Govt issues travel advisory for outbound Nepalis
– Sharachchandra Bhandary
The government has issued a travel advisory to all Nepalis, urging them not to go abroad except in top priorities.
The government’s announcement comes as a part of precaution measures against COVID-19 after the WHO enlisted Nepal in a high-risk zone of coronavirus pneumonia outbreak.
Likewise, the government has requested the citizens not to go abroad for studies, trips, entertainment and even for overseas jobs except in the case of top priority.
Furthermore, the government has decided not to issue no objection certificate (NOC) for now to the outgoing students.
As part of the precaution measures, the government has also appealed to the citizens to have limited gatherings in the social functions like marriage, Bratabandha and others, and not to stay for long in the gatherings, conferences and crowds. Asking the commoners to stay safe and alert, the government has asked the people to wear face masks.
A high-level taskforce under the chair of Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Ishwar Pokhrel has been formed and that has been coordinating with rest of the agencies for precautions and managerial tasks against the coronavirus pneumonia, Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gyawali said at a news conference on Monday.
Similarly, Minister Gyawali said that Nepali diplomatic missions and general counsels abroad have been directed to work round the clock for rescue and coordination and remain alert against the coronavirus.
Meanwhile, thirty Nepalis have been returned from Dubai, UAE on Monday. The Nepalis may have been denied entry as a precautionary measure against the Coronavirus.
Likewise, the government today decided not to grant on-arrival VISA to tourists coming from the virus-affected countries. The decision comes into effect from March 10, according to Foreign Minister Gyawali.
Former Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey has been recommended as Ambassador of Nepal to China. The cabinet meeting on Sunday took the decision. Gyawali said that the decision was to send a high-level political figure in place of a former administrator.
The government today also announced a global tender for printing of Machine Readable Passports.
Meanwhile, Vice-president Nanda Bahadur Pun has decided not to attend any public events considering the risk of COVID-19. The Vice-president has directed his private secretariat to postpone any confirmed programmes and not agree to any invitations for the same.
He will not attend any public programmes until the government makes a public announcement about minimization of possible risk of the coronavirus and normalization of the situation, his press coordinator Manoj Ghartimagar said. The Vice-president has also urged one and all to support the government’s control measures and not panic.
