KATHMANDU, July 18: Accusing the Ministry of Health and Population of making no significant efforts to bring reforms in the ways to fight the pandemic of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in the country, the ‘Enough is Enough’ campaigners have started Satyagraha (relay hunger strike) from Saturday afternoon on the Basantapur Durbar Square premises.

Following a 12-point agreement with the government, Pukar Bam and ‘Iih’ of the campaign had broken their 12-day hunger strike earlier on July 7. They sat for the Satyagraha without food and water at Patan Durbar Square.

“However, the ministry is totally reluctant to keep up its commitment to fulfil all demands within a week,” the campaigners argued. The ministry is still silent about the commitment, even after a second follow-up meeting which extended the time for action by another five days, according to them.

“The government has failed to amend the directives in accordance with the agreement which would have helped to some extent in controlling the spread of COVID-19 across the country. This pandemic has continued to gain momentum -- and it will be important for us, as responsible citizens, to continuously pay attention to finding solutions to the problems created by the pandemic,” a press statement released earlier on Saturday reads.

Enough is Enough was initiated as a Facebook group nearly a month ago to put pressure on the Government of Nepal and relevant authorities for the effective management of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the course of the campaign, various youth groups staged protests in Baluwatar, Bhatbhateni, Maitighar, Shahid Gate, Basantapur, Patan and more than 100 cities and towns across the country.

Here are some of the photos taken by our photojournalist Monika Malla on the Basantapur Durbar Square premises on Saturday. 

 
• Enough_is_Enough
 
• Nepal
 
• hunger_strike
 
• Satyagraha