#725 19 - 25 September 2014 20 pages Rs 50
BIKRAM RAI Taking power into our own hands
ut of reach of national transmission lines, rural Nepalis have stopped waiting for the government to come to them. They are Oharnessing small streams and generating their own electricity from micro-hydro plants managed by local cooperatives. More than 2,500 micro-hydro plants are in operation throughout the country RED supplying 40 MW of electricity to local grids. This winter when the capital suffers 14 hours of power cuts daily, many parts of rural Nepal will be lit up at night. Shyam Nakarmi (above) makes turbines to power PANDA small hydropower plants at his workshop in Banepa. BY SUNIR PANDEY ALERT Nepal is home to one-tenth of the 10,000 endangered red pandas left in the wild in Asia. A successful conservation effort in eastern Nepal shows Thinking small how local communities can help protect a species that is threatened by Improving the efficiency of the estimated 35,000 traditional habitat loss and hunting. September 20 is Red Panda Day, and will be water mills across the country could empower rural Nepal. marked with the slogan, ‘Conserve Locally, Educate Globally’. BY KUNDA DIXIT IN KAVRE PAGE 16-17 BY SONAM TASHI LAMA IN TAPLEJUNG PAGE 10-11 2 EDITORIAL 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 POLITICS IN A VACUUME he sight of the country’s prime minister on a mobile An all-party consensus would be ideal, of course, but phone publicly beseeching the leader of an outcast failing that the NC-UML should show that they have what Tpolitical party to come for negotiations sums up the it takes to push it to a vote. Otherwise, what are elections current state of affairs in Nepal. Prime Minister Koirala and for? What is the CA for if you are going to decide on the top political leaders waited in vain on Tuesday morning for constitution behind closed doors, or in hastily-organised Mohan Baidya of the CPN-M to join an all-party roundtable roundtables that are boycotted? meeting on the constitution that the renegade comrade Sensing that matters are coming to a head on federalism, himself had requested. some Madhesi radicals have seen an opening to up the ante Perhaps it was never Baidya’s intention to attend, he by openly talking about separatism. One of them was arrested may have just been seeking attention by ridiculing the rest this week (see page 18) in Biratnagar and booked under the of the state apparatus. Perhaps it was just tokenism on the Public Offence Act. Demand for secession has resonance government's part. But speculation is rife that the wily in a week of the Scottish referendum, and separatists UCPN(M) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal had a hand in are trying to cash in the vacuume left by a conservative convincing his erstwhile party colleague to keep away to DIWAKAR CHETTRI Kathmandu establishment that is reluctant to devolve maintain the pressure on the ruling NC-UML combine to power, by Madhesi leaders who have badly let down their agree to his version of new constitution. constituents, and even by the Indian establishment which It’s a bit rich for someone who suffered such ignominious once championed a single Madhes province in the Tarai. defeat in last year’s elections to be so choosy. But Dahal is a By detaining CK Raut for organising a rally in support of a sore loser and wants to remain germane, he may also need separate state, Kathmandu has turned a splittist few knew Baidya to counter the Baburam faction of his own party. When identity, respect, recognition of into a celebrity. Human rights activists rightly called for his But what is more ludicrous than Dahal’s shenanigans is injustices past are mixed with politics, it is imemdiate release, but exposed their own selective double- that the ruling parties and the opposition have to bend over standards because they had remained conspicuously silent backwards to accommodate someone who led a boycott best to tread carefully on other recent cases of abuses. of elections and tried to sabotage it with terrorist attacks Raut's separatism through violence doesn't have much last November. Baidya’s band of Dash Maoists is not even Dahal’s sidekick. support in the Tarai, and it is counterproductive for Madhesi registered with the Election Commission, it has no presence With such waffling, the constitution-writing process is aspirations for genuine autonomy through federalism. His in the Constituent Assembly, and they still have the blood once more struggling with deadlines. Forthcoming Dasain- abusive language has already hardened positions in the hills of the children maimed in the 18 November 2013 bomb Tihar-Chhat-SAARC Summit are looming distractions. by tarring all Madhesis as separatists at a critical time in attacks on their hands. There is the Dialogue Committee deadline, which has been constitution-writing. The Madhesi people and leaders know The only reason Comrade Baidya is being given such extended by a month for its convener Baburam Bhattarai that they themselves will be the biggest losers if the region importance is that he has blackmailed everyone with his to smoothen the differences over federalism. We are still is forced to fend for itself. The Madhes needs autonomy, capacity to repeat the mayhem. The man is fighting a debating whether a coalition with a clear two-thirds majority not amputation. rearguard action to disprove his increasing irrelevance. in the Constituent Assembly should push through with When identity, respect, recognition of injustices past are If he continues on this course he will not even be judged its version of federalism, or whether there should be mixed with politics, it is best to tread carefully, and address harshly by history, he will be just a footnote as Chairman consensus. root causes of grievances.
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BIKRAM RAI Most liked on Facebook BUSINESS AS USUAL: Street vendors sell fruits and vegetables in Bhimsen Gola on Tuesday. COMRADE MANJU’S EVEREST CAFÉ by DEEPAK ADHIKARI MYSTICAL DOLPA by HUM GURUNG In 2006, Bikas Rauniyar took a photograph of a Maoist guerilla, which was included While the rest of Nepal suff ered massive landslides and fl oods, in the trans-Himalayan in the picture book of the confl ict, A People War. Eight years later, the woman in the rain shadow the country’s largest and most remote district remained high and dry, and in Most shared on Facebook picture, Sapana Maya Baju (above) is tending tables at her Everest Café in Lainchaur. splendid isolation. Dolpa is one of the last two among Nepal’s 75 districts that doesn’t yet For god’s sake by Trishna Rana WATCH VIDEO: The story of the hope, sacrifi ce and struggle of an have a road connection. Most popular on Twitter ex-guerrilla. PHOTO GALLERY: Phoksundo lake Pokhara tries to save its famous paddy by Merilin Piipuu nepalitimes.com #723 nepalitimes.com #722 Most visited online page For god’s sake by Trishna Rana
LIVING THROUGH Most commented THE HIMALAYAN For god’s sake by Trishna Rana THAW Multimedia Package showcasing the impact INTERACTIVE MAP of global warming Interactive map of fl oods and Weekly Internet Poll #725 landslides June-August 2014 on the Everest region Q. What should Pushpa Kamal Dahal do during in Nepal. BEFORE AND AFTER constitution writing? PHOTO GALLERY: nepalitimes.com #722 Total votes: 145 nepalitimes.com #684
THE POOREST HIT HARDEST by NARESH NEWAR AND AYESHA SHAKYA WANTED: PRIME MINISTER Villagers who lost all in the fl oods in Phattepur of Banke One of the most popular Ass columns in living memory. Read vacancy district last month. WHOSE ART IS IT ANYWAY? ad for a Prime Minister to lead a landlocked Himalayan republic. by RABI THAPA Requirements: Has to be tall, bright, homely, convent-educated Weekly Internet Poll #726 WATCH VIDEO: Testimonies of fl ood victims To vote go to: www.nepalitimes.com in Banke teetotaler and DV-eligible. nepalitimes.com #723 nepalitimes.com #722 nepalitimes.com #721 Q. What will happen to the CPN-M?
Publisher and Chief Editor: Kunda Dixit Associate Editor: Tsering Dolker Gurung | Online Producer: Ayesha Shakya | Design: Kiran Maharjan Published by Himalmedia Pvt Ltd | Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur | GPO Box 7251 Kathmandu [email protected] | www.nepalitimes.com | www.himalmedia.com | Tel: 01-5005601-08 Fax: +977-1-5005518 Marketing: Arjun Karki, Surendra Sharma [email protected] | Advertorials: Ram Krishna Banjara | Subscriptions: Santosh Aryal [email protected] Nepali Times on Facebook Follow @nepalitimes on Twitter Printed at Jagadamba Press | 01-5250017-19 | www.jagadambapr.com 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 FEEDBACK 3 YOUR SAY www.nepalitimes.com The fate of faith Trishna Rana’s Here We Go column last week (#724) ‘Intolerant tolerance’ about the secularism debate in the new constitution generated a lot of comments. Here is a selection.
Anju Panta is doing exactly what her religion This is the perfect example of yet another a religion. Missionaries fool illiterate and poor teaches her to do: denounce and vilify other major majority with a massive minority complex, so much villagers. faiths. In Christianity or any other Abrahamic religion, paranoia among Nepali Hindus. Take a chill pill, Hurray acceptance of the existence of other religions is people. Only three constitutions in the world use the prohibited. I have attended their sermons and know Sunny word ‘secular’: India, Albania, and Turkey. The fi rsthand how utterly ridiculous they can be. I am not translation of ‘secular’ into ‘dharma niripekshya’ surprised at all that as a born-again Christian she Excellent article. Maybe, it would have has a negative connotation. Does secular mean said these things to prove her loyalty. been better without the paragraph repeating religious pluralism or atheism? Do we really need a Luv Nepal the slurs. secular tag to be tolerant of other religions? Satish Pandey Tapan Das Unless she is fomenting a religious riot, Anju Panta can talk or walk in any way she wants. She You should not contest and challenge the can even say she hates Hinduism, we shouldn’t faith of other religions. That is what tolerance Religion is a way to exercise mass control over have a problem. However, it would have been good means. Such a statement in public is not a stupid people. if someone of her stature would have encouraged challenge to the ‘ascendancy’ of Hinduism. Mahesh everyone to sing a non-denominational song It’s a slur. with names of all major religious figures. That 4Khal Institutionalised religion is not just the opium of her spiritual advancement has reached its limit is From her video statements in which she makes fun the masses, it is the cyanide. her loss, not ours. of other non-Christian faiths, it can be deduced Another one of these Christian clubs working Menon Namah that she is neither a Catholic nor a Quaker. What is under the shadow of INGOs. There is reason to she then? The answer to this question will help us believe that Christian converts in this country been It is not bigotry to oppose a bigot. Yes, the As an atheist, I personally don’t care what understand why she said what she said. fed promises of money and travels to the west. words used by some of the commentators were Anju Panta said about religion. However, Ms Panta Baalim KC inappropriate, but the feelings expressed are as an entertainer and singer who most likely gets understandable. Anju Panta is exactly the reason commissioned by patrons of religions different than Online trolls all over the world are ignorant, A fi ne piece on the cyber-bullying of a popular Nepalis will always look down on new converts. hers, and is required to sing songs that refer to coward beings who use the anonymity of the singer in a secular Nepal. BNS or are devoted to different gods than the one she internet to force their ideologies or religious beliefs Deepak Adhikari believes in, it is bad business sense to turn those down the throats of others. Weren't there any Christians or Muslims in commissions down solely on the basis of her Humanism Here is advice from a suffering Indian to Nepal before 2008? Weren't they given similar belief. What is the point of trying to prove that Nepali brothers: Secularism has converted India freedom as to what they are enjoying now? What you are more Christian than others at that If Anju Panta has the right to talk bad about to undeclared Islamistan, beware. was the need for a 'secular' tag in the fi rst place? congregation by jeopardising your livelihood? Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam then why shouldn’t Santosh Acharya Secularism is needed in places like Saudi Arabia Jyaure her audience who have been offended by her where religious tolerance is nil or minimum. Not in intolerant remarks about their religions, protest to I don’t think Hinduism is a tolerant religion a Hindu state where people view different religions Anju Panta owes nobody any apology for show that she should be mindful of such things in especially in northern India and Nepal. Hinduism as as different paths to reach the same almighty. standing up for what she believes in. Ignore the future? Just as she exercised her free speech, the is it is practiced today is the faith of hypocrites. Swarooha Pandith haters, my dear. commentators are exercising theirs. Her audience Akashe Miki Lassen didn’t agree with her statement and are letting her nepalitimes.com The problem is not religion. It is exploitation of know through online fora. Read column and all feedback Anju Panta is a Christian. No problem with that. Nepali Hero people's poverty, ignorance and illiteracy to spread 4 OPINION 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725
Relying on self-reliance MIN RATNA BAJRACHARYA Repeating that the Nepali people are resilient can’t be an excuse not to do anything to help them
t is a shared experience all over Nepal: you Since then, those involved have variously Nearly two months after the landslide and visit the hills and the plains or take a rest scaled up the work of training interested females floods, no one knows the full names of the Iwhile hiking or trekking, and you come as plumbers (men plumbers are more likely to citizens buried and killed. This makes you across drinking water taps that are dysfunctional migrate to the Gulf), establishing savings and wonder about the sort of record-keeping that or dry. credit institutions locally, customising designs goes on in local government offices. We do You ask, and it is the same story. Some NGO to suit the disaster vulnerability of project areas, not know whether the children can go back built those taps. Water flowed for a few months. looking into ways to provide micro-insurance to schools. We do not know whether those Because of daily wear and tear, the tap required schemes as a protection against the loss of water who lost their assets have access to temporary minor repairs. No one was sure assets, and urging donors to set aside funds for shelters, adequate public funds in the form of who was responsible, and from repair and rehabilitation. grants and low-interest loans, tax-supported where the money for the repairs To be sure, these built-in mechanisms will hospitals, temporary jobs and other such would come. Eventually, this not eliminate the shocks altogether, but they provisions which could help them cope with the led to major breakdowns, and will certainly help the people prepare for, cope multiple shocks they faced. the water stopped coming. with and survive their impact. In development By all accounts, the affected people have Meantime, the NGO has moved parlance, these examples are of agencies and had to fend for themselves or depend on CROSS CUTTING on to do similar water projects in community members working together to sporadic charity, which is unfortunate when the Ashutosh Tiwari other districts. And the villagers? consciously embed resilience into the design and government has the convening power to bring They have gone back to fetching the implementation of their projects. In times of together community groups, private sector, civil water from the ponds and the streams. inevitable shocks, such in-built resilience would society, and national and international agencies Three years ago, confronted with data that 82 help people withstand them, while protecting to address the difficulties of the affected people, per cent of Nepal’s population lives near water investments. and devise a template for how to prepare for projects that needed minor repairs or major It’s arguable that these examples could also such shocks in future. reconstruction, Nepal’s community drinking be conflated to think about national-level issues. In the Paleti Utsav last week, Kunti Moktan water sector accepted that there was a limit Zoom out and this is repeated on a national scale sang a song — Dali Dali Ma — a line of which to the ‘build and the drinking water will flow with large donor-funded projects like ropeways, goes, “As a Nepali, I can even live through my forever’ approach. It realised that in planning, it trolley buses, leather and brick factories. In the worries.” Some Nepalis certainly can. But as had to account for likely shocks that could affect aftermath of the Sunkosi landslide and western examples from the water sector and the recent the longevity of projects. It saw the importance Nepal floods, embedding such resilience into all disasters have shown, most need external of equipping local people with access to know- aspects of our development work has become all support to be resilient enough to dial down their how, funds and networks. the more urgent. worries. 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 5 6 OPINION 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 Extreme at both ends Kathmandu’s neglect of the Madhes is being exploited by radicals in the plains
n Tuesday, the Mohan with little public support. They Baidya-led Maoist have just made him a hero,” a Ocoalition used a petty Madhes-watcher told me earlier excuse to boycott the national this week. The Supreme Court conference that was supposed has ordered the Morang district to thresh out contentious issues administration to present Raut on of the constitution drafting. It Friday. If the apex court holds wasn’t a surprise: how can a party him for treason, it will only make outside the Constituent Assembly things worse. be expected to help extricate it? In an interview with the BBC Nepali Service, constitutional expert and one of the architects of Nepal’s Interim Constitution, Daman Nath Dhungana said, “I don’t believe Nepal’s sovereignty is so weak that it cannot withstand comments from an BY THE WAY individual.” Anurag Acharya Those angered by Raut’s separatist comments should take Indeed, not everyone waiting note that Article 4 of the Interim at the Lothse Hall in New Constitution declares Nepal Baneswor on Tuesday morning an ‘indivisible’ and 'secular' was surprised he didn’t show state. But despite this historic up. UCPN(M) Chairman Pushpa declaration made by the first CA, Kamal Dahal had been in touch there are political parties and with Mohan Baidya earlier that individuals who have fought morning. elections against it and are now After leading a decade long lobbying for it to be scrapped insurgency that set the stage for in the present CA. Is it just co- the end of monarchy and drafting incidence that we have been of the republican constitution, tolerating one kind of extreme Dahal would have certainly felt voice while being intolerant of that he needed greater say in the another? process -- if only he had done Raut and his ilk are not yet better in November elections. a dominant voice in Madhes. There is every reason to With time, as people of Madhes doubt Mohan Baidya’s demand enjoy greater say in their political for the revival of High Level destiny, such elements will be Political Mechanism which he marginalised. But their growing opposed only until a year back. presence should also be a After all, the present CA is not with their regained popularity Unfortunately, the NC and UML Raut was arrested by Morang warning to Kathmandu. a level playing field for Dahal, and incompetency of Madhes leadership have said or done little police on Saturday, three days After 300 years in the United and Mohan Baidya has only been based parties. It wasn’t a in the last ten months to before a scheduled national Kingdom, Scotland had a watching from the sidelines. mandate against the demand for reassure their constituencies of conference. Although the Morang referendum on independence on But there are more serious recognition of Madhesi identity these. The electoral defeat of administration earlier claimed to Thursday. Kathmandu should tensions brewing elsewhere and self-governance. the Madhes based parties and have arrested him for his ‘anti- be thankful that even after that could jeopardise the statute The demand for a Madhes the neglect of those who have national’ activities, police only being treated like outsiders for drafting exercise in Kathmandu. Pradesh, including the populist won has now created a political charged him for disturbing public generations in their own land, all The electoral victory of NC ‘one-Madhes’ demand we have vacuum in the eastern Tarai, order and peace. a Madhesi is asking for is dignity and UML in districts of the discussed in this space, are just an where extremists like CK Raut “Until last week, he was and recognition. Madhes last year had more to do expression of those aspirations. feed on local discontent. just a guy who talked nonsense @Anurag_Acharya After that late-season monsoonal pulse that dumped rain right across Nepal for fi ve days, the total precipitation this year is now approaching more KATHMANDU normal levels. However, the rain came too late for many farmers. The monsoon is now in full retreat as it is nudged eastwards by reviving westerly winds. Still, there is enough moisture around to trigger afternoon buildup and some storms over the mountains in Central Nepal. Days will be sunny, hot and humid, with nights and mornings getting cooler. FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY 27° 25° 25° #725 19 - 25 September 2014 17° 16° 15° MOBILES FOR EARLY WARNING From Syangja to Sendai, a Nepal engineer looks to connect people and save lives
TOKYO – When he was 18 in his that could be stuck into home number from any South Asian and flash floods in Nepal in billions of rupees,” he says. home district of Syangja, Chandi computers and allow them to run country. Most of them work in August, he discussed with fellow Every time Subedi sees tv Subedi used to be amazed by on minimal software by making restaurants, in semi-skilled jobs, engineers in his company about images of long passport queues Japanese calculators and radios, use of a cloud of network servers. or are students. “The challenge how telecommunications could at Narayanhiti or Nepali migrant and was full of admiration of the The innovation earned Chandi for Nepalis is to live a dignified be used for early warning. workers lining up for jobs country that manufactured such Subedi the company’s SoftBank life in Japan, and we residents The Japan chapter of the abroad, he shakes his head. The cool gadgets. Award, the first time it was given must guide them to do better,” Nepal Engineers Association is long waits could be a thing of the to an engineer. says Subedi. trying to see how the technology past with telecom applications. “The device allows users to The telecom sector is can be tweaked for use through “The government could access the company’s network expanding rapidly in Japan, the mobile network in Nepal. easily offer smart services to through the cloud when they are and Subedi’s little USB stick “If people can be warned about everyone, removing the long at home or travelling,” Chandi has transformed the lives of floods or landslides through waits, why are we punishing our explained to me as simply as many people by, for instance, mobile phones, it can save lives,” own citizens?” he asks. ON THE ROAD possible during a recent visit, allowing young mothers to work he says. Every bit of news from Nepal Guna Raj Luitel “during the earthquake and from home. There have been Japan is already using an makes Subedi’s mind race to find tsunami we distributed 13,000 misgivings lately about storing earthquake alert system that telecommunications solutions. devices and helped people keep programs and files on clouds, but goes directly to every mobile And because of his interest So, when he had a chance to in touch.” Subedi says it is perfectly safe phone user, and gives people in health issues, he thinks go for higher studies in 1992, Subedi graduated from and secure. precious seconds to move to telemedicine has enormous Japan was his first choice. He Jyoti English School Boarding But even while working in safer places. Subedi is not just potential in Nepal, and could switched from medical school to in Syangja and went to Amrit Japan, Subedi’s heart is still in looking at disasters, he thinks save many lives in remote areas. engineering and after graduation Science College in Kathmandu. Nepal. He gets together with information technology can be Asked what makes him got a job at the Information In Japan he didn’t want to waste fellow-Syangjalis on weekends, used to make elections back happiest, Subedi stares out of Systems Division at SoftBank three years working on a PhD, and and updates himself through home cheaper, faster and cleaner the window of his high rise Telecom. was impatient to find applications online news from back home. He by making ballot boxes, ballot at the Pacific Ocean with a When the East Japan for telecom software that would feels there are quite a few ways papers and rubber stamps faraway look: “I want to develop earthquake struck in 2011, help people. information technology could obsolete. softwares that saves lives by unleashing a catastrophic tsunami, The number of Nepalis in help Nepalis. “We can use tablets, and the connecting people, I want to communications links broke down. Japan is growing steadily and For instance, after reading votes go directly into a central make fellow-Nepalis a little Subedi developed a USB dongle has crossed 40,000, the highest about the devastating landslides server in the cloud, you can save happier.” 8 EVENTS DINING Thursdays of Cinema, Lhakpa’s Chulo, Letters from home An eclectic programme of eight French Once upon a time Nepali dal-bhat, Newari khaja, Swiss Prominent Nepali and international movies for children and adults. Underground Talkies is back with its third Rösti, Italian risotto, orThai green curry - writers will take part in discussions on Every Thursday, 4 to 25 September, 8.30am edition of Ekadeshma Film Festival. Sixty take your pick. Jhamsikhel contemporary issues, literary dialogues, & 7 pm, Alliance française, Tripureshwor, nine contemporary shorts will be screened and poetry recitals at the fourth edition of (01)4241163, [email protected] at this year’s event. Saigon Pho, Nepal Literature Festival. 19 to 21 September, QFX Kumari Hall, Rs 65 Spacious interior with authentic Marathon, per session, (01)4442220, 9841239505 Vietnamese dishes. Lajimpat Join hundreds of runners to race around Kathmandu. Some of the Nepali fi lms that will be Register: www.kathmandumarathon.com, screened: 20 September, 5am, Dasrath Stadium Changa Fiesta, Butte Jama, dir.Kaala Sangroula, 15’ Embers, Bring out your spool, join the Set in a remote village in eastern Terai of A large and cosy place that serves Nude at the museum, kite-fl ying competition and enjoy Nepal in the 90s, the fi lm centers around a a blend of continental and Nepali 19 SEPTEMBER Artist Kapil Mani Dixit’s solo exhibition on barbeques, bingo and music. nine-year-old girl, Baisakhi, who desires to favourites.Krishna Gali, Pulchowk 1 to 3pm, How will Nepal be made? CK body of nudes. Until 25 September, 10am to Entry: Rs 500, 27 September, 2 pm wear a Butte Jama (embroidered skirt). Lal, Swarnim Wagle 7pm, The City Museum Kathmandu onwards, Hotel Snowman, Nagarkot Kaphal Pakyo, dir.Niranjan Raj Bhetwal 20 SEPTEMBER 15’ 12 to 1pm, Telling it like it isn’t, Ajay Clean-up, Sushmadevi, a mother of two, directs Bhadra Khanal and Carlo Pizzati A nationwide clean-up campaign that Let's write, her children to take their cow for mating. 2 to 3pm, Chronicles of Bush bazaar, aims to unite stakeholders to work A writing workshop by editors of La.Lit. The boys start their journey through the Aunohita Mojumdar and Matthieu Aikins towards a cleaner and greener Nepal. 26 September, Quixote’s Cove, Ekantakuna, war-ravaged hillside where they go on to 4 to 5pm, Has South Asian writing in 20 September, 7 to 11am, Register: [email protected], explore the aftermaths of the war. English emerged from India’s shadow? www.cleanupnepal.org.np www.facebook.com/lalitmag Farah Ghuznavi, Peter J Karthak, Samrat Kharel Festive night, Script to Screen, 5 to 6pm, They say men don’t cry: An evening with live music, scrumptious Screening of two short movies, result Interrogating Gender, Rajesh Hamal dinner and exciting games. of a two-week workshop with directors Rs 1500, 26 September, Greenwich Hotel, Andrew Rajan and Nepali, Subarna 21 SEPTEMBER Sanepa, 98010082092, Thapa organised by the British Council. 12 to 1pm, Long-form journalism in the [email protected] 24 September, 7pm, Theatre Village age of short attention spans, Kanak Mani Chez Caroline, Dixit, Hartosh Singh Bal, Matthieu Aikins Kyar Kyar Pankha, Exquisite food, glorious sunshine and and Rabi Thapa dir. Pasang Dawa Sherpa, 12’ 36” more. 9am to 10pm, BabarMahal Revisited, 2 to 3pm, Politician as writer, Hari Sharma Ktm runs, Sampat, a mechanic feels remorseful (01)4263070/4187 Run, walk or cycle to support and Shashi Tharoor for not being able to fulfi ll his daughter vulnerable, disadvantaged and Sangeeta’s dreams. When he brings home Vesper Café, 22 SEPTEMBER abused children by entering a fan to repair, he is bewildered to see Fine Italian, continental cuisine and wine 11am to 12pm, An Indian writer in English the marathon. Proceeds will go that she starts to fi nd happiness through in a relaxed environment. Jhamsikhel interrogates his craft, Shashi Tharoor towards the children. the fan. 3 to 4pm, Battles for representation with Rs 200, 27 September, 7am Himalayan Joe, Yukta Bajracharya, Ujjwala Maharjan, onwards, Basantapur Darbar Maachako Sapana, With 20 per cent off on daily specials, Samip Dhungel and other Word Warriors Square, dir. Sanjay Chaulagain, 20’ 45” enjoy coff ee, pastries, cocktails, desserts www.kidasha.org Free entry, 19 to 22 September, They came. They saw. They left. The city and more. Ratna Mandir, Lakeside, Nepal Academy, Kamaladi never knew. Pokhara 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 9 MUSIC Live concert, Deepak Bajracharya & the Rhythm Band will be playing to support the global charity trust and fl ood survivors of Nepal. Rs 1,500, 20 September, 6 to 11pm, Reef Restaurant and Lounge, Thamel
Idol stars, food stalls. Enjoy live performances by Indian Idol 20 September, 3.30pm onwards, Moksh, winner Sourabhee Debbarma and Jhamsikhel Samrat Thapa. 19 September, 7pm, The Societe Lounge Bar, For change, Hattisar An event to create positive social change through music and arts education, Roots night, with performances by Joint Family Step up to the futuristic tunes and yet, Internationale, Like a Beast and go ol’ school Jamaican style. Albertina Barceló. 19 September, 7pm onwards, Rs 250, 20 September, 7pm onwards, Places Restaurant & Bar, Thamel House of Music, Thamel, (01)4411523 Bands galore, Kutumba live, Live music by Eastern Fusion Music, A charity show by Kutumba for Nepali Unplugged by KJC, Army Big Band, Live children. Remix Project and What The Funk, Rs 600, 26 September, 6pm onwards, accompanied with Burmese and Italian Alliance française, Tripureswor 10 RED PANDA ON THE RED LIST SONAM TASHI LAMA individuals in the wild, and in in TAPLEJUNG Nepal there may be only up to 1,000 red pandas spread across 36 mountain districts. There is said espite being regarded to be another 800 in zoos around as sign of good luck the world. Dand having a cuddly The red panda is listed appearance, the red panda under Appendix I of CITES, the is facing an existential threat. Vulnerable Category in the IUCN Worried about their dwindling Red List and categorised as a numbers, an international effort has been successful in mobilising A community effort is local communities in eastern Nepal to save the species. saving the endangered Known as habre in Nepali and punde kundo in the local species by protecting dialect here in the mountains its habitat near Kangchenjunga, this is a carnivore-turned-herbivore that, protected mammal by the National like its distant cousin the giant Park and Wildlife Conservation Act, panda, survives mainly on a diet of 1973 of Nepal which prohibits its bamboo. killing or capture dead or alive. The shy animal lives on the Yet, last year alone 11 red panda canopy of broadleaf and mixed hides were confiscated in Nepal. temperate forests from central While red panda inside Nepal right up to Sichuan, and is national parks are protected, now an excellent tree-climber. Habitat communities in Nepal’s eastern destruction and hunting has districts of Panchthar, Ilam and reduced its numbers to 10,000 Taplejung which are not part of
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animal’s habitat, but Yonzon died RED ALL OVER: This red panda in Ilam tragically in 2011 when a truck hit district is part of a clan protected by a local his bicycle in Kathmandu. community forestry group. Local people trained as Forest Red panda (right) at its defecation site. The Guardians act as conservation animals are very hygenic and use the same ambassadors in their community, neighbourhood toilet. and protecting the red panda habitat means saving other species as well. This unique community based initiative is being instutionalised within Nepal’s successful Conmmunity Forest User Groups. In Jamuna VDC of northern Ilam, local women are at the forefront of conserving the red panda in the Choyatar Forest which had been decimated by grazing and logging. Their work has already yielded results: the number of tourists visiting the area has increased in direct proportion WHERE THEY LIVE to the rebound in the population of panda. Red panda watching has now become a major source of tourism revenue, and homestays have taken off. Besides Ilam, the red panda is also found in conservation areas and national parks in Langtang, Sagarmatha, Annapurna and Rara. This year, Nepal celebrates Red Panda Day on 20 September with the slogan Conserving Locally, Educating The red panda range stretches across from Nepal to Sichuan in southern China. Globally. www.redpandanetwork.org any nature reserves, and home to the endagered animals through one-fourth of the total red panda habitat management, awareness nepalitimes.com population in Nepal, are working building and sustainable Watch video, Mutual of Omaha's to protect the species from livelihoods. Wild Kingdom: Red panda mating season poachers and habitat loss. A lot of the credit for red The Community Based panda research goes to pioneer Red Panda Monitoring and conservationist Pralad Yonzon, Conservation under the Red Panda who did his PhD on the red panda Sonam Tashi Lama Network (RPN) has been working in Langtang National Park. His is Conservation since 2007 to mobilise local organisation, Resource Himalaya, Coordinator at the awareness and action to protect worked on the conservation of the Red Panda Network PICS: SONAM TASHI LAMA/RPN 12
the absurd journey made by five small-town characters turns into the usual baloney about people discovering themselves and finding meaning in their otherwise monotonous lives. Granted that’s usually what happens in movies like this where supposedly-dysfunctional characters spend a long time close to each other. But perhaps what this movie needed, in addition to humour, was a more bittersweet tone so that it wouldn’t seem sloppy when all the characters have their individual epiphanies. To his credit, Adajania has shot his film well and has peppered it with a quasi- HAPPENINGS FINDING FANNY Mediterranean score to make it feel Goan. Its ludicrous characters omi Adajania’s debut film Angie (Deepika Padukone) comes and colourful tone reminds you Being Cyrus, released in to his rescue and the two plan of Amelie, another absurd film H2006, was a dark comedy a road trip to visit Fanny. Their that takes weirdoes and traps about a young painter who problem: the only car in town them in a universe of choking walks into rotten relationships belongs to painter Don Pedro coincidences. Unlike Amelie, and murder. Six years later, (Pankaj Kapur), who lusts after which is a sensory overload Adajania abandoned the macabre Angie’s mother-in-law Rosie of imagination and wackiness, in favour of Cocktail, a high- (Dimple Kapadia), who hates Finding Fanny is too laidback and earning but ultimately vapid Ferdie, and the only one who can lacks conviction. Bollywood movie about romance get the car to start is Savio (Arjun Quite a few friends said this in Generation Y. In terms of style Kapoor) who has the hots for was a film they wouldn’t go see in and content, the two films were Angie but is too proud to say it. theatres but get a DVD to watch at like chalk and cheese. Adajania’s You still with me? home. Is it because films like this latest movie Finding Fanny is a Like in Being Cyrus, it is the never make it to the theatres and mixture of both: a large ensemble supporting cast in Finding Fanny we are so used to watching them DEVAKI BISTA cast, eccentric characters, that out-charms the film’s narrator on our laptops that we expect BIDDING GOODBYE: UCPN(M) Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal and senior photogenic heroines, bumbling (and neutral moral arbiter) and blockbusters at the cinema, or is leader Baburam Bhattarai pay their respect to late UCPN(M) Vice Chair Post heroes, and a happy ending. keep this film moving. From it because Finding Fanny never Bahadur Bogati at Khula Manch on Monday. In the fictional Goan town the moment Ferdie receives the actually goes all out? Answer: of Pocolim lives old postman, letter to when his mission comes never actually goes all out. choir-boy and all round eccentric to an end, Naseeruddin Shah Sunir Pandey Ferdie (Naseeruddin Shah) who, is the saving grace of this film. after receiving an unopened love Kapadia and Kapur are well-cast, letter he once sent to a girlfriend while Kapoor and Padukone play nepalitimes.com 46 years ago, breaks down and is characteristic characters. Trailer unable to function. Young widow Where the film falters is when
BIKRAM RAI DIPLOMATIC TIES: Vice President Parmanand Jha with Brazilian Ambassador Marcos Borges Duprat Ribeiro during the Brazilian National Day celebrations at the Hyatt Regency on Monday.
BIKRAM RAI DAILY BIZ: Street vendors sell fruits and vegetables in Old Baneswor on Tuesday.
DEVAKI BISTA BOOKWORM: A visitors scans for books at a book fair in Rastriya Sabha Griha on Wednesday. 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 13 Nurse’s book wins Madan Prize
s a young girl in Chitwan, whenever upliftment of the people of this the Maoists and the Radha Paudel complained about remote part of Nepal. But, as army exchanged fierce Anot having new shoes or pencils, Radha Paudel, reminds us, “The gunfire in the street she remembers her father telling her that end of the war has not meant below. She peeped out children in Jumla didn’t even have enough peace. The roots of the conflict of the window to see to eat. When she grew up, Radha became are still there. As long as people captured policemen an anesthesiologist at Bharatpur Hospital are hungry, there will be war.” being beheaded like and applied for a more senior position. Radha Paudel persevered goats. There were only two openings: a relatively because she thought it was She went to hide in easy job in Rupandehi, or the hardships of important to tell the story so her landlady’s room, Jumla. Without hesitation, she chose to go people understand the true but a neighboring to Jumla. meaning of peace, and valued house caught fire and Her father, who had worked in Jumla it. She teared up during a they were trapped previously, tried to change her mind. It recent interview and said in a Khalanga ma Hamala between the smoke is dangerous, he said, there is a war going choking voice: “I had to go back (The Attack on Khalanga) and the gunfire on and life is hard in the remote mountains. to Jumla and help the people Radha Paudel with some members outside. Radha thought But Radha reminded her father that it was I went there to help.” of the community she worked with in this was the end, but he who had inspired her to go to Jumla in After the battle of Jumla, Jumla in 2002 somehow survived the first place, and do something for the Radha started writing down the night. Radha people there. to care for women even though it was a war everything she remembered about the kept working in Jumla, and got the Women When she got to Jumla in 2001, Radha zone. The security forces and the Maoists 13 terrifying hours of the fierce Maoist Peacemaker Award last year for her selfless could not sleep at nights seeing how both looked at Radha with suspicion and attack on Jumla on the night of work in rural Nepal during the conflict. mothers died at child- birth, children toiled thought she was an enemy spy. 14 November 2002. The CDO, DSP and Radha’s first manuscript was lost, and as porters to earn a living. It was fluke she The Madan Puraskar Guthi announced dozens of army and police were killed, and she wrote it all over again from memory. wasn’t born there, she thought, and she was on 14 September to award this year’s Madan no one knows how many Maoists died. Radha says she will plough the royalty troubled by the low esteem with which the Literature Prize to Khalanga Ma Hamala Radha first just hid under her quilt, from Khalanga ma Hamala to her group, rest of Nepal looked at Jumlis. (The Attack on Khalanga). In the book, Radha thinking it would protect her. Bullets Action Works Nepal, which works in Jumla, Radha got a job with a safe motherhood Paudel relives minute details of the battle of whizzed all around, hitting the ceiling Kalikot and Achham to help Karnali’s people project supported by DFID and immediately Jumla and how that close brush with death and walls. The army’s helicopters hovered stand on their own feet. set out to the remoter parts of the district motivated her to continue to work for the overhead, dropping mortar bombs, while Kunda Dixit
PICS: TSERING DDOLKEROLKER GURUNGURUNGG
American classic. of croissants in Vienna intended Café Soma also makes A friend who is a ‘farkeko them to be. Choose between bacon excellent burgers and Nepali’ remarked how her search and eggs with crossaint (Rs 400) sandwiches, in case you decide to for good pancakes in the capital or crossaint with ham and cheese pay a visit during non-breakfast ended at Soma. Soft, fluffy (Rs 300), or just eggs (Rs 250) to hours. and light, Soma’s pancakes are satiate your morning hunger and Tsering Dolker Gurung without doubt one of Ktm’s bests. there will be no regrets. And this is why pancake with Soma’s full English breakfast How to get there: Walk past Sun fresh fruits and yogurt (Rs 350) is (Rs 600), which the waiter Café in Jhamsikhel, opposite to a one dish that has always made an described as a heavy dish and the bike store on the street housing appearance on the table during all more exotic sounding smoked Hermann Bakery. our visits. salmon benedict (Rs650) and a Another thing that Soma couple of yet-to-try dishes show does well is croissants. Random the many options of breakfast on Café Soma bakeries around town try to do offer. The beverage menu is also he ‘Du may have very sausage, no other croissants, but they are pretty equally varied: besides the house cosmopolitan eateries for cut meats. dismal -- just crescent-shaped special the Browniccino (Rs 190), Tdinners and lunches, but So, when Café Soma paurotis. But at Soma they are the Hazelnut Iced Latte (Rs 180) is when it comes to breakfast, it opened and this paper so good, and prepared one of the best coffee beverages has a lot of catching up to do. carried a wonderful review with utmost perfection brewed in town. Kathmandu’s restauranteurs do of the place by Marco Polo that having just one If you have a penchant for not seem to give much importance two years ago, some of us of these little moon sweets, walk up to the counter to the most important meal of the who live to eat paid it a visit. breads is an insult where the day’s baked goodies sit day. Usually, menus will carry not The description of Soma’s to both your tummy behind a glass case. The banana more than four options. Sad as it Eggs Benedict (then Rs 280, and the baker. With and chocolate muffin (Rs 100) is is, the only variety comes in the now Rs 390) was so delicious in each layer of the pastry sweet and decadent, and leave form of choice of eggs (any style) itself that even a non-lover of adequately buttered, it is no trace of baking powder in the and a selection between bacon and poached eggs couldn’t refrain moist and flaky only in the throat that store bought muffins from placing an order for this way the baker inventors are guilty of. 14 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725
the state of pollution is. PMs less than 2.5 microns are the true troublemakers because Lung check they are able to penetrate deep into the lungs, and due to their n some parts of the world, 2 to give clear instruction to the in the pulmonary diminutive size bypass the October is marked as the World patient during the test. (lung) function defense mechanism of the lungs ISpirometry Day. Spirometry Unfortunately, this simple and study. This group to cause abnormal lung functions is a simple lung function study useful test is not performed in consisted of people and diseases. which assesses the health of lungs most of our hospitals or clinics from 17 countries There have been lots of just like a blood pressure monitor even though lung diseases are including India reports on the alarming rate of measures cardiovascular health. rampant here. South Asia has the who were matched pesticides in our food. Perhaps worst lungs in the world. Even by height, age and more anxiety-provoking should where the tests are performed, gender. The results be widespread air pollution which the technician only half- heartedly revealed that the in all likelihood kills many more instructs the patient to blow into “healthy” Indians had the poorest to account for this difference if people over a period of time than the machine, thus compromising lung functions. These findings genes are not blameworthy? pesticide exposure. The World results. It is imperative that about Indians can be extrapolated Air Pollution, which is prevalent Health data has revealed that DHANVANTARI the lung function studies in to reflect the lung functions in both indoors and outdoors in deaths due to chronic lung disease Buddha Basnyat, MD pulmonary patients be carried out Nepalis. South Asia, is the answer. A recent are the highest in our part of properly in order to guide therapy. Abnormal lung functions in astounding finding revealed the world. It is vital that we deal Many western hospitals have The World Spirometry Day healthy people were once linked to the air pollution level in New successfully with air pollution a separate section for spirometry. therefore helps increase awareness bad genes. However a 2010 study Delhi was higher than that in prevention measures to curb not The technician in this department of this important test. challenged this notion. Children of Beijing. (Unfortunately many of only lung diseases but a host of can often be heard asking the A recent study published Indian immigrants who were born the cities and towns in Nepal are other diseases now scientifically patient to “blow hard, hard” into by the McMaster University and raised in the United States not far behind New Delhi in air linked to air pollution such as the spirometer. Since the test in Ontario, Canada, had some had far better lung functions than pollution). Scientists measure heart attacks, strokes and lung result is dependent on good effort, frightening data. A total of 38,517 those born and raised in India. particulate matter (PM) in the cancer, all of which are on the rise it is important for the technician healthy nonsmokers took part What could be an important factor atmosphere to check how harmful in Nepal.
GIZMO by YANTRICK QUIET COMFORT ver been in a busy café with your shiny headphones in place. Sound-wise, the QC25 boasts Bose’s new headphones on, wanting to listen The QC25 sports a folding design that legendary audio experience, that too in isolation. Eto that latest Boyce Avenue upload while allows the headphone to fit in a smaller case The QC25 lets you focus on what matters: your working on your blog? Was it was impossible (size of a paperback novel) for times when you music, movies and videos; it expertly reduces to enjoy both work and music because of all tire of lugging it around your neck. The noise- what you do not want to hear: the buzz in a the noise? I’ve been frustrated by cruddy cancelling feature is powered by an AAA battery café, classroom, offi ce, or cabin noise inside an headphones forever, so a noise cancelling (included), and should last about 35 hours of airplane. headphones had been on my wish-list for use. You will have to put on a set to believe its The crisp sound, the deep bass and the a long time. After a quick trial of Bose’s the incredible noise cancellation feature. As a huge overwhelmingly clear sound quality powered by QuietComfort 25 (QC25), I now know what I upgrade from the QC15, the QC25 continues Bose’s Active EQ and TriPort technologies deliver will be spending my Dasain bonus on. to function even when the battery runs out performance so compelling, you will not want to The latest from Bose is a successor to its (without the noise cancelling feature), so cheers remove these for days. hit product - the QC15, and boasts of features to Bose for that. The QC25 is retailing at around Rs 40,000 that justify this upgrade. Designed beautifully, Although the QC25 is designed specifi cally and is available in gadget shops around the QC25 doesn’t feel cheap even though it is for use with Apple products, features such as Kathmandu. made of plastic. At 200 grams, this lightweight the inline microphone and remote which puts is meant for putting on for hours. The soft music and call controls at your fi ngertips is also Yantrick’s verdict: Despite the heavy ear-cups and a padded band on top provide compatible with the more popular Android price tag, the QC25 is Bose turning off the right amount of pressure to keep the phones. the world’s cacophony for you. 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 NATION 15 its overall political-economic analysis than in the fact that it allows the complex realities of life under the Red Flag to speak Showing a red flag for themselves. David Seddon is Jagannath Adhikari’s personalised account of living and surviving the Nepal conflict co-author (with Arjun Karki) of The Peoples’ War DAVID SEDDON and encounters, which is perhaps as much personal as it in Nepal: Left is a reflection of the feelings of Perspectives, and s the author explains all those with whom he talked. co-editor (with Prabin Manandhar) in the preface, Under This becomes more evident in of In Hope and In Fear: Living the Shadow of the Red the Epilogue, where Adhikari through the Maoist Insurgency, A both published by Adroit Press. Flag (which he describes as ‘a effectively criticises the Maoists travelogue’) is an outcome of for having ‘deviated from its fight his journeys through Nepal as a for greater goals such as social researcher and consultant during justice, equality and economic 2003-2005 at the time of the development’. Maoist insurgency, and He suggests that ‘the the armed conflict to which it party and most of its cadres gave rise. have shown a tendency to His ‘accidental writings’ (Che accumulate money Guevara called a similar account and assets for personal gains of his travels through Latin and to vie for positions of America The Motorcycle Diaries) power’. But this is a charge provide the basis for an engaging that should be leveled and highly personal account of his against the old Party experiences and encounters with Constituent Assembly. In the first whom the author refers to as leadership, not the local village people, Maoist cadres of the 11 chapters (‘Living on a ‘the Maoists’ and also (albeit Maoists as a whole, and party workers, government Tightrope’) we return to late to a lesser extent) with the for there remain officials, development workers December 2003, when Adhikari local government officials many Maoists -- most and security forces. visited development workers in who remained in the areas he of them now in the The Introduction provides a east Nepal. The central theme of visited, and even members of the CPN-M – who make this broader political context for the this chapter, as with most of the government armed forces. In part, same complaint against more personal diaries, and takes ten others, is how development they had known each other and in the leadership of the the reader from the launching of workers and the local villagers some cases had previously lived UCPN(M). the People’s War in 1996 up to lived in fear of both the Maoists and worked together, before the Indeed, Adhikari 2013 and the election of a second and the Royal Nepal Army, but conflict materialised. cites the memoir of Tara evolved strategies for coping The Maoists were not Rai who wrote in her on a daily basis with their fears therefore, by and large, an alien memoir of the solidarity and with the two opposing force from ‘outside’ as much as (vargiya maya) once felt forces which in different ways a distinct section of the local among Maoist cadres, threatened their lives and population, separated from and the suspicion now livelihoods. other villages by virtue of their felt towards the old Much the same general commitment as cadres in the leadership. theme permeates another recent Party or in the armed struggle. Finally, Adhikari collection edited by Prabin Less obviously, local people had is convinced that Manandhar and myself, In links to the government armed ‘ultimately, the Hope and In Fear. In Jagannath forces, most of whom were of Maoist movement Adhikari’s accounts there is also a course villagers before they joined achieved none of subtle thread of analysis, revealed up – although it was generally its goals through by the title, which suggests that the case that whereas the Maoists the armed conflict the image of locals and others were often known as individuals, … rather, the being ‘caught in the middle of a the RNA rarely were. war helped only conflict between two opposing Unavoidably, given his own to hold Nepal Under the Shadow of the Red Flag: forces’ is somewhat misleading. status as a Brahmin, Adhikari back by repressing Travels During Nepal’s Armed Conflict The book is after all about living himself often felt vulnerable to and delaying economic by Jagannath Adhikari and surviving ‘under the shadow those Maoists who ‘rallied against opportunities, leaving Chautari Book Series, 82 of the Red Flag’. “Brahmanbad” and its power over further social divisions in its wake’. This Martin Chautari Kathmandu 2014 The book implicitly the state’. There is an additional demonstrates how unavoidably thread of unease as regards conclusion is highly 229 pages ISBN 978-9937-594-11-0 interwoven were the lives of the Maoists that runs through debatable, and the merit local villagers both with those descriptions of his experiences of the book lies less in 16 NATION 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 Taking power into their The future of Nepal’s micro- hydro is affected by the spread of the national grid
SUNIR PANDEY the country in the last 30 years, electrifying 200,000 households in the last 30 years (see chart). ccording to recent At first, the small capacity figures released by the plants produced just enough AAlternative Energy electricity to light up homes. But Promotion Centre (AEPC), the now, communities have realised total installed capacity of small- the benefits of linking nearby scale hydroelectric projects in power stations into local grids. Nepal topped 48 MW this year. In eastern Baglung, for example, If this was a powerplant, it seven micro-hydro plants would be the fourth largest in the ranging from 9 to 26 kW on the country. Kalung river are hooked up into Out of reach of national a network called Urja Upatyaka transmission lines, rural (Energy Valley). When the Nepalis stopped waiting for the capital of the country suffers 14 government to come to them. hours of power cuts this winter, They made their own small Baglung will be all lit up. hydropower plants and managed If there is equipment failure them through local community at one station, the others chip groups and cooperatives. A in. And more power means local government subsidy of Rs communities now use electricity 255,000 per kW produced also not just for lighting, but for small But when you make money out works with the AEPC and USAID networked and hooked up to the spurred communities to take businesses like carpentry, mills, of it, that is value added, comes to promote local initiatives like in national grid to provide another power into their own hands. poultry farms, computer centres, closer to exploiting potential,” Baglung. additional 4MW of power. As a result, around 2,500 irrigation pumps. says Sanjay Sharma, program There are said to be at least The Nepal Electricity micro-hydro plants of between “You are only consuming manager at Regional Centre for 14 more sites across the country Authority (NEA) was nervous 5-100kW were installed all over power if you use it for lighting. Excellence in Micro-hydro which where micro-hydros can be about hooking small producers 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 NATION 17 own hands Thinking small FATHER TO SON: Karna Thapaliya and his youngest son upgraded the traditional water mill of their ancestors to generate 5kW of electricity Maximum micro-hydros to sell to 26 households in the neighbourhood. 160 Number of small hydro plants in the 4,703 1-1,000kW range by development regions. 224 “We are trying to upscale this program 3,907 by getting private banks involved, and adding 708 a productive end-use component to make it viable,” explains Ram Prasad Dhital of the 13,005 Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC). “It 534 is an appropriate renewable alternative, the only challenge is local management.” Number of stations 7,390 1,049 10,489 But in a country which has successful models Output (kW) of community-managed forests, women-led cooperatives and biogas programs, Nepal has AEPC experience in local mobilisation. “We believe improved water mills can be to the national grid, saying the switch to the national system. KUNDA DIXIT a viable business that builds on a traditional administrative and logistical costs There are at least 40 other KUNDA DIXIT vocation even though earnings for the bank are just weren’t worth the trouble. micro-hydro products in the in KAVRE not attractive,” says Barsha Shrestha of Clean Energy Bank, which The state-run utility has 25kW plus range that are in wants to support up to 23 new projects. realised that the long-term danger of being shut down epal’s chronic electricity shortage is a result of its inability In the Rosi River, households pay Rs 150 a month for six CFL benefits of rural electrification because of the arrival of the to harness its big rivers, but how about small streams? lights and a tv, and the income pays for an operator. The savings can’t be counted in just profit and national grid. Together they There are tens of thousands of water mills across the are used for repairs and upkeep. loss, and has now finalised rates produce 4MW of power, and if N country, and improving their efficiency by replacing crude wooden “We have the hardware, technology and a working model for Power Purchase Agreement they were networked and the paddles with turbines is lighting up villages and providing power from the biogas program, all we need is to focus on financing and for dry and wet seasons which NEA bought power from them, for micro-enterprises. getting the community to work together,” says Saroj Rai of SNV. would make it attractive for local they would survive and billions Karna Thapaliya’s ancestors set up a water mill by the banks Nearly 10,000 water mills across Nepal have been improved investors. in subsidy would not go waste. of the Rosi River. Three years ago he upgraded it to generate 5kW in the past 12 years, and here in Kavre 250 mills have been The real threat to micro- Paradoxically, the reason of electricity that he sells to 26 households in the neighbourhood. upgraded by the Centre for Renewable Technology Nepal (CRT/N) hydro producers, ironically, is some rural areas are happy with The power is used for lighting at night, and by day Thapaliya sells to provide electricity to 200 households. not financial, it is the spread their local micro-hydro is that his power to a furniture shop across the river. A water mill can be made more efficient to double the rate of of national transmission lines. connecting to the national grid “My grandfather and father raised the family with the flour grain grinding for Rs 40,000. To generate electricity and install an In Baglung, for example, locals would mean suffering power they earned from grinding grain, now I sell electricity,” says oil expeller can cost up to Rs 300,000, for which subsidised loans want to be hooked up to the grid cuts. Thapaliya, 71, whose sons work in Kathmandu and Qatar. are available. instead of their Urja Upatyaka The improved water mill was made possible through a network. In Dhankuta, the government subsidy scheme which is part of a nationwide Leguwa Khola micro-hydro campaign supported by the German agency, GIZ, and the Dutch nepalitimes.com station and the Syaure Bhumi nepalitimes.com SNV. The technology is perfect for remote areas, and is more Wheels of change, #354 micro powerplant were running People and power, #631 Flour power, #699 Transforming power, #512 See video sustainable than subsidies for solar installations. well until the NEA’s transmission Do it yourself, #385 lines arrived. Locals now want to 18 FROM THE NEPALI PRESS 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725
#NEPAL ‘Pahadis are more desperate than ever to colonise the Madhes, discriminate against its residents, and indulge in crimes against CK who? humanity.” After this journey he developed @3Gnetwork Indian musician AR Rahman was secessionist ambitions. His autobiography once Hindu and is now Muslim, does any Hindu pahilopost.com, 14 September 13 Nepali workers were killed by terrorists in is contemptuous of the Nepali state: boycott him? It’s not about religion #anjupant Iraq and there were palace-sponsored riots ‘They preach to us about Mother Nepal in Kathmandu. Raut took both incidents as and how we have to protect its purity Born in Saptari district, Chandra Kant proof of the suppression of Madhesis. and innocence. But I say Nepal is not our Raut is an electronic engineer and In 2006, when Raut was back in Nepal, mother, it is a witch that sucks our blood winner of national awards like the the Madhes uprising had just begun. He and and grabs our land and rights and keeps Young Engineer Award, Mahendra Bidya his friends quickly established the Alliance @CharuGajurel Suppressing the voices of a us enslaved, in poverty, and injustice. the marginalised community instead of giving it rights Bhusan and Kul Ratna Gold Medal. for Rights and Independence of Madhes, an Madhes is our mother, it gives us land and and gaining its trust will not unite the country He studied electronic engineering NGO that had secessionist ideals. food, and will take care of our remains #DrRaut at Institute of Engineering, Pulchok, ARIM’s aim was ‘ending Nepali when we die. People say the Madhes will and also worked there before leaving colonialism and racism to establish an be a very small country, but there are more
because of an internal feud. Raut then independent republican Madhes for the than a hundred countries whose area and PAHILOPOST.COM went to Japan for further studies under rights of Madhesis’. It had come up with population is smaller. In every way, the the Monbusho Scholarship. a new flag, new boundaries, and a new Madhes has a glorious future.’ @chandangoopta Re: CK Raut. Let us not When he visited Nepal in 2004, Raut national anthem for the proposed country. Raut also mentions armed revolt in his No separation question a whole community on the basis of left home dressed like an ascetic, Mainstream Madhesi politicians also autobiography, saying peace didn’t work to one guy’s beliefs. Thank you. wandering to Calcutta, Chennai, partnered with ARIM for mutual benefit. convince the Nepali establishment of the Editorial, Nagarik, 18 September Kanyakumari, Madurai, Bangalore, Raut then began to write articles under ambitions of Madhesis. Rameswaram, Puttaparti in India, and the pseudonyms of Biwashwan Kumar, ‘If taking an eye for an eye makes claimed to have found enlightenment Azad, and Injod. His expertise in computer everyone blind, it is better that the evil are India could play a vital role in during the journey. A month later he engineering gave him the knowhow to hack blinded. At least this will mean everyone Nepal’s stability, prosperity, returned to Japan and fell sick towards into Nepal-related networks and collect is equal. If they remain powerful, they will and territorial integrity. We @Wakil_Sahiba What possible effect will the the end of his studies, but successfully hundreds and thousands of emails, which he strangle you as you turn the other cheek. know India used its influence Scottish referendum have on separationist claims of Madhes? defended his thesis from a wheelchair. would then spam with postings. Aggression has to be beaten out of them.’ to push the peace process in Next, he went to Cambridge for a PhD. In 2009, Raut went to work for BBN In his book Madhes Swaraj (Madhes 2005, and it could help tackle Raut first came to Kathmandu Technologies in the USA, where he also Self-rule), Raut writes in Hindi why the this new Madhesi separatism. If during the ‘Hrithik Roshan’ scandal established and chaired a Madhes diaspora Madhes has to be separate from Nepal. any part of Nepal secedes, the when anti-India sentiments had erupted group. From America he returned to Nepal He rejects courts, protests, government flames will spread to India where with targeted violence against ‘Indian- to travel from Mechi to Mahakali with friends and constitution writing and wants a there are plenty of separatist @KiroShankhe @iPnku But if Scotland does looking’ people. As Raut left for Japan, from the ARIM. He wrote of his experience, homegrown army. groups. Nepal must get the separate from the UK, they will take its example to bring out demands here too. ‘We need our own army to end international community, which our slavery. Rules, laws, management, has been handing out money in constitution have no meaning until there the name of human rights and are guns to enforce them,’ he writes, ‘the inclusiveness, to agree not to constitution belongs to those who have support these fissiparous forces. soldiers, because it can be changed any All Nepalis must be aware of @sanpokh They couldn’t solve a thing while sitting the intentions of misguided on the same bench for seven years, and now time with the help of the army. Nepal’s they want to have a roundtable. Is this politics or constitution changes every 10-15 years. separatists in order to remove Vastu Sastra? How long do you think such laws will this threat. favour Madhesis?’ In this book, Raut first talks of preparing for self-rule through peaceful means – awareness, youth wings, and voluntary police. If this doesn’t work, he wants to block roads and use paramilitary force. There is also talk of registering the country in the UN to guarantee international support. All this, he says, may take more than 10 years. PAHILOPOST.COM Ulterior motives
Ratopati.com, 14 September reveal he was working to ‘free the Madhes from Nepali occupation’. There is a detailed explanation Sign: All-Party Roundtable of what they would have to do for separation and BIRATNAGAR: Security sources claim CK Raut how the proposed new country would function. Batsyayan in Kantipur, 18 September was readying for secession under the ‘Independent Security sources claim Raut also received help Madhes Alliance’ organisation. After he was from Jwala Singh and Goit, and that Madhesi QUOTE OF THE WEEK
arrested on Saturday in Morang while speaking leaders who campaigned for ‘Ek Madhes, Ek
to Santhals about a separate country, it has been Pradesh’ (Single Madhes state) also support him revealed that Raut had a network of activists across indirectly. Before an all-party meet is organised, there has “ eastern Nepal planning a separatist revolt. Some local leaders have already tried to pressure “to be a written agreement on the alternatives to According to the source, Raut had planned to the district administration and police into releasing issues we can’t agree on during the meet. create 10 units per VDC and 15 leaders per unit Raut. In Biratnagar, some youngsters protested on who would then campaign for a separate country. the street on their behalf. Morang CDO Ganesh Raj CPC-M Chairman Mohan Baidya’s offi cial press Documents confiscated from Raut, including a Karki ordered the police keep him in custody for statement on why his party and alliance did not attend book called Madhes Swaraj (Madhes Self-rule), six more days while investigations were ongoing. talks, 17 September 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 19 20 BACK SIDE 19 - 25 SEPTEMBER 2014 #725 www.nepalitimes.com www.nepalitimes.com
sure your helmet is fastened at all times while seated so a stowed item PAST PRESENT FUTURE doesn’t accidentally fracture your Fly Gundruk Air skull. DIWAKAR CHETTRI
Recliners. This is a passenger ake a bunch of angry, sitting in the seat in front of you who overweight and smelly men, will insist on reclining his seat so pack them tightly inside an T that his head lies on your lap for the aluminium tube, immobilise them duration of the flight. Knee Defenders by strapping them to their seats, are no use, but my antidote is to make and send them hurtling across the a paper funnel and carefully pour sky at nearly the speed of sound. some Campari soda into his ear canal. And you are surprised when airline passengers try to strangle each Movers and Shakers. You are other? on the aisle and the mover and Just this week, passengers in shaker next to you begins to display Karachi prevented an ex-minister symptoms of acute dropsy. Always one from boarding a plane he kept to make the best of every situation, I waiting for two hours. Good usually lean into these guys and get a thing the jet wasn’t air borne yet, free in-flight foot to shoulder massage. otherwise the minister would have been defenestrated from 35,000ft. Alcoholics Synonymous. Always Then, in the US there was the third have a pack of melatonin handy and Knee Defender incident in as many plop five tablets into his G&T while days. he is looking the other way. He won’t Operators are fully aware that unnecessary luxury like a barf bag. bother you after that. fidgety passengers may get bored, However, with the holiday season drink too much and become approaching, and in the spirit of the Babes. No such luck. They have unruly. The trick is to pack them in season, they have allowed goats on replaced flight attendants with with so little leg, elbow and head board as carry-ons provided they do Grandmas. The only babes I have sat room that they are immobilised not exceed the dimensions of the next to on recent flights are about five for the duration of the flight. If one overhead racks. months old and wail non-stop while of them does manage to wriggle The Ass is old enough to we traverse the Indo-Gangetic Plains. out, flight attendants have cattle remember a time when hot prods in cattle class to zap rowdy meals were served even on Stinkos. One of the single most passengers. Royal Uneconomic Class on Air hazardous aspect of modern air travel No-frill operators have Thrombosis. As time went on, is body odour, and it is my misfortune democratised air travel even in they got rid of the omelets, then that I am always assigned a seat next non-democratic countries. They the pakoras, the next to go were to a guy whose armpit can be detected have dispensed with food, drinks, the buns, then they even stopped from the cockpit. Some passengers pillows, blankets and air hostages. passing out pre-flight cotton wool take their shoes off, wafting into the Everything is charged, including and candy (“The cotton goes into cabin the full aroma of socks in an luggage, inflight entertainment, your ear canal and the toffee goes advanced stage of fermentation. This lavatories and pressurisation. If, into your alimentary canal, sir. Not poses a risk to sensitive on board god forbid, the pleasure in the the other way around.”) avionics. “Ladies and gentlemen, in cabin falls during a fright, oxygen After many years of observing a few moments inshallah we will be masks will drop automatically fellow-asses on board, I have drawn landing. In the interest of safety, please on a first-come-first-served basis. up a list of the categories of people stow your tray table, be upright and Clobber your nose and mouth who sit next to you on planes: put your shoes back on. Thank you for and bleed normally, you will be choosing Fly-by-Night Airways.” charged $12 per puff. Weight Lifters. These passengers Thank heavens that in Nepal have more carry-on luggage than Yakyetiyakkers. That’s me. Never domestic carriers haven’t stooped checked-in luggage and will occupy sit next to me on a flight. I’ll talk to as low as international budget the over-head lockers (known in you nonstop until you ask the flight airlines to slash fares and cut some Asian airlines as “oval-head attendant to give you inflight service. Here, we have rockers”) all the way from seats another seat. Which opted to keep fares high and 31-38 so that there is absolutely was the idea, anyway. slash services instead. Nepal’s no room for your orchids (known no-budget airlines would rather in some airlines as “all kids”). The make passengers pay through their thing to remember if you happen to noses than provide them an utterly sit next to a Weight Lifter is make The Ass
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