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Teaching and learning activities have been disrupted in the schools of Sunsari district due to the cold wave. .

All local levels have closed both the community and institutional schools for three days- from Wednesday to Friday. 

Itahari Sub-metropolis informed that it shut down  the schools, mentioning the closure as part of winter vacation. 

Chief of education section in the sub-metropolis, Ramesh Kumar Sah, shared that the schools were given holidays for three days to prevent effects of cold in the children's health.

The schools in Inaruwa, Koshi Rural Municipalities, Harinagar Ramdhuni, and Duhabi, among others are also closed. The closure would be managed under various other annual holidays.

The local levels have also urged the guardians to keep their children at home and adopt precaution to stay away from cold waves. 

Stakeholders have concluded that no government agency has shown interest in the conservation, management and trade promotion of Himalayan herbs. The program was organized by NSAP Nepal and Forest Consumers Federation Nepal at the district headquarters Gamgadhi where participants expressed serious concerns about the ambiguity of the main jurisdiction between the Division Forest Office, National Park Office and the local level, the poor assessment of the productivity and ecological limits of Mugu forests, and the neglect of the livelihoods and local economy associated with herbal collection at the policy level.

Although the Nepal government has generally set the herbal collection period as October-November which is practically not a period due to the harsh climate, high altitude and remoteness of the Himalayan region. Herbalist Jigmet Lama said that the current policies are largely based on academic literature, and that the traditional knowledge, experience, and skills of herbalists are not formally recognized.

Similarly, while it is appropriate to make land registration mandatory for herbal cultivation and implement similar provisions for wild products, the government should provide loans to herbalists at subsidized rates through banks and cooperatives under its business support firm, while the multi-tax system and complex land and forest ownership system are creating obstacles in business promotion, said Soru Rural Municipality Chairperson Dharma Bahadur Shahi.

Stating that the herbal sector is not a priority for the state, Mayor Bishnu Kumar Bham of Chhayanath Rara Municipality said, “Herbs are a major potential for the Himalayan district, but it has not been properly addressed at all three levels, policy, budget, and program.” Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality Chairperson Tshiring Kapne Lama said that if traditional knowledge is not documented, there is a risk of losing skills that have been used for generations.

Manjan Bahadur Karki, head of the District Coordination Committee Mugu, said that an institutional mechanism is needed for monitoring and improvement, and said that herbal conservation is not possible without a clear division of responsibilities between the local government, forest office and community forest. Mel Bahadur Shahi, president of the Forest Consumers Federation Mugu, said that although there is a large market potential for Himalayan herbs, the expected benefits have not been realized due to lack of processing and value addition. Himalayan herbs can be a strong foundation for Nepal’s economic prosperity, but the sector is neglected due to the lack of policy, investment and market certainty.

Vehicular movement along the Chandranigahapur-Nijgadh road section in Rautahat has been completely obstructed after an Indian gas bullet truck met with an accident on Tuesday. 

The truck (UP 17 A 214) driver sustained minor injuries in the accident that occurred this morning. 

Authorities have halted traffic following reports of a gas bullet truck accident, citing safety concerns.

Police have urged drivers to use alternative roads. 

A fire engine and a crane were deployed to remove the truck from the road amid fears of a potential fire.

As the accident occurred in a forest area, the surrounding settlements are in a safe zone, DSP Rupa Labung of the Area Police Office Chandranigahpur said. 

She said that the road will remain closed until the situation returns to normalcy. 

Normal life in Saptari district has been affected with the abrupt fall in temperature.

The general public have suffered from different cold-related diseases such as pneumonia, common cold, cough and asthma in Rajbiraj and other areas due to growing cold.

Mainly children and senior citizens are suffering most from the diseases, it is said.

Meanwhile, three local levels in the district have announced school closure as the cold wave affected normal life.

According to Senior Education Officer of the District Education Office of Rajbiraj Municipality Bhogendra Prasad Yadav, the schools have been shut for three days as the cold wave has adversely affected children.

Likewise, Mahadeva and Agnisair Krishnasabaran Rural Municipalities have also announced holiday in the schools for three days.

Issuing separate statements, the local levels stated that the schools have been closed down for three days by considering potential effects of cold on children.