<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110151112/636d07449c7e80680e0a5fafjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2560" height="1611"/>It took me months to adjust to lockdown life. Being cooped up in my tiny studio apartment caused a lot of anger and frustration. But as an essential worker at a health centre, I had the freedom to leave the apartment to walk back and forth from work, which helped my mental sanity.This was followed by six weeks of working from home. Being a social person with a wide network of friends, having to stay locked within the four walls was difficult. Living alone, I had to do everything in my power not to lose my mind.I started daily yoga and rode my bike to keep myself physically active and mentally sound. I attempted to meditate several times, but it did not work for me. I Face-timed with people, and though it felt good for the hour that it lasted, once the call was done the emptiness returned.Being an anxious person by nature, spending time alone all day made it worse. You can only watch so much Netflix and exercise to kill the hours. I started to clean more obsessively, but there is a limit to that too. The only respite was the grocery trips, and the chance to get out and breathe fresh air.As a mental health professional, people started asking me how they could take care of themselves in this difficult time. I gave them the best advice I could. But I did not realise that listening to others experiencing the same frustration and anger would only add to my own.Struggling with my inability to stay strong, I started to absorb other people’s negativity and feel weaker by the day. My work recommended we talk to other therapists to help ourselves, and I did. My therapist told me to separate other people’s problems from my own and not take them in, but I could not.I continued to listen to my family and friends about how low they felt. I made sure to be everyone’s cheerleader by checking in on them and encouraging them to try every technique that was proven to work. But while helping others, I did not notice that I needed help myself.I could not share this with others because this was my field of work. How could I, someone trained in helping others with their mental health issues, admit that I was losing my mind?Embarrassed and feeling inadequate, I could not understand how despite following every piece of advice in the book, I could not uplift my spirit. I exercised, ate healthy, cleaned and kept in touch with loved ones, but I kept sinking deeper and deeper into this hole.I kept telling myself that this will pass, and everything will be okay again. I started working with a kind and understanding therapist, and I finally started to feel validated and comfortable in admitting that even mental health professionals need help.Eventually, I got used to the lockdown and staying indoors. I tried gardening, but I could never get myself into it. I moved to another place, and I began to spend time walking in the backyard and looking at the trees and the birds.As the lockdown eased, people were so excited to get back to their everyday lives. I thought I would feel the same. After all, I had been waiting for this and I was fully vaccinated, so I felt safe and responsible about going out.But it had taken me so long to acclimate to being inside that being out in the world again caused me more anxiety. It felt wrong to be outdoors, and I could not enjoy it. I pushed myself to go out and see people, but I would always come home feeling uncomfortable and guilty, thinking of people still struggling at home.A widespread technique practised by mental health professionals is to write down one thing they appreciate in their lives, I started to do that. I am grateful for many things in my life, but the fluctuation between suddenly being stuck indoors and then having the freedom to run around was harder for me than many others that I know of.I find it challenging to go out and enjoy myself also because I got so used to being on my own. Last year in July, one of the psychologists I interviewed for an article had told me that people would have a difficult time readjusting to ‘everyday life’. I could not understand why at the time, but I do now.I have lived in many cities and adjusted to different lifestyles over the years, but by far, this has been the hardest. There is a constant battle between my rational mind, which tells me that we must adjust to changes to live everyday life and move on and my emotional mind that is stubborn and reluctant to change.I am envious of people who can reacclimate when I feel completely stuck. The truth is that, it does not matter what others say, the most important thing is to try and keep trying till you achieve the desired goal.My biggest fear is having to go back to the lockdown days again. See-sawing between a life of freedom and being comfortable on my own is one concern that I never imagined I would have. I did not think it would be this hard.While some people can adapt to changes more quickly, others like me are cautious about adjusting to the new normal because Covid is not over. I yearn for the day when I no longer live in fear. But getting back to my life before the pandemic will not happen overnight. All I can do is be responsible and take care of myself while giving myself time.Anjana Rajbhandary lives and works in Chicago. She writes this fortnightly Nepali Times column Life Time about mental health, physical health and socio-cultural issues.

Anjana Rajbhandary

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Readjusting to life post-Covid

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131144/636cf29e9c7e80680e09d91cjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/>Nepal will open its 2021 lockdown long before the country <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/aid-pours-into-nepal-but-where-be-vaccines/">has enough vaccines</a> to protect its citizens -- our aunts, uncles, and neighbours. We will not have substantial vaccine coverage for many months, if not longer.We will <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/its-an-emergency/">need more oxygen,</a> more testing, and better tracking and isolation procedures. Crucially, we will also have to maintain and strengthen our only effective tools: physical distancing and masks.Unfortunately, too many Nepalis are wearing low-quality masks, taking them off too often, touching them, and not washing them or replacing them often enough. More people should be wearing three-layer surgical masks, which, for only a few more rupees, offer greater protective power.The key problem Nepal faces has not changed: infected people do not know they have the virus and spread it around. And new variants make the virus even more easily transmissible. We need to behave not as if only a small number of people could have the virus, but as if everyone we encounter already has it. That includes the friendly neighbourhood fruit seller. That includes family members. That includes you.“Vaccinations will take a long time to arrive in South Asia to create a wall of immunity. Till then, masks are most essential,” says <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/3-pronged-strategy-to-save-nepal-from-covid-19/">Mushfiq Mobarak</a>, a Yale university professor who recently led a huge study of<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMJkyBBtK74lqSsHZnx_8qb0_sJ0WaR7A7XA8IQHAobrBEQA/viewform"> mask-wearing in Bangladesh.</a>Many Nepalis wear cloth masks or one-layer surgical masks. These help, no question. But the 3-layer surgical masks and N95s offer more filtration efficiency and more protection, although they cost just a few rupees more. That is an investment well worth it to protect individuals, institutions, and governments.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131144/636cf2a19c7e80680e09d91djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2370" height="950"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>I asked Biraj Vajracharya, an epidemiologist at Dhulikhel hospital, what kind of mask people should be buying and wearing. "Surgical mask, or if possible, N95 mask," he replied.The Yale researchers recommend high quality 3-layer masks because they filter more efficiently. They can be washed and reused without losing much efficiency. For more on the study's recommendations about masks, see this excellent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifiR_5DuyfA">video</a>."We need to change mask-wearing norms amongst hundreds of millions of South Asians to mitigate the spread of COVID," Mushfiq Mobarak told me via email. "High-quality washable, reusable surgical masks are much more cost-effective, and offer a feasible path to scalability across the region."The <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/covid-19-crisis-india-draws-lessons-from-bangladesh-s-mask-study-121051401341_1.html">Yale study in Bangladesh</a>, involving over 300,000 people in 600 villages, identified simple policies that led to much greater mask wearing. They found that when <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EUhdri6CST9uzw_myffNmyUVPt8_UMsM75NOt5Q-54o/edit">authorities do four things together</a>, mask wearing more than tripled:<ol><li>Offer free masks</li> <li>Provide clear information about mask wearing in videos and brochures</li> <li>Find community leaders to speak in support of mask wearing</li> <li>Reinforce the message with gentle questioning for those not wearing</li></ol>The fourth policy was the most important: special monitors to verbally poke people who were not wearing masks. Those monitors, the Yale study explains, ‘walk around and if somebody is not wearing a mask, they intercept them and politely say, “We distributed masks here—why aren’t you wearing one?” If the person didn’t have a mask or couldn’t get one, the monitor gives them one.’What this combo of four actions does is establish a community expectation, a clear norm or standard for the community to follow. The norm shows everybody that the community expects them to wear the masks, that it takes masks seriously. That makes a big difference.The researchers call their recommended program NORM:No-Cost masksOffering InformationReinforcement in public places by intercepting non-mask wearersModelling and endorsement by trusted leadersHere's some useful mask info:<ol><li>All masks help, but 3-layer surgical masks and N95 masks offer greater protection.</li> <li>Double masking is good, especially with low-quality surgical or cloth masks.</li> <li>Masks should cover the mouth and nose. A tight fit on all four sides is good.</li> <li>If you touch the mask, you should wash your hands.</li> <li>Masks should be washed and replaced regularly.</li> <li>In general, you should wash your hands with soap several times a day.</li></ol>A historical reminder might be relevant here: when we think about the Covid-19 vaccine, we often recall the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/how-nepal-eradicated-the-smallpox-virus/">big health breakthroughs of the past</a>, such as the discovery of the polio vaccine in the 1950s, and penicillin in the 1940s.But long before these headline-stealing medical heroes arrived to save the day, death rates had already dropped dramatically in Western Europe and North America. This health revolution came because of much less glamorous innovations: clean drinking water, efficient waste disposal, increased bathing, and expanded soap use.These basic sanitary measures saved millions and millions of lives. In Nepal in 2021, basic preventative measures such as physical<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-covid-19-impact-worse-than-official-figures/">l distancing and careful mask wearing </a>can save lives as well.One other reminder: last year, after we were released from Lockdown I in July, Covid-19 <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-its-no-time-to-let-your-guard-down/">infections spiked</a>. After Lockdown II was lifted in September, infections spiked again, reaching their highest level yet. The end of Lockdown III will <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/learning-to-live-with-covid/">likely bring new risks.</a><a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/how-chitwan-was-opened,4159">Tom Robertson</a>, PhD, is researching the environmental history of the Kathmandu Valley.

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After lockdown, we will need masks more than ever

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121140/636b91c69c7e80680e06f10djpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/>Nepal will open its 2021 lockdown long before the country <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/aid-pours-into-nepal-but-where-be-vaccines/">has enough vaccines</a> to protect its citizens -- our aunts, uncles, and neighbours. We will not have substantial vaccine coverage for many months, if not longer.We will <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/its-an-emergency/">need more oxygen,</a> more testing, and better tracking and isolation procedures. Crucially, we will also have to maintain and strengthen our only effective tools: physical distancing and masks.Unfortunately, too many Nepalis are wearing low-quality masks, taking them off too often, touching them, and not washing them or replacing them often enough. More people should be wearing three-layer surgical masks, which, for only a few more rupees, offer greater protective power.The key problem Nepal faces has not changed: infected people do not know they have the virus and spread it around. And new variants make the virus even more easily transmissible. We need to behave not as if only a small number of people could have the virus, but as if everyone we encounter already has it. That includes the friendly neighbourhood fruit seller. That includes family members. That includes you.“Vaccinations will take a long time to arrive in South Asia to create a wall of immunity. Till then, masks are most essential,” says <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/3-pronged-strategy-to-save-nepal-from-covid-19/">Mushfiq Mobarak</a>, a Yale university professor who recently led a huge study of<a href="https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfMJkyBBtK74lqSsHZnx_8qb0_sJ0WaR7A7XA8IQHAobrBEQA/viewform"> mask-wearing in Bangladesh.</a>Many Nepalis wear cloth masks or one-layer surgical masks. These help, no question. But the 3-layer surgical masks and N95s offer more filtration efficiency and more protection, although they cost just a few rupees more. That is an investment well worth it to protect individuals, institutions, and governments.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121140/636b91c99c7e80680e06f10ejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2370" height="950"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>I asked Biraj Vajracharya, an epidemiologist at Dhulikhel hospital, what kind of mask people should be buying and wearing. "Surgical mask, or if possible, N95 mask," he replied.The Yale researchers recommend high quality 3-layer masks because they filter more efficiently. They can be washed and reused without losing much efficiency. For more on the study's recommendations about masks, see this excellent <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifiR_5DuyfA">video</a>."We need to change mask-wearing norms amongst hundreds of millions of South Asians to mitigate the spread of COVID," Mushfiq Mobarak told me via email. "High-quality washable, reusable surgical masks are much more cost-effective, and offer a feasible path to scalability across the region."The <a href="https://www.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/covid-19-crisis-india-draws-lessons-from-bangladesh-s-mask-study-121051401341_1.html">Yale study in Bangladesh</a>, involving over 300,000 people in 600 villages, identified simple policies that led to much greater mask wearing. They found that when <a href="https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EUhdri6CST9uzw_myffNmyUVPt8_UMsM75NOt5Q-54o/edit">authorities do four things together</a>, mask wearing more than tripled:<ol><li>Offer free masks</li> <li>Provide clear information about mask wearing in videos and brochures</li> <li>Find community leaders to speak in support of mask wearing</li> <li>Reinforce the message with gentle questioning for those not wearing</li></ol>The fourth policy was the most important: special monitors to verbally poke people who were not wearing masks. Those monitors, the Yale study explains, ‘walk around and if somebody is not wearing a mask, they intercept them and politely say, “We distributed masks here—why aren’t you wearing one?” If the person didn’t have a mask or couldn’t get one, the monitor gives them one.’What this combo of four actions does is establish a community expectation, a clear norm or standard for the community to follow. The norm shows everybody that the community expects them to wear the masks, that it takes masks seriously. That makes a big difference.The researchers call their recommended program NORM:No-Cost masksOffering InformationReinforcement in public places by intercepting non-mask wearersModelling and endorsement by trusted leadersHere's some useful mask info:<ol><li>All masks help, but 3-layer surgical masks and N95 masks offer greater protection.</li> <li>Double masking is good, especially with low-quality surgical or cloth masks.</li> <li>Masks should cover the mouth and nose. A tight fit on all four sides is good.</li> <li>If you touch the mask, you should wash your hands.</li> <li>Masks should be washed and replaced regularly.</li> <li>In general, you should wash your hands with soap several times a day.</li></ol>A historical reminder might be relevant here: when we think about the Covid-19 vaccine, we often recall the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/how-nepal-eradicated-the-smallpox-virus/">big health breakthroughs of the past</a>, such as the discovery of the polio vaccine in the 1950s, and penicillin in the 1940s.But long before these headline-stealing medical heroes arrived to save the day, death rates had already dropped dramatically in Western Europe and North America. This health revolution came because of much less glamorous innovations: clean drinking water, efficient waste disposal, increased bathing, and expanded soap use.These basic sanitary measures saved millions and millions of lives. In Nepal in 2021, basic preventative measures such as physical<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-covid-19-impact-worse-than-official-figures/">l distancing and careful mask wearing </a>can save lives as well.One other reminder: last year, after we were released from Lockdown I in July, Covid-19 <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-its-no-time-to-let-your-guard-down/">infections spiked</a>. After Lockdown II was lifted in September, infections spiked again, reaching their highest level yet. The end of Lockdown III will <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/learning-to-live-with-covid/">likely bring new risks.</a><a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/how-chitwan-was-opened,4159">Tom Robertson</a>, PhD, is researching the environmental history of the Kathmandu Valley.

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121136/636b917d9c7e80680e06f0f1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050"/>It is crucial to stay connected with loved ones during times like this to keep our morale up. We must eat well and exercise to keep our minds and bodies healthy. What else can we do to keep our spirits from being dragged down?Turn to nature.As we continue on month two of the second lockdown in Nepal, when the rest of the world seems to be moving on, it can be difficult to stay upbeat. Some find it difficult to keep spirits up because of the lack of social interaction, others are frustrated with spending too much time with the same people.It is natural to feel ill-tempered and irritated with family members when you spend much time with them. Our routines have been disrupted, and some of us will take the frustration out on the closest people.Many of us are not aware of the positive impact nature has on us. Living in busy cities, we tend to overlook the benefits of regular exposure to nature on our mental wellbeing. We  have heard of the benefits of gardening, and if you have not shown interest in plants before, this can be a time for you to start a new hobby that will be good for your soul.Last year was challenging for the world with the global pandemic and lockdown. We were hopeful that vaccines would put an end to the isolation and mask-wearing, and looked forward to 2021 because we thought life would start to become more normal, but that has not been the case for Nepal.It can feel suffocating to be locked inside the walls all day, so this is a time to remind yourself of the calming effects nature can have on your mind. It is important to spend time in the roof garden or the lawn to reduce stress and mental exhaustion.Our busy pre-Covid lives disconnected us from the beauty of nature around us. It is not possible to go on a hill hike or visit a park, but just walking barefoot on the grass and watching the seeds you plant grow in a pot can be therapeutic. Looking up at the trees and listening to the birds can lift the spirit.Even this can reduce anxiety and depression, which in turn strengthens the immune system.  If you do not have a garden, get some houseplants, give it time, nurture it and watch it grow.Being outside and looking at the world will promote mindfulness and feelings of gratitude. It will make you realise that miracles do happen. Taking a break from the monitor and sitting outside, listening to the rustle of wind in the leaves, the sound of rain or just watching the clouds go by will help clear your mind and reduce feelings of irritability and frustration.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109121136/636b91809c7e80680e06f0f2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="535" height="279">Many therapists encourage people with depression to spend time outdoors because it increases their energy levels, and makes them happier. It helps the body produce endorphins that have mood-boosting effects. Spending time with the trees and plants can help address your emotional, mental and physical needs.The increased stress and concern about Covid have resulted in sleeping issues and insomnia for many. Spending time outside in your garden or terrace can expose you to natural light, thus resetting your circadian rhythm, improving sleeping patterns and rejuvenating body and mind. We may not have had the time before, but use this time at home to connect with nature and appreciate it.Growing plants or vegetables can positively impact your mood because nurturing something else in life helps you take care of yourself more. It will strengthen you mentally so that you can support others. Gardening has been considered one of the most de-stressing activities because it lets you form a deep connection with the earth. It helps you bond with this intricate web of life.It is hard to explain the calming powers of nature till you experience it for yourself. But the quiet calm around you will help you calm your mind if you give it a chance. Our mental health influences our overall wellbeing.You may have noticed that people who spend time outdoors or garden regularly are calmer and more relaxed than those who do not. They also tend to be in better physical health. The healing power of nature can reduce feelings of anger and fear and promote happiness. You owe it to yourself to take care of your health during a time like this.Stress and anxiety can affect your physical health with high blood pressure, muscle tension and excess release of cortisol. Being in nature reduces those symptoms, nature can soothe and has healing powers.Nature can restore your sense of being because looking at greenery improves your ability to pay attention to details. It provides comfort to hyperactive minds constantly worried about yourself, and the wellbeing of your relatives and friends.The lockdown makes many spend too much time in front of TV, PC or mobile monitors. Even before Covid, too much screen time was associated with depression. Disconnecting from these distractions can increase your sense of altruism and make you want to help others. We tend to compare ourselves with others who have more when hooked to the internet and social media, which leaves most of us feeling down. The news feeds are also full of news of the scourge, which keeps us down.Reconnecting with nature allows us to rise above all this, and appreciate life. It makes us want to do more for others. It gives us a sense of purpose. It teaches us patience. We have been disconnected from society for too long, so it is necessary to bond with the natural powers of the world around us.Start small and notice the mental, emotional and physical benefits you begin to experience. We are all in this together, and we need to help those who have less than us. If we can take care of our minds, we will be able to change our surroundings.

The healing power of nature

<img width="1574" height="948" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131124/636ceda29c7e80680e09add9jpeg.jpg" alt=""/>Bhabindra Ghimire was admitted to Teku Hospital when his oxygen levels dropped after testing positive for Covid-19 in April. With nothing to do in isolation, Ghimire took to Facebook to pass the time. But his social media feed was inundated with news of people dying from the virus, photos of bodies being cremated, and posts paying tributes to loved ones lost to the contagion. Ghimire’s anxiety level rose, and his recovery suffered. “The death notices pouring in on social media and the terrifying pictures of cremations were making me really anxious,” says Ghimire. “I tried and failed to stop myself from looking at my phone, and there were no friends or relatives allowed to visit. I started getting a panic attack, and was certain my days were also numbered.” Ghimire did finally recover, but he has a word of advice to others who have tested positive, are in isolation at home or hospital: “I wished I had come across more stories about how patients were spending their time in isolation, and how people had overcome the disease. But such stories are few and far between.” Till 17 May, Nepal had recorded 464,218 confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 2.7 million PCR tests, and 345,523 have recovered from the virus. With the number of dead crossing 5,000, the fatality rate among infected people is a little above 1.3%.  Of the active cases, 94% are in home isolation. And with almost all of Nepal under full or partial lockdown, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/coronavirus-and-the-world-wide-web/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">social media has become a way to spend their time</a> for not just people who are infected, but for most Nepalis as they stay indoors.  <a style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/covid-19-aids-nepals-net-spread/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Recent surveys</a> have shown that up to 96% have mobile phones, of which more than 60% are smartphones, and a quarter of all Nepalis say they <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-internet-use-increases-by-35-during-lockdown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">use the Internet </a>every day. Of those with smartphones, nearly 90% are on Facebook, and the number of Nepalis with Facebook accounts is now about 9 million.  <img width="1092" height="586" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131124/636ceda59c7e80680e09addajpeg.jpg" alt=""><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/mobile-nepal-is-hooked-on-youtube/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mobile Nepal is hooked on YouTube</a>, Kunda DixitMany Covid-19 patients interviewed for this report say that they have been adversely impacted by the overwhelmingly negative Covid-related content on mainstream and social media.Indeed, psychologists and physicians have said that keeping a positive mental attitude is important in recovery, and they prescribe lowering the diet of media consumption. Covid-related content on social media is harmful not only to those infected but also to families, loved ones, and caretakers. A woman taking care of her father and grandmother in Kathmandu who were hospitalised with Covid-19 used social media to occupy her time in hospital. However, the Covid-related posts shared on her timeline made her anxious and fearful. “It is in our nature to be more drawn to negative news,” she says, “but when you find yourself in the middle of the very crisis everyone is talking about, you realise how harrowing it really is.”Ramu Ghimire of Butwal has not been on social media since he tested positive for the virus, and has been seeking out positive content available on the internet. “Your first priority has to be your own recovery. Why pay attention to what is happening in the rest of the world?” Rinan Pokhrel is in isolation with his entire family in Bhaktapur after becoming infected. “Everyone in the family has tested positive, so we spend our time together, talking to each other,” he says. “More than 98 percent of those who become infected recover from the disease, but the media only chooses to focus on those who die and keep showing funeral pyres.” Psychiatrist Ritesh Thapa has been counselling people via tele-consultations during the pandemic, and says: “I have seen patients who are well on the road to recovery who become anxious and think they are going to die after seeing news of other Covid patients dying. They expressed fears of dying from the virus after they saw pictures of mass cremations in India circulating on social media.”Thapa suggests that all Nepalis limit their social media consumption, and patients in isolation not seek Covid-related updates constantly. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/tackling-nepals-mental-health-pandemic/">Tackling Nepal’s mental health pandemic</a>, Matrika DevkotaHe notes that mainstream media, especially television, also needs to be more responsible and careful about the kind of news it puts out during this crisis. He adds that publishing disturbing news and images of the dead to increase their ratings and circulation will only exacerbate the anxiety that people are already experiencing. Jagannath Lamichhane, activist and presenter of the interactive YouTube Channel ‘Juggernaut Mindset’, emphasises the need to stay away from fake news and misinformation during the pandemic. “It is important to get only necessary updates from a few trusted news sources, and stay away from social media altogether.”Indeed, the worst affected are Covid-19 patients in hospital who cannot see visitors, and turn to social media on their phones only to see posts on Facebook about their own friends and relatives dying.Cheena Thapa, a journalist in Biratnagar, took a break from social media after testing positive for the virus at the end of April, only going online a week later to update those close to her about her health. Thapa says she wished she had found more positive stories to see and read as she recovered.Butuwal-based journalist D R Ghimire has been isolating at home after he tested positive for Covid. Ghimire understood when in isolation how negative news added to an already stressful environment. “After having been a journalist for three decades, I now realise how feel-good stories add value and positive energy to our lives at times like this,” he added.“It is natural for people to panic at times like this, but all this negative news just spread more fear,” the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) notes in its <a href="http://www.fnjnepal.org/np/notice/करन-covid-19-क-दसर-लहरक-बरम-समचर-समपरषण-गरद-धयन-दनपरन-करहर" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">publication</a> ‘Things to be considered while disseminating news regarding the second wave of Covid-19’. “Let us try to understand the facts about the infection, spread awareness about prevention measures, and let everyone know that early diagnosis and treatment can save lives.”Mukesh Pokhrel is a reporter for Himal Khabarpatrika and Nepali Times, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/staying-positive-to-become-negative/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote last year</a> about how negative news in the media affected him during his recovery.

The social media contagion

<img width="1574" height="948" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111148/636b858b9c7e80680e0677fcjpeg.jpg" alt=""/>Bhabindra Ghimire was admitted to Teku Hospital when his oxygen levels dropped after testing positive for Covid-19 in April. With nothing to do in isolation, Ghimire took to Facebook to pass the time. But his social media feed was inundated with news of people dying from the virus, photos of bodies being cremated, and posts paying tributes to loved ones lost to the contagion. Ghimire’s anxiety level rose, and his recovery suffered. “The death notices pouring in on social media and the terrifying pictures of cremations were making me really anxious,” says Ghimire. “I tried and failed to stop myself from looking at my phone, and there were no friends or relatives allowed to visit. I started getting a panic attack, and was certain my days were also numbered.” Ghimire did finally recover, but he has a word of advice to others who have tested positive, are in isolation at home or hospital: “I wished I had come across more stories about how patients were spending their time in isolation, and how people had overcome the disease. But such stories are few and far between.” Till 17 May, Nepal had recorded 464,218 confirmed cases of Covid-19 from 2.7 million PCR tests, and 345,523 have recovered from the virus. With the number of dead crossing 5,000, the fatality rate among infected people is a little above 1.3%.  Of the active cases, 94% are in home isolation. And with almost all of Nepal under full or partial lockdown, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/coronavirus-and-the-world-wide-web/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">social media has become a way to spend their time</a> for not just people who are infected, but for most Nepalis as they stay indoors.  <a style="font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/covid-19-aids-nepals-net-spread/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Recent surveys</a> have shown that up to 96% have mobile phones, of which more than 60% are smartphones, and a quarter of all Nepalis say they <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/nepal-internet-use-increases-by-35-during-lockdown/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">use the Internet </a>every day. Of those with smartphones, nearly 90% are on Facebook, and the number of Nepalis with Facebook accounts is now about 9 million.  <img width="1092" height="586" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111148/636b858e9c7e80680e0677fdjpeg.jpg" alt=""><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/mobile-nepal-is-hooked-on-youtube/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Mobile Nepal is hooked on YouTube</a>, Kunda DixitMany Covid-19 patients interviewed for this report say that they have been adversely impacted by the overwhelmingly negative Covid-related content on mainstream and social media.Indeed, psychologists and physicians have said that keeping a positive mental attitude is important in recovery, and they prescribe lowering the diet of media consumption. Covid-related content on social media is harmful not only to those infected but also to families, loved ones, and caretakers. A woman taking care of her father and grandmother in Kathmandu who were hospitalised with Covid-19 used social media to occupy her time in hospital. However, the Covid-related posts shared on her timeline made her anxious and fearful. “It is in our nature to be more drawn to negative news,” she says, “but when you find yourself in the middle of the very crisis everyone is talking about, you realise how harrowing it really is.”Ramu Ghimire of Butwal has not been on social media since he tested positive for the virus, and has been seeking out positive content available on the internet. “Your first priority has to be your own recovery. Why pay attention to what is happening in the rest of the world?” Rinan Pokhrel is in isolation with his entire family in Bhaktapur after becoming infected. “Everyone in the family has tested positive, so we spend our time together, talking to each other,” he says. “More than 98 percent of those who become infected recover from the disease, but the media only chooses to focus on those who die and keep showing funeral pyres.” Psychiatrist Ritesh Thapa has been counselling people via tele-consultations during the pandemic, and says: “I have seen patients who are well on the road to recovery who become anxious and think they are going to die after seeing news of other Covid patients dying. They expressed fears of dying from the virus after they saw pictures of mass cremations in India circulating on social media.”Thapa suggests that all Nepalis limit their social media consumption, and patients in isolation not seek Covid-related updates constantly. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/tackling-nepals-mental-health-pandemic/">Tackling Nepal’s mental health pandemic</a>, Matrika DevkotaHe notes that mainstream media, especially television, also needs to be more responsible and careful about the kind of news it puts out during this crisis. He adds that publishing disturbing news and images of the dead to increase their ratings and circulation will only exacerbate the anxiety that people are already experiencing. Jagannath Lamichhane, activist and presenter of the interactive YouTube Channel ‘Juggernaut Mindset’, emphasises the need to stay away from fake news and misinformation during the pandemic. “It is important to get only necessary updates from a few trusted news sources, and stay away from social media altogether.”Indeed, the worst affected are Covid-19 patients in hospital who cannot see visitors, and turn to social media on their phones only to see posts on Facebook about their own friends and relatives dying.Cheena Thapa, a journalist in Biratnagar, took a break from social media after testing positive for the virus at the end of April, only going online a week later to update those close to her about her health. Thapa says she wished she had found more positive stories to see and read as she recovered.Butuwal-based journalist D R Ghimire has been isolating at home after he tested positive for Covid. Ghimire understood when in isolation how negative news added to an already stressful environment. “After having been a journalist for three decades, I now realise how feel-good stories add value and positive energy to our lives at times like this,” he added.“It is natural for people to panic at times like this, but all this negative news just spread more fear,” the Federation of Nepalese Journalists (FNJ) notes in its <a href="http://www.fnjnepal.org/np/notice/करन-covid-19-क-दसर-लहरक-बरम-समचर-समपरषण-गरद-धयन-दनपरन-करहर" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">publication</a> ‘Things to be considered while disseminating news regarding the second wave of Covid-19’. “Let us try to understand the facts about the infection, spread awareness about prevention measures, and let everyone know that early diagnosis and treatment can save lives.”Mukesh Pokhrel is a reporter for Himal Khabarpatrika and Nepali Times, and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/staying-positive-to-become-negative/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">wrote last year</a> about how negative news in the media affected him during his recovery.

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced0a9c7e80680e09ad9fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="658"/><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Nepal’s Covid-19 crisis has figured in a US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington on Wednesday, where members heard USAID officials, and urged a more urgent response.Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said he was concerned that the situation in Nepal was even more serious, after India stopped the export of vaccines.Meanwhile the first US legislator of Nepali-origin Harry Bhandari from Maryland has started a signature campaign calling on President Joe Biden to rush urgent medical aid to Nepal.Responding to the queries from senators at the hearing, Jeremy Konyndyk of USAID admitted the situation in Nepal was serious, that the high positivity rate meant there was an urgent need for more testing.Last week, the group <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/vaccines-are-the-only-solution/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/vaccines-are-the-only-solution/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1621001079983000&amp;usg=AFQjCNExp09ZvwY7OX2ArKmLNmcLJlnyLw">The Covid Alliance for Nepal</a> wrote to the US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry to urge him to help secure the AstraZeneca vaccine from the US stockpile. Nearly 1.3 million people in Nepal who have received the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine are waiting for the second dose, amidst uncertainty after India banned its export.Meanwhile, US Indo-Pacific Command announced on Thursday that it is giving Nepal $2.85 million to acquire oxygen plants, cylinders and storage tanks, as well as PPE, isolation centre equipment and other gear. USAID also announced that it had given various agencies of the Nepal government nearly $51 million to fight the pandemic.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110131120/636ced0e9c7e80680e09ada0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1176" height="1080">Also on Thursday, deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel called US Ambassador Berry asking for urgent help with AstraZeneca vaccines. Pokhrel said Berry had assured him that he was also urging Washington about the need for vaccines, and that he would keep the Nepal government informed.In return Berry also requested Pokhrel, who heads the Covid-19 Control and Management Committee (CCMC) to restore two flights a week from Kathmandu to evacuate its nationals stuck in Nepal to return to the United States. All international and domestic flights in Nepal have been grounded till 31 May, and the lockdown in Kathmandu has been extended till 27 May.In a separate development, the European Union is also extending €2 million in humanitarian funding to Nepal that will be used to monitor home isolated cases through tele-medicine services and rapid referral to hospitals, national emergency medical teams deployment and international emergency medical teams mobilisation facilitation as well as procurement of oxygen equipment including oxygen concentrators, cylinders, home care kits, diagnostics including antigen test kits and PPE.Nepal has also activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, and Finland is the first member to offer more than 2 million surgical masks, 350,000 FFP2 masks, 52,500 pairs of vinyl gloves and 30,000 isolation gowns."We stand in full solidarity with Nepal in its fight against the pandemic and are quickly mobilising emergency support with initial €2 million funding, and we stand ready to provide further assistance,”  said EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič.

International help for Nepal picks up

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b84ec9c7e80680e0677c2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="658"/><figcaption></figcaption></figure>Nepal’s Covid-19 crisis has figured in a US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing in Washington on Wednesday, where members heard USAID officials, and urged a more urgent response.Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut said he was concerned that the situation in Nepal was even more serious, after India stopped the export of vaccines.Meanwhile the first US legislator of Nepali-origin Harry Bhandari from Maryland has started a signature campaign calling on President Joe Biden to rush urgent medical aid to Nepal.Responding to the queries from senators at the hearing, Jeremy Konyndyk of USAID admitted the situation in Nepal was serious, that the high positivity rate meant there was an urgent need for more testing.Last week, the group <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/vaccines-are-the-only-solution/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/vaccines-are-the-only-solution/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1621001079983000&amp;usg=AFQjCNExp09ZvwY7OX2ArKmLNmcLJlnyLw">The Covid Alliance for Nepal</a> wrote to the US Ambassador to Nepal Randy Berry to urge him to help secure the AstraZeneca vaccine from the US stockpile. Nearly 1.3 million people in Nepal who have received the first dose of the AstraZeneca Covishield vaccine are waiting for the second dose, amidst uncertainty after India banned its export.Meanwhile, US Indo-Pacific Command announced on Thursday that it is giving Nepal $2.85 million to acquire oxygen plants, cylinders and storage tanks, as well as PPE, isolation centre equipment and other gear. USAID also announced that it had given various agencies of the Nepal government nearly $51 million to fight the pandemic.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109111144/636b84ef9c7e80680e0677c3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1176" height="1080">Also on Thursday, deputy Prime Minister Ishwar Pokhrel called US Ambassador Berry asking for urgent help with AstraZeneca vaccines. Pokhrel said Berry had assured him that he was also urging Washington about the need for vaccines, and that he would keep the Nepal government informed.In return Berry also requested Pokhrel, who heads the Covid-19 Control and Management Committee (CCMC) to restore two flights a week from Kathmandu to evacuate its nationals stuck in Nepal to return to the United States. All international and domestic flights in Nepal have been grounded till 31 May, and the lockdown in Kathmandu has been extended till 27 May.In a separate development, the European Union is also extending €2 million in humanitarian funding to Nepal that will be used to monitor home isolated cases through tele-medicine services and rapid referral to hospitals, national emergency medical teams deployment and international emergency medical teams mobilisation facilitation as well as procurement of oxygen equipment including oxygen concentrators, cylinders, home care kits, diagnostics including antigen test kits and PPE.Nepal has also activated the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, and Finland is the first member to offer more than 2 million surgical masks, 350,000 FFP2 masks, 52,500 pairs of vinyl gloves and 30,000 isolation gowns."We stand in full solidarity with Nepal in its fight against the pandemic and are quickly mobilising emergency support with initial €2 million funding, and we stand ready to provide further assistance,”  said EU Commissioner for Crisis Management, Janez Lenarčič.

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce76f9c7e80680e0967c2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="500"/><figcaption>All photos: AMIT MACHAMASI</figcaption></figure>With a deadlier <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/the-covid-tsunami/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">second wave</a> taking root, Kathmandu Valley has enforced a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/kathmandu-locks-down-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">a two-week long lockdown</a> effective today. The city, slowly returning to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/preparing-for-a-no-normal/">pre-Covid</a> levels of activity and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/biska-celebrations-begin-in-bhaktapur/">festivity</a>, has once again ground to a halt with empty streets and centers in scenes similar to those of last year’s shutdown.All public and private cars will be off the roads for a week. Exceptions will be vehicles for food, water supply, ambulances and other essential services, medical personnel, journalists with press passes.  Everyone entering Kathmandu by air or road will have to go into mandatory quarantine.Restaurants, bars, pubs and public functions are suspended. Marriage ceremonies cannot have more than 15 guests. Food shops will be allowed to open till 10AM and 5-7pm only.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7729c7e80680e0967c3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7759c7e80680e0967c4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="638"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7779c7e80680e0967c5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce77a9c7e80680e0967c6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="726" height="484"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce77d9c7e80680e0967c7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce77f9c7e80680e0967c8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="500"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7829c7e80680e0967c9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="750" height="500"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7849c7e80680e0967cajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7879c7e80680e0967cbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640">Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/new-nepal-lockdown-may-cancel-gains/">New Nepal lockdown may cancel gains</a>, Nepali Times

Lockdown 3.0

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7109c7e80680e09679fjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="641"/><figcaption>All photos: AMIT MACHAMASI</figcaption></figure>In a scene reminiscent of last year, tens of thousands of people thronged Kathmandu's main bus terminals to get out of the capital ahead of<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/kathmandu-locks-down-again/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Thursday's Covid-19 lockdown</a>.Most are leaving for their home districts in whatever trasport they can find: riding on top of buses, on the back of pickups or in taxis. The three district administrations in Kathmandu Valley announced a two week-long prohibitory order from 29 April as the country confronts a rising trajectory of Covid-19 cases and deaths. However, domestic flights will not be affected by the restrictions.A similar <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-goes-into-lockdown-for-a-week/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">announcement of a lockdown on 24 March 2020</a> saw an exodus of an estimated one-third of Kathmandu Valley's population. Many who could not find transport walked for weeks from Kathmandu to remote districts.Nepal recorded 4,364 new Covid-19 cases from 14,672 PCR tests on Tuesday, of which 1966 were in Kathmandu Valley--with 1,602 in Kathmandu, 240 in Lalitpur, and 124 in Bhaktapur. There were 18 additional deaths, bringing the official total to 3,194. Meanwhile, the positivity rate has risen more steeply in the second wave to more than 30%, compared to less than 4% in February, while there are more than 25,000 active cases.These photos taken at the Bus Park in Gongabu on Tuesday afternoon show people not caring about keeping physical distance to crowd around ticket counters, potentially risking a community spread of the virus. In the past month, hundreds of thousands of Nepalis have also returned from India, and tests at the border have shown that up to 10-15% of those tested were positive, or had been infected with Covid-19.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7139c7e80680e0967a0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="912" height="610"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7159c7e80680e0967a1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7189c7e80680e0967a2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="721" height="481"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce71a9c7e80680e0967a3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce71c9c7e80680e0967a4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce71f9c7e80680e0967a5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="641"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7219c7e80680e0967a6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7249c7e80680e0967a7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="720" height="480"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7279c7e80680e0967a8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110121156/636ce7299c7e80680e0967a9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="640">Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/the-covid-tsunami/">The Covid tsunami</a>, Editorial

Another Kathmandu exodus

Nepal’s only international aviation gateway, at Kathmandu airport, will cut night-time operation hours to allow construction of taxiways, and airlines have been told to curtail flights. This is expected to lead to more than normal chaos during the height of peak autumn and spring tourist seasons at an airport that is congested even at the best of times. The airport will close from 10PM to 8AM from 8 November-31 March 2025. The taxiways will now connect to the thresholds at both ends of the runway, making the airport more efficient in handling higher frequencies of landings and takeoffs. The parallel taxiway extension will allow international flights to land every 4 minutes instead of the current every 7 minutes. At present planes have to wait to land until a plane taking off backtracks along the runway.&nbsp; Kathmandu is Nepal’s only airport with international operations, and it has only one runway that is only one way in from the south over the mountains. With the taxiway improvement, the airport will be able to handle 42 aircraft landings and takeoffs per hour — double the current capacity.&nbsp; The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has been trying to entice international airlines to also start flying to and from the other two international airports at Pokhara and Bhairawa (Lumbini) by slashing landing and handling charges. But so far only Nepal Airlines operates a weekly flight to Bhairawa from Kuala Lumpur.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32" data-rendition-name="original" width="2356" height="1134" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport expansion"> <figcaption>Kathmandu Airport Expansion plan with extension of taxiways to the thresholds of runways 02 and 20 that will limit airport operations from 8 November 2024 - 31 March 2025. Areas in blue are existing structures, including the international terminal which in future will be the domestic airport, and the new international terminal near the north end of the runway,</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1353" height="1328" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport NT"> </figure>  CAAN has reportedly told international airlines to cut their flight frequency to Kathmandu citing the shorter operation hours and has told budget airlines to shift some of their flights to Pokhara or Bhairawa, or face cuts. Many airlines currently operate regular flights to and from Kathmandu between 10PM and 8AM: Air Arabia to Sharjah, Fly Dubai to Dubai, Jazeera Airways to Kuwait, Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines, several Nepal Airlines flights, and one of four daily flights by Qatar Airways to Doha. Jazeera Airways, FlyDubai, and Thai AirAsia have applied and got permission from CAAN to begin regular flights to Bhairawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport. Starting 9 November, FlyDubai will start making a stopover in Bhairawa before flying on to Kathmandu. Immigration, customs and security are all fully functional in Bhairawa. In Kathmandu, the next phase of the airport upgrade includes converting the current international terminal for domestic operations, the construction of a new international terminal where the domestic departure area is now, as well as moving the hangars and the Nepal Army Air Wing to the eastern side of the runway. The apron area will also double its parking space for widebody jets. This is part of a Airport Capacity Enhancement Project that was initially funded through a $80 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the entire masterplan is expected to cost $800 million. This project is the latest upgrade to Nepal’s only international airport since it saw its first flight in 1949. The current international and domestic terminals are too small to handle the current annual traffic volume of 8.5 million passengers a year that is growing at 20% a year.

Kathmandu airport to cut flight hours

As Kathmandu becomes more congested and polluted, and with remote online work becoming the norm, many professional Nepalis are planning to retire in Pokhara, or move there.&nbsp; With its stunning mountain panorama, balmy winters and proximity to a profusion of wilderness areas, builders are responding to this demand with new townhouses, housing development and apartments. One such block of flats is the 10-storey <a href="https://sungavaapartment.com/">Sungava Apartment</a> located at Phulbari above the Seti River, near the point where it flows into and under Pokhara. The imposing structure near Manipal Hospital is almost complete, and on a recent visit the site was strewn with huge boulders unearthed while digging the foundation.&nbsp; The Seti brought down these boulders during a gigantic flood that geologists estimate happened 800 years ago when a chunk of Annapurna IV broke off and ploughed into the glacier below. Today, Sungava (means ‘orchid’) sits safely on a high terrace, 100m above the blue-green Seti and commands a view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machapuchre, Annapurna III and IV.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2016" height="1512" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  The soil here is conglomerate that has solidified like concrete, and the boulders were extracted by heavy earthmovers. It is intriguing to think that these metamorphic rocks as big as cars, rounded by glacial grinding, were once a part of a much higher Annapurna IV. Even for those with little interest in geology, Sungava is an ideal place to contemplate the tectonic forces that pushed these peaks into the sky to be sculpted into delicate shapes by wind, snow, earthquake and avalanche over millions of years. The view of the Himalayan panorama from Sungava’s many balconies are breathtaking when not obscured by clouds, or the haze that drifts in from across the southern border. On most days, just watching the towering pyramid of Machapuchre (Tamu name: कतासुँ क्लिको) play hide and seek with the clouds is mesmerising. There are rocks aplenty at Phulbari, and it is probably the flowers that grew along the flat terraces e that gave the place its flowery name. The boulders will hopefully be turned into a rock garden while landscaping. An nearby restaurant complex is making the best use of the stones in its design, using flat rocks as outdoor benches and tables. Sungava was designed by the husband-wife architect team of Deepak Sherchan and Jyoti Joshi of <a href="https://thedarkmermaidamarbshrestha.blogspot.com/2013/12/creative-builders-collaborative-cbc.html">Creative Builders Collaborative (CBC)</a>, which also built Heritage Plaza, Indreni Apartment and numerous other projects in Nepal. Sadbhavana retains CBC’s trademark Newari-style masonry and here it borrows from the orange brickwork of the old town of Pokhara, integrating it with modern design elements. A few of those heritage houses are still standing in Ganesh Tole and Ram Krishna Tole in Pokhara’s old quarter.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab" data-rendition-name="original" width="1362" height="595" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  About 400m from the apartment past a bend on the river, and down below three tiers of terraces in the canyon is a suspension bridge. Below it, the Seti is still swollen with post-monsoon flow as it tumbles away in a hurry to head down south.&nbsp; Back at the apartment, it is quiet, far away from the hubbub of Lakeside a 15 minute drive away, and in the lap of greenery. There are 52 units at Sungava and it already has a close-knit prospective community of professionals, including doctors, publishers, engineers, and businesspeople from the renewable energy and IT sectors.&nbsp; Some residents say they opted for a second home in Pokhara to make it a ‘base camp’ to explore the Annapurnas with its many hiking trails made newly accessible with new roads. With the NRN citizenship law, overseas Nepalis can now also buy the flats. &nbsp; The floor plans include options for north and south-facing 3-bedroom apartments with verandas, and the facility has underground parking has EV charging, heated pool, sauna and gym. There are still some unsold apartments with panoramic views of the mountains and one can imagine oneself at the kitchen with its huge window, humming a ditty while preparing breakfast: “खाना पकाउँ हिमाल हेरेर...”

High living below the Himalaya

When the United Nations held its Summit of the Future at its headquarters in New York in September, many world leaders, including Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli, highlighted the effect of climate breakdown in increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. What did not get as much attention was the long term impact of the climate crisis on food production. In fact, heat stress, weather extremes and the consequences on rain-fed agriculture is already being felt worldwide, undermining the chances of the <a href="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/">UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a> being met by 2030.&nbsp; The SDG’s 17 targets commit countries like Nepal to reduce poverty and inequality, end malnutrition, protect the natural environment, and ensure that citizens all enjoy health, justice and prosperity without leaving anyone behind.&nbsp; However, besides the impact of climate breakdown on agricultural production, in Nepal the area under cultivation is impacted by urban expansion, falling productivity and the need for expensive inputs like fertiliser and pesticides.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62" data-rendition-name="original" width="999" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Kathmandu's urban sprawl is eating into its fertile cultivable lands. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  Now, a new study led by Nepali researcher Prajal Pradhan at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands looks at how urban agriculture may offer a solution to falling food production and meeting SDG targets. The researchers evaluated 1,450 publications exploring the contributions of urban agriculture with both positive and negative effects, and published their findings in the journal Cells Report Sustainability. Urban agriculture can help achieve 17 SDGs, positively influencing 81 targets. However, it could also undermine 51 goals.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-vanishing-land">The vanishing land</a>, Taylor Mason “Urban agriculture offers immense potential for sustainable development, but realising this potential depends crucially on adopting practices that minimise its adverse effects while maximising its benefits,” Pradhan explains. Urban agriculture can substantially enhance urban food security, provide employment to the urban poor, serve as ground water recharge in built-up areas, and preserve open spaces that can serve as safe havens during disasters like earthquakes. However, it also presents problems like the potential health risks from contamination and the need for expensive inputs. &nbsp; “Urban agriculture plays a definitive role in advancing the SDGs, but achieving this requires tailored, context-specific solutions that address the unique challenges of different regions,” says Yuanchao Hu of Wuhan University in China and who is a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “But it needs equitable access and rigorous management of environmental risks.”&nbsp; Rapid urbanisation is eating into Nepal’s most fertile agricultural land, which means farming in remaining open spaces inside cities can be a viable alternative, especially as food prices rise.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>A vegetable patch in between new houses in Thimi. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  “The conversion of Nepal’s most fertile land into cities is a severe problem,” Pradhan told Nepali Times. “Crop cultivation, horticulture, agroforestry, beekeeping, livestock rearing, or aquaculture can all be farming activities within and around cities.”&nbsp; The study makes recommendations for sustainable practices that build on the positive aspects of urban agriculture while mitigating the downsides, thereby promoting more resilient cities in future. Research shows that urban agriculture has been helping many countries attain SDG targets by enhancing food security and biodiversity while helping education and preservation of open spaces.&nbsp; Indeed, many farmers from the hinterland who have settled in Kathmandu Valley or other urban areas of the country have been practicing urban agriculture, leasing neighbourhood patches or cultivating roof gardens both out of necessity because of inflation and falling income to grow their own food, and also as a fulfilling hobby. Saurav Dhakal, a sustainability advocate with Story Cycle and now research fellow at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand, says there are socio-economic and environmental benefits of urban agriculture. “It provides benefits to all urban dwellers, regardless of their income status,” says Dhakal, “families get fresh food, and there are many other benefits like water retention, heat regulation and biodiversity. These are all public goods, so special government incentives may be needed.” It is not unusual to see vegetable patches and even paddy fields within inner city Kathmandu where an older generation of farmers are using available fertile land and <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rooftop-gardens-kathmandu,1415">roof gardens to produce fresh, nutritious food </a>to reduce their dependence on food items that have to be bought after being trucked in from large distances.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>An older generation of farmers are using any available fertile land to continue farming but it is getting more and more difficult. Photo: TAYLOR MASON </figcaption> </figure>  Nepal’s urban population grew rapidly from only 3.6% in 1991 to 25% today. There is large outmigration from the mountains to peri-urban areas of the Tarai, to Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara, with many young men then moving abroad for work. Kathmandu Valley’s population has swelled to nearly 3 million, and is growing at 6.5% a year. Dilip Shrestha, 71, used to work for Nepal Food Corporation, so he knew firsthand about inflation, shortages and vegetables with pesticide residue. So, when he designed his new house in Kathmandu, he built a spacious roof where he grows cucumber, ginger, garlic, coriander, onions, tomatoes, chili, beans, okra, pumpkin and lettuce. His family eats healthier, and he has reduced dependence on the market.&nbsp; The co-author of the Cell Reports Sustainability journal article, Daya Raj Subedi who is a PhD candidate at Beijing Forestry University, says urban agriculture also promotes inclusion and psycho-social wellbeing.&nbsp; He says, “A crucial finding of the study is the identification of opportunities and challenges associated with urban agriculture, it can promote sustainable transformation of society.” In Banepa, 55-year-old Bijaya Manandhar in her lifetime has watched the fertile farms of her neighbourhood that used to supply vegetables to Kathmandu, now completely built up with no open space left. The pandemic lockdown prompted her to turn to the family’s <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world">ancestral livelihood by growing food</a> not on terrace farms, but on the roof terrace. Manandhar is now a part of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world%5C%5C">कौसी खेती र करेसाबारी क्रान्ती</a> (Rooftop Farming and Garden Revolution) which has an online membership of 52,000, and awards annual prizes to women who excel in urban agriculture.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="736" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Rooftop farming is gaining popularity as a form of urban agriculture. </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> </figure>  Pradhan says the challenge now is to upscale such examples of successful urban agricultural practices so they support Neal’s efforts to meet SDG targets. He adds, “Crop cultivation around cities can be protected by land use plans and regulations. Promoting community-based agriculture, including rooftop gardens, requires community engagement and public-private partnerships across the food value chain.”&nbsp; Such support would accelerate the popularity of existing rooftop farming and community gardens in Kathmandu Valley, or kitchen garden initiatives in Pokhara, and building on traditional farming practices that are preserved and integrated into urban settings like in Bhaktapur and Banepa. In Lalitpur, the Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Center promotes urban farming enhancing both sustainability and empowerment.&nbsp; Another co-author of the report, Yuanchao Hu from China says followup research of the team will aim to identify good practices in local urban agriculture practices. He adds, “There are examples of urban agriculture that optimise sustainability, ensuring that it remains a viable solution for cities globally while countries try to meet SDG targets.” Prajal Pradhan, Daya Raj Subedi, Kshitij Dahal, Yuanchao Hu, Prakriti Gurung, Sijal Pokharel, Sagar Kafle, Biplav Khatri, Sudeeksha Basyal, Monika Gurung, and Aruna Joshi. Urban Agriculture matters for sustainable development. Cell Reports Sustainability, 1:100217, 2024. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2024.100217] Prajal Pradhan (<a href="mailto:p.pradhan@rug.nl">p.pradhan@rug.nl</a>) This article is brought to you by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/" target="_blank">Nepali Times</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://inpsjapan.com/en/" target="_blank">INPS Japan</a> and <a href="https://sgi-peace.org/" target="_blank">Soka Gakkai International</a>, in consultative status with UN ECOSOC.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758" data-rendition-name="original" width="680" height="103" loading="lazy" alt="SDG logo"> </figure>

Back to the land in the cities

The 700-year-old Lakshmi Narasingha temple in Bhaktapur houses a rare half-lion and half-human incarnation of Lord Vishnu carrying the Goddess Lakshmi. The temple was destroyed in the 1934 mega earthquake that killed 10,000 people and destroyed many monuments in Kathmandu Valley. It was rebuilt by a German project in the 1980s, but as a single-storey structure instead of its original two-tier pagoda design.&nbsp; With new findings from in-depth research, Bhaktapur municipality began re-restoring the temple in 2021, preserving its original architecture.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “Our temples and heritage sites hold deep meaning. It is disheartening to witness how often they lose their original elements, whether by design or accident,” explains Kumar Chawal of the Consumer Committee of Bhaktapur. “There is a need to preserve our architecture and protect its historical value for future generations. Otherwise, we risk losing a vital part of our identity.” The Laksmi Narsingha restoration is similar to the Bhai Dega temple in Patan Darbar Square which also collapsed in 1934, but was rebuilt with a Moghul-style dome by the Rana government at the time. Only two months before the 2015 earthquake, heritage conservationists had started to rebuild Bhai Dega as the original three-tier based on early photographs. But priorities shifted when four other temples in the square were brought down by the 7.8M earthquake on 25 April 2015.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  This showed how damage to monuments in Kathmandu Valley spanned from one earthquake to the next. Bhai Dega restoration remains half-complete to this day because money for its restoration ran out.&nbsp; Whereas Bhai Dega restoration was done by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust with grants from western embassies and international foundations, in Bhaktapur it is the municipality itself that allocated the Rs30.7 million needed to restore the Lakshmi Narasingha temple. The expected date of completion is early 2025. The municipality and local communities are focusing on two main aspects: preserving the past and promoting localisation. The restoration team has designed a blueprint for the temple by using historical photographs and insights from older generations.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="560" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “At first, the Lakshmi Narasingha temple had only one entrance, but during the demolition process, we uncovered the foundations of four doors. Now, we are restoring all of them. This is an example of how our ancient structures have changed over time, often without our knowledge,” says Chawal. “Constructing temples is not like building houses. They carry historical and spiritual values, which is why they hold a special place in our hearts,” he adds. By replicating ancient design elements and rebuilding the temple as accurately as possible to its original form, the team has stayed true to Bhaktapur’s soul. But the restoration also revived ancient techniques that were in danger of being forgotten, generating employment for woodcarvers, masons, and contractors. The community of Bhaktapur’s Gahiti neighbourhood near the famous Nyatapola Temple has also set aside specific days for locals to volunteer in the reconstruction work. This has encouraged young people to take pride in ownership of their heritage. Families have also supported the effort by donating funds for bells, the temple pinnacle, and other structural features to the temple.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “I feel at peace knowing I have contributed my sweat to restoring this temple,” said one volunteer. “It is our duty to preserve our temples and heritage. The Nyatapola area will look magical once this temple is completed.” Community mobilisation is a long-standing tradition in Bhaktapur. In the past, locals have actively participated in the restoration of other temples in the city, such as Bhairav and Nyatapola fostering a strong sense of ownership. This collective engagement has not only been crucial in preserving the city's historical monuments but also in strengthening the bond between local communities and their heritage, says officials at the municipality. While securing funding is essential, and the municipality showed it values heritage conservation, the Lakshmi Narasingha restoration is proof that active involvement and sense of responsibility of the local community is as important, if not more. Local involvement also means that the monuments will be cared for into the future, When locals take ownership of these efforts, the restored monuments are not only protected in the present but are also cared for in the future.

coronavirus-lockdown

Readjusting to life post-Covid

After lockdown, we will need masks more than ever

After lockdown, we will need masks more than ever

The healing power of nature

The social media contagion

The social media contagion

International help for Nepal picks up

International help for Nepal picks up

Lockdown 3.0

Another Kathmandu exodus

Kathmandu airport to cut flight hours

High living below the Himalaya

Back to the land in the cities

In with the old in Nepal