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Minister for Foreign Affairs Arzu Rana Deuba and 15 ambassadors of different countries to Nepal have arrived at Kanyam in the district on the occasion of New Year, 2082BS.

They arrived at Kanyam this afternoon as part of the visit organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Nepal Tourism Board and in coordination with Suryodaya Municipality of Ilam on the occasion of the New Year.

Under the leadership of Minister for Foreign Affairs Deuba, 45 high ranking officials including Secretary at the Ministry, Amrit Rai, employees of the Board, ambassadors of 15 countries and other senior officials reached a popular tourist destination, Kanyam. 

The diplomatic persons were welcomed by the municipality and taken to Shreeantu. The guests were welcomed with panchebaja (traditional Nepali folk musical instruments). 

The Ministry took the ambassadors to the tourist destination of the country as part of the annual program.

The entourage includes ambassadors of Egypt, South Korea, the UK, Switzerland, Thailand, Australia, France, Israel and Japan, among others. 

The 'Nagarkot Visit Year-2082 BS' is kicking off tomorrow. The visit year is launched in a bid to promote culture, nature and history of Nagarkot area. 

Changunarayan Municipality, Mandandeupur Municipality, Banepa Municipality and Shankharapur Municipality are jointly organizing the visit year event at Batasedanda of Nagarkot. 

The visit year is expected to draw a huge number of tourists- both foreign and domestic ones.

The visit year is organized with the coordination and collaboration with Nagarkot Naldum Tourism Development Committee, Bagmati Province government and Nepal Tourism Board. 

Mayor of Changunarayan Municipality, Jeevan Khatri, said that the campaign would be celebrated in Nagarkot by highlighting eco-tourism, agriculture tourism, ethnic costumes, festivals and cultural identity of all the four municipalities.

About 100 hectares of forest has been destroyed due to fire in Myagdi this year.

The Division Forest Office, Myagdi said 99 hectares of 28 community forests in the district have been destroyed by the fire.

Forest Officer at the Office, Binay Bahadur Adhikari said that the fire has been raging in nine community forests in Dhawalagiri Rural Municipality, the largest number of forest fire incidents in the district.

According to him, four community forests of Malika Rural Municipality, two of Mangala Rural Municipality, four of Raghuganga Rural Municipality, six of Annapurna Rural Municipality and three of Beni Municipality have caught fire. 

"Compared to the previous years, there has been less number of forest fire incidents this year. The rain on Friday and Saturday has helped in extinguishing the forest fires," Adhikari said.

According to him, forest fires are caused due to the carelessness of pastoralists who light fires in the forest in the belief that more grass will grow if the existing dry grass is burnt. He said another cause of forest fire is the fire lit by poachers to chase away wild animals.

Forest covers 229,706 hectares of land in the district.

Sixty-five bridges have been constructed in Karnali Province in the last 21 months.

According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Urban Development, 23 RCC bridges and 42 suspension bridges have been constructed during this period. Six suspension bridges have been constructed from July to December of the current fiscal year.

Spokesperson at the Ministry, Ramesh Subedi, said that motorable bridges have been constructed on five roads. Four suspension bridges have been constructed in Humla and two in Kalikot. Similarly, one motorable bridge each has been constructed in Surkhet, Jajarkot, Kalikot, Mugu and Salyan.

Spokesperson Subedi said that 21.45 kilometers of roads have been blacktopped in the last nine months of the current fiscal year itself while 95 kilometers were blacktopped during the last 21 months.

He said that 205 kilometers of roads have been graveled and track opened on 525 kilometers of fair-weather roads during this period. 

Approval has been given for the construction of eight new motorable bridges for the fiscal year 2081/82 BS.

Similarly, consent has been given for the construction of a Bailey bridge. A multi-year contract has been initiated by ensuring resources for the construction of 41 new suspension bridges.

Source has been ensured for construction of one road, two bridges and two suspension bridges in Rukum-West.

Likewise, the construction of three Bailey bridges in Jajarkot has been started with the assurance of resources and the Nalgad Hydroelectricity Project has also started the construction of the bridge at Khara between Barekot and Nalgad Municipalities.

The financial resources for 11 projects have been ensured in Surkhet. Among the 11 projects are construction of four suspension bridges, four roads, two roads and bridges and one other structure.

Budget has been ensured for construction of two motorable bridges and eight suspension bridges in Dailekh.

Source has been ensured for only six projects in Mugu. The Ministry Spokesperson Subedi said the budget has been ensured for three projects in Humla, eight projects in Dolpa, four projects in Jajarkot, three projects in Kalikot, eight in Dailekh, seven in Salyan and four projects in Jumla.

According to Spokesperson Subedi, the sources have been ensured for a total 61 projects in Karnali Province in the current fiscal year.