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Around 105, 698 foreign tourists have visited Mustang in the last nine months, according to the Area Conservation Office, the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP).

At least 9, 081 visitors from the SAARC countries and 15,617 from third countries arrived in Mustang as of October 6. Eight thousand and 397 tourists entered Mustang via the Thorang-La Pass at an altitude of 5,400 meters.

The Office said 2,896 tourists had entered the district in a month's period until October 2.

Tourist arrivals have surged at Muktinath temple, Kagbeni, the Korala border transit, Lomanthang, Sinja Jong Cave, Jomsom, Dhumba Lake, Thini, Marpha, and Lete among the major tourism destinations in Mustang at present.

It has been learnt that 121, 352 foreign tourists had visited the trans-Himalayan district in 2023.

A dry landslide occurred this morning at Bhaluwapani of Katari Municipality-14 has blocked the Katari-Ghurmi section of the Siddhicharan Highway.

According to Area Police Office Katari's Chief and Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kamal Bajgain, the landslide that occurred in the wee hours (around 2:00 am) today has completely disrupted the Highway. 

The landslide is substantial and the Road Division Office at Harkapur in Okhaldhunga has been requested to assist in clearing the landslide debris.

Ward chair Ambar Bahadur Magar said the landslide has buried around 150 meters of the Highway.

A bus and a Tata sumo are stranded at the site while vehicles expecting to pass through the Highway have stopped at the Katari Bazaar.

The disruption is to cause significant inconvenience to passengers heading to the hilly districts in Koshi Province: Khotang, Okhaldhunga and Solukhumbu via this route to vice-versa.

The Highway serves as the shortest route connecting the Terai to hilly districts in eastern Nepal.  

The Salt Trading Corporation (STC) has assured of sufficient supplies of sugar during the festivals. As it said, additional imports of sugar have begun bearing in mind its increased demand for festivals.

On Wednesday, the STC brought 2,200 sacks of sugar weighing 50 kilos each to its warehouse in Birgunj from India.

The imports continue and there will be no shortage of sugars in Dashain, Tihar, Nepal Sambat, and Chhath festival, it is said.

The Tilganga Institute of Ophthalmology has urged parents and guardians to ensure their children receive eye check-ups after birth, before starting school, and annually thereafter.

Symptoms such as reddish eyes, blurred vision, eye pain, teary eyes, eye discharge, and uneven eye sizes require prompt medical attention. Anyone experiencing these symptoms is advised to visit nearby health facilities or hospitals.

On the occasion of World Sight Day 2024 on October 10, the Institute stressed the need for eye check-ups for children, especially for those with white spots on their eyes, premature births, or low birth weight. This year's theme for the Day was "Children, Love Your Eyes."

According to the World Health Organization, the increased use of digital devices among children and reduced outdoor activities have caused various eye issues among them. By 2050, it is estimated that around 50 percent of the global population will have sight problems.

The Institute has warned that failing to provide timely treatment for vision issues can lead to serious consequences for educational learning among children. However, timely intervention and the use of glasses can reduce these risks by 44 percent. Currently, around 45 million children worldwide have vision problems and many of them have been denied access to necessary treatment.

In Nepal, about 1.1 million children have vision defects, and around 700,000 have no access to eye care facilities, according to the Institute. 

Hindus across the country are observing the Maha Astami festival (eighth day of the Bada Dashain festival) today by worshiping Goddess Durga Bhawani.

On this day, people offer special worship to the goddesses Mahakali, Mahalaxmi, and Maha Saraswati.

This day of the Dashain festival is considered a special day when Goddess Durga attained power.

On the occasion, people perform religious rituals at the Dashain Ghars and armories, worship the goddess at various shrines by offering animal sacrifices and read the Durga Saptashati scriptures.

Devotees throng various goddess shrines in the Kathmandu Valley from early this morning to offer worship and sacrifice goats and ducks.

Similarly, people throng the various goddess temples throughout the country today to offer worship, sacrificing goats, ducks, and roosters.

Special Durgapuja worship and prayer ceremonies are held at the Dashain Ghars. People also worship weapons, vehicles, and machines.

People who do not sacrifice animals offer sacrifices of various vegetables and fruits in place of animals.

Also on this day, a special Kalaratri worship is held at midnight at the Dashain Ghar of Hanumandhoka in the capital city.

Maha Nawami festival today

The Maha Nawami festival is being observed today with fervor by worshiping goddess Durga Bhawani and making offerings.

As per the lunar calendar, this festival is observed on the ninth day of the waxing moon in the month of Asoj. It is also marked as part of the 10-day Bada Dashain festival.

Special worship is performed to Durga Bhawani today on the occasion of the Maha Nawami and the 'jamara' which has been germinated is offered to the goddesses at various shrines.

He-goats, ducks, roosters, and he-buffalos are sacrificed at the various temples dedicated to the goddesses. Those who do not have the tradition of offering animal or bird sacrifices, offer the sacrifice of fruits and vegetables to the goddess. 

The Durga Saptasati and Devi Strota scriptures are also recited at home and in temples on this day.

As mentioned in the Markandeya Purana scripture, the Goddess Chamunda had slain the demon Raktabij on the day of Mahanawami. So, the special worship of the goddess on this day with the offering of animal sacrifices.

On this day, the security forces also perform what is called the 'kot puja' or worship of the armories.

The Taleju Temple located at Hanumandhoka in the capital is also open for the devotees to pay homage on this day. It is opened only on the occasion of the Maha Nawami.

The people of the Newar community also worship Bhimsen, a Hindu deity, by making animal sacrifices today on the occasion of Maha Nawami.

This time, the Maha Astami and the Maha Nawami festivals fall on the same day.

More than 200, 000 Nepalis who had gone to different places of India for employment have entered Nepal through the Jamunaha border crossing near Nepalgunj, to celebrate the Dashain festival.

People had started coming home using this border transit point since the start of the Dashain festival.

It has been learnt that 235, 556 Nepalis have entered Nepal from India through the Jamunaha inland border crossing in a period of 22 days from September 17 to October 8, said Police Inspector Upendra Bahadur Budhathoki, the Chief of the Area Police Office, Jamunaha.

"There is a long line of Nepalis, who had gone for work and returned from various places of India, at the border crossing in Jamunaha each day, waiting to enter Nepal on their way home for the Dashain festival. The number of those leaving Nepal for India is relatively less than that of those entering the country from India," he said. 

According to him, 165, 281 Nepalis have crossed the border via the Jamunaha border transit point in the last 22 days.

A traveler help desk has been set up at the transit point in coordination with the District Traffic Police for facilitating the India-returnees. The Nepal Police has also conducted a public awareness to prevent the India-returnees from being duped by the hoteliers, taxis and transport entrepreneurs.

Mostly people from Surkhet, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Salyan, Rukum, Rolpa, Pyuthan and other districts of west Nepal go to different places of India for work.

In the Summit of the Future, held on September 22-23, 2024, world leaders agreed to take bold, ambitious, accelerated, just, and transformative actions to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

An international group of more than 50 experts offers three foci at the science-policy interface to implement this agreement in Nature Communications.

The article is based on a workshop held at the Rudolf Agricola School for Sustainable Development, University of Groningen, in the Netherlands, with participants from various countries representing researchers and policymakers. “Due to silo approaches, the integrated and indivisible principles of the SDGs are facing implementation challenges,” argues Dr. Prajal Pradhan, assistant professor at the University of Groningen and the lead author of this study.

He continues, “Now, SDG implementation strategies must be changed. To break the silo approaches, we offer three foci at the science-policy interface to support implement the integrated and indivisible nature of SDGs.”

Three science-policy interface foci are a way forward

First, the experts call for actionable strategies to navigate the complex interactions between the SDGs and develop coherent, systemic solutions that align economic, social, and environmental objectives. Understanding SDG interactions is crucial to designing strategies that promote multiple SDGs simultaneously, ensuring that efforts in one area do not conflict with progress in another. Policymakers can create more comprehensive and effective plans to meet SDG targets by identifying synergies between goals and minimizing potential conflicts.

Second, utilizing scientific models can facilitate the implementation of the SDGs. Many models related to the SDGs are available, which help policymakers analyze the long-term impact of policies. These models assist in designing future-focused strategies and identify additional measures needed to achieve the SDGs. The current scenario modeling provides knowledge of the actions required to accelerate SDG progress. The experts call for further development of SDG models and their utilization in SDG policymaking.

Third, various tools can translate scientific findings from SDG interactions and models into practical solutions for policymakers. These tools make monitoring and optimizing SDG progress easier, supporting integrated decision-making. However, limited tools are developed to guide integrated SDG planning and decision-making. Also, SDG tools should include stakeholder-specific actions to make SDG progress. Thus, the experts call for co-developing tools with stakeholders to support SDG implementation.

Addressing trade-offs and enhancing collaboration required

One of the key challenges highlighted in the article is addressing trade-offs, such as balancing economic growth with environmental sustainability. The experts provide policymakers with guidelines for navigating these trade-offs, helping them create sustainable and equitable strategies. The article also stresses the need for collaboration and inclusivity. Successful implementation of the SDGs requires input from diverse stakeholders, including scientists, policymakers, and local communities. The experts call for more inclusive decision-making processes incorporating these perspectives to create better, more sustainable outcomes.

Looking Beyond 2030

While the 2030 deadline for the SDGs is fast approaching, the experts also offer a long-term vision, providing policymakers with insights that go beyond 2030. By planning for the challenges and opportunities that will arise after 2030, policymakers can ensure that sustainable development efforts continue in the decades to come. As a contribution to implementing agreements at the Summit of the Future, the three foci equip policymakers with new insights to accelerate SDG progress. By embracing these foci, governments worldwide can ensure a safer, more sustainable, and equitable future. The experts call for urgent, systemic action as the window to meet the 2030 goals narrows.

The incessant rainfall that took place mostly in central and eastern parts of the country on 27 and 28 September has inflicted damages worth Rs 730 million to the public transport sector.

According to the information shared by the National Federation Transport Entrepreneurs Nepal, the damage has been estimated to be around Rs 729.80 million.

Among the damages, Western Nepal Passenger Bus Entrepreneurs Pvt. Ltd. suffered a loss of Rs 118 million, Namaste Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Pvt. Ltd. lost Rs 28.5 million while Gorkha Daraundi Transport Service Company Rs 6 million.

Similarly, Bagmati Tipper Traders' Association has suffered Rs 270 million, Nepal Truck Tipper Traders' Association has incurred a loss of Rs 200 million, Mahakali Multi-Purpose Company Pvt. Ltd. has suffered Rs 66.5 million and property worth around Rs 40 million was damaged at the Rasuwagadi border point.

General Secretary of the Federation, Deknath Gautam, said that the details of the damage incurred by the public transport sector across the country have been submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs and Department of Transport Management on Wednesday.