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Arguably, the valley’s street animals were the biggest sufferers during Kathmandu’s previous Covid-19 lockdown. Stray dogs couldn’t find enough discarded food, monkeys living in the proximity of various temples also battled hunger pangs as devotees stopped going to places of worship with their food offerings. Stray cats faced a similar fate. As we stare at another possible lockdown, they are likely to suffer more.

The lives of these stray animals were only marginally better before and after the end of the lockdown.

On April 12, hundreds took to Kathmandu’s streets after a video of two men brutally killing a street dog went viral on social media. According to media reports, the dog named Khairey had allegedly bitten a child, which in turn prompted the men to beat the mongrel to death.

“Justice for Khairey,” the protestors demanded as they stood in line at Maitighar with various placards.

For animal rights activists, the outrage has been long overdue. While the government rarely takes action against alleged perpetrators of violence against animals, the society has normalized it on the pretext of cultural and religious norms despite legal provisions against such practices.

“All we want is justice for Khairey. Why are authorities so reluctant?” 43-year-old Erika Dhungana asks. An appalled Dhungana, who has been working in animal welfare for over half a decade, adds: “If the law has been made, then shouldn’t the guilty be punished?”

The Criminal (Code) Act, 2017, states, “No person shall subject any animal or bird to torture by beating or hitting it”. A breach of this law could result in imprisonment not exceeding three months or a fine not exceeding Rs 5,000. However, alleged perpetrators of violence against animals rarely get caught in the act, and if they do, they usually go unpunished.

“Every year or so we hear authorities promising animal abuse is going to be ethically dealt with. And every year is another disappointment,” says Dhungana, who has witnessed countless incidents of violence against animals since the 80s.

No laughing matter

Pramada Shah, founder and president of Animal Nepal, a non-profit working for animal welfare since 2004, confesses that complains about animal abuse is never taken seriously. “There’s been a number of times when I’ve gone to the police station to report cases, but the officials never investigate it,” she says. “Most will take the subject lightly, some will even laugh, saying, ‘it’s just an animal’.”

For young activists, however, the problem is not just lack of laws or their selective implementation. The issue is more deeply rooted. “People have normalized cruelty against animals,” says Sanjivani, 19, the founder of Life with Furs.

“Parents tell their children that animals will hurt them if they get too close. And while they intend to safeguard their kids, it usually leaves a negative impression on the young mind,” she adds. Sanjivani has seen children throw stones at dogs and try to hurt them from a distance. “As these actions don’t raise red flags, they might reinforce children’s indifference to animals’ pain.”

Upama Poudel, psychotherapist at Nava Jeevan Counseling Center and Research Institute, agrees with Sanjivani. “Young people unconsciously imitate the habits and behaviors of elder family members,” says Poudel. “The same with their perception of animal rights.”

The attitudes are further shaped by Nepali lifestyle which has normalized open butcher shops in narrow alleys, dead animals lying around on the streets, and sacrifices in the name of religion, activists say. These are areas even the law is unable to touch.

While The Criminal (Code) Act, 2017 outlaws brutal killings, it condones religious sacrifices. The law states, “No person shall kill any animal or bird in any public place other than a religious place where there is a tradition of animal or bird sacrifice.” However, as the Valley is full of religious places—from stone idols on street corners to large temples—this exemption creates a big loophole.

“Religion does play a role in how people view animals,” shares Irfan Khan, founder of Adopt a Dog Nepal and Paaila, where he also works as a vet in an animal rescue team. “Dogs are often considered impure in Islam. Growing up in a Muslim family didn’t stop me from playing with street dogs. But when I returned home, I was always asked to take a shower and change my clothes.”

Twisting religions

But Karuna Kunwar, psychologist at CMC Nepal, disagrees with the notion that religion is responsible for animal cruelty. “No religion teaches you to be unkind. No god tells you to hurt innocent creatures,” she argues. “People have taken the teachings of holy books and twisted them to fit their narratives. They’ve turned sacred rituals into sadistic festivals.”

Kunwar adds that many religions associate deities with animas and believe they embody divinity. Throughout history, animals have been worshipped as gods in disguise. Buddhist faith builds on the concept of ‘ahimsa’ which denotes that no harm must be inflicted upon any other living creature. Hinduism too teaches that humans and animals are all part of a large family and every animal must be treated with respect. Ancient Egyptian and Iraqi stone carvings show humans and dogs being friends. It was only around 200 years ago that dogs began being associated with widespread diseases and people started banishing them from cities. Thus the idea of them being ritually impure came into being. Religion is not the problem here, Kunwar says, “the way people use it as a tool to justify violence is”.

But more than religion or family, Khan thinks it’s the collective mindset that needs to change. “The way street animals are perceived as ‘dirty’ and ‘untouchable’ sets the tone for how they will be treated by the locals,” Khan tells ApEx. “It’s difficult to get rid the mindset that all street animals are disease-ridden and deadly from a community that has believed it for so long.”

“No normal person would go outside thinking they’re going to hurt someone,” psychologist Kunwar says. “If they do, they have mental health issues. People who beat and kill animals are no different. Violence is not a way to deal with emotions. The issue of animal cruelty in Nepal is largely individualistic and the causes for it cannot be easily generalized,” she adds.

Rohit Shrestha, 22, founder of Four Paws Clinic, seconds her emphasis on the roles of individuals. “As street animals don’t have any owners, anyone can hurt them without any repercussion,” he says. “No one speaks up for them, and culprits can stay anonymous.”

Most people who abuse animals have been found to have faced abuse themselves. “It is usually the oppressed and angry who abuse animals,” psychotherapist Poudel says. “It’s a form of the strong exerting power over the meek.”

People suffer too

In an unequal society like Nepal, there is a lot of pent-up rage against all forms of discriminations, especially economic, she says. “When people are struggling to make their ends meet, they are unlikely to be worried about dignified existence of another species. The resources that developed countries allocate for animal welfare is spent on people here and it’s still not enough.”

Seema Bhandari, 27, founder of Helping Animals of Nepal, seconds Poudel’s statement. “Many Nepalis don’t have the kind of lifestyle that allows them to care for animal,” she says. “They’re busy fulfilling their own basic needs.” According to her, very few people can afford to have pets, and for those who do, they mostly don’t care about their pets.

Shah, however, believes that even if the socioeconomic status of the country were to improve, it wouldn’t lessen animal cruelty. “Instead of being abandoned on the streets, they will be put in cages,” she tells ApEx. “Because we don’t see animals being openly abused in foreign countries, we believe that they aren’t being abused at all. But that’s untrue. Industrialization will only push animal cruelty to greater heights. They’ll be used for consumption and experimentation. Commercialization of livestock sector isn’t going to lessen violence against animals; it’s only going to make it more systematic.”

In fact, Shah adds, that is one of our biggest issues—the way we perceive animals as commodities. “School curriculums that talk about compassion for animals often push a narrative that they are ‘useful’ or ‘profitable’. Cows give milk. Dogs guard us. Hens lay eggs. Because they’re useful, they must be protected and cared for,” she says. “There are no books that talk about respecting animals because they are living creatures. Because they’re important in our ecosystem. It is only when a species is on the brink of extinction that they’re given any attention. But by then, it’s usually too late.”

She brings up the recent incident of at least 67 endangered vultures that died after feeding on the dead bodies of poisoned dogs. “Everything effects everything else,” she says. “The haphazard breeding of dogs, violence against wildlife for tourism, using domestic animals for industrial purpose—every animal that exists in Nepal is being abused. The government needs to step in and put an end to it.”

However, things are changing, if slowly. Dhungana says youngsters today are more involved in taking care of street animals. With non-profits conducting awareness and donation campaigns, more people are taking up the cause.

Khan believes that the youths are capable of ushering in change in attitudes. “Seeing how I’ve built my career on caring for animals, my family is a lot more supportive now,” he shares. “They even go out to feed the stray dogs in our neighborhood.”

Bhandari says media plays a significant role in how cases of animal cruelties are handled. “When animal abuse is a hot topic, it’s very well-covered. People’s outrage is news,” she says. “But protests don’t last forever and eventually the media moves on. But the reason behind the protest, the justice for the abused animal is rarely served.” Khan agrees with Bhandari. “When the protest for Khairey was happening, many news outlets reported that we instigated violence against the child who was attacked by Khairey, which is completely false. We never harmed the child,” he says. “It’s not right that we are being vilified when all we are asking for is for the law to be implemented.”

Meanwhile, animal rights activists are determined to get the perpetrators of violence against animals punished. And they want to begin by getting justice for Khairey.

“We hope the government takes legal action against the two alleged culprits,” Sanjivani says. “Until then, we won’t stop.”

Instances of animal abuse and neglect in Nepal

1. In the 1960s, Nepal’s rhino population declined to under 100 due to habitat degradation and widespread poaching. After conservation plans were put in place, the number rose to over 600. However, poaching started again. A total of 36 cases of rhino-hunting was recorded in Chitwan National Park in 2002. Between 1996 and 2006, 157 rhinos were killed. The cases dwindled around 2014 when government implemented Zero Poaching strategies. However, again in 2020, poachers killed four one-horned rhinos.

2. In 2002, tuberculosis was spotted in Sauraha-based captive elephants. It was believed to be a result of reduced immunity, overwork and lack of nutrition. Aside from the disease, elephants were also carrying injuries caused by beatings and inappropriate harness with little to no medical care. Visit Nepal 2020 campaign boosted elephant abuse in Chitwan district as many geared up for elephant safaris, rides and games.

3. Until 2009, more than 6,500 equines (donkey, horse and mule) were used in brick kilns, rice mills and milk chilling centers for carrying heavy loads. They were usually overworked, diseased and had unfulfilled basic needs. They are still used in these industries, although their condition has improved.

4. According to a 2018 data by Animal Nepal, there are over 1,200 stray cattle in Kathmandu including cows—our national animal—bulls and calves. The number is close to half a million throughout Nepal. Most of them survive by feeding on garbage, drinking toxic water and suffer from vehicular injuries.

5. In the 2000s, culling and poisoning of street dogs was rampant in Lalitpur district. According to a 2005 NHRC research, only 30 percent of dog owners in the Valley were against dog control by poisoning. In 2019, Khotang District Police received a complaint against three officials, including the mayor, for poisoning around 200 dogs, beating them unconscious and burying them alive.

6. In July 2020, a tiktoker uploaded a video of a white dog being thrown off a cliff in Kaski. In March 2021, a street dog named Khairey was beaten to death with an iron rod and a spade in Dhulikhel. In April 2021, at least four dogs were poisoned in Nawalparasi district, and at least 67 endangered vultures that fed on their discarded bodies were also found dead.

Mayor Shyam Prasad Yadav has been working in a planned manner to accelerate the development of Gadhimai municipality, which is lagging far behind among the 18 local levels of Rautahat. For this, he has prioritised reform in the education sector.

Earlier, there was only one school up to the secondary level in Samanpur. Now, schools in Sangrampur, Dharampur, and Bingra offer education up to the secondary level. There are a total of four secondary schools in operation in the city. Mayor Yadav informs that the municipality plans to develop school infrastructure and improve the quality of education.

With the increase in the number of schools, the students are also getting facilities like free school bags and stationery. Female students are also being encouraged with bicycles for conveyance. The city itself has appointed subject teachers and also well-equipped the schools’ infrastructures. Following these activities, the quality of education has improved in the area.

Mayor Yadav, however, complains of an added financial burden to the municipality as the central government has not provided the resources as required.

Development has gained momentum in recent years in Gadhimai municipality, known notoriously for its infamous Gadhimai festival in the past. Development works have also been sped up in the municipality which is divided into nine wards.

Until three years ago, it was impossible to walk on some roads of the city during the rainy season. But now, even the inner roads have been upgraded. More than 30 kilometers of roads have been blacktopped in the municipality within three years. The main roads connecting the highways and the neighboring municipalities are also being upgraded.

Overhead drinking water tanks are also being constructed in the wards. Work is underway to provide clean drinking water in all nine wards of the city within this fiscal year. Two drinking water tanks have come into operation and two are currently under construction.

The municipality has also started developing the Rajaiya Road as well as a fun park, stadium, and a historic military park. A master plan has been developed to upgrade the historic Samanpur Bazaar of the district as one of the pride projects of the city.  The construction of Rajdevi temple has been completed in Samanpur at the cost of Rs 10 million while the Gadhimai temple at Sunderpur has also been upgraded.

All the procedures to turn the health post in Dharampur into a 15-bed hospital have been completed. Chief Administrative Officer of Gadhimai Municipality Nagendra Yadav informs that the hospital will start operations from this fiscal year itself.

Solar lights have been installed in the main market areas and squares of the city. Malahi, Sigarban, Dhanadi, and Dharampur have been developing as new markets recently. Wheelchairs have been distributed to the disabled in the city under the social security program.

The city also plans to complete a well-equipped sports ground as well as a covered hall within this fiscal year. Preparations are also going to find a suitable dumping site for waste management.

There are many challenges in carrying out such development works. Mayor Yadav informs that 11 issues have been settled by the municipality so far.

A second wave of Covid-19 infections could hit Nepal, health professionals had been warning since mid-March. But the government didn’t heed their warning. Instead of deploying its resources immediately to prepare for a new surge, officials spent valuable time and resources on organizing programs to attract the masses, rather than urging the members of the public to wear masks and maintain social distancing.

When the government finally woke up from its slumber, it shut schools and colleges from April 19. Even then it took almost a week for the decision to be implemented completely. There were reports of schools flouting the government diktat even as high case positivity and even death rates were being recorded among the young population.

On the same day, the government also targeted the sector most vulnerable to any kind of government intervention. Restaurants, bars, pubs and nightclubs were ordered to shut down by 8pm every day. The decision brought mixed reaction from the general public, with most expressing concern over the implications of the decision. They don’t see a valid reason behind the decision as everything else in the country was operating like normal.

“Does corona virus spread only after 8pm?” many people questioned on social media.

Dawang Tamang, coordinator of the Night Entertainment Business Association of Nepal (NEBAN) raised the same question when contacted to get his views on the night curfew imposed on restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs.

 “There is a crowd everywhere in Kathmandu. There are people everywhere. Even the government is organizing mass gatherings. The vaccine centers are crowded with no social distancing. Why only target night businesses?” Tamang asked, unaware at the time of the impending restrictions that would shut down everything “non-essential.”

Tamang also informed that restaurants and bars in Durbarmarg and Thamel employee around 14,500 people who will now suffer the consequences of the restrictions. The revenue generated by these businesses amount to billions of rupees per annum. And the investments are huge. “Still, instead of letting us operate with safety measures and in half the capacity, the government decides to shut us down before everything else,” Tamang says.

The idea to shut down restaurants and bars did not go will with most of the businesspersons involved. It was counter-productive, and confusing, most people ApEx talked to said. Only this week, popular restaurateur Tasneem Sahani took to Facebook to vent her frustration.

“Does anyone have a clue as to why the police came today at 8pm and shut everything down at Jhamsikhel?” she wrote, explaining that the police enforced a curfew, forcing everything including grocery shops in the area to shut down. Sahani knew that restaurants had an 8pm deadline for dining-in, but was under the impression that deliveries and takeaways were allowed till regular hours.

The confusion over deliveries and takeaways for restaurants is still rampant as Kathmandu braces for restrictions. If the restaurants are allowed to deliver and open for takeaways, will their staff be allowed out on the streets with their vehicles? They have not been told yet and will probably will find out only when their vehicles are confiscated.

‘Confusing’ is the state-of-affairs for most businesses in the present situation. Event manager- turned-restauranteur and club owner Ritesh Marwadi, who operates four different properties in Thamel and Lazimpat, is not sure if his businesses will ever recover from the losses. Marwadi co-owns two restaurants in Thamel and one in Lazimpat, with investments of over Rs 10 million each. His recently opened “Sugar Club” in Thamel was built on an investment of over Rs 40 million.

Ritesh Marwadi

As for monthly expenses, Marwadi employees a total of 50 plus staff and including rent and other expenses, the expenditures come around Rs 2.2 to 2.3 million per month.

“We were told to shut down the club, which we were ok with to some extent. But forcing us to shut down our businesses by 8pm meant that we would not even make a fraction of our required daily sales,” Marwadi complained. Many popular restaurants in Kathmandu have food as their unique selling points. These restaurants can survive, if necessary, on takeaways and deliveries alone. Unfortunately for Marwadi, his restaurants thrive more on the ambience they offer than the food. His restaurants run at night only.

In an interview taken before the government imposed the restrictions in Nepal starting April 29, Marwadi gave the example of Irish Pub at Lazimpat, one of the restaurants he operates. The restaurant opens only at around 5pm. “Just the other day, we had one single guest who came in at 7pm and ordered beer and fries. He was just enjoying his order when the police came in at 7:30pm,” Marwadi narrated, “The customer panicked and left. The total sales that days was just over Rs 900.”

When the deadline for restaurants is 8pm, police start making their rounds almost an hour earlier, which startles the guests. Marwadi, along with many other businesses, request the government to let them operate till at least 10 pm. In return, they assure that they will maintain all safety protocols and operate in half capacity to facilitate physical distancing.

“Instead of enforcing restrictions on us and locking us down, the government should have locked the borders and stopped people coming from India,” Marwadi concluded, “With the country openly exposed at the borders, and by air travel, we will not achieve anything.” With his restaurants not opening for deliveries due to the restrictions, Marwadi is focusing on his commerce business for now.

Julia Shah, event promoter at Club Platinum is now unemployed because of the prohibitory orders. She feels that the government is repeating the same mistake it did last year. Instead of focusing on shutting down the borders and protecting the country, the government is doing the opposite.

Julia Shah

 “Restaurants and club businesses are not only for entertainment. They employee so many people and contribute to the economy,” Shah says, “These restrictions just forced us towards unemployment. We could have operated with social distancing and safety measures instead of just shutting down everything for months.”

Restaurants and bars not only employee staff in the kitchen and services department but also contribute to the monthly earnings of people of other professions as well. Musicians, DJs, dancers, drivers, security guards are just some of the professions that are tied up with restaurants and bars.

“Because of the nature of our businesses which involves high movement of people, we become an easy target for the government. The government had to do something as the infection rates got higher, they decided to impose restrictions on us to show they are concerned,” says Shree Gurung, event manager and restauranteur.

Gurung, who is also active in raising social awareness and continuously posts about Covid-related issues, is of the opinion that given to the situation, the government’s decision cannot be taken too harshly. With the second wave, Nepal might surpass the infection records of last year and is still unprepared for the pandemic.

“I personally feel the decision is alright, albeit not enough. We should take a break in this situation. To deal with the pandemic, businesses like mine take collateral damage,” Gurung says.

The collateral damage could mean a huge loss to businesses and cause massive unemployment. Employing around 300 staff on a regular basis, besides creating opportunities for musicians and performing artists, restauranteur Karish Pradhan sees the future bleak.

Pradhan’s five restaurants, all upmarket properties with individual investments of around Rs 20-30 million, might not see through the end of the pandemic, he says. His monthly overhead expense is around Rs 500,000-Rs 700,000 for each restaurant.

Initially, Pradhan was miffed at the government for only imposing the 8pm curfew on restaurants without any other measures to curb the infection spread. “Our main source of income is liquor sales. Sixty percent of the business takes place after 8pm. With the 8pm curfew, the guests do not bother to come any more. Also, takeaways and deliveries cannot generate the operational costs,” Pradhan had told ApEx before the prohibitory orders were announced.

Post prohibition, Pradhan has a changed stance. He welcomes the new regulatory orders and says it was important for the government to impose strict measures to curb the spread of the virus.

Pradhan informed that he will shut all his restaurants, since takeaways can’t cover even the operating costs, for the whole period of the ‘lockdown.’

 “Money is not the only issue, we have to play our part as citizens too,” Pradhan said, also informing that his sixth and newest property in Lazimpat could not even host an opening night because of the restrictions.

Nepal is sitting on a mental health time bomb. According to Niti Foundation’s new ‘Youth Anxieties, Perceptions, and Activism’ survey, of the 2,000 youths (1,100 men, 990 women) aged 18-40 surveyed across all seven provinces, 84 percent reported being anxious due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

The level of anxiety was more or less the same across caste and ethnic groups, and between men (83 percent) and women (85 percent). The level of education had little impact as well. Nearly half of those working, both in formal and informal sectors, reported moderate levels of anxiety, while nearly a third of them reported high anxiety levels. 

“During the 2015 earthquakes, around 70 percent people directly affected by them reported mental health issues,” says Jagannath Lamichhane, a mental health campaigner who is also the coordinator of the Niti Foundation survey. “The impact from the Covid-19 is much bigger. This time they are not just worried about their health but also about their future economic status.” 

Dr Saroj Prasad Ojha, head of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital at Maharajgunj, says the survey’s findings are in line his observations. “I too have seen a significant increase in cases of anxiety in the 18-40 age group.”

Why so? “This age group closely follows local and global media and is greatly concerned not just about their health, but also about the security of their jobs and education,” says Dr Ojha. Hence the increased anxiety levels. Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in Nepal Dr Ojha has also seen an alarming rise in cases of depression, substance abuse and sleeplessness. 

Lamichhane points to another important part of the survey report. It shows that the youths who report the highest levels of anxiety are also the most dissatisfied with their government. “They are angry that the politicians are doing nothing to improve their situation,” says Lamichhane. 

Lamichhane says the government needs to do more and many youth need immediate economic support. “Even in our neighborhood, India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan have done a lot more to support their Covid-affected people financially than has Nepal,” he says. Lamichhane says the government should also make greater use of social media to spread positivity in place of the toxic news that pervades it right now.  

Dr Ojha says the government can help by disseminating content emphasizing healthy lifestyle choices. For instance, the anxious folks should be encouraged not to spend too much time online, to keep their social connections intact and maintain a healthy lifestyle. If they do these, most of them will need no medication to be cured. 

The psychiatrist says it is not difficult to find professional help if you keep looking. Even during the times of restricted public movement, people can arrange online counseling and consultations.