Tharu community begins preparation for Maghi

Tharu Community in the district is getting prepared for the Maghi celebrations as it is the major festival for the community here. They began the preparation before a week to mark it in a grand manner. The community is busy collecting fire-wood from the jungle, preparing leaf plates and getting other required materials and managing pig meat too to mark the Maghi. The community has to book pig meat they require before some days of the celebration. It has a tradition of having it on the day. Ganga...

Adjusting to the new normal with socially distant Live Concerts

With the world slowly adapting back to the new normal, things in the music industry are too in no rush to return to the way things were. The restrictions over public gatherings, compulsion on maintaining social distance everywhere and the fear of contaminating various diseases has also aided to this situation further as this hampered live shows directly. But gradually few groups have started organizing concerts in venues across the valley, musical junctures like Thamel and Jhamsikhel hosting weekly...

Training held in Taplejung to preserve Limbu culture

The Limbu community living in eastern Nepal including Taplejung and Panchthar are actively working to preserve their culture. Concerned about the decline of indigenous cultural practices like Ya: Lang (Paddy Dance), Ke: Lang (Drum Dance), Hakpare and Khyali, various Limbu organisations have begun conducting training to impart knowledge to the new generation and preserve them. The trainings are conducted with financial support from the respective local governments. Local organisations like Kirant...

Polls To End Deadlock

In a parliamentary democracy, elections are held in high regard as they are the time-tested measures to determine the mood of electorates against any political parties or leaders. The people's mandate is crucial for any political dispensation to win the required support to form governments by appointing the people's representatives. When an incumbent Prime Minister finds that s/he has been incapacitated to implement promises made to the electorate, then he can seek a fresh mand

Ideal Elderly Care Homes

Increased life expectancy and greater prevalence of chronic illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, liver and kidney problems in older adults have placed a greater demand on the existing healthcare system. Most of us need some type of care assistance after the age of 65. We become increasingly dependent on others as age increases, and getting around and taking care of ourselves can become more and more challenging. Once our mobility becomes increasingly limited, home adjustments may help us keep...

Foreign Investment Spurs Competition

Nepal government has decided to allow foreign investment in the agriculture sector. According to the decision, the foreign investment will be allowed in the field of animal husbandry, fishery, apiary, fruit and vegetable production. The other areas of foreign investment include oil, pulses and milk production. But, the new policy decision has been challenged by the farmers involved in the aforementioned sectors. The Dairy Production Federation Nepal, the Dairy Association, the Central Animal Husbandry...

India gives green signal to import power via Tanakpur

Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has received go ahead signal from India to import additional 15 MW of electricity through Tanakpur, India. At present, NEA is importing up to 70 MW of electricity from there at tariff of IRs. 4.14 (Rs. 6.62) per unit. Hitendra Dev Shakya, acting managing director of NEA, said that up to 85 MW of electricity could now be brought from Tanakpur based on necessity. Nepal has been getting 70 million units of electricity annually from Tanakpur free of cost as per the...

Roadblocks remain to turn ‘cycling dream’ a reality

Kathmandu, which even at the best of times, consistently keeps afloat at ‘unhealthy’ levels, became the world’s most polluted city on January 4. The particulate matter pollution on Monday (PM2.5) soared above 600, prompting discussions to curb the unprecedented surge in toxic air.   With transportation alone contributing up to 28 per cent of pollutants, as per a 2017 study by the Department of Environment, environmentalists have for long been considering ways to curb vehicular emissions.  For...

PM asks former justices to respect judiciary

Prime Minister and Chairman of ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP) KP Sharma Oli Saturday urged the former chief justices of the Supreme Court to respect the dignity of the judiciary. Addressing a meeting organised by Youth Association Nepal, he said, “People who had already held the responsibilities at the Supreme Court should abstain from influencing the court,” he said. He said that it was not appropriate for people like the former chief justices to try to influence the court by unfair means. On...

Business firms demand extension of tax payment deadline

The private sector has demanded for immediate implementation of the government-announced relief and rehabilitation packages to revive businesses, and sought extension of the deadline to submit financial report and pay the income tax. Saying that the COVID-19 related restrictions did not allow them to prepare the documents in time, they urged the government to extend the deadline to submit the financial statements and pay the income taxes by three months until mid-April.