Two elderly men succumb to cold in makeshift shelters in Jajarkot

As the government's negligence reached the pick, additional two quake-hit elderly men died of cold today.

"Two elderly people living in makeshift tarpaulin shelters in Jajarkot passed away due to cold weather today," confirmed Barekot Rural Municipality chairperson Bir Bahadur Gurung. 

The deceased have been identified as Dhuleshwar Karki of Bheri Municipality-2 and Narendra Bahadur Singh of Jiri in Barekot Rural Municipality-4. Both were living in makeshift shelters after their homes were damaged by the earthquake.

According to Gurung, both Karki and Singh were asthma patients, and the cold weather aggravated their health.

More than 34,000 people in Jajarkot are living in makeshift tarpaulin shelters as the earthquake has rendered their houses inhabitable, with the elderly, children, and new mothers being the most affected.

Despite huge relief materials and hefty cash assistance from inside and out of the country, the governments failed to manage the distribution of relief materials, especially in the cold season.

According to the chief district officer (CDO) of Jajarkot Suresh Sunar, children, new mothers, chronically ill, and the elderly living in makeshift shelters are more affected. "Two chronic patients living in makeshift shelters died due to cold in Nalgad-4 last week," he said, claiming that they are taking needful initiatives to manage the situation. But the death of citizens exposed their inefficiency and negligence towards the people. 

The government has already collected a fund of Rs 152.80 million for helping the victims of the Jajarkot earthquake.

According to spokesperson at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministries (OPMCM) Narayan Prasad Bhatta, the amount has been collected in the Prime Minister Natural Disaster Relief Fund. Though, the government claimed to utilise the amount for supporting the victims of the Jajarkot earthquake that hit the area two weeks ago, people are suffering, especially due to cold weather, and failed to provide respite to the quake-affected.

The tremor had claimed 153 lives and left hundreds of others injured and homeless.

Government publishes expenditures related to Covid-19 response, Rs 2 billion vanished

After the huge pressure from the youth activists across the country to release the details of the expenses, the government has made public the expenditures related to the prevention, control and treatment of coronavirus infection. But the government expenses – made public today – and the Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal, and secretary at the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) Narayan Prasad Bidari. Either the expenses made public today is false or the Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal lied in the House of Representatives and secretary Bidari lied to the journalist. Minister Dhakal, addressing the House of Representatives last week said that the governments – from federal to provinces and local – have spent more than Rs 10 billion to fight Covid-19. Likewise, Bidari – on June 3 – told the journalists that the three tier of governments – from federal to provinces and local – have spent Rs 9.87 billion, and some local governments still have not filed for expenses, which could cross Rs 10 billion.
However, the government today – after three days of massive protest by the youth across the country – published the expenses of Rs 8.39 billion, far too less from the announcements of both Dhakal and Bidari. “Either the health minister Dhakal lied in the House or secretary Bidari lied to journalists,” said a leader from opposition party in the parliament Nepal Congress (NC).
The directorate of the Coronavirus Control and Management Committee (CCMC) – led by deputy prime minister and defense minister Ishwar Pokharel – has ordered to publicise the expenses as the protest against the government’s lack of accountability and transparency has angered the youth, who have been protesting since last three days, various places in Kathmandu including in front of Prime Minister’s Official residence Baluwater, and many cities including Pokhara, Chitwan, Birgunj, Biratnagar across the country.
Prime Minister’s press advisor Surya Thapa shared the expenditure details in his tweet today trying to pacify the agitating youths.
According to the document – that has neither any sign nor any official seal – a total of Rs 8.39 billion has been spent so far in Covid-19 response through three tiers of governments. “Of the total, some Rs 5.63 billion has been allocated under various headings including medical/health supplies, health infrastructure, mobilisation of human resources, quarantine, and others,” Thapa claimed, adding that a total of Rs 4.10 billion has been spent through government entities including the Ministry of Health and Population, Defence Ministry, Home Ministry; Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Minsitry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Urban Development Ministry, and Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. Interestingly the Defence Ministry has spent Rs 2.40 billion – the highest among the ministries – whereas province-wise, a total of Rs. 2.002 billion has been allocated for the seven provinces under Covid-19 response fund, out of which Rs 1.3 billion has been spent so far. “Out of a total of Rs 4.83 billion allocated for the local governments, some Rs. 2.98 billion has been spent to fight the transmission of coronavirus infection,” Thapa explained.
The CCMC directorate has publicised the details of expenses made by various government agencies, money spent on procuring medical supplies including mobilization of human resources, development of quarantine facilities as well as other health infrastructures and miscellaneous expenses. According to the details, seven federal ministries have so far spent Rs 4.10 billion in response to Covid-19. “While the Ministry of Health and Population has spent Rs 1.58 billion, the Defence Ministry and Ministry of Home Affairs have spent Rs 2.40 billion and Rs 24.58 million, respectively. Similarly, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has spent Rs 52 million, the Ministry of Urban Development Rs 26.97 million and the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Rs 14.2 million so far.
The government has spent Rs 3.90 billion to buy medical supplies, Rs 1.12 billion to develop physical infrastructures, Rs 58.33 million to mobilize human resources, and Rs 135.59 million for developing quarantine facilities. Likewise, Rs 401.59 million was spent on miscellaneous purposes, according to the details.
Bagmati and Sudur Paschim provinces are among those provinces spending the highest amount of money in response to Covid-19. While Province 1 has spent Rs 193.56 million, Province 2 has spent Rs 133.94 million and Bagmati Province, Gandaki Province and Province 5 have so far spent Rs 136.7 million, Rs 154.21 million and Rs 77.93 million, respectively. Likewise, Karnali Province has spent Rs 239.28 million, Sudur Paschim Province has spent Rs 364.87 million so far.
The directorate claimed that this expenses does not include the details of the expenses made by various local bodies across the country. Government officials informed that they have asked all local bodies to furnish details of the expenses made so far in response to Covid-19.
CCMC directorate – issuing a press note yesterday – claimed that funds have been allocated under various headings by the government for the prevention and control of coronavirus infection. “Likewise, the provinces and local levels have been carrying out expenses from their funds in dealing with Covid-19 crisis and the details of which will be made public by the government soon.”

Private sector suggests premier to seek implementation of earlier agreements with India

The private sector has suggested Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to seek assurance of implementation of previous agreements with India during the latter's visit scheduled for next week.
Asking the 'nationalist PM Oli' to focus on improving relations with the southern neighbour and lure more Indian investment into the country, the private sector today at the meeting with him and prominent ministers of his cabinet at PM's official residence Baluwater, also recommended the premier to seek assurance of implementation of Pancheswar Multipurpose Project to harness Nepal’s water resources for the benefit of both the nations and better utilisation of line of credit facility extended by India.
Signing the Mahakali Treaty and Pancheswar Multipurpose Project, more than 2 decade ago, the incumbent premier Oli had then claimed that Nepal would get Rs 130 billion annually from India from the project. However, in last almost 25 years down the line, thousands of cubic metres of water has flown down the Mahakali river but the country has not received a single penny but is reeling under acute shortage of electricity as the power cut has reached 13 hours a day, currently.
Likewise, the country is facing shortage of essential drugs and fuel due to blockade by India since – against the Nepal's right to land-locked country – last four months after the promulgation of Constitution by the Constituent Assembly (CA) on September 23.
Thus, the private sector asked the premier to ensure free and smooth trans-shipment facility for Nepal from India as a land-locked country. Some 20,000 industries have been closed and around 400,000 have been employed due to Indian blockade since last months that created shortage of raw materials and petroleum products through Nepal-India border customs. Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) is the sole petroleum products suppliers to Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC). But the IOC has not been supplying petroleum products, according to the agreement saying that it has no orders from Indian government to supply fuel to Nepal.
The visit is also expected to clarify on the bilateral agreements as time and again Nepal has been blocked the essential supplies including petroleum products and medicines despite the bilateral agreements, regional and sub-regional agreements, and global agreements including Nepal's right to land-locked countries.
The premier had invited the private sector for consultation on pertinent issues that need to be raised during his visit to the southern neighbour scheduled from February 19 to 24.
According to Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) president Pashupati Murarka, the prime minister also asked for an integrated proposal from the private sector.
"The government has also identified matters that need to be raised during my visit to India, and we will also integrate the proposal from the private sector during the talks," Murarka quoted the prime minister as saying during the talks with Private sector representatives including FNCCI, Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC), Nepal-India Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NICCI).
The prime minister also told the private sector that his visit will be focused on improving and strengthening bilateral ties with India. Deputy prime minister and foreign minister Kamal Thapa, finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel, commerce minister Deepak Bohara, industry minister Som Prasad Pandey and high-level bureaucrats were present during the meeting.
A 15-member private sector team will also be part of the Prime Minister’s delegation to India. Apart from New Delhi, Oli is also scheduled to visit the economic capital of India, Mumbai.

Prime Minister's Office directs NOC to reduce fuel price

The government has directed Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to reduce fuel prices instantly in line with the decline in crude oil price in the international market. Similarly, the Department of Transport Management (DoTM) – through Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport – has also been directed to reduce public transportation fares. Stating that Nepali consumers have not been benefitting from the significant declines in international oil price, the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers (OPMCM) today wrote separately to the NOC and DoTM to slash fuel prices and revise public transport fares accordingly. The OPMCM spokesman Uttam Kumar Khatri confirmed that the office has written both the entities letters to slash the prices accordingly.
The office has, however, not clarified what action it would take, if the state entities not follow its directives. Earlier too, the office used to issue directives but the state entities are not responsible to either state or people.
Despite continuous drop in crude oil prices in the international market, the Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) has not adjusted fuel prices downwards citing shortage of the petroleum products.
Though the crude oil price plunged to a 12-year low of $32 per barrel in the international market in January second week, Nepali consumers have not been able to benefit from it as the responsible bodies did not slash the fuel prices and transport fares, accordingly.
"While NOC has not reduced fuel price according to the declining crude oil price in the international market, the DoTM also has not reduced public transport fares,” said Khatri.
Earlier on January 18, NOC had reduced the prices of petrol and diesel by Rs 5 per liter and Rs 6 per liter, respectively, despite the automatic pricing system it adopted since almost a year ago. Currently, petrol costs Rs 99 and diesel and kerosene cost Rs 75 per liter, respectively.
Meanwhile, student unions affiliated to various political parties today organised a sit-in protest in front of NOC demanding smooth supply of petroleum products and action against the black-marketeers of petroleum products. Student unions affiliated with three Maoist parties – UCPN-Maoist, CPN-Maoist (Revolutionary) and CPN-Maoist – had staged sit-in protest in front of NOC's central office at Babarmahal in the afternoon. The NOC has been encouraging illegal import of petroleum products after Indian blockade – since September – that halted supply of fuel from the Indian Oil Corporation (IOC). The IOC that is the only supplier of fuel to NOC refused to supply essential fuel – despite the agreement between NOC and IOC to supply uninterrupted fuel – saying that it has no orders from Indian government to supply oil.
Likewise, the student unions have also demanded NOC to adjust fuel price in line with the decline in international crude price. They have also demanded that the NOC adopt long-term policies regarding production, supply and storage of petroleum products and end the ongoing crisis immediately.
Crude prices have been plummeting in the international market continuously since last four months but the state oil monopoly has not been revising the prices downwards, instead it has separted a huge chunk from its profits for bonus. The technically bankrupt NOC srill has to pay Rs 12 billion loan to the government. Earlier, it had Rs 32 billion loan last fiscal year.