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Counting of snow leopards has begun for the first time in Mustang in a bid to ascertain the snow leopard population. 

The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), Mustang has launched a survey of snow leopard through camera trapping at four local levels since Saturday. 

Though ACAP and other concerned organizations had conducted camera trappings by finding possible habitats of snow leopards, it was not sufficient to know the actual population.  

Chief of ACAP Lomanthang, Umesh Poudel, said the process of 161 camera trapping grids was determined in every five km distance in both Lower and Upper Mustang. 

Recently, snow leopards are coming down hills in search of food during the winter season. So, Biocos Nepal and ACAP installed 111 cameras at six more places in the Baragaon Mukti area and Gharapjhong rural municipality a few days back for counting the number of leopards. 

ACAP Lomanthnag has divided human resources in three blocks for camera trapping and more than one dozen persons have been deputed in the field for this purpose. 

ACAP technicians and local human resources would provide support, Poudel mentioned. 

The cameras would remain fixed in the fields for a maximum six months for this purpose.

MCA-Nepal has signed two essential contracts totaling USD 23.66 million for road maintenance under the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Nepal Compact.

These contracts jointly represent a major step forward for the Compact’s goal to advance Nepal’s long-term economic growth and development, MCA-Nepal said in a press statement. 

MCA-Nepal signed today a USD 20 million contract with Sharma – Kumar Joint Venture for the Road Upgrading Works using Full-Depth Reclamation & Superpave Technology on the Dhankhola to Lamahi section of the East-West Highway, as part of implementing the Road Maintenance Project under the MCC Nepal Compact. 

Additionally, MCA-Nepal recently signed a supporting USD 3.66 million contract with Intercontinental Consultants and Technocrats Pvt. Ltd. (ICT) for Consulting Services for Supervision of upgrading works of this road section and Design and Construction Supervision for Periodic Maintenance of the Narayanghat to Mugling Road Section, the statement says. 

Khadga Bahadur Bisht, executive director at MCA-Nepal, signed and exchanged the contract for the Dhan Khola - Lamahi Road works with Saurav Sharma, the authorized representative of Sharma – Kumar Joint Venture, in the presence of the U.S. Ambassador to Nepal  Dean Thompson, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance Dr. Dhani Ram Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Sushil Babu Dhakal, the Director General at the Department of Roads Dr. Bijaya Jaishi, MCA-Nepal Board Members, MCC Nepal Acting Country Director Sanjay Poudyal and MCC and MCA-Nepal officials. 

The project includes the construction of a 7-meter carriage way and 2.5-meter shoulder on both sides of the road, making it 12 meter wide using Full-Depth Reclamation & Superpave technology for the upgradation of the 40km Dhan Khola to Lamahi section of the East-West Highway and periodic maintenance of the Narayanghat to Mugling Road Section, the statement reads. 

The upgrading and maintenance works will be conducted with new technologies, i.e., Full Depth Reclamation and Superior Performing Asphalt Pavement (Superpave), for the first time in Nepal, the statement says. 

Addressing the event, the U.S. Ambassador to Nepal  Dean Thompson said, “The upgrading of the Dhan Khola - Lamahi Road project and the Narayanghat - Mugling Road Maintenance project represent much more than individual contracts. Together, they are another milestone reflecting the strength of the U.S-Nepal partnership, the momentum of the Millennium Challenge Compact, and a shared commitment at all levels of government to delivering tangible results for the people of Nepal and American businesses working in Nepal.” 

He added, “As the Compact delivers essential road infrastructure across Nepal, these two contracts will introduce American excellence in road maintenance.”

Dr. Dhani Ram Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Finance, expressed his confidence that the latest technologies going to be used in Nepal for the first time will open the road to sustainable, effective and cost-effective road maintenance, and MCA-Nepal would complete the project within the timeline.  Sushil Babu Dhakal, Joint-Secretary at the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, said, “The progress reflects MCA-Nepal’s continued efforts to implement the MCC Nepal Compact by introducing new technologies that improve the quality of Nepal’s road system.” 

MCC Nepal Acting Country Director Sanjay Poudyal said that this project will contribute meaningfully to improving Nepal's road reliability and serve as a practical model that Nepal can replicate more broadly across its road network. He said well-built and well-maintained roads are not merely a consequence of economic growth; they are one of its essential drivers.

MCA-Nepal Executive Director Khadga Bahadur Bisht said, “It is indeed a remarkable milestone to sign two contracts to move ahead with the Road Maintenance Project. The activities under the contracts will help in lowering trade and vehicle operation costs, increase road safety, decrease travel time, and improve travel quality. 

The Nepal Army (NA) has made it clear that it fully respects the decisions of the President and the Executive in the course of normalizing the situation following the Gen Z movement in the country.

It is the responsibility of a major state institution to facilitate in holding dialogues among stakeholders to quickly manage the crisis so as to prevent it from further worsening, NA said. 

"Although questions are raised even on the positive coordination and dialogues NA held at the critical hour, NA never floated a political agenda nor has shown ambition of interfering with power. It is clear from the present situation that NA is committed to democratic system," said an explanatory article of the NA. 

The NA is always committed to the enforcement of the letter and spirit of the Constitution. "With firm commitment to the Constitution, the NA works under government for national unity and national security," the article stated, adding that NA never harbours political ambition, but "it was true that it facilitated to end the political vacuum created in the wake of Gen Z movement."

The security agency further wondered: "If the NA had a political ambition, could we be in this situation now?" Instead of making cursory remarks and observations, objective analyses help strengthen all security agencies including NA and it is for the welfare of the entire nation, it reminded.

Simbokpa Danda of Bhotkhola Rural Municipality in Sankhuwasabha district has got 4G service from Nepal Telecom. 

With the Base Transceiver Station (BTS) of Nepal Telecom going on air, the locals have been benefitted from modern communications facilities. 

Chief of Nepal Telecom in Khandbari, Prem Rai, informed that the 4G service was a huge achievement because the people at Simbokpa Danda were deprived of communication facilities for long.

A technical team led by Telecom engineer Ashish Acharya, Chairman of ward no 2 in the rural municipality , Jippa Bhote, Nepal Army personnel and locals set up the tower.

Irrespective of the distant and difficult mountainous geography, the team was successful to install the tower and launch the 4G service, Nepal Telecom added.

It was informed that even the Kimathanka area of Bhotkhola rural municipality-1 would be provided with the modern communications service in a few days.