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Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has said the industrial customers would have to bear with power cuts in the evening time until the re-operation of Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project which was damaged by flooding and landslide on September 27 and 28.

NEA Managing Director Kul Man Ghising said it has been difficult to manage power supply in the winter, as the 456 MW-capacity Upper Tamakoshi Project's power generation has been closed due to the damage caused by the floods and landslide. Upper Tamakoshi is the largest among the hydroelectricity projects connected to the National Transmission Grid.

According to him, power supply to the industrial customers had to be cut down during the peak hour in the evening when there is high electricity consumption due to the problem to do with managing the demand.  

The NEA said although there will be some power cuts to the industrial sector with high power demand until power generation is started from the Upper Tamakoshi Project, power supply will be continued to other customers.

It clarified that power supply to the industrial zones had to be cut down to some extent because power production of the run-of-the-river hydropower projects decreases by one-third of their capacity in the winter season as the volume of water in the rivers and streams reduces, and the NEA has not been able to import power from India to meet the domestic demand in the peak hour.

Repair and maintenance of the Upper Tamakoshi Hydropower Project is being carried out with the target of starting power generation by December 25.

According to NEA, the Central Electricity Authority of India has given permission to import up to 654 megawatts power daily, including 600 megawatts via the 400 kV Dhalkebar-Muzzafarpur Cross-border Transmission Line and 54 megawatts via the 132 kV Tanakpur-Mahendranagar Transmission Line, until March 15, 2025, for managing the power demand during the winter season.

However, there is the provision that electricity cannot be imported during the peak hour from 5p, to 9 pm, according to NEA.

The Open Nepal Initiative (ONI) highlights the increasing number of incidents of online violence targeting women politicians in Nepal.

The report published by the ONI reveals how this pervasive issue undermines democratic participation and silences critical voices in public discourse.

Based on monitoring the social media accounts of 12 prominent women politicians over three months (August–October 2024), the findings expose alarming patterns and underscore the urgent need to create safer digital spaces.

The report documents a disturbing upward trend in online violence against women in politics. In August alone, 24 incidents were recorded, with "Insult and Hate Speech" accounting for 67% of the cases. The following month saw 35 incidents, with 74.3% falling under the same category, along with cases of physical threats and sexualized distortions. October witnessed a record 44 incidents, with "Insult and Hate Speech" maintaining a 70.5% share. “These attacks not only target women’s political stances but also degrade them based on their gender, attempting to diminish their credibility and silence their voices,” states the report.

The study identifies Twitter as the primary platform for online abuse, responsible for most incidents during the three-month period. The anonymity and reach of social media platforms enable perpetrators to launch coordinated attacks, spreading disinformation and gendered hate speech against female politicians.

The most targeted female politicians included Toshima Karki and Sumana Shrestha of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and Arzu Rana Deuba of Nepali Congress (NC). Lawmaker Karki, a former State Minister for Health, faced the highest volume of abuse for advocating disaster preparedness and addressing corruption allegations. Similarly, Shrestha, known for her anti-corruption stance, experienced sustained online harassment, particularly for defending her party leader against fraud allegations.

Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba became the target of misogynistic comments and false corruption allegations, with users associating her with scandals despite her diplomatic achievements. “These cases highlight how female politicians, regardless of their political affiliations or contributions, are disproportionately targeted with abuse and disinformation,” according to the report.

Lead researcher of the report Deepak Adhikari noted that women politicians are often attacked not for their policies but for their gender, with perpetrators questioning their competence and motives to undermine their credibility. “Twitter’s prominence in these cases underscores the need for platform accountability in addressing gender-based online violence,” he said. “The constant barrage of abuse discourages women from participating in public life, weakening democratic representation and diversity.”

The study recommends several measures, including strengthening cyber laws, organizing public awareness campaigns, establishing support mechanisms, offering legal and psychological support for women politicians experiencing online abuse, and ensuring social media accountability.

Adhikari stressed that the findings highlight a digital-age crisis where platforms intended to foster dialogue have become tools for silencing women. “Online violence against women in politics threatens not only their personal well-being but also the democratic principles of equity and representation,” he said, urging governments, social media companies, and civil society to collaborate in creating safe, inclusive digital spaces where women can lead without fear.

Ganesh Karki’s early education began in Jhapa, Nepal, in the village that is now Kamal Rural Municipality. “I attended school there until third grade,” he says. However, since the village lacked educational facilities beyond grade three, he had to walk about an hour and half daily to attend grades four through seven. For high school, he moved to Dharan and later, around 1983, he relocated to Kathmandu to pursue further education.

“I started working pretty early on,” he says, adding that his experiences shaped his understanding of the limits of salaried jobs. Recognizing that a job alone wasn’t enough, he took his first steps into the business world. Around 1985, Nepal’s carpet industry was thriving, which inspired him to start a business manufacturing threads for carpets.

“We received payments only after the carpets made from our threads were sold,” he says. This prompted him to think bigger. “I wondered, why not make the carpets myself?” This idea led to the establishment of a large carpet factory employing 300–400 workers. Unfortunately, the industry faced a significant crash, and carpets stopped selling. He turned to the rising Pashmina industry. The Pashmina market, too, eventually peaked and began to decline.

The hydropower sector was emerging as a promising new frontier in Nepal. “Equipment for hydropower projects was either imported from Europe, which was very expensive, or from China,” he says. Seeing an opportunity, he ventured into the business of importing Chinese equipment for hydropower projects.

“After working on various projects, I developed a deeper understanding of the hydropower sector,” he says. This growing knowledge enabled Karki to establish himself as a key player in the industry. “I was around 32 years old when I first entered the sector. It’s been about 20–25 years and I’ve been fully involved in it.”

Karki believes that the path to a prosperous Nepal lies in strategic investments and developments within the hydropower sector. “We say ‘Samriddha Nepal, Sukhi Nepali,’ but prosperity cannot be achieved by slogans alone,” he says. He explained that the exodus of Nepali citizens to foreign countries is driven by the lack of opportunities at home. “If Nepal was financially strong, people wouldn’t feel the need to leave. They move abroad seeking better opportunities. If those opportunities existed here, they would stay.”

According to Karki, hydropower holds the key to unlocking Nepal’s economic potential in the short term. “The potential in this sector is immense,” he emphasized. “Not only does domestic consumption of electricity remain high, but there is also significant potential for exporting excess energy to neighboring countries like India, Bangladesh, and even China. We can generate substantial revenue from electricity exports while simultaneously creating numerous employment opportunities within Nepal,” he says.

He acknowledges that time is of the essence. “We are already late. If we don’t prioritize the development of the hydropower sector today, in ten years, newer technologies for electricity generation might render our resources redundant,” he warns. 

Currently, Nepal faces challenges in achieving energy self-sufficiency. “During dry seasons, we have to import electricity. Only in the rainy seasons do we generate enough to meet our needs and even sell some. The goal should be to reach a point where we are self-sufficient all year round,” he says. Karki stressed the need for government intervention. “The government must make the energy sector its primary focus for the next decade,” he says. 

The hydropower industry in Nepal faces numerous challenges, despite its vast potential of around 200,000 MW. Currently, Nepal generates only 3,200 MW, with the government aiming for 28,500 MW by 2035—a target requiring $50bn in investment. However, bureaucratic hurdles, such as navigating 16 ministries for project approvals and lengthy licensing processes, hinder progress. “The government asks people to run but ties their feet,” he says. “Issues like delayed transmission lines, lack of explosives, and financing difficulties must be resolved. Collaboration between the government and private sector is essential to unlock hydropower’s potential,” he adds.

Karki stresses on the importance of starting the day with clear priorities and effective time management. When it comes to balancing personal and professional life, Karki firmly believes in maintaining personal connections. “Without personal life, family, and friends, a person becomes a machine. I try my best to spend time with my family and friends while managing work and fulfilling social responsibilities,” he says. 

A former national Karate player and referee, Karki continues to stay connected to his passion for the sport as the president of the Nepal Goju-Ryu Karate Association. “I feel proud to have been a player,” he said, adding that he prioritizes daily exercise to maintain physical and mental health.

As the Honorary Consul of Mauritius, Karki drew inspiration from the nation thriving on tourism to discuss Nepal’s potential. “Nepal has unique attractions, like the world’s highest peak, Mt. Everest, that can draw global tourists,” he says. He stresses on the importance of making Nepal more widely known for tourism and investment. He says there is a need for better infrastructure and promotion. “With the right efforts, both tourism and investments can drive Nepal’s growth.”

He reasserts that hydropower is a pivotal sector for the country’s growth, noting its ability to drive investments and spur development. However, he stresses that the responsibility of building Nepal lies with its citizens. “We must make our country. Nobody else can make it for us,” he says. Although Nepal’s bigger neighbors, such as India and China, can assist in its development, he believes the primary burden rests on Nepalis themselves.

“It’s easy to blame the government for everything,” he says “but we must also realize our own responsibilities. Development requires effort from all of us—not just from those in power.”

His call to action for the youth is clear: Focus on contributing to the country’s progress in any way possible. “Employment opportunities are immense, and there is so much potential to explore. We need to focus on making the country a better place—starting with our own efforts,” he says.

For him, progress is not just about individual success but about uplifting the entire nation. “If only a handful of people are on top, the country doesn’t truly progress. The country as a whole needs to move forward together.”

His work, he says, is for the betterment of the nation, society, and the youth. “We work to create a more prosperous society,” he says, underscoring the importance of shared responsibility in driving Nepal’s development.

The Nepal Forum of Environmental Journalists (Nefej) has drawn the attention of the government towards the haphazard use of dozers in the name of infrastructural development in the villages without paying attention to environmental and other issues.

As a result, the land has loosened and become weak not only in the rainy season but also in the dry season.

Issuing a statement on Monday, the Nefej said that not only the local government, but also the local political parties and other stakeholders need to be serious to stop the reckless use of dozers in the name of development, stressing that the general public also needs to raise their voice on such issues.

The Nefej said that it would like to draw the attention of the government to stop such destructive activities being carried out in the name of development just to spend the allocated budget and to secure votes.  Mainly, the federal government needs to pay attention to such issues.

“There was a water crisis in many districts this time due to floods and landslides. The destruction of traditional water sources and drawing water from rivers and streams through pumps are the key reasons. The crisis was a result of floods and landslides sweeping away the pumps and wells and lacking of traditional water sources,” reads the statement, underscoring that the concerned authorities need to pay special attention to the protection of traditional water sources in the villages while carrying out reconstruction.

The issue of illegal extraction of riverbed materials and operation of crusher industries all over the country has been in discussion for a long time. But the concerned authorities have not been giving attention.  The earth is being weakened by the operation of crusher industries on one hand and on the other hand the haphazard dumping of dust and granules from mines and crushes have been causing a huge damage to the environment.

The crushers being operated illegally and haphazardly could not be brought under the law owing to the protection from the political and administrative levels. The issue was discussed for some time soon after the floods, but now the relevant authorities have forgotten this issue and the crushers have started operating again without paying attention to the environment. The concerned authorities need to pay serious attention to the matter, the statement further reads.

“The reconstruction work is progressing gradually. It is high time that the local governments need to formulate policy in such a way so that the damage that may occur in the future before the common people build their houses and other structures could be minimized. People should not be allowed to build houses in steep places and to leave a certain space while building houses on the river banks among others.”

At least 246 people died, 178 were injured and 18 are still missing in the floods and landslides that occurred on September 26, 27 and 28 across the country.