willing to go through the procedures that are required of me to lead the government of Gandaki province. If my works so far are to be considered, I will get the required vote of trust to continue this job. But one must also factor in the political equation, things like how the parties will align. If I win the vote of confidence, I will serve this province selflessly. Even if I don’t win, my party and I will support the government in a constructive way.

The death toll from a fire at a Beijing hospital rose to 29, including 26 patients, authorities said Wednesday, and a dozen people had been detained including the hospital’s head and her deputy, Associated Press reported.

The fire broke out at the private Changfeng Hospital on Tuesday afternoon and forced dozens of people to evacuate. Some who were trapped had to escape from windows using bedsheets tied together.

A nurse, a medical assistant and a family member also died in the incident, said Li Zongrong, deputy head of Fengtai district.

The cause of the fire is under investigation but officials say they believe it originated from welding sparks from work being done in the hospital’s inpatient wing. Among the 12 people who were detained was the head of the construction crew, according to Associated Press.

A total of 39 people are being treated for injuries, three of them in critical condition, officials said. Rescue crews and medical staff from around the city were mobilized, with squads plucking some of the 142 people who were evacuated from air conditioning units on the building’s exterior.

Safety rules are frequently ignored in China, but accidents on the level of the Changfeng fire are treated with a much higher level of scrutiny. Construction accidents sometimes result from corners being cut on work hours and safety conditions, while local officials are bribed to ignore violations.

Three members of a family died when a motorbike and a bus collided with each other in Gaushala Municipality-1 of Mahottari district on Wednesday. The deceased have been identified as Amrit Mandal, his wife Anju Mandal (24) and niece Anshu Mandal (6). Inspector Manoj Kumar Yadav of the Area Police Office Gaushala, the bus (Ba 2 Kha 2396) heading towards Bardibas from Samsi collided head-on with the bike (Madhesh Pradesh 01-004 Pa 6819) today. Critically injured in the incident, they breathed their last during the course of treatment at various hospitals, he said. The bus driver fled the scene after the incident.    

Nepal reported 108 new Covid-19 cases on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 778 swab samples were tested in the RT-PCR method, of which 55 returned positive. Likewise, 1, 672 people underwent antigen tests, of which 53 tested positive. The Ministry said that no one died of the virus in the last 24 hours and 66 infected people recovered from the disease. As of today, there are 386 active cases in the country.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 15.13 points to close at 1,920.12 points on Wednesday. Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 2.85 points to close at 365. 90 points. A total of 2,579,325-unit shares of 273 companies were traded for Rs 872 billion. Meanwhile, Kalinchowk Darshan Limited and Molung Hydropower Company Limited were the top gainers today, with their price surging by 9. 99 percent. Likewise, Adarsha Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 10.00 percent. At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 2. 79 trillion.

Saraswati Pratikshya is a well-known Nepali author. Her novel ‘Nathiya’, published in 2018, delves into the issues faced by the Badi people (Dalit community across the Hilly and upper Tarai region of Nepal). Apart from that, she has published three other poetry books, ‘Yadhyapi Prashnaharu’, ‘Bimbaharuko Kathaghara’, and ‘Bagi Sarangi’. Anushka Nepal from ApEx talked to Pratikshya to find out what drives her to write. What made you pursue writing as a career?  There’s nothing else that gives me more happiness than playing with words. I think writing is something that has helped me find myself and attain inner peace. Every time I write, it’s like I’m inventing something new and nothing is more blissful than that. Writing is my passion and that passion gives me happiness. Sometimes, people ask me, ‘What did you get from writing?’ To them, I say, ‘What haven’t I gotten from writing?’ If I were to ever stop doing what I do best, I don’t think I would be doing justice to my true self. I will be left with nothing. Has the journey been difficult?  I chose to be a writer so I guess I shouldn’t be complaining. But, in a country like Nepal, being a writer comes with a fair share of struggles. You have to give up a lot when it comes to money and success in this field. There is no certainty. Being a woman writer is another challenge. There are family issues and other obstacles. Rather than judging me based on my professional skills, people would often comment on my character. When that’s the case, it’s difficult to stay focused on your goal unless you have a strong will, motivation, and self-confidence. I’ve overcome every one of those obstacles to get to where I am today. Could you please walk us through your writing process?  Writing feels like meditation to me. I’m fully involved in whatever I’m writing at the moment. Currently, I’m working on a novel. The process of writing a novel is very entertaining. One, there are actual characters, and two, there are characters that I have created, living in my imaginary world. As a writer, I get to live in both of these worlds which is such a fascinating experience. Some authors refrain from reading other writings, fearing that their work might somehow get influenced by someone else’s writing style. I’m the exact opposite. I like to read as many books as I can when I’m writing. It lets me think about what new information I can offer my readers through my work. The happiness I feel when my books get published is only half of it. The best part is how I feel when I’m in the process of writing a book. Some people prefer to write at a cafe or someplace where there is a crowd. But I prefer a secluded environment. I like to play some music on low volume and light-up some incense sticks before I sit down to write. It creates a peaceful environment for me to concentrate and let my thoughts flow smoothly. Do you get writer’s block?  Luckily, I have never experienced writer’s block. But life doesn’t always turn out to be the way you think it will or the way you want it to be. So there have been times when I have been quite detached from writing. One was during my pregnancy. Maybe it was the hormonal changes I was going through, I didn’t feel like writing at all. As my child grew up, I was finally able to get back to my normal self. Soon after that, I lost my brother. I took a break from writing for around two years after that. I was dealing with a lot of mental and emotional trauma. I have finally gotten back on my feet and have started writing again. What are the books you would recommend people to read? I think everyone’s reading preferences are different. It depends on people’s personalities and what they want to perceive from the writings they read. Two people might not like the same book. So, it’s quite difficult to recommend books in that sense. But there are some books that I have loved that I’d love for people to read as well. They are ‘Bichar Bigyan’ by Khaptad Baba, ‘The Prophet’ by Kahlil Gibran, ‘One Hundred Years of Solitude’ by Gabriel García Márquez, ‘I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings’ by Maya Angelou, and ‘The Color Purple’ by Alice Walker. Pratikshya’s picks Bichar Bigyan by Khaptad Baba This book, written by Khaptad Baba, one of the masters of spirituality, is all about the science behind thoughts. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran The Prophet is a book of 26 prose poetry fables written in English. It’s considered to be one of Gibran’s best works. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez This book tells the story of the Buendía family, whose family head, José Arcadio Buendía, founded the fictitious town of Macondo. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou This is an autobiography, describing the early years of the American writer, Maya Angelou.  

The government has urged the people infected with Covid-19 to stay in isolation for seven days. Dr Samir Kumar Adhikari, joint spokesperson at the Ministry of Health and Population, said that the isolation for seven days is mandatory if one has fever and breathing complications. In case of asymptomatic infection, isolation is not mandatory, he said. Likewise, a person who has already spent five days or more than five days in isolation and has no fever in the past 24 hours does not have to stay in isolation. Any infected upon the completion of the seven-day isolation is recommended for maintaining physical distance with others for some days and those in isolation are urged to use a well-ventilated separate room and a separate toilet as much as possible, to wear a mask appropriately and manage it properly after use and to wash hands time and again with soap and water. The cases of COVID-19 are soaring lately. On Tuesday, Nepal reported 171 new Covid-19 cases and two deaths. As of today, there are 397 active cases in the country, the Ministry of Health and Population said.