The dengue outbreak in Dharan and surrounding areas has claimed more lives and stories related to the outbreak has featured in a some papers. The Department of Transport Management’s decision to hike public transport fares, and the subsequent withdrawal of the decision, has also been featured in a few newspapers.
Here is a summary of major front pages stories :
Important
Dengue outbreak spreading to Biratnagar and Damak
Naya Patrika reports that dengue outbreak in Dharan has spread to areas in Biratnagar and Damak. In the past three days, Morang has seen seven and Jhapa seen eight cases. Dr Samir Adhikari, chief of Communicable Disease Control Division and a member of the monitoring team, attributed the outbreak to openly-stored drinking water. He said that as the mosquito that spreads dengue lives in clean water and people suffering from water shortages in the area are keeping drinking water without covering it, hence the mosquito has thrived and spread the outbreak.
Bus fare hike canceled upon instructions from deputy PM
Karobar, Kantipur and Nepal Samacharpatra report that the Department of Transport Management, which had hiked bus fares on Thursday, immediately withdrew the decision after receiving instructions from Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokharel. DoTM chief Kumar Dahal has said the department has sent the bus fares for revision. DoTM had decided to increase fares of busses running in the Kathmandu valley by 12 per cent and those running outside the valley by 20 per cent.
Ignored
Liaison officers pocketed money from government without reaching base camp
Republica reports that at least 15 Everest liaison officers deployed for this year’s spring climbing season pocketed their allowances without even reaching base camp, the Department of Tourism has disclosed.
The department said on Thursday that of the total 37 liaison officers deployed by the government for Everest expeditions only 22 reached Everest Base Camp. The remaining liaison officers, according to the department, didn’t carry out their given assignments although they pocketed the trekking and daily allowances.
Ambassador recommendations draw criticism
Annapurna Post reports that government decision to recommend Mahesh Raj Dahal as the new ambassador to Australia has come under scrutiny as Dahal’s wife is a permanent resident of the United States of America.
Cases filed against 28 officials of Land and Revenue Office Banke
Rajdhani reports that the CIAA has filed cases against 28 officials at the Land and Revenue Office in Banke. The CIAA filed a case at a special court accusing the officials of transferring government land to private ownership. The officials have been accused of tampering with government records while transferring the land to a private individual.
Interesting
Green light given to NA to import arms
The Kathmandu Post reports that Nepal government has cleared legal hurdles to import lethal rifles from the US government which has been pending for over a year following the differences over payment modality. The plan to buy over 6,000 rifles had been delayed after the supplier demanded the entire payment in a single sum, contradicting the procurement law in the country which only allowed payments only in three tranches.
The Nepal Army has long been planning to acquire M4, M-16, and A4 rifles to equip its squads deployed as blue helmets in war-torn countries. Despite the clearance from the Ministry of Defence to procure the arms from the US Army, it had not materialised since the Nepali side couldn’t pay the entire amount before the rifles were supplied.
Guthi bill protest continues
The Himalayan Times reports that unconvinced by the assurance of the Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives and Poverty Alleviation that protesters’ views on Guthi Bill will be taken positively, residents of Kathmandu valley protested against the bill at Patan Durbar Square on Thursday.
Protesters demanded that the government withdraw the bill from the Parliament.
Chairperson of National Identity Protection Joint Struggle Committee Ganapati Lal Shrestha said that if the government did not withdraw the bill, residents of Kathmandu valley would continue their protest.
Nat Geo installs world highest weather station
Republica reports that National Geographic Society on Thursday announced that it successfully installed the world’s two highest operating weather stations on Mount Everest aimed at breaking new ground in monitoring and understanding of climate change.
The multidisciplinary team installed the two highest weather stations in the world (at 8,430 meters and 7,945 meters), collected the highest-ever ice core sample (at 8,020 meters), conducted comprehensive biodiversity surveys at multiple elevations, completed the highest-elevation helicopter-based lidar scan, expanded the elevation records for high-dwelling species and documented the history of the mountain’s glaciers.
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