Neo-Colonized Delusion

By Bishnu Prasad Aryal

TO know English, in fact, a logo for progressive achievement, is to understand the whole world.

Good

This is not the bad case to copy others who are practically senior when it comes to learning. Today, human civilisation has advanced due to people’s hunger for learning new things and their style of thinking differently. As such, learning is the most glorious process which activates inherent capability towards knowledge through one’s intuition. So, knowledge is not anyone’s sole possession but the universal foundation human being can have as his/her natural right. When it is learned, it is no more concerned with the giver but the possession of the taker.

In the Nepalese context, a person who knows English, not regarding the absolute knowledge, is highly respected. Like anyone else, this pen pusher has also very much experienced such a scenario when they feel mesmerized and amazed upon coming in touch with me simply because I somehow know English than they do. In the countryside where I live there are hardly anybody who have done a masters degree, that too in English.

English here is such a dramatic means that functions as a magic rod to spread and sow a seed of the knowledge. And we study each and every reading materials, texts in English language since all the activities and developmental concerns are related to it, either American or British, German or French. Only the speaking people have advanced their civilization aspiring for man-kind. Science and Technology, and other fields of knowledge are to be learnt through English. English speaking people, we think, are more civilized and developed, superior to us. We, mimic phenomena, enjoy imitating them and boast upon our self-loathingness and submissiveness, keep our existence and dignity at stake and follow them thinking that they are always right.

To anglicise culture and accumulate on the Nepalese mind has become a new culture, a kind of so-called dignitarious advancement of ourselves. So, now-a-days, a Nepali teacher in a school or soceity likes to speak English by partially substituting Nepali words. On the one hand, renamina caprice has lured our generation in competing to title themselves in English as well as Nepali, so far as their single name becomes burden for them who are not able to justify or bear it. On the other hand it is not a curse but an opportunity, we can exploit it, because it is a means not an end, for our progress. Therefore, it is a cumpulsion since we depend on English and each and every factor concerning to knowledge and development because we still have not forwarded ourselves ahead of them. Until we culminate the point of a certain height, if so, they should be obliged to follow us, we should not ignore them and will be compelled to depend on English language.

A Nepali writer says that Nepalese communist parties are not nationalistic and patriotic since they are mentally colonized by western communist thinking and philolosphy. Colonisation itself, is not bad but our colonial mentality where we accept to be colonized is guilty of this. So we should have a patience to analyze colonization, not mere negatively but positively. Not with inferiority complex, though some under-developed countries have been colonised, they will not be able to challenge the colonizer in the present scenario. For example, the USA itself was colonised and after independant became so powerful and developed. No one can deny its progress.

Pride

We now feel proud to call Mt. Everest to Sagarmatha. I felt that I should not oppose colonized and anglicised civilization since no language is one’s property. If we know English well, we can understand really what and how they are, so that we could reveal their weakness and reject their flattering. We can self-realize and self-understand what we are. Otherwise, opposing only with foolishness and not developing ourselves is another kind of follishness. Therefore, knowledge is undefeatable power which is becoming a mode of neo-colonization.

Kathmandu Saturday June 29, 2002 Ashadh 15, 2059. The Rising Nepal

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Metro-office stinky despite 1200 cleaners

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
KATHMANDU: August 29

Despite some 1,200 sweepers and cleaners constantly at work, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is giving out foul smell. The office toilets are stinking and a heap of garbage is rotting nearby. The inside of the building is full of dampening old materials and the rooms are covered by a blanket of dust.

The floors and walls of the building are cracked and damaged, said engineer Suraj Shakya. "KMC looks like a heap of garbage than an office," he said.

"Sanitation standards of this civic body stands at a shameful low condition despite over-crowded cleaners," Shakya added.

Toilets are unrine-stained and the floors and walls are awashed with spotty patches probably of nicotine chewed and spitted.

"Toilets, in particular, stink so bad that it will be hardly possible to remain inside for a few minutes to pee," Shakya said.

The civic body, which falls under the national capital, is the only metropolis of the country."Of late it has been a mockery of the historic, cultural and wonderful heritage of Nepal," said Shakya.

Sources at KMC say, there are about 2,500 staff including some 1,200 sweepers and cleaners. And yet the office remains dirtier and its toilets constantly stinking for several months.

Saligram Rijal, under-secretary at the KMC, blamed on to the removal of their supervisor a few months ago. "We are in a process to appoint a new supervisor for the cleaners," he said.

As soon as the supervisor is appointed, the problems will be gone, said Rijal.

The KMC building, which was constructed during the reign of Ranas, was earlier used by the Ministry of Finance. It now wears a dilapidated look.

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Humanity Vs Beauty

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 27

Mila Kunis, celebrity... and beauty...I don't know her at all but I chose her because her beauty enticed me a lot. It is not my fault she is beautiful but natural instinct always desires the beautiful things in the world. This is what aestheticism speaks of.

Meanwhile, I was shocked when I saw a group of children stretching palms for alms being presented by a commuter. The picture describes more than my words do. This is how a life they are spending in another part of the world.

I don't know both of them. Neither they know each other. I picked up them here as I witnessed state of miserable condition in them whereas humanity is dancing beyond their horizon. The celebrity, who is living full-privileged life, might not know anything about the children how they are suffering.

They have also beauty in them. Physical beauty is potential in them but it is a question what is barring them from getting bloomed. I see beauty in humanity.

Is beauty an antagonist against humanity or justice? Now it is your turn to unravel the layers of truth.

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Unworthy Vice-President of Nepal

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 25

This is simple truth that everyone, whoever it is, should abide by the constitution, law and rules of the country in democracy. However Vice President of Nepal Paramanand Jha neither accepts the Supreme Court rule nor resigns from the post nor abide by the law and rules. Jha sticks to his obstinacy and irrational and stupid logics.

He wants to be Vice President of the country but neglects the dignity of the nation. Nepali language is the natioanl language of Nepal, enshrined by the Constituion. However, he is not ready to take oath in Nepali language. In swearing in ceremony last year, he translated the oath statement read out by President Dr Ram Baran Yadav into Hindi language, which was mockery to all nationalist people. And he claimed he took the oath of the office.

Since thyen he was illegal VP of the country, which has been forced to witness violation of law by the ex-judge of the Supreme Court. Jha has worked as a judge in the SC. But he was always in controversy due to his unethical practices in the court. He was charged of deciding case in favour of crimanals belonging to drug crime.

Now, he is irrationally arguing that he is right and every one is wrong, which is in itself is shameful and indecent logics. He was speaking in Nepali and said he did not know Nepali. Srprisingly, his mother tongue is Maithili but not Hindi. Hindi is national language of India. Why has he fallen in love to Hindi? I also like Hindi language very much but if I get an opportunity to be in national post, I must abide by national laws.

The SC has given time to retake oath in Nepali by August 30 and ruled that his legacy as VP will end if he fails to do so.

If he wants to be VP of Nepal, he must take oath in Nepali language. Otherwise, he must quit the post. To be VP of Nepal must abide by constitution of Nepal. If he wants to be VP by taking oath in Hindi, he must go there where the national language is Hndi and contest for the top post.

Jha must be taken legal action and removed from the national post of dignity as soon as possible. Jha, get down soon, you are not worthy of VP for Nepal.

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Irregularities rampant in civic body

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 26

Many an official at the Kathmandu Metropolitan City are complained of demanding bribes and commissions with people even in the public development projects contributed by them. They are also nitpicked for violating democratic system.

The KMC carries out many public development projects in coordination with the people, who contribute 40 per cent of the total cost of a development project. According to the KMC, about 70 projects of Rs 50 million in partnership with public and 28 projects of Rs 100 million under tender in the body were carried out in the last fiscal year.

“There is not any certain rule in sharing the project with public,” said Rajesh Tiwari, a local of Chandol in KMC-4. “It varies depending on commissions,” he added.

Tiwari said that there were innumerable cases of fraud relating to tender and development projects. “When we shared 20 per cent of the project to conserve the public land at Chandol, a KMC overseer working in our ward demanded some Rs 5,000 for evaluating the performance and approving file,” he said.

The engineers and officials of the KMC approve the project tender at the unnecessarily high budget, said Tiwari. “A contractor proposes Rs 1 million for a work of about Rs 200,000 and the KMC officials approve it for the commission,” he said.

“On the other hand, the KMC officials linger approving project file till the locals will be forced to pay them amount based on the size of the project,” said Tiwari, adding that they were also asked for some amount. “We complained of the case at KMC, which assured to take action but to no avail yet,” he said.

Suraj Shamkya, an engineer at the KMC, said that it was not a single instance but was common culture in the civic body. “I am totally against it but I cannot change them,” he said.

Another engineer at the KMC said that there was also bad culture in the body. “People come with files lacking necessary documents. When I marked them other officials manipulated it for bargaining the loopholes and now I stopped it and remain silence now,” he explained.

“Ordinary people are exploited while the persons in contact with secretaries and high ranking officials make them influence in the works even if lacking necessary documents,” wondered Shakya. “Is it democratic culture we are following or practising?”

Niranjan Baral, government secretary and newly appointed Chief Executive of the KMC said that he had heard about such dishonest activities in the body. “I am briefing with all the department staff regarding the service delivery and good governance,” he said. “I know little about KMC now and can say only after the detailed study later,” he added.

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Govt agreement with locals not implemented

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 25

The agreement on a development package made three weeks ago between the Sisdole locals and the government could not come into practice despite commitment to implement within two weeks.

A package of development projects was agreed on July 31 with the Sisdole locals after they disrupted garbage disposal at the landfill site for a week. The agreement was divided into two phases—short and long terms for the implementation between two weeks and seven years.

“Publication of notice to pool land for the proposed Banchare Danda landfill site should have been published by mid-August as per the agreement. However, it is yet to be published,” said Ramesh Prasad Paudel, coordinator of the Sosdole Sanitary Landfill Site Struggle Committee. “The initiation for other projects to be implemented in the current fiscal year is a far cry now,” he added.

The package of agreement includes construction of roads, 5-bed hospital, skill-oriented training for 50 local youths, bridge, drinking water, additional allocation of teacher in government schools, initiation for long term waste management project at Banchare Danda, expansion and management of Sisdole landfill site.

“Eight plans in the agreement were mentioned to be effective this year. But nothing has been done yet,” said Paudel. “More than a dozen of agreements, which are still being repeated, were made in the past with the locals when the locals obstructed the garbage in the site.” The garbage disposal was halted at Sisdole more than 50 times during the period of last five years.

Dr Sumitra Amatya, General Manager at the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre under the Ministry of Local Sevelopment, said that the notice for the land pooling of Banchare Danda could not be published due to the delay approval prom the National Planning Commission. “We will publish it within two days,” she added.

Amatya said that the majority of projects were already launched and some were at the final stage. “A total of Rs 430 million was spent at Sisdole that includes Rs 220 million for infrastructure and Rs 210 million for compensation and development in the local area,” she said.

Paudel, however, said that 30 quota of teachers in about a dozen of private schools was assured in the office of the then Chief Secretary about 13 months ago. “No quota has been given yet. The agreement on teacher, road and hospital has been repeatedly made but in vain,” he blamed.

Amatya said it was unjust to blame on the government. “They do not come to us with sound proposal by forming necessary committees for implementing the demands. We called them but no official committee came to us,” she added. ‘It is their weakness.”

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Waste disposal hits job-row roadblock

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 24

The politics of dirt seems to be never ending. Now, local residents of Aletar in Nuwakot, the alternative dumping site where authorities were all set to dump the Valley waste, have begun demanding jobs to a member of each household of the area.

Such a demand comes even as the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre (SWMRMC), under the Ministry of Local Development, already agreed to provide jobs to 15 persons of the area a week ago.

The situation is likely to worsen as the government already decided to dump the garbage at Aletar after the capacity of Sisdole landfill site — the current site — ran out of its capacity nearly a week ago.

“The Maoists are manipulating the locals to put forth the never-ending demands,” said Dr Sumitra Amatya, general manager, SWMRMC. “We had agreed to provide job for 15 locals of Aletar. However, they are now demanding job for a member of all 42 households,” she said.

Ramesh Prasad Paudel, coordinator of the Sisdole Sanitary Landfill Site Struggle Committee, refuted the accusation. “The decision to provide jobs for 15 people was wrong, which invited the problem,” said Paudel, a UCPN-Maoist activist.

Earlier, the SWMRMC agreed to provide compensation for crops and environmental disturbance to the Aletar denizens. They will be given up to Rs 7,000 each household and an additional amount for the compensation to crops.

Paudel said that it was not reasonable to provide jobs only to 15 persons. “If the job is to be offered, a member of each household should be provided,” he said, adding that the list of the candidates who were already finalised was politically biased.

Dr Amatya was worried that the Sisdole site was already filled and they had planned to dispose garbage at Aletar from last Friday. “The garbage row is likely to bulge again. However, we are scheduled to discuss with the representatives of political parties tomorrow to end the row,” she added. “But we’re unable to provide jobs to each household.”

Expressing ignorance about the meeting, Paudel said that the locals should be convinced before the garbage was disposed at Aletar. “Otherwise, locals will be compelled to disrupt the waste disposal there,” he said.

Dr Amatya said that the government might suspend the Aletar project if the locals continued unnecessarily pressurising with illogical demands.

More than 400 metric tonnes of garbage collected from the Kathmandu and Laitpur is disposed at the Sisdole landfill site every day.

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Mosses make way to higher altitudes

Toxic heavy metals in valley air recorded through moss

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 22

Climate change has not only forced the animal to migrate to upper parts but it has also compelled the plants to migrate to high lands. Three species of moss earlier available in low land are now found at the periphery of the Kathmandu valley and even in upper parts.

“In my recent study, I recorded three species of low land moss found in high lands,” said moss researcher Nirmala Pradhan, who is doing PhD on low land mosses. “Adverse climate change has caused dryness and decline in photosynthesis process and its productivity,” she added.

These species are Funaria, Physcomitrium and Bryum pseudotriquestrum. “Funaria is sub-tropical species available at 1,000m, which is now found in temperate Kathmandu,” said Pradhan. “While Physcomitrium (bowl moss) is available at 300m can also be seen around Kathmandu.”

Pradhan said, low land species of Bryum is available now on the altitude from 2,900m to 6,000. “Birds, insects and wind help disperse the spurs from one place to another,” she said.

There are 21,000 species of non-flowering moist plant Moss in the world. Among them, 1,150 including 31 endemic species are available in Nepal. Four of them are endangered. Moss, a non-flowering plant, is very useful in anti-biotic production, decoration, controlling soil erosion, pollution indicator, medicine in wounds and cracks, fuel, shoes factory, food for birds and animals, using as shock absorber and nursery bed, and religious ceremonies.

Another researcher Kumudini Shakya, whose PhD research just completed in bio-monitoring air-borne heavy metals accumulated in moss in Kathmandu Valley, said that the results of the metal pollution in the valley are dreadful. “This is the first experiment in Nepal. Moss is proved more effective than lichen, which was experimented earlier, to oversee the accumulation of air-borne heavy metals,” she said.

The research was carried out in three areas—ring road, inside ring road and outside ring road-- testing in two categories of clean and polluted zones. Species of Thuirdium, Tasyphyllum and Giraldii mosses were tested in clean areas while Brachythecium, erythrodontium julaceum and Faerronia matsumurae were examined in polluted areas.

“The heavy metals were highly accumulated in all of the species except in Giraldii moss,” said Shakya. “The metals were examined in heavy traffic areas such as Ratnapark, Chabahil, Putalisadak, Lagankhel and Kalanki.” She said. “Lead, Cadmium, Chromium, silver, mercury, uranium, copper, zink, cobalt, manganese and nickel were high in the valley air.”

These are very toxic and harmful to both human beings and plants, she said. The scientific gravity of these metals should not be more than 4.5gm/c³ in the air. “However, the measurements of the Lead, Cadmium and Chromium were recorded very high,” she added. “The measurement in lead is 3.45-83mg/kg moss, cadmium .01-2.25mg/kg and chromium 2.5-70.5mg/kg.”

The health impacts of heavy metals are headache, fatigue, anemia, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, which can cause cancer, lung cancer and respiratory diseases. “These are increasing in the valley day by day,” Shakya warned.

Pradhan said that the use and conservation of mosses are neglected here. “It must be fully utilized to trace environmental hazard affecting human health,” she added.

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Tardy slur on mobile toilet project

UNESCO warns to remove it from Heritage site

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 21

Despite an agreement to install a mobile toilet each month in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), only one toilet has been installed even after four months of the agreement.

An agreement between the KMC and the Kathmandu Solid Waste Management Service, a private firm, was signed on April 4 to set up a mobile toilet every month for ten over crowded places respectively. Those places include New Bus Park, Old Bus Park, Sundhara, New Baneshwor, Basantapur, Thamel, Kalanki and Koteshwore.

“We could not establish such toilets each month one due to the delay in working,” said Basudev Uprety, proprietor of the KSWMS. “We are preparing next one, which will be installed at Kalanki within a month,” he added.

UNESCO WRIT AGAINST FACILITY

KATHMANDU: UNESCO has written a warning letter to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City to remove the mobile toilet from Basantapur, which falls under the World Heritage Site. “We received a letter from the UNESCO on Wednesdy, urging to remove the toilet from Basantapur,” said Rabin Man Shrestha, chief at the Environment Division, KMC. “We are searching for the next location. However, it will be kept around Basantapur or New Road,” he added. -- BPA

The first mobile toilet was set up on April 5 at Tundikhel and later it was moved to Basantapur. According to KSWMS, about Rs 800,000 is necessary to build a toilet. “Everything except steal pans is available in the local markets. A mobile toilet will be built in 25 days if two persons continually work,” said Uprety.

However, the workers are spending at least three months to construct a toilet, said Uprety. “Balaju Yantrashala took five months to prepare the first toilet. What can we do if the workers linger construction?,” he wondered. Now, nest toilet has been prepared at a local workshop in Teku.

Rabin Man Shrestha, chief at the Environment Division, the KMC, said admitted that the installation could not be done as expected in accordance with the agreement. “However, the company will be allowed to continue their job,” he said. “As the workers unnecessarily delayed in building toilet.”

KSWMS pays Rs 2,100 to the KMC per month for a toilet as per the agreement. “I earn Rs 30,000 to Rs 50,000 per month from one toilet,” said Uprety. “So I am excited to install other ones gradually,” he added.

This news was published on The Himalayan Times, August 22, 2009.

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Two percent of TB patients in city defaulters

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 21

Two per cent of the tuberculosis patients in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City are found to be defaulters.

“This is very bad sign in controlling TB even in the city areas,” said Dr Babu Ram Gautam, chief at the Public Health Division of the KMC. “The control of TB in city has become more problematic than in the rural areas,” he added.

According to the KMC, there are about 2,000 TB patients and 34 DOTS centres including 14 metropolis centres in the KMC. “Two per cent of the patients do not take full dosage of medicine and discontinue treatment,” said Dr Gautam. “This complication is a result of migration, lack awareness and poverty,” he said.

Migrated workers and low class people discontinue the treatment, as they prefer working for livelihood to visiting the DOTS centres for having doze, said Gautam. “One patient can communicate disease upto 15 people. Sixty per cent of the TB patients are adults”

Cure rate of the TB patients stands at 88 per cent while other statistics are missing due to records unavailable from private clinics and HIV complications. About 6,000 people die of TB every year in the country. However, Nepal is better in DOTS effectiveness among the South-East Asian countries.

“Treatment of TB is possible now at free of cost but the people are still unaware of getting treatment,” said Gautam. “TB bacteria is in a latent condition in about 45 per cent of the total population. It may come into surface anytime when immunity of the people falls down,” he added.

There are some 3,000 DOTS centres in the country and the government has planned to facilitate in all of the health centres and hospitals by 2010. The DOTS method was introduced in four centres in the country in 1995.

This news was published in THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, August 22, 2009.

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EC apathy mars KMC to form mechanism

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 20

Formation of the all-party mechanism in the Kathmandu Metropolitan City has been held up after the Election Commission failed to provide official list of the political parties represented in the Constituent Assembly from the KMC.

This time, the Ministries of Local Development and Finance have changed the criteria in the formation of political mechanism to settle all the rows in the absence of elected representatives by including the political parties in the CA. Earlier, there was a provision of seven-party political mechanism as per the Comprehensive Peace Accord made by the political parties.

“Lack of the official list of the political parties elected in the CA has barred us from forming the all-party mechanism in the civic body,” said Saligram Rijal, under-secretary at the KMC. “Although we urged the EC in written about two weeks ago, we’re yet to receive the official list of them,” Rijal told this daily.

The municipal council meeting of the KMC scheduled to be held before mid-July to approve the annual budget and programmes for the current fiscal year has remained still undecided due to the absence of the all-party mechanism.

Rijal said the KMC asked the EC, Kathmandu District EC and CA Secretariat in written for the list of the political parties. “EC and KDEC sent us only the names of the political parties contested in Kathmandu but not the official list of parties in the CA,” he said. “The CA secretariat orally asked to consult the EC for the list.”

According to the EC, altogether 40 political parties including Nepali Congress, CPN-UML and UCPN-Maoist contested in the CA polls from Kathmandu. There are 24 political parties in the CA.

The KMC requested EC twice for the list parties in the CA but to no avail, said Rijal. “Instead, it sent us an unofficial letter on plain sheet without stamp of EC, name of the commissioner and its official letter pad,” he added.

Uddhav Prasad Baskota, spokesperson for the EC, expressed ignorance to this matter and said the EC dispatched the real data to other offices including the Prime Minister. “I was not in Kathmandu for the some days. So, I cannot say in details. About one and half dozen parties are represented in CA from Kathmandu,” he added.

The delayer in holding council meeting and approving the annual budget and programmes will badly affect implementation of regular development projects of the civic body. Some of the development projects of last year are still going on because of the delay in passing the budget and programmes in time.

"It cannot be said when the meeting will be held," said Rijal. However, Niranjan Baral, newly appointed executive chief at the KMC, said that it would be held soon. “We are working on it,” he added.

The estimated annual budget of the KMC that council meeting approved last year stands at about Rs 1.85 billion, according to the KMC.

Meanwhile, the council meeting of the Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City is also in limbo owing to the delay in formation of all-party mechanism for the same cause, according to the LSMC official.

This news was published on The Himalayan Times, August 21, 2009.

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Garbage-fuelled power plant in offing

12-odd private firms keen on project that may rid valley of waste woes

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
LALITPUR, August 15

More than 10 private companies have shown interest to set up an energy plant fuelled by the Kathmandu Valley’s garbage. Up to 600 metric tonnes of garbage is produced in the valley daily.
Dr Sumitra Amatya, General Manager, Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre under the Ministry of Local Development, told The Himalayan Times that 12-odd companies and some individuals had submitted proposals for setting up garbage-fed energy plant in the valley. She, however, added that tender for the project was yet to be floated.
The companies who have submitted their proposals are Chaudhary Group Infra (I), Chaudhary Group (II), Panchkanya Group, Triveni Byapar, Action Nepal, Environment Development Research Pvt Ltd, Federation of Nepalese Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Changu Garbage Power Plant, Communication O Y, Nepal Environment and Energy Management, Bhusal Urja Company Pvt Ltd, KL Dugar Pvt Ltd and a few individuals.
“All of them have demanded a clear law, exemption of taxes, formation of high-level committee, supply of at least 400 metric tonnes of garbage everyday and purchase of products and electricity by the government,” said Amatya. “The government has already decided to bring appropriate law, exempt taxes and provide land for the plant,” she added.
To set up the plant, Panchkanya Group has proposed to merge municipal staff in its company and has not demanded any land from the government. CG (I) has proposed to build the plant for Rs 4.80 billion, demanding 20 hectares of land from the government. Action Nepal has proposed to use Canadian plasma technology, Triveni has demanded 30 acres of land, and CG (II) has proposed to set the plant on 25 ropanis of government land.
The MoLD has registered a proposal with the Office of Prime Minister and Council of Ministers to form an empowered waste management committee to work on scientific disposal of garbage. “The next meeting of the cabinet is likely to approve the formation of committee, which will float tender,” said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesman for the MoLD.
The amendment bill of the Waste Management Act involving the private sector in garbage disposal has already been forwarded to the Ministry of Law and Justice, said Dipendra Bahadur Oli, legal officer at the SWMRMC. “The MoLJ will forward it to the cabinet within a week. After cabinet approval the parliament will endorse it,” said Oli. “The current parliament session will pass the bill.”
Dr Amatya hopes that by mid-November, the committee will sign an agreement with the selected company to establish energy plant within two years.

This news was published in The Himalayan Times on August 16, 2009.

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Drawbacks in crime investigation in Nepal

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 11

It is well known that there is no room for error in forensic science to deliver justice to the people. However, crime investigation and forensic laboratories in Nepal are full of drawbacks, lacking sensitive technologies and methods.

“The state of crime investigation into the complex situation of cases is at sorry state in the country,” said Dr Hari Har Wosti of Forensic Department at the Institute of Medicine, Maharajgunj. “The condition of forensic laboratories is incomplete and useless in terms of analysing the evidences,” he said. “It cannot detect even poison or drugs at all if I send them to test there.”

There are two forensic laboratories–National Forensic Science Laboratory (NFSL) and Police Forensic Laboratory in the country. “Both of them are not updated and nearly functionless compared to the available modern technologies in the field of crime investigation,” said Wosti.

Superintendent of Police Janak Bahadur Singh, chief of the Forensic Laboratory under police department, admitted that lab equipments were not updated as modern technologies. “Chemical (toxicology) division of the lab is not modern and cannot anylise modern drugs and poisons well. But physical and fingerprint divisions work well,” said SP Singh.

According to the police, the evidences of 3,235 criminal cases were analysed in the police lab in the last fiscal year. Among them, 2,715 cases belonged to chemicals, 439 of physical cases and 81 of fingerprint cases. “There is high chance of letting the culprits go scot-free because of the lapses,” said SP.

“Collecting evidences from the field is equally important to investigate into the crime cases,” Singh said. “There must not be contamination and decomposition of the evidences,” he said. “This is not satisfactory in the country due to the lack of experts. There are only few police officials expert on this sector,” he added.

Forensic science, which has shaped the world of justice, fuelling crime investigations and signifying the progress of modern technology, more reliable method to prove innocent or guilty has not been effectively implemented in the field of investigation, said Jiwan Prasad Rijal, special scientist at the NFSL. “In fact, real investigation in crime is yet to carry out in the country,” he added.

Forensic science covers modern computer/clay facial reconstruction, DNA fingerprinting, autopsy techniques, forensic anthropology, toxicology and much more. “The major drawbacks are resources and method of investigation into the criminal cases,” said Rijal. “There is not a single qualified expert in forensic anthropology and cyber crime,” he said.

There are altogether about four dozens of experts in all the streams. “One expert works in upto six fields at a time when it is very objectionable,” said Rijal. “Criminal cases are decided without DNA tests, which may not deliver justice to victim and book the culprits,” he said.

SP Singh said the samples of heinous crimes are sent to India for DNA testing. “It will be possible to test DNA of any kinds in our lab after a few months,” said Rijal.

Dr Wosti said that the investigation based on witness was unscientific. “Witness may not understand the truth fairly and can be influenced with bulk of bucks,” he said. “The court verdicts based on such evidences will not ensure right justice to the people.”

This feature news was published on The Himalayan Times, August 12, 2009.

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Smearing soot on gurus politically motivated?

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, August 7

Instance 1: Activists of Madhesi Students Front (Democratic) smeared soot on the faces of Harihar Bhandari and Tulraj Bhattarai, campus chief and assistant campus chief of Biratnagar Degree Campus respectively, on August 6.

Instance 2: Cadres of All Nepal National Free Students Union (ANNFSU) attacked Hari Prasad Parajuli, principal, Tri-Chandra Campus in Kathmandu on August 2.

Instance 3: All Nepal National Independent Students Union-Revolutionary blackened the face of Jasa Bahadur Lungeli, chief, Mahendra Multiple Campus, Ilam, on July 1.

Instance 4: Representatives of the Free Students Union badly beat up campus chief Devidatta Shah and other lecturers of Mahendra Bindeswori Multiple Campus in Rajbiraj of Saptari on June 8.

Instance 5: The Maoist students smeared tar on the faces of Tribhuvan University ViceChancellor, Prof Dr Madhav Prasad Sharma, and Rector Prof Dr Surya Lal Amatya, on April 22.

Such news of assaults and misbehaviour with the teachers are commonplace in the media lately. But, what are the reasons the students have been turning on their own gurus, who, according to the Hindu tradition, are revered that like of gods?
Prof Dr Mana Prasad Wagle says such acts are utterly shocking. "Such indiscipline is rife in the educational institutions mainly due to encouragement by the political parties the assailants are associated with," said Wagle. "At the same time, the students are indulged in such negative and violent act as a result of dissatisfaction and frustration."

It is also because of the political parties' failure to tame and guide their affiliated students on discipline and responsibility, says Wagle. "Unnecessary politicking of students and education sector, which has massively deteriorated the education standard of Tribhuvan University, is also another cause of such anarchy."

"Student unions put unnecessary pressures on the campus administration for enrolling students, just to garner votes in the union election. To say frankly, such unions in the universities, which are hardly concerned about the betterment of education, are not needed at all" Wagle argues.

VC Dr Sharma, one of the victims, says that the university and schools were not the right place for one to do politics. "We're sad to say that such incidents are recurring largely due to the prevalent impunity."

Pradip Paudel, president, Nepal Students Union agrees that humiliating and disrespecting the teachers are not acceptable. "We opt for other means to solve problems."

Paudel, however, attributes the culture of violence in academia to the Maoists and its student body. "But, university teachers, who often seek political back up, are also to be blamed." Himal Sharma, general secretary, ANNISU-R, says: "Students are ultimately compelled to do so after all other available means fail to yield outcome."

He, however, maintains that the students should be availed of the rights to do politics.

Sheltering those involved in such crimes by mother parties and letting them scot free are the reasons behind such incidents, according to Gagan Thapa, CA member, who is also the former general secretary of NSU. "Besides, the education sector should also change itself in order to accommodate to the aspirations of the changing times."

This feature news was published in The Himalayan Times on August 8, 2009.

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I can't change my inborn nature

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

A tiger, which is very beautiful and powerful animal, lives on other animals. It kills them and has their flesh for its livelihood. It does not farm the animals but hunts them in its residential area when it is hungry. If it is not full of appetite, it never kills and harms others.

An interesting thing to say is that it never eats grass how hungry it is. It will die of hunger but never eats plants and grass. It is its inborn nature.

Similarly, someone is born with special character. One is born to be a scientist, a politician, doctor, poet, writer, painter, farmer, philosopher and so on. However, I have witnessed a different instance in my life.

A powerful but a bad person, who has been following me since long, is always hatching conspiracy against me, torturing and harming me for his own family problem. Can't I get to live freely without harming and hurting anybody else in this world? I am unable to telerate his mean behaviours. A poet or philosopher can't be transformed into a scientist by beating and hitting whether physically or psychologically.

Let a person be as one was born for what. It is crime to forcefully attempt to change a poet or philosopher into a scientist. Every one is born with different nature. We should not make anyone like you...as every body is different and unique. Learn to understand for what one is born to be. I was born with flavour of philosophy. I am different from others. And I will die but cannot turn into an illogical and unreasonable person.

One has the rights to celebrate one's life in own way without harming and hurting others. If the wings of a bird are cut, it can't fly anymore. Someone plucked all the feathers of my wings and tells me to fly in my own way. Is it possible to fly playfully?

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