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The month of May is considered the best season to travel to Mustang district, as the winter comes to an end and there are slim chances of snowfall and biting cold. But, this is not the reality for Mustang folks this year. The district has witnessed snowfall in recent days, resulting in low temperatures.

Eyewitnesses shared that the Muktinath area recorded snowfall for more than an hour on Wednesday. 

Saroj Gharti, a health worker in the Muktinath-based High Altitude Treatment Centre, said that the area received snowfall for more than an hour and the hills are snowcapped now. 

Gharti added that the pilgrims visiting the Muktinath Temple have faced difficulties due to the unseasonal snowfall.  

With the latest incident of snowfall on Wednesday, the area recorded snowfall for the eighth time this year alone. 

The local people have described it as an impact of climate change. 

Chairman of Baragung Muktichhetra-1 Pramesh Gurung said that the unseasonal snowfall and the unfavorable weather pattern in this tourism season was unfortunate for the local business in Mustang. 

Likewise, the locals in Khinga, Jharkot, Lupra and Purang Rani Pauwa villages have already celebrated the Dha Chhyang festival, which denotes a farewell to the winter season and a welcome to the summer. 

Ward Chairman Gurung feared that the unseasonal snowfall could damage the blossoming apple trees and other crops in the farms. 

Lhakpa Tashi Gurung, the leader of Khinga village, in Baragung Muktichhetra-1, said that the snowfall in May is an unusual incident for them despite repeated snowfalls in the winter season and added that the snowfall in this month could affect the agriculture and tourism sectors. 

Nepal is currently under the influence of a westerly low-pressure system coupled with local winds in the lower atmosphere near the eastern belt of the country. As a result of this pattern, the hilly and Himalayan regions of the country will be generally cloudy and the Tarai part will be partly cloudy today, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology.    

The Department stated that generally cloudy conditions are expected in the hilly and Himalayan regions of the country, while partly cloudy conditions are expected in the Tarai. 

There is a possibility of light to moderate rain and snowfall with thunder and lightning at some places in Lumbini, Karnali, and Sudurpaschim Provinces as well as in the hilly and Himalayan regions of the remaining provinces.

Light rainfall with thunder and lightning is also likely at a few places in the remaining Tarai regions.

Later tonight, generally cloudy conditions are expected in the Koshi Province as well as in the Himalayan region of the country, while partly cloudy conditions are expected in the remaining areas. 

There is a possibility of moderate rainfall with thunder and lightning at some places in Koshi Province, and at one or two places in the hilly and Himalayan regions of the remaining provinces, the weather service added.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) has asked all business enterprises across the country to participate in the ongoing Second National Economic Survey. 

The Second National Economic Survey was started on April 15 and will continue till July 16.

Director of NSO, Dr Bed Prasad Dhakal, said that trading and business firms both in formal and non-formal sectors are asked to join the national economic survey.

According to Dr Dhakal, data from agriculture, mining, production, industry, trading, private business firms, banks and financial institutions, cooperatives and other enterprises are being collected. 

As high as 32 percent of the estimated data was collected as of May 5, Director Dr Dhakal added. 

Likewise, more than 7,400 business firms had pledged to submit their details online and 1,600 plus firms have already submitted their details, it is said. 

The census aims to provide an accurate picture of the national economy through statistical information.

The census is a significant initiative for gathering basic and reliable statistics, which are essential for formulating economic policies, plans and development strategies.

It is expected that the economic census will make a vital contribution to short-term and long-term economic plans prepared by the government, investment promotion and employment creation and receive details.

The government conducted the national economic census for the first time seven years ago. 

A total of 923,356 business institutions across the country were recorded during the first economic census and 3.228 million people were involved in the business institutions. 

Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha has been appointed as the Officiating Executive Director of Nepal Electricity Authority.

Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha today assigned the responsibility of Officiating Executive Director to Shrestha, who was the Deputy Executive Director of the Authority.

Shrestha has been assigned with the new responsibility after Executive Director Hitendra Dev Shakya was relieved of his post through an ordinance brought by the government, according to Minister Shrestha's secretariat.