Lawmakers call attention to reducing monkey pox risk

CPN (UML) lawmaker Yogesh Kumar Bhattarai has drawn the attention of the government towards adopting the required preparation to prevent the risk in Nepal of monkey pox infection that has been afflicting the world.

Seeking time from the Speaker to voice opinion on a matter of public importance in the meeting of the House of Representatives today, he, through the Speaker, called attention of the government to spread public awareness at the grass roots level against monkey pox and adopt stringent checking at the border transit points.

"The monkey pox has affected the developed countries as well. The Government of Nepal has not spread public awareness on this. No sign boards have been installed at the border transit points and at the airport for precaution against this disease. I demand the government to adopt alertness and preparations against this disease as it has also been detected in neighbouring India with which we have open border," he said.

Pointing out that the risk of cholera has increased in Kathmandu Valley, lawmaker Bhattarai called attention of the bodies concerned to take up precautionary measures. He shared that 34 cholera patients have been found in the Valley, stressing on the need of spreading awareness among the public and to test whether the water at the source is fit for drinking or not.

He also called on the government to inform the parliament on the control measures adopted doe checking the spread of COVID-19 in the context of new variants of coronavirus.

Khaga Raj Adhikari demanded that the government inform the House about whether a letter has been sent to the US government that Nepal would not become a part of its State Partnership Program (SPP).

Anjana Bishankhe and Amrita Thapa Magar among other lawmakers who spoke in the session wanted to know from the government how the Chief of the Army Staff was sent to participate in the IPS' international conference being held in Australia.

Call for informing House on money laundering

Meanwhile, speaking in the 'zero hour' session of the House of Representatives today, lawmaker Gagan Kumar Thapa called on the government to inform the House immediately regarding the money laundering issue.

He urged the government to make the facts public on issues like tax evasion, increasing corruption and weakening overall value system in the country pointed out to by the experts in the context of adequate anti-money laundering laws already in place but not implemented effectively.

"Nepal is a member of the Asia Pacific Group (APG) on Money Laundering which is related to the Financial Action Task Force. It is said that the APG mutual evaluation is going to be held in coming October-November. This kind of evaluation is mainly done on the basis of our legal framework and effectiveness of its implementation. So, preparations should be made in time so as to prevent Nepal from being put in the black list," lawmaker Thapa suggested.

He cautioned that Nepal should make preparation for the same to prevent from being enlisted in the black list. "Nepal's international banking transactions would be stopped and it would not be able to open L/C as well if it is put in the black list. This situation would be a blow to a country like ours which is dependent on remittances and imports," he said. Lawmaker Thapa also wanted to know from the government Nepal's status regarding the 40 indices of evaluation and government's preparation to prevent the country from being included in the APF black list.