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The GreenShift Nepal project, aimed at promoting a circular economy and tackling plastic waste, has completed its first year. The four-year initiative, funded by the European Union, spans nine municipalities across the Bagmati, Madhes, and Lumbini provinces. The project is being led by the Centre for Research and Sustainable Development (CREASION) in collaboration with consortium partners Restless Development and Youth Innovation Lab.

During its first year, GreenShift launched in Bardibas, Nepalgunj, and Lalitpur, partnering with schools, youth groups, waste management enterprises, and local governments. “Through a collaborative spirit, the project has already begun to make waves, shifting mindsets, behaviors, and local systems to embrace the principles of circular economy,” according to a press statement issued by CREASION.

One of the project’s key pillars, the Climate Smart School (CSS) program, empowered over 6,000 students in 12 schools, leading them to spearhead 95 green initiatives that inspire eco-conscious behavior in their communities. Additionally, three youth groups received grants to implement 34 community projects, ranging from waste mapping to organizing clean-up campaigns.

“GreenShift Nepal has also made strides in policy development, drafting waste management policies for Lalitpur, Bardibas, and Nepalgunj, which are set to be adopted in the project’s second year,” the statement added. “The project has already impacted thousands of students and individuals, training 79 local government officials on sustainable waste management practices, embedding the principles of circular economy across the provinces.”

A two-day event was held for the annual review and experience-sharing, where the European Union (EU) ambassador to Nepal, Veronique Lorenzo, emphasized the importance of the GreenShift campaign for climate change, environmental protection, and sustainable development. She highlighted the role of youth in bringing about positive changes in society through the GreenShift campaign.

“The campaign is close to my heart, and every change the youth wants is possible,” she said. “Youth are the agents of change; they can achieve whatever they set their minds to. The achievements of this project in just one year are a vivid example.”

Encouraging the young students and teachers present, Ambassador Lorenzo stated, “You are the center of hope for change, and I call on everyone to work together for the protection and development of our environment.” She further stressed the need for the compulsory implementation of waste management and circular economy frameworks, noting that the circular economy holds significant potential for Nepal to become a regional leader in green energy.

Aanand Mishra, founder and president of CREASION, described GreenShift as more than just a project—it’s a comprehensive campaign. He highlighted the success of uniting all three levels of government, schools, students, teachers, youth groups, private waste entrepreneurs, and sanitation workers under a common goal, driven by collective leadership and a shared vision.

Pradeep Khatiwada, executive director of Youth Innovation Lab, praised the contribution of Waste Smart Fellows in creating data-driven policies, emphasizing the importance of data-based advocacy.

Anjali Bajracharya, deputy mayor of Lalitpur Metropolitan Municipality, expressed gratitude to the EU, CREASION, and other organizations for conducting the project in the city, and highlighted the need to expand such campaigns on a larger scale.

The District Administration Office (DAO), Kathmandu has urged all to celebrate festivals in a decent atmosphere.

Issuing a notice today, Kathmandu's Assistant Chief District Officer, Anil Paudel, has called on the public to not engage in activities capable of affecting peace and order, and jeopardizing social harmony while celebrating upcoming festivals Tihar, Nepal Sambat and Chhath.

The office has wanted the public to refrain from unlawful activities including gambling, bursting of firecrackers and its transportation, liquor consumption and related activities during festivals.

It has warned that engagement in activities prohibited by laws is punishable. 

The DAO has also urged locals to report to police or the Office (mobile phone number 9851281341 of information officer) if anyone is found violating the law in the course of observing festivals.

Various programs were organized to observe World Polio Day on Thursday.

In his video message on this occasion, Minister for Health and Population, Pradeep Paudel, has urged one and all to contribute to the global campaign to eradicate poliomyelitis (polio).

Through the message, he has called on all parents/guardians to ensure a full-course of polio vaccination for their children within a year of the birth, supporting make the campaign successful.

Expressing his concerns over the detection of sporadic cases of polio in the country, the minister said this suggests the polio risk in the country.  He added that some countries in the world have also reported the presence of poliovirus, highlighting its global risk. He insisted on its eradication across from the world.

The poliovirus is spread person-to-person through a fecal-oral route and by the consumption of polluted food and water.

The oral polio vaccine is administered to a child at six, 10 and14 weeks and the inactivated polio vaccine is given twice: at 14 weeks and nine months.

Chief of Child Health and Immunization Section, Department of Health Services, Dr Abhiyan Gautam, said though people of all age groups may get polio, it mainly affects children under five.

This devastating disease is highly contagious and its symptoms include fever, diarrhea, vomiting, body ache and fatigue and the severity can lead to irreversible paralysis and even death.

It can be prevented through vaccination and the maintenance of personal hygiene; intake of purified water and hygienic food are recommended for minimizing its risk.

It may be  noted that with the detection of poliovirus in sewage samples collected from Teku, the confluence of Tukucha and Bagamti rivers last July, the government had launched a special polio vaccination drive, targeting children under five in the three districts of Kathmandu  Valley. 

The Kaski District Court has allowed the police to keep Rabi Lamichhane, the President of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), who was arrested on charges of misappropriation of the cooperative's savings, in custody for another seven days for investigation.

Suraj Adhikari, Information Officer of District Court Kaski, informed that a single bench of Judge Chandrakant Paudel has allowed the police to keep Lamichhane in police custody for seven more days for investigation.

Lamichhane was arrested on October 18.

Similarly, former deputy inspector general Chabilal Joshi, who was arrested in the same case has also been sent to custody for another seven days.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 18. 25 points to close at 2,627.14 points on Thursday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 2. 99 points to close at 474. 26 points.

A total of 12,283,623-unit shares of 317 companies were traded for Rs 5. 41 billion.

Meanwhile, Nepal SBI Bank Limited (SBI) was the top gainer today with its price surging by 9. 75 percent. Likewise, Rawa Energy Development Limited (RAWA) was the top loser with its price dropped by 10. 00 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 4. 17 trillion.

Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) President Chandra Prasad Dhakal urged the global community to consider investment in Nepal.

President Dhakal, who is currently in the USA to attend the annual meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF), highlighted the enabling environment for foreign investment in Nepal and the amendments to legislations to facilitate the foreign investment.

During the meeting with high-ranking officials of these agencies on Wednesday, he also pledged necessary coordination on the part of the Federation of Nepalese Chamber of Commerce and Industries (FNCCI) to facilitate foreign investors considering investment in Nepal.

During the meeting with Imad Fakhoury, International Finance Corporation (IFC)'s Regional Director for South Asia, Dhakal discussed IFC's role in empowering the private sector of Nepal.

Talks on economic recessions in the wake of COVID-pandemic and conflict between Russia and Ukraine and repercussions of these two factors Nepal's economy also figured in the meeting, Dhakal shared.

Following the meeting, Dhakal mentioned that the two dwelled on potential areas for foreign investment in Nepal including hydro power, tourism infrastructures and Information Technology and thereby calling on the global community to consider investment in these areas.

The meeting was attended by IFC's other officials as well as representatives of the FNCCI.

Similarly, Dhakal held a meeting with British International Investment's Executive Director Samir Abhyankar on last Wednesday itself during which they discussed increasing investment on Nepal's tourism and hospitality sector, hydro power and infrastructure sectors considering the tremendous potentials of these sectors.

Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has commended courageous peacekeepers from around the world, particularly those serving at present in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL).

In his address to an event jointly organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Nepali Army at the NA Headquarters today to mark United Nations (UN) Day 2024, the Prime Minister said UN peacekeepers' unwavering dedication and fearlessness in the face of increasingly complex challenges and hard situations exemplify the true spirit of peacekeeping and inspire all of us to uphold global peace and security.

Highlighting the significance of the Day, he said the moment offers an opportunity to reiterate our steadfast commitment to the ideals of the UN Charter. "For decades, we have been a persistent advocate of peace, equality, cooperation, and the peaceful resolution of conflict in the international arena. Our long contributions to UN peacekeeping missions, international treaties, and disarmament efforts reflect our dedication to global tranquility and harmony. I am immensely proud of our peacekeepers, whose tireless dedication has left a lasting mark on conflict-affected regions in every nook and corner of the globe."

Sharing the features of Nepal's foreign policy with the gathering, he said Nepal always adheres to the principles of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect for sovereignty, and non-interference. "Our position as a nation located between two large neighbors demands that we maintain a policy of "Friend to all and Enmity to none".

He went on to say that Nepal is firmly committed to multilateralism, strongly believing that global challenges like climate change, poverty, and security challenges, starkly require collective and multilateral solutions.

He said Nepal being a responsible and effectively engaging member state in the international community would like to play a constructive role to move forward peace, stability, and sustainable development all around the world.

"Today, I would like to remind all of us that our partnership and collectiveness reinforce the UN to effectively carry out its critical missions, often in some of the world's most challenging environments," he said. 

 The Prime Minister acknowledged with deep gratitude the spirit of collaboration that drives the UN country teams, UN field missions, and Specialized UN agencies working diligently across the globe. As he said, their dedication to development, peace-building, and humanitarian support is a shining example of how united efforts can create lasting and positive change for millions of people.

The Prime Minister said Nepal is proud of its long peacekeeping history and is committed to sending skilled and competent peacekeepers whenever the UN calls for it. "However, peace operations are facing growing challenges. They are increasingly at risk from violent groups and dynamic security situations. Conflicts are becoming more and more complex so conflict management and resolution require strong international support and solidarity."

Against this backdrop, countries like ours must provide forces with the tools needed to stay safe while carrying out their missions, Prime Minister Oli stressed, adding that the government fully supports efforts to ensure the safety, training, and readiness of our peacekeepers. "We are also deeply committed to the meaningful participation of women as their participation exhibits a symbolic representation by which women's empowerment is established in a conflict-ridden society."

He reminded the gathering that Nepal has wholeheartedly endorsed the "Declaration of Shared Commitments" in support of the “Action for Peacekeeping” (A4P) initiative and its enhanced version, the “A4P Plus Initiative” spearheaded by the United Nations. These initiatives reflect our broader vision of collective global security and Nepal’s readiness to shoulder its responsibilities as a responsible member of the international community, he added.

Addressing the event as the Chief Guest, the Prime Minister stressed the need to recognize the broader challenges the global community faces, particularly the urgent global environmental concerns on this occasion.

He utilized the forum to say that countries like Nepal, despite contributing minimally to global carbon emissions, are disproportionately affected by these crises. It is marred by the melting of glaciers, unpredictable monsoons, and a surge in natural disasters which every year takes away many lives and damages the properties." The recent monsoon disaster in Nepal with the regrettable loss of lives and properties is evident enough of the growing challenges we face. These challenges transcend national borders as we recently saw the disastrous Hurricane Milton devastating Florida in the US. Thus, it is high time for us to collectively fight against the common threat of humankind."

Reiterating that Nepal is committed to playing its part and stands ready to collaborate with global partnerships that prioritize climate resilience and sustainability, he expressed his confidence that the UN’s continued leadership in addressing the climate change issue will guide Nepal forward for shared solutions, which are essential for the survival of vulnerable nations like Nepal.

"In this volatile and ambiguous situation around the world, Nepal remains steadfast in its commitment to the principles of the United Nations. We will continue to support global efforts to promote peace, security, sustainable development, and environmental protection," the Prime Minister said, wishing the entire UN family a joyous moment on behalf of the people of Nepal.

The Kaligandaki Corridor (Beni-Jomsom-Korala) road project, a vital part of Nepal’s national pride infrastructure, has made significant strides with 80 percent of the physical work completed, according to the latest project report. Financial progress stands at 75 percent. The project, initiated on 27 Nov 2016, aims to establish an all-weather road network connecting southern Nepal to the Korala border with China in the north.

A total of Rs 10bn was allocated for the construction and upgrading of 202 kilometers of road and bridges stretching from Maldhunga in Parbat to Koralanaka in Mustang. As of the last fiscal year, Rs 7bn has been contracted for the project. Initially projected for completion by the fiscal year 2022/23, the deadline has been extended to 2025/26 due to challenges such as natural disasters and construction delays.

Out of the 202 kilometers, 150 kilometers of road are under the contract management project. So far, 45.71 percent of the planned blacktopping is completed, with 48 kilometers finished. Additionally, 77 kilometers of gravel road have been completed, though the 25-kilometer Charang-Chooser stretch remains unfinished due to slow contractor performance and adverse weather.

Dhurba Jha, head of the Korala Road project, reported that of the 24 bridges needed along the route, 19 have been contracted, with 11 bridges already completed. The project has faced delays in bridge construction, with four contracts broken, but efforts are underway to enter new contracts for the remaining bridges.

Despite setbacks, the project has maintained momentum. Jha mentioned that five of the eight contracts from Maldhunga to Kagbeni are under construction, while some bridges have already been completed. The Korala road, once fully operational, is expected to boost trade and connectivity between Nepal and China, strengthening Nepal’s northern trade corridor.