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A Buddha Air plane with 72 passengers and four crew members, which had departed from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) for Chandragadhi, Jhapa, returned safely to TIA today.

The flight was diverted back after an issue was detected in the aircraft's left engine, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) TIA office.

The flight took off at 10:37 am and made a safe return and landing at TIA at 11:15 am, the office confirmed in a statement.

The Janamat Party has formed a two-member task force to establish an alliance with Madhesh-centric parties.

The task force, consisting of the party's central vice-chair Abdul Khan and spokesperson Sharad Singh Yadav, was formed following a decision by the party's central secretariat committee in this regard.

The task force's role is to initiate dialogues and foster cooperation among Madhesh-centric parties, particularly in light of recent calls for amendments to the Constitution.

Earlier, on Sunday, the Loktantrik Socialist Party also formed a committee to pursue unity and potential unification with parties that share similar political agenda and ideologies.

Along with extreme cold, the air pollution in Kathmandu Valley has also increased. According to the Air Quality Index (AQI), today the air pollution level in Kathmandu Valley is 250 AQI.

According to environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar, air pollution is more likely to increase during winter than in summer. "During the cold season, as the cold air stays close to the surface of the ground for a long time, the possibility of pollution is high, and as the temperature rises in the afternoon, the pollution spreads in the air," he said.

Apart from that, he said that the practice of burning garbage, tires and firewood during the cold season also helps to increase the pollution.

Based on AQI, Kathmandu Valley ranks as the fifth most polluted city in the world today. Pakistan's Lahore tops the list. AQI of Lahore is 341. In addition, the AQI of India's Kolkata is ranked in the second place with an AQI of 248, and the AQI of Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia is 238.

Also, the fourth most polluted city in India, New Delhi, has an AQI of 227 AQI. According to disaster management expert Dr. Dharmaraj Upreti, an AQI of zero to 50 is considered good and given a green signal. Also, an AQI of 51 to 100 indicates caution. An AQI of 101 to 150 is considered to cause breathing problems and is dangerous for heart patients. According to him, an AQI of 151 to 200 is considered unhealthy and air pollution above that is considered extremely unhealthy.

The Air Quality Management Action Plan-2076 BS for the Kathmandu Valley has also stated that a situation where the AQI value is more than 300 as determined by the Government of Nepal will be treated as a disaster.

In order to prevent the disaster, the Action Plan calls for stopping the burning of waste, increasing the use of broomer and vacuum to clean the roads, and for issuing public notice urging children, senior citizens and patients to take special precautions.

The government's strategy is to formulate and implement national standards related to water, air, soil, sound, electromagnetic waves, radioactive radiation and hazardous chemical pollution to reduce pollution in accordance with the National Environment Policy-2076 BS.

According to the strategy, air, water and sound quality mapping will be done by establishing and operating quality measurement centers in major cities, industrial establishments and other pollution-prone areas.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) gained 49.12 points to close at 2,640.68 points on Monday.

Similarly, the sensitive index surged by 6.69 points to close at 449. 59 points.

A total of 15,461,264-unit shares of 312 companies were traded for Rs 6. 30 billion.

Meanwhile, Aatmanirbhar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ANLB) was the top gainer today, with its price surging by 10. 00 percent. Likewise, Upakar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (ULBSL) and Samudayik Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited (SLBSL) were the top losers as their price fell by 10.00 percent.

At the end of the day, total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 38 trillion.

The repair of several sections of the BP Highway, which were affected by landslides in the last week of Sept 2024, is projected to cost around Rs 9.66bn. A study conducted after the floods indicates that a significant amount of funding will be needed for the restoration work.

A post-flood study reveals that a substantial amount of money will be required for the reconstruction.

According to the Divisional Road Office in Bhaktapur, this estimate covers the reconstruction of several locations along the BP Highway, from Bhakunde to Nepalthok. Out of a 12-kilometer stretch of the highway from Chowkidanda in Namobuddha, Kavrepalanchok, to Kaldhunga in Roshi Rural Municipality, eight kilometers were severely damaged.

Senior Divisional Engineer Suman Yogesh, head of the office, stated that the study recommends the installation of three types of walls: RCC retaining walls, plum walls, and gabion walls. “Although the study suggests building bridges first in some areas, a final decision will be made after further discussions on whether to build bridges or walls,” he explained. According to him, RCC walls are recommended in areas prone to river flooding, while plum and gabion walls should be used in other locations.

The office is currently awaiting confirmation of funding for the road’s reconstruction. “The study for the road section’s reconstruction has been completed, but the source of the funding has not been secured. Once we receive confirmation from the donor agency and the Government of Nepal, we will proceed with the contract process,” he said.

In October last year, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), in collaboration with the Government of Nepal, conducted a study on the collapsed section of the highway. Meanwhile, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli discussed the reconstruction with Japanese Ambassador to Nepal, Kikuta Yutaka. The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already requested assistance from JICA for the reconstruction, and they are awaiting JICA’s report and response.

Keshav Kumar Sharma, Secretary of the Ministry, stated that preparations are underway to request funds from the Disaster Management Fund of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority. Furthermore, the ministry is working on plans to reconstruct the highway with concessional loans from donor agencies like the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank.

With the transformation of Hyatt Place Kathmandu into Hyatt Centric Soalteemode Kathmandu, it became the first Hyatt Centric branded hotel in Nepal. A collaboration between Hyatt Hotels Corporation and City Hotel Limited, the hotel blends modern comfort with the rich cultural heritage of the capital city, promising an immersive experience for modern travelers, says the hotel. “The newly renovated property offers contemporary design, vibrant art, and innovative culinary experiences that celebrate the essence of Kathmandu. Designed as a hub for exploration, it aims to inspire adventure while serving as a local home base for savvy travelers.”

“After an extensive renovation, we are excited to introduce the Hyatt Centric brand to Nepal,” said Akshay Golyan, Executive Director of City Hotel Limited. “Hyatt Centric Soalteemode Kathmandu features a range of upgraded amenities to enhance the guest experience.” The hotel has over 8,600 square feet of event spaces for meetings, weddings, and gatherings, accommodating up to 600 guests. Dining options include NOON, an all-day restaurant and the ZING Sky Pool Bar & Deck, a rooftop retreat with stunning views of Kathmandu and a fusion menu of local and international cuisines.

The government has managed to utilize just 11.58 percent of its capital budget in the first five months of the current fiscal year.

According to the Financial Comptroller General Office, only Rs 40.8bn of the Rs 352bn allocated for capital expenditure has been spent between mid-July and mid-December.

Low capital expenditure has long been a persistent issue for Nepal, with an average utilization of just 60 percent over the past four years. In 2023/24, the government spent only 63.47 percent of the capital budget. Of the Rs 302bn allocated for capital spending in 2023/24, government offices were successful in spending only Rs 191.73bn.

As of mid-December, no ministry has surpassed 17 percent in capital spending. This reflects the inability of government agencies to effectively execute their budgets.

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies recorded the lowest spending, utilizing just 1.1 percent of its Rs 2.1bn allocation. The ministry has been able to spend only Rs 23.2m till mid-December. Officials of the ministry have attributed the dismal progress to delays in releasing payments for completed projects.

On the other hand, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport led capital expenditure among ministries, spending 16.56 percent of its Rs 143.79bn budget. The development-intensive ministry has spent Rs 23.69bn between mid-July and mid-December.

The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation was next with 16.02 percent capital budget utilization. The ministry spent Rs 108.7m out of Rs 678.8m capital budget allocated in the current fiscal year.   

Capital spending by the Ministry of Finance stood at 7.05 percent of its Rs 13.79bn capital budget allocated for 2024/25. The ministry was successful in spending Rs 972.4m till mid-December..

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation performed relatively better in capital expenditure, spending Rs 5.25bn (14.52 percent) of its Rs 36.18bn allocation.

Likewise, the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development utilized 13.81 percent of its Rs 3.78bn budget, spending Rs 521.8m in the first five months of the current fiscal year.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation achieved 8.16 percent capital budget spending progress over the first five months of 2024/25. Out of Rs 2.75bn allocated, the ministry was successful in spending Rs 224m by mid-December.

The Ministry of Urban Development managed to spend just 6.62 percent of its Rs 63.18bn budget, or Rs 4.18bn, in the review period.

The Nepal Police have collected over Rs 2.24 billion in revenue from different fines and penalties in five months of the current fiscal year 2081/82 BS. 

As part of their special action plan, the Nepal Police have launched a drive to take various actions and prevent illegal activities.

Spokesperson of Nepal Police, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Bishwa Adhikari said that the revenue was collected from 10 different categories including seizure of illegal goods, traffic action, unlawful money transfer, gold and river-based mining.

Spokesperson Adhikari informed that Rs 905.7 million (40.42 percent) revenue was collected from the seizure of illegal goods.

He informed that Rs 520.7 million was collected from traffic fines, Rs 427.4 million from the implementation of the court verdicts, Rs 262.9 million from the recovery of illegal gold and silver and Rs 43.7 million from the recovery of illegal currency.

Similarly, Rs 29 million was collected from undisclosed sources and Rs 12 million from the seizure of illegal timber and Rs 18.3 from the control of illegal money transfer/trade, the Police Headquarters shared.

According to the details from July to December, Rs 11.6 million was collected from illegal livestock control campaigns and Rs 9.2 million more revenue was collected from illegal river-borne mining.