Kathmandu valley DAOs likely to continue ‘smart lockdown’

Three District Administration Offices of Kathmandu valley are likely to extend the prohibitory period continuing the ‘Smart lockdown’. The ongoing prohibitory order will last on August 24.

The prohibitory order has been issued in the valley as per the decision of the Council of Ministers, Section 4 of COVID-19 Crisis Management Ordinance, 2078 and Sub-section 3 of Section 6 of Local Administration Act, 2028.

The lockdown has banned all kinds of meetings, conventions and gatherings at public places by maintaining the safety parameters and easing the production and supply of essential goods. Despite imposing 'smart lockdown', Kathmandu valley has been witnessing an increase of 898 new cases of coronavirus infection daily for the past one week while the country is seeing 2,254 cases daily on average.

Moreover, there seems no possibility of changing the adopted modality of the lockdown. Kathmandu's Chief District Officer (CDO) Kali Prasad Parajuli told NepalNews that it has yet to be decided on the modality of the lockdown. “We are going to discuss this in a meeting that will be held among the CDOs of Kathmandu valley,” CDO Parajuli said and gave hint that there was no plan of changing the modality of the lockdown.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Education and Health under the House of Representatives Friday urged the government to conduct Grade XII exams by ensuring health and safety protocol. The committee has argued that the repeated postponement of exams would cause a negative impact on students. The Committee meeting held on Friday expressed concern why the Grade XII exam was postponed while other university exams were being held as usual. Committee member Man Bahadur Bishwokarma viewed the exams of universities across the country and of the international boards were being held physically, so only the exam of Grade XII must not be put on hold.

Likewise, Secretary at the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology Ram Prasad Thapaliya blamed CCMC for postponing the examinations at the eleventh hour. All students in the Kathmandu Valley sitting for the tests were vaccinated against COVID-19, he said. "Both the Board and the Ministry are in favour of holding the tests," he said.

However, talking to NepalNews Nurahari Khatiwada, Joint Secretary at the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC), said the CCMC only studies the situation and give advice to the Administration. He made it clear that in a 'smart lockdown', each local administration can independently and responsibly decide on its own modality. It can be intensified or eased depending on the current situation.

CCMC Joint Secretary also said that it was not possible to impose the lockdown strictly. However, the law gives authority to the CDOs to decided on the modality of lockdown and holding Grade XII examinations.

It will not practical to close down all the business sectors at once, he said and added that the death rate had not been increasing of late. He refuted the rumours that strict lockdown will be imposed again.