Nepali Economy
By Prajwal Shrestha
Presently, the country is in a critical stage. The destruction created by the second wave of the pandemic with a new variant is more serious than the previous wave. The economy is the main bone of the nation and the prolonged lockdown last year and the reintroduction of lockdown at present have severely destroyed our economic sector. The Covid-19 pandemic seems not going to be disappeared soon as we have already seen the third wave in the European countries. Some experts are even predicting that it may exist till the seventh wave until 2025, which is beyond our imagination. Our economy cannot sustain with the present measures the government is following if one after another variant will continue to attack us.
First of all, the government should have taken the lesson from the first wave. It didn’t try to learn a lesson from that. Oddly, again, the government is repeating the very mistake.
Nepal became the victim of the second wave and the pandemic has gone beyond control as the deadly virus has been transmitted from India. The reason is the open border with India. It is estimated that around five hundred thousand people have entered Nepal from India, a pandemic hit zone. The migration of people in Nepal’s bordering settlements has contributed to the spread of the pandemic in the community. The first lesson we have to learn is immediately close down the open border. Secondly, allowing people to enter Nepal by land from India only from some four entry points after producing PCR report within 24 hours. Thirdly, issuance of compulsory order along with a heavy punishment in case of violation for staying at home quarantine for 10 days and only after mangling with the people after producing another PCR report of the 10th day.
Accordingly, making a mandatory wearing mask, maintaining physical distance and washing hands frequently is important. In case of violation, heavy punishment order should be introduced. Furthermore, the anti-Covid vaccination derives should be launched. If the government will implement the above guidelines, we can overcome the pandemic. The successful experiences of China, Japan, Australia, and other countries should be followed by us too.
Instead, the government is moving in the wrong direction. Odd to note, the government has allowed people to come from India even without any medical check-up. The government has continued air service to India, a pandemic hotspot, by suspending all other international flights. This is a totally wrong decision. The government should have continued its international flights by introducing medical requirements along with compulsory quarantine in hotels for a week upon arrival. If the government would have continued international service, urgent medicines, medical equipment and other essential items could be airlifted easily from third countries. The government has committed a blunder, which should be corrected immediately.
The government must think about the operation of the economic activities even by introducing strong directives along with heavy punishment upon violation of the government directives. We have no other options left to reenergize our economy except overcoming the Covid-19 virus.
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