Kathmandu : Secretary of Finance Ministry, Toyam Raya, took oath of office and secrecy as the member the Nepal Rastra Bank (NRB) board of directors before Acting Chief Justice Hari Krishna Karki.

Amidst a programme organised at the Supreme Court today, Acting Chief Justice Karki administered oath of office and secrecy to Raya.
There is a provision in the Clause 14 of the Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2058 that secretary of the Finance Ministry would be the member of NRB board of directors.

Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court, Lal Bahadur Kunwar, Registrars—Narayan Prasad Panthi and Nirmala Poudel, Assistant-Registrar Narayan Prasad Regmi, Director and Secretary of Board of Directors of the Nepal Rastra Bank, Muktinath Sapkota among others were present on the occasion.

Daily life affected by cold wave
The daily life of people in Mahottari has been affected by the cold wave for the past two weeks. People have been forced to stay indoors as a result of the severe cold in central, western and southern regions of the district including the headquarters Jaleshwar.

There has been a decrease in the mobility of people in the urban and rural areas of the district including Jaleshwar due to the cold weather. Means of transportation have started running at a minimum level.
Meanwhile, traders say that the sale of warm clothes has increased rapidly in the market. However, the number of people coming to shop for other items has decreased in the market.

According to the health authorities, there has been an increase in the number of children and the elderly falling sick and seeking treatment. Doctors say that the number of patients in the district hospital has increased due to the cold.
Farmers have said that the winter crops including pulses, oilseeds and vegetable crops have started rotting due to the cold.

To protect people from the cold, all the 15 municipalities in the district have arranged for burning of firewood in common places in the villages. Likewise, the contingent of Nepali Army based in Jaleshwar is working to provide hot water and tea in the poor Dalit settlements.
Also, all the 323 schools across the district have been closed.