Nepal Aviation Authority Urges Government to Implement Stringent Travel Restrictions
Nepal’s civil aviation body on Tuesday recommended to the government to implement stringent travel restrictions in an effort to contain the coronavirus outbreak stating that it could not ask airlines to suspend their flights.
“Based on current practices worldwide, we have recommended to the government to issue a travel advisory or travel restriction in countries which have been badly affected,” said Rajan Pokhrel, director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal.
“Our recommendation is based on the guideline of the World Health Organisation which says that the epidemic cannot be controlled by restricting flights, but the government needs to take extra precautionary measures with regard to health, particularly at airports.”
The aviation regulator said that flight restrictions by any state undermine the approach to respond to this kind of outbreak to any particular country.
Pokhrel said that in case of an emergency, the state can impose flight restrictions.
The authority, which was told by the Tourism Ministry to prepare a report whether or not Nepal needs to restrict flights to and from virus-hit countries, submitted its report on Tuesday. The report has been forwarded to the Foreign Ministry, said a senior official at the ministry. “The Foreign Ministry will make a decision based on the recommendation.”
Among various restrictions, many countries have stopped issuing visa on-arrival and imposed blanket travel restrictions, said an official at the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. “But airlines themselves can suspend flights.”
On Monday, the Supreme Court issued an interim order to the government asking it to stop flights to and from countries affected by the coronavirus outbreak for a few days or a month, if needed, in order to protect public health. The court ruling came in response to a public interest litigation filed by advocate Purna Rajbansi.
The government issued the travel advisory in order to prevent and control the outbreak and take precautions.
According to the advisory, Nepali nationals are advised to refrain from non-essential travel to countries affected by Covid-19 or in high risk of the virus including China, South Korea, Iran, Japan and Italy.
These five countries have been worst hit by the virus, and the people transiting via these countries will have to submit a health certificate stating that they are not infected by Covid-19 at immigration points in Nepal.
For the time being, nationals of third countries entering Nepal overland through India shall be issued visas after a health check-up if they enter the country only from Kakarbhitta, Jogbani, Raxaul, Sunauli, Nepalgunj and Gaddachauki.
Nepali nationals directly coming from countries affected by the virus and at high risk of Covid-19 and from third countries transiting via those countries will have to undergo mandatory home quarantine for 14 days. The private and non-government sectors are requested to postpone their international programmes scheduled to be held in Nepal.
The Nepal government has decided to stop issuing visas on-arrival to foreign nationals from five countries that have been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak, according to the Department of Immigration.
A Cabinet meeting on Sunday decided that visas for citizens of China, 'including its Special Administrative Regions', Japan, South Korea, Italy and Iran will not be issued on arrival, effective from March 10, according to an official at the department.
Travel advisory
Nepali nationals directly coming from countries affected by the virus and at high risk of Covid-19 and from third countries transiting via those countries will have to undergo mandatory home quarantine for 14 days.
Nepali nationals are advised to refrain from non-essential travel to countries affected by Covid-19 or in high risk of the virus including China, South Korea, Iran, Japan and Italy.
The people transiting via these countries will have to submit a health certificate stating that they are not infected by Covid-19 at immigration points in Nepal.
For the time being, nationals of third countries entering Nepal overland through India shall be issued visas after a health check-up if they enter the country only from Kakarbhitta, Jogbani, Raxaul, Sunauli, Nepalgunj and Gaddachauki.
The private and non-government sectors are requested to postpone their international programmes scheduled to be held in Nepal.
Nepal government has decided to stop issuing visas on-arrival to foreign nationals from five countries--China, South Korea, Iran, Japan and Italy-- that have been hit hard by the coronavirus outbreak.
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