Nepal has faced different kinds of disasters in the last decades. However, Nepalese government system is yet to learn to effectively handle the rehabilitation and recovery process. The government has again repeated its mistakes in the case of recent tornado victims of Bara and Parsa. Despite the presence of central, provincial and local governments, Nepal Army and Nepal Police remained the backbone of rescue and relief distribution after the disaster. Although the government and political leaders visited the sites and announced heavy relief packages, including house construction cost, the victims continue to live in the open sky with limited food. With NGOs/INGOs, having well qualified experts with them, the government could handle the whole disaster well with their mobilization.

Although the current Nepal Communist Party led government is democratically elected, some of its recent decisions and activities have created questions over the democratic and liberal credentials. Issuing a written order to present monthly salary chart of employees of media as a perquisite for press accreditation reveals the government can go against free press to any extent. In the name of minimum wages, set by itself for working journalists, the government is intruding into freedom as if it is sympathetic to working journalists. This move will ultimately divide the media house and working journalists, finally ruining the flourishing media which is hostile to the government. However, we have decided to cover Mustang as our cover story. Similarly, we also cover all other contemporary issues, including the elections in India as part of our story. As Nepalese are celebrating New Year, we wish to extend the season’s greetings to our readers and patrons: Happy and Prosperous New Year 2076.