Mohan Budhaair 

The local administration has decided to allow at least 1,000 Nepalis, who were stranded in Gauriphanta border crossing in Kailali since Monday evening, to enter the country.

"They will be kept in a quarantine facility in their respective villages and municipalities," said Yagya Raj Bohara, the Chief District Officer of Kailali. "They are undergoing health examinations and will be taken to their respective districts.”

Buses have been managed to facilitate the returnees travel to the home districts, informed Bohara. "The local units under the provincial government have taken the responsibility to keep them in quarantine facilities."

The returnees had protested against the authorities on Tuesday morning for the latter’s insensitivity to their distress.

As Nepal has closed its borders with India and China for a week from Monday and has gone on a weeklong lockdown from Tuesday morning at 6am, the returnees were not allowed to cross the border.

According to Bohara, the local administration decided to allow their entry in the country after coordinating with the provincial government and the Home Ministry.

The federal government has decided to allow the entry of all Nepalis stranded in border crossings across the country until Tuesday midnight. A meeting of a high-level committee formed for the prevention and control of novel coronavirus took the decision on Tuesday.

“Only Nepali nationals will be allowed to enter the country that too only after conducting their health examination,” said Yubaraj Khatiwada, Minister for Communication and Information Technology. “This directive is applicable only for Tuesday. No one will be allowed to enter the country Wednesday onwards.”

The government has decided to keep those who were allowed to enter the country on Tuesday in quarantine facilities for 14 days. The committee has directed the provincial and local units to manage such facilities in their respective administrations.

Published on: 24 March 2020 | Kathmandu Post