FNCCI launches COVID Help Desk

Kathmandu, May 12

Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FNCCI) has established COVID-19 Help Desk at its secretariat in Teku to support in saving lives of people.

The Desk will help in prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic, said the business body in a statement on Wednesday. A meeting of the FNCCI's working committee held recently had decided to create the Help Desk. Senior Vice President of FNCCI Chandra Prasad Dhakal is coordinating the facility.

According to the statement, Ram Chandra Sanghai and Saurav Jyoti are taking the responsibility of oxygen cylinder management, Hemraj Dhakal and Rabin Shrestha are facilititating in hospital and isolation centres, and Ranjit Raj Acharya is coordinating for the ambulance and isolation centres.

Likewise, Er. Desh Bandhu Basnet (Ajit), Babu Kaji Karki and Dr. Keyur Gautam are responsible for hospital management, Prabal Jung Pandey and Bhakta Hamal for medicine and medical equipment, and Jyotsna Shrestha, Binayak Shah and Binod Sapkota for hotel and flight services.

People can obtain the help from the Desk by contacting officers-duo Hari Poudyal and Rinku Ghimire on 9801096812 and 9801192591 respectively. They can be contacted via telephone or SMS and requested for the help needed.

The members of the Help Desk will coordinate with the government and other concerned agencies to provide help to the businesspersons and common people, said the FNCCI.

"FNCCI has been supporting people during hard times through its corporate social responsibility. It has already launched Operation COVID Relief Nepal and is operating Hello Doctor service to offer consultation services to the needy people," it said.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 13 May 2021. 

ILO stresses occupational Safety amid corona crisis

Kathmandu, Apr. 27

The International Labour Organisation (ILO) has said that while the protection of workers against sickness, diseases and injuries related to their work environment has been central issue for it since a century ago, occupational safety and health standards have been more relevant during the COVID-19 crisis.

"From the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the principles contained in ILO Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) standards have shown to be more relevant than ever, especially the principles of prevention," Nepal Country Director of the ILO Dr. Richard Howard said in an interaction with journalists the other day on the eve of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.

The ILO had begun to observe the Day in order to stress the prevention of accidents and diseases at work places.

"The annual World Day for Safety and health at Work on April 28 promotes the prevention of occupational accidents and diseases globally," said the ILO Nepal Office.

Stating safe and healthy working conditions are fundamental for decent work and its significance has been further amplified by the pandemic, the international labour body maintained that in Nepal's context, it is urgent that the government takes firm steps in ratifying the ILO Convention 155 so that the country has sound and resilient OSH system in place.

"It would support the country to build capacity to face future emergencies and protect workers' safety and health, while supporting the survival and business continuity of enterprises," the ILO said in a statement.

The Convention 155 on OSH provides for the adoption of coherent national occupational safety and health policy, as well as action to be taken by governments and within enterprises to promote occupational safety and health to improve working conditions. It defines the responsibilities of the government and employers, and the rights of workers.

Meanwhile, the government is considering the adoption of the OSH Convention. Parliament's Labour and International Relations Committee is looking into the case.

Nepal doesn't have exclusive legislation on OSH. However, Labour Rule, 2018 encourages developing OSH policy for each workplace with the inclusion of issue like safety preparedness plan, worker's health, machine operation and use of hazardous substances. It directs the employers to be responsible towards the workers during accidents and injuries utilising emergency prepared and evacuations.

Meanwhile, ILO in a statement on Tuesday said that on the World Day, countries need to put in place sound and resilient occupational safety and health systems that would minimise the risk for everyone in the word of work in the event of future health emergency.

"This will require investment in OSH infrastructure and integrating it into overall national crisis emergency preparedness and response plans, so that workers' safety and health are protected, and the business continuity of enterprises is supported," read the statement issued from Geneva.

A report 'Anticipate, prepare and respond to crises. Invest now in resilient OSH systems' published on the occasion has analysed the health concerns arising from the dramatic increase in teleworking during the pandemic.

"While teleworking has been essential in limiting the spread of the virus, maintaining jobs and business continuity and giving workers increased flexibility, it has also blurred the lines between work and private life," it reads. About 60 per cent of enterprises surveyed for the report reported that worker morale has been difficult to sustain while teleworking.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on April 28, 2021. 

EC approves election programme

 Kathmandu, Apr. 25

The Election Commission of Nepal has approved the election programme for 20 May for the one vacant post of the National Assembly from Bagmati Province in 'others' group.

The election management body approved the schedule on Sunday and said that names of candidates would be published on May 4. Compliant and protest against the names should be made on the same day while investigation on the compliant would be made on the following two days, it said in a statement.

List of candidates would be published on May 5, candidates' nomination list registration and name list publication would be on May 6. The final list of candidates would be published on 12 May and election symbol would be given to the candidates on the same day.

The NA seat has fallen vacant after Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal elected from the Maoist-Centre switched to CPN (UML) resulting in his expel from the NA.  

Meanwhile, the ECN has decided to draw attention of various nine political parties which did not submit the audit report to the former even after it sought clarification from them.

The ECN had sought clarification from 86 political parties that did not submit the audit report in time.

According to Political Parties Act, 2015 and Political Parties Bylaws, 2016, all political parties registered to the ECN must submit the details of their activities to the election body.

About 133 political parties are registered at the ECN. However, it said that the parties' adherence to the provision of the laws is not satisfactory.

"The ECN had sent letters to the parties reminding their duty to submit the audit report. But some of them did not sent it on time," read the statement.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 April 2021. 

MWSP to bring water from Yangri, Larke in four years

Kathmandu, Apr. 24

The Melamchi Water Supply Project (MWSP) is set to bring water of Yangri and Larke rivers to the Kathmandu Valley within next four years.

About 340 million litres of water per day would be brought to the valley from the two rivers in Sindhupalchok district in the second phase of the MWSP in addition to the current 170 million litres per day (MLD) from the Melamchi River.

The Yangri River is at a distance of 9 km from the Melamchi head works while the Larke River is further 2 km away.

To bring the water down to the Melamchi River from Yangri and Larke rivers, a 9-km-long tunnel would be constructed up to Yangri while to connect Larke, a large tunnel with partition would be constructed. A part of the tunnel will be used for the vehicular movement, Executive Director of the project Tiresh Prasad Khatri said to The Rising Nepal.

He said that the procurement process for the construction services would be initiated by September this year. The second phase of the project is estimated to be completed within next four fiscal years – by 2024/25.

Meanwhile, speaking at the inauguration of water distribution from the national pride project at the Bhrikutimandap in Kathmandu earlier this month, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli expressed confidence that the additional 340 MLD water would be brought to the valley in the next three years.

He had directed the Ministry of Water Supply to create conducive environment for adding water from the Yangri and Larke rivers to the supply channel by 2024.

 

Switching to TBM

"The Prime Minister has directed us to bring the additional water into the valley in three years. However, there could be a slight delay as the project is reviewing the method of the tunnel construction," said Khatri.

Although study for the second phase of the project is complete and it is ready for execution, MWSP is mulling to switch to Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) system from the earlier Drill and Blast Method (DBM).

TBM method has high productivity and cost saving benefits. It will save about 6-7 months in tunnel construction compared to the DBM, according to the experts.

Likewise, it will save about Rs. 2 billion budget. "DBM would cost over Rs. 11 billion for the 11-km tunnel while TBM can bring it down to Rs. 9 billion," said Khatri.

However, these are preliminary estimates made on the basis of experts' opinion. The project is yet to revise the cost estimation according to the alternative technology to be adopted for the development of the project.

The first phase of the project has constructed about 26.5 km tunnel by adopting DBM. In Nepal, Bheri-Babai Diversion Multipurpose Project has adopted the TBM for the first time and achieved good results.

According to the MWSP, while DBM could drill about 4.5 metres (m) tunnel in a day, TBM can extend it up to 15 meters a day. In comparatively easier geological situations like at the Bheri-Babai project, TBM could bore as much as 30 m tunnel in a day.

 

Managing resources

According to Khatri, the project is yet to pool resources for the execution of phase-II of Melamchi.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has shown interest in funding the project. However, it wants to observe the water distribution system of the Melamchi water in the valley and its management. "But since it might delay the decision on the part of the donor, alternative sources will be sought," said Khatri.

ADB is the major donor of the MWSP first phase.

Currently, the project is conducting dialogue with the local communities, building access roads, bridges and other facilities.

Local people have demanded support in the construction of roads, schools and health facilities.

 

Additional facilities

The MWSP has constructed two Water Treatment Plants (WTPs) with the capacity of 85 MLD each at Sundarijal to purify the water before sending it to the distribution channel. A total of 10 bulk distribution centres are developed across the valley.

To treat the additional amount of water from Yangri and Larke, more WTPs should also be developed. The project said that the construction of the WTPs would move ahead simultaneously.

The project was conceived about four decades ago. The government had established Melamchi Water Supply Development Board in 1998 August under the erstwhile Ministry of Physical Planning. Initially, the project was expected to complete by 2007 but it could bring in water to the Valley after approximately 14 years in 2021.

Late Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, the then Prime Minister, about three decades ago after the restoration of democracy in 1990, had promised to bring the water of the Melamchi to the Kathmandu Valley.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 25 April 2021. 

NRNA plans to include a million Nepalis in Development Fund

Kathmandu, Apr. 23

The Non Resident Nepali Association (NRNA) has said that it would connect about a million Nepalis abroad to its newly announced NRN Nepal Development Fund.

"We want to create a largest investor network for Nepal that will not only invest in the priority areas of the country but also provide good return to the investors," NRNA President Kumar Pant said at the weekly 'Artha Sambad' organised by the Nepalese Association of Financial Journalists (NAFIJ) on Friday.

The NRNA has received proposals of about 170 projects that want investment from the fund. According to Pant, an expert committee is studying the proposals and the projects would be chosen on the basis of the experts' recommendation.

He said that the investment would be made in the areas like agriculture, infrastructure and tourism – that are accorded priority by the government.

Stating that the current Rs. 10 billion fund could be increased up to Rs. 100 billion in a few years to come, he maintained that the return to the investors wouldn't be given from the interest of the money of the fund deposited in a bank account but from the return of its investment in infrastructure projects.

The NRNA had announced the establishment of the fund at a programme organised at the Ministry of Finance earlier this week. The company is already registered with the Company Registrar's Office.

Nepal Government will invest Rs. 500 million (5 per cent) equity in the fund, promoters will have 15 per cent shares, and the rest -- 80 per cent -- would be raised from the NRNs across the world through an Initial Public Offering (IPO).

NRNs in countries other than the SAARC members can buy the IPO.

The NRN had announced to establish the fund at the Nepal Investment Summit in 2019, a month before the announcement of lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"The pandemic delayed the registration and preparation of the fund. However, we have competed all necessary procedures, soon it will exhibit results," said Pant.

Speaking about the investment promotion for Nepal, he said that the NRNs were playing the role of the goodwill ambassador in that regard.

"We have proposed the Nepali missions abroad to organise roadshows to attract foreign investment to Nepal. We need to increase the promotional campaigns and inform the investors about the improved investment climate in Nepal," he said. "While war-trodden countries like Rwanda can shorten the business registration process to about 20 minutes and attract a large amount of investment, why not Nepal that has so many potentials?" he questioned.

 Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 April 2021. 

NBL launches QR Code at Kathmandu Mall

Kathmandu, Apr. 23

Nepal Bank Limited has launched QR Code service at the Kathmandu Mall, Sundhara.

The bank signed an agreement with the Diwa Sapana JV, Kathmandu Mall to operate QR Code at the shopping centre and establish an ATM in its premises.

Chief Executive Officer of the Bank Krishna Bahadur Adhikari and Chief Manager of the Mall Bishnu Hari Dhakal signed the agreement. The bank has also pledged to provide concessional loan to the businesses at the mall, said NBL in a statement.

NBL has 205 branches, 41 extension counter, 146 ATMs across the country. Its Spokesperson Prakash Kumar Adhikari said that the bank has given top priority to the digital payment and banking services.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 24 April 2021. 

NA election for one vacant post on May 20

Kathmandu, Apr. 22

The Election Commission Nepal (ECN) has announced National Assembly election for one vacant post for May 20.

A post in the Upper House has fallen vacant after lawmaker Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal switched party from the CPN (Maoist Centre) to the CPN (UML) which resulted in his removal from the NA.  

According to the Election Act, 2017, Article 61, if a post becomes vacant while a member's tenure remains for more than six months, the ECN holds election for new member on a date announced by the government.

Badal was elected to the National Assembly from Bagmati Province (other group) in the ticket of Maoist-Centre.

The ECN had informed that the political parties should submit their applications to the commission to participate in the poll as per the Political Party Act, 2015.

Likewise, the ECN said it started preparation works for the election from Thursday itself.

Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 23 April 2021.