Category: Breaking 2

Kathmandu, June 22: The Melamchi Drinking Water Project has decided to supply water in the Kathmandu Valley until the Melamchi River is flooded.

Earlier, the Project had decided to stop the water supply from Friday, June 21.

Changing its previous decision, it has decided to continue the water supply until the river will be flooded.

Some staffers have been deployed to monitor the water level upward of the headwork of the drinking water project. When they are informed about the floods in the river, the headwork will be closed, according to the Project.

The Project wanted to close the headwork to save it from mud carried by floods.

People’s News Monitoring Service.

Kathmandu, June 22: After recalling 11 ambassadors appointed by the previous coalition government, the present coalition government has named eight ambassadors to different countries. In the present sharing, UML has taken the ambassadorial position for five countries. Out of the remaining three vacancies, the Maoist Center will get one, whereas, Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) will get two ambassadorial posts, according to reports.

The cabinet meeting held on Friday decided to recommend eight persons for the ambassadorial position.

Former chief secretary Lokdarshan Regmi was earlier appointed the ambassador to London. Regmi was recalled after the formation of the alliance government led by Sher Bahadur Deuba. Regmi is now recommended as the ambassador to India from the UML quota.

Chandra Ghimire, who is named the ambassador to the USA, is a former secretary in the Industry, Commerce and Supplies Ministry.

He had also served as the consulate general in Calcutta, India.

Sushil Pyakurel, ambassador named for South Korea, is a human rights activist and he was the advisor for some time to the then President Bidya Debi Bhandari.

Sumnina Tuladhar, ambassador recommended to Denmark, has been working in the field of women’s and children’s rights for a long time.

Netraprasad Timilsina, ambassador named for Malyesiya is the former vice chairman of the Federation of the NGOs and holds working experience in the NGO sector for a long time.

Bijan Pant, ambassador named for London was the development affairs advisor of the then prime minister Sushil Koirala. Presently, his name is recommended by Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal, the Kantipur daily reports.  

From the Janata Samajwadi Party led by Ashok Rai, Abasufan Khan Musalman has been named the ambassador to Saudi Arabia and Pushparaj Rajkarnikar has been named ambassador to Spain.

Rajkarnikar is a former member of the National Planning Commission.

People’s News Monitoring Service. 

Kathmandu, June 21: The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) celebrated the completion of its knowledge-based Integrated Sustainable Agriculture in Nepal (KISAN) II project with a knowledge-sharing event, showcasing its significant achievements to boost agricultural productivity and incomes of farmers and agribusinesses.

Implemented from July 2017 to July 2024, USAID’s KISAN II project supported over 270,600 farmers–including 73 percent women and 63 percent from marginalized groups. The strong partnership between USAID, the Government of Nepal (GON), and the private sector significantly increased agricultural productivity and sales across 25 districts in Nepal.

USAID’s KISAN II project partnered with 177 firms and supported nearly 600 extension workers to help farmers access markets and finance and become more competitive while providing over 35,000 farming households with irrigation systems. This support helped increase production by 139 percent and led to $476 million in farm sales. By promoting climate-smart agricultural practices and the use of new digital technologies, USAID empowered farmers to better cope with the impacts of climate change.

“We are proud to help Nepali farmers harness the potential of the country’s agriculture to increase their incomes, expand their access to healthy foods in local markets, and improve the country’s overall food security and prosperity,” said Chargé d’affaires of Mission of the U.S. Embassy, Jason Meeks.

Speaking at the event, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Development Jwala Kumari Sah remarked, “USAID’s KISAN II project introduced the Rice Mill Model and Maize Aggregation Model, helping millers and aggregators support farmers and buy produce at fair prices. The Rice Mill Model’s success led to its adoption by government bodies. KISAN II also facilitated the Joint Sector Review, aiding in the review and prioritization of the Agriculture Development Strategy. The Government of Nepal is now institutionalizing this review mechanism for long-term use.”

The closing event for USAID’s KISAN II project featured the handover of knowledge products and technology to help the Government of Nepal. This will help expand the private sector’s role in agriculture, attract investment, and boost agricultural production and economic prosperity in Nepal. Several farmers and private sector entities were also part of the event.

Since 2011, the U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Initiative has provided more than $181 million in assistance to help over 800,000 Nepali farmers increase their incomes through improved agricultural productivity and increased sales.

People’s News Monitoring Service.

Kathmandu, June 20: On the occasion of International Yoga Day, the Indian Embassy observed a comprehensive yoga demonstration program on Thursday in Lumbini, the birthplace of the Lord Buddha. The Embassy observed the program in collaboration with the Lumbini Development Fund.

Lumbini’s Chief Minister Jokh Bahadur Mahara thanked the Embassy for organizing such an important program at the sacred birthplace of Lord Buddha in the program celebrated with the main slogan ‘Yoga for self and society’.

Stating that International Yoga Day will help create more awareness about yoga to build a healthy and balanced society, he said that yoga is necessary for everyone.

Naveen Srivastava, the Indian ambassador, said that yoga has become a global phenomenon after the United Nations designated June 21 as International Yoga Day in 2014 based on India’s proposal.

He also said that the holy land of Lumbini, a symbol of peace and harmony, provides a suitable environment to celebrate the eternal practice of yoga as a festival. Ambassador Srivastava also announced that the Embassy will celebrate International Yoga Day in Lumbini every year in collaboration with the Lumbini Development Fund.

People’s News Monitoring Service.

Kathmandu, 20 June: The main opposition party Nepali Congress has called a meeting of the parliamentary party for Friday, June 21.

Congress has called a meeting to discuss contemporary politics. The meeting will be held on Friday at 3 pm at the Federal Parliament Building, New Baneshwar.

People’s News Monitoring Service.

By Our Reporter

At a time when the entire Tarai and hills west of Gandaki are grappling with the heat and drought, four districts of Koshi Province have been badly hit by landslides and floods within a few days of the arrival of the monsoon in the areas.

The monsoon is yet to arrive in Kathmandu, but it has already wreaked havoc in the Taplejung, Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha and Jhapa districts of Koshi Province.

Floods and landslides triggered by incessant rains have already displaced 146 families in the Taplejung, Panchthar and Jhapa districts as of Tuesday. Of them, 81 families have been displaced in the Himalayan district of Taplejung.

The District Police Office, Taplejung, has said that the rainfall has begun in the district since June 9, and the floods and landslides triggered by rains caused significant damage to life and property.

According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Rabi Rawal, the floods and landslides have completely damaged eight houses so far.

Details collected indicate that 18 houses are at high risk and 55 houses are at risk in various areas of the district, DSP Rawal said.

He said that due to the floods and landslides, a total of 81 families, including those in high-risk areas, at-risk areas and completely damaged houses have been displaced.

Among the displaced families, 163 women and 179 men are currently taking shelter in safe places, either in relatives’ homes or in schools.

Additionally, the floods and landslides washed away two motorable wooden bridges, one suspension bridge and one cemented bridge in the district.

The police reported that one crusher industry, four vehicles, one livestock farm, and nine sheds were damaged by the floods and landslides. Furthermore, landslides have damaged land with nine cardamom farms.

So far, 84 cattle have died when they were swept away or buried by landslides. Thirty-one other animals and birds perished in several landslides. The District Police Office said that five persons, three women and two men, died in the landslides in Taplejung.

Likewise, three were killed in Sankhuwasabha.

Likewise, continuous rainfall over the past few days has affected normal life in Jhapa. Five houses have been displaced and dozens of houses flooded.

According to the Jhapa Branch of the Nepal Red Cross Society, the families of Jhapa Rural Municipality-6 were displaced when the Birring River overflowed, causing a flood in the settlement.

The police have said that most areas in Kachankawal, Jhapa and Gaurigunj have been submerged while landslides caused havoc in Arjundhara Municipality-2.

When the monsoon in the first week of its arrival has already killed people, one could imagine the damages from the monsoon in the next three months.