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Police have arrested a person for teasing and abusing an air hostess in the aircraft of Shree Airlines heading to Dhangadhi from Kathmandu.

Airport police apprehended Shivaraj Ojha of Godawari Municipality-1, Kailali on Tuesday and handed over to the District Police Office, Kailali.

Police nabbed him soon after he landed at the Dhangadhi airport.

As many as 55 people have gone missing with 21 vehicles plunging into the Trishuli river from the Narayangadh-Muglin section and the Muglin-Mauwakhola section of the Prithvi Highway in the last eight years.

Among those missing is former Home Minister and Foreign Affairs Minister Madhav Prasad Ghimire.

The District Traffic Police Office stated that five vehicles went missing in the river in Fiscal Year 2016/17, four vehicles in FY 2017/18, four vehicles in FY 2018/19, one each in FY 2019/ 2020, FY 2020/ 21 and FY 2021/ 22 and five in FY 2022/23.

Fourteen people went missing in the missing vehicles in FY 2016/ 17, four people in FY 2021/ 22 and 37 people in FY 2023/ 24. Sixty-six vehicles met with accidents in the road sections during that period.

Among the vehicles that met with accidents on the road sections from FY 2016/ 17 to 2023/ 24 include 40 trucks, nine buses, 12 cars, three motorbikes and two other vehicles, according to the District Traffic Police Office.

One of the most serious and infectious diseases that is waterborne, cholera has resurfaced in Nepal this monsoon also, infecting 16 individuals in three districts thus far, according to health authorities.

Lalitpur, so far, has the highest number of cases (8), followed by Kailali (5) and Kathmandu (3), according to the Ministry of Health and Population. At first, a person based in Godavari, Lalitpur, was referred to the Teku Hospital in Kathmandu on the basis of symptoms and the case was confirmed 72 hours later.

According to Spokesperson for the ministry, Dr Prakash Budhathoki, contaminated water and filthy surroundings are the primary causes of cholera. “Contaminated water causes several diseases. Drinking boiled water can keep such diseases at bay,” he said, stressing the need to raise awareness about the importance of drinking boiled water. He said treatment is available at Teku Hospital and other hospitals.

In 2022, the Kathmandu valley witnessed 77 confirmed cases of cholera. In the wake of a cholera outbreak in ward numbers 11, 12 and 13 of Kathmandu Metropolitan City in 2023, concerned ward offices administered oral cholera vaccine in coordination with public health authorities. 

This waterborne disease, caused by Vibrio cholera and coliform bacteria, affects all age groups, though older people and newborns with lower immune systems are particularly susceptible. 

An inadequate sanitation system and poor hygiene are mainly behind cholera in Nepal. Rainwater and leftover water may also contain cholera-causing bacteria. 

Dr Sher Bahadur Pun, chief of the Clinical Research Unit at Sukraraj Hospital, highlights the importance of maintaining the quality of water for curbing waterborne diseases. Ensuring water quality is a basic duty of concerned authorities, he says: Such essential services should not be halted under any pretext.

“Only 80 percent of the patients show clear and common symptoms of cholera whereas 20 percent show rapid symptoms. Cholera can prove fatal if the patient is not rushed to the nearest hospital on time,” according to Budhathoki. 

So, taking a cue from symptoms, there is an urgent need to rush the affected people to nearest health facilities. Administering oral rehydration salt powder like Jeevan Jal from time to time is crucial for saving the patients’ lives. 

Hospitals in Nepal are well-equipped to deal with the cases of cholera and the health ministry is prepared to supply essential facilities and materials to deal with the disease, according to officials.

Generation Alpha might ask, “What is janti bakhro?” Generation Z will probably say, “I’ve heard about it but never tasted it.” For Generation X (1965–1980), the term itself brings nostalgia. Janti bakhro is a vanishing tradition, a culinary culture that faded during Nepal’s ten-year-long Maoist war.

 Imagine hot rice on a leaf plate and cooked goat meat—so hot that it burns your fingers and tongue. The memory of eating this delicious dish while the sauce leaked from the leaf plate remains vivid for many. Today, the custom of eating janti bakhro has largely disappeared. Instead, from villages to cities, wedding parties are now grand affairs with elaborate feasts.

 In the past, meat was a rare treat in most homes, typically cooked only during Dashain. However, when there was a wedding in a farmer’s household, a male goat would be slaughtered, and people from three to four villages would be invited. The goat meat would be used to prepare large pots of meat soup. This soup, along with rice, was served in leaf plates. As the rice soaked up the soup, the leaf plates would often leak, adding to the fun of eating. Each guest would receive a small piece of meat, a rare delicacy for many.

 When I was eight years old, my father was away, so I often attended weddings, rituals, and celebrations on his behalf as the eldest son. I still remember a particular wedding in Gorkha during my school holidays. It was a night wedding and a bus was arranged for the occasion. After the wedding ceremony, our bus made a stop, and all the janti (wedding guests) came together to prepare a simple meal of rice and goat curry.

 There were more than 150 hungry people but we somehow managed to cook everything within an hour. To ensure there was enough for everyone, we added a lot of soup to the goat curry. Instead of the usual spices, we used mustard cake (pina) to thicken the curry, which intrigued me as I was already interested in cooking.

 The experience of eating janti bakhro was unforgettable. The rice was cooked in a traditional Nepali pot called a ‘taulo’ or ‘khadkulo’ used for special occasions. We were served steaming hot rice and runny goat curry on leaf plates. The curry was spicy and aromatic with mustard, and the rice was overcooked. The challenge was to eat quickly before the sauce leaked from the leaf plates. Despite the haste, the flavors were incredible, and the meal was deeply satisfying, especially knowing it would be my last for the next 18 hours.

 This experience, which happened 36 years ago, is etched in my memory. The sights, aromas, and tastes are as clear as if it happened yesterday. This janti bakhro culture inspired me profoundly. I believe this dish should be featured on every restaurant menu in Nepal. It’s simple, easy to cook, and incredibly tasty. It represents a piece of our heritage that should not be forgotten. Let’s bring this traditional dish into the mainstream and celebrate its unique flavors and the communal spirit of cooking and eating together.

 Ingredients

780 gm goat meat (mixed and with bone)

120 ml mustard oil

5 gm fenugreek seeds

80 gm onion, finely sliced

20 gm garlic-ginger paste

120 gm tomato

5 gm turmeric powder

7.5 gm cumin powder

7.5 gm red chili powder

5 gm nutmeg powder

1.5 liters water

Mustard paste (to thicken)

100 gm mustard cake (also called Pina)

Salt to taste

10 ml lemon juice

Coriander leaves (roughly cut, for garnish)

 Instructions

Heat mustard oil in a pan and add fenugreek seeds. Let them sputter until they turn dark. Add finely sliced onions and goat meat, and sauté until dry. Add salt and garlic-ginger paste. When the mixture turns golden brown, add all the powdered spices and tomatoes. Cook until the tomatoes melt and form a thick sauce. Add water and cook until the meat is tender. Thicken the curry with mustard cake. Just before serving, squeeze lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.

 The author is UK-based research and development chef