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Near Radisson Hotel, Lazimpat Kathmandu, Nepal Ph: 413874 E-mail: [email protected] Web Site: www.nepalifood.com/lajana .,. CONTENTS
Page
Letters 3
News Notes 4
Briefs 6
Quole Unquole 7 orf The Record 8 From Satya Harishchandra to Darpan Chhaya, the Nepalese film induslrY has come a long way. But the PJlh ahead is more COMMENTARY: Frank Comments 9 chall enging Page 16 SAARC CONFERENCE: Public-Private Partnership 11
ENVIRONMENT: Age Is The Bar 12
PARLIAMENT: On A Collision Course 13
L>\UDA JET: Flying Low 14
URISM INDUSTRY: Future Uncertain 15
PROPERTY RIGHT: Unequal Half 24 CIllEF JUSTICE: Under Attack By targeting Chief Justice Upadhyay and killinginnocentpeople PUBLIC TRANSPORT: Space Matters 25 Maoist rebels seem to be deviating from the so-called 'people's war' Page 10
THE BOTTOM LINE 27
VIEW POINT: Rup Khadka 28 INTERVIEW: BISHWONATH SAPKOTA PASTIME 29 The Secretary at the Mini stry Water Resource, Sapkota LEISURE 30 about the need ( 0 harness water resource for economic efit. FORUM: Santa Bahadur Pun 32
SPOTLIG HT/FEBRUARY 9, 2001 SPOTLIGHT EDITOR'S NOTE THE NATIONAL NEWSMc.A.:.:Gc.AZ=INc:E'---_-----. V~. 20, No.30, February 9,2001 (Magh 27, 2057) I he secretary level talks between Nepal and India on Ihe review of the hi ghl y controversial Treaty of Peace and Fri endship of 1950 could be Chief Editor And Publisher Madhav Kumar Rima! said to be long delayed step in the right direction. Since the beleaguered Rana Prime Minister who was under big stress to save his authoritarian Editor regime from tottering, it had to be unequal. When sOI11eofhis very close Sarita Rimal erconfidanls(this scribe's very close relations) entreated him not 10 sign the treaty, Mohan Managing Editor Shamsher. the last Rana ruler of Nepal silenced them saying. "you don', know. It is a Keshab Poude! quid pro quo". And poor chap. four months after signing the treaty he was dethroned Associate Editor wi th the acti ve collaboration of Nchru government of India. He got his quid pro quo. Bhagirath Yogi Since it would be uller foolishness to cry over spilt milk, a reasonable has to be round Senior Reporter to correct the harassing situation. That Nepal has succeeded to make India agreeable.&.. Sanjaya Dhakal review the treaty could be taken as a big achievement in itself. h is, indeed. v ~ gratifying to note from reports that the Nepalese foreign secretary Narayan Thapa has Reporter Akshay Sharma maintained a strong stand that the treaty should be re viewed to make it more compatible in the present context and to set the tone for mature relations in future. The repon has Design and Layout further said that although India did give a positive response to the Nepalese stand, she Jyo11 Singh has requested for more Lime on their side to discuss the issue. as if fifty years was not Photographer quite sufficient. Since Nepal is at the receiving end, she has no alternative but to Nishchal Chapagain acquiesce. Since neither contracting parties have abided by the terms of the treaty, any Art delay in reviewing. amending or scrapping it would make little difference. More M.S. Khokna important than the treaty has become th e issue of the open border between Nepal and Legal Advisor India. India's serious apprehensions that her enemies are threatening her integrit y Advocate Lok Bhakta Rana through this open border and Nepal, if nol abetting is doin g very little 10 check such activ it ies. is becoming as unbearable situation for her. Even in Nepal' s long-term Marketing/Advertisement Sarit Rimal (USA) intere~ts. the open border between the two countries has to be sealed as soon as possible. We trust Nepal will not fail to initiate appropriate steps without undue delay. Marketing bo1adan KaJi Basnet * * * Navin Kumar Maharjan The United States ambassador RaJph Frank was quite frank, as hi s name suggests, and Madan Raj Poude! forthright in stating his concern at the current atmosphere ofdislrust and negati visI11 that Editorial Office seems to be resulting in an increasing clim ate of violence in expressing political di GPO Box 7256, Baluwatar, Kathmandu, in Nepal. Coming from a country where politicians practice extreme tolerance Tel: (977-1) 423127, Fax: (977-1) 417845 seldom transgress the limits of human dignity and patience, his frustrations over the Chief Editor's : 435594 E-mail: [email protected] behavior of Nepalese politicians is not at all unnatural. The example of extremc Internet Add: http://www.nepalnews.com/ forbearance was exhibited by former vice president Al Gore and his democratic party spotlight when five judges of the U. S. Supreme Court snatched away the presidency, the most Cover Design powerful position in the world, from his grasp in a partisan decision. Can anyone Wordscape im agine what would happen in our part of the world if anything like that were to take Kamal Pokhari. Ph : 410772, Fax : 432872 place? Since Nepalese politicians have developed the lOugh rhino skin, no amount of Distribution disquietude expressed by anybody in the world can make any demo They onl y Bazaar International understand the (anguage of brute force. Consequenlly, the people ofNepnl onl y can pull 228 Sanchaya Kosh Bidg. Kathmandu G.P.O Box 2480, Ph : 222983 Fax : 229437 them down. Be that as it may. we too join others in celebrating the 50th year of U. S. e-mail: [email protected] AID in Nepal. Indeed, it has contributed to building various infrastructures in our Icast developed country. We do hope the U.S. government will not lessen its interest in the Printers: Kishor offset Press (P.) Ltd. P.O. Box 4665, Galkopakha, Thamel, speedier upliftment of poor Nepalese. We also take this opportunity to express, on Kathmandu,Tel:351044(Off),351172(Res.), behalf of our poor countrymen, our heartfelt gratitude toward the American people for Fax: 977.1·351172, their help and support. • E-mail : [email protected]
C.D.O. Rcgd. No 151/039-40 Postal Rcgd. No I 411057/58 . U.5. Library of Congress Madhav Kumar RimaI C 2 SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9. 200t LETTERS ______ Drug Industry New Agenda Tt was interesting to read The cover story "Is your artic le "Prescription Rx" Fresh Election A Way (SPOTLIGHT January 26). It Out" (SPOTLIGHT, Feb is heartening to know that ruary 2) aptly indicated Nepalese pharmaceu ti cal firms arc able to manufacture that in the given circum 80 percent of essential stances the opposition drugs. Given proper in itia should have called for a tives, th e indus try can also fresh election. It is strange start exportin g drugs. Defi to filld the UML hellt on nitely, the auth ori ti es need to prov id e protection to the do removing Prime Minister mestic pharmaceutical indus Koirala but not calling try in the face of stiff compe for an electioll. It is diffi tition from Indian drug manu cult to judge what is all facturers. their lIlilld. All/he oppo Kirtlll Shrestha Sanera sition parties shollld give serious second-ThoughT to Safala's Search For their present proposition Justice al/d idelllif)' a constitll The artic le "Justice De Tional manner ill ..... ·hich layed Is Justice Denied" the Koirala govemmelll (SPOTLIGHT January 26) call be removed. exposed the weaknesses of the Yagya Raj Slzarma Nepalese judicial system. Bala}1I The search for justi ce has turned out to be one long and arduous exercise for many Take Him To Task forces with the opposition par si lver lining in th e dark clouds. people like Safal. Shreslha. The opposition parties ti es in pulling the plug from Some private entrepreneurs The loopholes in the justice ou ld join their hand s to oust th e Koirala government. In ha ve come forward with good delivery mechanisms have the Koirala government .If the fact. thi s is a chance for the prospects in thi s sector and the proved cost ly fo r th em. prime minister is indeed in dissidenls la show to the growi ng use of IT in Nepal The concern ed auth orities volved in corruption, no sto ne Nepalese people that they arc also enco urages them to fur from the judiciary, including should be left unturned by the again st co rrupti on. 8 ut if they ther enhance their bu sine ss. judges and lawyers. need to opposition in ousting him. For toe Koiral a's line. then their The govern men t deserves seri ously study thi s problem far too long, high-level offi co mmitments would be ex praise for recognizing IT as a and come ou t with an effi ciaJs have engaged in co rrup posed as being holl ow and major tool for empl oyment cient system. tion with impunity . This is send without substance. generation and economi c Mohall KC inga very wrong message about Rajesh Bista growth. Thu s, ultimately alle Heta uda democracy itself. ll1C wrong Maharajgunj viating poverty. The recent doing of individuals should not move of the governme nt in be allowed to hold the whole Encouraging Signs bringing the IT pol icy and com Correction system at ransom . Your cover story "The mitment of presenting cyber leevan GurulJg Silent Boom" (SPOTLIGHT laws in the coming session of In last week's story. Bagbazar January 26) was very interest the parliamem is a welcome "CHILDREN: Painful ing and encQuraging.l came to gesture. Now the time has Picture", we misidentified come to wo rk in coordinated All Against Corruption know that although Nepal had the official of Child Tfthedissidents within th e way from all sectors to place entered first into fn fonnation Workers in Nepal. He is Congress pany are really Nepal in the world IT map. Technology in the region, it Gauri Pradhan. The error again st corruption . as th ey lags far behind compared to R. S. Thapa is regretted. -Ed claim to be. they should join others. Now th ere seems some New Baneshwor SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9,2001 3 NEWSNOTES Govt. Burns Down Huts alOu nd different parts of the city. They chanted slogans and carried black nags and Of Former Kamaiyas banners in protest against the government 's The local administration in the mid· three-month-old deci~ion. The organizer western district of Bardiya mobilizeu ri ot of the rally, Nepal Transport Operators' poli ce to force fomler 'bmaiyas' (bonded Federation. has demanded immediate with Joborers) Saturday out from the thatched drawai of the government's decision. say huts that they had erected on government ingthat it would deny nearly 200,000 trans owned land. In a statement, the Home pon entrepreneurs and workers a mcans of Ministry said police peacefully evicted incomc. The government hall earlier pro· people from land owned by the Cotton hibited the operation of600 smoke-belch Development Committee (CDC). Fonner ing three-wheelers in the capital , a move minister ;md convenor of the Kamajya welcomed by the people and donor agen Assistance Committee formed by the main cies. Transport operators have warned they oppositi on UML Kcshab Badal alleged might call a nation-widc strike if the gov that the administration burnt down nearly ernment "riled to fullill their demands 6,000 huts erected by the newly freed with 111 a month. Cumpiled from reports IG P Shreslha kamaiyas within the last two weeks. He Feb. 3. ~aid several people, including children. women and the elde rl y, were injured in World Buddhist ment of Additional Inspector-General o f th e skirmishes. adding thlt their meagre Police (AIGP), Krishna Mohan Shrestha. belongings were also burnt. Badal de Conference Concludes as chief of the newly formed Anned Po scribed the action (U) 'brutal' and demanded The second World Buddhist Confer lice Force(APF), AIGP Ramkaji Bantawa that the government provide 10 katthas of enceconcluded at Lumbini Friday, nJcdg resigned from hi s post. Bantawa was onc land immediately to the families offormer ing to expedi te wo rk on deyeloping the or th e contenders for the new job and his kamaiya'i. The government. which had birthplace of Lord Buddha. A declaration resignation, to he effective after a month declared kamaiyas free in July last year, ,dopted by the cvnfcrcnee underlined the if accepted. is believed to have been an has railed to resettle them or provide jobs. need to involve the local people, espe expresslun of dissatisfaction. Bantawa Compiled from reports Feb. 4. cially ihe youth, in the development uf the confirmed that he had resigned but said Lumbini area anJ to take initiatives to set Shrestha was his contemporary and he Transport Operators upan international trainingcenteron Bud had no gncvances agai nst the dhism. The conference took place amid g SPOTLlG HTIFEBRUARY 9, 2001 NEWSNOTES organi zed a fami liari zation trip for Qatari rebels. Talking to reporters in the mid received their salaries and benefits for the travel trade operators in Nepal. CompiLed wcstem town of Ncpalgunj on his way to last five months. The employees had gone frol1l reporls Feb. 3. remale Kalikol distri ct Thursday, Poudel on strike and had called 'Hetauda bandh' sa id the government would continue its demanding payment of their dues. The Mayor Shah Released efforts to cnd the insurgency through dia government is considering in viti ng the logue. "The government's policy is to private sector to management the factory. Mayor of Janakpur Municipality, launch integrated development work while HimaLaya Times Feb. Z. Bajrang Prasad Shah. bas been released strengthening security measures," hesaid. from detenti on after a court order. Poli ce r oudel said the government was also try arrested him on Thursday on charges of ing lO isolate groups involved in murder More Than 1,200 Bank corruption. Police arrested Shah from hi s and killings. Compiledfrom reporls Feb. Defaulters Identified rcsidence after he fai led to sbow up at the 2. District Administration Office of A government-run agency has com Dhanusha for inqui ries related La alleged piled details about more than 1.200 com i egu larities at the mun icipality, Chief HTF To Be Closed panies and fim1s. some of them led by triet Officer Tana Gautam was qu oted The government has decided to close hi gh-profile businessmen and industrial as say in g. A group of people took out a down the loss-making Hetauda Textiles ists. for defaulting on loans they had bor protest rally and pelted stones at the offi Factory (HTF). A cabinet meeting on rowed from major commercial banks in cial residence of the CDO after finding Wednesday took thi s dec ision, sources the country. According to the reporl. the out that Shah had been arrested. They had r--=~::::-_--_------....., Credit Information threatened to hold astri ke in Janakpur and ~.".. Center (CIC) has halt all activities of the municipality, in· blacklisted 1.266 eluding garbage collecti on, if the mayor r:::;;;;:T-"'::F::::J:"';;:~ compan ics/finns for was not released immediately. Compiled I failin g to pay a total frum reports. of Rs 6,540 million as bank loans. The Poudel Renews Call For ccnter blacklisted 197 companies and Dialogue With Rebels identifi ed 205 more Amid newspaper repons that the as defaulters for fail Maoist insurgents are preparing to ob· ing to pay back Rs serve thccomplction of five years of their 1,911 million in the 'people's war', Deputy Prime Minister last fiscal year alone. Home Minister Ram Chandra Poudel "Most of these com ewed hi s call for dialogue with the panies are owned by lead ing businessmen and reputed person were quoted as saying. No fomla l an alities," said Prem ShankerShrestha,chi ef nouncement has been made. TIle govern of the centcf. "But we can 't divulge their ment will have to bear a financial burden names as per the law." he said. Nepal of nearly Rs 250 million because of its Rastra Bank has instructed commercial decision to close down the factory. Nearly banks not to extend loans to the black 1.200 employees of the factory have not li sted companies. Gorkhapalra Feb. 2.• Japanese Aid Mission Arrives An aid policy consultation mission from Japan has arrived in Kathmandu to review, explore and identify ways to direct Japanese assistam:e to Nepal. During their meeting with Nepalese officials on Tuesday and Wedncsday. the Japancse mi ssion headed by Motokatsu Watanabe held a wide-rangll1g dialogue on the economic and social development of Nepal and the Japanese overseas develop ment policy to this Himalayan kingdom. the Japanese embassy here said. The largest bilateral donor to Nepal, Japan had extended 228 billion Yen (around US$2 billIOn) aid to Nepal in the form of economic and technical assistance between 1969 Poudel and 1998. SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9. 200 t 5 BRIEFS called the Indian government's unilateral construction orthe Pumagiri dam in Dadeldhura district They claimed the lndian action violated the agreement reached between the two countries on the Mahakali Treaty. including the Pancheswore High Dam Project. in September 1996. SENIOR NEPALESE AND INDlAN OFFIClALSHELDTALKS in New Delhi on reviewing the fivc-decade-old peace and friendship treaty between the twO countries and other matters. The foreign secretaries of the two countries agreed to meet at the earliest to continue discussions on reviewing the 1950 Peace and Friendship Treaty keeping in mind the concerns and interests ofboth sides. RSS news agency said quoting a statement issued by the Royal Nepal Embassy in the Indian capital. During their meeting in New Delhi last year, the Nepalese and Indian prime ministers had agreed to start official-level discussions on the issue. The officials also discussed King Birendra and Queen Aishwarya at a USAID recep issues relating to bilateral trade and investment. economic coopcr3t' tion border management and matters of mutual concern during their mec - ing. Foreign Secretary Narayan Shumsher Thapa and Indi an Foreign Secretary Lalil Mansingh led their respecti\'e delegations in talks. THE LUMBlNI SUGAR FACTORY (LSF) IS TRYING HARD 10 overcome losses it has been incurring over the last few years. The THE GOVERNMENT HAS DECIDED TO EXTEND A TO factory. with can crush 120,000 quintals of sugarcancs per day, is ken relief assistance of Nepalese Rs I 0 million to vil:tims of the operating we ll below capacity because of inadequate supply of the devastating earthquake in Gujarat state of India. The government said raw material. The company suffered a loss of Rs 80 million in 1998- it would also dispatch a team comprising 10 doctors la the quake-hit 99. 'The performance of the factory could be improved significantly areas III India to provide medical assistance to the victims. RSS news with the supply of adequate sugarcane." said general manager Mohan agency reported. Indian authorities have said at least 20.000 people Gurung. The factory is surfering rrom over-staffing, mismanagement were killed in the quake on its Republic Day (January 26) with its and irregularities. reports said. epiccnter at Bhuj in Gujarat. Several Nepalese migrant laborers work ing in the area are also believed to have perished in the earthquake. THE PAKISTAN EMBASSY IN KATHMANDU HAS DENIED reports published jn some newspapers that the Nepalese government THE US GOVERNMENT WILL PROVIDE AID WORTH US$l had expelled an embassy employee. declaring him as 'persona non million to Bhutanese refugees in Nepal. reports said. According to grata.' Nepal Samacharpatra daily reported Sunday. In a Statement Robert Kcrr. director of the American Center in Kathmandu, the i!'\ucd Friday. the emba~sy denied reports that the embassy had sent amount comes from the $22 million sanctioned by outgoing President bad. Mohammed Sakhtar for allegedly supplying explosives to a Bill Clinton. The rest would go to refugees in Balkans. Nearly Nepalese national. Rishi Ram Chalise. Police had arrested Chalise in 100,000 Bhutanese refugees arc languiShing in refugee camps m New Delhi on the eve of India's Republic Day. rained by the UNHCR in eastern Nepal for the last decade. THE GOVERNMENT HAS INTRODUCED A NEW POLICY THE DEVELOPMENT CREDIT BANK LIMITED (DCBL) rehllcd to primary education in live of the 75 districts of the country. has become the second development bank to start operations in the officials said. Spokesman at Lhe Education Ministry. Sundar Prasad country. The bank. said to have been set up to make productive Shrcstha, said the new policy will free young students from taking investments in agriculture. industry and service sector, among others. regular examinations and there would be no relation between passing has Rs 320 million in authorized capital and Rs 160 million in paid-Up the examination and entering a higher grade. Jaya Prasad Lamsal of capital. The bank. promoted by industrialists, businessmen and profes the Curriculum DevelopmenL Center said the new policy would be sionals, has been set up under the Development Bank Act 2052 B.S. introduced on an experimental basis for the next three years. "Lfwe could make a policy to discourage the children's repeating the same TRANSACTIONS AT THE STOCK EXCHANGE WITNESSED C1as!- and the tendency of dropping-out. primary education could be a fall of nearly four points during the week ending February 2. the within everybody' s reach." he said. Cri ti cs. however, said the govern Nepal Stock Exchange Ltd. (NEPSE) said. According to NEPSE, the ment was introducing sut.:h policies without proper study. NEPSE index that stood at 468.41 on January 29 reil to 465.39 as tradingcJosed last Friday. There was a sharp fall in the volumeoftrade THE MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES HAS SAID AN despite a rise in the number of transactions. A total of 35,622 units of additional technical study is being conducted at RupaJigarh and shares belonging to 40 enlisted companie s were traded for Rs 26.9 Purnagiri of Dadeldhura district only for constructin g a re-regulation million during the last week. The stock market has been fluctuating dam. not a main dam. under the Panchesworc multipurpose project. si nce latc last year. Whether the re-regulation dam will be constructed at Rupaligarh or Purnagiri will be detennincd by various technical and financial GREEN NEPAL PARTY, IN A STATEMENT, HAS URGED fal'tors. the ministry clarified. Meanwhile, in a pres~ statement., a the government to stan dialogue with the Maoists and lake actions dozen UML lawmakers have asked the govemmentlO stop what they against anybody found guilty in the Lauda air deal. • 6 SPOTLIG HT/FEBRUARY 9. 2001 QUOTE UNQUOTE "U nless they pass a no-trust motion in parliament, rest assured that I will not resign under pressure just because somebody asks for it or goes to the street.·' Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, addressing district Congress presidents at his residence in Ba/lI\vatar, in KantipuL * * * "W e want to remove the governmcllI. Let~ ),ave <'I bullet but in the present circumstances wc will not do anything that will help other par To bullett<'lJk / ties:' Krislmll Prllsad Bhattarai, former prime millister. speaking at (I meet ing of Nepa/i Congress par/iall/en fary parry. * * * "It was because of the blessings of the people that I survived." Keshab Prasad Upadhyaya. Chief illstice of the SlIpreme COllrt. saying he is Ilor deterred by rhe Maoisfsl attack 011 his life. 1 * * * "I n the present Situation,. . the RPP will . Ollst the K oira/a govemmelll, in aviation, in Bimarsha. Deshanter. not be a pan of any activity that goes * * * * * * against the spirit of the constitution:' "0ur demand .IS not that Congress Rabindra Nalh Sharl1l11, senior "T here is no corruption in the Lauda should step down from the government. leader of the RastriyQ Prajalamra Airdeal. There is no reason to suspect the Our demand is that PrimeMinister Koirala Parry. indicating his parry H'ould !lot prime minister in this deaL" should step down:· ,w{Jport the street protests Threatened Narayall Sillgh PUll, former assis [shwor Poklwrel, UML leader, ill by the l1Iaill opposition CPN-UML 10 tallt minister for tourism alld civil Nepalipatra. * * * "T he construction work is going on in full swing. The generators and drilling machines arc stationed on the Nepalese side of the border." We !.Jorn'/ Dr. Mallgal SiddhiMallalldhar, UML flu Cahi'Ytd MP, who IrQS il/\'olved ill the team that ! threw away the drilling machines in the Malwkali river, accusing the gov \ ernment to have srarred the Purnagiri dalll constmetioJl., in Budhabar. * * * "I am malTyingsoon. We are also plan- ning to buy a house." Mallisha Koiraia, Bollywoodaerress, when asked about her affair with Australian envoy Crispin COII/'oy. ill Ghatana Ra Bichar. iL-~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ * * * SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9, 2001 7 OFF THE RECORD ti on. What actually transpired indeed thrown open Deciphering Bhattarai at the talks? Your guess is as vast opportunities The only thing predictable good as ours. for profitable pacts. about fomlcr prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai is hi s Alliance Of Expediency BeautiesAnd unpredictability. This may be Nepal provides a remark the reason why people find able ease study of the kind of The Screen the m selves drawing wildly permutations, combinations, Nepalese are varying conclusions from what alliances and break-ups politi well kn own for their he says or does. Bhattarai 's cians are capable of e ngaging habit of copying confidants, too, have devel in. Nobody can even try to Nepal (left) with Koir"la : Strange alliances tre nd s and practices oped their own ways of ex predict who will turn away of other countries. plaining and expanding on from whom 10 shake hands addressing electi ons rallies in Ala timc when almost all world what the leader says. With re with whom. Take the case o f his Dhanku{a constitue ncy. beauties of India have enter I markable consistency, though. forme r prime 111in islcr Surya Leade rs like Pashupa ti their country's film indus they imcrprcllhe fOfmcrprimc Bahadur Thapa, who until re Sumsher Rana, Or. Prakash how could our own pretty minister's statements in lan celllly was regarded as one of Chandra Lohani and Kamal women be far behi nd ? After guage Ihm best suits their own the most reactionary and re Thapa. who belong to Thapa' s Jha rna Bajracharya and interests. Last Wednesday. gressive politicians in the lexi RPP. are in direct competition Poonam Ghimire, Rubi Ran3 Bhallarai and Prime Minister con of the CPN-UML. When with communists in their con has plunged into the world of GirijaPrasad Koiralahelddis Thapa led a Congress-backed stituencies. But for many in films. Die-hard movie buffs cuss ions on the CUITcnl troubles government three years ago, the main opposition party to are looking in o nc dircction. within the pany and outs ide. the UML even disrupted par day, the fonner prime minis What kind of waves would the No onc has a faint idea of what li amentary proceedings to pre ter, who has had the best orthe third beauty title-holder make Bhattarai mayor may not have vent him from speakin g. Dur partyless and multipa rty in the industry. cspecially when said l a Koirala. as four ing the 1991 elections, UML worlds, has cOllle as a mes the fi rst two have left liltle Bhatlarai associates vied with workers prevented Thapa from siah. Multiparty politics has more than a few ripples. • one another to explain to re- Himalayan Travel & Tours (P) Ltd. We are one of Nepal's Most reliable, efficient and profes sional cargo handlers. Our dedi cated professionals can offer !!~~~ the best service in town. Bhattarai : Unpredictable Always remember us for your lirP.li~~· worldwide cargo handling porters what he had said. Or. service. I:-==~..:::=-"':'-';"";.:..""",,""" Narayan Khadka.theso-ealled principal adviser to Bhatlarai. For more information contact: said the former prime minister firmly stuck to hi s demand for Koira\a's resignatjon. Former ministe r and MP Rajendra 1111& Kharel. another Bhallarai ally. put on another spin : Bhaltarai urged Koirala to include ca Himalayan Travel & Tours (P) Ltd. pable MPs in the cabin et. And Durbar Marg, P. O. Box 324 Kathmandu, Nepal wc haven' t even talked about Tel : 223045 (10 lines), Fax: 977-1-224001, SITA: KTMHITG what sources close la Koirala e-mail: [email protected] .np. had la say about th e con versa- URL : HTIl' :/Iwww.eatmando.comleomlhtuhltindex.htm 8 SPOTLlG HTlFEBRUARY 9. 200 1 NATIONAL including an independent judiciary and a COMMENTARY free press; and when they have a vibrant opposition that is free to engage in peace ful, constructive, non-violent protest." Frank Comments He spoke highly of the progress Nepal made in the past 50 years: Education, U,S, envoy's remarks spark debate health, infrastructures witnessed signifi cant progress, so did the transition to By KESHAB POUDEL democracy and market refonns. He said merica n ambassador Ralph were widely quoted to poke fun at the that Nepal has made "incredible progrcss Frank's recent comments on Nepalese leaders and make a mockery of in a relatively short period of time" and A Nepal and Nepalese affairs th e democracy while his that America is proud to be a part of the madc headlines. All leading dailies wrote real comments were largely ignored. efforts that have resulted in thi s "dramatic • itorials. It became the talk of the town in Going by ambassador Frank's real com- progress:' thmandu's cocktail circuit and the ments (SPOTLIGHT, February 2), he Frank also spoke highly of the poten- much-touted "intellectual" gatherings. strongly advocated democracy, demo- tial that Nepal does hold for future. "Nepal Ambassador Frank's speech at the cratic institutions and peaceful opposi- has within itself the tools to create a pros- USAID's 50th anniversary function in tion. "countries succeed best in the devel- perous [ulure for all Nepalis," But none of Nepal did touch on the brighter and the opment process when they have chosen these highly encouraging words from the darker sides of the present-day Nepalese elected, representational democracy as the envoy of the world's only superpower got society. What caught the attention of many form of government; when they have de- th e notice they deserved. as i rthey had no was the latter, especially the concern at veloped stron g democratic in sti tutions meaning at all. Surprisingly, they did not the current state of affairs ~ ______---, go ofF well with the Here, the Nepalese "intelli- Ambassador Frank did not name the Maoist rebellion by Nepali "intelligentsia" genlsia" and the "main- and the "mainstream" stream" press, who appar name. He only referred to "allfigovernment insurgency". If press, nor did his since re ently brushed aside the this was a reference to the on-going Maoist violence, this is advice to stop the brighter s ide of the bandhas. ambassador's remarks as a thejirsttime that a United States official has made a public Apparently, these mere diplomatic courtesy, comment, though indirect, on the Maoist insurgency. This remarks were shrugged sought the justification of leads to a crucial curiosity: Will the comment lead to the oFf as nothing more than their art-repeated pessimism the darker side of his resolution ofthejive-year-oldproblem whose economic cost diplomatic niceties. Per- ·eeh. has been "far greater" than the value of us aid? haps ambassado( Frank Frank's concern ove rthe was well aware of the 011 "ant i-government insur The curiosity stems from the recent movemelll the ki nd of reaction that gency" and hi s plea for the Bhutal1ese refugee problem. SOOIl aftertS officials including would follow. He said political leaders and the gov former president Clillton ,made their first that he was co ncerned at ernment officials to renew "the curren t atmosphere their commitment to "good public comment on the proble/ll, efforts to resolve the ten of distrust and negativ governance" was recei ved year-old issue got Cl fIlomenlllm and the rejilgee verification ism." As it turned out with glee. He did not name process received a boost, with a seemingly unprecedented the negati vism is not the "Maoist" in surgency by only "resulting in an in name nor did he utter the shift in the Bhuranese "foreign policy". Analysts wonder creasing climate of vio- word "corruption" in his 900- whether a similar shift in the Nepalese Maoist rebels 'policy lence in expressing po- word speech. B ut these were is 011 the cards after ambassador Frank's "concern ". litica l di ssen t" but also the words that made into the in growi ng opportuni sm headlines of the leading dai The two problems have at least one thing in common. If of a section or the lie s. Editorial co mments and the Bhutanese refugees came to Nepal through Indian terri Nepalese intelligentsia the letters to editor the fol in expressing frustra lowing days were based al tOI)' and will have to follow the same route on their way tion over not getting most entirely on the nOI1- home, the Nepalese Maoist rebels have not concealed the their share of the statement by the ambassa fact they get training and supplies from their comrades (power) pie. • dor. Frank's non-statements across the southern border. SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9, 2001 9 NATIONAL the attacks, said it was like a terrorist and MAOIST ATTACKS savage aclo "The way they attacked at our convoy showed that they wanted morc than murdering the chief justice," Irrational Act said Parajuii while undergoing treatment at Bir hospital. The targeting of the chief justice exposes the desperation of Analysts say the act may have come out or desperation among the Maoist the Maoist rebels - and a grand design of destabilization rebels who seem to be threatened by the setting up of the Armed Police Force By BHAGIRATH YOGI condemned the attack and said it was an (APF), which the government wants to attack against the monarchy as it was a mobilize against the rebels. The attack, symbol of national unity and indepen which came within a week o/" a renewed illle did the convoy accompany dent judiciary. call by general secretary of the Maoi. L ing Chief Justice of the Supreme The government formed a high-level party. Comrade Prachanda, that his par I. Court, Keshav Prasad Upadhyay, sense inquiry committee, led by former justice was ready for talks with the government, that they would be greeted with bombs at the Supreme Court Narendra B. Neu provided it fulfilled their demands. The and bullets nearly 20 km ahead of pane, lO probe into the incident and fur demands by the underground party in Birendranagar. regional headquarters of nish its report within 15 days. clude making public whereabouts of the the Maoist-hit mid-western region on Surviving a near-fatal attack upon Maoist activists and leaders arrested by Saturday (February 3). As the pipe and socket bombs hidden along the road started to explode. the security personnel accompanyiog the CJ sensed that they had fallen victim to the Maoists ambush. They managed to escort Upadhyay to safety. But six persons, including the Registrar at Ihe Appellate Court at Surkhet Baldev Dhital and five security person nel, fell victim 10 the bullets of the Maoist rebels. Even in the war-torn countries around the world, rebels seldom target and hit the chi~f of the jUdiciary. Reason is not followed in Nepal. What is fol lowed is a dusty trail where revenge and unwarranted bloodshed becomes the rule rather than the exception. Top government officials were plan ning to couOler the rebels who reportedly were preparing to celebrate the comple tion of five years of their epeople's war' Chief Justice Upadhyaya : Miraculous escape in a ebig manner.' But it was perhaps beyond their imagination that they would his life, Chief Justice Keshav P. Upadhyay lhe police and those who have gone dis hit a sort and sensitive target like chier told reporters in Butwal Sunday that he appeared from pol ice custody. justice. "This is Cl barbaric act and was not perturbed at all by the violent By targeting the chief of a constitu an attack against democracy," said attacks made on him. He, however, said tional body, the Maoists may haveexhib Deputy Prime Minister and Home Min he was deeply grieved by the death of his ited their militant skills, but politically it ister Ram Chandra Poudel. The Council security personnel and a senior judicial is going to backfire them. ''There is a of Ministers, in its special meeting, on officer during the allaeks. "Perhaps, I difference between (fighting for) a re Sunday, condemned the attack and said need to work more for the people that's public and anarchy:· wrote Kantipur attacks were part of a serious conspiracy why I am sti ll ali ve," said Upadhyay in a daily. in its editorial. against the country's multi-party democ philosophical way. His COlleague and TheMaoists tried toconlrol the dam racy. Judge at the Appellate Court at Surkhet , age after seeing that their insensible Prime MinisterGirija Prasad Koirala PUTUshollam Parajuli, who also survived attack' had only supported the 10 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9, 2001 NATIONAL government's allegations against them. Three days after the deadly allacks on Chier Justice Keshav P. Upadhyay and members of his team in mid-western dis trict or Surkhet, the CPN (Maoist) party has accepted responsibility ror the at tacks. In a statement issued Monday, Comrade Diwakar, chief of the western regional bureau or the underground party, said his party was 'surprised' to rind that the chief justice happened to be "amidst the attion of the ir guerril las." "Our party said it did not have any nlan or program to attack the c hief jus- e," Diwakar clarified. "Wc will can- uet an in vestigation into the incident and make public its findings." The state ment said it was mysterious thallhe visit of such an honorary person in se nsitive regions was made without any public notice. PM Koirala addressing the conference: For strategic alliance By announcing formation of "people'.s government" in some of their SAARC CONFERENCE strongholds in mid-western Nepal the Maoists are believed to be preparing to set up what they cal' "base arcas.' In such Public-Private Partnership areas, they run parallel administration. The government, on its pan, seems to be A meeting underlines the need for governments and keen 10 isolalc the Maoists from the people and strengthen its security appa the private sector in the region to come closer ratus. "We will launch the developme nt programs in an integrated way with ad By A CORRESPONDENT concessions, sale of assets and rights to guale security measures," said DPM operate, he said. udel. As the government and rebels an the governments and private SAARC Secretary-General Nihal come face-to- face morc bloodshed is C sector in the region continue 10 Rodrigo said closer cooperation between likely in the Nepalese hills. ignore each other? No, said the daylong the government and non-government sec '"Trends are not very good," said SAARC Economic Conrerenee that con torwas required I'm' developing the poten Tapan Bose. general secretary of South cluded here Sunday. The conference. or tial rewards and protecting the region Asian Forum for Human Rights. "Ilseems ganized jointly hy the SAARC Chamber against the ri sks of g lobali zation. all the mistakes committed in India are or Commerce and Industry (SCCI) and Inaugurating the conference. Prime being repeated here:' In the seventies. Federation or Nepalese ChambersofCom Minister G. P. Koirala said trade liberal Mrs. Indira Gandhi had crushed the merce and Industry (FNCCI), stressed the ization should be a means to promote the Maoist epeople's war,' popularly known need 10 forge government-private sector economic well-heing and prosperity of aseNaxalilc Movement' in West Bengal. alliance in South Asia. th e people i n the SAARC region. As South More than 30.000 Mao ist rebels were Addressing the meeting in the capi Asia. which houses one-fifth of the world killed but the movement is still there in tal , President or SCCl Qasim lbrahim popUlation, continues to live in poverty onc form or the other. "Such a conflict said the governments should specialize and underdevelopment. such a task be can't be resolved militarily. You can in planning, structuring, and regulation comes more urgenl. on ly control it," said Bose. "'n reconcili while the private seclor should special Said FNCCI President Pradip K. ation, both parties have 10 agree la listen ize i n management. in \'estment. construc Shrestha, "South Asian governments and 10 the other and compromise." tion. and financing. The responsibility the private seClor have 10 march together Unfortunately, amidst dastardly acts should be transrerred through deregula to sol ve the problems of poverty and dep like targeting the chier oran independent tion and open competition or well-estab rivation and provide a respectable stan judiciary, c hances of reconciliation, if li shed contractual arrangements includ dard of li vi ng to the people in the region. any, look rar-retched. • ing management contracts. capilal leases, A tall order indeed. • SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9. 2001 II NATIONAL vehicles with two-stroke engines in the ENVIRONMENT valley and the diesel-run three-wheelers from all municipal areas in the coulllfy. Another notice published later, how Age Is The Bar ever. exempted privately-owned vehicles from the ban, forcing the entreprencurs The government takes the easy way out by banning all vehicles associated with more than 5.000 commer cial vc hi cles in the valley to launch agita older than 20 years from Kathmandu valley from next year tion. Parajuli says that since the govell1- mcnt has already lakcn the decision, it BySANJAYADHAKAL ______"There is no justification for the deci would not be right to reverse it as it may sion. One cannot measure emission on the send wrong message. He. however, con an the age of the vehicle be the basis of tl,e ve hi cle's age. It all depends on cedes that the beller decision, on the part of C basis to decide whether it is pollut the quality of maintenance. Some times thegovcrnment, would have been lostrictly ing? "Yes", says the Minister of Slate for new vehicles puff out more emission than enforce the Nepal Vehicle Mass Emissi Population and Environment Shiva Raj the older ones," Sarad Upreti. President of Standard 1999. ··n,ere is a provision 0 Joshi, the Federation of Nepalese Transport En giving red and green stickers. Why donI' Joshi is joined by the choru s of envi trepreneurs told SPOTLIGHT. they give financial disincentive-to vehicles ro nmentalists who say the age of vehicles Meanwhile. the transport entrepre with red stickers?" he asks. l.:un be correlated to the pollution it emits. neurs have already announced their agita Agrees Rha'ta Bahadur Balayar. I "The pollution emilled by the commercial lion program to force the government to fonncr MinistcrofStatc for Population and vehicles is proportional to their age," said reverse its decision. They have decided to Environment. "It is ridiculous to make the Rnll1csh Parajuli of Marlin Chuutari, an hold nationwide protest rallies on February general assumption that al l old vehicles are NGO that is involved in the study ofpollu 9 and a transport strike in the valley on polluting. Whatthc government should do tion from vehicular emission in thecapital. February 14. They say thousands of people is en force the standard and take necessary While most environmcntulisLS have will lose their jobs if this decision comes action against the vehicles that fail it:' he hailed the government's decision to ban all into effect. The government, in a notice said. Balayar was the incumbent minister vehicles oldenhan 20 years from the valley published in the Galelle on November 10, when the decision to evict the diesel-run effective November 2001. the transport 2000. has said it will ban the operation and three-wheelers from the valley and imposi entrepreneurs have refused to buy their registration of all vehicles inside the lion of the standard were made. argument and have threatened to organize Kathmandu valley manufactured on or According to Balayar, the volume of transport strike unless the decision is re before 1980 from November, 200 I. Be vehicular emission can be greatly reduced \crsed. sides. the notice also hans the operation of if the government enforces the standard ano makes it compulsory for the owners regularly maintain them. ·'Besides. unti and unless we control the fuel adulteration and improve thecondition of roads, pollu tIOn will not vanish." It seems that the govcrnmcnthas taken an easy way out by d~ciding to impose a blanket ban on the old vehicles since it could not enforce the standard. "This is the problem we witness in most of the South Asian countries. Because the govcrnmcnts here arc unable 10 propcrly monitor thc vehicles for pollution. they make such de cisions," says Parajuli. Even in New Delh i. India, the govern ment there, after the intervcn ti on of the Supreme Court had decided to ban old vehicles. But as the government has al ready made the decision. it will now be interesting to see whether it will reverse it under pressure from the striking entrcpre neurs or goes ahcad with the plan. • 12 SPOTLIG HT/FEBRUARY 9, 2001 NATIONAL Mini sters. Prime Minister Koirala is PARLIAMENT responsible for the anti-national Lauda Air deal." said Subash Nemwang, a UML lawmaker and chief of the Public On A Collision Course Accounts Commiltee of the parliament that probed in the deal. "We have asked As the opposition parties demand the resignation of the prime the government to take action against mini ster, the winter session of the legislature is likely to turn stormy the culprits and have drawn altenrion of the constitutional body." he said. The Commission for Investigation By BHAGIRATH YOGI in the aftermath of its Pokhara conven on Abuse of Authority (CIAA) ordered tion. the main opposition vowed that the sacking or executive chairman of eader or the main opposition. it would drive a campaign la oust RNAC, Hari Bhakta Shrestha. and , Madhav Kumar Nepal. accom Koiralu. grilled former Civil Aviation Minister ~anied by leaders of four other opposi Taunted by the radical Maoist party Tarini Dutta Chataul. But it is yet to file tion panics barged into the orfice of as "hhai Congress" (bmtherofthe Nepali a fonnal caSe again~t the officials con Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala at Congress) and worried by the pro;pect cerned. "How can you accuse the prime sharp noon Monday and handed him a of ils own workers deserting. the UML minister when the in\'e~liga(ing agency memorandum demanding his resigna lion. The charge-sheet included failure in maintaining law and order. failure in gi\'Jng relief to people and alleged cor ruption in the Lauda Air deal. What lo o~ed like a high-voltage drama came on Iy three days ahead of the 19th scs~i()n or the parliament. "Wc will wage ;truggle both in the parlIament ami streets to force Koirala out or ofrice." declared Nepal. "As long KOIrala remains in chair. the .crisis in the country will grow mani- Id." Nepal. howe\'er. did not say if his pany had a magic wand to solve all the problems in the co untry. Ncitherdid the leaders of the other parties - the Ras triya Prnjatanlra Party. Nalional People 's Front. United People's Front Nepal and Nepal Workers and Peasants MPs in Parliament: Will the sessions be productive? Party - say anything about what they had in mind in the event Koirala actu may not have seen any other option than is yet to lodge any formal case (at the ally decided 10 call it day. "We have not to maintain a stiff posture against lhe court)"" asked Majgaiya. "It is not good thought ahout that. All wc want now is government. "The UML leaders might to pressurize the investigating agency to oust Cl tainted prime minister," said also be looking for some issues that by taking out protest rallies in the Dclaram Acharya or National People's they cou ld take to the people during streets. ,. Front. upcoming local elections," said Baldev As the ruling and opposition par Interestingly. the combined oppo Sharma Majgaiya. newly elected cen ties prepare for a showdown, the regu ,ition. except the tcrai-based Nepal [fa\ working commiuee member of lar busine" at the 19th session of the Sadbhavana Party.joined hands as soon Nepali Congress and a member of parliament. that convened on Thursday as Prime Minister Koirala was able to Koiralafs cabinet. (Feb. 8), is likely 10 suffer. Whilee is yet defeat rivals within his own party. As Opposition leaders sec thing differ to announce hi s itinerary and agenda for soon as the ruling pany emerged united ently. "A s the head of the Council of discussion. • SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9. 2001 13 AVIAIIUI"4 if tourist arrivals continue to decline, thin LAUDAJET ning flight occupancy. the nyingcostofthe aircraft cannot go down. Optimists sec signs of hope. If the Flying Low Lauda Boeing 767 fli es on new routes with capacity passengers, those losses could be After inducting the Lauda Air jet into its fleet, RNAC checked and perhaps even reversed. It would also be instructive to know records huge losses whether it is only RNAC that is running losses or whether the other international By A CORRESPONDENT RNAC on condition of anonymity. airlines are also facing simil ar problems. "As all forces have been working to After the hotel strike last November, destroy the national nag carri er, this tug the number of tourists visiting the country ill the Royal Nepal Airlines of-war will not cnd until the organi zation has drastically declined. Because of the W Corporation's Lauda Air Boeing finally collapses." cont inued deadlock between hoteliers a 767 aircraft ultimately ruin the ai rlines? Ata time when dark clouds are hover hotel employees. many lourislS are said 'No,' say many aviation experts. They ing over the tourism industry, the Lauda have crossed out Nepal from their li st of argue that the RNAC's fourth ai rcraft will aircraft may add lO the financial losses of possible destinations. bene lit the country if it is operated with the airline. As long as the deadlock between proper planning. According to agreement, the aircraft two sides continues, the possibility If that is the case, why haven' t steps has to ny a minimum of3oo hours a month. / of further losses can only grow. The been taken to prepare a long-term plan to but the RNAC could nOt utilize even 74. I 0 hope in the tourism industry is that use the aircraft in the international sector? night hours. 111e airline has to pay Lauda Lauda aircraft doesn't put them too deep The RNAC's employee associations Air at least US$ 1,005.000 per month at the in the red. • ...... _... r------...., rate of $3.350 per flight hour. "How can you NEPAL LAW SOCIETY - make profit from an aircraft that has such high hidden costs? It New Leadership is in the interest of RNAC to cancel the At a tIme when the activI~es of the Nepal deaL" said Salikram Law Society - the country's pioneer Acharya. president of body of professional lawyers - arc i the RNAC Employ dcaline. it has chosen a new leadership f ees Association. the next four years. Few ai rlines in "\Ve Will increase our activities in the world are running accordance with o ur objectives." said losses because of un newly elected presidenl and advocate RNAC : In the eye of the storm der -uti lization of their Anup Raj Sharma. ------aircraft. The NLS general assembly also and other stair argue that the leased Lauda RNAC may be the victim of poor elected Indira Rana. Anil Kumar Sin ha. jetliner is still going to be a white elephant timing. having introduced a fourth aircrafl Puspa Gautam Bhusal and Sajan Ram for the can'ier even if it is fully utilized. at a time when the tourism sector is facing Bhandari as vict'-prcsident, secretary ,Joint According lO them. the airline has already one of the most severe cri ses in its five secretary and treasurer respectively, lost the equivalent of Rs. 87.5 million in decade history. The body also elected senior advo onc month because of under-utilization of As the Lauda Air jet was commis cate Madhu Prasad Shanna. advocates the aircraft. sioned during the lean touri st season, some Madhu Prakash Ghimire. Sudh"Shrestha. If an airline that has been trying to might argue that losses were in evitable. Puma Man Shakya. Sambhu 111apa and expand its international operations fails to But the problem also has its roots in Kashi Raj Dahal as members. utilize available flying hours. onc surely the very high indirect and hidden costs Outgoing preSident and senior advo cann ot blame the aircraft. "It is the respon associated with nying the Laudajet. cate ChudamaniraJ Singh Malla high sibility o f the Inanagement to prepare a The occupancy rate of RNACs air lighted the role of the NLS in the process plan to minimize losses from the ai rcraft, ,. craft is about 70 percent. which is consid of strengthening rule of law and human said a former executive chairman of the ered excellent inlhe aviation industry. But rights III the-country. • t4 SPOTLIGHTIFEBRUARY 9, 2001 "We have already asked travel agen cies to cancel hookings ti ll a final settlement is reached." said <1 ~enior cxet'utive of a leading five-star hotel. Many hotels are adamantly agalnslac cepung bookings for hig group now. If the dispute continues. the country will have to face a considerable loss a sector that has brought in money and helped to popularize the country abroad. As the Fehruary II deadline set by the government on deCiding whether or nolto intr0duce the 10 percent service charge de manded hy the uflIons is approaching. that fear is looming larger. Since the unions have the strong back ing of political partIes and leaders. the dis pute cannot be settled without political in TOURISM INDUSTRY tervention. "If the government leaves us alone in finding a solution, wc can reach a settlement within hours," said a leading Future Uncertain member of HAN. Union leaders are dig ging in theirheeb. "We Will begin our strike As the deadlock between hoteliers and unions continues, a from February 13 if our demand is not met by then." warned Bishnu Lamsal. general large number of visitors have canceled reservations secretary of the Joint Action Committee of the two unions of hotel workers. By KESHAB POUDEL time of year. Today that rate has fallen Although the annual contribution of between 10 and 20 percent. " It will take the tourism seclOr toGDP is insignificant. it popular Nepalese proverb says: lf many years to recover from this situation:' remains one of the major foreign currency A you set your house on flre. you won't said an executive member of the Hotel earners of Nepal. • face a shonage of ashes. Association Nepal (HAN). This is exactly what is happening in the After the lndian Airlines MANAKAMANA CABLE CAR paJese tourism sector. All concerned par hijacking, the number of In lIes are setting their houses on fire and dian tourists visiting lhe coun ~ giving away the ashes. If the trade unioni sts try has declined by 30 per and hoteliers show no sign of flexibility. the cent. The recovery of Indian smoldering wreckage could soon poison the tourists will take another ~1i\r~~ air beyond that sector. couple of years, some ana- ~ Although it is one of the pillars of Iysts say. Since the 17 th Century. Nepalese economy. nobody seems to un Nepal's toutism indus- ManakaD'ana teJ:nple has derstand the importance of the tourism in try has been struggling under been vvidely venerated . becaue of the belieftbat dustry. Even the government has not taken exaggerated stones of pollu- lv.ianakaD'Bna Devi FulfillB any initiati ve to find a compromise formula tion, garbage crisis. delerio- all 'Wishes. before tile deadline. rating law and order situation Today. instead of the Although the trade unionists have some and bird hits at the airport 4 to 5 hour arduous trek. . . ManakaD1ana is noW' va lid arguments, the timing of their bid to Thedlsputebetweenhotehers accessible injust 10 push their agenda is wrong. The unionists and unionists the latest in the lDinut.es by are pressing their demand at a time when the series and could prove to be ManakaxnBnB Cable Car. Nepalese tourism sector continues to face the proverbial last straw. one crisis after another. An international agency After the hijacking of an lndian Air has sent in a cancellation no· Every ~asscnger Insured Upto Discount lines plane in December 1999.Nepal'stour tice to a leading five·star ho- ~ S ...~~ .. CJoC::»CJoo ism sector has continued to go downhill. tel,citingtheuncertaintyhov· ~ ~"JraI11J Uar§1leIn IVI Ltcl. Earlier, Nepal's hotels nomlally had ering over the hotel business Naxe!, NIQl)Okhari, Kaltlrn-'U. NePII. Phone .s.8iO. 4301&25 .•3ot1US Ftt9n·, ... 3ot515 emaJlct\l~ ...... c:om.np StllbOI101U.$OOU 60·70 percent occupancy rates during this in the Himalayan kingdom. SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9. 2001 15 COVER STORY NEPALESE FILMS Moving Images Of An Industry Nepal's film industry began to flourish commercially less than a decade ago. The industry has seen phenomenal growth in produc tion and distribution capabilities. Last year, 29 films were released. That number is expected to reach 40 this year. Despite the numeri cal growth, Nepalese films are yet to make significant gains i terms of total market share. The industry continues to face a stiff challenge from technologically advanced foreign films. By KESHAB POUDEL where close LO 'Darpan Chhaya'. Occpak Although director and producer Nir Rayamajhi's •Angalo Anga\o Ma' lUrned Bikram Shaha has produced historical fthe success of 'Darpan Ch hay a . is oullO be acompletc disaster in the valley_ films like 'Basanli', he has used sexual any indication, the futureofNepal's Despite the growing public demand exposition and violence as key ingredi fi lm industry lies in low-budget pro for movies with a powerful social mes ents. ductions that tell realistic stories sage, a large number of Nepalese produc Although so-called commercial films about the country and people. ers still follow the C-grade formula of sex dominate the Nepalese movie industry, IIn the past, many low-budget films and violence. they are unable to draw audiences. Three reilecling the realities of the nation have Acclaimed producer and director or four Nepalese films are released every proved la be commercially successful. Yadav Kharel has brought out films like month but only a few are money makers. Four other Nepalese films were re 'Prem Pinda', 'Adikabi Bhanubhakta' and Most fade from public memory within a leased in Kathmandu valley in the last two 'Sree Swasthani' with the wider objective few days of their release. months. Packed with sexual expositions of preserving glimpses of the country's Despite such a volati le market, and gory violence, nonc could come any- I history and culture for posterity. Nepalese investors continue to pour money 16 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9. 2001 COVER STORY Although 'OarpanChhaya' isasimple film made with a modest investment, it has been able set records and freshcn up the industry. In terms of diversity of story lines or technical strength. Nepalese films cannol beat foreign productions. BUllhe Nepalese film industry can excel in portraying themes based on Nepalese realities. Not all producers or directors are as lucky. For every 'Darpan Chaya', there are several stori es of frusLration and hard luck. This year's first few weeks provide an interesting example of the industry. It has seen the success of 'Darpan Chhaya" and the failure of 'Angalo Ma Angalo'. 'Sangam' recently hit the screens of Kathmandu and the production learn is keep its fingers crossed. There are more than half a dozen Artistes ofpar pan Chhaya : Taste of success other films inthe pipeline. 'Tan TaSaraini Bigris Ni Badri' was released this week. into the film industry. But this is a high which means the total transaction ofa film Among the 3 1 movic halls in Kathmandu, risk ven ture. As most first-time producers hall is an average of Rs. 180 million a 16 are showing Nepalese film s. are inspired more by the glamour of month. The annual turnover is about Rs . 2 'Darpan Chhaya' and 'Sangam' are filmdom than by th e artistry of cinema, billion. being screened in four and seven theaters, they fail to properly understand the tastes Kathmandu valley is the largest mar respectively . 'Ago' and' Hatya' are run and demands of the market. ket for film s, with half of its 1.6 million ning in two film halls. 'Basanti' is being When their films bomb in the box people considered 10 be regular film-goers. displayed in One hall . office, the wreckage is often strewn across The 41 film halls in the valley provide As in many other sectors. the boom in a wide area, including their personal1ife. about 90,000 seats daily. Nepal's mm industry is a direct outcome ny failed producers have been driven In tenns of the total market, Nepalese of the liberalizat ion of the country's poli desperation. [n the last decade, four films command a share of less than 40 tics and economy following the restora producers have committed su icide. percen t. Nepalese film producers can in tion of multi-party democracy in 1990. Nepalese lilms face strong competi crease their market share ifthey choose a Growing Professionalism tion from more professionally made for different strategy. In stead of blindly fol The in crea se in the number of eign films. But many new producers make lowing the dreary Bollywood formula of Nepalese films has been accompanied by investments without properly studyin g alternating rape scenes and sexual exposi a growth in professional manpower. Ac murkettrcllds. This makes it highly diffi tion with fights and songs, Nepalese pro cording to all estimate, more than 25,000 cull for Nepalese IlIms, which are pro ducers should start looking for plots thal people are employed in this sector. duced with modest investments ranging mirror the country's past and present re Actors, actresses, dancers, stununen , from Rs. 2 million to Rs. 4 million, to alities. musicians, singers and technical assis compete with foreign block-busters. "If we go on producing Bollywood tants have started com'planding respect Film Market type films, it would be difficult for able fees. According to current rates, a According to an un official survey, Nepalese audiences to find a reason to top-class actor gets up lto Rs. 250,000, Nepal has a total of 319 film halls - 251 spend money on their own films," said with a si milarly placed act ress command big the.ters and 68 high-vision halls - renowned producer Tulsi Ghimire. "Our ing Rs 200,000. The fee of dancers ranges catering to its 23.2 million people. The films will just fade away if we copy com from Rs 1,500 to Rs 2.000 a day. Musi average capacity ofa film hall is 700 seats. mercially driven Indian film s." cians. si ngers and cameraman also have There are more than 600,000 seats avail When people fail to see the differ their own rates in accordance with their able in film hall s every day, bUI the total ence between Nepalese and Bollywood market value. uccupan·cy rate is about 50 percent - films, they. naturally prefer Hindi film s This is a far cry from the early days, 300.000 viewers a day. because they are of a better quality, say when actors had lO pay money to gel a The average COSI of a ticket is Rs. 20, industry analysts. major film role. Some producers st ill pre- SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9. 200t 17 COVER STORY 'Profit Opportunities Drawing Private Investors' - DEEPAK RAY AMAJHI RAYAMAJHI, olle of Ihe more fill11~ are in the production lino. It is 10rollil;II,,/II directors of the cDulllr)' 's film said that Nepalese films are yet to attract 1;11<:/[/5 11". sees grear putentialfor Nepalese 1111ddle~class audiences despite the in Although Rayamajhi, who has crease in the number of professional pro "Ii"'ecled J3 films. failed to receive all ducers and directors. ICllcolmlglllR fl'!J'pOllse to hisji rst prodlfC What is the reason'! he is optimistic abol/l achiel'illg stle T03ltractmiddle-c1ass audience .... we in the future. Excerpts: need to produce films with a message. More than 90 percent of today's audi What are the reasons for the boom ences are from the lower class. However. Nepal's fiJm industry? wc cannot ignore the preferences of the which make me busy round the year. In the 30-year history of film making lower class just to lure the remaining 10 need to devote live to six 1110nths to bri . n Nepal. this is onc of the most interesting percent. Gradually, middle-cIass audi out a new film . imes. A large number of investors are ences are increasing. How professional is the film !CC,ml.ng into this sector. In early days. What are your experiences as a today? n~eSlment in tilms was limited, as onc producer? Are you satisfied with the It has become very much professional to wait years to release films. Film performance of your new film 'Angalo today. Actors and technicians are well Ihuldgets were very low in the early days Angalo Ma'? paid. For actors who have been around for onc did not need to worry too much This is the first lime I have been a while, there is very promising market. the returns. Producers have seen the involved in film production. It has helped New actors have tough competition. Pro In()"ihilitv to invest. The cost of making me to understand distribution patterns, ducers have had difficult times. Many IN"palle'ie films is going up because of market realities and other areas. Earlier, have gone hankrupt because of their fail production costs. People are my sole concern was with film direction, un::: to draw audience!), . ng up to Rs5 million per film. Pri Frankly speaking, I have been unable to What fees are you paying your ac investors are coming because they attract the audiences, The film was good tors and actresses? the potentials for profit in the film but publicity was not satisfactory. For senior actors. we have to pay up Do you think the mm wiII make a to Rs. 200,000 per film. The rate How big is the market for Nepalese profit? actresses is up to Rs. 150,000. I can say that it will bring money la chargea minimum ofRs.I.SOD fora A decadc ago, the market was small cover my investment if it captures the performance. The average budget it was very difficult to maximize market outside Kathmandu valley. The Nepalese film today is between Rs.3.5 Ipnot"ls. Now the market has grown and performance within the valley has been million and RsA million . accommodate Nepalese films. The unsatisfactory. My investment was not Why don 'I educated people lI1Ulml1er of cinema halls has increased. big: I spent Rs3 million. I have lost SO to become actors, directors or produc IN" p"le,;e films have a good market now. percent of the return. Some of my other ers? IC(lmlmerciial films arc making good prof~ films were very successful. Highly educated people are also en In Kathmandu valley alone, there are How do you evaluate your perfor tering the industry. An educated person than three d07en film halls. mance? can easily understood what the dir·ect.orl What percentage of the market do I am quite happy with my perfor tells him or her to do. One needs to have IN',p"I"',e films occupy? mance. I am proud 10 have introduced minimum educational background to Nepalese films are occupying less some of today's prominent actors. I have an actor. direclOr or producer but cu"ed- l SO percent of the market. More and been directing a couple of films annually, tion is not always the sole qualification. fer to hire newcomers and fees are not an in a position to make a living from the successful artistes has led to the practice overriding consideration. industry," said character actress of working in shifts. Rajesh Hamal, Niruta In any case, the Nepalese film indus Basundhara Bhusa\. president of the Na Singh. Karishma Manandhar, Bimala try, having overcome many challcnges in tional Film Artistes Association. "Almost Thapa, Ramesh Upreti and Dilp Rayamajhi the early stages, is gradually showing every actor and actress is paid ror their are counted among the busiest anistcs. signs of greater professionalism. work." "Professional firm actors still have "Unlike in the early days. we are now The growing demand for the more many problems. But I think they have 18 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9, 2001 COVER STORY 'People Want Simple And Well-Told Stories' - TULSI GHIMlRE IProdlle" ,. (lfl{1 director rULS! CH/MIRE the region. Nepalese have a ,..------whole product. We have not once again proved that it is the film's standard oftastc. We have very bUIlt aC{Qrs that can pull crowds '-l1ot rile budget -which draws Gudi- good ground [0 make hig~. on thelro\\ SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9. 2001 19 COVER STORY good future as the IiIm sector is turning "The Film Development Board has different. Nepalese films enjoy tax ex into a real indu stry," said Bhusal, who is been working to expand the film market emptions and other incentives. Film mak also a member of the Film Development in different parts of the world.'· said Ya ing has now become the private sector's Board. dav Kharel (sce box). "We have devel preserve. Sambhujit Banskota is one of the oped a concept to exploit external mar Urbanilation andclcclrification have busiest musicians. who often finds him kets. but we don't have any seL-up or also played a major role in expanding the se lf composing tunes for several films at a strategy to do that." he said. reach of Nepale,e films. lime. Singers, too. find them se lves busy A Federation of Film Trade and In About 100 Indinn films arc imported melllorizing new tunes and hurrying in dustries has been set up under the chair through legal channels. Some estimates and out of recording sessions. manship ofUddav Poudelto help expand put the film industry's value at about Rs. Before the restoration of mulliparty the market for Nepalese films. 4 billion. democracy, Kathmandu had only six the Many Nepalese films are exported Thirty films wa5 released last year. aters. The now-dissolved Royal Nepal to India and other coun trie s through the These are the kind or numbers that gavc Film Corporation used to produce a film personal initiative or producers and di Nepalese film producers heanburns. De or two a year. As soon as film-making rectors. In the absence of an orficial spite the success or ·Caravan·. wl . was ope ned to the private sector, how 111echani~m. the external market ca nn ot receive an OSl..:ar nomination in the c - ever. investment su rged . The number of be fully tapped. egory of best foreign film. and 'Basanti', productions increased by leaps and In 1972, there were only 26 film last year was dis 20 SPOTLlGIIT/FEBRUARY 9, 2001 Industry, "The market and professional ism in the film industry has expanded 'Mandate Of Film Board Is Unclear' tremendously over the years." -YADAV KHAREL When the government designated the film sector as an industry, private elHre mally. the name YADA V Is there a possibility of preneurs came to invest in large numbers. exporting Nepalese film? What role can the board In the beginning. some private-sector play in this direction? investors produced joint ventures with The positionoFlhe board producers from Pakistan, Bangladesh and is unclear. The definition of Sri Lanka, Although that trend popular the act shows that the board is ized some Nepaicse anisLes in thosecoun 011 l'ar;Olts issues. neither an autonomous body tries, it eould not last long because joint nor a branch of the govern venture films fail ed to earn prolits, ment. The act needs to be Nepal has witnessed phenomenal What steps is the board amended. There needs to be a growth in (he numbcrofstudios, recording system to expand the exter- theaters, music and dance training cenlers. industry? nal market. At a later stage, In the battle forthe box office, size doesn't One of the major problems wc will do something about . the board is that it does not ...._'- ______--' this. by-laws to become a truly Do you see any viable Ifunclliolnal organization. We have already market abroad for Nepalese film? the draft by-laws (0 the ministry. but it Definitely. there is market abroad for not approved them. We don't have staff Nepalese films. We can export our films to other thing~. At the moment, we are Hong Kong. lndia, Brunei. Gulf countries! lim'oll'ed in these preliminary things. Australia and the USA. We need a system- Do you have any plan to expand the atic strategy to expand the market, as we IN.:p'lle,;efilm market? don't have an administrative stnlclure. Wc have already developed our plan What steps is the board taking to potential market As long as we lack by- regulate the mm industry? wc cannot do anything. The ministry First or all, we need the authority to to move as quickJy as possible. The work. Ifwearcallowed to work underthe act. I have their own expectations from the we will create a different situation. Wc don't IN':pa,Je"e film induMry. We recently orga- have any detailed study on the entertainment a national seminar on Nepalese films market. As wc have more than 100 liIm halls. I ,~" ,:ndlor:sed a Ii!-l of 20 recommendations. the turnover will be higher. There are 65 high _rn'lve already ~et up six task forces based vision halls and 251 cello-light halls. Every those recommendations. Wc have been film has three shows that are attracting tens of something. thousands of audiences. Annually more than How do you evaluate the Nepalese 90 Indian films are coming to NepaJ along market? with 50 Nepalese films. There is a huge More than 50 tilms are going 10 be annualtumover. Angalo Angaloma : Romantic formula InrOrlllC'''llhis year. The numbers continue to As one of the pioneers of Nepalese up. On an ave-rage, we capture less than 50 films, how do you see the development of maller. What connects with the people will of Nepalese market. We don't have the industry? work. numbers now. Within a month, we WhcnlwasappointedchainnanofRoyal But bringing a film to the market is be in a position to give; details. An Nepal Film Corporation in 1972. there were not easy. Sometimes producers have to 11n\'c,lorhas' to spcnd at least Rs. 4 million to only 26 liIm halls in Ncpal. At that time. wait for years 10 process their films in the ltolllplele a film. A successful lilm can earn Nepal had a restrictive policy. There were no laboratories of Mumbai. to Rs 10 million. dimensions in Nepalese film. We didn't have This year will see a new boom in the Does the board have any plan to stop manpower. We had 10 depend on the Indian vulgarization in NepaJese films? film industry. Now the situation is com- Nepalese film industry, Whether il will As there is a censor board to see that. we pletely different. Today the private sector is prove financially profitable is a different do anything. If tbe censor board is involved. The preconditions of the film in- matter. The enthusiasm of Nepalese pro leflrWliv", such tendencies are checked. We dustry have increased. There are big cadres ducers remains undiminished. At a lime 10 have a centralized censorship board. of distributors. There is a growth of man- when their own market IS half-filled with present. we have censor boards in 75 power and investment. This is a well-grown foreign films, Nepalese producers have Id"aricts, We should have a. censor board like industry. mustered enough confidence to eye audi om! in India. • ences abroad. • SPOTLlGHTfFEBRUARY 9, 2001 21 INTERVIEW 'If We Want To Sell Electricity, We Have To Do That Fast' - BISHWONATH SAPKOTA BISHWONATlI SAPKOTA is (he Secref01Y (11 rhe ]n the last 50 years, there has been a lot of Ministl)' of WareI' Resources. He spoke ro KESIIAB investment in the irrigation sector but very little POUDELalldSANJAYA DlIAKALon vorioltsaspecls impact has been made. Do you find any lapses in our oJ Nepal's water resol/rces. Excerpts: policies? The biggest hurdle before us is thalOr materials and Recentll' there was a meeting between Nepalese resources. Most of ollr rivers run dry during the and Indian government officials regarding the inun season. It is difficult for us to provide irrigation facill s dation problem resulting from the Laxmanpur bar from the quantity of nverwaleravailable to us during the rage. What decisions were made during the meeting? dry season. So. what wc can do is collect the water by Last year. we experienced inundation problem in constructing dams in differenl places. Then. we can be some parts of Bankedistrict resu [ling from the Laxmanpur able to irrigate the land around the year and in the same barrage constructed by India in the border region. The stroke manage to control floods. But we need a huge Our require joint committee on inundation slUdied this problem. amOUnI of resources for that. So. morc than policy India has agreed to construct an embankment along the lapses. we suffer from a lack of resources. The policies ment is to Rapti river to prevent the inundation. Hopefull y. Ihis are not the problem. Wc could have Llsed the water of make use of problem will be solved soon. Bagmati. Gandaki. Kosi. Kamali to irrigate even more It has been five years since the Mahakali Treat}' land. but this demands huge investments. which we do the available was ratified by parliament, but the Detailed Project not have at our disposal at present. Apart from that. we ,vater re Report (DPR) has not been prepared yel. W. always also have IOdivide theavai lable resources to the hills and seem enthusiastic about reaching agreements but fail Terai. We are nOI in a position to concenlrate all of the sourcesfor to implement them. What is the reason for this delay? resources on irrigarion projects in the plains. So, the our maximum Becauseof a few technical difficulties. the prepara main problem is not the policy but the resources. tion of the DPR has been delayed. There were also some There are also questions about the rights of benefit. And I linancial problems and it was undearwhich party would lower riparian countriesregarding irrigation projects. do not think, be responsible for bearing the expenses. But the process \Vhat do you say? is under way. We hope to prepare the DPR within 2001. The issue of lowe r riparian rights come up fr m in so doing, I1 is true that there has been a delay in the preparation of time to time. Our requirement is to make use 0 we will be DPR. but that does nOl mean we are indifferent 10 it. avai lable water resources for our maximum benefit. And ]n the given circumstances, what is Nepal's I do not think, in !'o doing, we will be making impacts on making im priority - water or electricity? the lower riparian country. We have 10 use our natural pacts on the Both are our priority. Wc have not been able to resources for our own benefit first. India acknowledges provide irrigation facilities to all irrigable land. Sevenry that Nepal has the priority right to use its water re lower riparian percent of our country's land is in the hilly region where sources. Even a visiting Indian water resource minister big irrigation projects are less feasible. Even among the had agreed that Nepal has the priority right. country. remaining30percent ofihe land in Terai region, we have The World Commission on Dams recently pre not been able to make optimum use of the available pared guidelines. How does your ministry see them? water. When we talk about our water resources, we have First of all. there is a controversy in the constitution to under!)tand that most of our rivers come down from orthe said commission. 11 is not with theconsentofsmall Himalayas and they have great currents. During the developing countries like Nepal, which is rich in unex monsoon, they cause noods and landslides, sothere is an plored walerresources. that the commi ssion was formed. urgent need 10 control them. That apart, we have to use Water resources and forests arc the only natural re the water for drinking too. So. there are four aspects to sources we have. So. if some commi ssion forms a our water resources - drinking water, irrigation, [lood guideline that will be universally applicable. it will control and generation of electricity. One reason why we definitely affect countries like Nep'al. Another thing is, emphasize the generation of electricity is because we we are already aware about the principles that the have a vast potential of hydro-electricity which we can commission has included in its guidelines. We are not sell to neighboring states of India that are suffering from only aware of such principles but we have been follow power shortage. But if we want 10 earn by selling ing them. too. We are sensitive 10 the principles raised by electri city. we have to do that fast. We cannot hold the the commission: that there should be adequate study for now of our rivers. Every second our water is nowing alternatives before constructing dams, that there should away and wc are losing the resource. be minimum impact on environment and proper reha- 22 SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9, 2001 INTERVIEW agreemenr between the Lndian and Nepalese govern ments whereupon there is the possibility of trading power. There wi ll be a conducive environment where th e private sector can hope to invest in hydropower development and export th at to Lndia. Since the provi sion says the facilities should given only if they are in accordance wit h the existing laws, I sce no reason why this will affe ct us. What is going on regarding the water resource strategy being prepared by the ministry? It has been the government's policy to develop water resources for the economic prosperity of tht! coun try. In that cont ext, we are preparing an integrated strat This is unfor egy to sce how the water resources can be developed for tunate. They biJiwtion fo r displaced people. But we disagree wi th the the overall development orthe country. We have already in which the commission wants to impose its received a report to th at effect from our consultants. It shouldn't nes. The developed countries have already con addresses vario us aspects of our water resources. includ have done structed huge dams ~md they will nOI be affected by such ing drinking water, nood control, irrigation and hydro gUideli nes. But Nepal is yet to construct a single big electricity. We are studyin g the report and preparing the what they dam. Apart frolll K ulekhani dam and few water diver strategy, which will be submitted la the cabinet for did. They ~ions, we don't have any dam in the country . But QOw approval when we arc in a position to extract benefit s from our There is a new controversy surrounding the have only resources. this report has come as an obstruction to our Purnagiri dam. The youth organization of the main created con development effort. In case this repon is imple mented, opposition party CPN·UML threw drilling machines wc wi ll have to face a negative impact in water resource into the river last week, saying the project would fusion among development. We should. therefore. take this repon undermine Nepal's interest. What do you say? the masses. seriously and put our views clearl y. In fact. wc have This is unfortunate. They sho uldn ' t have done alreauy tendered our initial reaction. Wc arc sensitive lO what they did. They have o nl y created confusion among In fact, there the principles raised in the repon and wc have been the masses. In fac t, there is no dam in Purnagiri. The is no dam in following them. Having said th at. we refuse to be made construction has not even started. It is a partof Mahakali ,l museum forenvironrncntal protection at the cost of our Treaty. We have to study where dams should be con Purnagiri. developmenl. We are perfectly capable of framing such structed, what will betheirenvironmental impacl. where gu id elines for ourselves. No onc should try to impose tunnels need to be constructed and what are the costs them on us. involved. At present. we are merely in the stage of The limit of power exchange between Nepal and studying where wc have to conduct various investiga India was recently increased to 150 MW from 50 tions. Drilling machines are used to study the nature o f . How will this help Nepal? rocks there. According to our investigations. we have At prcsenl , wc have a marginal deficit in power. identified three places as options for constru cti ng the But after the Kali Gandaki A comes into operation next dam, Purnagiri, Rupaligadh and Sirsiyagadh. So. il is year. wc will have surplus electricity. That surplu s natural that we would be studying these options if wc electricity can be sold to India. But for that we have to say the Mahakall Treaty should be implemented. Un lifs! construct connecting li nes on our side and India has fortunately, we ar..! faci ng obstructions at the stage of to do the same on their side. What this agreement has study itse lf. We have to j ustify why Purnagiri is not achieved is that wc can sell our surplus electri ci ty after viable. the infrastructures on both sides of the border are in \-Vhat is going on regarding Enron's in volve place, ment in the Karnali Chisapani project? The Nepalese parliament has still not ratified At present. there has been no further development the Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the In regarding Enron's involvement in lhe project. dian government. What do you say? What about the Arun project? The ratification of the PPA is imponant in the As far as Arun is concerned, the government has sense that it wilt create a favorable environment for the said it wi ll not give guarantee to purchase the power trading of power, The PPA has the legal proviSions lO generated. This onus will remain on the applicants facilitate th e power trade. It says the respecti ve govern themselves. Another thing regarding the investment in ments wi 11 have to provide faei lities as per the existing hydro power is that the government has asked for perfor law to the parties interested in tradi ng power. A !though mance bond from in terested panies applying for the there has not been any di scussion regarding this in li cence. This is because, if we do not ask for such bond. parl iament , I think many believe it is not necessary to that may give ri se to the practice of holding licenses. A include this provision. Personally, I think it is very company called Euro Orient had shown interest to important that the PPA is rati fi ed by parliament, as it develop Arun, but we have not received performance will have the positive impa<.:t o n the development of bond yet. So, we are thinking of exploring other alter water resources. The ratificati o n will mean there is an natives as well. • SPOTLlGHTfFEBRUARY 9. 2001 23 NATIONAL PROPERTY RIGHTS NEPAL-CHINA Unequal Half Assessing Ties The issue of equal property rights to women has once As soon as he was back from New Delhi discussin~ a broad range of issues again come into focus after MPs collect public opinion with his Indian counterpart, Foreign Secre tary Narayan ShumshcrThapa found him By SANJAYA DHAKAL to the forthcoming 19th session ofllle parlia self engaged in consultations with a senior ment. The women"s right activists are up Chinese official. The third consultation n the IO-year history o[Nepal's par beat about this. "While it is odd to find that mechanism meeting between the foreign I liamelll after the restoration of dc~ MPs found it necessary to collect public ministries of Nepal and China kicked of rnocracy. perhaps no bill has attracted so opinion in this bill only, we are happy thal here Sunday. Assistant Foreign Min' much public attention as the onc dealing once again the bill will be introduced in the Wang Yi and Foreign Secretary Tha a with equal property rights for women. parliamcnt.·· said Sapana MallaPradhan, an headed the delegations of lhe Chinese and With opinion in support and against the ad\'ocatc associated with the Women. Law Nepalese sides. billllying thick and fast. the parliament. for and Development. "From whatl have un According tu the Foreign Ministry. the first lime. decided to seek the views of derstood. lheopinions gathered by the MPs. the consultations covered areas including the general public on the issue. The mem though they collected it primarily out of their exchange of visit~ at \'arious levels. projects bers of the House of Representatives Law concern for their respective votebanks. are launched in Nepal with the cooperation 0 and Parliamentary Affairs Committee vis- largely positive towards giving womcn the China. future economic cooperation, and equal properly rights." maUers of bilateral. regional and interna The political parties are tional interest. The consultation mecha yct to makc up their mind nism was established as per the agreement about the bill. Although the bctween the foreign ministries of the two main opposition UML has counu'ies in 1996. During his Slay in Nepal, shown its willingness to pass Mr. Wang also called on PrimeMinisterG. il. there are still MP~. mainly P. Koiralaand senior government officials. from the Terai region. who Meanwhile. rcpol1S said Chinese De believe any move to divide fenseMinisterChi Haotian is visiting Nepal parental property among sons later this month after visiting three East and daughters will disturb so Asian countries. The Foreign Ministry I cial harmony. Speaking at a program to review the bill rc is yeuo announce his itinerary and agen a ccntly, Speaker of the House [or discussion. • Nepalese women: For more right of Representatives Taranath Rana Bhat emphasized the reproductive health. among others. itcd 14 districts of the five development need for adequate homework to study the Last year a review was made of the regions to seek suggestions regarding the possiblc impacts that would be made on the achievemcms ofBeijing Conference in New legal provisions ror ensurin g women the society after the bi 11 passes. York, which gave ncw rccomnicndatioI1s right to ancestral property. However. the lobbyists for the bill ex for future strategy. "In Ih ..u review meeting But observers have raised doubts over press concern that this timc again the au we found many countries have implemented the rati onale or collecting public opinion in thorities would be introducing !.hcbill merely the recommendations of Beijing Confer such manner. "How can you say you have as a [onnality. "If the bill is not introduced ence. But in Nepal. we are yet to see the the public' s opinion by merely visiting some with priority. then it would be meaningless. Women' sCommlssion materialize and there places?" asked one lawyer. speaking all But sti ll I am hopeful as this bill is the are sti ll 118 legal provisions and 67 sched condition of anonymity. "The opinions they govemment-sponsored one," said Malla. ules that discriminate women." said Malla. have collectcd can not be called representa The moves to introduce a bill to ensure While no onc doubts the deplorable ti ve of general masses." equal property right to women were acti condition of Nepalese women, many still The bill la amend the Civil Code was vated in Nepal after !.he world con ference on think it would be premature to introduce bill under parliamentary consideration after it women held in Beijing in 1994. There, the to ensure equal property rights to women was sent by the 16th session of the parlia Nepalese authorities had pledged to [annu before making society ready. And there are ment to the committee for detailed clause late laws to ensure the right to women, others who believe the introduction of will wise discussion. abolish all legal provisions [hat discrimi system to give parental properly would be Now the bill is poised to be introduced nated women and establish their ri ghts of the beller option. • 24 SPOTLlGHTfFEBRUARY 9. 2001 NATIONAL ing Vikram tempos by electric- and gas PUBLIC TRANSPORT driven two-wheelers and microbuses wa; intended to allow all residents to breath a bit easier. Nobody has a con Space Matters clusive reading on whether the pollu tion levels have declined. Commuters find themselves squeezed between over But for many. the local transport crowding and shrinking leg room system remains much in the same Slale. "The engines of some microbuses radi- ate noxious substances. which shows BY AKSHAY SHARMA not normally fit in some of the seats," that they havc not been serviced well." he says. "And then a few rows ahead says Ullam Nepali, an automobile me- there was one lady with a boy in one chanie . ..~ athmandu Valley has made a ann, clinging desperately to the bar on "Some of the microbuses continue ~ bumpy tranSItIOn from hlpple- the side of the seat." to carry more people than the Traffic era minibuses to electric-powered three Roshan remembers an interesting Police rules allow:' says Amrit Bohara. wheelers to today's sleek microbuses. sight on the bus while coming from who commutes from Budhanilkantha to On the long-distance routes, rickety and Dhulikhelto Kattnnandu. lA foreigner his job in the city center every day. dusty buses have largely given way to tried to crawl into an empty seat beside "This kind of overloading blocks so-called 'super coaches.' But how sat- me, the only vacant one on the bus. I the driver's view which creates a major isfied are the people who travel in them? pretended to be asleep. But from the safety hazard," says Nepali. In a way, the problems~ ______--. Amrit,afrequentmicrobus of forms of public transport \ commuter who lives in Balaju - long and short distance was having an interesting COI1- - are the same. There have versation with Diego Mambio, been many visible changes a Chilean on his first visit to in ambiance over the years. Nepal. Diego was complain- Thereusedtobeatimewhen ing of the lack of 1100r space the Ratna Park-Bag Bazar for his bag, which he was bal- area was the hub of public ancing under his feet. The transport inside and out of driver screeched to a halt at the valley. While the long- r':o~~ Maitighartuming, abruptly ter- ance buses have been re- minating their conversation. located, microbuses, mini- taI-., "This is one of the scariest mo- buses and three-wheelers ments in all my travels on pub- still SLOp at Ratna Park, just lic transport'; Diego later told long enough to fetch a couple Amri!. of passengers before the traf- The shortage of space fie cops whistle them away. prompted anotherpassengerto The growth of passen- draw parallels with his oceu- gers on the long-distance pation. "I'm in the cattle busi- routes has led to more buses ness and we have rules and on the highways. But the A crowded bus: Transponoverload ~-----.....~ .. regulation, on the number of interiors don't seem to have ------'------cattle that can becrammed into taken account of the changing physical corner of my eye, I could see the big guy a particular space," said Wolfgang dimensions of the travelers. "The rows still struggling to sit." Patterson. of seats arc so close that it is difficultto Some commuters complain of bad "That means human beings in Nepal gel yourself comfortably placed on the behavior on the pan of the conductors. donit have the kind of space your cattle seat," says a wary and wobbly legged "Conductors have been seen to be rude have," exclaimed Amri!. Stephen Lipert. a Sanskrit student in especially to women passengers," says Then he turn to Diego in a philo- Benaras, who took a ride from the west- Samjana, who is a regular traveler on sophical vein. 'The crowd on the bus ern city of Nepalgunj to Kathmandu. the Dulikhel-Kathmandu route. probably tells you how crowded that "A person with a large build would The replacement of smoke-beleh- country is." • SPOTLIGHTIFEBRUARY 9, 2001 25 NATIONAL Bahadur Khadka. and the outspoken Govinda CABINET RESHUFFLE Raj Jo!!hi who quit as Koirala's home minister ju~t a few months ago after the daring Maoist attack on Duna!. A known loyalist of former prime minister Krishna Prasad Bhattarai, Omkar Power Games Prasad Shreslha. has also found a place. Interestlllgly, by appointing Prakash Koirala - the eldest son of B.P. Koirala - as In the absence of the prime minister's authority to discipline patty MPs a minister. Koirala has indicated that he is not assiduously promoting hlsown daughter. Sujata. even a strong man like PM Koirala cannot provide political stability as his critics claim. Political analyst see Prakash Koirala's appbintment as a big joll to Sujata. By KESHAB POUDEL prime minisleris primarily focused on securing who has publicly blamed Prakash for having her his chair. the country can only expect new nomination papers rejected during the recent rounds of polil1cai instability. Congress Central Working Committee elec In hi s firstlenureas primeminisler. Koirala tions in Pokhara. KOlraiacould nOI haveaccom arely hours after the announcement of a ran the country wi~h a 22-member cabinet ror modatcd every Nepal i Congres:-. MP in he B cabinet reshumc by Prime Mi nisterGirija three years with re1ative Mability. cabinet and notall minister,>havcbeengln;: J Prasad Koirala on Wednesday. party dissidents The cabinet was reshuffled after an effort ponroliooftilcirchOlce.ln viewofthedissa - feu by fonner prime minister Sher Bahadur of nearly three months. If the rebel MPs had faCllon these IwO fact!'. arc likely to breed. the Deuba criticized the move. saying their voices accepted his invitation to join thccabinel. KoiraJa latest cabinet reshurn~ may do very little to end were ignored. wou ld have announced his new tine-up long diSSidence in (he party. • Prime Minister Koirala's dforts to satisfy ago. hi)' colleagues shauered when two newly ap· The rebel camp's collec- poilllcu ministers Khum Bahadur Khadka and tive refusal to join Koir.la's The new council of ministers Palten Gurung declined la take oath just few cabinet is mysterious, as they I. Girija Prasau Kuirala - Royal Palace AtTain) and General hours after the announcement h reveals the bad urged the prime ministerto Administration reality how weak the prime minister's pm,ition fonn a balanced govcmmcnt 2. Ram Chandra Poudel- Deputy Prime Mlllister a.nd Home without a long stick. during party central comnuttce 3. Khum Bhaadur Khadka - Physical Planning anti \Vorks Even afterovcrcoming the dissidence chal meetings. "Prime Minister 4. Govinda Raj J05111- Local Dcvelopment lenge in the Parliamentary Party last month and Koirala has not adhered 10 the 5. Chakra Prasad Ball~lola - F(lr~ign Afr<-lir~ emerging as a clear winner in the pany general unity plan we thought hewould 6. Dr. Ram Sharan Mahett - Finance convention in Pokhara. PM Koirala still looks implement," fonner minister 7. Mahanta Thakur- Law JU\licc and Parliamclltnry atTaJr~ weak and is being forced to make compromises. Chiranjibi Wagle told SPOT- 8. Silldha Raj Ojha - Population anti Environment As various interpretationsoflhe SupremeCoun LlGHTafterthereshufne. "We 9. Omkar Prasad Shrcslha -Culture, Tourism. ano Civil Aviation limit the authority of prime minister to dissolve will issue our formal rcaction IO.Pulten Gurung- Labor and Transpon Mtmagement the House of Representatives, no prime minis 10 the new cabinet tomorrow II.J.P. Gupta - Agrkulture Jlld Coop~ratj\es ter can feel safe even with so many of his MPs (February 8) as parliament con- 12. Mahesh Acharya - Defense 111 Ihe cabinet. venes." added Wagle. a bitter I3.Ram Krishna Tamrakar- Health Despite appointing 18 ministers. 14 min KOIrala cri ti c who challenged 14.Amod Prasad Upadhyaya - EJut:atlon and Sport~ ister or states and 5 assistant ministers. Koirala the septuagenarian leader ror 15.sur.endra Pra~ad Chaudhari - Science and Technology A : cannot expect to build unity in the Nepali Con the party presidency four years 16.Bal Dev SharmCl Majgalya - Water Resourcc!. . • gress. This enforces the argument to have a ago. 17.Shlva Raj Joshl-Information and CommunicatIOn strong prime minister with equally strong au ASlheprimeministerabil- 18.Prakash Koirala - Forest 26 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9, 2001 THE BOTTOM LINE By M.S.KHOKNA ",OU ld S I former Supreme Court Justicc, Chancellor of the TU and upon ELECTED: Anup R~ TRANSITION to investigate the attack on therecommendation of the TU Sharma. as the president of Chief Justice Keshab Up Executive Council. the Nepal Law Society, unop APPOINTED: Krishna adhyaya. posed, by the societyfs 19th Mohan Shreslha, the Addi ARRIVED: The Indian cy annual general meeting. tional Inspector General of NOMINATED: Prof. Dr. clist-duo Swapan Kurnar Police, as the Inspector Gen Dayanand Bajracharya, Dutta and Chhalrapali FELICITATED: Comedi eral of Police of the Armed Vice-Chancellor of the Royal Chatterjee. who work at the ans Madan Krishna Police. Nepal AcademyofScienceand Steel Authority of India, in Shreslha, Had Bansha Technology, la the vacant seat Birgunj, on a Nepal-wide tour AcharY3, Basundhara FORMED: A·three-mem ofTribhuvan University (TU) to reduce the tensions created BhusaI and Chalyang Mas ber probe body headed by assembly. by His Majesty the by the Hrithik Roshan epi ler, by the Navarang Litera Narendra Bahadur Neupane, King. in his capacity as the sode. ture Academy. • SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9. 2001 27 VIEW POINT A Review Of Income Tax Rates By RUPKHADKA Rate structure of income tax has been changing gradually all over the (d) The same rate structure was appli cable to all kinds of taxpay world. This tax was initiated with a very low rates in the 18th and 19th ers in some years and separate rate structure was introduced for centuries in various countries. For example. it was levied for the first different types of tax.payers in other years. time inGreat Britain Ln 1799 with rates less than I percent to IOpercent (e) Initially, corporations were subject to the progressive rate of income. Similarly, income tax was initiated in Japan in 1887 with structure as individuals. The rate structure was (he same for both J percent to 5.5 percent rates. Rates of income tax varied from 0.1 individuals and companies had different rates structure in mher years. percent to 4.0 percent in Germany in 1891 while they ranged between Public enterprises and public limited companies listed on the Nepal 3.0 percent and 5.5 percent in France in 1907. The idea behind the Stock Exchange were subject to a flat rate corporate income tax in 1986/ fixat ion of low and few rates might be to habituate taxpayers with the 87. This tax was extended to private limited companies in 1993/94. income tax and to keep the income tax system simple. (t) Now individual income tax is levied with two rates, 15 and 25 However. both the number and the level of tax rates were percent while the corporate income tax is levied with a single rat increased over the years. Income tax: rales were increased sharply in 25 percent (30 percent on banks and financial institutions). Indus the 1960s and 1970s. As a result, it was common to find more than a enterprises are subject to a maximum rate of 20 percent. dozen rates of income tax with more than 80 percent top marginal rates. T he draft Income Tax Act 2001 does not deviate much regarding These rates were intended to inject progressivity into the income tax: the general rate structure of bOlh individual and corporate income systems. taxes. The rate structure proposed under this act is as fo llows: However. such a policy made income tax systems complicated Rates of Income and Taxes and inefficient. This is because many rates make tax administration Taxpayers Status Tax Rates complicated. High rates also discourage taxpayers to work more, to (i) Individual income tax save more and to invest more. So high rates became detrimental to First Rs. 75 ,000 15 economic growth. High rates also gave incentive to the taxpayers to Above Rs. 75,000 25 avoid and/or evade lax. Big companies started hiring tax consultants (ii) Corporate income tax to explore way to reduce tax liability. Those who could not afford to Bank and financial institutions 30 do so or did not like to do so were discriminated against. This resulted Others. including partnership firms 25 in unequal treatment of equaLs. And. targeted objectives could not be Income having a source in Nepal of an entity wholly engaged in achieved. operating a special industry or an entity has operated any road, bridge, The philosophy has been changing since the 1980s. Since then, tunnel , rope-way. or flying bridge constructed by the entity; or an there has been a trend to reduce both the level and number of income entity has operated any trolley bus, or tram will be subject to 20 percent tax rates. This process has been accelerated particularly after the US rate. tax reform of 1986 when the US government reduced the top rate of Further, an entity wholly engaged in projects conducted by the individual income tax from 50 percent to 28 percent and rate of entity soas to build public infrastructure and own, operate and tra n~, corporate income tax from 46 percent to 34 percent (15 percent for it to His Majesty's Government and in power generation, trans. small businesses). sion, or di stribUlion will also be subject to 20 percent rate. The rate structure of the Nepalese income lax also has been The raxable income of a non-resident individual will be 25 changing si nce its inception in 1959/60. The major development are percent. Rates on some specified in come will be as follows: pointed out below: Description and Rates (a) The net income was divided in to 1I brackets in 1959/60 when The taxable income of a non-resident person w ith respect to income in excess of Rs. 7000 a year was subject to graduated rates income from business of ship operator. charter or air transport operator ranging from 5 to 25 percent. As elsewhere, both the number and the - 5 percent. level of tax. rales were increased gradually over the years in Nepal. The Interest paid to an individual not conducting business and provi largest number of brackets ever employed in Nepal was 12 in 1964/65 dent fund or gratuity paid by an approved retirement fund - 6 percent. and the highest marginal rate ever levied was 60 percent on income The repalriated income of a foreign permanent establi shment of ovcr Rs. 540,000 in 1975n6. a non-resident person situated in Nepal, dividend, and gains from (b) In addition to the normal rates. surcharges were levied in the investment insurance and unapproved retirement interests - to 1980s. For example non-resident taxpayers were subject to a 7 percent percent. surcharge while companies and organized enterprises were subject to Natural resource payment. royalties. rent, retirement payment. a 5 percent surcharge from 1981/82 to 1982/83. These rates of service fees and interests - 15 percent surcharge were raised to J 2 and 10 pe r cent. respectively on temporary Annual flat rates are fixed for individuals having Rs 100,000 residents taxpayers and companies and organized enterprises in 1983/ income or Rs 1,000,000 turnover. These rates will be as follows for 84. These surCharges were abolished in the second half of 1980s. persons conducting business in: Cc) There has been a trend to reduce the level and number of tax Metropolitan or Sub-Metropolitan Cities - Rs 2.000 rates since late 1980s. For example, both the number and level of Municipalities - Rs 1,500 income tax rates were reduced in 1992/93 when individual income tax Other places in Nepal Rs 1,000 was levied with three rates (15,25 and 40 percent). These rates were reduced furt her in the following years. Khadka is a Tax expert 28 SPOTLlGHTIFEBRUARY 9, 2001 PASTIME Milestones of History Vol. 1 Now In Town BOOK Pramod Mainali / 2000 Rs .2000.00 Bleeding Mountains of Nepal Nepalese Aviation & Trurism A. S. Shreslha 1 2000 Rs.200.00 M. B. Shrestha /2000 Rs .285.00 Development Challenges for Nepal Nepal's Failed Development: Reflections M. K. Dahall K. P. Acharya.l on the Mission and the Maladies D. R. Dahal f K. B. Bhattachan Rs.200.00 D. R. Panday 12000 Rs.350.00 A Dictionary of Classical Newari Non-Governmental Organization in K. B. Mall 12000 Rs.800.00 Development: Search for a New Vision Bishwa Keshar Maskay 1 1998 Rs.350.00 Domestic Conflict and Crisis of Governability in Nepal Dhruba Kumar /2000 Rs.525.oo Privalw.ation : Expectation and Reality R. Adhikari 1 K. Adhikari 12000 Rs. 150.00 Rs. 256.00 Proceedings of the National \Vorkshop Do We Need Economic Reforms Phase 1I ? The Glory of Nepal A Mythological Guidebook liDS 12000 Rs. 110.00 to Kathmandu Valley W. P. Forbes 1 V. K. Chaube 12000 R,. 312.00 Transparency and Accountability Against Corruption in Nepal R. Khanal/2000 Rs.200.00 Issues of Governance in Nepal A. P. Shreslha 1 S. R. Dahal 1 2000 Rs.200.00 (Source.- HimalaYlIfI Book Cefller, Bagh Ba::.ar. Karllllllmdu1 Ph: 2-/,2085) Video (English) Save The Last Dance Bedazzled Dracula 2001 Cast Away Independence Day 2001 NATlONALNEWSAlAGAZINE ght Shooter Color Black & White Bring It On n Front Cover In s id~ R, 16.000.00 Traffic Back Cover. R~ . 20.00000 Back Cover Inside Rs. 16.00000 o Brother Dead Line Any Page Inside Kasoor Aashiq Full Page R, J 200000 R, H.OOO.OO Half Page R, 7.000.00 R, 5.000.00 Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi Quarter Page Rs. 4.0()O.OO R, :1.000.00 Gaja Gamini Special Pull-out Minimum Four ~pat!~ R,. 45.000.00 R,. )0.000.00 Zubeidaa Farz Raju Cha Cha For details, contact: Khiladi 420 SPOTLIGHT Champion THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE Ghaath GPO Box: 7256. Baluwatar Ph: 977-1) 423127. Kathmandu (SOUfce. SI/per Staf Video. New Road) SPOTLIGHTIFEBRUARY 9. 2001 29 LEISURE G A R F I E l o ~. Hof3IU, I .:t>N'TKtoJoWW>-IYWu -ANC7, WHAT~WO~e,I.fEAN~WeR 8OT"HER 1701~ THE' crco!>~wora;>~ Eve~)" I~N'rEveN p~".jn::DINTHe; PAPEJ<:: 1AoIY' Wo-IEN lotA!' m~eloF I!>A PlInJ..E ,. ' THe; NexTPAY,.. Mo M M A 0...... , ... _" ...... _ :t ...."" A CRU6II Qj A WOMAN -:t GeT CLAUSn I COO \<.- f _-----=-:;--1 ~OO k J iO 3-..J~; +' BA C k - i ~o c.oo~ 0 : H I 'b~c.o'-. I • § L~~ I A ~ L ~j~~~ ______~U 30 SPOTLIGHT/FEBRUARY 9. 2001 LEISURE CROSSWORD Por 06jective News, Views and' Anafysis c.Rgad ACROSS DOWN SPOTLIGHT I. Maintain boy's about to become indepen- 1. Find a wife in African country or another dent-minded (8) (6) THE NATIONAL NEWSMAGAZINE 5. Nervous leaders oranny facing assault (6) 2. I'IJ shoulder my equipment. stay with the 10. Retrospective of passion play (4.4,2.5) leader. and make notes (9) 11. l et's designer had to make repeated cuts 3, Given some money back as disputant (7) switches sides (7) 12. Alcove for statue made of clay. inlrinsi 4. Secret source of timeless prestige (5) cally effective (7) 6. Flatter type of fabric (7) P.,very Prid'ay 13. Joker, say, can be a match for any charac 7. What green may mean, in painting'sspeciaJ ter (4.4) language (5) 15. No end of sweat. using this tool ? (5) 8. Delighted, possibly having ended on the 18. J must leave recount, to return after an rocks, welcoming rescue craft (8) interval (5) 9. Idle dogs resolved to knock off (8) IAttra,ctrve fields taking long to cross (8) 14. First appearance of Hook, or second, in Cut corners in room that's fine for bach theartre (8) elor (7) 16. Two types of wood that may be used for 25. Conductor's strange variation (7) kindling (9) 26. Admitting recreation I preferred for a 17. Parliamemary officer threatening the bar spell? (15) (5,3) 27. Old fool inj cctingalrnostextinctbird with 19. One clarifying limits of rule right tosuppon preservati ve (6) penalty' (7) 28. Lack of air sounded a difficulty where 21. Withdraw as reaction to superficial irrita highest peaks are (8) tion (7) " Your faith is greater 22. One-time goddess describing progress in AA? (6) than my Shakti 24. Somewheretosleep, whenstartingacourse (5) Faith can grow on the 25. In South Africa, general signs of pollution (5) soil of Dharma with SlOWS ';Z lO:)SY 'VZ "CUJlIlY 'ZZ 4JICJIS' (Z JJu!J!"M '6 I pOJ)pel8 'L I xoqJJpU!l '91 dl"CJ!dsy 'PI sub-soil :lSpOIS!O '6 pJuJ)jJCa 'SlOzi'Jy 'L puucl=I'9 J4:Jc:) 'v P;}lBqd~"£ lS!u!lO!A ·z !h\C[UW'1 : NMOa ofVeda." "C! XA4dsy 'Sl pJCIOa "Cl, ;}lq! 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