KATHMANDU, AUGUST 30

The Kathmandu District Administration Office has formed a committee to prepare protocols to give continuity to home delivery services.

A meeting held between e-commerce entrepreneurs and DAO decided to allow home delivery services to continue during the prohibitory period in the valley. The meeting chaired by Chief District Officer Janak Raj Dahal decided to allow e-commerce companies to home-deliver essential goods.

On Thursday, Nepal Police had detained several e-commerce entrepreneurs and more than 20 delivery persons, stating that home delivery services violated prohibitory orders issued by the Kathmandu DAO on August 26. The detentions prompted e-commerce entrepreneurs to urge the government to allow them to continue home delivery services.

The DAO held a meeting today to address the concerns of e-commerce companies and formed a committee coordinated by Assistant CDO of Kathmandu Janak Raj Bhatta, comprising a representative each from the Department of Commerce, Supply and Consumer Protection, the Ministry of Health and Population and Nepal Police. The committee has been authorised to prepare protocols for smooth and secure operation of home delivery services, Bhatta told THT.

“The committee shall take recommendations from e-commerce companies as well while preparing home delivery protocols,” he added.

On behalf of e-commerce companies, Sagar Dev Bhatta, co-founder of Kirana, requested DAO to allow home delivery services between 5:00am and 9:00pm without any hurdle.

“The Ministry of Health and Population has requested children below 10 years and adults above 50 years of age not to venture outside due to the risk of contracting COV- ID-19. Considering this, most of the families have been opting for home delivery services instead of going out to buy stuff,” he said, adding, “Home delivery service will help them stay safely at home.”

Dev Bhatta added that home delivery services will also help in contact tracing, controlling black market activities and reducing crowds in the market.

“E-commerce plays a big role in mobilising the economy and fulfilling consumers’ demand. Home delivery of essential goods should not be halted,” he added.

“Moreover, as e-commerce prioritises digital payments, risk of COV- ID-19 transmission via cash transaction will also be reduced,” said Asim Man Singh Basnyat, founder of Pathao.

Kathmandu DAO, meanwhile, requested e-commerce companies to focus on delivering only essentials and not non-essential items, such as clothes, cakes and junk food.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 31, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.