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The CPN-UML has concluded its ‘Resolution for Prosperity’ campaign, traversing the Mid-Hills Highway from Juhlaghat in Baitadi in the west to Chiwa Bhanjyang in Panchthar in the east.

During the campaign, the UML engaged with people from various walks of life and collected their suggestions and grievances. The party has compiled all these inputs and submitted a memorandum to the government, drawing attention to people's concerns.

The document includes 751 demands related to 46 sectors, according to UML leaders. “We collected people’s suggestions and grievances by interacting with different political parties, organizations, local units, and business leaders, among others. It is the government's responsibility to address these concerns,” stated UML Deputy General Secretary Pradip Gyawali.

One of the demands highlighted in the memorandum is a change in the alignment of the Mid-Hills Highway in certain areas. The UML has said in the document that the highway has been routed through unnecessary places due to political pressure and influence. UMl has called for a 'technical audit' of the highway to reduce its length.

“The 1,879-kilometer highway won't be appropriate from a national highway perspective. The length can be reduced by constructing tunnels and viaducts,” UML has stated in the memorandum. “Track opening work hasn't begun in some areas. Similarly, there has been a delay in the installation of the Bailey bridge in Matela of Jajarkot. Contractors leaving work midway should be penalized.”

Rajendra Gautam, chief of UML’s Publicity Department, said that the length of the highway can be reduced by 500 kilometers compared to the under-construction Madan Bhandari Highway.

751-point demand

Province-wise, there are 161 demands from Gandaki, 170 from Koshi, 135 from Sudurpashchim, 113 from Bagmati, 89 from Karnali, 75 from Lumbini, and eight from Madhesh.  The majority of these demands focus on road development, education, tourism, agriculture, horticulture, health, industry, and energy. Local communities have also sought programs for bridge construction, irrigation, building construction, culture preservation and promotion, land management, settlement development, sports, ending caste-based discrimination, water supply, and river training, among others. Most of the demands (157) are related to roads, while 25 demands are related to motorable bridges.

“The increasing demands in the road sector indicate that the mid-hills region is emphasizing on connectivity,” said Gautam. “Some of the demands include shortening the Mid-Hills Highway, managing settlements along the road, and proper management of secondary roads connected to the highway.”

In the education sector, most demands revolve around the management of teaching positions, relief quota teachers, and the quality of education in community schools. Additionally, locals have called for the promotion of archaeological sites along the highway, the preparation of a tourism master plan, and the construction of trekking trails.

“In the agriculture sector, we see great potential for orange and marigold farming in the mid-hills region,” said Gautam.

Similarly, local stakeholders have demanded programs for easy access to health services.

UML has concluded that the construction of the Mid-Hills Highway has made a positive contribution to the mid-hills region, emphasizing its potential for agriculture, horticulture, and animal husbandry. “Since the area is rich in water resources, boasts a clean environment, offers beautiful vantage points for sightseeing, and is rich in the culture, tradition, and lifestyle of different ethnic groups, the mid-hills region holds immense prospects for tourism development,” reads the memorandum.

Migration taking a toll

UML has acknowledged both the challenges and opportunities in the mid-hills region, identifying migration as a major issue in the hilly areas. “Many settlements are becoming empty, and schools in a few places are on the verge of closure due to a lack of students. Farmland has been left fallow,” said Gyawali. “There are only children and the elderly in many settlements.” Gyawali said that the government must dispel misconceptions that nothing can be done in Nepal to check migration. “Lack of market access and fair prices for farm products is one of the reasons behind growing migration in the mid-hills region. We have drawn the attention of the government toward this issue,” he added.

UML has also urged the government to halt the uncontrolled import of vegetable products to support local farmers. Controlling middlemen, providing capital and technology for farmers, implementing crop and livestock insurance programs, ensuring a minimum support price, and facilitating market access for farm products are some of the suggestions given by the party.

Additionally, the party has drawn the attention of the government toward crop loss caused by wildlife such as monkeys and wild boars, as well as irrigation problems due to receding water levels because of the impacts of climate change. UMl has sought concrete programs to address these issues.

Slow progress of development projects

The UML has expressed dissatisfaction with the slow progress of transformative projects in the region, such as Bheri-Babai, Sunkoshi-Marin, and Pushpalal Mid-Hills Highway. Additionally, it highlighted that initiatives such as health insurance, basic hospitals, and the establishment of government medical colleges in each province have not advanced. Furthermore, the budget for strategic road projects has been unfairly reduced, it alleged..

The party concluded that extreme favoritism has become evident in development work. Laxity in project execution and economic recession have plunged businesses related to construction materials into crisis, with a lack of coordination hindering infrastructure development efforts.

Gyawali added that the party has brought to the government’s attention deliberate attempts to undermine nationally significant projects initiated by the UML. He cited examples such as the non-construction of the main dam of Bheri Babai despite the completion of the diversion tunnel. “While tunneling work in Sunkoshi Marin is nearing completion, other components of the projects are not progressing at a similar pace,” he added.

The UML has also said that the plan to build 10 new cities along the Mid-Hills Highway, initiated 14 years ago, is in limbo. Gautam stated that the government has reduced the budget for this component of the highway project.

The initial plan aimed to create cities equipped with modern services and infrastructure capable of accommodating at least 100,000 residents each. A primary objective of these cities was to control migration.

Lack of coordination

Stating that a lack of coordination among government agencies is affecting infrastructure projects, including highways, the UML called for proper coordination among line agencies. “The construction of the Mid-hills Highway has been affected in Gorkha and Dhading districts due to the proposed Budhigandaki Reservoir project. Similarly, the road section in Ramechhap has been unnecessarily extended to avoid inundation by the Sunkoshi-Marin project,” UMl said in the memorandum. “Lack of approval for a bridge over Karnali by the proposed Betan Karnali Hydropower Project is forcing locals of Achham to undertake a nearly 400-kilometer journey to reach provincial headquarters in Dhangadhi.”

Three people have so far died of viral fever at Purumuru village of Soru Rural Municipality-6 in Mugu.

The deceased have been identified as Hari Bahadur Shahi (72), Kriti Chantyal (75) and Kushum Dholi (24), according to local resident Karnajit Bumi. The prevailing fever is suspected to be viral.

The outbreak has affected multiple areas, including Jima, Bhiee, Natharpu, Sipa, Khyalcha, and Bumcha, in addition to Purumuru.

The District Hospital in Mugu is grappling with an influx of patients, and locals have raised concerns about the lack of medical and other support from the government. Karnajit Bumi expressed the desperation of the people in seeking assistance.

Reports indicate that local health posts are running out of essential supplies, including basic medications like paracetamol. In response to the situation, the District Health Office officials visited Purumuru and Jima on Tuesday, and conducted health checkups for over 150 individuals.

District Hospital's Dr Kamal Dhungana explained that the viral fever is exacerbated by the increasing cold and it is expected to take some time to bring the situation under control. Symptoms of fever include continuous sweating, headache, muscle pain, loss of appetite, and fatigue.

The Shree Swasthani Brata Katha, a popular ritual observed by the Hindus since Push Shuklapurnima (full moon day), is beginning from today. The festival ends a month after in Magh Shuklapurnima.

Nepalis, especially the Hindu women, observe the month-long festival worshiping four-handed deity Swasthani with Chakra, Trishul, Sword and Lotus in each hand at the center while Astha Matrika or eight deities of power Mahakali, Baishnavi, Brahmi Maheshwori, Kaumeshwari, Barahi, Indraayani, and Chamunda painted around her and reciting Swasthani Brat Katha (story) every day.

The month-long telling ritual is dedicated to the goddess and the stories that are mainly narrated are those of Swasthani Devi, God Shiva and other gods.

It is believed that goddess Swasthani helped goddess Sati overcome her troubles after she burnt herself at Dakhsya Prajapati’s Yagya, after hearing her husband, lord Shiva, being insulted.

As per this, goddess Swasthani helped Sati Devi overcome the troubles and then to reincarnate and win over Lord Shiva as her husband again.

During the Swasthani katha, Hindu married women observe Brata or fasting for the wellbeing of their husbands and unmarried women observe the Brata in order to get a good husband. Women wear red-colored clothes and bangles during the one-month period as it is believed that red is a sign of good luck.

The rituals associated with the Swasthani Katha take place on the bank of rivers in various Hindu shrines across the country.

In Kathmandu, the festival takes place at Shalinadi, a river associated with the Swasthani Brata Katha, situated in Sankhu. Devotees visit Salinadi bank near Sankhu, worship goddess Shree Swasthani, Navaraj Brahman, Goma Brahmani, Chandrawati by visiting different shrines.

Voting is in progress at the designated polling stations and centers in the capitals of the seven provinces for electing 19 members of the National Assembly (NA). The 19 seats in the Upper House of the Federal Parliament are falling vacant on March 4.

The Election Commission has fixed 9 am to 3 pm today for voting. It stated that counting of votes would be started immediately after the voting concludes.

Election Commission's deputy spokesperson Shreedhar Panthi said voting is under way in all the seven provinces.

According to him, the election results would be announced today itself. The electoral college comprising the Province Assembly members and the chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of rural municipalities, and the mayors and deputy mayors of the urban municipalities will take part in the voting.

A single vote of the Province Assembly member has a weightage of 53 and that of the chair and vice-chair of rural municipalities and mayor and deputy-mayor of urban municipalities carries a weightage of 19. The total vote weightage is 57 thousand 559.

Two thousand and forty-seven voters, including 549 Province Assembly members and 1,498 chair and vice-chair of rural municipalities and mayor and deputy-mayor of urban municipalities will cast their votes in the election.

The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority arrested Sunil Paudel, former managing director at Nepal Telecom and Bikal Paudel, former executive director at Security Printing Center, on embezzlement charges on Wednesday. 

A CIAA team raided their homes, seized documents and took the two under control after they allegedly did not heed to the summons to record their statements vis-a-vis a corruption case filed at the Special Court against nine individuals on the charge of embezzling funds totaling Rs 232.75m during the procurement of software for National Payment Gateway in 2018 for $1.98m to digitize all financial transactions.

Those chargesheeted include government secretary Madhu Kumar Marasini, chair of the National Information Technology Center Sanjay Sharma, then executive director at the center Pranita Upadhyay, Paudel and others.  

The two are to be produced before the Special Court on Thursday.

In April last year, CIAA had moved the Special Court against Bikal Paudel and eight others, accusing them of embezzling around Rs 690.88m while procuring equipment for the printing press.

They were allegedly involved in preparation and approval of an unnatural cost estimate, accepting the supply of substandard electric transformers by going against the contract and making payment for a generator produced in a country other than that specified in the contract.

The equipment was procured for operating the security printing press that the government had planned to set up. The Office of the Auditor General had raised questions about the procurement process.

Even after filing the case, the two were dragged further into investigation on the suspicion of misappropriating the office’s resources and sending the property abroad.

Annually hundreds of people have been untimely losing their lives in the Kathmandu Valley due to road accidents.

According to the Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, as many as 88 people have lost their lives in 5,865 road accidents in the first six months of the current fiscal year. Likewise, 148 people were critically injured and 4,438 persons sustained minor injuries.

Most of the deceased in the accidents are motorcyclists and pedestrians.

Senior vice-president of the National Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Punya Prasad (Saroj) Sitaula said that two-wheelers in the Kathmandu Valley are more prone to accidents.

"High speed of motorcycles and scooters and pedestrians rampantly crossing the road have caused the highest number of fatalities in Kathmandu", he said.

Spokesperson of Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, Senior Superintendent of Police Rajendra Prasad Bhatta, said that the traffic police have been conducting various awareness programs to reduce the number of vehicle accidents in the Valley.

"We have been tightening the checking of alcohol consumption to reduce accidents, rules prohibiting vehicles from plying at a speed of more than 50 kilometers per hour to control speeding, checking the status of vehicles and whether there are two drivers in long-distance vehicles," he said.

Voting for the election to fill the seats of 19 upper house members who are retiring from March 4 has begun.

The voting began at 9 am and the voters will be able to cast their ballots in the designated polling stations of the provinces till 3 pm.

The province assembly members, rural municipality chairs and vice chairs, municipality mayors and deputy mayors will cast their vote in the election.

As per the law, the election has to be held 35 days before the end of the tenure of the members.

There will be an electoral college comprising members of the Province Assembly and chairperson and vice-chairperson of the rural municipality and mayor and deputy mayor of the municipality.

The weightage of a vote from Province Assembly members is 53 while it is 19 of a vote from chairpersons and vice-chairpersons of the rural municipalities and mayors and deputy mayors of municipalities. With this, the total vote weightage will be 57,559.

A total of 1,958 voters, including 549 provincial assembly members and chiefs and deputy chiefs of local levels, will cast their votes in the election.

The Department of Immigration, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, has recently issued a 13-point travel advisory along with a six-point procedure for individuals traveling abroad on visit and tourist visas. The issuance of the travel advisory was prompted by increasing reports of Nepali citizens falling prey to fraudulent activities while traveling on visit visas.

According to the Director and Information Officer of the Department, Prem Prasad Dahal, the newly introduced advisory and procedures are effective from today. The advisory explicitly states that seeking employment abroad while holding a visit or tourist visa is illegal. Engaging in such activities may lead to legal repercussions in the host country and cause various complications.

The advisory also clarifies that individuals are personally accountable for any consequences resulting from the submission of forged documents, providing false information, visiting a country not permitted by the visa, entering conflict zones, or joining foreign armed or military forces while abroad on a tourist or visit visa.

Likewise, the department has issued a cautionary note regarding the susceptibility of women to be tempted by intermediaries into traveling to labor destination countries such as Kuwait, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Bahrain on visit visa, persuading them to convert their visas into working ones, charging exorbitant fees and coercing them into precarious and indent labor conditions in collaboration with employers.

The Department has urged one and all to not pursue a foreign travel on the visit visa with the aim of working as it may push once into unorganized and precarious jobs, depriving social security. It has encouraged citizens to seek a foreign job on just a working visa after obtaining a labor permit from the government.

Those Nepalis going to various countries on these visas have been urged to return to their home country within the visa expiry date in other circumstances except for unusual conditions, as some Nepali travelers going to several countries on visit and tourist visas are found not returning on the stipulated date.

They have been asked to depart for foreign countries by making a self-declaration that they will return home on the stipulated date since the person concerned would be responsible for any situation resulting from overstaying the visa.  They have also been urged to set out on the visit after keeping general information regarding the language, culture and laws of the destination country.

"You might land in trouble if you work illegally in a foreign country after enrolling in a university listed with the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, but not studying in the university. Adopt additional precaution if you are visiting with the intention of enrolling in foreign university and working there through various middle persons even when carrying a study visa in recent days, as study and work are separate matters," reads the travel advisory.

Those carrying visit and tourist visas have been requested to travel only via Nepal's airports, to do so only by taking the NOC Letter and, in the case of women, to adopt additional precaution and alert while travelling to third countries through airports in India.

People have been urged to ask for the authentic papers of the licensed institution before making the payment if any institution has sought money with the assurance of sending them to foreign country by taking a labour permit. Similarly, people are advised to not give money if any education consultancy, travel agency or any person has asked for money with the assurance of sending on foreign employment.

People have been urged to inform the Department of Foreign Employment or the nearest police station or dial Nepal Police at 100, if they suspect that they are being conned.

People have been urged to only pay the minimum amount fixed by the government to the licensed institution sending them on foreign employment and take the receipt of the same, and not to believe in false assurances as there is no provision for agents.

The travel advisory states that getting recruited in the army or armed groups of any country is completely illegal and against the national interest, except in the case of the Indian Army and the British Army by taking approval from the Government of Nepal. People have been urged to not be involved in such activities under any circumstances as it is difficult to also rescue the people carrying out such acts.