Thamel to remain operational 24 hours from April 13 onward

Kathmandu, April 11: Kathmandu’s main touristic area, Thamel, will remain operational 24 hours from April 13 onward.

According to Thamel Tourism Development Council, preparation has been made for the announcement of full-time (24 hours) business operations in Thamel and Durbar Marga areas from the Nepali New Year i.e. April 13 onward.   

Council Chairperson Bhabiswor Sharma said all necessary preparation has been made to keep Thamel and Durbar Marga areas opened round the clock.

The District Administration Office, Kathmandu will take the responsibility for maintaining security and other management in the area.

Assistant Chief District Officer of Kathmandu, Hari Prasad Sharma said security related preparation has been made to enforce the announcement allowing night-time business operations in Thamel and Durbar Marga areas.

Sharma further said safety and security protocols for 24-hour business operations have been made on the basis of recommendations of all stakeholders.

All the market outlets related to tourism, including club, dance, folk songs and disco will remain open

Council Chair Sharma shared night-time business will be operational in all areas of Thamel apart from Bhagawanbahal in consultation and coordination with all stakeholders.

The businesses fail to meet the criteria/standards according to the code of conduct will be closed from April 14.

— 

Eid being observed today

Kathmandu, April 11: Muslims across the country are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr with zest and zeal today.

The great festival of the Islamic community is being observed with great gaiety and gusto by reciting special Namaz, offering prayers in mosque, receiving blessings from the elders and giving blessings to juniors.

The festival marks the conclusion of a month-long fasting of the Muslims during the month of Ramadan, falls on the first day of the tenth month according to the Arabic calendar.

The festival is celebrated on the next day after the completion of the 30-day fast. Muslim Commission, Chairperson Samim Mian Ansari shared that it was decided to celebrate Eid today as the moon was not sighted on Wednesday.

According to the Muslim religion, there are five pillars namely ‘Roza’, ‘Zakat’, ‘Hajj’, ‘Namaz’ and ‘Kalama’.

Ramadan is considered a holy month. “Zakat (donation) is given in this month,” he said, adding, “We consider this month to be the month of earning virtue” This festival is celebrated on Eid-ul-Fitr by eating ‘Sevai’ and offering Namaz collectively.

On this day, Muslims devotees converge mainly in the mosque or any outdoor location in the early morning for Edi prayer and break their fast feasting on delicacies.

Families and friends gather to mark the end of a month-long fast ‘Ramadan’ and exchange Eid Mubarak (greetings) as well as gifts.

According to the National Census-2078, the Muslim community shares 5.9 percent of the total population of Nepal. Noting the data was incomplete, he said the commission was planning to study the social, economic, political, cultural and educational conditions of the Muslim community and submit the actual details to the government.

Although there is a mosque for Muslims in Kathmandu, it lacks spacious meeting halls to offer Namaz and for cultural activities together, he complained.

—

Enrollment campaign to kick off from April 14; textbooks reach all districts

Kathmandu, April 11: The Janak Education Materials Centre (JEMC) has delivered textbooks to all 77 districts three days before the start of the new educational session.

Centre’s Managing Director Anil Kumar Jha told RSS that books of all subjects have been printed at nine outlets in different parts of the country for the academic year 2081 BS.

According to the schedule published by the Center, textbooks have been sold out from Biratnagar, Janakpur, Sanothimi-based central offices, Bharatpur, Pokhara, Butwal, Nepalgunj, Surkhet and Dhangadhi from March 26 to April 10.

“We have completed the responsibility to deliver textbooks to districts on time with utmost efforts”, he shared, adding textbooks will now be made available to the students through the distributors.

Managing Director Jha said, “Maybe they do not need to hear complaints this time about delay delivery of books to the hands of the students.

The JEMC has also made public a price iist of the textbooks from grade 3 to 12 for the upcoming educational session. Additionally, the Centre has also made public the price list of classified distributors for each province.

Last year, books were made available in the market before the academic year.  Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ had been motivating the concerned bodies for timely distribution of textbooks, while this year Education Minister Sumana Shrestha has inspected the office and press office of the Center in Bhaktapur and directed to provide the books on time.

The student enrollment campaign for the new academic session is going to start across the country from April 14. The Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Centre for Education and Human Resource Development has urged the local levels and other stakeholders to prepare and implement the student enrollment campaign facilitation action plan.

—

Eid-ul-Fitr teaches to be truthful, honest and dutiful-Vice-President Yadav

Kathmandu, April 11: Vice President Ramsahay Prasad Yadav has wished all Muslim sisters and brothers at home and abroad for their happiness, good health, peace and prosperity on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr.

In a message of best wishes, he said such festivals would promote mutual unity and goodwill in Nepal’s multi-ethnic, multi-lingual, multi-cultural and multi-religious countries.

Unity in diversity is our fundamental identity and specialty, Vice President Yadav said, expressing the belief that such festivals would promote fraternity and harmony in the community, society and contribute to the preservation and development of the original culture and tradition here.

Noting that the Eid festival has imparted a message to all to live together, he said it would inspire the poor and those in need of cooperation to help and teach them to be truthful, diligent and conscientious by giving a message of hope and trust in life.

— 

‘Nepal police mobile app’ being useful in crime investigation

Kathmandu, April 11: The ‘Nepal Police Mobile Application’, operated by the Nepal Police for making citizen service and crime investigation effective by internalizing innovative development in technology sector, has gained momentum.

With easy access to smart phones and other mobile devices, the use of mobile apps is also increasing. The ‘Nepal Police Mobile App’, which has been used to collect and disseminate information and messages, has enabled the general public to use the facility of providing information with location to the police whenever they became victims or as eyewitnesses to an incident.

Nepal Police Spokesperson, Deputy Inspector General Bhim Prasad Dhakal said it has helped the police to reach the spot and perform effectively.

He said the mobile app has helped in crime investigation by getting authentic information like ‘audio’, photo and ‘video’. Using this app, the general public can transmit photos, videos, audio and text based on the ‘Global Positioning System’ (GPS).

He shared, “The app has been launched on a trial basis with the objective of institutionalizing the work of Nepal Police as a technology-friendly service. At present, arrangements have been made to mobilize the police from the nearest police office immediately on the basis of complaints and information received through the police app in all 77 districts.

The app is useful for speedy dissemination of criminal activities, other incidents and accidents and information in the community, to control the criminals immediately and to maintain law and order.

—