Wednesday, April 30, 2014

शहरी सार्वजनिक यातायात को बेथिति बारे गोपको लेख : April 29

zx/Lofsf] ;s; M ;fa{hlgs oftfoft            

zx/L ljsf;sf] Ps k|d'v cfwf/ zx/L–oftfoft klg xf] . h;l/ vfg] kfgL, lah'nL / u'0f:tl/o vfWofGg kfpg' kg{]–zx/sf jfl;Gbfx?sf] clwsf/ xf], To;}u/L pgLx?sf] clwsf/ ;xh / e/kbf]{] oftfoftsf] ;'ljwf kfpg' kg{] klg xf] . oftfoft t cem zx/L hLjgsf] cleGg c+ug} dfGg'k5{ lsgls Jo:ttf g} zx/L hLjgsf] nIf0f / cfjZostf xf] h;df ;fa{hlgs oftfoftn] k|d'v e"ldsf v]n]sf] x'G5 . s'g} klg zx/sf] oftfoft Joj:yf n] ToxfFsf] hghLjg, ;+:s[lt, ;Eotf cflbsf] kl/ro lbG5 / ToxfFsf] cfyL{s ljsf;df dxTjk"0f{ of]ubfg u/]sf] x'G5 . pbfx/0fsf] nflu o'/f]ksf a}eazfnL zx/x? – n08g, k]l/;, anL{g, lePgf, df:sf] cflb @$;} 306f glgbfpg] Ao:tzx/ dWw]sf x'g\ h;sf] ;DkGgtfsf] nflu ToxfFsf] e/kbf{] zx/L oftfoft g} d"Vo lhDd]af/ xf] . lo zx/x? af6 ToxfFsf] cy{tGq dfq xf]Og 1fg, la1fg, snf / ;+:s[ltsf] klg pTyfg x'b} uPsf] 5 .

g]kfnsf k|foM s'g} klg If]q ;dflnPsf], cg'zfl;t e]l6b}g . ljZjlaBfnosf] lzIff, ;/sf/L :jf:Yo ;]jf, vfg]kfgL ljt/0f, hnlaw't, zx/Ls/0f / af6f]3f6f] – oL ;j} o:t} nyflnË ?kdf, xr'jfsf] e/df rn]sf / a]nufd l:yltdf /x]sf b]lvG5Gf\ h;nfO{ x]b{f nfU5 of]hgfaf6 xf]Og jfWotfjz xfdL cfhsf] of]] l:yltdf cfO{k'u]sf xf} . of] j]lyltsf] Ps /fd|f] b[i6fGt zx/Lofx?sf ;fa{hlgs oftfoftsf] l:ylt af6 lbg ;lsG5 . cem nfdf] O{ltxfz af]s]sf], 7"nf] ah]6 kfpg] / of]hgfsf] s]G›laGb' dflgg] /fhwfgL zx/sf] pbfx/0fn] cGo ztfDzM klg gePsf gu/x?sf] a]lylt a'‰g emg} ;lhnf] x'G5 . o; pkTosfsf] zx/L If]q cy{fTf\ sf7df8f}F, nlntk'/, eQmk'/, lstL{k'/ / l7dLnfO{ hf]8\bf aGg] j[xb If]qnfO{ zx/L sf7df8f}F eGg] xf] eg] o;sf] If]qkmn (&=$ ju{ ls=ld= / @)^* sf] hgu0fgf cg';f/ oxfF sl/a !% nfv dfG5]sf] :yfO{ j;f]jf; 5 . t/ of] hg;+Vofdf sl/a pQLs} c:yfoL hg;+Vof afx|} dlxgfh;f] ylkg] cg'dfg 5 . o;l/ oxfFsf] ;s[o hg;+Vof sl/a #) nfvsf] xf/fxf/Ldf x'gcfp+5 . …hfO{sf(JAICA)… / …Xofla6Øf6(HABITAT)… n] @)^( df u/]sf] Ps cWog cg';f/ o; If]qsf $Ü gu/jfzL cfˆg} df]6/ r9\5Gf\, @^Ü df]6/;fOsn / sl/a &)Ü sf] cfˆgf] lghL ;fwg 5}g, h;dWw] sl/a cfwf cy{fTf\ sl/a !) nfv gu/af;L x/]s lbg ;fa{hlgs oftfoft g} k|of]u ug{ afWo 5Gf\ . oqf] 7"nf] hg;+Vof x/]s lbg r/d ;s;df hLjg rnfpg afWo 5Gf\ hf] s]za/fh lk+8fnLsf] …z'/ aL/sf] g/s ofqf eGbf w]/} km/s x'b}g .

/fhwfgL zx/sf] ;fa{hlgs ;fwgdf 7"nf / demf}nf a;, ;]tf Eofg, / tLg kf+u|] 6]Dk'g} k|d'v x'G.\ . afUdtL c+rn oftfoft Joa:yfkg ljefusf] cg';f/ @)&) d+l;/ ;Dddf oxfF !&,!(# ;fa{hlgs ;fwg bt{f ePsf lyP . oL ;fa{hlgs ;fwgx? cToGt :j]R5frf/L 5Gf\ . b'O{hgf a:g] l;6df tLghgf /fVg], xf]rf plEeg gldNg] Eofgdf gsf]RofO{ glx8\g], s]xL la;f}gLdf a]:;/L dfG5] sf]Rg w]/} a]/ s'g{] / cufl8sf] afxg n] dfG5] xfNnf eg]/ lta| ultdf bf}8fpg], a; /f]Sg] / r8\g] 7fpsf] dgk/L, r8\bf–r8\b} x'Tofpg], j[4 czQmsf] b'b{zf, l;6df a:bf /fd|/L gc6fO{g] / v'§f gk:g] l;6sf agf]6, cJoj:yfn] u/]sf] dfG5] sf]rfO{ / le8df r8\g afWo dlxnfx?df le8sf] cdo{flbt wSsf–wSsL, dfG5] r8fpg] bf}8df ul/g] b'3{6gf, vnf;Lsf] b'j{rg, ljBfy{Ln] kfpg] ;x'lnotdf srsRf, ef8fsf] dgk/L – oL ;j} of] zx/sf] b}lgs hLjgsf cleGg c+u eO{;s]sf 5G.\ . /flt slt ah] ;Dd s'g} ?6df ;fj{hlgs oftfoft rNg] xf] 7]ufg x'b}gÙ of] rfnssf] OR5fdf e/k5{ . o;l/ x]b{f oL ;fj{hlgs oftfoft …slt ;fj{hlgs x'Gf\ < slt JolQmut ;DklQ x'Gf <… 7Dofpg ufx|f] 5 . of] b'b{zfsf] ;'wf/sf] nflu of Joa:yfkg ug{ s'g} clwsfl/s lgsfo ePsf] efg x'b}g . g]kfn / ljb]zsf] cg'ea ePsf Ps la1n] s]xL klxn] eg]sf s'/fdf w]/} ;Totf b]lvG5 . plg eGy] æha;Dd of]hgfcfof]u / sfo{kflnsfsf lgtLlgd{ftfx? xKtfdf PskN6 ;fj{hlgs oftfoft / ;fj{hlgs zf}rfnodf hfg afWo x'b}gg of] b]zsf] ljsf; x'b} x'b}g .Æ /fhwfgLsf ;8sx¿df 306f}+sf] hfd x'g] ;d:ofnfO{ xfn} ul/b}sf] ;8s rf}8fug{] sfdn] s]lx /fxt lbPklg sltko 7fpdf ;dZof oyfjt b]lvPsf] 5 . c/af}+sf] vr{ / JolQmut ;DklQsf] lagfz af6 cfPsf] of] kl/jt{gnfO{ lbg}lbg a9\bf] ;jf/Lsf] rfkn] k'gM pxL xfndf k'o{fpg] ;+s]t lbb} 5 . hj;Dd ;fj{hlgs oftfoft k|0ffnLnfO{ e/kbf{] agfpg ;Sb}gf} / rf/ kf+u|] ;fgf afxgsf] ;§f ^–* kf+u|] 7"nf afxg / df;–6«flGh6df hfb}gf},  ;8s hlt km/flsnf] agfPklg o;n] a9\bf] JolQmut ;jf/L ;fwgsf] rfknfO{ y]Ug ;Sb}g . b'O{ bzs cuf8L (Ü n] dfq r8\g] df]6/;fOsn cfh @^Ü n] r8\b} u/]sf] hfO{sfsf] cg'zGwfgn]  b]vfPsf] 5 . of] jfWotf xf] zx/L hLjgsf] hxfF ;dosf] 7'nf] dxTj x'G5 t/ ;fj{hlgs oftfoftdf ;'netf / ljZj;gLotf 5}g . kmntM gu/jf;L, uf8f sdfO{sf] k};faf6 lghL ;fwg lsGg afWo 5G.\ . ;fy} o; b'/fj:yfn] x/]s aif{ uf8L / OGwgsf] vl/bdf 7"nf] k"+hL ljb]z hfb}5 / x/]s aif{ ;8sdf ;jf/Lsf] rfk a9\b} 5 – ;fy} a9\bf] 5 jfo'k|b'if0f . oL ;d:ofx?sf] lg/fs/0fsf] nflu lgDg cNksflng / bL3{sflng pkfox? cTofjZos b]lvG5Gf\ .
!= Psf+sL ?kn] rln/x]sf zof}+ yl/sf ;fwgx?sf] 7fpdf PsLs[t oftfoftsf] cawf/0ff Nofpg' h?/L5 . o; cGtu{t laleGg k|sf/sf ;fwgx? M a;, 6«nLa;, e"ldut /]n cflbsf] nflu …Psåf/ k|0ffnL… ckgfoL Pp6} l6s6n] k'Ug], ;do ;l/0fL cg';f/ rNg], lglZrt la;f}gLdf dfq r9fpg] / cf]/fNg] Joj:yf ldnfpg' cfjZos 5 .
@=d]6«f] / 6«fd h:tf b|'t ;]jf(mass transit ) sf7df8f}F, kf]v/f h:tf la:tfl/t zx/x?sf] nflu clgjfo{ cfjZostfdf kg{] ;]jf x'G.\ . xfdLsxfF 6«nLa; h:tf] ;:tf] / pkof]uL ;]jf bzsf+} ;Dd rn]/ Aoa:yfksLo sf/0fn] aGb eof] . t/ of] ;]jf …k|lt ofq'…sf] lx;fan] x]b{f cfoftLt t]naf6 -k]6«f]n, l8hn_ rNg] eGbf Hofb} ;:tf] ;]jf xf] . of] ;]jf sf7df8f}F, la/f6gu/, g]kfnu+h, aL/u~h h:tf 3gf cfjfbL / ;fgf] ;8s ePsf 7fpsf] nflu /fd|f] ;]jf xf] . cjsf] oftfoft cfoftLt t]nnfO{ la:yflkt ug{] / hn–law'tnfO{ pkof]u ug{] lsl;dsf] x'g'k5{ . clxn]g} b]zdf @,))) d]ufjf6 eGbf a9Lsf hnlaw't of]hgfx? cuf8L a9]sf 5G.\ . cfoftLt t]nsf] la:yfkgfaf6 ;+lrt k"+hL hnlaw'tsf gof of]hgfx?df nufpg ;lsG5 . b]zsf] cfyL{s l:ylt xfn sdhf]/ ePsf]n] v08 v08 u/]/, jfifL{s of]hgfx? agfO{ x/]s If]qdf o:tf Joj:yfkg ub{} hfg' k5{ . x/]s zx/n] cfˆgf] zx/L oftfoftsf] of]hgf agfO{ afl;Gbfx? aLr axzdf NofO{ lrQ a'emfpg' k5{ / ltg} hgtfsf] cfyL{s ;xeflutfdf sfd c3L a9fpg' k5{ .
#= sf7df8f}F h:tf] P]ltxfl;s ;Dkbfn] el/Psf] / hg3gTj Ps} 7fpdf y'lk|Psf] zx/df af6f] rf}8f kfb{}hfg' dfq Aoaxfl/s / /fd|f] ;dfwfg xf]Og . o;sf] ;f6f], km/flsnf] af6f]x? h:tf] rqmky, dfOtL3/–;'o{lagfos, PsfGts'gf–hfpnfv]n–l;+xb/jf/ b]lv dfOtL3/, gofF;8s 9f]sf b]lv gf/fo0fuf]kfn rf]sdf lkn/ p7fP/ d]6«f] rnfpg ;lsG5 . o:tf] cr]n ef/tsf] /fhwfgL lbNnLdf b]lvG5 . o;}ul/ 3gf a:tL ePsf 7fpFx? h:tf] leqL sf7df8f}F, eQmk'/ 8fF8f, d+unahf/df e"ldut /]n rnfpg g} pko'Qm x'G5 .
$= af6f]df lx8\g]x?sf] nflu ;8sk]6Lsf] Joj:yf clgafo{ ug{'k5{ . htf;'s} ;8sk]6Lx?, ToxfFsf k;n]x?sf] ;dfg /fvg] ;lhnf] 7fpFsf] ?kdf of kfls{8= ug{ k|of]u eO{/x]sf 5G.\ . ;8sdf a6'jfsf] clwsf/ ;a}eGbf klxnf] x'G5 . of] cGt/{fli6«o lgod g} xf] . ;8sk]6L agfpbf ckf+ud}qL / ;fdfg u'8fpg ;xh agfpg' kb{5 .
%= cr]nsf zx/x?df gful/ssf] :jf:Yo / k|b'if0f 36fpg] lx;fan] ;fOsnsf] a9L k|of]u xf]:f\ eGg] Wofg /fVg' k5{ . o;sf] nflu ;fOsn n]gsf] Joj:yf ug{' cjZos 5  .

Sunday, April 20, 2014

"The way out: :Oil crisis" in Republica April 24

Petroleum shortage has once again hit the life of urban population hard. Long queue of vehicles can be seen in front of petrol pumps. Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) says that the supply will resume in a day or two but customers don’t believe this statement. 

This shortage appeared as Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) lowered its supply to Nepal demanding the outstanding payment of Rs 5.18 billion. But, as usual, NOC is unable to arrange the amount and the government also turns deaf ear to the NOC problem. The current Finance Minister Dr Ram Sharan Mahat is considered to be strongly against fuel subsidy. It seems easy supply will not resume anytime soon. 


Moreover, it is not one-time problem. In fact, it is the second most recurrent problem of urban Nepal after load-shedding. The reality is that Nepal has no oil mines, so it has to import oil from international markets where the price goes up all the time.

According to the 1974 agreement between NOC and IOC, IOC bids for crude gasoline from international market and supplies it to Nepal as per the latter’s demand. Nepal has to pay IOC and payment is revised twice a year. Due to inadequate numbers of tankers to carry petroleum products and insufficient NOC storage capacity, private sector plays the complementary role of transportation and supply. However, NOC takes up several responsibilities including pricing, quality control, and monitoring of technical and other losses. 

Each of these activities provides scope for illegal operations, making the price, quality and supply of petroleum problematic. 

Diesel price affects the price of all imported and transported items including food, clothing and luxury goods. Consumer Price Index (CPI) that measures the price of goods indicates that between 2000 and 2013, price of petroleum products has increased around 450 times whereas the price for other goods increased only 170 times. This shows how helpless we are to the vagaries of international fuel cartels like OPEC. 

Fuel price in Nepal is government-regulated. Whenever it increases, student unions take to the streets. To bring an end to the strikes, government often rolls back the price and increases subsidy. As a result, the government has accumulated a huge financial burden. 

If every other commodity like food, clothing, and medicine along with automobiles are sold in the market at the purchased price plus excise and profits, why can’t the same be done for petrol, diesel, kerosene, and LPG? In the name of fuel subsidy government as well as NOC seem to be playing lose-lose game. As NOC has to sell petroleum at a price much lower than the purchase price it has already incurred a debt of Rs. 34 billion from different sources. This current shortage has evolved from the additional due payment of Rs. 5.18 billion that is to be paid to the IOC; IOC has already cut 35 percent of its regular supply to Nepal. 

Successive governments have tried to stabilize the fuel price just to please the public. They have created large deficits. Moreover, every government recruits party faithful at the NOC. Government officers enjoy privilege petrol and diesel quota. It all proves that NOC is not doing business but has become a party-palace where the powerful make merry. Most employees at the NOC are neither technicians nor business experts.

NOC’s involvement in corruption is clear. From 1997 to 1999 the price of gas decreased in the international market but NOC did not lower the price. Despite the fact that NOC was continuously losing billions, in 1999 it distributed bonus to employees worth Rs 174 million, amounting to 30 months’ salary. They took allowances even for washing clothes. 

Investigation found that NOC staff accepted bribes from transporters and dealers who adulterate the petroleum products or cheat in measurement. Such problems have appeared due to the wrong recruiting process, internal corruption, inefficiency among workers and monopoly of NOC in petroleum business. 

Obviously, it is not only NOC that is to be blamed; the private sector is equally responsible for the mess. The associations of petroleum dealers, transporters, gas companies and gas dealers have created a vicious cartel cycle in the country. They use pressure tactics like stalling supply and creating artificial crisis in the market to raise profits and commission margins. Energy experts also say that the Indian government uses petro weapon to keep Nepali government honest. 

There are two options to manage the fuel problem. First, the market should be opened for the private sector and the NOC be dissolved. Second, NOC should be overhauled by bringing proficient staffs. The first option seems unfeasible for years. Private sector, at present, is less capable of international business or being accepted by the IOC. Until then the role of NOC is paramount. However, the supervision and working modality of NOC should be revised. 

Many have suggested an autonomous price determining body. Also, the government should stop fuel subsidy that is mostly abused. Rather, the poor can be provided identity cards that entitle them to subsidized product. To mitigate the adverse effect on general public due to the increment of fuel price, the tax rate should be lowered. 

The cumulative burden of the NOC is about Rs 40 billion, more than our budget for health or physical infrastructure. In 2013/14 the government allocated Rs. 30.4 billion for health and Rs. 35.3 billion for infrastructure. If the government stops paying NOC’s debts, more investment in these areas would be possible. 

The money thus saved can be utilized for the exploration of cooking gas and other fuel sources. Natural gas has been reported at many locations such as Dailekh, Pyuthan, Dang and even in Kathmandu Valley at Pulchowk and Chobhar. The exploration of petrol initiated by a Canadian team few years ago had shown possibility of finding petroleum at some places. 

Monday, April 7, 2014

Sick City (MyRepublica April 7, 2014)

Sick city 

Garbage and solid waste management has 
become an incurable disease in all our cities


Clean and green Kathmandu sounds like science fiction. Nepal Government and Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) Office have announced to make the valley clean and green for the upcoming 18th South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation summit in November 2014. Inhabitants of the valley are skeptical about such announcements. Do we need a clean city only for SAARC summit and not for our own sake? 

When we visit a city in developed countries, the first impression we get is its cleanness, greenery and the open space. There they levy tax, often in good amount, from all who utilize the metropolitan facilities. In response, all essential facilities for the inhabitants are provided. In European cities, for example, we can find tea parlors and vendors all over the street but they have to pay a handsome tax to the municipality for doing business there. In Vienna, for example, vehicle parking charge inside the city is so high that most people including white-collar officers and executives would rather use public transportation than their personal cars.

 
However, here we often see municipality trucks chasing the street vendors. Kathmandu footpaths are always covered with cheap wares and their vendors who have not to pay any tax. Parking spaces too are free of cost. In an already congested city, free parking has made it unmanageably crowded. KMC should have arranged paid parking space at different corners of the city. People should realize that the city cannot allow parking anywhere and everywhere. 
Garbage and solid waste management has become an incurable problem in all our cities. Non-governmental Organizations like Safai Nepal have made significant contributions to the collection and transportation of garbage of Kathmandu. The city would have been horrible place to live in without them. However, frequent protests by the locals from the nearby ‘land fill sites’ creates problem in garbage disposal. 


While private agencies are doing their best for garbage management, the government takes no initiative for sustainable solid waste management. Solid waste of our cities contains 80-85 percent biodegradable waste that can be converted into manure. Rest of the garbage contains non-biodegradable materials which can be recycled. GTZ, DANIDA and few other INGOs have already proposed for technical and financial support for such recycling project but the government has not accepted this due to unknown reasons. Such recycle plants seem essential here.

In the meantime, municipalities should monitor private collectors so that they will be reliable and efficient. Despite all the effort of municipalities and NGOs we find pile of garbage in the open roads, street corners and rivers. Principally, public should not only be educated but also punished for littering their household and commercial garbage at public places. 

In the last few months a momentum has been created to clean rivers of Kathmandu. Nepal Telecom sends SMS inviting all to participate in the cleaning of Bagmati River every Saturday. Many dignitaries and common people have participated in the cleaning program. While such drive shows awareness of people and builds social harmony which is much needed for urban societies, it has contributed very little to the cleanliness of the river. 

Firstly, not only Bagmati is polluted but all rivers in the valley are highly polluted. Secondly, people have not stopped polluting the river even after the cleaning campaign. Recently, in some newspapers snaps of toilets having direct outpouring in Bagmati was published. At so many places wastes are still disposed directly in the river. If municipalities cannot provide alternatives for the management of public drainage and enforce strong laws to stop river polluters, the Saturday medicine cannot cure this epidemic. 

Besides garbage, desertification and concrete jungle is a big problem in Kathmandu. A city is lively and beautiful only if it has sufficient vegetation and green parks. Development planners have never given priority to green-issues. Urban development should always go hand-in-hand with nature conservation. Municipalities have paper plans for ‘greenery on the roof’ but they have no plans for greenery on the ground: by roadsides, river banks, or public places. 

These days, roads are being widened and reconstructed in Kathmandu. There seems to be no plan for plantation of saplings. Small shrubs are needed at the pathway so that it will help the pedestrians get shade in hot summer. It is said that ‘tree is life’ and we need trees, shrubs, bushes in the city to make city-dwellers’ life healthy. 

Green parks are essential part of a city. However, we have no parks to speak of in Kathmandu. A few parks like Ratnapark and Balajupark are in no good condition. Central part of the city has dense population and high air pollution but has no green parks for balance. KMC should find open public lands and conserve nature. Some local clubs are trying to preserve public places for making parks and KMC can encourage and assist them on it.

The author is a professor at the Department of Statistics, Amrit Science Campus

Hydroelectricity -published in Gorkhapatra April 4, 2014