Melamchi – a story within the story

The tussle between the Ministry of Physical Planning and Ministry of Finance came to the magnitude these days on the dilemma whether to accept ADB’s condition over Melamchi or not.
It has been passed over a decade since some “development doctors” started to write a script for a drama called Melamchi Water Supply Project. The film imagines that the residents of the Katmandu Valley are dying because they don’t have enough water so they must bring it from Melamchi river after constructing some 100 km road and 26-km tunnel !

The film was released in most of government and NGO cinemas. It hit most of the box offices because of good lobbying, western tailor-made architecture and “gwajyo” residents of the valley. Thanks to the project, some selected actors of the film were enjoying as much as over 120,000 rupees of salary per month and the residents start facing dramatic decline of water supply day by day, year by year. The more consultants, the bigger expenditure; the more the discussions the longer their tenure. What an idea to fool the people and make money out of the dream project. I never knew dreams are sold here so cheap.

What is now clear is that the Melamchi-architectures have deliberately destroyed the local water sources, indigenous technology of deriving water from stone spouts and creating a scarcity. In one decease over 30 out of 300 plus water spouts have been dried (Sundhara of Kathmandu is just one name), the Nepal Water Supply Corporation lets 40 per cent of the total water leak on the way. It has neither repaired the stone spouts, not controlled the leakage. As the simple theory goes – the demand looks for supply. So the people of the valley start believing that there is no other solution than welcoming, waiting for and buying the dream called Melamchi.

Nobody is going to give us Melamchi free of cost. Apart from small amount of grants, the Mealmchi is being constructed on the basis of loan money. Out of the 500 million US dollars for the whole project, only 120 million is being lent by the ADBbut just look at its “dadagiri”. It says that it will forward the loan money only if Nepal agrees to hire a foreign management on contract, to manage NWSC. Nepal has to welcome any Tom Dik or Harry though it is going to cost Nepal as much as Rs 11 million dollars, which is equivalent to the budget NWSC needs for running 27 branches of NWSC all over the country.

The bank has a firm of its choice called Severn Trent Water International Limited (STWIL). God knows how much money this company is going to pay to the head of ADB but it is pressurizing the Nepali government to accept it blindly. We know that this company has a very bad working image in different countries and this company came to Nepal without facing any competition. What is ADB trying to prove itself by imposing a lame candidate to participate in athletics? To me it is just like selling a packet of date-expired noodles to a boy and yelling at the boy after he falls sick.

Let ADB advocate about STWIL. But I wonder why our so-called doctors are running after the ADB as sales agents? I wonder why to brothers, Dr Ram Sharan Mahat and Dr Prakash Sharan Mahat are dying to see STWIL ruling Nepal’s Khanepani Sansthan, just because it is not their father’s property? They do not have time to go to their constituency and find proof they have their listeners/ followers there but they have plenty of time to dance according to the ADB’s rhythms.

In conclusion, I would say that the first and only right of making decision on Melamchi goes in hands of the indigenous residents of the Kathmandu Valley. What if a whimsy prime minister thinks to bring water from Gangaji for the Katmanduites? I request all the outsiders, to keep quiet. You may come here, enjoy all facilities, our forefathers have brought for you, you enjoy being a Kathmandu Basi and pollute this poor city more and more. But you do not have right to say whether Kathmandu needs Melamchi or not. You better think about your villages or towns and ask the government to provide your hometowns with this or that. We will help you fight for it. This way, we can make a whole developed Nepal.

Doctors and drinks

Doctors and drinks - both the words start with Ds, though they are just different in nature: One saves live and other just is a killer. How does it look when they came along? You certainly would not tolerate it, will you?

But it happens in Kathmandu. A group of drunk "doctors" ( I deliberately cramped them in brackets because the news said they were, whereas I'm not ready to call them with the holy word) broke into a government-run hospital, thrashed not only their fellow workers but also some patients. And they did not let even the policemen breathe in peace.

"Police arrested four drunken intern doctors from Bir Hospital early Friday morning, after the latter attacked other medical staff and disrupted services at the emergency ward," it was reported in The Kathmandu Post. Let me give you the names of the get doctors. Here goes the addition : "Dr Bishesh Sitaula, Dr Shivaji Bikram Silwal, Dr Prasanta Adhikari and Dr K I Singh KC were arrested from the hospital emergency ward after they started beating up doctors and other staff on duty and throwing furniture at them.

What has happened to this poor country? What will the mawalis, gundas and politicians will do if the doctors come to do what Sunil Thapa does in Nepali films? I'm afraid the doctors will be playing the Rate Kaila's role and Thapa himself will have to find his apartment in Bombay.

Well, the doctors were finally arrested and taken to Hanumandhoka khor. And looking at the seriousness of the event, the police has decided to keep them in custody for seven days.

Jokes aside, this incident has certainly raised some serious questions.

First, what does actually it means by intern doctors? Why are they allowed to touch a patient if they are not doctors in the hospital with the longest history? If they are working as doctors, they can't run away from the responsibility of the grave medical profession just because they are intern. Similarly, you cannot forgive them for what they did or could do just because they are interns. Sending them to the serious duty means that they are capable of handling the patients. The word "intern" is misleading.

Second, are they really doctors? Even quacks have some manners and at lest keep some knowledge of doctors' ethics and why those gangsters did not find any to remember? What kind of education they have obtained and from which college in the world? I read that they studied in China but I doubt if China can produce such drunkards or if it can offer white coats to hooligans. I demand, not only the drunkards but even the medical collage should be punished.

Third, what was the so-called Medical Council was doing here? Does not the council has any mechanism to find if the certificate-holders also have some commonsense? Otherwise, any Tom, Dik and Harry would hold that piece of paper.

Fourth, what the hell the security was doing when the gangsters in white coats entered the government. At times the patients have to follow rules to be on the emergency ward bed. And how the drunk guys could go there and do things like Chakre Milan does? Security must give answers.

Fifth, when all the people are working hands-in-hands, the doctors are now in strike. Why do the state has to invest on them if they are there to raise strikes on every other day? Those doctors who even think about strike must be penalised. They never think about going to Manag or Dolpa but they want every facilities under the sky. This is too much.

I believe this small piece of information tells you why the doctors are beaten up and hospitals are attacked by the public every month here in Nepal.

Goog bye Severn Trent !

It is matter of joy, I say. Nepal said good bye to the infamous company, which wast trying to handle water mangement of Kathmandu Valley, that was just like fishing in the troubled water. The minsitery of Physical Planning and Workls turned deaf ear to so called ultimatum of Severn Trent Water International (ST). Bravo!!!

I would like to congratulate the ministry and minister Hisila Yami for her stand not to accept any foreign company with bad work history. Despite pressure from the Asian Development Bank the government ignored an ultimatum of a foreign company which is the only bidder for taking over Kathmandu Valley’s drinking water supply. Can you imagine, that the Melamchi project was going to pay that corrupt company as much as 8.5 million dollars in six years?

ADB is gonig to lend 120 million dollar to us (remember, it is a loan, not grant, we have to pay it back one day) so that Nepal may construct a tunnel to bring water from Melamchi river and provide it to the residents of the Kathmandu Valley. Indeed, it is the major lender for the country’s biggest drinking water project in Nepal and it is mysterious why ADB want ST to manage our water (of course, there is commission everywhere).

But I wonder, whether the government or the donors ever really asked the people of Kathamndu valley (I mean the genuine resident of the valley, not like those of Gopal Man Singh or Madhav Kumar Nepal) if they really need that costly water. Everything is being done by those people who present the valley as water-trapped city and by creating artificial scarcity, they want to provide us a solution which is goning to cost us as much as 500 million dollars. Shame on those selfish technicians, who sell their mothers' milk for petty profit.

For over 300 years, the residents of valley have been drinking water from stone spouts. Those spouts quite older than ADB, Suman Kumar Sharma, Sima Rajauriya or Gopal Man Singh himself. We did not have to worry about any other water sources for centuries. Now, they all are creating problems for their benefit. See, in past one decade or two, over 20 major water spouts have been deleberately damaged - one after another - so that the people may feel th irsty adn say ok to Melamchi project. Who is gonig to stop those sadists?

Let the governmet first decide that the valley need no more water sources than we have and then we will be wroking in real strenght.

I don't say that we can say no to Melamchi at this turn of events. The population of the valley has been increased by 10 times. Many of our water sources have been damaged; and in the name of modernisation, we have developed a culture to use more water and waste it.

In this situation, we should better be more cautious and take more responsibility so that no other Kuire guy come and sell any such dream which is going to cost us or our children very very much.

Happy World Press NGOdom Day!

I did not know that being a journalist could be as easy as running an NGO. No, let me put the same thing again - I did not know that the principle of running an NGO could be applied in working as journalists as well.

Today is World Press Freedom Day - the only day we can talk about press freedom (and you know what we are allowed to talk on other days). But to my disgust, even in this day, the NGOism worked well among jouranlists.

Does the movement for journalism means only collecting donation from INGOs, organising programmes for their interest and then saying that they have done great job? I only see the same old faces in the dias, holding microphone and banner in the rally.

I am not against any orgnaistaion of the joruanlsits. Rather I say that we need a strong organisation or federation or union or whatever to protect us, to help us to guide us and to criticise us. But I do not see any of these mushrooming organisations formed in the name of organising journalists have done or doing somehitng like that. Most of the post-holders in such organisations are pet-dogs of one or another political parties, to be very frank. I don't belong to/ trust any party. Does it mean that I am not suitable to be a jorurnalist? Why does it happen? It is because the seft-proclaimed journalist-leaders follow that path and as role models, we also tend to run after those bullshit leaders, wagging our tails ( I mean to say those who run after those leaders have tails). Or, they are running after the donors - they prepare a proopsal for a talk programme, speak out same stale issues and enjoy free luch or dinner. Or they fight for chance to go in some foreign free trips. Can they think more than that?

And they take themselves as great leaders and do not contact us, the voters and try to run way even when we contact them for some news - as if we are all their jilla-basi and try to meet them to find a job. Shame.

I'm tired of the same old faces, same old speeches and way of working. Is there anybody or any organisation who will come and fight with my boss or employers if I'm tortured, abused or simply sacked? No. So, they are all making their political images on our names, jobs and simplicity. Should we let it go?

And I could not see any movement of bloggers today. May be they are doing something and I could not find. I thing it is a day for the bloggers as well, what do you think?
=

Tailpiece: And the scene at BICC after the talks programme was really newsworthy. A mass of 'journalists' thronged to the teller where snacks and tea were being distributed. Those jouranslits, who talk big things about mismanagement in the governmetn and "luchhachudi" of parties became a part of it.

Happy Loktantra Day! Pooh!

We are all celebration loving creatures. We celebrate everything - and celebrating anniversary is something we have in our veins. It is the easiest because if someone or something is born it will continue to live till it dies and it makes enough room for us to keep celebrating it every year.

Loktantra Day is a kind of it. It was given (I don't thing we took it) as somebody said let there be Loktantra and there was Loktantra. And it came to the pockets of those political leaders free of cost. Around 20 persons died and hundreds injured. And the reward went to those political leaders to become prime minister, vice-prime minister and vice-vice prime ministe r and so on. In reality 365 days are enough to utilise political supremacy and keep all possible threats at bay, but what have the political leaders done in that time? They could release many rhino-killers and red-saldalwood smugglers but they could not hold election of conistituent assembly.

Today's gimmik at Basantapur in the name of celebration of Loktantra Day was really a nice thing to mention. Prachanda, Madhav Kumar, Shambhu Thapa, Padmaratna Tuladhar as well as Madan Krishna, Hari Bansha, Manoj Gajurel, Rubin Gandharva, Badri Pageni, Ramesh and others were as usual. NC leader Ram Chantra Paudel was the hero, he earned hundreds of water bottles and what not for his prize-winning remark on constituent
monarchy. I heard that there was a Golchhe Sarki in the parliament who gave him a benchmark slap at teh House. The audience there were indeed very self-controling.

Another hero of today is undoubtedly King Gyanendra, who refused to be part of the Loktantra Day celebration and went to Dashinkali temple for animal sacrifices. May be, this is what is called "Dubte ko tinke ka sahara" in Hindi. But I'm sure while Daskhinkali is not at all a tinka and equally sure that she will support the truth and power of the people, who have nothing to offer but keeps right to ask for more.

All through the sun, rain and strom, I was just wondering five good reasons to celebrate Loktanra Day. Will anybody help me?

Sell the TIGER to save it?

It was an extraordinary symposium. The invitation card said it was an "international symposium" on "Sell the Tiger to save it". Before I got the card, I had never imagined that selling tiger can save it. An idea hit my mind - if this theory is gong to work, I will fist sell my motorbike because I want to save it!
I was surprised to see the people in the dais: They were all seven and two among them were Nepali. Generally, when we go to participate in symposiums, we make up our mind to see experts in the dais - who will come up with their ideas and discuss on various aspects. I could not say about the foreigners but the Nepali gentlemen were certainly not tiger experts. To be precise, they, picked up from Tribhuwan University have nothing to do with tigers.
As it was written in the invitation card, there should be presentation by a panel of international experts, including conservationists, economists and wildlife enthusiasts" but I saw only business men there. On the dais were Laxman Khanal, Mohit Satyanand, Hank Jenkins, Kirsten Conrad, Dr Madan Koirala, Rakesh Wadhwa and Jia Quian were al ready tell the people that government should allow people to sell everything which had market.
On the table, beside the VOW and Boss, the magazines, photocopies of articles by Pallavi Aiyar and Barun Mitra were on display, which all said that selling is the solution. And a hand out from Mr Jia Qian states that legalization of the use of farmed tiger bone may meet the market demand and significantly reduce the illegal trade by cutting down its price (You can write to him at jiagin@istic.ac.cn). But, to my surprise, there was not a single-page document which supports that the wild animals should not be traded.
One after another, al the business giants said that the ban should be lifted because there is big demand and by selling the tigers, they can earn money. Even two Nepali gentlemen, said to be brought from concerned departments of Tribhuwan University also did not say that they should be left wild. I'm a fool. I had not though about it.
But being with tiger lovers for some days I had understood that:
1. There is a big gang of tiger tycoons in the world who use money of Chinese tiger farmers and make pressure that the ban should be lifted. Lifting of the ban will help the tiger farmers to sell their product to the world as easily as they sell goats and chickens.2. Keeping the tigers in the farms has become really really expensive for them. The farmers want to sell them off as soon as possible.3. The tigers in the farms have become as lazy as broiler chickens. They have lost all their natural instinct to hunt, to confirm their territory or to be simple, be wild. And the farmers are not sure if the tigers are really good enough to make balm or wine. 4. The tigers from the farm are going to be damn expensive. And if the poached tigers could be bought in chicken's price, why would somebody go and buy tigers from the farm? They just want to make the water troubled so that anybody could fish there.5. If the ban on illegal trade of tiger is lifted, the manufacturers of tiger products will easily buy smuggled tigers from Nepal and other counties and will say they are consuming the tigers from the farms. That would help them evade tax and also make big money.6. The lift of ban will help the poachers in Nepal and other country to come up with their business even directly. That is, it is going to be "catastrophe" for Nepal's tigers, as it was said by ED of TRAFFIC International.7. And, not necessary to say, big bunches of the Chinese money have arrived in pockets of so-called Nepali event mangers, experts for sell and others. That is why they are there to lobby for selling though Nepal is neither a consumer not a supplier (at least in legal eyes).
After the heavily sponsored presentation, the question-answer session was quite interesting. The whole of the audience was found against the selling scheme and they raised hair-raising questions from different angles WWF and Traffic International made a big team. I saw only Ukesh and Mangalman from conservationist's side while none of the government officials appeared at the scene. They asserted that raising the tigers in farm cannot be possible and the product is not going to help the ecology as the bred tigers have certainly lost the "wild" nature. They added that it would be a big threat for the wild tigers living in neighboring countries. It was just like the press conference of the king's minister Kamal Thapa when the journalists hurled burning question and he was compelled smile before answering them.
I could not believe my eyes that Nepali experts are so cheap to buy. And the government officials who remain as silent during the whole chaos of ITS over the issue as they used to be silent in case of rhino poaching and smuggling of red sandalwood. And this is the time where there is none to speak about tiger conservation efforts of Nepal and the harm the selling in China could make on them. Shame, Nepali government official presented seven years old data when they had to tell the panel how many tigers are left in Nepal.
A lavish dinner followed the meeting. I wonder how a magazine could spent that much of money to offer cocktails and dinners to over 50 participatns in a starred hotel of Hotel Shangrila. Anybody can imagine, the money must have come from the Chinese businessmen.
And where have all the noted tiger experts have gone, who visite this or that country in the name of tiger conservation? And where have other NGOs, which come newpaper offices to have their press releases printed on petty issues? Yes, I saw at least four gentlement from an NGO called NEFEJ but they all remained silent till they were standing in front fo the bar in the lawn. I was wondering why I could not see Sujata Koirala, who is reportedly a big wildlife lover?
When I was coming back, a strange idea rode my mind. It is not only tigers of Nepal which has demand in neighboring countries. More than tigers, Nepali girls would be sold out if they are bred in captivity. Despite criticism from the whole world, we have not stopped exporting of Nepali girls to Indian and other brothels. Then, I would like to suggest the businessmen to breed girls in their captivity and start lobbying for lifting ban on human trafficking. I'm sure they will become billionaires in several years.

Richard's kiss and Shilpa in Buddhism

Richard Gere is an actor. He is a Buddhist too. Being an actor and being a Buddhsit has no relation in general but when it comes to Richard, it is an issue, at least for Nepali newspapers. There is nothing wrong in being an actor or being a Buddhist. Neither could there be any problem if an actor happens to be a Buddhist or a Buddhst likes to be an actor. But at least in Nepali context, he is special because he is a Buddhist. His picture in crimson robe is valued more than a Thapaaju in Kathmandu's bahal or Rimpochhe in a distant gomba in Solokhumbu.

This relation between Buddhism and actorism turns out to be significant when he hits headlines of newpapers with some extraordinary kisses to an Indian actress in public place. It is possible that his kissing Shilpa Shetty in HIV-AIDs programme could be a business in Mumbai's film industry, where nothing comes in free. And this kiss really matters when it makes story between a Hollywood star and a millionire actress. I will later waste your time by telling who made how much of money behind the pre-plotted "accidental" kissing havoc.

Being a Buddhist is one thing and following the basic principles of Buddha is another. I'm not an authority to say what is Buddhism and what is not but I reserve at least this right to say that one of the five basic rules of Buddhism is not to "look at" others' wives. I'm not sure if Richard was a part-time Buddhist. But if he loves to be interviewed as a Buddhist, he should at least maintain the limit of "Kamesumichhachara" (at least in public places in his context). It was not a shooting and he was not acting with an actress (from the news we read and watch). Then what could be the reason for an actor to cling to a woman in non-intertainment programme do what is not allowed in Indian civil laws? We know, they belong to such a category of the socity where they do not even sneeze without a cause and it was kissing.

Forget about "The Sexiest Man".What about Shilpa? Her giggling was the evidence that it was not what some like to call sexual abuse or rape. And we know Indian actresses do not kiss or be kissed without a cause. It is their daily business. We should not try to make stories out of their business. Rmember? Padmini Kolhapure once made an expensive kiss to a British Prince?

The bottom line is that it becomes different type of Buddhism when it comes in hands of actors. After finishing the adventure, Richard flew to Kathmandu. Probablly he visited his favourite monastery in Boudha to meet some Tibetan gurus. I know, those gurus have authority to clean the man off her lipstick marks. It is more possible when he is paying the gurus in dollars. Still, will it clean the image Buddhism so far as made in the world in pat 2500 years?

On the othar hand, we do not know the reason behind is love for Tibetans living here and why he visits Nepal to see Tibetan girls here (I know he also sees boys too). But if he is sure to earn some more millions by giving a kiss to a Tibetan girl, he would not miss the chance either. I bet.