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Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has echoed the need for unity among all leftist forces for the 'cause' of all Nepalis and workers. In his address to a program organized on the occasion of the 34th Memorial Day of the founder of Communist Party, the late Narayan Bilas Joshi, here today, the CPN (Maoist Center) Chair insisted on the need of unity among political parties subscribing to leftist ideologies by reviewing the past 'mistakes'. At the program organized by the Narayan Bilas Memorial Foundation, the Prime Minister inaugurated the Foundation's newly constructed building and unveiled the life-size statue of Joshi. "The mass was thrilled by the unity between the CPN-UML and the Maoist Centre to form the Nepal Communist Party (NCP). Such integration sent a ripple among the regressive forces, but unfortunately, we failed to keep the unity intact and I hold no one responsible for the division. The need is that we should thoroughly assess our shortcomings and promote the leftist unity through self-corrections," he said. He said that at that time he had suggested UML Chair KP Sharma Oli to prioritize unity among the leftist forces to take the nation towards economic prosperity and towards socialism. "Following the integration between the two parties, we secured around a two-third majority in the election, but failed to retain it." Terming the recent formation of the Socialist Front as the beginning of the leftist unification, leader Dahal said the CPN (Unified Socialist) Chair Madhav Nepal had agreed to revive the unity among the left. "I, Madhav Nepal, Biplav and Upendra Yadav have taken initiatives for promoting the leftist unity by forming the Socialist Front," he said. On the occasion, Nepal opined that although the task of political struggle has been concluded, the responsibility of bringing meaningful change in the living standard of the people by establishing socialism remained to be fulfilled. "Only the Communist Party can fulfill the responsibility of bringing transformative change in the life of the people by establishing socialism. Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal 'Prachanda' has been leading that task at present," he said. CPN (UML) Disciplinary Commission chair Amrit Kumar Bohara said the Communist Movement is weaker in the country despite the large public support for it. "The time has now come for the Communists to come together at one place and move forward and not to be divided," he emphasized. Mayor of Madhyapur Thimi Municipality, Surendra Shrestha, said the municipality has invested a big chunk of the budget in education and health sectors, expressing the municipality's readiness to operate a health clinic and Ayurvedic Hospital in one of the Foundation's buildings. Foundation treasurer Sushila Subedi said the local government, provincial government and various bodies provided financial support to the Foundation for constructing its building and a statue of the late Narayan Bilas Joshi. Foundation chairperson and Bagmati provincial government minister Dr Rajendra Man Shrestha said that the Foundation constructed its own building and also installed the late Joshi's statue to always keep alive the contribution of one of the five founders of the Communist Party in Nepal. He said Nepal's communists should always remember the late Joshi's contribution and the communist leadership should be effortful to uniting all the communist forces in the country.  

Farmers of Madhes Province have been assured that there will be no problem with fertilizers this year. Agricultural Inputs Company Limited, Madhes Province Regional Office, Birgunj, Parsa has said that this year fertilizer as needed for the month of Asar is in stock while more is coming. Head of the Provincial Office, Chandra Prasad Chamlagain said currently 6,000 metric tons of urea and 3,000 metric tons of DAP are in the warehouse. Hence, there will be no shortage of fertilizer during paddy cultivation this year as more fertilizer will arrive in the first week of Shrawan. In the 10 months of the current year 2079/80, 100,000 metric tons of chemical fertilizers have been received at the Regional Office of the Agricultural Inputs Company, Birgunj Parsa. "Until now, 170,000 metric tons of urea and DAP fertilizers have arrived, 50,000 metric tons of fertilizers are in the process of arriving and 40,000 metric tons of fertilizer is in the process of being approved," said Chamlagain. The demand for chemical fertilizers is high in Asar, Shrawan and Bhadra, the main season of paddy cultivation. Although the supply is not as per the demand, more fertilizer has been received in the current fiscal year 2079/80 compared to the previous year 2078/79.

The number of chronic diseases is increasing in society today due to ignorance towards health, carelessness in diet and lifestyle leading to complications such as high blood pressure, diabetes, liver, kidney and heart ailments. People must be aware of their diet and lifestyle to prevent diseases rather than working to cure it later, said Director of Shaheed Dharmabhakta National Transplant Center, Dr Pukarchandra Shrestha. He was speaking at an interaction on legal arrangements and implementation status of organ donation after brain death organized by the center in collaboration with the federal Ministry of Health and Population. He said that the transplant center has now started a social campaign for posthumous organ donation considering the need for organs to save the lives of people with severe disease. Lives of many patients can be saved if people opt for organ donation and give prior permission for the same. Due to the lack of public awareness, the organs that can be used after brain death are being wasted by either burning to ashes or burring. He suggested creating awareness among the general public at the community level as eight organs can be used for other people after brain death. According to Dr Shrestha 1,000 people die of brain death in Nepal every year and hence there is a possibility that 8,000 organs can be obtained in a year. "Eight people can get a life donation from one brain dead person," he said. Any healthy person can donate organs and the law now provides that transplants can be done through 52 kinds of relatives. Also speaking at the program, Dr Kalpana Shrestha said there is a possibility that even the brain can be preserved and transplanted within 24 hours after death. She also pointed out gender-based discrimination in kidney transplantation in Nepal. "The number of female kidney transplant patients receiving organs from men is very low", she said, "compared to this, the number of male patients receiving kidneys from women is very high." Transplant specialist Dr Dipesh Shrestha and nephrologist Dr Shakti Basnet said that it is necessary to raise awareness about transplants in the society.  

A meeting of chief ministers from all seven provinces is taking place in Pokhara today. The Gandaki Province government is convening the meeting, which is a part of deepening intergovernmental relations to strengthen Nepal's federalism. Spokesperson of the Gandaki Province government Sarswati Aryal said that Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is scheduled to inaugurate the meeting this afternoon. During the meeting, the chief ministers are expected to hold discussions on issues of rights given to the province government and experiences on intergovernmental relations among others.  

Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Mayor Balendra Shah has directed the private schools operated in the KMC to arrange the same salary to teachers as of public schools. Taking to social media today, Mayor Shah requested the teachers of private schools to contact the KMC Education Department if they do not get the salary determined by the government. He said that the KMC has been receiving complaints about salary from the teachers of private schools operated in the KMC. The Education Act, 2028 has mentioned that teachers of private schools should be paid without reducing the salary scale set by the Government of Nepal. "The rule 68 of the KMC School Education Management Regulations, 2074 has mentioned that salary, pension, gratuity as well as other facilities would be the same as determined in the Federal Education Law," said Mayor Shah. He instructed the private schools to provide salary and facilities according to their teachers that teachers of public schools in the KMC receive.

Vaccine against measles and rubella was administered to more than 147,000 children in Kanchanpur district. More than 30 percent children than the target were vaccinated against measles and rubella in the vaccination drive launched by the District Health Office, Kanchanpur, in the second week of June. Cold Chain Officer at the District Health Office, Janak Kunwar, said the office had set a target to vaccinate 118,000 children between six months to 15 years of age. “A total of 147,453 children received vaccines against measles and rubella which was more than our target “, he shared. A total of 39,393 children between six months to below five years of age got vaccines against measles and rubella and 108,060 children between the ages of five years to 15 years. The District Health Office had determined 565 centers throughout the district for the vaccination drive. The Office launched the vaccination drive after 33 people were found suffering from measles at Krishnapur municipality two months ago. The government has set a target to eliminate measles by 2026.

Twenty-eight migrant workers from Nawalparasi (Bardaghat Susta east) Nawalpur have died in the course of employment in foreign lands. Such a number of migrant workers lost their lives in the course of overseas employment till the date of the current fiscal year. District Coordinator of the Safer Migration Program Rituram Soti said 27 male and a female have lost their lives this year. Seven people of Devchuli, six of Kawasoti, six of Madhyabindu, four of Gaindakot, three of Binayi Tribeni and one of Hupsekot died in the course of overseas employment. It was found that working under pressure, long working hours are some of the reasons behind the death of migrant workers, shared counselor of the program, Ranjana Lamsal. Coordinator Soti added 188 cases related to foreign employment have been registered in Nawalpur this year. The highest number of cases (118) was related to cheating. Of the cases registered, 81 were settled and Rs 32.06 million compensation was provided to the victims, he shared.    

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal asserted that the incumbent government was sensitive towards defending national interest. Responding to the queries raised by lawmakers in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, the PM reiterated that the government was committed towards defending national sovereignty, national independence, territorial integrity, border security and national unity. He said that a greater national unity was forged in Nepal concerning national independence, sovereignty and border security related issues, reiterating the government was sensitive and effortful to protect the national interests. PM Dahal said that the government had accorded highest priority to make international border security stronger and more effective and for that, he added, regular repair and maintenance of the border pillars, further strengthening of the existing border outposts and setting up new ones would be carried out. Of the 250 Border Outposts set up in the bordering area for border security, physical infrastructures were built for 128 while construction of 10 new Border Outposts would be completed within the end of the current fiscal year, the PM appraised the Parliament. In both Zero Hour and Special Hour, the PM reiterated that the government was sensitive towards national welfare. "The government has always been effortful to secure welfare of the country and country people," the Head of the Government said. Furthermore, he said that the government was committed towards addressing the issues of public's concerns and to give impetus to development works. Also, the government was determined to further strengthen the relationship between the government and people.