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Journalist Dinesh Sitaula died on Sunday while being treated  on a ventilator, informed Dr. Vinod Bijukchhe, Medical Director of Grande Hospital. Sitaula was brought to Kathmandu by helicopter for treatment after he suddenly fainted while campaigning in Achham with senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Balen Shah.

Sitaula was kept under joint observation in the ICU by the critical care and neurosurgery team as per the established protocol for severe subarachnoid hemorrhage, the hospital said. Despite severe intensive care, the family was informed after there was no sign of recovery of neurological condition and brain function after 48 hours, said Medical Director Bijukchhe. Despite treatment with special monitoring, journalist Sitaula could not be saved, the hospital said.

Locals have blocked the road and surrounded the team, including the construction contractor, who is responsible for the blacktop work of the Ambuwa-Birdi-Sera-Pauwatar road. Representatives of Amar Construction, who is responsible for the blacktop work of the 16-kilometer road, the Rural Road Network Improvement Project Implementation Unit Pokhara, which is implementing the program, and the Asian Development Bank, which is providing the loan, came to conduct a joint monitoring.

“Why did the work get delayed for so long? Who is responsible for this?”, Deepak Babu Kandel, the outgoing mayor of Palungtar Municipality, asked those who came for the monitoring, “How much trouble was taken to demand the plan, but you delayed it for so long. The people are awake. When you came to monitor, the locals were getting angry that you would dig a hole in the road.”

Dayaram Adhikari, the head of the Rural Road Network Improvement Project Implementation Unit, Pokhara, argued that the office was not working properly due to lack of manpower. “We have only one office head and one engineer. There are five programs to be worked on across Gandaki Province, that is why there is a delay,” said the Adhikari.

However, the head of the donor agency ADB, the program, Hemanta Tiwari, did not accept the argument of the unit and the construction entrepreneur. He said, “Similar programs are operating elsewhere as well. In those programs too, there is only one office head and one engineer, but the work has progressed up to 65 percent. And, construction entrepreneurs should not seek approval for everything at once. The work that has been approved for sections or various structures should have been done in a hurry,” he said, “This has been negligence. If the work is not done in a hurry within the next few days, we will recommend terminating the contract.” Amid the dispute, an agreement has been reached not to extend the deadline and terminate the contract if 15 percent more progress is not made by 15 Feb.

The contract agreement was signed to complete the blacktop work by March 27, but only 30 percent progress has been made so far. Amar VBEPL-ACPL JV Construction Company had signed a contract agreement on 31 March 2023 to blacktop 16 kilometers of the road at a cost of Rs 306.1m

Marijuana cultivation has begun in various open spaces in Dhankuta. Being legally prohibited from cultivating marijuana in Nepal, setting between farmers, smugglers and the police, serious questions are raising about the security, social structure and rule of law in the Koshi region.

In various wards of Sahidbhoomi Rural Municipality, Sagurigadhi Rural Municipality, Pakhribas Municipality and Mahalaxmi Municipality in Dhankuta district, farmers have started cultivating marijuana instead of planting traditional crops of rice, maize and millet. The same trend has also been seen in Arun, Hatuwagadhi and Aamchok Rural Municipality in Bhojpur district. Locals say that these areas are becoming easy for marijuana cultivation due to remote geographical conditions, weak surveillance and alleged collusion.

Marijuana cultivation is also being widely practiced in Chaudandigadhi and Belka municipalities of Udayapur, municipalities connected to Sunkoshi in Khotang and areas around the Tamor Corridor in Tehrathum. All these areas are considered sensitive in terms of road network and traffic connecting to India. For this reason, with the expansion of marijuana cultivation, the smuggling network is also becoming stronger. Marijuana smuggling has increased the security threat to Sunsari and Morang districts of Koshi Province. Marijuana that enters daily from Dhankuta is taken to India by smugglers via Sunsari and Morang. Sunsari Police Chief SP Keshav Kumar Thebe said that the transportation and smuggling of marijuana in Sunsari has added a challenge to the security of the district. He said that despite every problem, marijuana smugglers are being arrested daily.

According to locals in Dhankuta, a small cannabis plant costs Rs 16, a medium plant costs Rs 18, and a large plant costs Rs 20. The amount is paid to the police through smugglers, and then the cannabis is cut, stored, and smuggled to India. It has been found that people from local political party leaders to public representatives are involved in cannabis smuggling. The Sunsari police have arrested and prosecuted political party leaders and public representatives in Dhankuta with cannabis.

However, what is interesting is that locals complain that sometimes the same cannabis is shown to have been seized by the police in the name of ‘action’. This has raised serious doubts about the role of the police. Locals say that smuggling has increased since the police offices have not coordinated in controlling cannabis.

The negative impact on local society due to marijuana cultivation and smuggling is increasing. Youths are getting involved in marijuana cultivation and smuggling in the lure of easier income than farming. Experts say that this has reduced agricultural production and increased the risk of social crime, drug abuse and violence. According to security experts, marijuana cultivation is not only a drug-related problem, it is also linked to national security and cross-border crime. According to Nepal’s Narcotics (Control) Act, marijuana cultivation, transportation and sale are completely illegal. 

Manoj Rai, the chairperson of Sahidbhumi Rural Municipality in Dhankuta, has called on farmers in the rural municipality to abandon illegal marijuana cultivation and turn to alternative farming. He said that as the government did not recognize marijuana, the municipality has launched a campaign to displace marijuana cultivation in collaboration with NGOs as a long-term solution. We have introduced the concept of coffee farming to secure farmers’ income, and Chairperson Rai said that they have now started distributing free coffee seedlings to farmers.

Dhankuta Assistant Chief District Officer Laxmi Prasad Adhikari said that the Dhankuta police have been given clear instructions to destroy the marijuana cultivation produced in the district. He said that the Nepal government has completely banned the cultivation, production, transportation and use of marijuana, and that marijuana cultivation is a completely illegal act. He said that the administration and police mechanism have been actively mobilized to control such illegal activities.

DIG of Koshi Province Police Office Binod Ghimire said that strict instructions have been given to all police offices under his jurisdiction to completely eradicate the cultivation of marijuana being produced in the hilly district. Stating that drug control is a priority of the province police, he said that the cultivation, trade and people involved in marijuana are being arrested.

The month-long Swasthani Brata Katha festival dedicated to Hindu goddess Swasthani concluded today.

The festival began on the full moon day of the Nepali month of Paush.

The recitation of dialogues between two mythical characters Kumar and Agashtya Rishi  narrated in the Skanda Puran, is a major part of the festival.

Offerings such as holy threads, beetle nuts, fruits, delicacies, flowers, red sandalwood, vermilion powder and clothes were offered to goddess Swasthani on the concluding day of the festival.

It is believed that strict observance of rituals during the festival brings the separated couple together, helps one overcome troubles and get a good spouse, among other things.

The Swasthani Katha, which has 31 chapters, is a story of how Goma Brahmani is reunited with her son Nawaraj, who later became the king of Lawanya as a result of her going through Swasthani fasting rituals. It also narrates the story of goddess Parvati, who had observed the Swasthani rituals wishing to get Lord Shiva as her husband.

Those who did not conclude the fasting at mid-day today can conclude it on Krishna Panchami, it has been said.