The public should show solidarity against bandhs so that the organizers may eventually find it self-defeating if they go ahead with it at any time

Political culture in Nepal has been developing in such a way that people have tended to think of it as an evil that cannot be avoided. Even in normal times, the clashes of interests between those in power and those outside have led to incidents and situations which have contributed to the deterioration of the country on a scale of peace and progress rather than to their growth. The failure to accept defeat or respect the people’s mandate has been at the root of most of the huge problems in the country, including the finalization and promulgation of a new constitution by the Constituent Assembly. Over the issue of delineation of the boundaries of the federal Pradeshes, several groups have been in agitation for a month, particularly the Tharus in west Tarai and Madhes-centric parties to the east of Nawalparasi, as well as other groups in several hilly districts. They have called and enforced indefinite bandhs, and particularly ominously, in Pradesh No. 2 violent protests have become the norm. These protests have hit all sectors of the economy and all walks of life very hard. Schools and colleges have become one of the victimized sectors as usual. .

The schools of the Kathmandu Valley and of the rest of the country are open, with classes going on, but the students of the Tarai and several hilly districts have not only been deprived of their right to education but they, particularly in the Tarai, are living in a state of terror. There has been a broad consensus on making the schools zones of peace. But the political parties have ignored this call made from almost all quarters of society, including human rights groups, as well as from several international organizations, including UNICEF..Students in various districts have started taking out goodwill rallies, calling for their right to go to school and receive education without fear, threat or violence. The bandh organizers in the Tarai are even reported to have adopted coercive tactics to bring out more people in the streets to support their agitation, such as the announcement of the carrot of five million rupees for each agitator killed and making it compulsory for at least one member of a family to join the protests or pay a fine for failure to join the protests.

The latest street demonstration by students demanding their right to education be respected was held in Phidim on Wednesday as they were fed up with indefinite strikes called by one or the other group. They have even demanded that this right be incorporated into the new constitution which is in final stages of its preparation. They have also demanded action against politically motivated teachers. It is a positive sign that students in several parts of the country have been gradually coming out against the frequent shutdowns, including the closure of schools and colleges. This call by students and similar calls from representatives of other sections of society, such as business people, will gather force if they continue the pressure, because they have the support of the overwhelming majority of the people. The public should show solidarity with one voice against bandhs so that the organizers may eventually find it self-defeating if they go ahead with it at any time.

Follow rules

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned Nepal and  member countries that the indiscriminate use of antibiotics is increasingly leading to resistance to medicines, persistence of infection and treatment failure. The world health body has asked Nepal and other nations to take immediate action to stop the overuse of antibiotics and other drugs. It has warned that if no concrete action is taken all achievements made in the prevention and control of communicable diseases will be reversed and resistance to antibiotics will make surgery more complicated.

The world health body has warned that an estimated 10 million people will die globally every year if antimicrobial resistance goes unchecked. In order to control indiscriminate and overuse of antibiotics and other drugs the government must launch awareness programmes among the general public, health workers and pharmacies, and the doctors should also encourage patients to take complete dose of the prescribed medicines. The pharmacies should be made mandatory to sell the drugs only with the prescription of recognized medical practitioners.