By Purushottam P. Khatri
Kathmandu, Sept. 16: The government has initiated a process to introduce a new law on acid attack, punishment against the perpetrators and hearing on such cases at the earliest possible.
A meeting of the Council of Ministers Monday entrusted the Nepal Law Commission to immediately prepare a draft of a new Act related to acid attack incidents.
The Commission is given a 15-day deadline to prepare the draft to address all concerns of acid victims, with provisions of fine, imprisonment and compensation, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said at a press conference organised to make the Cabinet decisions public on Tuesday.
The Cabinet meeting decided to mark Bhadau 25 of Nepali calendar as the Day against Acid Attack.
The government has also decided to declare government hospitals like TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, Bir Hospital, Burn Hospital, Kirtipur, and Patan Hospital as dedicated acid attack treatment hospitals from now onwards.
The government has decided to make arrangements of providing all medical treatment to the acid victims free of cost, bear all the medical expenses, supply medicines that need to be taken throughout his/her life, manage free higher education for the victims as coordinated by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, skill development training by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies, and ensure employment opportunity to those as per the priority list and qualifications.
The government has decided to provide concessional loan to the acid victims if they wish to do any business or trade and provision of providing subsidy as well if they wish to engage in agriculture-related businesses as managed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
The government has stressed on creating awareness in the public for pouring clean and fresh drinking water on a burnt body part of the acid victim while taking him/her to nearby hospital as immediate first-aid measure.
The Cabinet meeting also decided to keep two more ambulances in the Valley in standby position. With this, the number of standby ambulances will reach 12, said Minister Gyawali. The government also decided conducting examinations of Nepal Nursing Council and for the post of police inspectors’180th batch in Nepal Police.
The government has also directed Nepal Rastra Bank to issue new coins of Rs. 1 and 2 denominations having picture of newly upgraded political map of Nepal, according to Minister Gyawali.
Govt appeals public not to take COVID-19 lightly
The government has appealed to support its efforts in containing the virus infection by staying cautious and playing a leading role from each and every sector. Minister Gyawali said Nepal is currently passing through two critical stages of health and economic crises. “We cannot compromise on these two issues as it is also the duty and responsibility of all citizens to support the government in checking the infection of the coronavirus by keeping themselves cautious,” he said.
“Risk of the virus has not yet diminished in the country, and the crisis which the government and countrymen are facing has not ended yet,” he said. He also urged the general public not to take the virus lightly.
Also, the government has decided to keep the international border points of Nepal sealed off prohibiting free human movement until October 16, Minister Gyawali said.
The government has, however, given permission to formally make entry of Nepali citizens after confirming their tests from Pashupatinagar of Ilam, Khalanga Pulghat of Darchula and Rasuwagadhi border points.
Mountain summit open for foreign nationals
The government has decided to open mountain summit in Nepal to foreign nationals having negative RT-PCR report conducted within 72 hours before they board to Nepal from October 17, 2020. The government has also given permission to reopen hotels, restaurants, trekking and travel offices from September 17.