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Excessively cold weather in the past few days has affected daily life in Tarai belt including Sarlahi district. Dense fog from early morning Thursday has made the weather severely cold, with little to no sunshine in the area since Wednesday. Continuous cold wind and frost have exacerbated the cold weather, forcing the children, senior citizens and chronic patients to stay indoors. Movement of people and other activities in the market has also drastically reduced with the dipping temperatures. Meanwhile, the number of patients suffering from cold related ailments too has also increased in several settlements. The count of people suffering from asthma, cough and arthritis has drastically gone up. The older people, infants and new mothers are the hardest hit or are at risk from cold. Meanwhile, normal life is badly affected in the western Tarai including the district of Banke from Wednesday with the sudden dip in temperature. Thick fog has blanketed the region from early morning affecting the mobility of people. The minimum temperature in Banke district was recorded at 10.5 degree Celsius on Thursday. Likewise, regular flights to and from Nepalgunj airport are affected for the past two days due to poor visibility because of the thick fog in the morning time. However, regular flights are taking place in the afternoon time, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal, Banke office.

With an impressive growth rate in the remittance inflow compared to the last year, the country has received Rs 378.04 billion in remittance in the first four months of the current fiscal year. The growth rate is more than 20 percent against a decrease of 7 per cent in the same period of the last year. “In the US Dollar terms, remittance inflows increased 10.8 percent to 2.93 billion in the review period against a decrease of 7.3 percent in the same period of the previous year,” according to the Nepal Rastra Bank. Issuing a current macroeconomic and financial situation based on the first four months of the current fiscal year, the central bank has stated that the number of Nepali workers (institutional and individual-new) taking approval for foreign employment increased 102.5 percent to 195,196 in the review period. The number of Nepali workers (Renew entry) taking approval for foreign employment increased 46.4 percent to 87,428 in the review period. It had increased 249.1 percent in the same period of the previous year. Likewise, the Balance of Payments (BOP) has remained at a surplus of Rs 20.03 billion in the review period compared to a deficit of Rs 150.38 billion in the same period of the previous year. However, the current account has remained at a deficit of Rs 35.40 billion in the review period compared to a deficit of Rs 220.91 billion in the same period of the previous year, according to the central bank.

Twenty-eight members have been elected in seven province assemblies from Dalit community under the Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system. According to the Election Commission, Kamala Darnal (Terhathum) from CPN (UML), Sunita Kumari Gurung (Sunsari) from Nepali Congress, Sapana Darji (Sunsari) from CPN (Maoist Centre) and Gopal Bahadur Biswokarma (Jhapa) from Rastriya Prajatantra Party have been elected as province assembly members in the Province-1. Likewise, Sakuntali Devi (Sarlahi) and Nilam Kumari Rajak (Saptari) from NC, Palati Devi Mahara (Dhanusha) from CPN (UML), Ranju Kumari Mandal (Saptari) from Janamat Party, Lalita Das (Siraha) from Janata Samajwadi Party Nepal, Sharad Das Pahadi (Dhanusha) from Maoist Centre and Kishori Devi (Rautahat) from CPN (Unified Socialist) have been elected as province assembly members from Dalit community in the Madhes Province under PR category. As per the list disclosed by EC on Wednesday, Balkumari Bioswokarma (Kathmandu) from UML and Suna Pariyar (Kathmandu) from NC were elected as PR members in Bagmati province. Govinda Bahadur Nepali (Baglung) and Nanda Kala Damai Nepali (Kaski) from UML, Dilmaya Pauwi (Baglung) and Tika Kumari Basyal (Lamjung) from NC and Damayanti Ruchal (Nawalparasi Bardaghat Susta East) from Maoist Centre were elected in the Gandaki Province under PR category. Likewise, in the Lumbini Province, Indra Kumari Gahatraj (Palpa) and Rekha Kumari Sharma (Dang) from UML, Loki Kumari BK (Dang) from NC and Yam Bahadur Nepali Sarki (Gulmi) from Maoist Centre were elected as PR members from Dalit community. As per the results, Karnali Province has Gamata BK (Dailekh) from UML, Laxmi Sunar (Salyan) from NC and Urmila Biswokarma (Rolpa) from Maoist Centre as province assembly members from Dali community under PR category. Similarly, Hira Sarki (Kanchanpur) from UML, Lalita Sunar (Kailali) from NC and Laxmi BK (Darchula) from Maoist Centre were elected in the Sudurpaschim Province. It may be noted that Sita Sundas (Gandaki) and Rana Singh Pariyar (Karnali) were only elected from Dalit community in the first-past-the-post electoral system in the province. With this, the representation of Daliut community has reached 30 in province assemblies. Likewise, Dalit community has a representation of 15 elected members in the House of Representatives (HoR) under PR category. Only elected under PPTP category was Chhabilal Biswokarma from Rupandehi-1. As informed, Dali community has a total of 16 members elected under the PR and PPTP electoral categories in HoR.  

The endangered Eurasian Eagle Owl, locally known as 'Huchil', is on the verge of extinction in the eastern belt of Udayapur district. In the past, sights of the bird were common at the Sughachari cliff, Bopatang cliff, Champakot, Siddhipur and Katunjebabala in Belaka Municipality, said Ram Bahadur Magar, a resident of Chaudandi Babala. "The bird would be commonly spotted at cliffs and forests in the locality until some years ago. But nowadays, their sights are rare," he said.  Hunting and habitat destruction have been blamed for them facing extinction, he said. Hunters from other districts visited and killed the bird in collusion with local people, he said. A local Man Bahadur Rai said the endangered bird was rarely seen in the recent period. A live Eurasian eagle-owl is sold for Rs 20,000 in the local market, it has been said. "A campaign has been launched to conserve the rare eagle and the Eurasian eagle-owl at Boptang and Sugachari cliff. The campaign should be continued," said former mayor of Belaka municipality, Durga Kumar Thapa.  

Women from the Chepang community have qualms over undergoing check-up for reproductive health. Although the women health volunteers are raising awareness in villages on reproductive health, the Chepang women are still showing unwillingness to undergo necessary tests. They hardly visit health posts for pregnancy tests. ANM at Pamdanda Health Post, Richa Hitanga, said, "The Chepang women do not come to undergo health check-ups. As they do not undergo pregnancy test on time, they suffer various problems later." Hitanga further informed that until the Chepang women get their bellies bulged and others know about it, they do not visit the health facility. "It is mainly because they feel ashamed," he explained. The Chepang community is an indigenous community. Tradition of child marriage is prevalent in this indigenous group. According to ANM Hitanga, the women from this indigenous community must be made aware about reproductive health from the very school level. Most of the women have similar problems. Maya Chepang from Jaigaira said they do not go to health post until they become five-month pregnant. "I also became a mother at an early age," she said. She shared that she was repeating that the daughter-in-laws must be taken to a health facility on time for a pregnancy test, otherwise they could face risk- both in mother and child. She also recounted the plight that she lost two children. If she had tested her health on time, she could not face the tragedy. Shila Chepang has a similar plight. She lost her child as she failed to undergo a pregnancy test on time. She divulged that she, getting ashamed, did not go to the health post despite recurring health problems during pregnancy. She suggested that not only women but also the men must be made aware to ensure timely health checkup of Chepang women. In the background, Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality has been conducting an awareness program. Health section coordinator at the rural municipality, Basudev Sapkota, said they were preparing to distribute calcium to the pregnant women for at least four months. Even the ultrasound service was launched in the rural areas. He informed that the rural municipality had reached every village to raise awareness and provide health service. As per the plan of federal government, a plan was afoot to introduce 'Nutrition for Chepang' program at Ichchhakamana of Chitwan and Chepang settlement of Rapti. Sapkota however admitted that complete change was still awaited. He pointed out the need for better collaboration and coordination of all sides including the local levels to bring change in the life of Chepang women in terms of reproductive health.

The Biratnagar Metropolitan City (BMC) has begun a feasibility study in a bid to seek a long term resolution to the inundation problem here. The study began with the assistance of Asian Development Bank. The BMC city is inundated every year during monsoon for lack of proper outlet. Mayor Nagesh Koirala informed that BMC would seek a scientific solution to the problem it has been facing for a long time.  The feasibility study team is now inspecting various wards that suffer much during monsoon rains. He further said the consultants from ADB were now studying how the inundation in BMC could be given an outlet to Singhiya and Keshliya streams. The BMC is mulling how the water from old canals as Ghoga, Basta, Dhuduwa, Chyangbari, and Marli could be drained at major streams.  "Along with the ADB team, I'm visiting the areas that are most affected during rains. The team would prepare the report in two weeks which would pave the way for the works ahead," Koirala informed. The technical team leader for the feasibility study from SCHEMES DM, Dr Sheikh Javed Mohammad, also said they had begun the inspection of the inundated areas. A detailed report would be prepared after the feasibility study. The team had the field inspections of ward no 3, 15, 17, 18 and 19 of BMC.  

Paddy production in Palpa district has increased two percent this year as compared to the previous year. The district saw the production of 32,019 metric tonnes of paddy this year as opposed to 31,428 metric tons in the previous year, according to the Agriculture Knowledge Center (AKC), Palpa. Paddy cultivation was done in 8,210 hectare of lands this year as compared to 8,206 hectares in the previous year. "Paddy production has increased this year despite insects having destroyed it in some areas," said the AKC chief Kamana Adhikari. Factors like irrigation, the use of modern technology and hybrid seeds have been thanked for the increment of paddy production, said the AKC information officer Milan Gaire. Farmers have switched to hybrid paddy seeds for high production. They have been using various types of hybrid seeds including 'Sabitri', 'Hybrid', 'Sanwa' 'Mansuli', 'US-312', 'Shanti', 'Series', 'Khumal-3' and 'Sukka Dhan'. Paddy thresher and ploughing lands with the use of a tractor and other modern technology have made it easier for farmers.  

Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has said that democracy has been further strengthened in the country after the newly-elected people’s representatives assumed their offices. Inaugurating the 3rd General Convention of National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal here today, the PM compared the local level government as a pillar of federalism and democracy adding that the new priority should be ensuring good-governance and development to the citizens through the strengthening of the local government. PM Deuba also said that some confusions on the concurrent rights of the constitution should be made clear and should unite for the successful implementation of federalism. “The federal government is required to take prompt initiatives to draft the laws and implement them for the local and province levels. Priority should be given to immediately issue very important laws including civil service, education, agriculture and health care and to make the old-fashioned laws in line with the constitution,” PM Deuba added. The PM was of the view that good-governance could be institutionalized at the local levels if they move ahead by applying the reform measures including structural reforms, robust internal control mechanisms, use of new technology in service delivery, balance between loss and income, service recipient-centric plans, training and research and new market strategy. The PM also asked the local levels to formulate their plans in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), create employment opportunities to the skilled and educated human resources at home and ensure debate, discussions and interactions among the people’s representatives, officials and people. On the occasion, PM Deuba urged to widen the role of local government on conservation, utilization and promotion of natural and cultural heritages, skill-generating education, environment conversation and other issues. The Association is an umbrella institution of 460 rural municipalities from across the country. The event, to continue for three days is scheduled to elect its 37-member central working committee for the upcoming five years.