Author: Himalaya Post

The government has demolished more than eight thousand ‘Chhaugoths’ as part of its campaign to eliminate the evil practice of Chhaupadi. Chhaupadi is a cultural practice in which menstruating women are made to stay away from the house and family in temporary hut called chhaugoth for three to five days. The government, on December 25, 2019, announced the campaign of demolishing the chhaugoths after the women in Karnali and Sudur Paschim area continued to suffer from discrimination and inconvenience in the nameof this evil social and cultural practice. So far 8,617 chhaugoths have been pulled down as part of this campaign. The Police Headquarters stated that as of February 27, six thousand three hundred and eighty two chhaugoths have been demolished in Sudur Paschim State and 2,235 chhaugoths have been pulled down in Karnali. The largest number of chhaugoths (4,897) has been demolished so far in Achham district while 1,924 have been razed in Surkhet, Police Spokesman Shailesh Thapa Chhetri said. Similarly, 510 chhaugoths have been pulled down in Bajura, 342 in Doti, 273 in Kailali, 259 in Dailekh, 197 in Kanchanpur, 140 in Bajhang, 30 in Jajarkot, 20 in Kalilot, 23 in Dadeldhura and two in Salyan districts so far. The Police Spokesman said awareness programmes against chhaupadi practice have been held and 965 families have been sensitized through them in Karnali and Sudur Paschim states. Four hundred...

The reconstruction of Rato Machchhindranath Temple based in Lalitpur metropolis-22, Bungmati has yet to be reconstructed when five years have almost elapsed since the ‘2015 Gorkha Earthquake’ devastated lives and properties in manifold. The Government of Sri Lanka which took the responsibility for temple reconstruction three years back has pulled out its hand from reconstruction since last December following misunderstanding with three contractors, Thegis, Pera and Tulasi Construction JV. Uncertainty is looming large which agency to take up the responsibility for temple reconstruction after walkway of Sri Lankan government. Lalitpur metropolis mayor Chiribabu Maharajan said the desired quality could not be maintained while contracting out for temple reconstruction in line with the Public Procurement Act-2063 BS. “We have already decided to rebuild the temple by forming users’ committee. The National Reconstruction Authority is also ready for providing necessary amount for temple reconstruction”. With this the process of contract out for temple rebuild would not be put forward, mayor Maharjan clarified. He further said no letter has been so far sent out from the Department of Archaeology and National Reconstruction Authority for forming users’ committee in regard to the temple reconstruction. “We would form an users’ committee and take ahead the reconstruction process immediately after a letter was sent to the metropolis from the Department for forming users’ committee”, the Lalitpur mayor added. NRA chief engineer Sampat Ghimire said the...