Submit your Article

Our estimate is that about 20,000 people have contracted dengue in the country so far this year and a majority of them are from Koshi Province. Almost half of the total patients reside in Sunsari district. The number of dengue patients in the Kathmandu valley is relatively small compared to other districts.

The government has an annual action plan and strategies to deal with outbreaks. Dengue outbreaks typically occur during the June-November period. For prevention and control, the government has accorded top priority to destruction of the mosquitoes’ breeding grounds. Regional and provincial administrations are working hard to raise awareness on dengue. The good news from Dharan (Sunsari district) is that the number of dengue patients has gone down significantly. 

For the next two months, the country remains susceptible. Stakeholders should join forces with the Ministry of Health and Population as well as with other parties to combat dengue.

The author is Chief at Vector-borne Disease Control Section, Epidemiology and Disease Control Division

The situation in Dharan is volatile at present. A simmering discontent over the naming of Koshi province is also behind it. In a situation like this, brute force does not work nor does logic alone. The majority community should show magnanimity, it should exercise restraint. The situation also calls for a wise use of social media. Rumor-mongering and posting materials related to disturbing incidents won’t help. 

Certain vested interests—both within the national borders and beyond—are trying to use this volatility to their advantage, including for political gains, by stoking religious sentiments.     

The major onus is on the Nepali state itself to dissipate the situation; mainstream political parties and communities should do their bit to restore normalcy. The parties should help in the state’s efforts to bring back normalcy by mobilizing their cadres. Appeals from the PM and other parties for calm are welcome. All sides should work together for peace.  

The author is an historic socialist associated with Martin Chautari

Koshi Province Chief Minister Uddhav Thapa is scheduled to take vote of confidence on August 21.

Deputy Speaker of Koshi Province Assembly, Srijana Danuwar, allowed Chief Minister Thapa to present the proposal regarding vote of confidence in the Province Assembly at 1 pm on August 21, said PA Secretary Gopal Prasad Parajuli.

CM Thapa registered the notice regarding the proposal for the trust motion at the PA Secretariat today. 

The country will witness rainfall for a few more days as the axis of Monsoon Trough is now located close to the northern part of the country.

According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, Koshi, Madhes, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces are now witnessing generally cloudy weather and partly to generally cloudy weather in the rest of the country.

Light rainfall is now taking place at one or two places in Gandaki and Bagmati Provinces. The weather across the country will remain partly to generally cloudy this afternoon. 

Similarly, there is a possibility of light to moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning at some places of the hilly region and few places in the rest of the country. Heavy rainfall with thunder and lightning is likely to occur at one or two places in Gandaki Province.

Likewise, light to moderate rain accompanied by thunder and lightning has been forecast at some places of hilly region in Koshi, Bagmati and Gandaki Provinces and few places in the rest of the country tonight.

There are chances of heavy rainfall with thunder and lightning at one or two places of Koshi and Gandaki Provinces, added the Division.

Some places of the Koshi and Bagmati Provinces are likely to receive heavy rainfall today.

Downpour is predicted in the two provinces in the afternoon and night today. Other provinces will probably witness light to moderate rainfall.

According to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, Weather Forecasting Division, the monsoon's low-pressure line has come nearer to the country because of which it has lesser impact due to weak monsoon wind.

Now rain with thunderstorms is taking place in some areas of Gandaki, Koshi, Bagmati and Karnali Provinces and one or two places of Karnali Province.

The Division informed that the country will witness partial to general changes in weather this afternoon.

Likewise, some places in the mountainous area and other remaining areas will see light to moderate rain.

Rainfall with thunderstorms and lightning is likely to take place in some areas of Koshi, Madhes and Gandaki and one or two places of remaining provinces in the night today.

The Division has urged the people to adopt safety measures in view of possible erratic weather conditions in different areas.

The Cabinet has been expanded in Koshi Province on Wednesday.

Chief Minister Uddhav Thapa appointed a senior member of the Province Assembly Gayananda Mandal as the state minister.

Mandal has got the responsibility of the Minister of State for Industries, Agriculture and Cooperatives.

Chief Minister Thapa in the presence of Province Chief Parshuram Khapung administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mandal amidst a program this morning.

Currently, Koshi Province has no Speaker.

The post of Speaker has been lying vacant after Speaker Baburam Gautam participated in the government after resigning from this post.

Gautam is looking after the Economic Affairs and Planning Ministry. He was elected as the Province Assembly member from the CPN (Maoist Center).

The process of choosing a news Speaker has not been taken ahead.

The ruling coalition has agreed on ministerial allocations in Koshi Province.

In the first phase, an agreement has been reached on who to appoint as the minister from which party.

Following the agreement, the sworn-in ceremony of the Chief Minister, which was canceled this morning, is scheduled to be held at 5 pm today.

After the ruling coalition meeting, it was agreed to give the Economic Affairs and Planning Ministry to the CPN (Maoist Center) and the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure to the CPN (Unified Socialist).

According to the agreement, Baburam Gautam, who had resigned as the Speaker, will be appointed as the Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning.

It has been agreed upon that the Maoist will join the government under his leadership.

Kamal Prasad Jabegu will be appointed as the Minister for Physical Infrastructure.

Preparations are underway to give the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Development to Pradeep Sunuwar of the Nepali Congress.

More appointments will be made after the government takes the vote of confidence.

Province Chief Parshuram Khapung appointed Uddav Thapa as the Chief Minister as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution.

Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party leader Uddhav Thapa has been appointed as the Chief Minister of Koshi Province.

Province Chief Parshuram Khapung appointed Thapa as the Chief Minister on Tuesday.

NC’s Thapa presented his claim for the post of Chief Minister before province chief with the support of the majority members compelling Speaker Gautam to resign.

Earlier on July 6, 2023, Thapa had become the Chief Minister with the support of 46 lawmakers of Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), CPN (Unified Socialist) and Janata Samajbadi Party and Speaker Gautam.

Thapa was removed from the post of Chief Minister after the Supreme Court issued the verdict saying that the government in Koshi Province was formed in an unconstitutional way.

He was appointed as the Chief Minister with the support of 47 lawmakers—29 of Nepali Congress, 13 of CPN (Maoist Center) including the Speaker, four of CPN (Unified Socialist) and one of Janata Samajbadi Party.

 Meanwhile, Thapa will be sworn in as the Chief Minister on Wednesday.

Koshi Province Speaker Baburam Gautam resigned from his post on Tuesday.

Gautam resigned this afternoon by addressing Deputy Speaker Srijana Danuwar.

Gopal Parajuli, Secretary at the Province Assembly Secretariat, said that the resignation of Gautam has been received.

Gautam was elected as the Speaker of the Koshi Province on December 17, 2022.

He is a Province Assembly member elected from the CPN (Maoist Center).

Gautam, who was in Kathmandu for the past few days, tendered his resignation soon after he reached Biratnagar.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chairman Rajendra Lingden urged the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML to form a government together in Koshi Province.

Speaking to journalists at the Biratnagar Airport on Tuesday, he said that the RPP will be decisive only when the Nepali Congress and the UML sit separately in Koshi Province.

He suggested that it would be appropriate for the Congress and the UML to operate the government together in the province.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Lingden said that the RPP will stay neutral in the case of government formation.

The RPP will be decisive only if Article 168 (5) of the Constitution is adopted.

Lingden said that it would not be appropriate to seek the resignation of the Speaker to form the government.

CPN-UML province Parliamentary Party leader Hikmat Kumar Karki has been reinstated as the acting chief minister of Koshi Province.

He will assume the office today itself.

Karki was appointed as the acting chief minister after the Supreme Court removed Congress province Parliamentary Party leader Uddhav Thapa from the post of chief minister.

He will work as the chief minister till August 2.

Earlier on Thursday, the apex court had ordered province Chief Parshuram Khapung to proceed with the process to appoint a new chief minister by August 2 while annulling the appointment of Thapa.

Karki, who is in Kathmandu, will head towards Biratnagar after some time to take charge of the office.

With Karki’s reinstatement, the ministers in the government under his leadership will also take over the responsibility of the ministries.

In the UML-led government, Buddhi Kumar Raj Bhandari was the Minister for Social Development and Tourism, Forest and Environment, Til Kumar Menyangbo Minister for Drinking Water, Irrigation and Energy and Health.

Similarly, Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) province Parliamentary Party leader Bhakti Prasad Sitaula is the Minister for Industry, Agriculture and Cooperatives and Physical Infrastructure Development.

Karki was appointed as the chief minister for the second time on January 8, 2023.

The Karki-led government fell after losing the vote of confidence in Parliament on June 30.

After that, province Chief Parshuram Khapung called for the formation of a new government as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution.

After  counting the signatures including that of Speaker Baburam Gautam, province Chief Khapung appointed Nepali Congress leader Thapa as the chief minister on July 6.

On July 7, leader Karki filed a writ at the Supreme Court against the decision.

Hearing the case filed against the Koshi government, a full bench of Justices comprising Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada, Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and Til Prasad Shrestha annulled the appointment of Thapa and directed province Chief Khapung to appoint a chief minister of the coalition government within seven days.

The Supreme Court on Thursday annulled the appointment of Koshi Province Chief Minister Uddhav Thapa.

Hearing the case filed against the Koshi government, a full bench of Justices comprising Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada, Ananda Mohan Bhattarai and Til Prasad Shrestha directed province Chief Parshuram Khapung to take ahead the process to form a new government within seven days.

The apex court issued the order to form the government again as per Article 168 (2) of the Constitution of Nepal.

The CPN-UML on July 7 had filed a writ at the Supreme Court arguing that the new government was formed in the Koshi Province in an illegal way.

UML Chief Whip Rewati Raman Bhandari on behalf of UML Koshi Province Parliamentary Party leader and outgoing chief minister Hikmat Kumar Karki had filed the writ demanding a mandamus order.

Hearing the writ filed against Koshi Province Chief Minister Uddhav Thapa, a joint bench of Justices Sushmalata Mathema and Til Prasad Shrestha issued an order to send the writ to the full bench.

After a preliminary hearing, a single bench of Justice Sapana Malla Pradhan issued an interim order not to take a decision that would have long-term effects on the Koshi Province government.

Province Chief Parshuram Khapung, Chief Minister Thapa and Speaker Baburam Gautam were made defendants.

Thapa was elected as the chief minister with the support of 29 lawmakers of Nepali Congress, 12 of CPN (Maoist Center), four of CPN (Unified Socialist) and one of Janata Samajbadi Party and Speaker Gautam.