Int'l peace award of US$ 50,000 on Buddha's name

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, May 25

The Government of Nepal is officially publicising the establishment of the Gautam Buddha International Peace Award (GBIPA) worth US$ 50,000 on the occasion of 2554^th Buddha anniversary on May 27. Buddha was born at Tilaurakot, Kapilvastu district in Lumbini Zone in Nepal.

According to the Ministry of Federal Affairs, Constituent Assembly, Parliamentary Affairs and Culture (MoFACAPAC), the award will be given to national and international personalities and organisations working for peace and human rights. An individual or organisation will be rewarded with US$ 50,000 in each five years.

“The decision to provide the GBIPA to the peace makers will be officially publicised on the occasion of the Buddha Jayanti function in Lumbini on May 27,” said Rishi Kesh Niroula, under-secretary at the MoFACAPAC. “The winner will be declared on the Buddha Jayanti in 2011 first time and the award will be given on that day,” he added.

The government decided to establish the GBIPA in November 11, 2002. However, it could not be materialised due to the extreme political situation in the country.

“Now, everything is prepared accordingly and it is on the final stage to recognise officially,” said Niroula. “The Peace Award Management and Coordination Committee, headed by Kul Chandra Gautam, former assistant UN General Secretary has been recently formed,” he told this daily.

The committee comprises of four members-- former chief secretary Dr Bimal Koirala, renowned artist Urmila Garga, singer Aani Choying Drolma, and Acharya Karma Sangbo Sherpa, vice-chairman of the Lumbini Development Trust. The secretariat of the committee will be stationed at the MoFACAPAC.

The committee will formulate criteria and determine procedures soon, said Niroula. “It will select the nominees within a year and recommend best three candidates to the government,” he said. “Finally, the government will select the winner of the GBIPA,” he added.

The LDT in coordination with the Ministry, the Kapilvastu District Development Committee, Kapilvastu Municipality, the Dharmodaya Sabha and other organisations will organise Buddha Jayanti in Lumbini this year. The Ministry has disbursed Rs 2 million for the celebration.

President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and Culture Minister Dr Minendra Rijal among other ministers are scheduled to visit Lumbini on the occasion. Meanwhile, along with different programmes, an art exhibition ‘Light of Asia’ by Vietnamese artist Phu Nguyen will be on display in Lumbini,” said Prakash Darnal, officer at the MoFACAPAC. “It will be a historic celebration in terms of declaring a big award,” he added.

Read More

Thousands flock the street against Maoist strike

Thousands of people from all walks of life landed on the streets in the Kathmandu to shun violence and strike called by the UCPN-Maoist, which came into peace process after a decade of armed struggle. About 14,000 people were killed during the Maoist insurgency.

This time, Maoists are on the street calling a general strike demanding resignation from Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and forming a coalition government led by the Maoists, who did not dare to follow the constitutional way by bringing no confidence motion in the parliament and voting for and against the government.

Read More

Peaceful demos Maoist ploy to deceive int'l society

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, May 6

The supporters and cadres of Unified Communist Party of Nepal Maoists have been staging demonstrations peacefully more than it was expected. UCPN-M is still tagged in US terrorist list although Nepal government lifted it after it coordinated with other political parties to abolish monarchy and establish Federal Democratic of Nepal in 2006.

Maoists signed the papers with commitment to follow the democratic path and abandon violence. The ten year armed conflict ended as they came into peace process. However, they are still clinging in their goals to establish totalitarian communism. They are using strategies and tricks to empower them a for the final war. They accumulated force amidst their thin presence before entering into peace process.

They want to hold state power by forcing the other parties. So they are now on the streets for last five days calling the nationwide general strike, demanding the government to step down and form new coalition headed by Maoists.

Their artificial restraint was indicatively disclosed by one educated supporter while the supreme commanders  of the party were openly threatening  to seize power if their demands were not met. They are planning to seize state power within few months. They want first to win the sympathy from international communities by showing artificial restraint in the demonstrations.

"This is a diplomatic strategy to get international support and involve in the government," said demonstrator Hom Nath Nepal, a teacher from Sindhupalchowk district. "As we win the international support and are involved in the government, we will seize state power ousting all and will achieve final goal to set up communism in the country," he added in an media investigation in the Maoist demonstration at New Baneshwor yesterday.

Therefore, Nepalese people may face violence and democracy will be snatched once again if it is not understood in time and not managed to get help from UN and international communities to curb totalitarianism in the Himalayan country.

Read More

'No democracy in reality, only bullying culture'

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, February 19

Several rounds of big iron balls were fired through cannons at this dawn and two helicopters were flown round by over the sky of Kathmandu at around 10:45 am to celebrate the 60th Democracy Day formally. However, at the same time, ordinary people hardly feel the practice of democracy in reality in the country.

Hundreds of people sacrificed their lives for the democracy and people's rights in the history of nation. People fought with despotic Rana regime 60 years ago to bring democracy. It was again taken over 48 years ago by then king Mahendra.

After struggle for many years, democracy was revived in 1990, which failed again creating chaos in favour of monarchy to capture the power. People struggled once again in 2007 and abolished monarchy, establishing federal republic democracy in the country. Today is the very day of Democracy to remind the freedom and assurance of people's rights.

Sriju Shrestha, a student of Bachelor in Engineering at Advanced College, Kupondole in Lalitpur, said that she could not experience existence of true democracy in the country. "Democracy exists only in word and slogan here," Shrestha said. "The dreams of hundreds of martyrs are shattered due to the sheer negligence of political parties in power."

"Wherever I go I experience bullying and undemocratic culture. The government offices, which are most responsible bodies to ensure democratic practices, are most undemocratic institutions," said Shrestha. "So I never like to visit the government offices," she added.

Hailed from Kavre, Sitaram Chhetry, 12-year boy who abandoned his home and parents due to the poverty three months ago, spent wintry nights on the streets at Ratna Park for a month. "Now, I clean dishes at an inn for my livelihood," he said. "Two of my friends, who came along with me here, are passing hard times."

When asked him about the Democracy Day, he retorted that he had heard it. "But I don't know what the democracy is," he said. Like Chhetry, thousands of children are forced to live life under the open sky in the country.

Bhesh Raj Paudel, an owner of retailer at Ason, said that the country was ruled in anarchy corruption, lawlessness and violation of human rights. "The people in power have done whatever they like while ordinary people are unjustly oppressed," he said. "Nobody cares about people here. Neither there is peace and security nor any working opportunity to people," he added.

Sabita Neupane, a teacher of Valley view School at Baneshwor, said the country was running without democratic system. "There is no democracy, freedom to rights and speech. We will be insecure if we speak truth," she said. "The expired and substandard commodities are sold at the uncontrolled markets recklessly," she added. "I feel lack of law and order system. People and government both should abide by the law and order in democracy."

Legal expert Prof Dr Rajit Bhakta Pradhananga said state of law and order was very weak. "There will be no democracy in reality by writing in constitution alone until a system of rule of law is established from government to people," he said. "Crime is rising alarmingly following unexpected course of peace after conflict in the country," he added.

Read More

Home Ministry 'deception' on fire-engine deal surfaced

Bishnu Prasad Aryal

Kathmandu, February 3

Owing to the negligence of the Ministry of Home Affairs, the fire engines used as emergency tool to put out fire in accidents are in dire situation. The newest fire engine operated in valley was brought to use 24 years ago.

The MoHA handed over the management of Juddha Barun Yantra Office to two municipals in Thamandu Valley, signing an agreement on May 11 to be implemented before mid-July. According to the agreement, the MoHA agreed to provide two new fire engines to each of the municipals along with operational and managerial cost for maintaining old and new engines.

“Neither a single fire engine has been purchased yet nor the old ones are functional,” said Ashok Shrestha, senior officer at the Lalitpur Sub-Metropolitan City. “The MoHA handed over the problem to us,” he told this daily. “If any casualty occurs, we will be unable to send fire engine on the spot,” he added.

The JBYO has been operating five fire engines in the valley—two in Kathmandu Metropolitan City, one in LSMC and two in BhaktapurMunicipality. However, Bhaktapur did not sign the agreement and rejected to take responsibility of the fire engine management.

KATHMANDU: Fire engines being used in KMC are replaced with Sajha bus engines. Fire engines in KMC have been operated with bus engines, said Rajendra Giri, deputy chief of Juddha Barun Yantra Office, established during Ranas 64 years ago. “All the fire engines in valley are in a sorry state. If the government provides fund to purchase it immediately, it will take at least six months to buy new engines,” he added. --

The LSMC owned three engines—one was sold to garage earlier, second was already damaged and third one is functionless and hard to repair. The German engine presently used at LSMC was handed over 35 years ago.

“This engine hasn’t been working for last two weeks,” said Rajendra Giri, deputy chief at the JBYO. “We rushed to put off fire at Imadol two weeks ago. We just poured first lot of water and rushed to carry water second time, engine went out of function,” he added. “Rs 4.2 million provided by Ministry of Finance for maintenance has gone useless as repairing engines are available only in Germany.”

Giri informed that fire engines form KMC was called when a house was set in fire at Bhainsepati in Lalitpur a week ago. “We don’t like to work here as we are left to see people burning on fire while in emergency,” he said. “On the other hand, no engine at the office is in good condition.

The manpower crunch stands as another hurdle at JBYO. There are only 11 personnel out of 33 positions. MoHA in agreement assured to recruit 22 personnel but to no avail.

“We have drafted a letter today urging the MoHA to implement the agreement,” said Shrestha. “We will dispatch it tomorrow, demanding funds for the purchase of fire engines,” he added.

However, MoHA reacted on it saying it was not its concern. “The budget allocated in the last fiscal was already frozen. Now it is the responsibility of Ministry of Local Development and MoF to buy fire engines,” said Jaya Mukunda Khanal, spokesperson for the MoHA

Read More

"To be or not to be"--It is a question?

 Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, December 7

? Is it a crime to be a poet?
                                            


                                    Or to be a creative person?
                                                                                           



                                                                         Or to be a philosopher?



I am punished for being logical, reasoning, rational and pholosophical but without harming and hurting others. Is it justice?



So, it is a question of 'to be or not to be'. Death is better and greater than the slavery.

Read More

Meat of unhealthy, even dead animals sold in market

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, November 16

Meat of unhealthy animals and even dead ones has been being sold in the Kathmandu valley since long. However, Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act 1998 is yet to be practiced at all to control the hazard even after 11 years of its enactment, ignoring the public health concern.

Dr Bodh Prasad Parajuli, senior veterinary officer of the Veterinary Public Health Office, Tripureshwor, said not a single clause of the Act has been implemented yet. "The consumers are forced to have substandard meat, which is very harmful to human health," he added. "About a dozen of committees were formed to look into the matter but to no avail."

The Act provisions the good status of slaughter house and meat shops, mandatory license from government authority to sell meats, animals to be slaughtered only in slaughterhouses, health test of animals before slaughtering and hygiene test of meats, restriction on adulterated meat and sale of only skinless meats in the market.

"Afore mentioned provisions are yet to be practiced in the country," Dr Parajuli, who is also member of the Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act 1998 Implementation Monitoring Committee, worried. "A slaughterhouse was built in Hetauda six years ago but it was not operated after its establishment. Two slaughterhouses were launched at Thankot and Kakani in Kathmandu some five years ago, however, they became defunct immediately after their operation," he said.

Manoj Khadgi, president of the Nepal Khadgi Samaj Sewa, said that it was impossible to implement the law by an individual or an institution. "All the stakeholders including government authorities should work in coordination," he said.

Khadgi said neither there is quarantine system while importing animals nor health checking system of animals, nor a farm to keep them, nor a slaughterhouse nor a good meat shop. "There is rampant smuggling in animal import and the government is aloof from controlling them. How can you expect healthy meat in such a condition," he said.

LALITPUR: Meat entrepreneurs formed an executive committee to establish a cooperative to make the flesh business more managed by building a slaughter house in Kathmandu. The government has included in the current fiscal budget to provide funds to such cooperatives. About 200 meat traders, who gathered at the interaction programme on 'Animal slaughterhouse site and meat market business promotion' jointly organised by the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, and Animal Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act 2055BS Implementation and Monitoring Committee, proposed a well managed slaughter house for healthy meats. --

According to NKSS, an umbrella of meat traders, there are at least 3,000 meat entrepreneurs in the Kathmandu valley.

Dr Babu Ram Gautam, coordinator of the act implementation monitoring committee, said that very few meat traders had applied for the permission license for selling meats. "They should take permission from the Ministries of Environment and Industry, and the concerned municipalities. However, it is still ineffective," he explained. "Such kind of unhealthy meat may cause various ailments belonging to abdominal, heart and mental diseases to human health."

Dr Nar Bahadur Rajwar, Deputy Director General at the Department of Livestock Services, admitted the lapses of the government and assured the law would be implanted at any cost. Niranjan Baral, executive chief at the KMC, emphasised on the public private partnership concept to make it effective.

Read More

Is this really civil supremacy of UCPN Maoists?

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, November 12

Hundreds of cadres of the Young Communist League, affiliated to the UCPN Maoist, strode on the streets with sticks and red ribbons around Singh Durbar, the centre of the government offices today to gherao it as part of the two-day programme. Addressing their cadres, senior Maoist leaders were mimicking about the civil supremacy, human rights and peace.

On the contrary, the YCL cadres were barring the people from walking on the road freely on their way to home and office since 8AM to 4PM. Ironically, Maoist cadres were excreting urine on the outer walls of Singh Durbar and accumulating papers, plastics and other materials on the roads after having food and snacks.  Moreover, all the traffic movements were halted throughout this period in Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, thousands of ordinary people suffered unnecessarily from the Maoist movement for achieving state power. "They are not realizing about people's human rights and difficulty they are facing now. They are only hungry for being Prime Minister and ministers in the government," said the commuters in a furious mood.

Uma Shrestha, owner of a photo studio at Hanumansthan near by south gate of Singh Durbar, said that she had nothing to do with their movement for power. "However, we suffered more than enough. It was so tense and terrifying during the scuffle between police and demonstrators," she added. "We closed the doors and remained inside for about two hours."

Children and elderly people of the area were badly affected with explosion of tear-gas shells. "Children were crying and our eyes also ached badly," Shrestha said. "Sets of furniture of Kalinchowk Furniture Industry and Chagunarayan Restaurant were damaged while demonstrators entered there," she informed.

Shrestha earned nothing today whereas she used to earn Rs 500 to 1,000 per day. "We are again terrified what will happen tomorrow," she worried.

Deepak Baral, a staff of Janaki Medical College in Janakpur and a representative for Kathmandu valley, said that he came from Sinamangal to Agriculture Development Bank at Ramshah Path, a distance of about four kilometres on foot for an important work. "What kind of civil supremacy is this?", he questioned.

People from all walks of life including students, business community, laymen, and government staffers were badly affected from the strike. Only ambulances were running on the roads. "The life of ordinary people became so hard today," he added.

Bidur Dahal, a Maoist worker from Sindhuli, a businessman and a staff of Hotel Yak and Yeti, also complained of the Maoist activities on the roads. "I came to attend the protest. However, as I have to go to Baneshwor for my work, they blocked me to walk on the road and threatened to do anything," he said. "Is it right? This is the extreme atrocity. This way of beating and threatening will not work any more," he expressed surrealistically.

The demonstrators pelted stones on the security forces. There were about five dozens of Maoist leaders and cadres were injured when police used force to control over the demonstrators entering restricted zones.

Read More

Maoist cadre assaults female GM with offensive words

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, November 9

It is more than enough. A Maoist cadre assaults the character of a female government staff on the gender-biased discrimination with mean words.

Arjun Neupane from Chauthe, nearby Sisdole landfill site in Nuwakot, phoned Dr Sumitra Amatya, General Manager at the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre under the Ministry of Local Development on Sunday evening at 9:00 PM. Neupane used offensive mean words based on the gender discrimination and diplomatically threatened her to follow his suggestion.

"He phoned me last night offending and torturing me psychologically," said Amatya. "Now, I have a headache and feeling very uneasy because of his offensive words," she added. "I think I should quit my job if such discrimination continues."

Neupane, who used 'woman doesn't have Adam's apple', scolded and pressured her to fulfill his demands. "It is hard to bear such embarrassment by the night," she said. "It is not the way to talk about their demands. They must visit my office and talk about their problem," she grieved.

The SWMRMC has been providing compensation and carrying out development projects for the people affected by the Sisdole landfill site since 2005.

LALITPUR: Locals around Aletar landfill site in Nuwakot threatened that they would disrupt the garbage disposal from the next week unless 14 persons were given the job within a week. According to the Solid Waste Management and Resource Mobilisation Centre, a group of 36 persons led by Kedar Ojha submitted the ultimatum on Sunday. Another group led by Bhavana Karki also warned to obstruct the garbage disposal after nine days. Karki also demanded the SWMRMC to provide jobs for other 15 persons five days ago.

Dipendra Bahadur Oli, legal officer at the SWMRMC, said that he was also threatened many times. "The angry locals scolded me with abusive words and threatened me to break my legs many times," he added.

Neupane did not accept using insulting words against Amatya, however, realized that it was wrong to phone by night. "I told her on phone to be responsible and address the people's demands assured by the government," he said. "The government did not allocated budget for the roads and development in the local area in time."

Interestingly, the annual fiscal budget is yet to be approved even after the five months from presentation of annual budget and programmes in the parliament due to the Maoist obstruction in the parliamentary meeting of the Constituent Assembly.

Advocate Meera Dhungana said that it was crime and example of insecurity in the country. "There is law against such discrimination but implementation is very poor in the country," she added.

Read More

A pitiful picture of a pretty girl in Nepal

A Shameful Deed

By Bishnu Prasad Aryal

A FEW days back I met a smiling girl at a shelter under an NGO. She seemed to be happy. However, in reality she was not happy, as she was a lonely girl in the crowded city. She had a bitter story to tell. When she was a student of class one she was compelled to abandon her study.

Her mother married a man when she was a small child. She even does not know her father's name. He died before she knew him. She has been living with her mother at her stepfather's home. She is the youngest among eight sisters. She said that she would study if she got an opportunity.
It is a story of a 14-year old girl. A few months ago, she had been to one of her elder sisters' home. She helped in household works for her sister and brother-in-law who have a small child. They had a small teashop at the ground floor of a house. A police post has occupied the upper floor of the house.
On the 3rd of August, she was playing with her nephew. A policeman came there and snatched the baby away. He headed towards the office. By dint of panic and absence of his relative, he began to cry. Then her sister and brother-in-law sent the girl to bring the child back as they were busy at the teashop.

As soon as she entered into the police office, the same policeman taped her mouth and seduced her at the premises of the office. Another tall policeman was the witness to all this inhuman act.

After completing his task, the cruel creature in police uniform threatened her not to reveal the incident. If she complied, he would give her Rs. 100,000. But she denied it violently. He regretfully pleaded to her that he would, otherwise, be dismissed from his job.

She said he must be killed for what he did. According to her, the culprit is Netra Bahadur Karki, a policeman at Tundal Devi Mandir, Bishal Nagar, Kathmandu.

At present, the criminal is under custody and the government has assured that the culprit would be punished. Necessary legal procedures are underway. And CAP-CRON, an NGO for children has shown interest to offer legal aid for the victim.

The issue is very touching. Sadly this is not a rare of case. Teachers, fathers, brothers, employers are seducing children, girls and women. Our patriarchal society remains ignorant and negligent about such issues. Though voices against sexual harassment and gender suppression are emerging, they are yet to be effective to control such crimes.

At a time when women empowerment has become a catchword for a number of international organisations, a large number of girls here are falling victim to (s)exploitation. Women and children are badly undermined in traditional societies like ours. The United Nations Child Right Convention (UNCRC) 1989 ensured to implement the humanitarian principles for all under 18. The Constitution of Nepal has also included this provision. Children Act 1992 has been amended under the Constitution.
But due to the lack of implementation such legal provisions have become toothless.

If we analyse the present state of affair, we can trace the need of two kinds of rights. They are social justice and legal justice.

At present, legal justice has been altered into a new dimension but weakness lies in implementation.
In rapidly changing scenario of human civilization and development, the Children Act 1992 has been seen as incomplete and vague with some clauses that have hindered practicality.

To preserve the child rights, the Children's Bench was established in 1999 in 75 districts under juvenile justice. Yet, no case concerned to children has been filed and heard of in those districts, because of the lack of legal clarity.

On the other hand, members of civil society are not keenly aware about the implementation of those laws for them who are detested/condemned from family and local community.

Now, it has become a major issue to revive them in the society without any prejudice and protest so that they can be secured for their future prospect. Only then the smiling face of the girl and her enthusiasm can be protected. It is the responsibility of family, society and the state to do this.

This feature article was published on THE RISING NEPAL daily, Kathmandu Wednesday September 04, 2002 Bhadra 19, 2059.

Read More

Water-supplying staff don't use their own supply

They use jar-filled mineral water at home and office

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, October 15

Forget about the shortage and irregularity of drinking water supplied in the Kathmandu valley. It is reported to be unsafe and dangerous to health concerns due to the chemicals, viruses and bacteria contaminated in drinking water. Even the staffs of the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL), the only water supplying body, choose jar-filled mineral water for use to avoid the hazard.

Ordinary people are compelled to use such substandard water silently at a time when water supply is hitting hard or unaware of the slow poison contaminated in water.

Ramesh Pradhan, an official at the KUKL, Lalitpur, said that he was also doubtful of the quality of drinking water supplied to the people. “We also use jar water in our office. The drinking water pipes are very vulnerable to contamination with leaks of sewerage pipe installed along with or adjoining to the KUKL pipes,” he said.

Rabin Lal Shrestha of Water Aid Nepal said that only 27 per cent of the total population in Kathmandu was provided with safe drinking water. “Rest of them are forced to have shortage and unsafe drinking water,” he said. “This is a slow-poison to the people.”

We use branded jar-filled water for drinking, said Bishnu Kumar Karki, technical officer at the KUKL, Lalitpur. “We are forced to use contaminated water at our homes. If we go on unraveling the facts, there will be a chain of lists of responsible authorities and bodies to manage the problem,” he said.

The treatment plants are installed following the reservoirs to treat water before they are supplied. The major three treatment plants installed at Mahankal Chaur Reservoir, Bansbari Reservoir and Bode Reservoir are not in proper use, said a KUKL official, adding that it was off-line.

When asked the Chief of the KUKL about the quality of the water supplied to the cities, he said that water reserved in the reservoirs was in accordance with the WHO standards.

“We are supplying water to the people, not the waste,” said Rudra Gautam, Managing Director at the Central Office of the KUKL, Kathmandu.

As this scribe questioned him-Does it mean that KUKL is supplying safe drinking water to the people?, Gautam remained silence. Surprisingly, there were branded jars of drinking water in the KUKL central office rooms.

After a while, Gautam said that there might be contamination on the routes to the homes of people. He referred to contact to the Manager of the KUKL Laboratory for the details about the quality of water supplied in the city.

Informing that lab is in a sorry state, Kiran Prakash Amatya, manager of the KUKL lab and chief at the Sewerage Operation Department, KUKL in Lalitpur admitted that there was contamination of bacteria, viruses and chemicals in the supplied water. “The pipes installed for supplying drinking water date back to Bir Shumsher Rana,” he said. “The growing unmanaged city planning has also forced to ground the water pipes and sewerage pipes nearly together.”

KUKL has been unable to replace the drinking water pipes installed at the regime of Rana, who was Prime Minister of Nepal from 1885 to 1901. “Even the newer pipes would be rusted and damaged in five to ten years due to the composition of soil in the Kathmanu valley,” said Karki.

Read More

Govt neglects far-west flood victims

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, October 13

The government is yet to provide relief to the thousands of people affected by the recent flood in the far western districts of the country. A group of victims are now in the capital to knock the government doors for the relief.

The people from far-western development region are miserably suffering from the recent flood damages at a time when the International Disaster Reduction Day is being observed on October 14.

Among them, she is Dhan Sara Sunar, 34, from Vajini VDC-9 in Kailali district. There are six members in her family. Walls of her house were crumbled in the flood, her paddy field was filled with three feet of sand and clothes of her family were swept by the swelling river.

Thousands of people are affected from the flood, scores died and many more are living without food, said Sunar. “However, the government has not supported us with anything,” she said. “Three died and one is disappearing in the flood at my village alone.”

Many lost their homes and all the crops were destroyed in the flood in far western region, Sunar said. “People remained without having food for three days until the Red Cross distributed beaten rice and instant noodle three days ago,” she said.

Two packets of beaten rice and four packets of instant noodles were given to each family. “It was not sufficient for them who are living in hunger,”

“We will submit our demands to the government and President tomorrow,” said Sunar.

The government report says that about the property worth Rs 1.208 billion is destroyed every year due to the natural calamity while more than 1,000 people die each year.

Prof Dr Jiba Raj Pokharel, disaster expert, said that the government was unable to address the disaster affected people in a reasonable manner. “Thousands of people from western part of Nepal have been badly affected by the floods that occurred recently,” said Pokharel.

The government lacks a clear policy and strategy to mitigate the damage caused by the natural disasters, said Pokharel. “The law and policies, which exist, are not enough to address the problems of the people.”

“We have prepared a declaration on the disaster reduction strategies, which will be made public tomorrow on the occasion of ISDR Day” said Ramchandra Neupane, chief of the ECO-Nepal. “The government should include it in its policies.”

A study reveals that about 97 per cent of people in Nepal are prone to any of the natural disasters. About 565 people die of outbreak and 40-80 of cold-wave annually.

According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, the government has today approved the national strategy on disaster management to address the issues related to the natural calamity, its damages and relief to the affected people.

Read More

Three teams to study on WFP food rumour

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Lalitpur, September 15

Despite late after more than 320 death tolls from diarrhea in mid-west hilly districts of Nepal in last three months, three study teams of the government are leaving for the diarrhea affected districts tomorrow.

According to the Ministry of Local Development, three different teams are scheduled to visit Surkhet, Dailekh, Jajarkot, Nepalgunj, Salyan and Achham districts. “The teams will study on the causes of diarrhea, used foodstuffs and sources of food programmes people received the foods,” said Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya, spokesperson for the MoLD. “The team will complete its study within a week,” he added.

The team led by Dr Mukunda Sharma, joint-secretary of the Ministry of Health will visit Surkhet and Dailekh districts. This team includes under-secretary Kailash Nath Kharel of Ministry of Home Affairs, officer Ishwori Prasad Dhakal of Ministry of Commerce and Supplies and a representative from the World Food Programme.

Another team headed by Thapaliya will visit Jajarkot district. This team comprises of under-secretary Puroshottam Nepal of MoLD, Prem Lal Maharjan of National Consumers’ Forum and a representative of WFP.

The third team headed by under secretary Nirmal Shiwakoti of the Ministry of Finance includes senior food research officer Dr Megh Raj Bhandary of Food Technology and Quality Control and a WFP representative. This team will look into supply of foods from the custom point of Nepalgunj to Sallibazaar of Salyan and Sanphebagar of Achham districts.

Thapaliya said that the teams would meet before Dashain festival after completion of the field visits. “We will submit the study reports within three weeks,” he added. “The objective of the study is to find out the truth on WFP food rumour and forge preventive measures to avert the possible outbreaks in the future.”

The teams were formed as per the decision of the MoF on August 27 to probe into the outbreak of diarrhea and controversy of foodstuffs as the cause of the death tools in the mid-west hilly districts.

Read More

I'm upset due to psychological torture

I feel nausea, my head seems to be heavy, have a headache. Simply, I can't put blame on others but there will be injustice if I don't reveal the fact that someone is still troubling and harming me from behind the curtain.

This is still a mystery for why this guy is following me throughout my whole life. Either, I must be sick, I must be in hallucination or in confusion or in illusion or speaking truth. I sometimes feel that whether I am mad to suspect the same person for destroying me.

No,I have realised many times that I am interfered or intervened into my personal issues, my liberty and freedom to live in my own way without harming and hurting others. I feel I am deprived of my individual rights to choose a way of life, work in my way and die in my carefree style.

I am suffering from other's problem. A person, who thinks himself superior, great and gentleman, has offended me for his own family problem. If I speak something about him and his action, he will torture me psychologically more than I am hurt. Neither I can remain silence nor can surrender to such a vicious person. So I am too upset now.

Read More

Bandh adds woes to the ailing people

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, June 1

It is a tale of ordinary people that the political groups never worry about the suffering of commoners while calling the strikes and bandhs. However, they still continue staging strikes for the partisan interests.

“We suffered more than enough from the strike called for today,” said Rabina Khokhali, hailed from Nawalpur of Sindhupalchowk district. “Whoever the organisers are, they troubled the people for nothing wrong they did,” she further said.

It was fate for her mother Chandeshwori Khokhali, 63, who slipped and fell at her home yesterday afternoon. Her right hand broke. They booked a vehicle on Rs 8,000 and reached to Kathmandu Model Hospital in Kathmandu but it was late afternoon and did not get admission at hospital due to delay and lack of vacant bed.

“We were compelled to return to Bhaktapur yesterday,” Khokhali said. However, this day was also more painful for them. They searched for an ambulance at around 10:00 am this morning but seven ambulances rejected their proposal by saying Kathmandu was far from Bhaktapur and bandh organisers might vandalise the ambulance.

The bandh was called in the Kathmandu Valley today by the Joint Action Committee for Newa Autonomous State, an apex body of the Newar organisations, demanding a Newa State to include in the new constitution. The organisers did not allow plying even motor cycles and bicycles on the roads.

“Luckily, an eighth ambulance agreed to carry us to Kathmandu Model Hospital at noon. Hospital called us at 10 am but we arrived here at 1:00 pm,” she said, adding that altogether Rs 10,000 was spent on vehicle to manage to bring her mother to hospital. “This amount would have been saved if we had got to treat my mother at my local heath post.”

She said that there were two positions of doctors at the local hospital. “However, none of them has been present for two weeks,” she said. “Administration has always neglected such serious issues related to common people. We suffered but may others not face such difficulties,” she added.

This is not a single case of people searching for treatment from the hospital. Arjun Basnet from Ropla, who is studying in GCE Cambridge A level at Xavier International College, came to show his blood report at KMH but he could not meet his doctor. “Doctor could not come to hospital despite his schedule as no vehicle was allowed to run,” said an official at the hospital.

According to the KMH administration, only 73 patients visited hospital for treatment today. The number was 341 yesterday.

Story of the government owned biggest Bir Hospital is no more different from this one. Only 300 patients registered their names today for the treatment while 1,200 patients regularly visit hospital everyday. “Only one third of its medical staff are present today due to the bandh,” said an official at the administration section of Bir Hospital.

This feature news was published in THE HIMALAYAN TIMES, dated June 2, 2009.

Read More

Stone crusher children tell their woes

By Bishnu Prasad Aryal

DHADING, Oct.25: All the children, who crush rocks into gravel on the banks of Agara and Mahesh rivers in Dhading, about 40 kilometers north of Kathmandu, have tales of woes and sufferings, but also hope for the future. Many of them, especially boys, go to school during the day and work in the quarry in the morning and after the school.

"Our house collapsed a year after my father died six years ago. Since then we have been living in a hut under the bridge," said 10-year-old Murali Pariyar of Thakre. He is studying in Class 3 at the local Jana Jagriti Primary School. "I break the stones in the mornings and evenings so that I can buy pencils and copies." Pariyar wants to study up to Class 12 and join the army to serve the nation.
The boy lives with his 43-year-old mother and an elder sister, who also work on the quarry. "Otherwise, we wouldn't be able to keep our body and soul together," said his sister, 17, who quit her studies after primary school.

Bikash Lama, 12, was barely five when his mother eloped after his father died. An old woman has been looking after him and his younger sister. His sister dropped out after one year in school. Now she looks after others' children, and he studies in Class 3 at the local school.

"Sometimes, I cry when I think of my father," said Lama. But he expressed remorse at his father who used to beat him until she ran away with another man. He hopes to become a good teacher some day.

Punya Kumar Shrestha, 14, of Mahadev Besi is another stone crusher. He studies in Class 7 at Mahakali Secondary School, Simle. He is also a member of the Rhedodandrum Child Club, which works to raise awareness about girl trafficking and educate children. The club was opened by the working children themselves.

His family had migrated to Kathmandu from Ilam in east Nepal, unable to stand the hard times. The family has made the stone quarry their home. Other members of the family work on the owner's land and get half of what is produced.

Shrestha edits the wallpaper published by the club. Says he, "What I earn by working in the quarry in the mornings and evenings pays for my stationery." He has even stood first in his class. He wants to become a journalist.

There are a total of 1,367 children like Lama, Pariyar and Shrestha who crush stones for a living in Dhading. But despite the hardship, most of them have an opportunity to attend school, thanks to some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating here.

The Jana Jagriti Primary School, established two years ago by Child Development Society (CDS) with the assistance of ILO/ International Program for Elimination for Child Labour (IPEC), for instance, has 515 students. Most of them crush stones before and after the school.

The stone quarries here have become the centre of attraction for not only the poor people of Dhading, but also from other parts, including the Terai. Some have even come here from as far as India. Apart from children, there are 2,500 adults who work here. "Around 50 per cent of these people are migrants, while the rest are from the surrounding areas", said Gokarna Rupakheti, a local social worker.

"What worries us is how these children will continue with their studies as they get older," said Gunjeshwar Neupane of the CDS. At present the children are compelled to spend their childhood on the banks of the rivers, which are known to overflow during monsoon. As they grow older, others will take their place that is until and unless poverty is tackled.

The Rising Nepal, a national daily
Kathmandu Saturday October 26, 2002 Kartik 09, 2059.

Read More

Student unions troubling Gurus and students

Bishnu Prasad Aryal
Kathmandu, May 6

Tribhuvan University, which was closed for about a month, resumed its official activities from today after leaving indecent impression of the student unions for smearing black on university top authorities. Maoist affiliated union showed their traits of political obstinacy by smearing black on the Gurus.

The student unions in the name of students have troubled them too much, deprived them of academic rights, said Shankar Tiwari, a Master’s level final year student at Nepal Manaviki Campus. "They behaved indecently with gurus too. It was more than enough the student unions played a foul game of politics in an academic institution," he said.

“I am preparing for the final exams but I am deprived of submitting exam forms, because the Exam Section of the campus was locked,” he added. “Students were also barred from paying fees and getting IDs.”

The All Nepal National Independent Students’ Union-Revolutionary padlocked the Central Office of TU and account offices in the campuses after it increased examination fees on April 1.

“We withdrew all of the strikes and unlocked the TU central offices and all of the account sections of campuses throughout the nation today,” said Himal Sharma, president of the Free Student Union at TU. “All of the TU services closed for about a month resumed from today,” he added. “We were serious on the convocation of TU on May 8 and decided to help it on this concern.”

Various activities including filling up of exam forms, new admissions in the campuses and issuance of student ID cards were halted in all of the TU constituent and affiliated campuses across the country. There are 60 constituent and more than 300 affiliated campuses operating under TU. About 500,000 students including of affiliations appear in the TU’s regular and partial exams annually.

TU administration has raised the exam fees by 60-200 percent on 12 different heads. According to TU administration, TU and student unions have reached to an agreement for not charging late fees once, but taking the exam fees that was fixed earlier.

Prof Dr Madhav Sharma, VC at TU, said that the increased fees were not irrational in comparison to the exam expenses and other universities. The present fee structure was fixed 12 years ago.

“We have many problems regarding the exams, namely early publication of results, paying for examiners, maintaining academic calendar and copy checkers. The result of the Department of Education has not been published for eight months due to the lack of funds,” he added. “The government does not provide us enough funds to carry out our all jobs.”

Pradip Paudel, president of the Nepal Students’ Union, said they never wanted to cause nuisance to the students but promote the quality in the university. “If TU increases fees, it must ensure quality and prompt services as per the ratio of charged fees,” he added.

Himal Sharma said that TU agreed to roll back the decision of increasing fees on six heads out 12 heads in which fees were hiked. “The six heads includes fees charged on transferring exam centre, transfer certificate and duplicate certificate, which were increased by more than 100 percent,” he added.

“TU issued 10-point white-letter declaration to reform the exam system. It includes the publication of results within three months and issuance of transcript on the second day of submission of application,” he said.

TU increased the exam fees as recommended by the panel formed to reform exam systems on April 1. The Nepal Students’ Union, the All Nepal National Free Students’ Union and other student organisations protested against TU for slashing increased fee structure. The ANNISU-R padlocked the campus account sections and the TU central offices including Vice Chancellor, Rector and Controller of Examinations.

Following the rift on the fee row, the ANNISU-R smeared black on the faces of TU VC and Rector on April 22, which was widely condemned and criticized by the various sectors. Police arrested 22 students on the case and were in dentition. “They were released yesterday as we agreed with TU to withdraw the strike,” Himal Sharma said.

VC Sharma thanked the student unions for understanding the gravity of programmes and agreeing to scrap their strike. "However, the incident was painful and has saddened us. It was the students' conscience to understand what is wrong and right. They should realize it themselves rather than telling them wrong," he added.

University graduates smearing black on the faces of Vice-Chancellor and Rector of Tribhuvan University has demeaned the educated circle disgracefully. "Was it rational for the educated persons to do so? Certainly, it has forced us to think of it," wonders Swami Chandresh, founder of Budhanilkantha Ashram School, Kathmandu.

Education can play an instrumental role on determining what kind of citizen is produced but the present system has failed to do so, Swami said. “Such shameful act of so-called educated persons is a result of present materialistic education.”

“The only remedy for this pseudo system of 173 years is the trinity of education that includes spiritually self-building, practical and creative, and informative education,” he added. "People must be taught the education that honours self, cultures, society and history.”

He said, a person, who does not have self-confidence and preserve own identity, is not a citizen in real sense. “Holding certificates does not necessarily mean to be worthy citizen,” said Chandresh.

This article was published in THE HIMALAYAN TIMES on May 7, 2009.

Read More

State of extra injustice

If I reveal his name in public, he will harm me and torture me psychologically. It has been more than 15 years troubling me from behind the curtain for his family problem. I can not utter his problem, neither I know anything about it.

He is a great man, he thinks himself. So he never dares to admit his weakness and ask others for help. It seems he will turn to an inferior type of creature if he speaks of his problem.

Other does not show courage to be his friend as he thinks he is great, superior and powerful. It will be a big mistake to equal oneself to a great height of a man like him.

But he never transforms his destructive attitude to be a true human being. He wants other should surrender to him. He is still destroying him although he has not harmed anybody on this planet.

The victim thinks it is not his problem and it will be stupid to talk about other's problem. In such a difficult situation, neither he can open his mouth over other's problem nor he is freed to live in his own way.

In such a state of extreme injustice, it will be better for me to embrace death than always suffer from the cause of the other's problem.

Read More

Continually I wept more than enough

Now, I found there is no justice for those simple, innocent and weaker lots who have harmed nothing of others but have courage and self-confidence to live without inteferring into others' life.

I never imagined a powerful person likes to do such a mean thing which is shame for himself but he is still boasting upon what he has been doing. A person is ready to commit suicide for failing to tackle injustice and suffering for others' problems, and hurt more than enough but one who is full of cruelty is still torturing and harming for not surrendering to him. I can't imagine what kind of humanity this is.

Whether one believes in it or not but the reality is deadly that anyone can scream of it. Stop and think what the case is. It looks to be a imaginative story but it is a real story. One person has been tortured for more than 15 years and the doer is still following him and brutally finishing him for doing nothing wrong to anybody.

The doer just like a vicious circle has hammered on him by stretching his hands even at his office. He appealed him many times not to touch his emotional feeling and trouble unnecessarily. But no way, he never heard the sufferer. No way out.

The victim is no more other than myself. I could not tolerate the pains and suffering and I wept on the second day today too. I am desperately seeking a help from supernature to end my life and pains for ever and for good.

Read More

I like to get rid of life

I know and feel life is very valuable, which provides an opportunity to expreience the world where different people and phenomena keep on dancing in tune with nature. Their activities make me amaze. I want to know more and taste the different flavours available in the existence.

However, I sometimes fall depressed when I am too much troubled and suffer others problems and become measurable. I think it is better to die than got suffered for nothing wrong I have done.

Many people, I came to see, in this world do not deserve soul of a human being. They enjoy torturing others but never like themselves to be tortured. I hate those people who trouble others because of their own family or personal problem.

That is why I like to get rid of this life as soon as possible.

Read More