Submit your Article

The Mha Puja (self-worship) is celebrated on the fourth day of Tihar festival by the Newar community today.

It also falls on the Newari New Year which is based on the Newar calendar, Nepal Sambat. Mha Puja literally refers to self-worship, making offerings to one’s body.

Theologian Prof Dr Ram Chandra Gautam said atma (soul) is the powerful aspect of human beings, so it deserves reverence. It is a religious belief that one becomes happy once his/her atma (soul/self) is happy, he added.

New Year 1146 is being observed with fanfare across the country. The Newari calendar is marked in memory of Sankhadhar Sakhwa, who freed the poor and peasants from financial burden- loan.

The number of scrub typhus cases has increased in Nawalparasi following the end of the monsoon.

According to the Province Public Health Office, Nawalparasi (Bardaghat-Susta East), a total of 44 cases of scrub typhus have been reported in Nawalpur this year as of today.

Public Health Officer and Information Officer Chhabilal Subedi stated that there were 17 cases in the district as of September 21, and 27 new cases have been recorded in the past 20 days. 

Of the infected individuals, 38 have recovered while six are currently undergoing treatment.

Although the risk of dengue has decreased in the district, the risk of scrub typhus which presents symptoms similar to dengue has increased. “Alarmingly, scrub typhus is 30 times more fatal than dengue,” he added.

Scrub typhus is caused by a bacterium called Orientia tsutsugamushi which is transmitted to humans through bites from infected mites.

Office Chief Shailendra Kumar Singh stated that public awareness efforts have been intensified in response to the growing threat of scrub typhus. 

As no vaccine is currently available for the disease, the most effective preventive measure is to avoid bites from infected mites. These mites commonly inhabit low-lying bushes and are also found on the ears of mice in the area.

The lines of six industries that did not pay the electricity bills for using dedicated and trunk lines have been cut.

Rajan Dhakal, spokesperson of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), said that the electricity supply of Jagadamba Steel, Reliance Spinning Mills, Shivam Cement, Ghorahi Cement, Arghakhanchi Cement, and Triveni Spinning Mills have been cut due to unpaid electricity bills.

According to spokesperson Dhakal, the power supply to these industries has been cut off since Sunday morning. 

The issue of collecting electricity tariff for using dedicated and trunk lines has not been resolved since 2018. 

For the first time, a study on the arrears of tariffs from dedicated and trunk lines was conducted under the coordination of the then member of NEA board of directors, Bhakta Bahadur Pun and a report presented to the board meeting held on 14 May 2018.

The NEA has been making efforts to realise the electricity dues from the defaulting companies since that time.

Industrial entrepreneurs have, however, said that they do not pay the charges because they have not used dedicated or trunk lines.

This matter had reached various courts, the Public Accounts Committee of the Federal Parliament, and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA).

Last time, the NEA issued a public notice on September 28, asking the industries to pay the arrears within 21 days.

NEA had given the defaulting companies and industries the facility to pay the dues in installments. It stated that the electricity supply to the six industries was disconnected as per the Electricity Tariff Collection Regulations 2078 after they failed to pay the tariff within that period.

The Bhadrapur Inland Revenue Office in Jhapa district collected Rs 752.7 million in revenue in the first quarter of the current fiscal year 2082/083 BS.

The collection of the first quarter of the running fiscal is 16.9 percent of the total annual target of Rs 4.45 billion, Chief Tax Officer Gopal Bahadur Thapa said.

According to Thapa, the Office had set a target to collect Rs 871 million in revenue in the first three months of the current fiscal year.

The Office received Rs 272.6 million from income tax, almost Rs 311million from value added tax (VAT) and Rs 187 million from excise duty.

Chief Tax Officer Thapa shared that the Office is also focusing on beneficiary-centric tax education while continuing market monitoring and surveillance.