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The second day of the Nepal Premier League (NPL) featured two matches at the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground, with the Chitwan Rhinos and Biratnagar Kings emerging victorious.

The first match of the day saw the Chitwan Rhinos clinch a four-wicket win against the Karnali Yaks. After winning the toss, Chitwan’s decision to field first initially appeared costly as Karnali’s opener, Priyank Panchal, launched a devastating assault on the bowling attack. Panchal’s innings of 90 from just 48 balls, which included seven boundaries and six sixes, formed the backbone of the Karnali’ total. Despite his dominance, the Chitwan bowlers did well to restrict the flow of runs in the death overs, limiting Karnali to 166 for 3. Spinner Ravi Bopara was notably economical, conceding only 18 runs from his three overs and taking the crucial wicket of Panchal.

In reply, the Chitwan’ chase was marked by periods of pressure and timely acceleration. They suffered early setbacks with the dismissals of Dawid Malan and Dev Khanal, leaving them at a precarious 29 for 2. A 38-run partnership between Deepak Bohara (42) and Ravi Bopara steadied the innings before another flurry of wickets swung the momentum back towards Karnali. With the game in the balance, Bopara shifted gears to complete a vital half-century. However, the match-winning impetus came from Saif Zaib, who blasted 38 runs from a mere 16 deliveries, including four sixes, to dismantle Karnali’s bowling attack in the final overs. The Chitwan eventually reached their target of 167 with five balls to spare. For his pivotal 52-run knock and key wicket, Bopara was awarded the Player of the Match.

The evening game was a display of pure batting firepower as the Biratnagar Kings secured a comprehensive 53-run victory over the Pokhara Avengers. Put into bat first, Biratnagar amassed a formidable total of 220 for 6, highest in the second season. The innings was set up by a spectacular 132-run stand between Lokesh Bam and Martin Guptill. Guptill was the initial aggressor, racing to 61 off 35 balls, while Bam anchored the innings with a composed 72 from 48 deliveries. The onslaught was continued by Shubham Ranjane, who smashed 38 from 16 balls to propel the Biratnagar past the 220-mark, leaving the Pokhara’s bowlers with an economy rate soaring above 10 for the night.

Facing a daunting required rate of 11.05, the Pokhara Avengers began their chase with explosive intent. Adam Rossington (39 from 21 balls) and Kushal Bhurtel (59 from 31 balls) took the powerplay score to 77 for 1, keeping their team in contention. However, the dismissal of Bhurtel triggered a dramatic and catastrophic collapse. The middle order, including Jimmy Neesham and Trit Raj Das, fell cheaply to the spin of Sandeep Lamichhane, who finished with exceptional figures of 2 for 18 from his four overs. From a promising 88 for 1, the Pokhara lost their last nine wickets for 79 runs, eventually being bowled out for 167 in the 19th over. The Biratnagar bowling was a collective effort, with Marchant de Lange, Pratis GC, and Shubham Ranjane all claiming two wickets each.

The Nepal Premier League continues on Wednesday with a single day-night fixture at the same venue. The Kathmandu Gorkhas will take on the Sudurpaschim Royals, with the match scheduled to begin at 4:00 pm.

This match will mark the season opener for the Sudurpaschim Royals, who will be looking to start their campaign on a positive note. The Kathmandu Gorkhas, in contrast, will be playing their second game, buoyed by a victory over the Janakpur Bolts in the tournament opener on Monday. 

Nepal delivered a strong call for climate justice during the Ministerial segment of COP30, where Minister for Agriculture and Livestock Development Madan Prasad Pariyar addressed global leaders in Belém, Brazil.

Speaking on behalf of Nepal, Minister Pariyar said the country, despite contributing minimally to global emissions, is suffering disproportionately from climate impacts. He highlighted rapidly retreating glaciers, worsening water and food insecurity, and a series of climate-induced disasters this year alone that claimed more than 300 lives. “Our agriculture, the backbone of our economy, is reeling,” he said.

Pariyar reaffirmed Nepal’s commitment to ambitious climate action, noting that the country has submitted an action-oriented NDC3.0 and National Adaptation Plan, with a target of achieving net-zero emissions by 2045. He also underscored Nepal’s strong conservation record, with forest cover now exceeding 46 percent.

Calling climate finance to Nepal “negligible,” he urged developed nations to fulfill past commitments and deliver simplified, predictable, and grant-based support for vulnerable countries. He welcomed the launch of the Barbados Implementation Modality (BIM) and called for full operationalization of the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage (FRLD).

Nepal is now preparing to submit a funding proposal to the FRLD, which recently launched its first call for proposals under the BIM. The milestone marks the Fund’s transition to full operationalization, enabling its first interventions to address climate-related loss and damage in developing countries. An initial $250m has been allocated to support developing nations experiencing economic and non-economic loss and damage from both slow-onset and extreme climate-induced events.

The call for proposals, open for six months from Dec 15, outlines procedures, timelines, and criteria for countries seeking support. The FRLD currently holds $800m but only $250m is allocated as of now. And of $250m, $150m will be available for Least Developed Countries (LDCs). Each country may submit proposals ranging from $5m to $25m.

In a virtual press conference organized by Nepal’s COP30 delegation, Joint-secretary of the Ministry of Forests and Environment (MoFE) Maheshwar Dhakal said Nepal has already begun drafting its proposal and will submit it as soon as possible. Dhakal, who also serves as a board member of the FRLD, said the call would provide a clear picture of global needs for loss and damage financing.

Dhakal also noted that 20 government delegates are representing Nepal in COP30 negotiations. Despite having a small team, he said Nepal is participating with qualitative and a diplomatic approach.

During negotiations, Nepal, speaking on behalf of Bhutan and Nepal, delivered a joint intervention on the mountain and climate change agenda. The statement, which also supported the remarks delivered by Kyrgyzstan on behalf of the Mountain Group, was delivered by Joint-secretary Dhakal.

Nepal and Bhutan expressed appreciation for the convening of the SB60 Expert Dialogue on Mountains and Climate Change and the informal summary report prepared by the SBI and SBSTA Chairs. They recommended continuing such dialogues from 2026, facilitated biennially by two Party-appointed co-facilitators responsible for selecting topics and preparing summary reports for the COP.

They also proposed establishing a joint agenda item under the SBI and SBSTA titled “Mountains and Climate Change,” beginning at SBSTA/SBI 64, to address climate vulnerabilities, progress, challenges, and opportunities in mountain regions. They requested SBSTA and SBI to consider the findings from the dialogues and identify actionable next steps to strengthen international cooperation for mountain regions.

In addition, Nepal and Bhutan called on Parties and observers to submit views on strengthening mountain-related climate action—covering adaptation, early warning systems, data and monitoring, resilience-building, and international cooperation—by 30 March 2026. They requested the UNFCCC Secretariat to prepare a synthesis report based on these submissions for discussion at SBSTA/SBI 64.

Addressing the press conference, Minister Pariyar also said the mountain agenda is a “common goal” for Nepal and must be highlighted globally because it is critical not only for Nepal but also for countries like India and Bangladesh. He said the agenda goes beyond physical geography and is tied to communities, livelihoods, and the global benefits derived from mountain ecosystems.

Minister Pariyar also held a bilateral meeting with India’s Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav at the sidelines of COP30.

Pariyar further called for integrating a dedicated mountain agenda into UNFCCC processes, referencing the ‘Sagarmatha Call for Action’ adopted in Kathmandu earlier this year. Nepal, he said, will continue advocating for global recognition of mountain nations’ unique vulnerabilities. He also stressed the need for all countries—including emerging economies—to submit ambitious NDCs, honor treaty obligations, respect scientific evidence, and uphold the ICJ’s Advisory Opinion on climate justice.

Nepal also intervened in negotiations to replace age- and gender-disaggregated data with age-, gender-, and disability-disaggregated data, aligning with the country’s Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) framework adopted in NDC3.0 and other national policies.

Earlier, Minister Pariyar attended a session hosted by the Fossil Fuel Treaty Initiative, where he outlined Nepal’s plans to expand clean-energy use, including electric vehicles and electric ovens. He also participated in the Ministerial Meeting of Least Developed Countries (LDCs), thanking Malawi for its leadership as outgoing chair and pledging full cooperation with the incoming chair, Timor-Leste.

In another engagement, Pariyar joined a meeting of the International Big Cat Alliance (IBCA), reaffirming Nepal’s commitment to biodiversity conservation. He also met Ibrahim Cheikh Diong, Executive Director of the Loss and Damage Fund, to explore opportunities for Nepal to access financing for national projects.

Nepal hosted a side event titled ‘Sagarmatha to Belém: Advancing Climate Action’ to review progress since the ‘Sagarmatha Call for Action’ and strengthen the mountain agenda within the UNFCCC. Pariyar is also scheduled to attend a ministerial session on the global impacts of cryosphere loss.

Minister Pariyar arrived in Belém on Nov 15 and is set to return to Nepal on Thursday.

Meanwhile, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell urged nations to accelerate negotiations and match the rapid pace of climate action already unfolding in the real economy. Describing COP30 as having reached its “mid-stride,” Stiell warned that the pace inside negotiation rooms remains too slow. “The spirit is there, but the speed is not,” he said, calling for an end to “performative diplomacy” and urging ministers to resolve the toughest issues without delay.

Stiell noted that countries have generated a “trillion-dollar charge” into clean energy and grid expansion in just the first seven days of COP30. Last year alone, he said, more than $2.2trn flowed into renewable energy, more than the GDP of over 180 countries. Despite this momentum, climate disasters continue to disrupt millions of lives and raise basic living costs globally. “We absolutely cannot afford tactical delays or stone-walling,” he said. “We must roll up our sleeves, come together, and get the job done.”

Nepali Congress (NC) General Secretary Gagan Kumar Thapa has said that the party will neither bow down nor be deceived as the dispute over the upcoming convention continues to intensify.

In a video message posted on Facebook on Tuesday, Thapa warned that if the regular general convention does not take place on Dec 31, the party will have no choice but to call a special general convention.

He stressed that the ongoing debate is not merely about fixing a date but about determining the future direction of party reform.

Calling for patience from party leaders and workers, Thapa said the NC will enter the upcoming House of Representatives elections with renewed energy and a reformed organizational spirit.

“We will go to the elections with new energy and a transformed Congress,” he said. “When we stand for the truth, the party becomes stronger.”

Every few weeks, Mina Sodari makes a short journey from Lamki Bazar to Kuntikhet, Kailali. The three-kilometer trip brings her to Srijanshil Duna Tapari Industry, a modest cottage enterprise that has become an essential part of her family’s religious life. As a member of a Hindu household, Dodari frequently observes festivals, rituals, and pujas—occasions where duna and tapari (traditional leaf plates) are indispensable. 

“I come whenever we have a ceremony at home,” she says, sorting stacks of freshly made taparis. “They are natural, clean, and perfect for our rituals.” 

Behind the simple structure of the workshop, away from the bustle of Lamki Bazar, a quiet transformation has been unfolding—one that intertwines tradition, livelihood, and conservation. 

The man behind this is 62-year-old Birbahadur Bohara, a retired government schoolteacher who stumbled into the leaf-plate business after a series of failed ventures. He and his wife Dhankumari Kunwar own the enterprise.  

“After retirement, I tried vegetable farming and poultry, but each attempt went into loss,” Bohara recalls. “People joked that I was cursed in business. Some even said I was mad to start making duna and tapari, because no one would buy them.” Duna and tapari making is a traditional leaf plate making work which is done in the family and is not generally used for commercial purposes.  

But the skepticism around him never outweighed his conviction. Four years ago, he started Srijanshil Duna Tapari Industry, beginning with a single machine supported by Lamki Chuha Municipality. Initially, production was small and demand uncertain. Still, he persisted, believing that Nepal’s cultural traditions—and rising environmental concerns—would eventually bring customers back to leaf plates instead of plastic or thermocol. 

His instincts turned out to be right. Two years ago, the enterprise received a significant boost. WWF Nepal and the GEF-supported Integrated Landscape Management to Secure Nepal’s Protected Areas and Critical Corridors (ILaM) project, under the Ministry of Forests and Environment, provided a second machine. With two machines, production doubled almost overnight. 

Today, a small duna sells for Rs 1, while a larger tapari fetches Rs 5. The business may seem modest, but in a rural economy, the numbers tell a larger story. Last year, Bohara earned a profit of around Rs 90,000. This year, he has already crossed Rs 200,000. “This is a respectable and profitable business,” he says with an unmistakable sense of pride. “And it’s growing. I want to add one more machine.” 

The heart of the operation, however, is not the machines—it is the eight women who collect the raw materials and prepare the leaves. Every day, they head to Janakalya Community Forest, where the group is allowed to gather leaves free of charge. Back in the village, they sort, dry, and ready the leaves for pressing. 

For every tapari they help produce, Bohara pays them Rs 2. For every five duna, they earn the same. “It’s not just income,” says one of the women. “It’s a way to support our families without having to migrate or depend on irregular farm work.” 

The work may be rooted in tradition, but it also carries an environmental message. Leaf plates, made from sal leaves, decompose naturally and reduce reliance on plastic products that have become a growing pollution problem in rural and urban Nepal. 

As the business thrives, Bohara is no longer just a producer—he has become a trainer. Villagers from nearby settlements often visit the workshop to learn how to operate the machines and understand the process. Some hope to start similar ventures, inspired by Bohara’s journey. “I don’t want this skill to stay only with me,” he says. “If more people learn, more families will earn. And the environment benefits as well.” 

What began as a small, almost ridiculed experiment has grown into a symbol of sustainable rural entrepreneurship.  

In Kailali’s quiet corners, where tradition meets environmental stewardship, Srijanshil Duna Tapari Industry stands as proof that old practices can power new livelihoods. For Sodari and countless families like hers, the simple leaf plates carry cultural significance. But for people like Bohara and the women he employs, each duna and tapari represents something more—dignity, income, and the promise of a greener future.