BHAKTAPUR, JUNE 2

Five political parties in Bhaktapur today submitted a memorandum to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli through the chief district officer, warning that the government was going 'astray' when the country was struggling against the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Nepali Congress, CPN-Maoist Centre, CPN- UML, Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal and Rastriya Janamorcha presented a charter of 11-point demands accusing it of taking a wrong course when time demanded unity of among all political parties in fighting against the pandemic.

It urges the government to ensure immediate vaccination against COVID-19, making provisions for free treatment of COVID-19 patients, guaranteeing required medical supplies to hospitals, providing immediate relief assistance to citizens bearing the brunt of anti-COVID-19 prohibitory measures and giving cent per cent allowance to frontliners (health workers and other employees) during the pandemic.

The five political parties want the government to come up with alternative arrangements in view of the disrupted academic session due to implementation of measures against the pandemic, to facilitate farmers in transporting products to the market, assure smooth supply of fertiliser and agriseeds during the current farming season and extend the deadline for clearing instalments for small and medium entrepreneurs.

A version of this article appears in the print on June 3, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.