Two major issues that most Nepali and English broadsheet dailies published from Kakthmandu on Wednesday have featured on their front pages are the announcement of nationwide street protest programmes by the main opposition Nepali Congress against the government, and the failure of talks between the government team and representatives of medical education reform activist Dr Govinda KC who has been staging a fast-unto-death in Jumla of Karnali for last 19 days.
The death of Dharan Sub-Metropolitan City Mayor Tara Subba has also received a priority in the press today.
Few other political, sociocultural and economic issues have also been published on the front pages with a priority.
Important
Talks between govt, Dr KC end fruitlessly
Many newspapers in their lead stories that another round of talks held between a team formed by the government and representatives of medical education reform activist Dr Govinda KC failed to reach any conclusion and end the strike of fasting doctor on Tuesday too.
Gorkhapatra reports, quoting Director General of Department of Health Services Dr Gunaraj Lohani, a member of the government team, that the talks were held in a harmonious environment and they would resume the conversation soon though it failed to forge any conclusion yesterday. Dr KC’s team’s chief, Dr Abhishek Raj Singh, however, said the talked failed as the government presented itself without any seriousness.
Rajdhani says the resolution was elusive as both the sides were adamant on their stances.
Kathmandu city stinks thanks to local govt’s inability
The lead story of Naya Patrika and the anchor story of The Kathmandu Post report that the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has failed to collect garbage from the city streets for last one week, leaving the city stinking.
Naya Patrika informs that the waste has piled up in Kathmandu as vehicles carrying the garbage cannot go to the landfill site in Sisdole of Nuwakot as a road constructed over the garbage piles has damaged due to the rainfall. The Kathmandu Post, meanwhile, adds that the capacity of the dumping ground is full and it cannot take solid waste anywhere.
It says KMC Chief Executive Yadav Koirala refused to answer questions on why taxpaying citizens should suffer the stink raised by garbage piles all over. However “Joint Spokesperson Nabaraj Dhakal said it would take few days to sort out the problem.”
Ignored
Naya Shakti seeks Oli’s resignation
Former Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai-led Naya Shakti Party Nepal has demanded that Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli resign immediately as his government was involved in various activities against the constitution and people, according to a three-column story in Nepal Samacharpatra.
Meanwhile, the party also staged a demonstration against the government in Kathmandu yesterday.
Temporary govt staff’s term extended
The government has extended the contract of around 34,000 temporary employees by three months though they were supposed to be relieved from their duties on Tuesday, according to the lead story in The Himalayan Times.
The term was extended as the employees staged a protest for around one week, the report informs, adding Chief Secretary Lok Darshan Regmi has directed secretaries to let the temporary staff continue jobs. Most of such staff are office assistants, helpers, drivers and janitors.
Poisonous mushroom kills three in Dang
A two-column report filed from Dang district of Province 5 in Nepal Samacharpatra reports that three persons living in a same ward of Ghorahi Sub-Metropolitan City of the district have died reportedly after consuming poisonous wild mushroom.
The report adds that as many as 45 persons have been taken ill due to the consumption of toxic mushroom in this season and most of them are undergoing treatment at different hospitals in Banke district.
Meanwhile, police and officials have urged the public to avoid the consumption of wild mushrooms, according to the report.
Interesting
Over 500,000 tourists visited Nepal in six months
In the first six months of 2018, Nepal welcomed as many as 520,014 foreign tourists, according to the preliminary data of Nepal Tourism Board. The number is encouraging as this is the highest number of tourists Nepal has ever received in the first half of any year, Karobar reports, adding therefore, the government’s target of welcoming at least 100,000 tourists in one year is likely to be met.
Meanwhile, almost 90 per cent rooms of Nepali hotels for the next season have been booked, the report claims.
