- Sunday, 19 April 2026
Kathmandu: The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged the government to ensure the constitutional and legal right to a safe, healthy and clean environment.
The NHRC has emphasised the human rights-oriented development methodology, following the standards of sustainable development, while calling for implementations it made to the government on the environment.
“It is also necessary for the private sector to follow environmental pollution standards while conducting their businesses to prevent uncontrolled exploitation of nature and environment, and to reduce plastic pollution,” says a press release issued by Dr TikaramPokharel, Spokesperson of the Commission.
Today is the 53rd World Environment Day, also being observed in Nepal with different programmes. Article 30 of the Constitution of Nepal establishes the right to clean environment as a fundamental right and states that every citizen has the right to live in a healthy and clean environment.
Furthermore, Section 15 of the Environment Protection Act, 2076 BS states that the necessary criteria can be determined to reduce the impact of air pollution.
According to the provisions of the International Convention on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, 1966, which Nepal is a party to, it is the responsibility of the state to protect its citizens from the dangers and risks of environmental pollution while also ensuring environmental rights.
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‘Global partnership needed to combat disasters’
Kathmandu: Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi has stated that global partnership was needed to combat disasters.
Addressing the ministerial-level meeting of Global Platform for Disaster Risk Reduction in Geneva of Switzerland, Secretary Duwadi said the government of Nepal has given top priority for disaster preparedness and rescue.
He also informed the world community about disaster preparedness and Nepal’s status on the part of its implementation. The best practices of the world’s disaster management and disaster risk reduction were presented in the platform.
The new edition of the platform reflects the complex and interconnected nature of today’s global risk landscape. In response, the updated profiles emphasize a multi-hazard approach-critical for effective early warning systems, emergency planning, and disaster resilience.
Earlier, addressing the event, Inspector General of the Armed Police Force, Nepal Raju Aryal called for intergovernmental coordination and global partnership for disaster management and early warning systems.
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HoR meeting postponed for tomorrow, opposition continues obstruction
Kathmandu: The meeting of the House of Representatives has been postponed for tomorrow, as the opposition continued obstruction. The meeting that began after a delay of four hours on Thursday failed to enter business, prompting issuance of notice on postponement.
The opposition lawmakers left their seats and objected the proceeding. Speaker Devraj Ghimire urged the lawmakers to follow the turn to put forth their views. The opposition party lawmakers have been insisting on resignation of the Home Minister over the visit visa scam.
The Speaker repeatedly requested the lawmakers to take seats and help proceed with the business. He made them aware that the session of the parliament was in need of making necessary laws as well.
He further urged the lawmakers that discussion on budget was badly hampered due to obstruction, and even the Home Minister had sought time to give his views in the contemporary issues in the parliament.
Following the obstruction, Speaker Ghimire removed the activities from regular schedule on Thursday. The House of Representatives will meet next at 1:00 pm Friday.
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DIG Ghimire new spokesperson of Nepal Police
Kathmandu: Deputy Inspector General of Police Binod Ghimire has been assigned as the Nepal Police spokesperson.
Stationed at the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Secretariat, DIG Ghimire has been appointed as the spokesperson, to serve as the focal point, to communicate about the functions carried out by the Nepal Police to the media, the Nepal Police Headquarters said.
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Deep Divers go missing during mock drill in Saptakoshi
Itahari (Sunsari): Two deep divers of the Armed Police Force have gone missing in the Saptakoshi River.
The Armed Police Force Madhes Province Office has stated that the divers went missing while conducting a rescue drill in the Saptakoshi River. Police constables Suraj Saud and Hardev Rajbanshi of the Dantakali Training Center Barmajiya are reported missing.
They were practicing to learn how to rescue people trapped in the river during disasters.
Deputy Superintendent of Police Yubaraj Khatiwada, spokesperson of the District Police Office, Sunsari, said that the search for the missing divers is underway.
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Nepal and Hong Kong play a goalless draw
Kathmandu: Nepal and Hong Kong played a goalless draw in the friendly match held today.
The match held at the National Stadium in Hong Kong ended at 0-0.
Nepal was reduced to 10 men in the second half of the match after Nepal’s Mani Lama was sent off for a second yellow card.
Nepal is playing friendly matches against Hong Kong in the lead up to AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
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‘Art and Ecology from the Rooftop of the World’
Kathmandu: On the occasion of World Environment Day, an art exhibition titled ‘At the Tipping Point: Art and Ecology from the Rooftop of the World’ began at the Taragaon Cultural Centre here on Thursday.
The exhibition portrays the impact of environmental change through a variety of creative mediums, bringing together art, ecology, and critical thought.
Curated by renowned Indian art historian Dr Arshiya Lokhandwala, the exhibition features the works of twelve Nepali and international artists, each presenting unique and thought-provoking responses to the environmental crisis.
The creations include poetic video works shot in the icy terrain of Svalbard questioning colonialism and climate change, as well as collaborations with indigenous communities that present forests as sentient sources of knowledge. Other works include living sculptures that revive ancient astronomical instruments using flowers, self-evolving sculptures made from fungi and natural materials, and sound-based installations that recreate the vanishing calls of sparrows amidst urban sprawl.
Organized by Sagarmatha Next in collaboration with the Saraf Foundation, the exhibition was inaugurated with a powerful live performance titled ‘Earth Emergence’ by artist Salil Subedi and his team.
In the performance, artists covered themselves in red mud to symbolize direct connection with the earth, underscoring the intimate relationship between humans and soil. The conceptual core of the exhibition is inspired by postcolonial thinker Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak’s theory of “planetarity,” which urges a renewed perspective on our relationship with the Earth.
Centered on the Himalayan region which is experiencing a rate of warming nearly double the global average the exhibition engages with themes such as climate change, indigenous knowledge, scientific inquiry, and cultural memory. It seeks to redefine humanity’s bond with the planet through contemporary artistic language.
Photographic series explore the loss of cultivable land in Bhaktapur due to urban development, while critical visual narratives trace the transformation of Himalayan stone into sand and ultimately into concrete. Digital artworks link the microchip manufacturing process to the global decline in insect populations. One striking visual narrative captures the tragic consequences of marine plastic pollution through images and films of deceased albatross chicks.
Further works connect local festivals and food cultures to ecological awareness, and immersive sound installations shed light on the often-invisible aspects of environmental decay. Together, the exhibition spans a global perspective from the Arctic to the Andes, from the fields of Nepal to the digital cloud framing a shared environmental narrative within the context of art.
At the inaugural function, Dr Lokhandwala said that the exhibition has been curated in response to urgent global ecological concerns, with a focus on artistic interpretations of environmental degradation.
The exhibition will run for three months. Entry fees have been set at 200 rupees for students and 300 for the general public.
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Ministry fixes wages to job aspirants in the UAE
Kathmandu: The Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security has fixed the wages for Nepali job aspirants in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
A Nepali worker will be paid minimum 1000 Dirham per month. This is equivalent to around 38,000 Nepali rupees.
Minister Sharat Singh Bhandari said the payment was determined based on the market and feedback from the Nepali Embassy in the UAE. The Ministry-level decision was made after taking suggestions even from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Law.
Now onwards, the employers will not get Nepali workers in case they fail pay to guarantee the minimum wage. The letter of demand from the UAE that fail to meet payment standard will not be authenticated.
Minister Bhandari further said, “Earlier, Nepali worker was provided the salary ranging from 800 Dirham to 1200 Dirham. But the present determination fetches minimum 1,000 Dirham, 1200 and 1500 Dirham per month.”
He believed that the decision would work in favour of Nepali workers in the UAE.
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Communications Minister commits to reach 4G services across country within a year
Bhaktapur: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung has committed to upgrade 4G internet services across the country within a year.
Minister Gurung, also CPN (UML) deputy general secretary, said so while addressing an event organized by CPN (UML) Bagmati Province Publicity and Publication Department here in the district on Thursday.
He said that the Security Printing Press is being fully operationalised to print important documents including postage stamps, label-stickers, cards, citizenship, national identity cards, driver’s licenses and identity cards.
On the different note, he mentioned that the party is preparing to hold its general convention a year ahead of the election in 2084. “Now we are preparing to hold the election by strengthening the party through the general convention a year before the election in 2084,” he said.
Pointing out the need to take the party forward by reforming and amending the necessary documents, he said that the need of the hour is to erase the individualistic interests and right-wing opportunism that are dominating the party.
“All policies, principles and agenda are good, but it is necessary to end the individualistic selfishness, anarchy and right-wing opportunism that have dominated the party,” he said.
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Russian Ambassador Novikov calls on VP Yadav
Kathmandu: Russian Ambassador to Nepal Alexei Novikov paid a courtesy call on Vice President Ram Sahay Prasad Yadav at the Vice President’s Office in Lainchaur on Thursday.
During the meeting, important discussions were held on various dimensions of bilateral relations and possible future cooperation to strengthen Nepal-Russia relations, the Vice President’s Office said.
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Parliamentary committee to investigate irregularities in the Madhes
Mahendranagar (Dhanusha): The Madhes Provincial Assembly has formed a parliamentary committee to investigate irregularities in the development plans of the Madhes provincial government.
The meeting of the Provincial Assembly held on Thursday formed the special committee with the participation of all the parties represented in the Provincial Assembly as per Rule 152 of the Provincial Assembly Rules of Procedure 2075 BS.
Provincial Assembly Speaker Ram Chandra Mandal announced that the investigation committee includes Provincial Assembly members Keshav Raya, Kumar Kant Jha, Kiran Kumari Sah, Shambhu Kumar Sah, Rahbar Ansari, Rabita Pradhan, Kanish Patel, Urmila Devi Singh, Kanchan Bichha and Bimala Ansari.
The committee has been formed in wake of repeated accusation by the opposition parties against the Madhes government of irregularities in the development plans of the current fiscal year.
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Minister Thakuri calls for collective efforts for reduction of climate change impacts
Kathmandu: Minister for Forest and Environment Ain Bahadur Shahi Thakuri has pointed out the need for collective efforts for reduction of climate change impacts.
Talking to the RSS on Thursday, Minister Thakuri also stressed the need for applying climate resilience. “All three levels of government should advance climate-friendly development project collectively for the climate change impacts reduction. More carbon emitting nations should pay attention to climate finance and technology transfer,” Minister Thakuri argued.
On the occasion, he shared that the government of Nepal was drawing global community’s attention in different international forums about the impacts of climate change.
“Our snow-capped mountains are become bare. The mountainous livelihood, agriculture systems, biodiversity and water resources have been severely affected. The global community was informed about such issues by organizing the Sagarmatha Sambaad some weeks ago,” he added.
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Lumbini Province projects Rs 10 billion in revenue in coming three years
Lumbini: Lumbini Province has projected the collection of revenue as high as Rs 10 billion in coming three years. The Revenue reforms taskforce formed by the government submitted a report with this projection.
The taskforce headed by Minister for Economic Affairs and Planning, Dhanendra Karki, submitted the report before Chief Minister Chet Narayan Karki at the latter’s office on Thursday.
Receiving the report, CM Acharya expressed commitment to enforce the report through forthcoming programmes and budget. “We’ve been able to raise the in land revenue and we’re excited to achieve the projection of Rs 10 billion revenue in coming three years by wiping out legal hurdles,” he added.
The taskforce has prepared the study report by dwelling on revenue structure, rights, mobilization and possible sources. As per the report, the province government would be able to collect Rs 5.90 billion in the fiscal year, 2082/083; while Rs 6.67 billion and Rs 10.2 billion in the next two years.
The strategic areas have been identified by the study team to collect revenue with wider remit. The tax net would be widened in the natural resources and construction materials (stone, pebbles, sand and soil), touristy places, casino, digital display, road light, advertisement on social media, plastic package, transport tax, agricultural income.
Similarly, other schemes range from bringing the land and houses registration under province government to launching province project bank.
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Not taken any decision to provide govt. land to anyone, former PM Nepal
Rautahat: Chairman of Nepal Communist Party (Unified Socialist) and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has claimed that he has not taken any decision to provide even a single piece of government land to any individual during his premiership.
Talking to the media at Gaur in Rautahat district on Thursday, Chair Nepal stated that he took no decision to harm the nation during his time in the office. “I have not ordered any minister for undue jobs as I served as the PM. As everything is under the legal preview, there is nothing above the law and truth,” he added.
Stating that he was not trading barbs against anyone, Nepal vowed to move ahead through legal process now and added that he has not taken any undue benefit by harming the nation.
Earlier today, the anti-corruption body, Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), filed a charge sheet at the Special Court against 93 individuals including former PM Nepal regarding the land scam involving Patanjali Yoga Peeth and Ayurveda Company Nepal.
After the charge sheet, Nepal returned to Kathmandu this evening.
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