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The Kathmandu Valley witnessed a thunderstorm due to the influence of the local wind today.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the local wind developed from the vicinity of Butwal, southwest of Katmandu, entered the Valley via Dhading, causing the rainfall. 

According to the Division's senior meteorologist Min Kumar Aryal, the wind triggered the rains for one-and-a-half hours before moving towards the north.  This is a pre-monsoon phenomenon, he said.

At present, Nepal is experiencing the influence of local winds, partial impact of the Westerly wind, and a low-pressure system that is currently spread from the Northwest State of India to East Bengal.

According to the Division, it is partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, and Gandaki Provinces along with the hilly regions and partly cloudy in the rest of the country.

Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to take place at a few places in Koshi, Madhesh, Bagmati, Gandaki, and Lumbini Provinces and at one/two places in the rest of the country.

There are chances of light snowfall at one or two places in the country's high hilly and mountainous region.

Similarly, tonight, it will be partly to generally cloudy in Koshi, Madhesh, and Gandaki Provinces along with the hilly regions and partly cloudy to mainly fair in the rest of the country. Light to moderate rain with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at a few places in Koshi, Madhesh, and Gandaki provinces and at one/two places in the rest of the country.

Monsoon is anticipated to enter Nepal on June 13, although this date may vary by a couple of days. In Nepal, the monsoon period is tentatively set from June 1 to September 30.

More rainfall than average has been predicted during monsoon this year in Nepal.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has arranged 374 beds at 52 hospitals for the free treatment of helpless and poor people.

The private hospitals are obliged to allocate minimum 10 percent beds and free treatment to the helpless and indigent people as per KMC's edict.

Public health inspector at Health Department of KMC, Dhanendra Shrestha, informed that, so far, 70 patients benefited from the scheme launched last February. Most of those receiving the service are from out of the capital city.

After the private hospitals flouted legal provisions, the KMC introduced a free treatment work procedure, 2080 and brought to strict implementation.

The KMC has also managed a system where the availability of beds, treatment services and other schemes at private hospitals can be checked online. Some of such indigent patients were discharged after treatment while some still undergoing treatment.

Shrestha further informed that most of such patients are suffering from ear, nose and throat (ENT) problems, and kidney disease, while some had respiratory and eye problems.

A hotline 1180 of KMC could be dialed to receive information about the treatment or for the service.

Pokhara Metropolitan City has begun regulating buildings that were constructed without adhering to building codes. According to PMC officials, the metropolis is home to an estimated 150,000 cemented buildings. “A large number of them are found to have violated building codes,” said Ravi Chandra Ghimire, an engineer with Pokhara Metropolitan City.

No comprehensive research has been conducted on how many buildings in Pokhara were constructed without following the required codes. This is partly due to frequent changes in regulations driven by various ruling authorities. Prior to the establishment of local governments, buildings exceeding three stories for residential purposes were not permitted. 

After the Nepal National Building Code, 2015 came into force and the local governments were formed in 2017, Pokhara Metropolitan City conducted a survey on building construction in Pokhara under the leadership of Engineer Bharat Raj Pahari. “We have now completed work on ensuring standard norms for buildings,” Dhan Raj Aacharya, Mayor of Pokhara Metropolitan City, said, addressing a program organized recently in Pokhara. He also announced that Pokhara would be declared a paperless city through the implementation of an electronic building permit system.

According to him, this system will maintain transparency in the building approval process and provide the public with a faster and more straightforward way to handle administrative tasks related to building construction. Efforts to manage buildings have already begun, officials of the metropolis say. The Pokhara Metropolitan City Office has published standard requirements for building construction, urging adherence to the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) for both residential and business buildings.

To enforce the new standards, PMC has taken various initiatives. It has tasked ward offices with mapping all buildings within their jurisdictions. Likewise, it recently issued a notice to triple fines for those who violate building codes. “Pokhara is not just the headquarters of Gandaki Province; it is also the tourism capital of the country and a business hub,” said Engineer Pahari. “With almost 5,000 buildings added every year, urban management is worsening. Strict adherence to building codes is essential.”

The Road Division Office blacktopped the road of New Road dug for footpath expansion.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City had dug the road from Juddha Salik to Indra Chowk of Road on both sides saying that it was not in accordance with standards.

The Road Division blacktopped the road saying that the Kathmandu metropolis’ move was against the law.

There was a dispute for a while when the city tried to stop the works of blacktopping.

The city police stepped back after the locals said that the road should be blacktopped.

Locals said that the problems had arisen due to the lack of coordination between the Kathmandu metropolis and Road Division.

The Kathmandu metropolis had dug the road in front of Bishal Bazaar of New Road to expand the footpath.