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President Ram Chandra Paudel has appealed to the global community to secure the future of the upcoming generation by mitigating negative impacts of climate change.

At a program organized at the President's Office on the occasion of the World Environment Day today, President Paudel said rapid changes in glaciers and glacial lakes due to growing impacts of global warming has added challenges to the lives and livelihoods with flash floods and landslides in the downstream areas.

"Nepal and other countries of the world are struggling with the crisis caused by climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity. These crises cannot be solved by someone's efforts, everyone should be united", the President said.

He noted that our common challenges and opportunities have been incorporated in the theme of the World Environment Day ' Our Land, Our Future: Land Restoration, Desertification and Drought Resistance'.

Recalling the views expressed by UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to reduce Nepal's mountain crisis, high risk of climate change and climate-related problems in Nepal and other mountainous countries, President Paudel expressed concern over the negligible contribution to greenhouse gas emissions in Nepal.

He stressed the need for the world community to come together to solve the problems arising out of climate change and reduce its impact.

Stating that Nepal has been carrying out various works at the national level to mitigate the impacts of climate change and this issue has also been addressed in the policies and programs of the government, President Paudel expressed the belief that the President Climate Change Management Programme would help increase adaptive capacity by reducing the negative impacts of climate change.

President Paudel had opened the plantation by planting a sapling of 'palas' on the President building premises.

Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav, Chief Justice Bishwombhar Prasad Shrestha, Speaker Devraj Ghimire and National Assembly Chair Narayan Dahal also planted saplings.

Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal, Chief of Army Staff Prabhuram Sharma, chiefs of security agencies, ambassadors of different countries and heads of donor agencies were present on the occasion.

The CPN (Unified Socialist) quit the Madhes Province government on Tuesday.

The CPN (US) withdrew the support extended to Chief Minister Saroj Kumar Yadav by recalling its ministers.

Parliamentary Party leader Govinda Neupane, who was appointed as the minister from the CPN (US) and the state minister submitted their resignations to Chief Minister Yadav today.

CPN (US) Chairman Madhav Nepal was in a dilemma whether to stay in the government or not.

Chief Minister Yadav is scheduled to seek a vote of confidence tomorrow.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has said that the government has placed the development of the energy sector in high priority.

Inaugurating the 'breakthrough' of the tunnel of Arun-3 Hydropower Project based at Amrang, Makalu Rural Municipality-5 in Sankhuwasabha today, he stated that the government, which is moving ahead prioritizing graduating to a developed country status in 2026 and attaining the sustainable development goals by 2030, has accorded high priority to the infrastructure development.

"I have been directly and indirectly acquiring information about this Project. It is currently under construction after the signing of the power development agreement on November 25, 2014. I am pleased to know that it has made 74.09 percent progress towards production and 37.95 percent progress towards the transmission line," he said.

Prime Minister Dahal expressed the confidence that with the completion this project will make a significant contribution in the power trade sector of Nepal.

"I direct the authorities concerned to complete the remaining works of the project in the stipulated time, extending the required cooperation and facilitation in acquiring the land necessary for  it," PM Dahal said.

Stating that the government has placed the development of the energy sector in high priority in the budget for the upcoming fiscal year, he said the capacity of the national power system would be increased to 4500 megawatts, including the 900 megawatts of electricity to be generated from this project.

"I make special request to the political parties, the civil society and the locals active at the local level for making the necessary facilitation for the timely completion of the project in view of the government bearing an economic loss of Rs 22.7 million per day if the commercial production is not started on the stipulated date or if power production is delayed for some reason," he added.

Stating that he is aware of the demands of the locals affected by the project, the Prime Minister said the government is serious about addressing their concerns.

He said that it would be better to seek a solution through cooperation and facilitation to any challenges in the development endeavors. It will be for the collective interest of all of us, he added.

On the occasion, Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, expressed his hope that the project will contribute significantly to the promotion of Nepal's energy sector.

He also reminded of the government's target of generating 28,500 megawatts of electricity in the next 12 years. 

On the occasion, Indian Ambassador to Nepal Naveen Srivastava said the project is important in the course of the implementation of the agreement of power trade of 10,000 mw between Nepal and India in the next 10 years.

Arun has high potential for power generation and such potentialities should be explored through a collaborative effort between the two countries, he asserted. He said that the government of India is ready to cooperate with Nepal to explore the possibilities for launching other projects based in the Arun River.

Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam's Chief Managing Director Sushil Kumar Sharma said Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been facilitating the implementation of the project since the beginning.

So far, the project reports 75 percent progress, he said, urging the Prime Minister to enable the atmosphere to complete it on time. He insisted on the upgrading of the Koshi Highway and the facilitation of the land acquisition procedures for the construction of a transmission mine.

He advised the government to form a high-level coordination committee and to seek solutions to the challenges regarding the project implementation in collaboration with the Investment Board of Nepal.

The project is expected to enter the production phase by March, 2025.  The production of 900 MW of electricity will be supported by tour turbines of 225 MW each.

Its power house is based in Pukuwa of Chichila rural municipality-3 and the project will have an 11.8-kilometer tunnel.

Investment Board CEO Sushil Bhatta and the local people's representatives were also present on the occasion.  The project is being developed by India's public company Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam and of the powers to be generated by it, Nepal will have access to 21.9 percent of the production (around 200 MW) free of cost, and the remaining will be exported to India. It will come to the ownership of Nepal after 25 years of the commencement of the power production.

It was jointly inaugurated by the then Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 11, 2018. Its PDA was observed on November 26, 2014.

Kamal Kumar Basnet/ RSS

CPN-UML lawmaker Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai has urged Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Balendra Shah not to make provocative statements towards political leadership.

During the special time in today's meeting of the House of Representatives, leader Bhattarai objected to Mayor Shah mocking the jail life of leaders of political parties, who were responsible for bringing about epoch-making political change in the country.

"We are ready to support the KMC mayor. CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli-led government had supported the waste management of Kathmandu Valley," he said.

Indicating to Mayor Shah, lawmaker Bhattarai underlined, "What is your plan to make Kathmandu more beautiful. Let's work together. I urge you not to carry out disorderly activities."

He expressed the belief that a parliamentary probe committee formed to investigate the cooperative fraud would present a clear concept regarding policy-level problems of cooperatives, adding the UML was ready for investigation into all scams.

"Our party and party chairperson were accused in a premeditated manner on the Giribandhu issue," the lawmaker expressed, stating that many issues related to the people could not be raised due to House obstruction by the Nepali Congress.