Regional administrator of the Far-Western Development Region, Ganesh Sherchan, has ordered to detain District Forest Officer (DFO) of Kailali, Yogendra Yadav, on charge of corruption.
District Administration Office of Kailali had taken a truck-load of natural herbs into custody in May last year on charge of trying to evade taxes and had interrogated three staff at the District Forest Office. Regional administrator Sherchan, during his recent trip to Kailali, also interrogated DFO Yadav and asked him to report to his office at Dipayal. When he reported to regional administrator’s office on Thursday, Yadav was asked to post a bail of Rs 500,000. When he did not oblige, he was sent to custody.
While under custody, Yadav spoke to local reporters and alleged that regional administrator Sherchan had asked him for a donation of Rs 500,000 to mobilize people fro forthcoming municipal level elections. He said he was sent to jail since he could not bribe him. He further said he was not involved in any wrongdoings.
Talking to Nepalnews over phone from Dipayal on Friday, regional administrator Sherchan, however, refuted allegations leveled against him by DFO Yadav. “Such allegations are but natural when you take action against somebody on charge of corruption,” Sherchan said. “There will be a fair trial and we will work in accordance with law.”
Sherchan said Yadav had been detained on the basis of authority delegated to regional administrators by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). “His Majesty The King has launched a campaign to root out corruption from the country and we will take action against corruption bureaucrats in accordance with law,” he added.
Critics, however, say fair trial is next to impossible when there is no representative system of governance in the country. Transparency International (TI)—a global corruption watchdog—recently said corruption had, indeed, increased in Nepal after the royal takeover of February 1, last year.
By Anil Baral
Nepal became, although belatedly, a party to the Kyoto Protocol a few months back. This is a welcome step towards tapping renewable resources in a country known for natural bounties. However, resources do not mean a penny unless we are able to utilize them.
Nepal has mostly been a passive participant when it comes to international environmental treaties and conventions. If we let the benefits of Kyoto membership go down the drain by being a mere spectator, we are going to miss a huge opportunity in terms of economy and the environment.
With China and India vigorously pushing themselves as prime candidates for the clean development mechanism (CDM) projects, it has become even more important for us to quickly develop solid proposals and apply for CDM projects. This ensures that more of our clean energy projects qualify for carbon emissions trading.
Carbon reduced through CDM projects becomes tradable certified emission reductions (CERs) when certified by an independent entity. The carbon emissions trading scheme under Kyoto allows developed countries that are unable to meet their carbon emission reduction targets to buy carbon credits from developing countries such as Nepal and India which have no obligations.
Our carbon emission reduction potentials are small compared to those of our giant neighbors China and India due to their large size and huge industrial base. China and India are the second and sixth largest emitters of carbon, respectively. However, we still can reap the benefits commensurate with our potentials if we start out early in the game.
The only project that has garnered some attention is Biogas Project in the aftermath of the interest shown by the World Bank to buy carbon credits through its carbon prototype fund. In this context, frustration shown by electric vehicle (EV) entrepreneurs in a recent gathering for not getting enough incentives to increase the number of EVs in order to qualify under CDM is justifiable.
Compare this to 112 Indian companies that have already received approvals from the United Nations Framework of Climate Change Convention (UNFCCC) for carbon trading. By switching to cleaner technologies and trading carbon credits, India is set to bring in $100 million per year. By 2012 India could earn as much as 12 billion dollars from carbon emissions trading. The World Bank estimates that India’s global share of carbon market could reach as high as 10%.
The first step in getting started is to apply for CDM projects and get a clearance from our government. There are several projects that easily qualify under CDM. Examples include electric vehicles, solar, microhydro, afforestation/reforestation, and biogas. As such these projects have been sources of revenues or economic benefits. With the possibility of increasing revenues through carbon trading, such projects become even more attractive.
Unlike most cleaner and carbon reducing technologies that industries in India and elsewhere likely to adopt, these projects are almost carbon neutral except for biogas. In other words they do not add carbon to the atmosphere. The fact that it is not enough just to reduce carbon emissions by a few percent for reversing climate change adds a value to these carbon neutral projects. Even more valuable are afforestation/reforestation projects which go beyond carbon neutrality and act as net carbon sinks provided that they are not harvested and used as fuels. In addition, low labor costs ensure that we can sequester carbon and earn carbon credits at low costs.
In view of such potentials, it is high time that entrepreneurs, investors, and NGOs recognized the opportunities and developed sound proposals for CDM projects.
The government should complement these efforts by instituting a mechanism and expediting the review process by cutting down bureaucratic red tape and corruption. The appropriate ministry can consider several criteria in guiding its decision which may include the project’s contribution to economic development, environmental benefits (climate change and local air pollution mitigation), conditions associated with technology transfer, existing local capacity, potential for localization of the technology, and the scale of investment.
The faster we go through the approval process, the better chance we have when we apply for the next round of approval for CDM projects from the Executive Board of the UNFCCC. Getting a green signal from the UNFCCC sets us in motion for carbon trading.
Since European countries are setting mandatory caps on carbon emissions in line with Kyoto targets, Europe can emerge as an attractive market for us. Alternatively, the World Bank may facilitate carbon emissions trading through its prototype carbon fund. Although the structure of carbon market is still fluid, it bodes well if we are prepared in advance.
(Anil Baral is an environmental researcher)
(Editor’s Note: Nepalis, wherever they live, as well as friends of Nepal around the globe are requested to contribute their views/opinions/recollections etc. on issues concerning present day Nepal to the Guest Column of Nepalnews. Length of the article should not be more than 1,000 words and may be edited for the purpose of clarity and space. Relevant photos as well as photo of the author may also be sent along with the article. Please send your write-ups to [email protected] and your comments/suggestions to [email protected])
Trade via the Tatopani transit point resumed from Friday, following an agreement between the government and traders to issue identity cards to everyone involved in cross-border trading.
The business strike at the transit point was withdrawn after the Home Ministry decided to issue identity cards from the Immigration Office at Tatopani to traders and transport workers of other districts with recommendation from the Nepal Himalaya Simapar Byapar Sangh (NHSBS), Nepal Himalaya Simapar Banijya Sangh (NHSBS) and the Sindhupalchowk Chamber of Commerce and Industries (SCCI), a press release issued on Thursday said.
Ten different organisations, including trade associations, SCCI, Truck Containers’ Entrepreneurs Association and Free Transport Workers’ Association, had called for a business closure at the transit point from Tuesday.
They had said traders and transport workers of other districts were affected by the implementation of the ID card system.
The government had earlier announced to issue such cards to residents of 15 districts and had made it mandatory for the rest to acquire visas to enter China’s territory.
The government representatives and traders reached an agreement after a three-day-long closure of both import and export via the transit point.
According to customs sources, a loss of around Rs 200 million was incurred during the business strike.
Following incidents of cheating from brokers, the Ministry of Labor and Transport Management (MoLTM) has asked Nepali workers seeking employment abroad not to go abroad for employment on visit visas.
Issuing a statement on Thursday, the MoLTM said, “The ministry has learnt that many individuals are leaving the country seeking jobs abroad on visit visas. Some foreign employment agents are swindling large sums of money from job aspirants and sending them abroad on visit visas.”
The ministry made it clear that visit visas are legal documents that allow one to visit the destination country for a short period of time only.
“Such visas do not ensure job placement and it would be against the law of that country to go and work with such visas,” adds the statement.
Those who want to go abroad and work must take the permission from Department of Labor and Employment Promotion, added the statement.
After the rise in the violence by the Maoists following the withdrawal of the four month long unilateral ceasefire, Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) has put the city police on high alert, citing threats of violence by the Maoists, reports said.
The city police have already begun body search of every person entering the Valley. Police deployed at the main entrance points of the KMC are also examining all vehicles entering the Valley.
“Though we don’t have sufficient manpower to keep surveillance in all 35 ward offices of the KMC, the security forces have been deployed at key places,” The Himalayan Times daily quoted Dhanapati Sapkota, chief of the Enforcement Department of the KMC as saying.
Sapkota added it was possible that the Valley could be targeted by the Maoists.
“Our security personnel have been on the alert right since the declaration of the municipal polls. We are on the alert after explosions in different municipalities outside the Valley,” he added.
The government is holding municipal polls on February 8 despite threats from Maoists to disrupt it.
“Internal security has been tightened as much as possible,” said Padma Raj Regmi, chief executive officer of the KMC.
He added that city police and other security personnel have been deployed 24 hours for the security of all 35 ward offices. “We are also coordinating with the security forces to provided security wherever it is necessary.”
Maoists have been targeting municipalities and other government offices following the breakdown of the unilateral ceasefire on January 2.
At a time when King Gyanendra is facing criticism for February 1 takeover of last year, former chairman of the Raj Parishad Standing Committee, Dr Keshar Jung Rayamajhi, has said that all sides should cooperate His Majesty the King for fulfilling His Majesty’s wish to establish peace.
Speaking at the same programme, assistant Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Pratap Ram Lohar said that it was the responsibility of all to hold the municipal elections successfully as per the wish of the King.
Speaking at a ‘National Open Short-story Recitation Competition and Award Distribution’ programme organized to mark the 35th auspicious birthday of Crown Prince Paras, Rayamajhi stressed on national consensus for the establishment of peace.
On the occasion, he gave away the shield and certificates to the winners of the competition including Raju Ram Munakarmi, Agib Banepali, Madhab Lamichhane and Ujjwol Dhungel who secured first, second and third positions respectively in the competition. He also distributed certificates to the 7 outstanding competitors.
Speaking at the same programme, nominated assistant Minister for Environment, Science and Technology Pratap Ram Lohar said that it is the responsibility of all sides to hold the municipal election successfully as per the wish of the King.
He claimed that the royal takeover was aimed at establishing lasting peace in the country and combat corruption that prevailed in the country.
US President George W. Bush (Photo source : cnn.com)
US President George W. Bush (Photo source : cnn.com)
As US president George W. Bush is expected to pay a visit to South Asian countries including India sometime this year, newspapers have started commenting on how the region looks at the present foreign policy of the Republican government.
Indolink.com, a Chennai-based news portal, quotes US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as saying that the whole of South Asia region is very high on the list of priorities for the US. This includes ‘enhancing’ relationship with India and at the same time maintaining a good relationship with Pakistan and helping it in its efforts to fight extremism.
The other policy outlined by the US administration is to move certain Central Asian countries from US State Department’s European bureau to its South Asia bureau. Secretary Rice stressed that US is going to work very hard on an integrated approach of South Asia as it’s important to look at it from a regional context.
In Kathmandu, the issue is restoration of democracy. The common view there is that the US has little consideration for establishing democracy in Nepal while it proclaims to be fighting a war for the same purpose in Iraq
Notwithstanding the fact that US is looking at South Asia with a renewed interest and there seems to be a lot of activity going on with regard to fixing the spotlight on the region, there seems little unanimity among countries in South Asia about their worldview of the US. The general perception in the region is ‘it’s hard to trust the Americans,’ the news report said.
Its not uncommon thinking in India that US is pro Pakistan and no matter whatever way India engages US, Pakistan would be the first choice when America has to choose between the two.
Contrary to India’s view, Pakistan’s perception is the signs of US gravitation towards India, would tilt the whole balance of power to one side and that do not auger well for regional peace and stability in South Asia.
Perception from Colombo about US is totally different from the worldview of India and Pakistan. In Sri Lanka the dominant view is that America is doing nothing to rein in the LTTE, which, like Al Qaeda, is adamant to achieve its political objectives through violent means. The inference drawn is that the US led war on global terrorism is selective.
The view about the US from Maldives is on a different plain altogether. There the issue of global warming dominates the social space. A thinking prevails that the US instead of wasting trillion of dollars for fighting an unimaginative war in Iraq, could have used the same resources for containing ‘global warming,’ it might help save the littoral nation from being wiped out from face of the earth.
US Secretary of State Ms Condoleezza Rice (File photo)
US Secretary of State Ms Condoleezza Rice (File photo)
The Bangladeshis perception about US is still different from the others. Here, the worldview is divided between the Islamists and the Communists. The Islamists are unhappy about US role in West Asia (Israel- Palestine conflict) and in Iraq and some feel that US is anti Islam and is engaged in resurrecting ‘crusades’ in modern times. The communists in Bangladesh on the other hand view the US on a different yardstick. They see America as a super power in quest of global hegemony and whose goal is to establish the domination of the capitalist mode of production in the world.
The Nepalese perception of US differs further from the rest of the South Asian countries. In Kathmandu, the issue is restoration of democracy. The common view there is that the US has little consideration for establishing democracy in Nepal while it proclaims to be fighting a war for the same purpose in Iraq. Nepalese are also cherry about US’s role vis-à-vis the Maoist and its obvious ‘domino effect’ on the rest of South Asia.
Notwithstanding the individual perception of the different countries, the general perception in South Asia is that the US interest in Asia largely remains focused either in West Asia, the reservoir of world’s oil wealth, or in South East Asia where countries like Japan and China matters it the most. Korean peninsula, Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia are the other spots in Asia of US interest. The general thinking is that South Asian region is of least interest to the US in Asia.
Contrary to individual or collective world views of South Asian nations, the US has made its own assessment of the region and is going ahead with its plans to shape it as an ‘arch of opportunities.’ The US seems convinced that the prevailing diverse perception against it could be converged on the point of human development of the region, the news report said.
Map of the South Asian region (Photo source : icran.org)
Map of the South Asian region (Photo source : icran.org)
The other notable move made by the US administration is the announcement to launch the National Security Language Initiative (NSLI) programme. NSLI forms an important component of US administration’s national security plan in the post 9/11 period. It envisages engaging foreign governments and peoples in the ‘critical regions’ of the world and to encourage them for reforms, promote understanding and convey respect for other cultures. For achieving this, the US administration wants to dramatically increase the number of its citizens learning “critical need” foreign languages so that they may be able communicate in the languages spoken in such countries.
Under the NSLI programme, a comprehensive plan is drawn for expansion of foreign language education. This starts at the kindergarten levels and runs through formal schooling and goes into the workforce with job opportunities and incentives for graduates of these language programmes. The US President is expected to request for USD 114 million for funding this programme.
What is striking in the NSLI programme is the identification of ‘Hindi’, to be one of the critical need foreign languages that Americans must learn to further strengthen national security and prosperity in the 21st century, the news report said.
Over 70 percent people of Taplejung district have been deprived of telephone services, as the service centers of most Village Development Committees (VDCs) closed three years back and have not reopened citing security problems.
Of the 50 VDCs’ in the district, 48 are still deprived of the services, the state run the Rising Nepal reported.
The telecommunication office cited security as the main problem for resuming the services but the locals have blamed the telecom of not initiating any steps to restore the services.
The paper quoted Ram Prasad Palunga, president of the District Development Committee, as saying that only the people in the district headquarters were using the services while people from other villages were compelled to trek for up to three days to use the services.
Khagendra Basnet, chief of the telecommunication office at the district headquarters said that the office was preparing to install wireless phone services in the district so that the people would not have to depend on the landlines.
A total of 13,5540 people are living in the district.
Leaders of major opposition parties have urged His majesty The King to postpone the municipal polls slated for February 8 not to complicate the problems dogging the country.
Participants at an interaction programme organised by SAP Nepal, Friday, Jan 13 06. nepalnews.com/rh
Participants at an interaction programme organised by SAP Nepal, Friday, Jan 13 06. nepalnews.com/rh
Speaking at an interaction programme in the capital on Friday, joint general secretary of Nepali Congress, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat, said election is not an administrative or technical process but a political one. So election held without consensus of the political parties will only complicate the problem.
“Election is not just a process of providing security and holding it as perceived by (vice chairman of the cabinet) Dr Tulsi Giri and (Home Minister) Kamal Thapa. It should rather give outlet to the problems dogging the country,” Mahat added terming the forthcoming municipal poll as a drama.
He said that derailment of the present constitution and royal takeover of February 1 last year were the main causes of conflict of the country.
Coming down heavily upon Raj Parishad—a royal advisory body, Dr Mahat said, “The Raj Parishad, which has the authority only to select royal successors, is being used as a political tool.”
Stating that Maoists had agreed to join the mainstream due to national and international circumstances, Mahat said that parties should agree to go to the elections of the constituent assembly.
Mahat said that inclusive democracy was the only alternative to resolve the crisis prevailing in the country, adding, “The present problems emerged in the country as we practised only representative democracy 9not the inclusive one) after the restoration of the democracy in 1990.”
Speaking at the same programme, leader of NC (Democratic) Dr Narayan Khadka said the King should postpone the municipal polls to save the country from further deterioration.
“If the election is not postponed, it would give a decisive turn to the conflict of the country and restore people’s sovereignty,” he added. He said that the government should declare unilateral ceasefire to address the Maoist problem. He charged the King of misusing state resources in the name of listening to the grievances of the people while at the same time neglecting the pressing issues of the country.
“People are raising questions regarding the relevancy of the monarchy despite the royal efforts to gain cheap popularity,” he added.
Officials, however, say the royal visit to different regions of the country affords His Majesty an opportunity to apprise himself with country’s problems and expedite development programmes.
Dr Khadka further said there was the need of more homework within the alliance of seven political parties about the future direction of the on-going movement and about their goal.
Leader of Rastriya Janashakti Party, Sarvendra Nath Shukla, said the conflict in the country could not be resolved by addressing the political problem only. Economic, social and cultural problems also need to be addressed to resolve the conflict in the country, he added.
He further said the 12-point agreement between the political parties and Maoists is a positive step in a bid to reduce on-going armed conflict in the country.
By Pratibedan Baidya
Death of nine Nepali students in less than a month has raised serious questions about the safety of young Nepalis in the United States of America.
From left, Nishma Timilsina, 20, Utshav Basnet, 19, and Bedija Kharel, 20 (File photo)
From left, Nishma Timilsina, 20, Utshav Basnet, 19, and Bedija Kharel, 20 (File photo)
Seven young students who were pursuing higher studies in the United States to shape their future were killed in less than a week early this month in separate car accidents. As the news is very painful for every Nepali, His Majesty’s Government is yet to take notice of the tragedy let alone mobilise its machinery towards ensuring safety of the Nepali students.
Four students Amrit Dhital, 21; Prahlad Gurung, 22; Puskar Acharya, 21 and Subash Gurung, 20; were killed when a car they were traveling in collided with another vehicle in Texas, United States, last Friday (Jan. 6).
Subash, Prahlad and Amrit were studying at San Jacinto College, Houston, while Pukar was a student at the University of Texas, Tyler, according to the Nepalese Association of Houston.
The Association added that all four had arrived in the US on January 2004 through the Nobel Institute, a Kathmandu-based education consultancy firm that advises students to study abroad.
Amrit was a resident of Banepa and Subash, Pukar and Prahlad were residents of Kathmandu.
Just two days earlier (on Jan. 4), three more Nepali students, Utsav Basnet, 19, Bedija Kharel, 20 and Nishma Timilsina, 21, were killed when their car was hit by another vehicle on a southern Minnesota highway.
All three– Utsav, Bedija and Nishma — were enrolled in classes at Southwest Minnesota State. The students were off school on winter break, reports said.
In Memoriam: The school where Subash Gurung studied recalls its former student.
According to the state patrol police, the three were not wearing seat belts, and their car was hit when the driver tried to make a U-turn from the right shoulder of a two-lane highway.
For a young student from a developing country burning with high ambition, America offers a vast ocean of opportunities. For many parents in Nepal, sending their kids to the US for higher studies is a lifetime ambition. But little do they realize that once out of a “closely guarded society” like that of Nepal, young students are least prepared to a life of freedom, hard work and technical advancement as in the US.
Talking to Nepalnews, Milan Dixit, principal of Rato Bangala School, a leading private sector-run school in Lalitpur, said, “Lack of proper orientation and discipline among Nepali students are main reasons for such accidents in the US.”
“We were shocked after the news that Nepali students were killed for not following traffic rules. So orientation should be compulsory for them before going there,” she added.
Officials don’t have data of how many Nepali students are currently studying in the US nor is there any mechanism—both from the government or private sector—to orient young Nepali students to what type of life style they will be exposed to once they land abroad.
Students need not get permission from the government for studying abroad, as they can directly contact the foreign university and start enrolment process. They only need recommendation from the Ministry of Education to buy foreign currency to finance their studies.
“Private educational institutions and consulting firms, which charge large amount of money for facilitating enrolment of Nepali students for foreign universities must provide them orientation about basic safety issues while studying abroad,” said Mrs. Dixit.
Most of the students remain unaware about safety issues like road safety and environment abroad. “Young students are usually unaware about lifestyle as an alien. So they need orientation to cope with the situation in a completely different place,” she added.
Dr. Saubhagya Shah, an anthropologist who studied at the prestigious Harvard University of the US, says latest accidents are a tragic and big news for Nepal but in the US they are normal incidents. “Thousands of people die in America every year in road accidents, in such incidents unfortunately some Nepalese were also killed this year. A small mistake by an individual can cost a number of lives as the speed of vehicles is usually very high in the America.”
Shah, however, points towards growing negligent behavior among Nepali students once they step out of their homeland. “Most of these students were residing in the US for more than a year. So, they must have had enough opportunity to apprise themselves about the lifestyles there,” said Shah. “More than orientation, the issue is negligence among young people, including Nepalis, to follow traffic rules and regulations,” he added.
The number of Nepali students enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities grew by 11 percent last year to 4,861, according to a latest report published by the Institute of International Education (IIE).
When contacted by Nepalnews, an official at the US Education Foundation in Kathmandu said his office helps aspiring Nepali students to find out suitable universities and colleges. “Issues like traffic rules (in the US) usually don’t surface in such discussions,” he added.
Gandhi Pandit, a lawyer who practiced in New York before deciding to return to Nepal a few years back, told Nepalnews that if the accident had occurred due to the mistake of other people, family members of the deceased could claim for compensation. “If the accident had occurred due to the mistake of others, they can claim compensation on the basis of the impact of death upon family members,” said Pandit.
“Family members of the victims can also claim for insurance if the deceased had insured himself/herself,” he added.
But neither family members nor educational consulting firms advise Nepali students to buy life insurance policies.
“Nepali students are risking their lives in the absence of appropriate orientation. Though some educational institutions are starting to provide orientation, it is not sufficient and needs to be expanded,” said Mrs. Dixit.
As long as young Nepali students are not given proper orientation and practice risky behavior out of negligence or out of temptation, such tragic news will continue to pour in from across the seven seas.