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Heavy rainfall since Monday has triggered a series of floods and landslides in different parts of the country. 

Many streams and rivers surpassed their critical thresholds, breaching their banks and submerging nearby settlements, while there were also reports of highway landslides disrupting the vehicular movement. 

The Weather Forecasting Division attributed the heavy rainfall to the monsoon wind patterns and a low-pressure system near Bihar, India. Authorities have issued alert warnings for those settlements situated close to streams and rivers.  

Several riverside settlements in Kathmandu Valley were submerged as a result of overnight downpour. People were seen salvaging their goods and draining out flood waters from their homes on Tuesday morning.  

A landslide on the Kali river obstructed the crucial Narayangadh-Muglin highway in Ichhakamana Rural Municipality-6, Chitwan. The two-way traffic movement along the highway was halted due to the landslide, stranding hundreds of vehicles and passengers. However, traffic in both directions resumed later.

A section of Prithvi Highway, between Damauli and Dumre in Tanahun, also collapsed as a result of incessant rainfall. Floods and landslides have also significantly impacted other major highways, including the Banepa-Sindhuli-Bardibas section of BP Highway, the Hetauda-Sindhuli-Gaighat-Chatara segment of Madan Bhandari Highway, and the Khurkot-Ghurmi stretch of Pushpa Lal Highway.

In another incident, a landslide struck a house at Sigre of Bagmati Rural Municipality-5 in Makwanpur, in which one person was killed and six others, including three children, were unaccounted for.The deceased was identified as 55-year-old Shanta Maya Syangtan. At the time of writing, a team deployed by the District Police Office, Makwanpur, was still searching for the missing people.

Also, a person from Dhanusha and another individual from Rautahat lost their lives due to drowning in the swollen river.

In Shuklaphanta Municipality-7, Kanchanpur, security personnel rescued two women who were stranded in the floodwaters of the Kalapani stream. The two women were tending to their cattle when they were caught in a flash flood caused by the torrential rainfall upstream.  

The rainfall overnight has also caused significant damage to crops in different parts of the country. 

The flooded Doda stream wreaked havoc on paddy and sugarcane fields in Tilaki of Kanchanpur district. As many as 24 farmers lost their valuable crops.

In Kailali, the rain-swollen Godawari stream damaged temples and shrines in the Godawaridham area. A quick response from security personnel and local youths prevented potential casualties by rescuing those who were trapped in the flood waters. As the flood receded, there was debris scattered everywhere.

Around 40 people have died and nearly as many are missing in monsoon-related disasters this year, according to officials at the Home Ministry. According to the Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Portal of Nepal government, over 4,000 families have been affected by floods and landslides in the past one year, killing 101 people. Sixty-four people are still missing.

Monsoon in Nepal typically starts in mid-June and ends in September. Casualties, highway obstructions and property damage are common occurrences during this period. 

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has directed the security agencies  to remain on high alert to respond to potential monsoon-related disasters.

Sunday’s Supreme Court order in response to a habeas corpus writ has given rise to hopes that high-profile politicians, allegedly involved in the process of transferring government land at Lalita Niwas in the name of private individuals, will be brought under investigation. 

The SC has directed the government to expand the investigation to include the top decision-makers, making way for bringing former prime ministers Madhav Kumar Nepal and Baburam Bhattarai under the ambit of the probe. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has issued arrest warrants against those charged with involvement in the scam as part of an ongoing probe that has already netted about two dozen people. Thus far, high-level politicians have been able to avoid the investigation using political clout. 

Two years ago, the SC had completed its final hearing on a writ petition seeking its order to also probe former prime ministers Nepal and Bhattarai in the Lalita Niwas scam. A division bench of the then Chief Justice Cholendra Shamsher Rana and Justice Nahakul Subedi was to issue its verdict on 1 Nov 2021. But that was not to be as legal professionals started their protest against the then Chief Justice Rana.

As the judges’ and lawyers’ protest intensified, 98 lawmakers from the Nepali Congress, CPN (Maoist Center), and CPN (Unified Socialist), among others, filed an impeachment motion in the Parliament against then CJ Rana on 13 Feb 2022, leading to his suspension. Rana completed his term in suspension even as the motion itself suffered an uncertain fate. 

“This case will be forever alive if the ex-PMs are not subjected to a probe. The court order should make way for investigations into other scams”  -Former DIG Hemanta Malla Thakuri

Senior Advocate Bal Krishna Neupane had filed a writ petition after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) refused to press charges against the two former prime ministers, arguing that cabinet decisions were beyond its jurisdiction. Neupane contended that it was unjust to give reprieve to the former prime ministers, while ministers from the same cabinet could be charged.

Former chief of CIAA Surya Nath Upadhaya says the former prime ministers will definitely be brought under probe as the court has already ordered it. “But it’s difficult to prove them guilty,” he adds. “It’s not the task of a prime minister to get involved in the land allocation process. Prime ministers don’t have time for these tasks.” I don’t think the former prime ministers are directly involved in the case, he says.

Former DIG of Nepal Police Hemanta Malla Thakuri says that as the court has already issued its verdict, it will be a bit easier for the police or the CIAA to investigate the case anew. “The investigating agency has back-up support now,” he says. “Without this kind of support, cases involving high-profile figures like former prime ministers are always an uphill battle.” 

Notably, Bijaya Kumar Gachchhadar and Chandra Dev Joshi, ministers in the cabinets of Nepal and Bhattarai respectively, were brought under the scope of the probe, even as Prime Ministers Nepal and Bhattarai, as well as the Chief Secretary authenticating cabinet decisions, remained exempt.

Justices Sinha and Chudal on Sunday ordered that the investigation should encompass all individuals engaged in the decision-making process starting from the top of the pyramid. The order has cleared the way for investigating agencies to include the two former prime ministers in their probe.

The cabinet meeting held on 11 April 2010 under then PM Nepal had decided to hand over government land in the names of private individuals. When the Land Revenue Office, Dillibazar, refused to execute the decision, stating that the task fell under the jurisdiction of the Land Reforms Office (LRO, the same cabinet decided that land revenue offices could handle the responsibilities of the LRO. On 13 Aug 2010, the cabinet decided to add names of some landowners and tenants “that were missing from the previous list”.

“It’s not the task of a PM to get involved in the land allocation process, so it will be difficult to prove the two former PMs guilty in this case” -Former CIAA chief Surya Nath Upadhyaya

The cabinet meeting held on 4 Oct 2012 under Bhattarai not only agreed, in principle, to hand over the Lalita Niwas land, which was under the Samarjung Company—an entity under the Ministry of Home Affairs—to Pashupati Tikinya Guthi, but also created fake tenants.

“This case will be forever alive if the probing bodies don’t subject Nepal and Bhattarai to investigation. Remember, the court has already ordered that they be brought under probe,” says Thakuri. “This landmark verdict will also help the police and the CIAA to probe other cases involving high-profile figures,” he adds.

Residents of Balkot area in Suryabinayak Municipality-3, Bhaktapur, were hit by a power outage that lasted for several hours on Tuesday morning. The morning routine of office workers and students were affected as a result. Many families did not have access to water because they could not use the water pump. 

When the residents tried to call ‘No Light’ service of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), the line, as always, was unresponsive.  

“We could have prepared accordingly, had we been notified about the power outage,” said Roshan Dahal, a local resident. “We tried calling the ‘No Light’ number, but no one answered.” 

But NEA Spokesperson Suresh Bahadur Bhattarai claimed that the ‘No Light’ was a 24/7 service. 

“We have a human resource crunch which might have led to unresponsiveness,” he claimed.

Abrupt and frequent power cuts have become common across the country in the recent months. The NEA officials say this is primarily due to maintenance works that are currently underway in different parts of the country. 

While the power utility has issued a ‘Maintenance Shutdown Schedule’ on its website, it does not match the time of electricity outage. Moreover, the schedule only concerns Kathmandu Valley; it does not tell when the maintenance works are being carried out in other parts of the country. 

It took five hours or so for the power to restore in Balkot. The local residents did not find out why there was an outage in the first place.    

Earlier, load shedding was primarily limited to industrial areas, but from the past few months, even households are facing frequent power cuts.

According to a research report published in May 2022 by the Confederation of Nepalese Industries (CNI), 64 percent of Nepal’s industries are forced to install diesel generators due to frequent power outages. The use of generators, as per the paper, results in an average increase of 5.3 percent in the industries’ monthly operation costs.

Between 2008 and 2016, the whole country suffered from unreliable power supply, sometimes up to 16 hours a day. According to the study entitled ‘Economic costs of electricity load shedding in Nepal,’ the country lost an estimated $11bn value of its GDP in that period. 

During the load shedding period in Nepal, the NEA used to publish weekly power outage schedules and update it regularly. 

Load shedding or not?

The recent power cuts have led many people to suspect that the NEA has imposed ‘undeclared load shedding.’ 

“When there was officially announced load shedding in Nepal, the NEA used to provide the weekly schedule of power outages,” a netizen posted on Facebook. “But now, the NEA neither admits to load shedding, nor provides regular electricity, compelling people to think if the days of load shedding are back.”

The NEA officials claimed that there is no load shedding, since the country has been generating surplus electricity during the rainy season. 

As of now, the total installed capacity of hydropower plants operational in the country is 2,759 MW. However, the national peak demand is only 1,806 MW. Yet, there are regular power outages.

Delay in the construction of transmission line

The NEA officials attribute the intermittent power cuts to the delay in constructing transmission lines. The construction of Hetauda-Dhalkebar-Inaruwa 400 kV and Hetauda-Bharatpur-Bardaghat 220 kV transmission lines has been ongoing for more than a decade, significantly surpassing the initially planned completion time of three years.

The delay in the construction of these transmission lines has also hit the country’s hydropower sector.  

Representatives of Madhya Bhotekosi Jalavidyut Company Ltd have said that the project would miss the generation deadline by at least one month. 

“We have already encountered several delays owing to local obstructions and natural disasters,” said Ram Gopal Shiwakoti, the company’s CEO. 

Initially, the project had planned to complete the project by the end of 2022, which was pushed to mid-June. 

“Our revised electricity generation schedule is September. Due to the delays, the project cost has escalated by Rs 2.75bn,” added Shiwakoti.

While the project’s work is almost complete, the actual generation cannot commence until the transmission lines are completed. 

Due to the delay in constructing high-capacity transmission lines, the NEA official said, the authority is currently transmitting only around 80 MW of electricity using its old transmission system. The new lines would have supported the transmission of up to 300 MW. 

The construction of a 400 kV transmission line is essential for transmitting electricity to western Nepal from the Dhalkebar substation. The existing 132 kV transmission line in Hetauda is unable to carry sufficient electricity to supply the western region. As a result, the NEA is unable to meet the demand and purchase electricity from independent power producers.

Poor infrastructure

Mukesh Kafle, former Managing Director of the NEA, said that the delay in the construction of new transmission and distribution lines is not the only reason behind power outages. 

“The Nepal Electricity Authority needs to replace its overall system. The time has come to invest in replacing all the channels including substations and feeders,” he said.

Without the system overhaul, Kafle warned, their situation will get worse in the future.

Meanwhile, the NEA has instructed the Independent Power Producers (IPPs) to reduce their energy generation, claiming that around 170 MW of electricity from 20 hydroelectricity projects is going to waste. 

Ganesh Karki, president of Independent Power Producers’ Association Nepal (IPPAN), said that the only solution for regular electricity flow is installation of modern distribution and transmission lines. 

“The government should not leave all the work of infrastructure development to the electricity authority. It should also intervene when necessary to control the problem of power spillage,” he said.

Karki added Nepal has finally become power surplus at least in the wet months, so the time has come for the government and investors to focus on infrastructure development.

“Earlier, everyone was focused on power generation because we were way behind our producing capacity. And since infrastructure development was never our priority, we do not have a reliable distribution channel to supply electricity.”

Out of 753 local governments, 33, comprising 11 municipalities and 22 rural municipalities, have failed to submit their budget for the fiscal year 2023/24 on time, as mandated by the Local Government Operation Act, 2017. On a positive note, Sudurpaschim province achieved a 100 percent record this year, with all 88 local units passing their budgets on time. However, Madhes province continues to struggle, with 24 out of 136 governments failing to meet the deadline.

The primary reason for the budget delays is disagreement between municipal heads and their deputies. This has been a recurring issue, with mayors and chairpersons blaming their deputies and vice-versa. Additionally, political pressure and lack of a majority in some executive committees and councils also contributed to the delays.

To address this problem, experts and officials suggest penalties such as redirecting reduced subsidies to neighboring municipalities or introducing alternative forms of punishment. However, some economists oppose this approach, arguing that the public should not suffer the consequences of corrupt actions by representatives.

Currently, the only repercussion for delayed budget submissions is receiving reduced subsidies from the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission. The allocation of subsidies is based on performance, with timely budget presentation and approval carrying significant weightage.

It is crucial to find effective solutions to this issue, as untimely budget allocation negatively impacts local employment, income, and overall economic growth of the country. Efforts are underway to guide and train local representatives in adhering to a fixed set of protocols, with a ‘learning by doing’ approach showing some improvement in timely budget submissions over the years.

Full story here.

Among the 753 local governments, 33—11 municipalities and 22 rural municipalities—have failed to bring their budget for the fiscal year 2023/24 on time. According to Section 71 of the Local Government Operation Act, 2017, local governments are required to present their budget by Asar 10 (June 24/25) and have them passed by the end of Asar (July 15/16). 

On a positive note, Sudurpaschim province, which has 88 local units, has achieved a 100 percent record this year as all units passed their budget on time. In the fiscal years 2022/23 and 2020/21, Gandaki province had also set a perfect record. 

Meanwhile, Madhes province continues to have a poor track record. As the second largest province in terms of local units, Madhes has 136 governments, and 24 of them failed to pass their budgets on time this year. The number of local units missing the budget deadline in Madhes was 34 in 2020/21, 32 in 2021/22, and 28 in 2022/23.

Geeta Devi Mahato, the Vice-chairperson of Chandranagar Rural Municipality in Sarlahi district, Madhes, has accused Chairperson Raj Kumar Mahato of taking unilateral decisions without consulting others, resulting in the budget presentation delay. 

Raj Kumar, on the other hand, points finger at Geeta Devi and her team for the delay, claiming they refused to attend numerous meetings convened to address the issue concerning budget allocation. “They have been boycotting the executive committee and village council meetings without providing any valid reasons,” he says.

Disagreement between municipal heads and their deputies is the main reason behind the delay in budget presentation.  

ApEx reached out to many representatives from the local units that had failed to bring their budget on time, and they all had the same excuse, where mayors or chairpersons blamed their deputies and vice versa.

Four local units in Gandaki province, two in Lumbini and one each in Koshi, Bagmati and Karnali provinces also failed to meet the budget presentation deadline.

Ram Chandra Joshi, mayor of Kushma Municipality, Parbat district of Gandaki province, says that the budget process was obstructed because several ward chairpersons wanted more budget allocations for their areas. “There is no other reason to obstruct the budget presentation process other than to exert political pressure on me.”

Joshi says he lacks a majority in the executive committee and council, but the Local Government Operation Act, 2017 has not imagined a majority or minority provisions for local executives and councils. “Despite being aware of the law, the obstruction from executive committee members prevented us from presenting the budget on time,” adds Joshi.

The Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN) says that the general public should not suffer due to the power struggles among local representatives. “A law should be passed so that those local units that fail to bring the budget on time are prohibited from spending even a single rupee from the state coffers,” suggests an official from the association.

Currently, the only repercussion faced by municipalities for delayed budget submissions is receiving reduced subsidies from the National Natural Resources and Fiscal Commission. 

“The commission allocates subsidies to local units based on their performance, with timely budget presentation and approval carrying weightage of five points each in the total score of 100 points,” says Gyanendra Paudel, the spokesperson for the commission. “In other words, higher scores lead to increased subsidies.”

Federalism expert and lawmaker Khim Lal Devkota, suggests redirecting the reduced subsidy of local units that fail to meet the budget deadline to neighboring municipalities.

“This measure could foster healthy competition among local representatives and encourage better performance,” he says. “Locals will also pressurize their representatives to perform their responsibilities if they see their neighboring areas doing well.”

Devkota highlights that this approach has been successfully implemented before Nepal adopted federalism, when District Development Committees (DDC) was in charge of budget allocation. Under the system, the government would reduce the subsidy of poorly performing DDCs and allocate it to more efficient and hardworking ones. The strategy significantly enhanced the work of most of the development committees.

“It is the only way I see to hold the elected local representatives accountable,” says Devkota.

Approximately 33 percent or one-thirds of the total federal budget, equivalent to around Rs 600bn, is allocated to the local level for this fiscal year. Untimely budget allocation negatively impacts local employment, income, and ultimately hampers the overall economic growth of the country.

Economist Chandra Mani Adhikari is opposed to the idea of reducing subsidies for non-performing local units, and suggests introducing other forms of punishment. “Why should the public bear the brunt of the representatives’ corrupt actions?” he says. “People should file a petition at the Supreme Court, as these actions are an assault on our system and a violation of the Local Government Operation Act, 2017.” 

Adhikari also warns that consistent failure of the local government to do their job well could fuel people’s resentment toward federalism.

Officials at the federal affairs department of the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration say local governments are not under the ministry’s jurisdiction, that they are an elected entity chosen by the people. They say the ministry just facilitates the local units, and it is the job of the people to hold their municipal governments accountable.

Laxmi Devi Pandey, chairperson of the National Association of Rural Municipalities in Nepal (NARMIN) and the chair of Hupsekot Rural Municipality, claims that the association has repeatedly reminded local units and their representatives to do the job for which they have been sent by the people. “There is no need to obstruct the executive committee and council meetings because the failure to present the budget will harm the local economy and community.” 

Kamal Prasad Bhattarai, joint secretary and the spokesperson for the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, is hopeful that the local governments will get their act together in the coming years.

“The number of local units failing to submit their budget on time has decreased over the years, and this improvement is a result of adopting a ‘learning by doing’ approach,” he says. 

Between 2020/21 and 2023/24, there has been a decreasing trend in the number of local units failing to submit their budget on time. The figures for non-compliance were 46, 53, 42, and 33, respectively.

Bhattarai says the ministry has been guiding and training local representatives to execute their roles effectively by adhering to a fixed set of protocol.

Nepal Wool Felt Producers’ and Exporters’ Association recently celebrated its 17th anniversary in Kathmandu.

On the occasion, the association felicitated its founder Sagar Thapa in recognition of his work. 

Thapa identified the need for a coalition of felt producers and traders for the betterment of the industry, and took the initiative to set up the association, which was founded in 2007.

“This association, which has been helping, not only the felt entrepreneurs, but the workers, in their business, is a brain child of Thapa,” said Sarada Rijal, founding president of the association. 

Thapa is considered a pioneer in felt production and export, who inspired many people to join the association by training them. He also helped many traders to participate in exhibitions in Europe.

Despite his contribution to the Nepali felt industry, Rijal said Thapa never insisted on taking any position in the association.

Nepali felt products are exported in over 20 countries and the association regularly participates in trade fairs held in around 15 countries. Nepal exports felt products worth Rs 11bn annually.

Amrit Khadka, former president of the association, said: “Felt is among rare products which get exported from Nepal. But the government has imposed a five percent tax and 13 percent VAT in felt products which should be reviewed.”

Felt industry provides employment to over 20,000 people and over 90 percent of them are women which is helping to maintain good living standards. 

Naresh Lal Shrestha, president of the association and owner of Bagmati Handicrafts, praised the family-like relations in the association.

“We treat the people involved here as family members. That is why there hasn’t been any election in the association in these 17 long years. I can proudly say that no other association has unity like us,” he added.

Biswas Shrestha, owner of Hopp Creation Industries Pvt. Ltd., said felt products are among the few items being exported from Nepal. “To further increase the export, we need to have raw materials produced in Nepal,” he added.

Shrestha’s industry employs around 400 women, who make different kinds of felt products out of wool imported from New Zealand. The finished products are exported back to New Zealand.

“If we can have a massive sheep farm here, we can keep 100 percent of the foreign currency income in Nepal,” said Shrestha.
The association’s president and the owner of Bagmati Handicrafts, Naresh Lal Shrestha, said though Nepali felt industry add 50–60 percent value addition to the business, they can do better with the government help. “This industry has the capacity to cater to all the Nepalis who want to return home from foreign employment,” he added.

Thapa’s brainchild

Sagar Thapa, general secretary of Nepal-Israel Chamber of Commerce started the business of felt handicrafts in 2001 and is still continuing to contribute to the industry. He promotes Nepali felt products globally through Panchakanya Nepal Enterprises where he has kept his workers as his business partners.

In these 23 years in the industry, he has provided services to over 2,000 SME entrepreneurs through international tarde fair participations. The services not only include business and trade but also training and knowledge sharing classes. “I also help newcomers to seek the market,” said Thapa. Till 2024, he hopes to produce 500 skilled youths in the exportable business.

“I wanted to form an association of felt producers as it would help the businesspersons to convey their voice boldly and help laborers advocate for their rights,” he says that he is inspired by a concept of many in bodies, one in mind.

Thapa has also contributed to various social and charitable works including the Bagmati Cleaning Campaign. “It gives me 100 times more happiness when I get to work and help others from the background,” he said. “I’ll continue my constructive and positive work.”

Thapa added if the government provides a better environment and infrastructure, in 10 years, Nepal’s Rs 11bn felt export industry can become a Rs 80bn industry.

“I am happy that even after 17 years, the association has not forgotten my work,” said Thapa. “The association’s founding Vice-president Rajan Karmacharya has also equally contributed to this initiative.”

Waste management problem of Kathmandu has resurfaced once again due to the protests by residents of Kakani Rural Municipality in Nuwakot and Dhunibesi Municipality in Dhading. They have blocked the transportation of waste trucks to Banchare Danda, the designated landfill site, citing non-implementation of previous agreements with the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC). 

The agitating locals claim that despite signing an agreement a year ago, the KMC has failed to fulfill its obligations.

Suman Tamang, chairperson of Kakani Rural Municipality, says that it is not feasible for people to live among fetid waste, while KMC does nothing. “Kathmandu should manage its waste in alternative sites or relocate the affected residents. If this issue remains unaddressed, waste disposal will continue to be disrupted,” he says.

Around 50 waste trucks are stuck between Sisdole and Banchare Danda. The residents have accused the KMC of deceiving them by not adhering to the agreements, which included the segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable waste and the management of only degradable waste at the landfill site. 

Recently, Kakani Rural Municipality decided to charge an entry fee for vehicles carrying garbage. However, local residents opposed this decision, saying that public health is more important than revenue. 

An appeal was filed in the Supreme Court against levying of the entry fee for garbage trucks, resulting in an interim stay order preventing the collection of fees. 

The KMC team attempted to negotiate with municipal officials, but to no avail. 

“The locals and municipal officials asked us to negotiate with the federal government instead. They are obstructing the route but they want us to negotiate with the federal government,” says Nabin Manandhar, the KMC spokesperson.

The main demand of the protesting locals is acquisition of 3,000 ropanis of land surrounding the waste disposal site, which is beyond the KMC’s capabilities alone. Manandhar says that the KMC is in contact with the federal government regarding this matter.

Until last year, garbage from the 18 local areas in Kathmandu Valley was managed at Sisdole, but it was subsequently relocated to the nearby Banchare Danda landfill site, which lies on the border of Nuwakot and Dhading districts

Birth: 5 July 1954, Kaski

Death: 12 July 2023, Kathmandu

Sita Dahal, the wife of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal who passed away on Wednesday, was not just a doting mother and a politician’s spouse, she was also a watchful protector and advisor of CPN (Maoist Center).  

Born on 5 July 1954, in Kaski, her family permanently relocated to Chitwan when she was eight. In 1969, she married Dahal and became involved in politics alongside. Throughout her healthy life, Sita played a vital role in the party, acting as a coordinator, guardian, and advisor for the party.

Dev Gurung, general secretary of the Maoist Center, hailed her unwavering dedication to the party: “During the Panchayat period, she spent a significant amount of time underground for party work. She remained actively engaged in underground politics from the beginning of the civil war, acting as a coordinator and guardian for the entire party during tumultuous years.”

Party leaders and cadres remember her as the party’s true guardian, adept at uniting everyone, particularly in times of crises. Within the party too, she was seen as a motherly figure, who was loved and respected.

“Besides being a supportive spouse to our party chairman, she also assumed various roles within the party,” says Dinanath Sharma, secretary of the Maoist Centre. “She played a pivotal role in unifying party leaders and cadres, ensuring the party’s resilience during challenging periods. In addition to her private responsibilities, she displayed a warrior-like spirit and offered many valuable suggestions.” 

Despite her position, Sita maintained a down-to-earth demeanor and possessed an equal and respectful attitude towards people from all walks of life. Her amicable nature made it easy for the public to connect with Prime Minister Dahal, and she played an integral role in supporting him through the ups and downs of his political journey.

Krishna KC, a member of the secretariat team during Prime Minister Dahal’s second term, says it was because of Sita that general public and party cadres could easily approach the prime minister and party chair.

“It was her who used to advise the prime minister to always make time for people,” adds KC. 

Despite her powerful position, Sita embraced an ordinary life and relished her experiences, perhaps influenced by her upbringing in a humble farming family. She treated everyone with equal respect, whether they held high status, were party workers, or belonged to ordinary backgrounds.

“To make a revolution successful, there are equal roles of many frontliners and backliners. Sita Dahal is one of such a backliner who is a strong pillar of the Maoist revolution,” says Chairperson of Communist Party of Nepal Netra Bikram Chand, who was a close hand of Prime Minister Dahal during the insurgency period.

Sita’s role as an advisor to her husband and the party stopped after she was diagnosed with a debilitating condition related to a rare neurological disorder called Progressive Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) Parkinsonism. She was also suffering from Diabetes Mellitus-II and Hypertension. Over the years, her condition continued to deteriorate. She passed away while undergoing treatment at Norvic International Hospital in Kathmandu. She is survived by her husband and two daughters.