KATHMANDU, APRIL 16
The Sustainable Development and Good Governance Committee under the National Assembly has instructed the government to adopt alternative teaching-learning activities in view of the growing risks of COVID-19.
Today's meeting of the committee at Singha Durbar decided to instruct the government for the same after members of the committee furnished suggestions to carry on teaching-learning activities virtually to prevent further risks of infection among schoolchildren.
Committee President Taradevi Bhatta has also directed the authority concerned to monitor the schools in a bid to find out whether students infected with Covid-19 have joined classes. Action against erring schools has been demanded as well if they are found reluctant to take preventive measures against the flu-like infection.
Furthermore, schools have been asked to adhere to the health safety protocols put in place for effective Covid-19 response.
The committee president urged the authorities concerned to examine whether the budget for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were result-oriented. The government has been asked to allocate additional budget for effective enforcement of the SDGs.
The participants in the meeting had opined that consultations be held with the experts and stakeholders for the same.
Also, appropriate programmes and necessary budget have been demanded in a bid to mitigate the hazardous level of air pollution seen in Kathmandu valley and other parts of the country. The committee has also decided to instruct the ministry to that end.
Member of the committee Bamdev Gautam underscored the need to promote electronic vehicle (EV) to control the carbon emission levels. He also highlighted the need to construct ponds in forests to help contain the bushfire.
Similarly, Dinanath Sharma said stringent surveillance mechanism should be put in place along the border areas to prevent the spread of COVID. He cited the growing cases of COVID in India and alerted that the porous border and unchecked immigration along the border areas could spell epidemic disasters.
A version of this article appears in the print on April 17, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
