KATHMANDU: Madhesi Journalist Association on Saturday launched a toll free service with a view to enabling journalists across the country to voice their grievances and seek redressal of their problems. President of Federation of Nepali Journalists Mahendra Bista inaugurated the service by listening to the grievances of Saptari-based journalist Shyam Sundar Yadav. Yadav told Bista that the Saptari chapter of FNJ was not allowing active journalists from becoming members of the FNJ against which journalists were protesting against the organisation. MJA toll free number is 9801571007. Chair of Nepal Press Council Borna Bahadur Karki appreciated MJA’s efforts of launching a toll free service for journalists. MJA Chair Pankaj Das said the service would help journalists across the country to protect their interests and work without fear.

Disaster drill for locals

DADELDHURA: Locals of the flood and landslide prone areas of Dadeldhura have been learning lessons on risk mitigation in case of any disaster-related emergency. The rise in water levels and floods in the Rangun River, as well as a number of other rivulets, have been causing loss of life and property to the residents of inner Madhes belt of the district every year during the monsoon season. With monsoon already started, locals are worried swollen rivers could wash away settlements and landslides could claim lives. A drill was recently conducted at Tulabhadi in Parashuram Municipality. According to Nepal Red Cross Society Dadeldhura chapter acting president Shivaraj Panta, the practice will give the locals know-how of necessary steps to save themselves or others in time of crisis. The programme was launched jointly by Red Cross Dhadeldhura and Mercy Core Nepal with the financial and technical support from other projects. “As people here are highly exposed to the floods from the Rangun, Pantura and Mahakali rivers during rainy season, we hope the drill will be crucial for them to learn to survive or rescue others in case of floods or landslides,” said Panta.