Dodhara Chandani dry port construction advancing rapidly
By Chitranga Thapa & Bhawani Bhatta Officials say the Kanchanpur project is expected to be completed within two years if work continues without disruption. Experts stress the need for stronger export-oriented industrial planning.
Tourism surge spills into security concerns along Nepal border towns
By Manoj Paudel, Bhawani Bhatta, Rupa Gahatraj, Shankar Acharya, Shiva Puri & Madhav Dhungana Rowdy behaviour, cross-border crime and weak monitoring along the open border are posing growing challenges for local authorities in border districts.
Leopard rescues highlight rising human-wildlife conflict in Nepal’s far west
By Bhawani Bhatta Conservation study finds big cats increasingly roaming near settlements in Sudurpaschim as shrinking prey and habitat push wildlife closer to people.
Overexploited for years, the Chure hills are weakening, and water stress is rising across the Tarai
By Bhawani Bhatta, Ghanashyam Gautam, Shiva Puri, Parbat Portel & Ramesh Kumar Paudel Groundwater that once lay at 20 to 25 feet is now sinking beyond 110 feet in several parts of the Tarai.
Riverbeds turn lifeline for freed Kamaiyas in Kanchanpur
By Bhawani Bhatta & Harishchandra Bagh Farmers turn sandy riverbeds into productive fields. They earn a living from growing vegetables, but rely on risky roadside trade without market.
‘We spent more time searching for gas than working’, says Nepali arriving from India
By Bhawani Bhatta Gaddachauki border officials say around 500 workers are crossing back into Nepal on a daily basis.
Blackbucks in Shuklaphanta and Bardiya to be relocated
By Bhawani Bhatta 18 blackbucks to be moved to Tikauli in Barandabhar corridor. Relocation will be complete by mid-May.
Family of Kanchanpur youth killed in Ukraine war seeks repatriation of remains
By Bhawani Bhatta The youth remained in regular contact with his family during his initial training period, but his last communication was on November 26, 2023.
After voting, Nepali migrant workers head back to India, urge leaders to deliver on pledges
By Bhawani Bhatta Thousands who came home to vote in the March 5 snap parliamentary elections are now returning, forced by poverty into jobs far from families.
Tiger count in Shuklaphanta to begin after polls
By Bhawani Bhatta Survey deferred as park staff mobilised for election duty; 260 grids identified for camera installation.
Displaced and on the edge of forests, families face daily threats from wildlife
By Bhawani Bhatta Elephant intrusions, destroyed crops, and occasional deaths are part of daily life for hundreds of families in Dhakka.
Six-year-old girl dies in elephant’s attack
By Bhawani Bhatta Around 600 people displaced while expanding Shuklaphanta National Park have been staying in Dhakka camp.
Darchula college students demand maths teacher as exams approach
By Bhawani Bhatta After two years of protests were unheeded, Gokuleshwar Multiple Campus students take their demand to Far Western University in Mahendranagar.
Sudurpaschim traders chase winter markets across Indian border
By Bhawani Bhatta Nepali itinerant sellers spend months in Uttarakhand towns, selling woollen goods to support families back home.
10 hectares of Gaurighat forest cleared within hours. Land mafia suspected
By Chitranga Thapa & Bhawani Bhatta Incident happened on November 27. Forest office investigating possible involvement of local land grabbers.