HUMLA: Flights to Simikot Airport in Humla were disrupted on Sunday due to snowstorm in the district. According to Chief District Officerof Humla, Madhav Prasad Dhungana the flights were disrupted since the runway was covered with snow.
Nepal Army and the Armed Police Force personnel and airport employees worked the whole day to clear the runway. Passengers were stranded due to the forced closure of the airport. Dhungana informed that it might take another two days to clear the runway for operating the flights.
Meanwhile, snowstorm in Humla blew away roofs of over one dozen schools, including the Simkot-based Mansarobar Secondary School.
CHITWAN: A total of fifteen crocodiles brought up at the Crocodile Breeding Center at Kasara have been released in the Rapti River on Sunday.
Special guests, including British Ambassador to Nepal, Richard Morris; Director General of Zoological Society of London, Dominic Jermey; among others witnessed the release of the crocodiles.
Bed Kumar Dhakal, Chief Conservation Officer of Chitwan National Park (CNP) said even though they had a plan to release some 100 crocodiles in various rivers this year, they could release only 15.
According to him, a total of 1,380 crocodiles brought up in the center have been released into rivers in different parts of the country so far.
Dhakal informed that crocodiles completing five years of age are considered fit for the river life. The Crocodile Breeding Center has currently over 500 crocodiles.
As many as 118 crocodiles are in the Rapti River while the Narayani River has 101 crocodile, informed Gopal Ghimire, Information Officer at the CNP.
POKHARA: Enraged with the banks’ unilateral decision of raising the interest rate on loans, the Pokhara Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) have warned of phase-wise agitation if the banks did not decrease the same.
They have given an ultimatum of mid-February to adjust the soaring interest rate on bank loans.
The PCCI had earlier issued a press statement urging the banks to decrease the loan interest rate.
Chairperson of the PCCI Damu Adhikari warned they would be compelled to go for phase-wise agitation if the banks did not bring down the interest rate on loans. He said the soaring interest bank loans will adversely affect their businesses.
The PCCI had earlier issued a press statement urging the banks to decrease the loan interest rate. They have been demanding that the spread rate be brought down to three percent.
KATHMANDU: The main opposition Nepali Congress has flayed the government’s decision to change the name of BP Park to Martyrs Memorial Park.
Organizing a press meet on Sunday, party’s spokesperson Bishwa Prakash Sharma came down heavily on the Province 2 government for inaugurating the park in Birgunj with a new name that was initially named after NC founding leader, BP Koirala.
“The then local government in 2002 had allocated 10 bighas of land to construct BP Memorial Park in Birgunj. However, the Chief Minister of Province 2 inaugurated the park replacing it with a different name”, Sharma said.
The party has urged the government to withdraw its decision at earliest.
KAVRE: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Gokul Baskota has urged all concerned to refrain from interfering in government activities. Speaking while laying the foundation stone of Panchakanya Temple in Banepa on Sunday, Minister Baskota said that the government is engaged in carrying out development activities, and is committed to accomplishing the development projects gradually.
Maintaining that the constitution has guaranteed basic rights of the Nepali people, he claimed that it would also help in achieving the national goal of ‘Happy Nepalis and Prosperous Nepal.’
KATHMANDU: Shree Panchami, also known as Saraswati Puja, was observed across the country on Sunday by worshiping Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge and wisdom.
The day is celebrated every year on the fifth day of the waxing moon of the Nepali month of Magh.
CHITWAN: “Sports is connected with the country’s pride,” remarked Jagat Bahadur Bishwokarma, Minister for Youth and Sports at a program here.
Addressing media persons in terms of announcing the construction of Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium, the minister stated that the sports should be taken seriously and that it should be made a healthy and respected profession.
Construction of the stadium is initiated by Dhurmus Suntali Foundation.
KATHMANDU: Weather in Kathmandu improved today after three days of rainfall and snowfall in areas around the capital city.
According to the Meteorological Forecasting Division, the weather will remain partly cloudy in the western region along with eastern and central hilly regions. Weather in the rest of the country will remain clear.
KATHMANDU: An art competition kicked off at Hanumandhoka this Friday.
Titled as Creative Art Festival, the festival brings together 60 new and old artists. Art works mostly revolve around the theme of Hanumandhoka and Durbar Square area.
The competition is organized by the Department of Architecture and Other Creative Art Department, Nepal Academy of Fine Arts. Jury panel of the event comprise of Rameshnath Khanal, NB Gurung and Diram Palpali.
DHADING: The police on Sunday arrested three Indian nationals with contraband hashish Gajuri of Dhading district. A team from the Narcotics Control Bureau of Nepal Police arrested the Indian nationals during a security check weighing 360 kilograms of hashish.
According to police inspector Nawaraj Dhungel, the hashish was being supplied to India from Kathmandu via an Indian number plate truck bearing registration number S R 55 M 9484.
Those arrested have been identified as Om Prakash and the truck driver Gulaf Khan of India. Another arrested is yet to be identified, police said.