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Nepal Police has come up with a Kathmandu Valley-centric special security plan meant for public safety in view of upcoming festivals.  

The police force aims to deploy personnel and use modern technologies to enable people to celebrate the festivals in a safe and secure environment as part of its ‘Safe Valley, Our Commitment’ campaign.   

Effective security arrangements will be made during the festivals through proactive policing, which includes foot patrol, mobile patrol, plainclothes, picketing, striking, reserve force mobilization, CCTV surveillance, walk-through gates and drone surveillance for traffic and disaster management.

The idea is to use CCTV cameras and drones for surveillance in crowded areas. The police force will deploy personnel equipped with body-mounted GoPro cameras for the identification of suspicious individuals.

Plainclothes security personnel equipped with communication devices and small arms will be deployed in banks, financial institutions and other places where cash and precious jewelry are traded.  

“Public help desks with traffic police will be set up at 15 different locations in the valley,” said Dinesh Raj Mainali, spokesperson at the Kathmandu Valley Police Office.

Dog sniffing and search will be conducted at malls and major checkpoints in the valley.

A total of 1,800 traffic police personnel will be deployed to keep tabs on road traffic as there are chances of people driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs, black marketing of bus tickets, mismanagement of the public transport system, looting, speeding and road traffic accidents.

Altogether 7,633 police personnel will be deployed in the valley during the festivals.

Meanwhile, police have issued an advisory on ways to remain safe. The advisory cautions people not to eat foodstuffs offered by strangers. It alerts people not to visit crowded places with cash and valuables, including jewelry and expensive phones. Keeping doors and windows closed, installing a lock with a siren and informing neighbors and local police before leaving home for a long time are also some of the ways to remain safe.

It also recommends people to use digital technology for monetary transactions, keep one-time password (OTP) private and not to post personal and travel details on social media.

Police have also alerted the public about the negative effects of gambling and cautioned against driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.  

Festive vibes are already in the air that has a tinge of cold to it. The mellow classical Malshree is trying to fill hearts, a tad too sad, with joy. Even the balmy rays of the sun have not been able to pierce through the hearts and bring cheers to a people considered one of the happiest in the world. 

What’s behind this deepening sadness in Nepali hearts? Factors one too many. 

First, the society is not at peace with itself. Social-religious strife is occurring with increasing frequency. Some years ago, parts of the far-western region and the Tarai-Madhes witnessed violence.   

Not so long ago, eastern parts of the country erupted. However, before vested interests could use the faultlines to drive the society further apart, better senses prevailed, making it clear that it is not easy to drive a wedge between peoples, who have been living together for centuries by respecting each other’s cultures, traditions and religious beliefs. 

Recently, Nepalgunj saw a bid to stoke up flames. But the good news is that those with sinister designs failed as the state acted on time and community leaders came together, proving once again that the ties that bind us together as Nepalis remain strong despite sustained efforts to break the bond. 

This does not mean we should lower our guard against the elements trying to tear the society asunder. In fact, repeated bids to stoke up tensions mean we should be more alert than ever against the sinister designs. 

Apart from this strife, there’s one other major factor that’s tormenting the people: Soaring market prices. 

The prices of food and other committees continue to head northwards at a time when major festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath are around the corner. Even at inflated rates, finding things like sugar in the market has become a feat in itself, thanks to artificial shortages, lack of market regulation and also a continued disruption of the global supply chain. 

In view of the festivities, the government has decided to sell food commodities at subsidized rates through several outlets across the country. The subsidies cover a wide array of food commodities from mountain goat to table salt to sugar. 

Perhaps, this move, repeated every festive season in a ritualistic manner, is also meant to undo the damage resulting from a short-lived decision to hike the prices of petroleum products. 

But will around three dozen fair-price shops spread too thin across the length and breadth of the country be enough to provide significant relief to a people reeling under political instability that has exacerbated ills like inflation, joblessness, corruption and unrest, stymied economic growth and pushed the youth in increasing numbers to foreign shores? 

Rather than short-term populist measures, the government should make sustained efforts to revive the economy. It should try to prevent Nepal from becoming a wasteland of sorts by curbing corruption, creating jobs for the youth and boosting farm production through policy interventions that benefit real farmers.  

The government has decided to operate fair-price shops from Oct 8 to Nov 19 in view of upcoming festivals.

According to spokesperson at the Ministry of Industry and Supplies, Gajendra Kumar Thakur, the decision is meant to provide relief to consumers during the festive season. The outlets are expected to keep market prices in check, provide quality supplies and ensure a smooth supply of food commodities at reasonable rates. Thakur added that the idea behind this step is to help people get their supplies at subsidized rates and alert them about possible artificial price hikes.  

The decision, a continuation of past practices, is a step meant to provide token relief to people reeling under food inflation.

The government will operate these shops in collaboration with the Food Management and Trade Company Limited (FMTCL) and Salt Trading Corporation under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and Dairy Development Corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development. 

Pulses, rice, wheat flour, edible oil and beaten rice will be sold at lower rates—by offering a discount of Rs 7 per kg/liter.

The price waiver also covers beans and grains produced in Karnali, with a discount of Rs 10 per kg, along with goats and mountain goats. The government has allocated Rs 23.22m to FMTCL for running fair-price shops and Rs 10m for the sale of food products through STC outlets this year. STC will sell sugar at Rs 97 per kg through its outlets while a kilogram of salt will cost Rs 2 less, whereas DDC outlets will provide Rs 20/kg discount on ghee and discounts of Rs 20 and Rs 50 on 200-gram and 500-gram paneer.

These commodities will be sold through 35 outlets, including eight selling centers and three mobile shops of FMTCL and STC in the Kathmandu Valley.

Apart from Kathmandu, FMTCL will run fair-price shops in Morang, Jhapa, Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu, Diktel, Bhojpur, Okhaldhunga, Khotang, Siraha, Janakpur, Parsa, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Kaski, Tanahun, Gorkha, Manang, Mustang, Rupandehi, Banke, Dang, Bardiya, Rukum East and Rukum West.

The FMTCL will have concessional stocks at 48 places of 42 districts, including Rolpa, Surkhet, Gulmi, Dailekh, Dolpa, Kalikot, Humla, Jajarkot, Jumla, Mugu, Kailali, Dadeldhura, Bajura, Bajhang, Achham, Darchula and Mahendranagar.

Such fair-price shops may be operated in more districts as per the need, the ministry stated. The fixed discount can also be accessed through free online home delivery, mobile service, cooperatives and dealers.

A committee has also been formed for monitoring the fair-price shops that will operate from 10 am to 5 pm. 

The Industry and Commerce and Labor, and Consumer Interest Committee under the House of Representatives has directed the government to ensure smooth supplies of daily essential goods during festivals such as Dashain, Tihar and Chhath.

A meeting of the Committee held on Wednesday directed the government to add the number of fair price shops, ensure adequate supplies of food to the remote areas including Karnali and intensify the market monitoring during the festival time.

Sharing about the decisions of the meeting with mediapersons, Committee President Abudul Khan said the government has been urged to take additional efforts to make smooth supplies of daily essentials during festivals.

"The government decision to launch the fair-price shop targeting upcoming festivals is welcoming," he said, adding that the number of such outlets should be increased.

Likewise, the government has been asked to take measures to prevent the potential market irregularities such as artificial price-rise, food adulteration, food supplies on black market and artificial shortages in times of festivals.

During the meeting, the Committee held discussions with betel nut producers and supplies and representatives from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies regarding issues in the exports of betel nuts.