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President Ram Chandra Paudel has urged all the developed countries to fulfill their commitment made to addressing the climate change impact.

President Paudel made this call during the bilateral meeting with President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev today.

"Nepal has its full commitment to the Paris Agreement on Climate Change. Since Nepal has set the target of achieving the 'zero carbon emission' milestone by 2045, five years ahead of the globally-set target, we urge all the developed countries to fulfill their commitments that they have expressed in connection to addressing the climate change consequences," Kiran Pokharel, the President's Press Advisor, quoted President Paudel as saying in the bilateral meeting.

President Paudel said that although Nepal's carbon emission is negligible, it has been bearing a big impact of climate change.

Stating that the snow in the Himalayas is melting rapidly, the water sources for the people living in the downstream region are decreasing and there is big loss of lives and property every year due to the climate change-induced natural disasters every year, he recalled that this year also Nepal had to suffer huge loss of lives and property due to the unseasonal heavy downpour.

"The government is having to divert a large portion of its budget each year for providing relief support to the population affected by the climate change impact," President Paudel said. 

Noting that Nepal and Azerbaijan did not only share geographical similarities due to their mountainous terrain and land-locked condition, but also have similar structural challenges and effects that the mountainous countries are facing, he said, "Climate change is the common challenge of the whole world; our two countries which are mountainous are suffering from the adverse impact of climate change. I urge the Azerbaijani government for solidarity in Nepal's initiatives as it has been raising, in various international forums, including in COP, issues that the mountainous countries face due to climate change." 

President Paudel on the occasion praised Azerbaijan for the extensive development and economic transformation it has achieved since its independence in 1991.

He said that Nepal is at present moving ahead on the path of economic development following the political changes and the government's priority is sustainable economic development. "We cannot institutionalize the political achievements that we have gained without economic transformation and development," he added.

President Paudel congratulated his Azerbaijani counterpart for the full success of the COP-29 that is organized under his able leadership, expressing the belief that the Declaration to be passed by COP-29 will protect the rights and interest of Nepal-like countries that emit negligible carbon into the atmosphere but have to suffer much from the climate change effects.

He drew the attention of Azerbaijan to the good investment opportunity in Nepal in the agriculture, tourism and water resources sectors.

During the meeting, President Aliyev of Azerbaijan stated that he would work closely with Nepal on climate change issues in the context of his presidency of the COP for one year more, according to Pokharel, the President Paudel's press advisor.

President Aliyev said that his country was positive to invest in the sectors to be proposed by Nepal.

During the meeting, the Azerbaijani President said that Azerbaijan would serve as the COP Chair for the next one year, suggesting a closer cooperation with Nepal for climate action, according to the President's advisor.

 The President of Azerbaijan also said that they are positive for an investment in areas to be proposed by Nepal.

Nepal and Azerbaijan had established diplomatic ties in 1995.  Both countries cooperate in the multi-sectoral forum including the UN on sustainable development and climate change, the shared issues of both nations.

President Paudel on Tuesday addressed the "World Leaders Climate Action Summit" a high-level session held under the ongoing COP29.

 During the conference, Nepal on Wednesday hosted a separate high-level special session on "Addressing Loss and Damage in Mountains," drawing global attention to its agenda of concerns. The President hoped that such discussions would help find a better understanding of the issue and explore practical solutions.

He also addressed an event organized by Kyrgyzstan.

He also attended the group meeting held by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres with the Heads of State and Government of underdeveloped countries who gathered in Baku to take part in the COP 29 conference. The President utilized the meeting to urge the UN Secretary-General to make the developed countries serious about the impact of climate change.

The conference that commenced on November 11 will continue until November 22.  President Paudel landed in Baku last Monday, leading the high-level delegation to the conference. He is today scheduled to leave Baku for Doha of Qatar en route to home. He will reach Kathmandu on Friday morning.

With the onset of the winter season, migratory birds from as far as Mongolia, China, Siberia, Russia and other countries have been spotted in three rivers in Chitwan district.

Bagmati Province Coordinator of Nepalese Ornithological Union, Basu Bidari, said that more than 40 species of birds have arrived in Rapti, Narayani and Riyu Rivers in Chitwan.

"Migratory birds have been spotted on the riverbanks. The tourists too have started coming for bird watching," Bidari said.

Duck and other birds of various species such as Maalak duck, duck with a green head, Kalijure duck, Suirepuchhre duck, Kharakhare duck, Kal duck, Thulo Jalewa and Chakhewa among others are seen in the wetlands, he shared.

The birds arrive in Nepal in search of food as the rivers are frozen in the winter season in different countries.

According to Bidari, some 150 to 160 species of birds arrive in Chitwan and those migratory birds don't hatch. "The birds return to their original habitat with the beginning of the summer season," he added.  

The Lumbini Province government has allocated a mere Rs 500,000 for the Pidalne-Samadhisthal road in Pyuthan district in 2024/25. This allocation is so small that even ward offices have the authority to allocate budgets of this size.

Another example is the budget allocated for the road to Gaumukhi in Jhimrukh-4 of Pyuthan. This road project has also been allocated Rs 500,000, which is insufficient to build a foot trail, let alone a motorable road.

The provincial government has allocated just Rs 50,000 for the Magarghatta Water Supply Project in Bijayanagar-2 of Kapilvastu. Likewise, Rs 100,000 has been allocated for the Wadsaduwa Water Supply Project in Bijayanagar-7.

Experts say these meager budget allocations are made to appease relatives and party workers. Since these small projects do not require a formal tendering process, they can be awarded directly to consumer committees, which are often filled with relatives and party supporters. This practice leads to the misuse of state resources. These projects, lacking technical studies, cost estimates, and feasibility assessments, cannot deliver anything substantial.

The province also lacks a road master plan which has affected the implementation of road and bridge projects considered the mainstay of development. By allocating small budgets, the provincial government has failed to advance large strategic projects. Hundreds of road and bridge projects are stalled because they receive only Rs 100,000-200,000 when they require millions.

The province government is implementing 258 multi-year road and bridge projects in 2024/25. Some of these projects have been stalled for as long as eight years. In the absence of clear laws and with insufficient allocations, tens of millions of rupees are going down the drain, locals complain.

These projects are in need of a combined Rs 4.82bn. However, the province government has allocated only Rs 2.73m.

A total of 197 motorable and suspension bridges, and 61 roads are under construction across 12 districts of the province.

The Road Infrastructure Development Office in Pyuthan has been working on the Chereneta-China-Jabune Road since 2016. As per the contract, the project was to be completed by mid-June 2023.

Although the project’s deadline was extended to mid-May 2024, it could not be completed due to a lack of budget.

Nagarjun Construction of Kathmandu is building the project.

“We need Rs 1.69m to complete this project. However, it was allocated a mere Rs 100,000 in the current fiscal year,” said Senior Engineer Chandra Sah. “How can the project make progress with such a meager allocation?”

The office, which suffered from a slow work pace in the initial years, is now facing problems due to low budget allocation. “They should have prioritized multi-year projects instead of allocating funds to petty projects,” Sah added.

The situation in Palpa is no different. According to Senior Engineer Basudev Bhandari, chief of the Road Infrastructure Development Office in Palpa, no budget has been allocated this year for the Chilangdi-Chapapani-Ramdi Road which has achieved 80 percent physical progress. Bhandari also said authorities should focus on completing multi-year projects first.

Projects transferred from the federal government to be implemented through conditional grants have been left in limbo due to resource crunches. In the first year of the province government’s formation seven years ago, the federal government transferred 129 projects to Lumbini Province. Ten of these projects are still incomplete.

According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, Lumbini Province, the provincial government has not received funds from the federal finance ministry to complete these projects. The province government needs Rs 187.99m to complete these projects.

The Belbas-Bethari Road in Rupandehi and the Ratachaur-Taltung-Ujungdhara-Harpukot Nayapokhari Maidan-Kotkoteri-Neta Road in Gulmi each need Rs 50m.

Locals have requested the federal finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, who is from the province, to release funds for these pending projects.

Rupandehi district has the highest number of multi-year projects at 38, followed by Kapilvastu (22), Arghakhanchi (11), Dang (20), Bardiya (17), Gulmi (16), Palpa (18), Pyuthan (10), Banke (9), Rolpa (4), and Rukum East (3). Rupandehi, which has been overseeing infrastructure in Nawalparasi district, will now transfer 40 percent of projects and budgets to Nawalparasi.

Bardiya requires the highest budget to complete its pending projects. The district needs Rs 749.47m (including VAT) to complete nine pending projects, according to Senior Division Engineer Binod Kumar Chaudhary, the chief of the Road and Bridge Division under the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development of Lumbini Province.

Acting Minister for Physical Infrastructure Development, Bhumishwar Dhakal, said that there would be changes in budget allocation from the next fiscal year. “The province government will now prioritize multi-year projects. Only then will other projects receive resources,” he added. “The province government is finalizing the Province Transportation Network Master Plan. We will stop allocating funds for petty projects once the masterplan comes into force.”

Secretary Bhimarjun Pandey also said that the ministry was collecting detailed data on ongoing projects. “The future projects of the provincial government will align with the provincial transport master plan,” Pandey added.

The government is set to launch a vaccination campaign to protect adolescent girls from cervical cancer.

The nationwide vaccination drive will be placed for 15 days from February 5 coinciding with Cancer Day.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, nearly 1. 69 million adolescent girls at the (7-14) age group will be vaccinated free of cost under the campaign.

Minister for Health and Population Pradeep Paudel has decided to launch the 'Human Papilloma Virus' (HPV) vaccination campaign against cervical cancer which is killing four people every day in the country, Ministry's spokesperson Prakash Budhathoki said.

Upon assuming the office, Minister Paudel had pledged to conduct a vaccination campaign for the prevention and control of cervical cancer among adolescent girls.

It was also decided to include HPV vaccine against cervical cancer in the regular vaccination campaign from next year, he said.

There is support from the Global Alliance (GAVI) as well as government investment for the HPV vaccine. Senior Oncologist at Patan Institute of Health Sciences Arun Shahi stressed the need to get vaccinated against human papilloma as the reason for increasing the risk of cervical cancer.

He said women having early marriage, giving birth to children at a premature age, begetting children continuously in a short period of time, having physical relations with multiple partners, excessive smoking and drinking habit and negligence to vaginal hygiene are vulnerable to human papilloma. 

The price of gold has dropped by Rs 2, 200 per tola in the domestic market on Thursday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the yellow metal is being traded at Rs 160, 000 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 162, 200 per tola on Wednesday.

Similarly, the price of silver has dropped by Rs 35 and is being traded at Rs 1,905 per tola today.

The Chhirkane-Deurali road section along the Prithvi Highway will remain closed for four-and-a-half-hours daily. 

The construction work is being carried out by closing the road section from Chhirkane to Deurali in Byas Municipality-12 along the Prithvi Highway in two phases.

Project engineer Bishnu Prasad Pandey informed that the road section under the Muglin Pokhara Road Project (Eastern Section) is to be completely halted in two phases from November 18 to December 8 to speed up the construction work.

He further said special arrangements will be made to pass the vehicle in case of emergency. "In order to expedite road construction in the eastern section of the Muglin Pokhara Road Project, movement of vehicles other than that of essential ones will remain completely closed during the period".

As of now, 68 percent progress has been made in the eastern section of Muglin-Pokhara road.

According to Pandey, 14 small bridges, two big bridges and 103 culverts have been installed along the eastern section.

It may be noted that the construction work had started in the eastern section from 15 April 2021 after contract signing on 1 January 1 2020. The China Communications Construction was awarded the contract for the construction in the eastern section.

Gandaki Province Assembly member Bimala Gauchan has passed away. She was 63.

Gauchan breathed her last while undergoing treatment of dengue at Grande Hospital in Kathmandu on Wednesday night, informed former President of Nepali Congress (NC) Myagdi and Constituent Assembly member Resham Bahadur Baniya.

She was elected the Province Assembly member from NC through a proportional electoral system.

According to the family sources, her lifeless body has been kept at the same hospital and final rites will be performed after the arrival of her son from the US.

The Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens has been launching an orphanage reform drive vigorously and achieving tangible results, said the Ministry.

In the first four months of the current fiscal year, the Ministry inspected several orphanages and sensitized the orphanages' staffers on legal provisions and criteria for running such shelters.

Minister for Women, Children and Senior Citizen Nawal Kishor Sah Sudi shared that 42 orphanages were granted permission to run the orphanages upon fulfillment of the criteria to run such shelters.

Since Minister Sudi assumed office four months ago, 113 vulnerable children were rescued and kept in shelter homes while 879 children received psychosocial counseling and relief materials.

During the inspection over four months, 31 children staying in various orphanages were reunited with their families.

Preparations are underway to devise a budget code to analyze investment on children, shared Minister Sudi, adding that suggestions were being solicited from stakeholders for amendment on Children Act-2075 BS.

Various measures are being implemented to regularize and reform the shelters for stranded or orphan children, the minister said.