Submitted to: Shangri-La Orphanage Home Kathmandu ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………. KTS Out reach Program Reports 2006 Prepared by: Jay Shrestha Sangri-La community based interagated development Program Jumla KTS Out reach Program 2006 Contents "If we do not help each other, who would help us then?" Buddha. KTS out reach Program reports 2006 The Development Scenario in Karnali: Karnali is known as a zone of Nepal at present. The hilly part of western Nepal was an independent state till 1789.The state then was extended to the southeast and west of than the present shape of Karnali Nepal unification process embodied it with in the shape of Nepal present landscape. During the post unification era the Karnali region was ruled through Jumla Gaunda.The Birta and Gathi land distributed by the earlier local rules of the region then were confiscated. Consequently, some people who were enjoying benefits during the earlier rule lost many things and many of the inhabitants deserted it and migrated elsewhere for food .It is estimated that the population of Jumla decreased by 40 percent after the Gurkha conquest (Bishop, 1990) Karnali lines with Tibet geographically to the north, is one of Nepal's 14 administrative zones (anchal) which id comprised of Dolpa, Jumla, Kalikot, Humla, Mugu, and is the home of 3, 09,084 people. It occupies about 15 percent of the total territory of the kingdom of Nepal.i.e.21,351 square kilometers .Most of Karnali are unpopulated as 45 percent of its territory is located at an altitude above 45000 meter and 47 percent is above 25oo meters. Karnali is the only zone in Nepal that does not have a road link with rest of the country. The people of Karnali either have to walk for weeks of have to use to airplane of helicopter paying expensive fair. Air service is available in Dolpa, Jumla, Mugu and Humla, but there so airport in Kalikot. There is no regular air service in Mugu district though it boasts the construction of Talcha airport. The zone only one percent arable land paradoxically,94 percent of the population is mainly count on agriculture and the farm of the most of the places of the region depend on Manson rain for farming. The monsoon cycle of the zone is different from that of another part of the country due to the peculiarity of the relief of land. The 4000 –meter high chyakhure-mabu mountain in the southern part of the zone does not allow the rain bearing monsoon cloud to flow northward. Consequently the northern part of zone gets lesser rainfall then the southern part .Similarly the Api-saipal Mountain in the west of the zone acts as barrier for the westerly winds thus causing little of no rain. The main source of waster in many parts of Karnali is snow. Airplanes could not land in simikot for 42 days due to the snow at that time. (Bishop, 1990) At the national level, comparative development indicator places the district of Karnali at the lowest rank in development process. The following tables is evident to this fact, which shows the districts of Karnali are below then 66th position among 75 district of country. Development status of Karnali at national level: Indicator Position of the district in comparison with other district of Nepal Dolpa Jumla Kalikot Mugu Humla Development 67 69 70 74 75 Land under Irrigation in 24.56 7.4 NA 5.5 3.47 Percentage Climate and topography of Karnali is not very much suitable for agriculture.Karnali, while the plough with iron blade is used in other part of country .The plough with wooden blade was in vogue in Greece and the Middle East five thousand years ago. (Bishop, 1990) Social life: Symbol of hardship This is one of the most excluded and marginalized zones in Nepal, which as very low socio-economic status, poverty, hunger, famine, diseases and exploitations have stained it in various ways. The zone is one of most under privileged places in Nepal in tem of socio- economic development of the 75 districts; Mugu district has the lowest literacy in Nepal. Only 27 percent people are literate in the district, where as the literacy rate of women is much disappointing as only nine percent of the women are literate. (ISRSC, 2002) Literacy status of Karnali Indicator Position of the district in comparison with other district of Nepal Dolpa Jumla Kalikot Mugu Humla Male 19.61 16.7 16.98 9,19 11.19 Female 49.21 46.9 53 45.13 40.66 Total average 34.66 32 37.5 27.79 26.2 Source: ISRSC.2002 Caste discrimination is very rampant in Karnali, with new civil code coming in force in 1963, cast based discrimination was outlawed in Nepal. At a time when political and economic reforms were ushered in other part of the country, caste discrimination was practiced extremely in Karnali. According to Bishop (1990), the so-called upper caste people applied untouchables to retain their economic and social status. The tradition of MIT or making friendship and social respect among castes gradually eroded. The so-called upper caste people warned the people of the Bhotiya caste that they would terminate business relation with the latter if they din not follow the Hindu social practices of untouchables. Though present law prescribes untouchbility as social practice punishable, cast- based discrimination is one of the social evils dominating the life in Karnali. There is death of basic health facilities in Karnali. Dolpa, Mugu and Kalikot district do not have even a hospital under operation. The situation of the hospital in Humla districts is very pathetic. People of Karnali zone are facing problem posed even by the diseases that can other wise be checked through simple prevention measures. The experience of two doctors who worked in Jumla and Dolpa districts at different time's shows that health in the region has not witnessed improvement since long. An enthusiastic doctor prasana Chandra Gautam worked in the Jumla hospital during the late 1960s. According to Dr. Gautam, dysentery, diarrhea, worm and other parasites were the main causes of the death of children. Cough and diphtheria were also responsible for child mortality. So was malnutrition, similarly, respiratory problem was another health hazard of the people. Injuries sustained through falling from trees, steep places and wounds caused by cutting and fire burn were also other health problems of major challenge. Ninety percent of the people were suffered from deficiency of iodine (Bishop, 1990) Another Doctor purusotam Sedhain worked in Dolpa in 2003.In his opinion, people of Dolpa suffered from the problem of eyes and stomatch.Pneumonia was another corrosive problem of the people of Dolpa.Thyroid was endemic due to deficiency of iodine ,miscarriage and malnutrition are found in upper, middle and the lower belt of the district respectively. Many people were suffering from tuberculosis, migration being very high and there was a big danger of contacting HIV/AIDS due to the tradition of having sex with more then one partner. Social development status of Karnali at national level Indicator Position in Social development. Dolpa Jumla Kalikot Mugu Humla Socio-Economic 71 65 63 72 73 Women empowerment 70 69 56 73 75 Children Illiteracy 68 (40.14) 73 (46.6) 70 (42.73) 71(46.6) 75 (51.57) (Percentage) Food production- 2004 2781 1445 1018 1127 (per person in calorie) Health 75 48 69 66 71 Source: ISRSC.2002 Social development indicators also place Karnali in a very lower position if compared with other district of Nepal. Table 3 indicates its status of social developments. Economic life: Facing scarcity Karnali traditionally dependent on agriculture, livestock and small household industries is unable to develop its factories in the modern day lines, and it could not well organize market strategies and foster businesses. Though private sector has established itself as a district and independent entity and is active in other regions, it has not been able to bring a positive outcome in the economy of karnali. Amidst the old fashioned production technique and contemporary life style, the private sector has been unable to perform its role in karnali, especially due to poor transport facilities deprivation of soil fertility, energy and modern technology. Another perceptible problem is connected with its severe alpine climate condition. Agriculture, Livestock. Wool and Herbal products are a notable natural income generation resources that could bring striking impact to the economy of karnali.However, this business is not managed effectively, distributed judiciously-organized, stored, or processed and marketed efficiently. Even the traditional domestic industries and craftsmanship such as making earthen pots, woolen blankets, bamboo baskets and locally made papers are on a miserable decline due to various reason, the foremost being the moist insurgency among others at this moment. The engagement of the private sector could bring about a positive impact on the economy of this region. There is a very minimum impact on the economy of karnali form the small traditional cottage industries, business and the newly emerging tourism sector. An abundant tourism potential is bestowed to karnali by nature, nevertheless, it has not been able to exploit to the full benefits. In the main time there has still been presence of a visionary and potential leadership from any quarters to visualize and promote karnali politically, economically and socially. The term "Autonomy" has become a catchword for political leaders as well as other to motivate the residents but no one has come up so for to give a logical framework of autonomous development and its strategic road map for the prosperity of Karnali. Civil society and critical Mass There is no environment for creating common public opinion at the civil society level in karnali due to the lack of awareness, inadequate educational opportunity, lack of environment for social interaction, deficiency of civil organizations and professional or intellectual's groups.