Sherchan for recognising Nepal Sambat

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, October 22:
Thousands of activists, mostly Newars, have been making a hue and cry since the past 26 years calling governments to recognise the cultural identity of the Nepal Sambat (Era) and announce it as the national calendar by replacing the existing Bikram Sambat, but nothing to this effect has happened yet.
Deputy PM Amik Sherchan today said he would table a proposal on recognising Nepal Sambat as the country’s national calendar in the Thursday’s cabinet meeting and also sought an application from the activists as a proposal to the government.
“I only need a letter from some coordinating organisation as a proposal to the government. I also want to see Nepal Sambat recognised,” he said addressing a programme of Jyapu Samaj, orgnised on the eve of Nepal Sambat 1127 New Year.
This statement, however, has not come as an encouraging development to the people who have been rallying across the Kathmandu Valley to observe the native Nepali Sambat New Year.
Chairman of Newa Day Daboo, the national forum of the Newars, [Malla K Sundar] said: “It is customary for all political leaders to deliver encouraging speeches to the audience, whom they consider a vote bank, but do almost nothing when it is time to make a ground-breaking change.”
“Since long, we have been hearing prime ministers and other prominent leaders highlighting the significance of the Nepal Sambat. But, unfortunately, our demand of having it recognised it still a distant dream,” he said.
“It is strange that the governments are indifferent to Nepal Sambat. Recognition to the Nepal Sambat will establish Nepal as the only country in the world with its native calendar and pave way to use the international Gregorian calendar for day-to-day affairs,” said Prof Prem Shanti Tuladhar, the chairperson to New Year Celebration Committee.
Since the calendar was formulated 1,126 years ago, it was the only Nepali official calendar in historic times. Still, people either turn their back to it or incorrectly claim that it only belongs to the Newars,” she said. Human Rights activist and chairman of Nepal Bhasha Mankaa Khala, Padma Ratna Tuladhar said the government must make a clear policy on why to choose a certain calendar and which one to choose rather than blindly following the one handpicked by Chandra Sumshere Rana.
“It is sympathetic that we don’t have a policy on following a specific calendar. We need a clear policy, in the constitution, to decide which calendar should be followed and why. After going through the big change on monarchy, we must ask why we cannot discard the Bikram Sambat which is related with a legendary monarch and why we cannot accept a citizen’s legacy,” he said.
History has it that a commoner Sankhadhar Sakhwa introduced the Nepal Sambat after donating all his wealth to free Nepalis from debt during the reign of King Raghavdev on October 20, 897. The Nepal Sambat is based on lunar movements and is followed to observe all Hindu and Buddhist festivals.

Nepali simians ‘soft target’ for export to US

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, October 21[2006]:
With slack legal provisions and loopholes, Nepal can become the next target for those willing to import monkeys of different types to the US for conducting biomedical researches, fears a conservationist.
The United States, the home to proponents of animal rights, alone imports over 26,000 monkeys of different types from all over the world for conducting biomedical researches, the International Primate Protection League (IPPL), a US-based primate conservation body states in a report.
“Nepal has not figured in the list, but we cannot rule out the possibility of illegal export of Nepal’s wild life for similar purposes, thanks to loopholes and slack legal provisions,” Mangal Man Shakya, chairman of the Wildlife Watch Group, says.
“The trend of importing monkeys is dangerous for countries like Nepal. Monkeys can easily be exported illegally as Nepal has been infamous in the world for illegal wildlife trade. Noting that India had banned such exports, Shakya fears Nepal could be a new target for US researchers.
“A strong lobbying is necessary to prevent Nepal from becoming the target of US researchers”.
According to the report, 33 research centres and zoos imported 26,319 monkeys from 18 countries last year. The number is growing by 7,000 per year.
“The IPPL may also put our country in its list because a channel is being developed to export Nepali red monkeys to conduct experiments on them in US laboratories,” says Shakya.
It was recently revealed that a controversial testing of monkeys three years ago in the capital was done with the objective of helping US primatologists develop HIV vaccines.
Out of 14,319 monkeys imported for commercial purposes last year, 10,608 were imported for biomedical researches and 1,359 for scientific purposes. Eighteen monkeys were subjected to experiments for breeding in captivity or artificial propagation. Only 12 out of the total monkeys landed in zoos, while three were used for circuses and travelling exhibitions.
Covance Research, the largest importer of monkeys, brought in 12,549 in the US in 2005. Charles River imported 3,818 monkeys, Primate Products imported 2,340, Rhenos LLC imported 2,760 and SNBL USA imported 1,672 monkeys the same year. Zoos turned to be nominal importers – Cincinati Zoo imported one, Houston Zoo imported four and Philadelphia Zoo imported two monkeys that year. A San Diego Zoo imported 33 monkeys from South Africa recently, which had imported them from the Democratic Republic of Congo at a cost of over $12,000 per monkey, the IPPL states in another report. The largest exporter of monkeys to the US is China, from where 13,106 simians were sent in 2005 alone. Other major exporters are Mauritius, Vietnam and Indonesia, from where 4,606, 4,360 and 2,677 monkeys were exported. Cambodia, the Philippines, Guyana, Nevis and Brazil are among exporters.

Spanish woman elated after adopting Nepali ‘orphan’ child

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, October 18[2006]:

Paca Tomas, a Spanish woman in her forties, is elated, for her dream of adopting a Nepali child has turned into reality after three-and-a-half years.
“It was like being on top of Everest. Everybody knows it is difficult, but you can imagine the pleasure of being there only when you are finally there,” she said today, relating her feeling after she got the approval from the government to adopt the girl-child.
It was almost four years ago when Tomas, an official at the International Oxfam, dreamt of adopting a child. “Now that Subhechha has come to my life, my professional life is a second priority,” says the unmarried professional from Barcelona.
Tomas first filed an application at the Ministry of Welfare Family and Adoption in Spain and followed an eight-month hectic process of giving interviews to the ministry officials, child psychologists, social assistants and padagogists.
“It is a long story. They used to come to my home any time and asked any question they had in their mind. They sought my permanent work contract, bank accounts, health certificate and what not. But I was not tired. Then I felt how strongly I wanted to adopt a child,” she said.
After getting an approval from the Spanish government, she decided to adopt a Nepali girl. And the Honorary Consular of Nepal, Lluis Belvis, helped her a lot in contacting orphan homes and translating her Spanish documents into English and correspond with the orphanage from where she was to adopt the girl.
“I came to Nepal in March to see my child. When I saw Subhechha in the orphanage, my heart told me she is the girl I love,” she said. As the process of approving the adoption here was very long, she had to come here again in October to complete the “whole thing”. Thereafter, she had to wait for two more weeks to get the paper signed by the secretary at the Minister for Women Children and Social Welfare.
Meanwhile, she also found that the child, presented as an orphan by the orphanage, actually had parents and she also managed to meet them. “It was shocking. I felt sorry when I knew that Subhechha had parents but I could also understand that they might prefer her to be adopted due to poverty,” she said, adding that she would be in contact with them. However, she refused to give the name of the orphanage, which gave her the “orphan”.
Tomas may have to face more bureaucratic hassles. The officials can refuse to sign papers without giving reasons. “The process is problematic and needs improvements,” she said, smiling. According to the District Administration Office, there are over 600 orphanages in the capital city alone. Thanks to the conflict, many children are left without parents and some orphanages here are found showcasing children with parents as orphans to have them adopted by foreigners.

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Top leaders scent success

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, October 12[2006]:

Today’s talks between top leaders of the seven-party alliance and the CPN-Maoist have been identified as a “successful round” although much of what has been decided among them will be known only by Sunday afternoon when they meet once again.
The fact that the talks have ended on positive note becomes clear from what even Maoist talk team coordinator, Krishna Bahadur Mahara said while fielding reporters’ questions at a press conference after the talks today.
“Talks have ended on a constructive note and the participants are all moving ahead for an overall and significant conclusion,” Sitaula said at a press conference after the talks indicating at the possibility of having the Maoists agree to a ceremonial role for monarchy in the interim phase.
He said that another date for the next round of the talks was fixed just because it is not possible to come to a conclusion in a hurry.
“The team wants to assure the people that the talks were going on according to the wishes of the entire people,” Home Minister said emphatically.
He added, “No decision on any particular agenda was made because we did want to make partial decisions and thus we waited for one more day to make a ‘wholesome decision.”
Coordinator of Maoist talks team Mahara said that the talks were taking time “because it is moving ahead for a “historic” decision as the government side also showed some progressive mood.”
“We are coming to a historic decision and the process is very complicated. It is taking some more days. But it is for sure, we are very near to a concrete decision,” he said.
Saying that some issues were not addressed properly on earlier occasions, Mahara said that the Maoists and the alliance alike were “very much conscious that no such mistakes be repeated”
Mahara said that the talks so far have brought the two sides much closer something which is the result of serious homework and commitment shown by the leaders. Sitaula left the room, saying, “Everything will be clear on Sunday.”
The nagging issues which were debated today were role of monarchy in the interim phase, interim constitution, arms management and interim legislature, amid claims that Maoists could settle for “king without power” if the alliance grants them their other demands as part of a package.
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Govt not doing enough for Kumaris' upkeep?

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, September 30 [2006]:

The Living Goddess Kumari, who is adorned by the head of the state himself and poses as an attraction for millions of people, tourists and media gets hardly more than an office boy's salary in the government's pay scale, for sacrificing her juvenile years, and for her "divine powers".
"The Kathmandu Kumari is given Rs 6,000 per month as livelihood allowance and Rs 1,000 per month as scholarship," states a report of Kaushi Toshkhana Office, an outlet of Ministry of Finance for Cultural Expenditures, sent to the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation recently. She started getting scholarship only last year.
The government had to disclose the details of the Living Goddess's entitlement only after it became a legal issue, when an advocate, Pundevi Maharjan Sujana, filed a case against the government, seeking rights and facilities to the girl child last year. The government had to produce a report of what Kumari has been getting, as per the order of the Supreme Court.
According to the report, the Kumari is also given a pension of Rs 3,000 per month after she ceases to be Kumari. Apart from the cash, every month the office also sends two kilos of rice, two kilos of beaten rice, 1.7 litres of oil, 100 grams of red vermilion, 75 grams of barley, and certain other commodities for carrying out rituals to the caretaker of the Living Goddess, who lives in the Kumari House at Basantapur.
The report adds that the Kumari of Kathmandu also receives Sripad allowance, allowance from the Royal Palace and expenses for marriage. The report is mum on the details of such allowances and says nothing on when she is provided with the same.
Cultural expert Kashi Nath Tamoth said the government's financial support is far from sufficient when compared to what the state seeks from the girl as the source of divine feminine power.
He believes if the government plays fair, she won't need even a penny from others. "The Kumari used to own hundreds of ropanis of land. The income from that land would have been more than enough to support her. But Singha Durbar and Putali Sadak Road have come up on part of that property, while the rest has been taken over by the government," he said. However, another cultural expert, Satya Mohan Joshi, begs to differ. He says the contribution of the Living Goddess and the honour she earns from the public and the state should not be weighed in rupees.
According to the report, the Kumaris of Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Nuwakot also get nominal monthly allowance of Rs 1,500 each from the government. The ex-Kumaris of Lalitpur and Bhaktapur get a monthly pension of Rs 1,000 while there is no provision of pension
for ex-Kumaris of Nuwakot. In addition, all of them receive monthly allowance of Rs 200 each for schooling.
[September 31,2006, Kathmandu]

Nepali primates used for US research

<span style="font-style:italic;">Samples taken for AIDS vaccine, keeping govt in dark

Razen Manandhar

Kathmandu, September 14 [2006]:
The controversial testing of monkeys three years ago by US primatologists in the capital was not what it was made out to be. In actuality, the monkeys were used as guinea pigs for developing AIDS vaccine, reveals the cover story of a recent issue of the American Journal of Primatology.
More than 20 red monkeys, known as rhesus macaques, were darted and trapped to have their blood, stool, swap and hair tested in June 2003 at Swoyambhu temple on the pretext that the monkeys had fallen ill mysteriously. A team of American experts came here without the knowledge of the government and returned with the samples, without providing any treatment to the mammals.
Article 15.1 of the National Park and Wildlife Conservation Act 2029 (Fourth amendment 2049) states that nobody can collect samples from any animal for scientific research. However, permission for the same can be sought from the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) after paying Rs 2,000 for each red monkey and justifying the need for the test. But, according to the government officials, the researchers did not even notify the authority about their ‘testing’.
The synopsis of the report carried by American Journal of Primatology in June, states: “Scientists investigating the genetic make up of rhesus macaque monkeys, a key species used in biomedical research, have found that rhesus in Nepal may provide a suitable alternative to alleviate a critical shortage of laboratory animals used in work to develop vaccines against diseases such as HIV/AIDS.”
According to the report, the study was spearheaded by Randall Kyes, a primatologist and head of the of the University of Washington’s Division of International Programmes at the Washington National Primate Research Centre, in collaboration with Mukesh Chalise, president of the Nepali Biodiversity Research Society and a zoologist at Tribhuvan University.
When contacted, Chalise said, “I don’t have to answer any queries. The chapter is closed. You may charge me of anything but I believe that I have done a good job for mankind by letting carry out the tests,” he said.
The Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation has also refused to take responsibility of “unauthorised testing”. Shyam Bajimaya, the Chief Ecologist at the DNPWC, said the matter did not concern the department, as no one contacted the officials for carrying out the tests. “Even for a noble cause, it would have been better had the researchers chosen a legitimate way,” he said.
Though the American journal report acknowledges Bajimaya as one of the co-author of the research paper, he wonders, “I don’t know how my name figures in the report.”
Similar tests used to be carried out on Indian monkeys earlier. However, India banned export of all macaques in 1978.

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Nepal to fall short of MDG on water: Report

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, June 3 [2006]:
A Japanese researcher from a reputed American university, who has recently completed a study on Nepal’s water supplies and sanitation, has said in her report that Nepal is unlikely to meet the

Millennium Development Goals (MDG). Among the ten MDGs, the government has been projecting the country’s Water
supply and sanitation sectors as satisfactory. According a government report, Nepal has already achieved the MGD target in
water supply, though it has someway to go to meet the sanitation targets.

The MDGs aim to halve the number of people without access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation by 2015. Nepal has signed
two documents on safe drinking water and sanitation in Stockholm and Johannesburg in 1990 and 2002, respectively.
“Progress in both water supply and sanitation sectors in Nepal is unlikely to keep up with the MDG targets,” the report, prepared by
Tomomi Kitajima of the University of Pennsylvania, states.
Talking to this daily, Tikajima said she collected data on water supply and sanitation in Nepal from various available documents
and field visits.

The report “MGD Targets, National Policy, and Current Efforts for Water Supply and Sanitation in Nepal” indicates huge discrepancies
between the government data and that put forward by independent studies.
According to Tikajima, the difference in method of collecting and analysing data may account for the discrepancies.
The difference is so vast between two sets of data that while the Census report puts the national drinking water coverage in 2001 at
82 per cent, the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper (PRSP) of the same year indicates that it is mere 72 percent, according to
Tikajima.

Similarly, according to Census 2001, national sanitation coverage is 46.8 per cent whereas the PRSP indicates that it is only 25 per
cent.

Talking about the differences, Tikajima states in her report: “It does not matter for the local people if the current coverage is
high or low. Concrete steps need to be taken to address the water and sanitation needs of the people.”Asked if Nepal could meet the MDGs, she said: “It will be a big challenge.”

Taikajima has studied water shortage in Kathmandu Valley, surface water contamination, arsenic contamination, sustainability of
various technologies, barriers to improvement of water resources, Nepal’s chaotic political history, ethnic, cultural and linguistic
diversity as well as caste-based social structure, among other problems.

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Newar body stresses on ethnic autonomy

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, May 11[2006]:
The demand for ethnic autonomy - once considered a “weird” agenda of the Maoists when they launched the ‘People’s War’,has now become a common demand of all indigenous and ethnic organisations. However, it is still unclear whether a Constituent Assembly (CA) can pave the way for such autonomy.

The political parties have agreed on restructuring the state through elections to a CA, but they are still tight-lipped on the issue of granting autonomy to the Janajatis.

The Maoist and other ethnic leaders fear that elections to a CA will in no way meet their demands.

“We will not give up our revolution if ethnic autonomy is not guaranteed,” said Prabesh Man Shrestha, the general-secretary of the Newar National Liberation Front, a Kathmandu-based ethnic wing of the Maoists.

He told THT that the revolution would end only if the government announced ethnic autonomous regions clearly, as, according to him, the present centralised political system only allows a group of people to remain in power.

“The issue of constituent assembly itself is abstract, which is not enough to ensure that all the people will have the right to political participation in all spheres,” he said. According to him, not assuring ethnic autonomy would be labelled an anti-revolutionary step and would invite a bigger revolution.

Dr Om Gurung, the general-secretary of the Nepalese Federation of Indigenous People and Nationalities (NEFIN) - the federal body of all 59 ethnic communities - said the Janajatis are not happy with the commitment currently shown by the parties on the issue of Constituent Assembly .

“The decision to hold election to a constituent assembly is welcome, but we are not happy with this alone. We also do not expect them to take up our agenda easily as all the parties are led by upper-class Hindus who have been ruling for centuries,” he said.

“The state should be restructured as the old feudal system has not incorporated everyone’s voice. But restructuring could also mean regional autonomy, which is meaningless for us,” he said.

However, UML leader Shankar Pokhrel said restructuring of the state would automatically solve the problems of ethnic communities. “We are heading for a proportional election system. In this way we don’t even need to set up constituencies. All parties will provide their lists with representation of all sectors and it will come up with inclusive results,” he said.

Child marriages still on in valley vicinity

Razen Manandhar

Nuwakot, February 3[2006]: Seven couples between the ages of 14 and 17 years tied the knot today in a village 20 kilometres northwest of the capital on the occasion of Sri Panchami, an auspicious day in Newari culture.

Despite legal prohibition, the age-old tradition of child marriage is still ongoing in the Kagati Gaon village. Around 350 Balami families migrated here from Bhaktapur during the Malla period.

“It is none of our concern,” said an old man, who did not allow this reporter to take a picture of the young bride, who came to her new home this morning. Due to adverse coverage in the media in past several years, locals do not welcome journalists in their area. He added that each community has its own traditions and others should not “poke their noses”.

Last year the villagers had broken a camera of a journalist who attempted to take pictures of a child marriage ceremony. Last night they had a scuffle with a documentary film maker who tried to do the same.

However, some youths recently launched a campaign against child marriage and this has checked the practice to some extent. Samir Balami, a young activist staged a street drama against the practice while child marriages were being performed in the locality.

“The tradition is now not as rampant as before but we must admit that it is still going on,” said Chakra Man Shrestha, the chairman of the local Mahalaxmi Janajagriti Youth Club, adding that a decade ago they used to have over 25 child couples, some not even 10 years of age, tie the knot each year.

Eighteen-year-old Kabita Shrestha, who now studies in Grade VIII, said she would say no to marriage till she is grown up. “Instead, I would continue to study till my family can afford and work to end child marriage in the village,” she added.

A young teacher of a local Sri Bhawani Proposed High School Shambhu Balami Shrestha, said local social mobilisation can help. With no agent to implement the legal provision in the village, the same don’t work here, he added. Villagers say it has been years since they last saw a policeman in the area.

The Himalayan Times, 4 February 2006

Carbon credit: Two projects registered

By Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, December 31[2005]
Nepal has made a claim in the world carbon credit market. The Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Executive Board of United Nations Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has recently registered two of Nepal's projects on biogas support programme, which will give the nation a total of Rs 36,500,000 annually.

After undergoing a lengthy procedure of application and tough competitions, Nepal's projects: 'Project 0136: Biogas Support Programme - Nepal (BSP-Nepal) Activity-1', and 'Project 0139: Biogas Support Programme - Nepal (BSP-Nepal) Activity-2' are now 'registered' list of projects as small-scale CDM project activities, as per a decision made on December 27.

Authorised participants at Activity 1 are the Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC), Maiya Gautam and Suk Man Tamang, whereas those of Activity 2 are (AEPC), Min Prasad Gautam and Madhu Prasad Simkhada. 'It is a historic success and a milestone in Nepal's status in the world carbon credit market,' said Jivan S Acharya, a research Officer at Winrock International which provided technical assistance by preparing all the necessary documents. He said the industrialised countries will pay Nepal $500,000 (Rs 36,500,000) annually as compensation as they are emitting greenhouse gases through their industries, while the use of biogas technology in cooking and other purposes in Nepal will reduce greenhouse gas emission by displacing conventionally-used fuel sources, such as fuel wood and kerosene.

It is estimated that the projects, registered in CDM Executive Board from Nepal, will reduce around 94,000 metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent per year. "It is almost sure that the countries are ready to send us money. The Community Developed Carbon Fund of the World Bank has shown interest in purchasing carbon credit from these projects," he said. "The government will get the money," Acharya said, adding: "It should be used to support biogas plans."

Source: The Himalayan Times, 01 January 2006

Govt urged to make public status of disappeared

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, December 28[2005]:

It was like a nightmare for 23-year-old Bhagawati Chaudhari, when she saw a group of armed soldiers dragging her husband from her bed. It has been three years and nine months, and the wife is still waiting for the day the government sends her husband back.
“My husband disappeared from our eyes. We do not know whether he is alive or has been shot dead,” she told this daily today. Her husband was abducted and “disappeared” by security men on the night of Chaitra 29, 2058 BS from her home at Manau village in Bardiya.
“They came in a group, broke the door and dragged my husband, saying they send him back the next morning,” she said.
She was married to Prem Prakash Chaudhary for two years. After living a horrible life of bonded labourers, she started dreaming of her own family at her aunt’s land, by making a thatched shed. But the incident shattered all her dreams. “My son was six weeks old then. He often asks me about his father and I cannot even say that he is dead,” she said. “Rather than abducting him and making me live in misery, I wonder why the army did not kill both of us.”
She is a relative of one among the 848 citizens, whom the state “disappeared” since the Maoists launched an armed conflict a decade ago. The exact number of the total “disappeared” is yet to come because the state never comes up with the data. It is difficult for the public to report about such incidents.
Speaking at the programme organised by the Association of Families of Disappeared People by State here today, a number victims’ families said they won’t go home unless the government makes the whereabouts of the disappeared public.
Mandira Sharma, executive director, Advocacy Forum Nepal, said the present legal provision does not recognise the state’s disappearing the civilians as a crime, which creates problem in finding solution to the problem.
“Any institution which is found involved in disappearing somebody, should be termed criminal and the act should be called as severe a crime as murder.”
===
Martin’s message
KATHMANDU: In a message to the victims’ families, Ian Martin, representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Nepal, said: “The disappearance of persons by the State is a continuing human rights violation that does not end until the person’s fate is finally determined. This is one of the most serious violations because, as all of you unfortunately have come to know, it means family members endure agonising periods of uncertainly, sometimes years, before the fate of their beloved ones is known.”
“With UN secretary-general’s support, we will continue to work for clarification of cases of disappearance in Nepal.”

Still confused

UML organised a mass meeting Friday and the king returned from his tour in Africa. It happened that something took place at Banehsower. I do not know how that happened. I'm still confused.

Nepal wants well-off nations to pay for climate change

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, November 26[2005]:

Nepal has decided to express concern and seek compensation for deterioration of country’s natural resources due to emission of harmful gases by the industrialised nations at an international conference that begins on Monday. As many as 189 countries are participating in the Conference of Parties of United Nations’ Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), to be held from November 28 to December 9 in Montreal, Canada. Joint-secretary of Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Lok Darshan Regmi, will represent Nepal in the conference. His agenda: how can Nepal benefit from the Clean Development Mechanism.
“I will raise the issue of making the industrialised countries compensate us for the deterioration of our resources, caused due to climate change,” he told The Himalayan Times before leaving the country. He said poor families in Dolakha and Solumkhumbu had to be evacuated due the possibility of bursting of the mountain lakes, which is a direct fallout of climate change caused by the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere. He claimed that scores of mountain lakes are on the verge of bursting due to the effects of climate change. “We have not harmed the earth. Rather, we have conserved the world environment by following traditional life style, practicing eco-friendly technologies and growing trees. We need to be paid as per the provision of Kyoto Protocol,” he said.
The Kyoto Protocol, effective from February 12, has a provision that the industrial countries should reduce carbon emission and if that is not possible must pay the countries or institutions
that have played a prominent role in growing trees or sequestrating carbon, thus earning carbon credits for lowering the amount of harmful gases in the atmosphere. Regmi says Nepal recently set a record in developing community forests through people’s efforts, earning carbon credits that can be sold in the carbon trading market. Regmi informed, “We will ask the Clean Development Mechanism executive board to accept carbon credits generated by non-renewable sources of energy like bio-mass projects as well.”

500-km walk to usher in peace

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, November 10[2005]:

Thirty pilgrims will embark on a 500-km march — from the Namobuddha in Kavre to Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha — for world peace tomorrow morning.
“The team will begin their journey from Namobuddha hill on Friday and will finally pray for world peace at the sacred garden of Lumbini after walking for 25 days,” Dr Lam Ty Ni, the coordinator of the pilgrims’ team, told The Himalayan Times today.
Sixty-year-old Dr Lam, also known as Ven Huyen Deieu, came to Lumbini in 1969, in search of peace from war-torn Vietnam and started working for the development of the holy shrine.
The team includes 10 Vietnamese, three Indians, one Japanese, a Korean and 15 Nepalis. The eldest member of the team is 62-year-old monk Lama Karma Lhundrub, while 17-year-old nun Ven Susiloti is the youngest in the lot.
The pilgrimage will pass through Banepa, Patan, Bouddha and Swoyambhu before leaving the valley from Balambhu and Naubishe on November 15. After crossing Baireni, Richoktar, Kirutar, Abukhaireni, Dumre, Damauli and Dulegauda on foot the team will reach Pokhara on November 23.
Worshipping at Peace Pagoda on November 24, the pilgrims will pass through Phedikoda, Rangkhola, Waling, Galyang Bhanjyang Malumga, Arya Bhanjyang, Tansen, Kerabari, Butwal, Bhairahawa and arrive at Lumbini on December 4.
The team will take shelter mainly in Buddhist vihars and public schools.
Dr Lam said the pilgrimage has a spiritual as well as a symbolic meaning. He claimed that the prayer would lead to an atmosphere for peace and hoped that after seeing young and old people walking for peace, the authorities will feel the necessity to do something for the peace.
According to him, all the concerned parties - the political parties, the king and the Maoists should sit together for resolving the decade-long war and let people live in peace and happiness.
He said war and peace are in people’s mind and arousing conscience and compassion helps people replace war with peace.
Ratnaman Skahya, a team facilitator and president of International Buddhist Meditation Centre, said two vehicles will follow the pilgrims for emergency support.

Govt to implement Euro II emission standards

By Razen Manandhar
(The Himalayan Times)
Kathmandu, Septermber 25 [2005]
The Ministry for Environment, Science and Technology (MoEST) is preparing to introduce Euro II standards of emission for new vehicles entering the country.

Lok Darshan Regmi, a joint-secretary at MoEST said, the ministry is making necessary arrangements to introduce the Euro II standards of emission for new vehicles in the country. "We will soon introduce Euro II emission standards. We should have gone for the Euro III standards but this is not practically possible in a country like Nepal," Regmi said.

In general, the Euro I standards allow emission of 2.75 gm/km of carbon monoxide while Euro II allows only 2.20. Thus, the new standards will make obsolete old vehicles and enable entry of new vehicles that emit less smoke and pollutant particles. However, the government’s recent move is drawing mixed reactions from the environmentalists, vehicle owners and dealers.

Dr Toran Sharma, the executive director of Nepal Environment and Scientific Services, said it mattered little whether the government introduces Euro II standards of gases because the Emission Standards 2056, which introduced the Euro I emission standards, is still under question. "The government implemented Euro I standards six years ago but we have yet to see its impact in the quality of air we breathe. We will have to see what changes the implementation of Euro II standards will bring in the quality of air," he said.

Implementation of Euro standards have close links with the quality of fuel used in vehicles, maintenance of vehicles and the quality of roads and at the present context here they are not yet compatible for Euro II standards, he said.

"It is good to introduce a new standard but the government must make necessary preparations to bring desired effect and make the change practical. Slogans are not enough to clean the capital," he said.

Dipak KC, the programme officer at Clean Energy Nepal said that the people should welcome the new step despite all constraints accompanying it. "Along with introduction of the new standard, the government should also put stress on implementation and making the country ready for the next step," he said.

The automobile dealers, however, claim the implementation of Euro II emission standards is impossible and not practical in Nepali context. Hikmat Bahadur Mali, the president of Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association, said implementation of the Euro II emission standards is surely going to take some time because lots of other preparations have to be done before the standard is effectively implemented.

Govt to implement Euro II emission standards

Razen Manandhar

Kathmandu, September 25[2005]:
The Ministry for Environment, Science and Technology (MoEST) is preparing to introduce Euro II standards of emission for new vehicles entering the country. Lok Darshan Regmi, a joint-secretary at MoEST said, the ministry is making necessary arrangements to introduce the Euro II standards of emission for new vehicles in the country. “We will soon introduce Euro II emission standards. We should have gone for the Euro III standards but this is not practically possible in a country like Nepal,” Regmi said. In general, the Euro I standards allow emission of 2.75 gm/km of carbon monoxide while Euro II allows only 2.20. Thus, the new standards will make obsolete old vehicles and enable entry of new vehicles that emit less smoke and pollutant particles. However, the government’s recent move is drawing mixed reactions from the environmentalists, vehicle owners and dealers.
Dr Toran Sharma, the executive director of Nepal Environment and Scientific Services, said it mattered little whether the government introduces Euro II standards of gases because the Emission Standards 2056, which introduced the Euro I emission standards, is still under question. “The government implemented Euro I standards six years ago but we have yet to see its impact in the quality of air we breathe. We will have to see what changes the implementation of Euro II standards will bring in the quality of air,” he said. Implementation of Euro standards have close links with the quality of fuel used in vehicles, maintenance of vehicles and the quality of roads and at the present context here they are not yet compatible for Euro II standards, he said.
“It is good to introduce a new standard but the government must make necessary preparations to bring desired effect and make the change practical. Slogans are not enough to clean the capital,” he said. Dipak KC, the programme officer at Clean Energy Nepal said that the people should welcome the new step despite all constraints accompanying it. “Along with introduction of the new standard, the government should also put stress on implementation and making the country ready for the next step,” he said. The automobile dealers, however, claim the implementation of Euro II emission standards is impossible and not practical in Nepali context. Hikmat Bahadur Mali, the president of Nepal Automobile Dealers’ Association, said implementation of the Euro II emission standards is surely going to take some time because lots of other preparations have to be done before the standard is effectively implemented.

Nepal player in world carbon trade, courtesy Kyoto Protocol

By Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, September 22
Thanks to the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, Nepal has entered the world "market" of carbon trading, where it can reap the benefits of promoting eco-friendly fuels and contribute to reducing the greenhouse gas effects in the world. Nepal, which remained the only country in the South Asia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, finally submitted the necessary documents for the ratification last week. The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement setting targets for industrialised countries to cut down on their greenhouse gas emissions comes into force from February 16, has been so far ratified by over 140 countries. Nepal deposited with the UN the Instrument of Accession at a function organised during the Treaty Event at the UN headquarters last Friday. The process of recognition generally takes three months to complete.

"We have recently become suitable sellers of carbon in the world market," said Joint-Secretary at Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Lok Darshan Regmi, today.

He said, After ratifying the Protocol, Nepal will get many doors opened to it for dealing with the world against the contribution we have made so far in the area of controlling emission of carbon dioxide and other gases." But to be a eligible candidate selling carbon credit, that is selling the due of reducing greenhouse gases, Nepal will first have to establish a Designated National Authority (DNA) that deals with the developed countries for selling the carbon credit.

Bikas Pande, coordinator of the Climate Change Network-Nepal (CCNN), said the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol itself is not everything but has merely opened the door to wider possibilities. "Our job starts now. We can now go for searching for buyers of carbon we have preserved by introduction of eco-friendly sources of energy, which is called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects" he said.

He added that the possible CDM projects in Nepal’s context could be bio-gas and micro-hydro projects. This apart, Winrock Nepal has identified five other possible areas that Nepal can put forward — vertical shaft brick kilns, improved cooking stove, Safa tempos, solar tuki, and cooking gas produced from solid waste landfill sites. Sandeep Chamling Rai, Climate Change Officer at WWF Nepal, said the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol would make Nepal’s CDM projects implementation easier. "We can work much easier and wider in the future. But for this, the DNA has to be set up as soon as possible," he said.

The Himalayan Times, 23 September 2005, National

Nepal player in world carbon trade, courtesy Kyoto Protocol

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, September 22[2005]:

Thanks to the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol, Nepal has entered the world “market” of carbon trading, where it can reap the benefits of promoting eco-friendly fuels and contribute to reducing the greenhouse gas effects in the world.

Nepal, which remained the only country in the South Asia to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, finally submitted the necessary documents for the ratification last week.

The Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement setting targets for industrialised countries to cut down on their greenhouse gas emissions comes into force from February 16, has been so far ratified by over 140 countries. Nepal deposited with the UN the Instrument of Accession at a function organised during the Treaty Event at the UN headquarters last Friday. The process of recognition generally takes three months to complete.

“We have recently become suitable sellers of carbon in the world market,” said Joint-Secretary at Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, Lok Darshan Regmi, today.
He said, After ratifying the Protocol, Nepal will get many doors opened to it for dealing with the world against the contribution we have made so far in the area of controlling emission of carbon dioxide and other gases.” But to be a eligible candidate selling carbon credit, that is selling the due of reducing greenhouse gases, Nepal will first have to establish a Designated National Authority (DNA) that deals with the developed countries for selling the carbon credit.

Bikas Pande, coordinator of the Climate Change Network-Nepal (CCNN), said the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol itself is not everything but has merely opened the door to wider possibilities. “Our job starts now. We can now go for searching for buyers of carbon we have preserved by introduction of eco-friendly sources of energy, which is called Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects” he said.

He added that the possible CDM projects in Nepal’s context could be bio-gas and micro-hydro projects. This apart, Winrock Nepal has identified five other possible areas that Nepal can put forward — vertical shaft brick kilns, improved cooking stove, Safa tempos, solar tuki, and cooking gas produced from solid waste landfill sites.

Sandeep Chamling Rai, Climate Change Officer at WWF Nepal, said the ratification of the Kyoto Protocol would make Nepal’s CDM projects implementation easier. “We can work much easier and wider in the future. But for this, the DNA has to be set up as soon as possible,” he said.
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4a Azia Kongreso de Esperanto : mia persona impreso

National Urban Policy in the offing

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, June 16:

The government will soon come up with a policy to regulate the
sprawling urban development.
"The draft of the National Urban Policy
(NUP) 2062 is almost ready. We will start discussing it soon," Dr
Mahendra Subba, senior divisional engineer at the Department of
Housing and Urban Development (DHUD), said today.
The policy will
help achieve a "National Urban Framework" and contribute to poverty
reduction and sustainable development by improving relations between
the urban and rural areas. According to the yet unpublished draft of
the policy, North-South Corridors to connect the Himalayan and Terai
regions will be developed. It also targets setting up of Regional
Urban Centres at each development region.

The policy seeks to formulate separate laws for urban land
development and impose extra tax on large open areas in the cities.
Among other things, it also seeks to develop relations with
municipalities and the Town Development Committees.
It further plans
to promote public transportation system with the use of electrical
vehicles and improve road network in cities. The government will
start levying Development Fees, Integrated Property Tax, Tax
Incremental Financing and Municipal Bo-nds to generate funds for the
programmes planned.

Rainwater harvesting can slake Kathmanduites' thirst

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, March 19:

The recent downpour was little trouble and more of a relief for Kathmanduites, considering the scarcity of drinking water. Even the government admits it can meet only half the total water demand in the capital city.

Consequently, people have to depend either on expensive water from tankers or rainwater. According to the Environment and Public Health Organisation (ENPHO), over 200 people have installed a mechanism to collect rainwater systematically, to keep the headache of water shortage at bay. "There is no record of how many people collect rainwater. But recently, around 200 people have installed a simple mechanism that helps them collect rainwater," said Rajesh Adhikari, an official at ENPHO.

Among others, Hutaram Baidhya, Prafulla MS Pradhan, Janardan Dhungana, Sangeeta Maskey, Sumitra Manandhar Gurung are some of the one-step-ahead citizens of the capital who have utilised the rainwater and have stopped worrying about water shortage during the dry season.

Officials at ENPHO wonder why the government is not taking any initiative to promote rainwater harvesting as an alternative to tide over the water shortage, though all government officials know it is a simple, cost-effective method.

Those militating against the water crisis allege that the government is guided by the interest of donors who do not want to promote rainwater harvesting as they have already invested a large amount of money in bringing in water through a 26.5 km tunnel from as far away as the Melamchi river.

The former minister for physical development, Prakash Man Singh, and the former mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City had promised to make rainwater collection obligatory last year, but neither has delivered.

Adhikari said from a 100 sq metre rooftop, one can collect four cubic metres of water in March and 35 cubic metres of water in August. "The quality of rainwater is better than what the government provides via pipelines. Even so, air pollution and the surface of catchment areas and collection tanks also matter," he said.

Noted environmentalist and executive director at Clean Energy Nepal, Bhushan Tuladhar, said air pollution also can affect the water quality, but rainwater itself can work as a flush so the rainwater collected after an hour or so is absolutely clean. So far as acid rain and its impact on rainwater harvesting is concerned, Tuladhar said the possibility of chemical pollutants in rainwater cannot be ruled out, but it is not hazardousn Kathmandu valley.

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Valley environment turning better

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, May 12:

Residents of Kathmandu Valley, rejoice! The air pollution in the valley is literally decreasing, according to reports. Increasing
environmental awareness has wrought this pleasant change.

The government's weekly report states that the air quality of the valley is getting better, with fewer amounts of dust particles.

At the beginning of the year, air pollution level crossed more than 600 micrograms of particulate matter smaller than 10 micrograms per
cubic metre in January. But, last week's report has recorded 294 micrograms as the highest mark.

Nepal's ambient air quality standard is 120 micrograms per cubic metres. Kathmandu Valley has six monitoring stations � Putali Sadak,
Matsya Gaon, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur, Thamel and Patan Hospital � which continuously record and analyse the data.

In the first week of January, Patan recorded 579, which fell to 191 in the first week of May. Similarly, Thamel's 481 climbed down to 76,
Bhaktapur's 287 to 87, Kirtipur's 318 to 55, Matysgaon's 120 to 33. And Pultali Sadak, that recorded 633 in January now provides no data but the last available, that of March, states it recorded 207
micrograms. Robin Man Shrestha, chief of Urban Environment Section, said the positive change was a result of people's awareness about the
environment and hazards to it. "We are doing OK. But a lot still has to be done to make Kathmandu really pollution-free," he said.

Bhushan Tuladhar, executive director, Clean Energy Nepal, said on an average the air ollution had decreased by 6 per cent but there was still scant reason
to be happy with the reports of the air quality monitoring.

"The air quality is improving, but we need to acsertain that the Valley conditions are free from danger before concluding that
anti-pollution drives are bearing fruit."

Tuladhar conceded that the fact that the air quality of Bhaktapur had improved by 15 per cent. "The main reason for this is the removal of
old-style brick kilns.

It demonstrates that a minor decision of the government on account of public pressure has made a dramatic difference.

Valley environment turning better

Razen Manandhar

Kathmandu, May 12[2005]:
Residents of Kathmandu Valley, rejoice! The air pollution in the valley is literally decreasing, according to reports. Increasing environmental awareness has wrought this pleasant change.

The government’s weekly report states that the air quality of the valley is getting

better, with fewer amounts of dust particles.

At the beginning of the year, air pollution level crossed more than 600 micrograms of particulate matter smaller than 10 micrograms per cubic metre in January. But, last week’s report has recorded 294 micrograms as the highest mark.

Nepal’s ambient air quality standard is 120 micrograms per cubic metres. Kathmandu Valley has six monitoring stations — Putali Sadak, Matsya Gaon, Kirtipur, Bhaktapur, Thamel and Patan Hospital — which continuously record and analyse the data.

In the first week of January, Patan recorded 579, which fell to 191 in the first week of May. Similarly, Thamel’s 481 climbed down to 76, Bhaktapur’s 287 to 87, Kirtipur’s 318 to 55, Matysgaon’s 120 to 33. And Pultali Sadak, that recorded 633 in January now provides no data but the last available, that of March, states it recorded 207 micrograms. Robin Man Shrestha, chief of Urban Environment Section, said the positive change was a result of people’s awareness about the environment and hazards to it. “We are doing OK. But a lot still has to be done to make Kathmandu really pollution-free,” he said.

Bhushan Tuladhar, executive director, Clean Energy Nepal, said on an average the air

pollution had decreased by 6 per cent but there was still scant reason to be happy with the reports of the air quality monitoring.

“The air quality is improving, but we need to acsertain that the Valley conditions are free from danger before concluding that anti-pollution drives are bearing fruit.”

Tuladhar conceded that the fact that the air quality of Bhaktapur had improved by 15 per cent. “The main reason for this is the removal of old-style brick kilns.

It demonstrates that a minor decision of the government on account of public pressure has made a dramatic difference.

Painting seminar and electric vehicles

I went to Shechen Gomba today morning to participate in the regional workshop on thanka painiting.
The gomba was marvellous. I wonder how on earth they get money to construct such gombas? I envy. Newar culture lies on books and living culture you can find in Tibetan miimgrants...
I saw Francis Child, the chief of UNESCO Asia Pacific region. He is not changed at all. I don't know about myself.

Then I went to Hyatt regency to participate in launcing of four electric buses. It was nice idea but it will again have to face adminsitration problem. I wonder when will anybody come in the government who really cares environment of Kathmandu Vally. Everybody knows, they do not want to encourage electric vehicles because they are heavily bribed by the diesel or petrol vehicle dealers. Shame !!!

I was with Min and Pushkar. Puskhar was tell me that it was a tragic event that the governmebnt forcefully acquired the people's land in the name of making a village for poor people but it eventually turned into a grand hotel. Yea, those who do wrong in life will have to face the reult in the same life. The infamouse Angur Baba Joshi is suffereing from a hell.

Enough?

It's really nice to be felicitated

Yesterday, Kathmandu Metropolitan City felicitated me as an Environment reporter. That was nice. But I missed the chance as I arrived late. Actually, I did not know that I would be given me that honour.

Wonderful, isn't it?

Renkontig'o kaj nova jaro

Karaj,
Unue mi volas respondi al Natalie:
Mi tute ne estas "lerta" raportisto. Kontraue, mi trovas iu tiu ne kontenta kiam ajn mi raportas. Antaue mi preskau regule rapoartis pri E kunvenoj en Nespa por "nepalesperanto". Sed kiam alvers'ig'is kritiko (sen kiale !) ke mi malbone raportas (au mi ne rajtas raporti, mi c'esis).

Tamen, por vi mi volas iomete skribi pri la renkontig'o. Jam pasis pli ol unu monato kaj tiam mi ankau ne blogis. Do mal facila renovigi la memoron. Iel, la renkontig'o mem estis akcidento c'ar tio devis esti "kongreso" sed pro la prokrasto de KAEM, g'i malgrandig'is kaj oni nomis g'in renkontig'o. Kvankam oficiala prokrasto, alveno de geesperantistoj de diversaj landoj atestas ke multaj homoj amas Nepalon kaj volas iel subteni Nepalan movadon. Unu venis defiante proteston de siaj familianoj kaj alia ankau havis timeton en siaj koroj ke povas esti problemo en Nepalo. La oragnizo de la reknontig'o ig'is tiel ekzameno por eksterlandanoj c'u oni vere timas Nepalon au ne. Kaj la partopreno de pli ol 20 eksterlandanoj estis la repondo ke ne.

La programo dum kvar tagoj kaj post-kongresa parto ankau estis pli turisma ol Esperanta. Mi ne povas kompreni c'u "kongreso" au "renkontig'o" estas turisma afero au Esperanto-afero. Mi unue volas ke iu klarigu min kiom da pro cento de turismo estas tolerebla dum E-okazoj.

Kaj, pli ol c'io, la gradega profito de la "renkontig'o" estis ke Nepalaj geesperanstistoj trovis tre bonajn, agrablajn, inteligentajn geamikojn, dank' al la "renkontig'o". Mi ne scias kiom da Nepalanoj sukcesis praktiki Esperanton kun la eksterlandanoj (c'ar mi vidis ke inter ili, la Nepalanoj c'iam krokodilis) sed la partoprenantoj bone montris al ni kio vere Esperanto estas.

Mi opinias ke oranizo de "renkontig'o" pli multe valoras ol elspezi monon (de iu ajn au' io ajn) je partoprenigo de Nepalanoj al UK au IJK. Mi jam renkontis tiujn Nepalanojn kiuj antaue partoprenis en UK pere de la fonduso kaj iliaj alig'o al Esperanto-movado en siaj postaj vivoj. La mono, lau mi, falis en rivero.

Do, mi nun volas iomete skribi pri la "nova jaro".

Nepalanoj estas bonsanc'aj ke ili celebras novan jaron tri foje en 365 tagoj.

En decembro venas nova jaro lau la gregora au Europa kalendaro. Preskau c'iuj urbanoj celebras g'in c'ar ili scias ke estas internacia kaj havas ian tian rilaton kun eksterlandanoj. Kaj, c'ar Katmando estas turisma loko, venas multaj turistoj por celebri g'in en Katmando. Do, Nepalanoj akompanas ilin.

En Aprilo venas nova jaro lau la "registara" kalendaro kiu nomig'as "Vikram Ero" . G'i estas oficiala kalendaro ekde pasintaj 80 jaroj. Tiama c'efministro anstatauis la historian kalendaron per g'i c'ar li pensis le la historia kalendaro estis kreita de Nevaroj kiuj estis indig'enoj de Katmando (do tiam Nepalo) kiuj li ege mals'atas. Oni dire estis kreita en Bharato antau 2062 jaroj.

En Novembero venas nova jaro la "kultura" kalendaro kiu nomig'as "Nepal Ero". Eble Nepalo estas la sola lando en la mondo kiu havas sian propran kalendaron kaj estas uzatas je kulturaj aferoj kaj g'is antau 80 jaroj ankau estis nia oficiala kalendaro. Gin iu bonkora homo komencis antau 1135 jaroj kaj estas la plej grava ilo por studi la historion de Katmando Valo de la periode g'is la jaro 880 lau Europa kalendaro. Nun, nur Nevaroj celebras g'in kaj aliaj ofte diras ke "Nepal Ero" estas nur Nevara kalendaro....

Pli ol tio, Budhistoj celebras Budhistan calendaron. Pri kio ne niu volas paroli en tiu c'i Hindua lando. Do lasu min silenti hodiau....

Dharahara park being built despite SC fiat

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, December 12:

The re-construction of the historic site of Dharahara-Sundhara for commercial purposes, which halted after a Supreme Court verdict, has
resumed.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City leased the 172-year-old site -- the tallest tower and the deepest waterspout in the country -- to a fresh
company called Side Walkers Traders Pvt. Ltd (SWT) for 20 years without inviting tenders. The contract, signed on May 13 by then
mayor Keshav Sthapit and promoter of SWT Sanjib Tuladhar, has left six spaces blank for witnesses' signatures.

The SWT will pay Rs 60,000 per month to KMC for using the spout and the tower, both constructed around 1832 AD, and over five ropani of
open space for commercial purposes.

The KMC had made similar contract with the SWT in June 11, 1998 to lease the area, but the Supreme Court on March 7 last year ordered a
stop to it after lengthy legal action and counter-action, saying that the KMC had no authority to do that. But, KMC again made new contract
with the same party seven months ago. The contract states that SWT would construct a series of shops along the wall and also construct a
garden, souvenir shop, flower shop, communication centre and a restaurant with a pubic toilet, including installing a statue of
Bhimsen Thapa. It will also hold the right to charge people a fee for observing the historic tower. In addition, if SWT gets embroiled in
any legal action again, KMC will compensate it.

Even the concerned department of KMC is ignorant of the "secret" contract. An official at Environment Department of KMC said he only
recently heard about the ongoing construction work. "I never heard about such a contract, though it happens to fall in my department. I
think it is too big an issue for me to talk about. I am surprised," the official said.

The contract paper claims: "The issue was repeatedly discussed in the KMC board and passed". A board member said he had never heard of the
matter in any of the board meetings. Ex-chairman of ward 22 Manik Ratna Sthapit said the issue was never discussed in the boards,
adding that he had refused to toe the line when the ex-mayor asked him to sign on the contract as a witness.

Gautam Dangol, general secretary of local Sankata Sports Club, said that the contract was a clear example of corruption at the top
political levels. "How can anyone so blatantly flout the SC verdict? I asked the ward 22 office about the construction but the office
secretary replied the office has no information about it," he said.
Dangol added the locals are committed to stop the construction at any cost.

The promoter of SWT, Sanjib Tuladhar, could not be reached for comments.

Advocate Bijaya Kumar Basnet said he would file a writ in the SC soon, adding the contract between the ex-mayor and Tuladhar violated
the rights provided by law to the KMC.
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Lumbini jamboree all set to kick off

Razen Manandhar
Lumbini, November 29:

Preparations for the much-hyped Second World Buddhist Summit are complete, the organisers said today.

The over 2500 years old shrine has been selected as the venue for the international gathering of eads of states, political leaders, diplomats and religious leaders.
Hotels in Butwal, Bhairahawa and Lumbini bazaar as well as monasteries are all packed with delegates, observers and journalists.
Many are yet to find bedding space. A minor bomb blast, not far away from Lumbini, sent a ripple of fear among participants but they are committed to see the gathering to a successful ending.

"We are ready to welcome the distinguished guests," said host Deep Kumar Upadhyaya, the minister for culture, tourism and civil aviation. Organisers said that the two-day Rupandehi bandh,imposed by the Moist would not affect the gathering. Three working papers -- Indispensability of peace in the present world context, Lumbini's development and international cooperation, and developing Lumbini as a world peace city � will be presented during the three-day event.

Meanwhile, the local administration has picked up some 100 buses of the Western Nepal Bus Entrepreneurs' Association (WNBEA) and Siddhartha Transporters' Committee (STC) to be used during the Summit. The WNBEA and STC said force was used to vacate many vehicles carrying passengers and bringing others from the owners' houses.

Litterbug NGO plays havoc on people

Razen Manandhar
Lalitpur, November 7(2004):

A group of social workers in Sanepa has made up its mind to keep its "VIP area" clean, but at the cost of other people�s cleanliness.

A local non-government organisation, Women�s Initiative for Environment and Development (WEID), has been collecting garbage from around its neighbourhood and the drive has been successful so far. It is, however, dumping the litter by the roadside in Gusingal, next to an old pati, every morning.

A board near the WEID office reads: �Don�t litter here,� and the area looks clean and fresh. Each of the around 300 households in Sanepa, Ward No 2 of the Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City, pays Rs 50 a month to the NGO to have their garbage collected every day.

Locals of Gusingal have been fighting with rickshaw-pullers who dump the garbage, but in vain. �We failed to stop them from dumping the waste. Moreover, as there isn�t unity among us locals, our protest against the NGO was futile,� a local resident said. '

The Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City has placed a container at the spot, but the WEID rickshaws simply litter the ground as the container is too small to take in all the waste. Rag pickers, too, spread the garbage all over the road. Kamal KC, chairperson of WEID, said they have been dumping the garbage at Gusingal to keep the Sanepa area clean. �This is a VIP area and we have to keep it clean,� she said.

When asked what would happen to locals of Gusingal, she admitted that they haven�t been able to manage the garbage properly due to lack of funds. �We have plans of organising awareness programmes, composting and reusing the waste, but we have to dump it there for the time being due to flaws in our organisation,� KC admitted.

She further said that the LSC had not been cooperating with the WEID in managing the garbage. The NGO pays around Rs 3,000 annually to the LSC for a container at Gusingal, but the LSC does not regularly keep the container there. KC further admitted that they have not paid the LSC for a long time now.

Valley stone spouts bear brunt of neglect

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, October 25 (2004):

Ancient stone spouts in Kathmandu Valley, so useful in the dry season, are in a sorry state for lack of conservation. Negligence apart, some spouts have even turned into private property because of the collusion by government bodies.

There are over 225 stone spouts in Kathmandu alone. Similarly, there are 77 in Bhaktapur, 61 in Thimi, 53 in Patan, and 12 in Kirtipur excluding others in less populated areas. Most were constructed during the Lichhavi and Malla periods, between the 7th to 17th
centuries.

Sundhara, the biggest of all spouts, is lying dry and useless after a government institution disturbed its pipelines by digging the land behind it to construct a business complex a decade ago.

Yangal Hiti, a Lichhavi era spout, is now the personal property of some local aristocrats. The stone spout at Hadigaon, constructed in the 7th century, stopped working after a concrete building was constructed beside it.

Bhotahiti and Thahiti have remained merely the name of the places because no spout is there now although the names suggest so.

Some of the non-existant or completely destroyed stone spouts are at Dirnarayan Marga, Santi Marga Naxal, Hatisar Sadak, Tindhara Durbar Marga, Nachgahar Jamal, Bhotahiti and Bagh Bazar near Nepal Electricity Authority, a recent study has revealed.

Prakash Chandra Amatya, secretary general of the NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation, said even small attempts to conserve these spouts could be a great relief to the denizens of the Valley in the dry season from November to June as the government's distribution of piped water falls short.

"Apart from their cultural significance, the spouts provide us an abundant quantity of non-stop water. Local efforts to conserve water resources and manage the output can end the shortage," he said.

Now and then, Kathmandu Metropolitan City toots its horn about its commitment to conserve cultural heritage but it has done precious little to conserve these spouts.

Narendra Raj Shrestha, chief of KMC's heritage conservation department said one or two spouts are being conserved after pressure from locals but as such there is no enunciated policy under any work plan to conserve these sources of water.

"It is obviously the duty of KMC. But I don't think we have resources. His Majesty's government should also support us in conservation projects," Shrestha admitted.

Duped whammy: Torture follows trickery

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, September 25:

A man, whose two sons are with an NGO, Mukti Nepal, was accused of being a Maoist and had to face mental and physical torture when he went to meet his kids.

In December, NGO Mukti Nepal took Pawan Karki (6) and Pravesh Karki (4), sons of a low-income labourer, Mitra Bahadur Thapa, a resident of Jorpati, assuring him that his kids would get free education up to Grade 10 and may get a chance to study aboard if he agreed to present the children as orphans. Since then Thapa was not allowed to see his sons, neither was he informed about their whereabouts.

However, on Wednesday, he decided to visit Mukti Nepal office at Balaju with three sympathisers from CWIN and other organisations. But he was not only denied to meet the children but was accused of being armed Maoist.

He was then handed over to Royal Nepalese Army, who blindfolded him for over 24 hours and grilled him to ascertain the NGO's claim. When nothing incriminating was found, the RNA released him and he was sent to Balaju Police Post. From there, the three who had accompanied him to Mukti Nepal office took him to Kathmandu Chief Administration Office.

He apprised the Chief District Officer of his ordeal and pleaded that he be united with his sons.

CDO Baman Prasad Upadhyaya coordinated with the police leading to the detention of Mukti Nepal activists, Goma Luitel and Dipa Sharma, last nigh. They were, however, later released on the condition that they would return the children to Thapa as soon as possible. Though the younger child is with the NGO, the elder boy has been sent to Spain.

Thapa, who hails from Sankhuwasabha district, told The Himalayan Times that when he went to Mukti Nepal office Goma Luitel called a man, who claimed to be a security personnel.

"He threatened us and sent others who were with me home. I was beaten up and handed over to army, who blindfolded me and took me to an undisclosed place," said Thapa.

In fact, it was Goma and Dipa who handed over Thapa to the army, claiming that four armed Maoists entered her office with threats. She told the RNA that while three escaped, Thapa was apprehended.

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Duped whammy : Torture follows trickery

Kathmandu water contains arsenic

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, June 26[2004]:

It is no news that the capital's water is contaminated. But it has now been revealed that the drinking water supplied by the government contains arsenic. A resident of Tahachal Bal Krishna Shrestha recently decided to get the tap water tested in a laboratory. And he got a major shock when the results showed that water distributed by the Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) from its deep tube well at Mahendra Ratna Campus contained arsenic.
Government authorities have been silent about arsenic in the capital's water. "I did not expect to find arsenic in the tap water in my area," said Shrestha. He had the water tested in the Environment and Public Health Organisation lab on June 20. The results showed the sample contained 0.02 mg of arsenic per litre of water. The WHO standard is 0.01 mg per litre. It contained an alarming amount of ammonia — 63.5 mg per litre, the amount of which should be limited to 1.5 mg, according to the WHO. Chairman of Consumer Forum Nepal, Harendra Bahadur Shrestha, has planned to take a team to the NWSC on Monday or Tuesday to protest the government's "irresponsible" act. Deputy GM of NWSC, Narendra Bahadur Pradhan, admitted arsenic can be found in two or three sources out of around four dozen deep-wells of NWSC, but "it is not so alarming as to create panic".
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[ KATHMANDU, JUNE 27, 2004, Ashad 13, 2061 ]

Red tapism hindering conservation

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, June 9:

(2004-06-09)

A recently published survey report has pointed out the lack of the coordination between the government agencies and local communities as the major cause of failure of conservation of monument zones of Kathmandu Valley, named as World Heritage sites by UNESCO. Kathmandu Valley was named as a World Heritage Site, with seven zones -- three Malla palaces, two stupas and two temples in 1979 but was put in the
list of Monuments in Danger in 2003 as the performance of the government was not satisfactory despite UNESCO's repeated requests and warnings.

'An independent survey and evaluation report on the present status of Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site', prepared by the Planners' Alliance for the Himalayan Allied Regions (PAHAR) has criticised government bodies, local governments and communities for not being committed enough to conserve cultural heritage. The World Heritage Centre has received the report and and the same is expected to be the
basis of discussion of Kathmandu Valley issue in its 28th session to be started next month in Beijing. The report says, with the danger- listing of the valley, it has become clear that the present approach to conservation has not been successful.

The re-evaluation of the overall approach would allow us to prepare a system that would allow for better results, adding, "on the conceptual level, there are three main parameters that need to be considered � commitment, capacity and plan". Kai Waise, team leader of the study, said the policy of the government has been unable to win the hearts of locals insofar as conservation is concerned and thus they are indifferent to their own heritage that needs conserving. "If only 75 percent of the community is convinced, others will naturally come to support government," he added.

The German government-funded report pointed out the shortcomings of the performance of the government and stressed, "The commitment and will of the government to implement plans prepared for the monument zones needs to be revitalised" "The government needs to clearly define the priority they are willing to give to conservation vis-a-vis other urban development sectors. The judicial basis of
conservation, especially in the case of private property within the monument zones, would need to be reviewed and if necessary revised.
And each of the monument zones needs a conservation committee to help implement and monitor conservation efforts," according to the study.

The report also proposed a mechanism of regular meetings: local monthly meetings at each of the seven zones, national quarterly meetings and international annual meetings at central locations to coordinate with UNESCO and donors. Chandra Prasad Tripathi, chief of World Heritage Section at DoA said since the report was "individualized" the department was not obliged to accept it in totol.

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EDITORIAL
Effective conservation The conservation of World Heritage Sites in
Kathmandu has constantly been in the news for nearly a year now. The
Sites are sometimes encroached upon by stubborn locals, while at
others, new concrete structures suddenly emerge in prohibited areas
such as Swayambhu � reportedly in connivance with the local
authorities. Though some of these illegal edifices have been pulled
down by the government in the past, this has not entirely dissuaded
the unscrupulous from trying to find an excuse to erect new ones all
over again. Then the Pratappur Temple at Swayambhu caught fire,
following which the temple collapsed a month or so later. All this
while, authorities and those representing the Temple squabbled over
when and how to begin restoration work. At the same time around
arrived the UNESCO's list of Monuments in Danger � another pointer
that all was not well with the historic monuments. A report now finds
the lack of coordination between government agencies and local
communities as the source of concern in preserving the Sites.

The report also points out that the present conservation efforts have
proved ineffective. There is a greater need than ever before to
evaluate the current approach adopted for the upkeep of these
edifices. Authorities adopting and implementing new strategies for
safeguarding the monuments must understand the inevitable that unless
local participation is encouraged, no amount of extraneous
interventions will yield the desired results. People must be made
aware of the benefit accruing from their involvement in protecting
the monuments. It is these structures that serve as eloquent
manifestation of Nepali culture. But as the trend goes, the locals
lend precious little towards the upkeep of the monuments in and
around the Heritage Sites. Red tapism and cumbersome bureaucratic
procedures which tend to deter the foreign conservation agencies as
well as the NGOs need to be eliminated right away. Unfortunate as it
is, petty interests of some of the stakeholders is also a major
handicap for whatever restoration projects are underway.

Judicial problems have been identified as another obstacle. The
government needs to be clear about the cases involving private
property alongside or within the precincts of the Heritage Sites. It
must define priority for conservation vis-�-vis other urban
development projects. Monitoring and implementing the devised
strategies on a regular basis is no doubt desirable. Those
participating in the deliberations on conservation in Beijing next
month will have to present a practical and acceptable solution to the
UN body concerned in order to give a new lease of life to the
conservation endeavour in Nepal.

KMC okays over one lakh illegal buildings

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, May 10:

Over one lakh illegal buildings of the capital will be "legitimatised" soon, thanks to some money-seeking ward chairmen and rumour of nearing local election. A dozen "enthusiastic" ward chairmen are putting pressure in the municipal councils for time so that all the illegal houses in the city are made to pay fat fines. These illegal houses were constructed either by overlooking the regulations or by paying bribes to municipal staff. The concerned officials at Kathmandu Metropolitan City admit that as many as 70 percent of the total number of houses is constructed illegally. Among them, 50 percent are totally against the law while others have made minor changes, which are tolerable. Around 4,000 houses are built in the city each year and it is estimated that there are 180,000 houses in the city, though KMC itself does not have exact data of the houses.
Keshav Dwaj Rana, newly-appointed ward 9 chairman has taken the illegal construction around the city as a major source of income. "We cannot demolish the illegal constructions in the city. So, it is better if we make them all legal, and collect revenue which we need to as election is nearing us," he proposed to the board. Mayor Keshav Sthapit, is said to be “impressed” by the idea and has formed a committee to recommend on this. The team is yet to give green signal to the plan.
Indra MS Suwal, the chief of Urban Development Department and the coordinator of the team, looks cautiously at the proposal. He said that the political decision might boomerang KMC in long term. He said that the decision may give clean chits to wrongdoers but it would not be technically justifiable. "KMC will has to be responsible if such faulty constructions collapse or cause damage to life and property to others," Suwal said.
The recent plan in KMC has created a big fury among the urban planners and seismologists. "It is suicidal. If the KMC makes such a ridiculous change, putting the live of millions in danger, it should be condemned," said Bharat Sharma, senior urban planner and former deputy chief of Department of Urban Development. He said that instead of implementing the Building Code, KMC is regularising all the crimes of the citizens in the petty interest of some revenue," he said.
Similarly, Amod Mani Dixit, the secretary at National Society of Earthquake Technology Nepal said that the regularisation process only promotes others to construct more illegal houses.
"The vulnerability will be there either KMC regularises the illegal houses or not. And it would promote more illegal constructions and those who had followed the regulation would feel being cheated," Dixit said.
[ KATHMANDU, MAY 11, 2004, Baisakh 29, 2061 ]

Government mulls narrowing down heritage sites

Razen Manandhar

Kathmandu, May 1 (2004):



While heritage experts are clamouring that the government retain the
world title of World Heritage List for Kathmandu Valley, the
government itself is working secretly to narrow down monument zones
in the name of saving the title.

Government officials have come up with a strange proposal
to "safeguard" the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO List of World Heritage in
Danger - self-delist problem-prone areas and only keep the monuments
safe.

The Department of Archaeology (DoA) held a seminar last week attended
by selected participants, which busied itself with narrowing down the
monument zones. It proposed to delist all traditional settings of the
residential Newari houses around the historic palaces of Kathmandu,
Patan and Bhaktapur. The proposal also confined it to the temples of
Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan. It proposed naming only the stupas
of Swayambhu and Boudha as monument zones, and not their
surroundings. In any case, these surroundings have been either
deliberately destroyed or are crowded with hundreds of concrete
Tibetan monasteries and walls. The seminar itself evoked differences
of opinion, participants revealed.

DoA officials refused to comment on the proposal but said that it was
a part of the seminar. It is expected that the officials will
formally present the proposal of the narrowed down zones to UNESCO
delegates at the international seminar taking place next week.

The World Heritage Committee, the UNESCO body which lists all the
World Heritage Sites of the world, has nudged the government
repeatedly over the deterioration of monument zones. The
international missions found little or no improvement during their
visits. Ultimately, on June 30, 2003, the Valley was put ultimately
in the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. The UNESCO document
stated, "The Kathmandu valley zones witnessed uncontrolled urban
development around thereby affecting the traditional heritage, the
landscape and the architectural fabric of the properties."

Keshav Raj Jha, former ambassador to France and representative to
UNESCO, told this daily, "The proposal surprised me. I must say it is
foolish and ridiculous." Jha added it was a case of killing one son
among seven just because he was not doing well, for the sake of
social status. "International convention does not allow it. If it
happens, the World Heritage sites will get confined to a bedroom or a
small temple," he said.

Prof Jiv Raj Pokhrel, heritage expert and president of the Nepal
Engineers' Association, said the government ought to extend the sites
in order to prove to the world that Nepal possesses unparalleled
cultural heritage. "Instead, efforts are being made to minimise it.
We should at least keep the inscribed sites, if we cannot expand
their scope," he said.

Om Chanran Amatya, chairman of Bhaktapur Heritage Groups, said
concrete houses around monument zones had mushroomed around the
zones, probably as a result of bribe-taking by government officials
or municipal bodies.

"It is a dishonour to our heritage," Amatya added.

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Not convincing The government's new proposal to narrow down monument
zones in the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site � a conglomeration
of seven UNESCO-identified monument zones � has been perceived as an
idea leading to gradual phasing out of the monuments of lesser
opulence but which in fact are recognised by the Western world as the
unique fabric of Nepali culture. It is understandable that the latest
step based on the "zoom-out approach" to concentrate conservation
efforts on any specific monument of international repute within a
zone might as well have been prompted by fund constraints, among
others. But that such a drastic and narrow approach should be adopted
to preserve the Sites � each one often described by experts as an
open museum � especially in the aftermath of the Kathmandu Valley
World Heritage Site being inscribed in the List of World Heritage in
Danger last July, bodes ill for the country's conservation endeavours.

Any heritage site, not to mention Kathmandu Valley, comprises a range
of other components such as its people and their culture, art,
architecture and life style. Take away any one of these and the
mosaic becomes that much more incomplete. Similarly, to ignore the
minor edifices, as the plan appears to have envisaged, which have
served as eloquent expressions of Nepali heritage, is but to render
the landscape of Nepali heritage picture a bit more fuzzy. It is true
that redefining the borders of these monument zones would no doubt
make the task of preserving them better. But the Kathmandu Valley
Preservation Trust and other agencies concerned should not be too
inflexible in their approach while delimiting the borders. This will
offer an excuse to undesirable elements in and around the Sites to
poach on the tangible as well as intangible cultural values embodied
in them.

If, for example, the proposal to delist traditional settings of the
residential Newari houses around the historic palaces of Kathmandu,
Patan and Bhaktapur is true, it is hard to conceive how this will
contribute to the conservation of the core heritage monuments. To
some extent, the peripheral structures have been acting as buffer
zones, as a protective shield until now. With the collateral edifices
about to be delisted, it is hard to visualise how a sustainable
action plan involving different stakeholders can be worked out.
Careful guidelines will have to be chalked out for the local
management committees engaged in conservation. Unless the government
presents a convincing case to the World Heritage Centre in Paris
saying how the latest proposal will help preserve the monuments, it
is unlikely that Nepal will succeed in wooing the Centre to delist
the Valley from the danger list.

Waterless days ahead in Valley

Waterless days ahead in Valley

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, March 13[2004]:

Water scarcity is something the Kathmanduites have learnt to cope with — admirably or stoically. But when the summer peaks this time, it could perhaps be a different story.
This year, water scarcity has broken all records. In most areas, people used to get water on alternate days but this year they will get water once in four days, and that too, hold your breath, for just an hour.
Mangal Karmacharya of Jyatha is a computer wizard. He wakes up at up at 3.30 am daily for a bucket of water or two from the hand-pump. Like him, all city dwellers lament they are unable to sleep because water is distributed at odd hours - midnight or early morning.
Since last month, water crisis has become a nightmare in Yangal, Om Bahal, Khichapokhari, Duganbahil, Mahaboudha, Ason, Teuda, Jyatha, Chhetrapati, Sorhakhutte, Tahachal and Baneshwor. Tahachal folks haven’t seen a drop for four months. They cough up Rs 300 per month for water — water of sorts.
The Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) says it is unable to provide more than half the demand during January to April. The total demand for drinking water in Kathmandu is 177 million litres per day but the government provides only 90 million litres. At least 41 million litres of water is lost because of leakage everyday.
Lajana Manandhar, executive director of Lumanti and a member of the NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation, says the government is not serious. “Commitment is lacking. For the last decade, we are hearing about foreign loans, new projects but the water problem is unsolved,” she said. According to NGOs, more than a hundred reports have been tabled on water and sanitation issues but water remains a distant dream.

Supply and demand
• Total water demand - 177 MLD (million litre per day)
• Production capacity - 132 MLD
• Average production - 112 MLD
• Dry Season production - 90 MLD
• Wet Season production - 130 MLD
• Leakage and Wastage - 41 MLD
Source: NWSC, 2001
= = =
Saga of inaction
• 1988 - Consultants from UK identified an inter-basin tunnel from Melamchi valley as the best plan
• 1991 - World Bank/IDA project 8 years project loan for $ 71 million to upgrade distribution network and increase supply in Kathmandu
• 1997 - Donors said that the government should bring in a private operator to manage the water system assets and make this a condition for loans and grants to support the Melamchi investment.
• 1999 - At the end of the WB/IDA project only $ 8.5 million could be spent. WB criticized itself for an inadequate project design.
• 2000 - Urban Water Supply and Wastewater Sector Strategy for Kathmandu Valley released.
• ADB approved a loan of $120 million for Melamchi
• 2001 - Government announced that Melamchi tunnel construction is scheduled to be complete in 2007.
• 2001 - ADB consultant reported on the establishment of the National Water Supply Regulatory Board and Kathmandu Valley Water
Authority (KVWA)
Source: Water Aid Nepal
[KATHMANDU, MARCH 14, 2004, Chaitra 01, 2060
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Vehicle-free New Road on the cards

Razen Manandhar
Kathmandu, February 2[2004]

Every street has its day...And so, Kathmandu's busiest street and commercial hub, New Road, which also has the distinction of being the country's first ever two-way road, is waiting for its day to say 'no' to vehicles. The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is thinking of converting New Road into an open entertainment-commercial ground where only pedestrians will be allowed.
New Road was built on the rubble of those hundreds of mud-and brick houses that collapsed in the 1934 earthquake. After the road was constructed, it was wider than people had expected. Popularly known as "Elephant Walk", it was named Juddha Sadak after the then prime minister Juddha Samsher, who designed it. "The current chaotic scene in New Road will no longer be there. Instead, it will be an open street where everything except vehicles will be allowed," said Mayor, Keshav Sthapit.
According to the KMC master plan, people wishing to use the main road will have to leave their vehicles in area around Sundhara or RNAC building. From New Road Gate to the Juddha Samsher statue chowk and Basantapur, open bistros, coffee shops and shopping malls in the middle of the road will enliven the atmosphere. Bhugol Park will be expanded to become a part of the new New Road. The building which houses the Nepal Investment Bank will be demolished. However, old landmarks like the pipal tree, newspaper stands around it and the shoe-shine spots will stay. Until 1990, the spot was a popular haunt of politicians and journalists.
Sthapit voiced his dream, "This will be a hub for the youth to spend time with their dear ones and to be mentally rid of violence, terror and negativity. Artistes will perform on the street to amuse passers-by and make the scene more romantic." Ward 23 chairman, Siddananda Bajracharya, said that the local ward chairmen had not been duly informed of the proposed changes. He demanded that the project provide special facilities for locals who would otherwise face practical problems.
Amrit Man Shrestha, a KMC advisor, said that the project would take some time to kick off. "The process is likely to begin with a facelift of old Bhugol Park.”
[ KATHMANDU, FEBRUARY 03, 2004, Magh 20, 2060 ]
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KMC plans big budget without enough cash

Razen Manandhar

Kathmandu, December 5[2003]:
Five months after the beginning of the fiscal year 2003/04, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City is preparing to make public a budget, which, the insiders say, will be three times bigger than the previous one. The mega-budget will be made public within a week.

According to KMC officials, a Budget Preparatory Committee, led by deputy mayor Rajaram Shrestha, is preparing to present an annual budget of Rs 2.98 billion for this fiscal year. Last year, the KMC had approved a budget of Rs 808 million.

The KMC plans to spend a sum of Rs 2,985,544,633.22

this year. Out of it, Rs 2,189,579,863 (78.94 per cent) will be spent on improvement of urban infrastructure, while Rs 584,047,270 (21.06 per cent ) will be spent on administration.

According to an official, the KMC has committed to provide only Rs 1.45 billion from its resources. No one at the KMC knows from which source the rest of the money � Rs 1.35 billion � will come. �It is a dream project. Such a mega-budget, at a time when the roles to be played by the mayor and other representatives is quite unclear, is bound to raise controversies,� says an officer.

Some of the KMC officers maintain that the projects that were expected to be completed last year have not been completed yet because of political meddling and corruption controversies. That is why, there is no reason to come up with such a budget. The KMC administration should focus on completing the unfinished projects, they say.

�Last year, the KMC had estimated to have spent Rs 22.3 million management of land-fill site alone and Rs 2.5 million on heritage conservation. But it is yet to be examined whether the

KMC spent that money properly. Similarly, it also said that Rs 2.5 million will be spent on management of the City Hall, which is still a dream project,� another KMC officer says.

Amrit Man Shrestha, an adviser to the Budget Committee, said, �though the proposed budget is comparatively bigger, it can see the light of the day if government sanctions loans.�

Govt, local bodies encroach ponds in Kirtipur

Razen Manandhar
Kirtipur, November 8

Dozens of ponds around the medieval hillock of Kirtipur, around 8 km south
west of Kathmandu, are being encroached by government and local
institutions.

Strategically, Kirtipur is one of the well-designed settlements of the Malla
period. The hillock was surrounded by walls and there was a trench which
also served as a canal for irrigation. The trench later turned into ponds.

But due to rapid urbanisation, these ponds have been encroached. As a
result, hardly any of them have water and most of them have already been
turned into private buildings, campuses, libraries and health posts.

"We used to see fish in these ponds some 15 years ago and the water was also
used for farming. But God knows, what has happened to our town, nobody is
interested in its conservation," said Krishna Lal Maharjan, a farmer,
pointing towards a grassy patch of land near a swimming pool.

Local Nikhashi Pukhoo was turned into Shahid Campus, Bhni Pukhoo became
Ilaka Police Office, and one Palye Pukhoo has been turned into a Health
Clinic. Another Palye Pukhoo is on its way of being turned into a
multi-purpose building, under a controversial project of the Kirtipur
Municipality.

According to Shukra Sagar Shrestha of the Department of Archaeology, the
ponds one can find today used to serve the town as a security trench. "These
ponds are the evidence of urban planning of the medieval civilisation," he
said, adding that if the ponds cannot be revived then they should be
utilised as parks so that excavation projects can also be taken up.

The Palye Pukhoo of Ward No 4 on which the Kirtipur Municipality has decided
to construct a multi-purpose building, is an ancient one, which has a
special cultural purpose of offering lotus flowers to the Buddhist temple of
Chilanchwo.

Gyan Ratna Bajracharya, a member of Chilanchwo Bhagwan Guthi said the trust
for the Chilanchwo had 60 ropanis of land, out of which 56 ropanis had been
acquired by the Tribhuwan University and the remaining four ropanis is being
targeted by the municipality.

"We had been offering lotus flowers to Chilanchwo for ages. But we later
stopped this practice as the government withdrew our facilities. Later on,
some social organisations started keeping fish in the pond, which also
disappeared," he said. He has been fighting alone to save the ponds. The
Guthi Sansthan has stated that the ponds have historic value and hence
should be conserved. However, the municipality has not give up the idea of
construction which has generated controversy in the past two weeks.

The deputy mayor of Kirtipur Municipality Panna Ratna Bajracharya said that
the protests would not affect the municipality's decision. He did not
release the technical details and estimated budget of the building.

Meanwhile, the officers of Local Development Ministry said that the
municipality should not take up construction work on public land. "Specially
cultural properties like ponds are the local heritage. The municipalities
should conserve instead of destroying them," he said.

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