There’s Nothing Moral About Sex

Madhav Nepal Enjoying with Spice Girl:

By Divas

Someone has to speak the truth, and if I will not, then who will?  People often ask me how can I be so sure of myself…the reason I can be so sure of myself is because i’ve always believed that every age has its own set of problems and therefore its own set of solutions…the basic philosophy behind my assumption is that everything in this world is always in a flux…

And one of the most problematic issues of our times is that of sex… Aldous Huxley said about a century ago that sex is the biggest nothing of our time…and I will say that it’s still a biggest nothing of our time…looks like humans would never be able to keep a healthy attitude toward sex…and after hunger, sex is the most basic issue behind human suffering… in this post, I’m illuminating certain basic things related to sex, which everyone knows but very few dare to speak..even the intellectuals speak on these things only within their close circles…but my aim is to release people from their unnecessary suffering by bringing the taboo issues into the public sphere..

Everyone  is Sexual:

Everyone without exception is sexual. You know it, I know it. Most of the visitors to this blog come looking for sexual gratification. The Top Post of All Time on this blog is Sex in Kathmandu City, and I’d to block comments on that post coz most of the comments there are solicitations for sex. And you know what sorts of search words bring people to this blog? Here are some of today’s search words for your amusement: i want sex tonight in kathmandu, call girl in kathmandu with mobile number, naked girls and fuck, how can i find nepali prostitute in Kathmandu, is prostitution legal in Nepal, nepali women in fucking business, girl want to be fucked, kathmandu boy sex, women seeking men Nepal…

What does this show? This shows that people are sick with sex. Our films, TVs, news items, advertisements, and internet virtually bombard every human being with contents that arouse your sexual instincts. That’s making people sick. Moreover, unlike in the past, the average  marriageable age for both sexes is around 30+ at present…This shows that if you use today’s technology and if you extend your marriageable age beyond puberty, you cannot stick to the  conventional morality on sex which assumes that you will get married once  you reach puberty.

Sexual Atrraction:  

Therefore, there is no need to feel guilty for being sexual. Being sexual means that you’re healthy. And it applies to both male and female, without any prejudice. Sexual attraction can happen between any two people, even among the relatives.  Freud is right there. So is Osho. Therefore no need to feel guilty about being sexual.

Sexual Relations:

Since everyone is sexual, there’s nothing moral about sex. What kind of relationship two people are in is nobody’s business.

Sex and Sexual Violence:

Sexual violence is like any other violence, there is no need to make any taboo of sexual violence. Those who commit violence on others  suffer themselves. But, you don’t lose your prestige if you’ve suffered  sexual violence.  What amuses me that even feminists demand compensation arguing on behalf of ‘prestige’. As long as you’re going to associate your prestige with sex, you are bound to suffer.

Therefore, there’s nothing called prestige related to sex. Btw, who’s that fucking thing called ‘prestige’ anyway? As Parijaat wrote in her Sirisko Phool, who’s prestige? no body has any prestige… it’s just that people pretend with each other…

Sex and Society:

However, if you’re not careful, society will put you in many difficulties in life.  Because, society is always there to blackmail you with sex. But, remember, sex surely has practical difficulties but if you fear the society, then you’ll always remain paranoid about sex. Let me tell you one truth that I discovered, I’ve found that sex workers are happier than the so-called ‘good girls and women’ because sex workers aren’t paranoid about their false ‘prestige’. And one of the reason why my mother suffered was because she was a ‘good’ woman. So, if necessary, be ‘bad’ and be happy. Because, your happiness is your greatest responsibility. You can do any good in this world only if you’re happy.

Moral of the Story:

So, am I encouraging promiscuity? No, I’m not encouraging promiscuity. As far as possible, keep your sexual experience to a minimum…and you don’t even have to have sexual intercourse for sexual gratification. Masturbation, hugging, kissing, etc would be enough to satisfy your sexual urges. Because, promiscuity has its own set of problems. Besides the possibility of getting sexual diseases, there’re social, interpersonal, and spiritual problems related to promiscuity. Moreover, if you indulge too much in sex, it might interfere with your career and business. Sex is just an energy, just divert the energy through exercise, play, and other creative pursuits.

In any case, there’s nothing to feel guilty or paranoid on any aspect of sex coz there’s nothing moral about sex. Whoever preaches morality on sex, know him/her to be either a hypocrite or paranoid.

PS: Btw, let me tell you one thing from my experience, it’s not even necessary to have  sex to live a fulfilling life: love is enough!

What Nepalese Dream to Achieve in Ten Years By 2020

Kathmandu in 2020: No Load Shedding!

Nepalese too can dream of manufacturing airplanes

East West Nepal Railways: Taplejung to Darchula Underground Rail Service

Sea Port in Nepal: Mulghat Port at Dhankuta

Mechi Mahakali Terai Super Express Electric Train Service

Tourist Town of Pokhara in 2020: Annapurna Himalayas in Background

A 2020 Remake of Nepali Film Sindoor at a Kathmandu Cinema Hall

i received a pdf file in the mail and enjoyed reading it. Would Nepalese be able to develop their country this fast? Or is this mere another Maoist propaganda? Anyway, a really creative job I must say.

Click on the link below, download the pdf file, and read…then comment if you feel like it.

new-nepal-development-dream-2020.pdf

WARNING: All the Images are PROJECTIONS in Future Tense, they do not represent Present Tense REALITY.

Nose Based Leadership Change in Nepal: Replace all Brahmin Leaders

Nose Size Matters in Nepal Politics: They’re Bahun & That Corrupt is also Bahun

By Divas

If you’d go through Nepal’s popular dailies including those I scrutinize everyday – the Kantipur, The Himalayan Times & The Kathmandu Post, and make a racist evaluation of the contributors, you’ll find that more than 80 percent of the authors there belong to Brahmin caste. Not only the authors and editors, most of the letter to editor writers are also Bahun. Scan the profiles of all high level government officials, the same statistics holds true there too. Bahuns consider the field of academics and scholarship as their innate profession. The same is true in politics – even the tirades against Bahunbad (Brahmanism) in politics have now become clichés. Many point at the irony that Bahuns hold the key posts even in the Maoist party which led the movement against Bahunbad in Nepal.

The Bahun halimuhali (hegemony) in Nepali life is sickening. I’m increasingly getting intolerant of Bahun leadership in everything in Nepal. To tell you the truth, I hardly read any article written by Nakchuchche (pointed nose) Bahun or Chetri caste – except if it’s by a Bahun physician writing on some health related issue. I do not even watch television these days fearing I might have to see the Bahun or Chetri faces of political leaders. So much so that, I even judge a roadside restaurant by its owner – I don’t want to eat anything from an arrogant Bahun or Chetri with pathetic culinary sense.

Some concrete reasons behind my Bahunallergy (Bahun Allergy). The election fever is getting its hold on the students of Nepal’s largest public university, the Tribuvan University (TU). Lekhanath Neupane who is a Bahun and also the leader of Maoist affiliate student union issued a warning a few days ago that they’d break the backbones of anyone opposing them like they did before. Bahun Lekhnath was countered by another Bahun Pradip Poudel of Congress affiliated student union who said that they’d also break the bones of anyone attacking them.

Instead of showing some examples of good governance by controlling corruption in politics & bureaucracy, the Bahun Prime Minister of Nepal Prachanda, Bahun Finance Minister Baburam, and Bahun leaders of Maoist Party CP Gajurel, and Dinanath have been warning of revolt unless they’re not allowed to govern. On the other hand, the Bahun Kangessi opposition leaders of the like of Shushil Koirala and Govinda Raj have begun counting the days for the downfall of the government. And please, don’t even mention the Bahun names like Jhalanath Khanal and KP Oli. Power seems to corrupt the Bahun more than others. The chics & bellies of Bahun swell very fast once they begin enjoying state coffers.

My argument is that the Bahuns & Chetris should voluntarily hand over the leadership to the people of other castes & races – that’s what Gyanedra’s retirement from monarchy symbolizes. The air is simply not in favor of Nakchuchche in Nepal these days. Go abroad, do some business, become professionals but please don’t show your names and faces on televisions and newspapers.

And if you’re choosing your leaders, whether in the upcoming student election, or in the Nepali Congress & UML Conventions, or in the local bodies, don’t believe in their official policies, for no one makes bad policies, look at their nose, and vote for a non-Nakchuche, or a Madisey.

Incidentally, I myself happen to be a Nakchuche…but do read this crap anyway … Boorchodikey

PRACHANDA RESIGNS: Maoist Prachanda Gen Katawal & Nepal Army Controversy

General Katwal Adressing a Program by Maoist Insurgency Victims

By Divas

Nepal Army and Defense Ministry still seem to be at loggerheads over their status in the state hierarchy. As if making a national issue out of their personal grudges was not enough, Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal and NA Chief Rookmangud Katwal are now inviting their respective foreign bosses for intervention. Apparently, Badal and Katwal are at loggerheads over whether the NA should continue with fresh inductions to fulfill the vacant posts in the army. While Badal accuses the Army of trying to control a democratically elected government by refusing its directives, Katwal sounds defiance against the Maoists tactic of keeping the National Army under the Party’s control.

However, if you’d listened to Prachanda’s yelling, ‘Ko Ho Tyo Katwal, Ko Ho Tyo?’(How dare Katwal say that?), you know that the issue revolves more around the person Katwal than the organization of Army itself. Katwal finds the Maoists ungrateful toward the NA in general and Katwal in particular for the Army’s positive role in the peaceful promulgation of republican agenda. On the other hand, the Maoists find Katwal a major impediment against their application of ‘discontinuity from the tradition’ agenda in the Nepal Army.

Katwal is certainly making speeches and gestures that may be called politically motivated. He seems to be preparing a political space for himself after he gets a natural retirement from his present profession within a year. Katwal’s democratic principles of working under a civilian control contradicts his refusal to obey the Defense Ministry’s directive to stop fresh recruitments. The Maoist led government may have made a mistake by initially giving a go ahead nod for the recruitment, and later ordering for a Stop under the pressure from the Maoist Army. However, the NA high command should not forget that the UNMIN, which is the only valid referee at present and may be in future conflicts in Nepal, also opposes fresh inductions.

Hence, if Katwal makes his organization to go against civilian directives, then the UN should also reconsider its preference for Nepal Army personnel in UN’s peace keeping missions.

The Maoists too must stop pretending that they have won a war against the Nepal Army. Whether the Maoist high command or their cadres like it or not, the Nepal Army is the only legitimate army of this country. Not only the mighty Maoists, but even a few individuals can create a havoc of 9/11 proportions – but you can not establish a one party rule in the modern multicultural world. And given the kaleidoscopic heterogeneity resulting from the diverse ethnic and linguistic variation of the country, establishing a communist or any other one party rule in Nepal is impossible.

Since, not only the opposition Nepali Congress, but even coalition partners like UML and MJF support Gen. Katwal, the Maoists alone can not make any what Prachanda prefers calling “logical conclusion” out of present impasse.

Personally, after learning of Badal making secret requests to Chinese officials, and watching Katwal laughing with India Ambassador Sood inside India Embassy, several questions crop into my mind:

Who is that Katwal?

Who is that Badal?

Who is that Prachanda?

Who is that Girija?

Who is that Makune?

UPDATE: The Supreme Court (SC) of Nepal on Sunday Feb 22, 09 issued an interim order to the Defense Ministry and the Nepal Army to halt the process of inducting new personnel in the army.

In a response to the writ petition filed by INHURED International against the process of new recruitment drive unleashed by the NA, a single bench of the SC headed by Justice Anup Raj Sharma ordered immediate halt to the new induction till Feb 28.

UPDATE on March 5: While the two judges bang their heads over Nepal Army recruitment, the Maoist Army PLA also starts recruitment procedures. The United Nations’ Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) says the fresh recruitment drive of the Maoist affiliated People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is against the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA).

UPDATE on March 13:

The Supreme Court in its final verdict ordered both the NA and PLA not to conduct new recruitment. It however, upheld the recruitment of some 3000 personnel in NA, stating that the recruitment procedure, which completed before the writ against recruitment was registered, could not be invalidated.

Upadate on April 23, 2009

Prachanda supported a decision by the defence ministry two days ago to seek clarification from General Katawal over allegations that he ignored government orders on recruitment and the sacking of eight senior army generals.

Katawal provided an explanation within the 24-hour deadline given to him by the government. The controversy has split political parties, including those in government, and is threatening to derail the peace process.Nepal president Dr. Ram Baran Yadav formally wrote to Prime Minister Prachanda not to seek the army chief ’s resignation as it would create further trouble. Katawal is to retire in a few months.

Former Army officers and security experts in an interaction program  warned of unexpected catastrophe if Katwal were sacked. Security Expert Karna Bahadur Thapa Thapa said “It is the time to work for national interest rather than creating problems.”

UPDATE On April 24:

Contrary to Maoists’ claim of “civilian control” over the Army, the motive behind their plan of sacking General Katawal appears entirely of party interersts. The Maoist also seemed to be working on the plan of Deputy General of Nepal Army Kul Bahadur Khadka. Kadka had submitted a plan to the Maoists months in advance and they liked it. According to the plan, all 19,000 Maoist combatants would be integrated in the Army; PLA commander Nanda Kishor Pun “Pasang” would be made Major General and many others would get brigadier positions.

Click here to read a detailed scoop on how General Katwal had also planned for a “soft coup” and a Bangladesh-inspired President’s Rule backed by India Government.

UPDATE on April 30:

The Katawal Case took another dramatic turn yesterday. While the ruling Maoists, UML and the opposition NC have begun consultations to forge a consensus, Top three Nepal Army Generals on Wednesday refuted the media reports that there is a rift in the army top brass.

The Chief Rookmangud Katawal appeared with his deputies Lt. General Kul Bahadur Khadka who is second-in-line and Lt. General Chhatraman Gurung who is third-in-line and all of them collectively expressed their commitment to the democratic process and the Chain-of-Command in the Army affairs.

UPDATE on May 03: PM Prachanda’s side of the cabinet today sacked Rookmangad Katawal from the post of Chief of Army Staff and appointed second-in-command Kul Bahadur Khadka as the acting CoAS. However, the ministers from CPN (UML), CPN(Samykta) and Sadbhawana have boycotted the meeting after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal tabled a proposal to sack CoAS Katawal.  The decision would only come into effect after the President accepts the government decision, which is unlikely given the political developments that have taken place in the recent days. The most likely scenario would be that the Maoists would leave the government and opt for the opposition role as the UML and the NC have begun consultation on forming a new government.

UPDATE on May 4: Amidst the controversy over the constitutional rights of  the president, Dr. Ram Baran Yadav, in the capacity of commander-in-chief of the Nepali Army has annulled PM Prachanda’s sacking of CoAS Kathuwal, and has written to the army headquarters instructing Katawal to stay in position. PM Prachanda and his party have termed the President’s interference as “unconstitutional”. Prachanda is to address the nation on the issue at 3 pm today.

PRACHANDA RESIGNS: UPDATE ON MAY 04,  16: 10 Nepal Time: Accusing the foreign forces for interfering in Nepal’s internal matters and making the President a parallel power center unconstitutionally, PM Prachanda resigned from his post in his address to the nation today.

Sixteen Hour Load Shedding in Nepal: How the Hell Can One Run the Government?

By Divas

Nepal enters a sixteen hours daily load shedding schedule from today. The Government has already declared a nationwide power crisis. PM Prachanda & FM Baburam certainly realize the gravity of the situation – both have identified the electricity shortage as the single most threatening issue against their government, and even against the ongoing so called peace process. PM Prachanda in a “talk program” on the challenges faced by his government almost exasperated: Bijuli nai chaina, bhutro desh chalaune? (No electricity – how the hell can I run the government?) Therefore, while the ruling Maoists are busy on blaming past governments’ policies for the present power crisis, the main opposition NC & UML blame the Maoists for opposing such mega-hydroelectric projects like the Arun III, Seti, Mahakali, & Melamchi.

The country has some interesting experience to share from its existing 12 hours power cuts. Nepal Police says that incidences of robbery & petty crimes go up during the dark hours. Hospitals refuse accepting emergency & injury cases due to their inability to operate such vital machines like MRI & CT. Nepali doctors are adding laurels to their professionalism and ask for extra privilege & protection for their success in “Candlelight Operations”. Nepal’s radio & TV networks have officially announced a five hours’ closure of “informing the public”. The dailies publish students’ complaint letters lamenting how their exam & career are affected by continual load-shedding.

Personally, i pity at Prachanda & Baburam’s helplessness and my all sympathies goes to our comrades at the shattering of their New Nepal dream, but still find myself increasingly cynic & snobbish of Nepalese behavior. The Maoists can not just shrug off from their share of responsibility to their bourgeois counterparts in accepting past mistakes. While the past Panchayat, Kangressi, & “hijda” UML governments were certainly corrupt to their bone-marrows, the Maoists should not forget that they were also running a parallel government for the past 15 years. During their People’s War, the Maoists claimed to control all Nepal’s territory except Kathmandu and not only obstructed new development projects but also destroyed the existing infrastructures – a revolutionary method of weakening the “feudal governments” by forcing people into the Dark Ages. The Maoists even used to warn people not to expect any construction projects, as they were uprooting the remnants of feudalism.

And what to say of these Deshmara Rastrasewak government staffers? Have you ever visited a Nepal Government office? I once told my father that I’m ready to forego all claims on land & property that involves dealing with government officials. As a child of a government employee I was born & raised in various government offices across the length & breadth of this country, and I myself have worked for a government corporation for some time. Go & have a look, while the commoners in the countryside are dying of cold-waves and the nation is under a sixteen hour load shedding, i’m sure you’ll find the heaters in all government offices always on. When it’s not cold, you’ll find that all the fans are always on. And, often you’ll find that all the electric gadgets are always on – a staff may be drying out his washed clothes under a fan, enjoying himself by the heater.

There’s a saying among the masses that Nepalis will eat even alkatra (coal-tar) – the saying comes from an everyday observation of how the construction & repair works are hastily begun & completed during and only in the monsoon rains so that they could write in papers that bridges and roads were swept away by monsoon floods. From project directors to fuel stealing drivers, from ministers to halkara peons, all government employees are drenched to their neck in the guhu (feces) of corruption. Where else do you think the fifty years of foreign grants in Nepal has gone? How can a kharidar (clerk) build an enormous building in Kathmandu? Do you think these armed groups in Terai are fools that they target government employees for extortion?

Hence, to all Nepalis including Prachanda & Girija, to male, masaley, & mandaley, I’d like to do a Khuchching, ees kha. As for me, I’m excited with the thought of what would happen when the country goes for a 24-hour load shedding. But that seems unlikely – for Prachanda, finally surrendering to his Delhi Bosses, has asked for an immediate power supply. Why so much fuss anyway? More than 80 per cent of Nepal population never faces any load-shedding – access to electricity is still a luxury among the 20 per cent bhuifutta & basi basi khane (sit, sit & eat) Nepalis.

CLICK FOR LATEST/ NEWEST LOAD SHEDDING SCHEDULE Load Shedding Schedule (23 Jan 2009) Magh 10 Gate

CLICK Here: Load Shedding Schedule (23 Jan 2009)

Or, you can find the latest schedule (when it changes again) on Nepal Electricity Authority Website. Here:

http://nea.org.np/

Row Between the Maoists & the Nepal Army

Nepal PM Prachanda & FM Baburam being escorted by the Maoist Army

By Divas

Army will be out of controversy: Nepal Army General Katawal

A fresh row seems to have erupted between the Nepal Army(NA) and the Maoist-led Government of Nepal. The Army has bas been accused of breaching government orders given by the Maoist Defence Minister, Ram Bahadur Thapa “Badal”. Mr. Badal had issued a directive some days ago to halt the fresh recruitments in the NA immediately.

The United Nations’ Mission in Nepal, the UNMIN, too asked for halting the NA recruitment after the Maoist Army Commander accused the NA of breaching the Peace Agreement terms threatening of beginning inductions into the Maoist Army.

However, the NA refuses to halt recruitment arguing that no objection was made in the past when it conducted similar recruitments twice after the Peace Agreement, and even for this time, the present government gave a go ahead permission two months back.

The Nepal Army is perhaps the only institution that has made positive impression after its constructive role in the promulgation & implementation of the republic in Nepal. Of late, it’s always been focusing on its professional integrity under a legitimate government. Hence, the NA certainly can not risk appearing political by publicly going against the directives from the popularly elected government.

It’s is also unnecessary to sensationalize the issues between the Maoist ministers & the Nepal Army officers either. Let no one forget that the Nepal Army has had expressed its dissatisfaction even with the past governments. The NA had refused to go against the Maoist guerillas after the Holleri incident in 2001 despite getting directives from the then PM Girija Prasad Koirala. Similarly, the NA’s reluctance to go against the agitating people during the Mass Movement 2006 was one major reason for persuading King Gyanendra to handover the reign to the political parties.

The political ground reality is that the country can not be further radicalized as the Maoists desire, nor the normal course of historical changes can be reversed. Contrary to what some “external forces” believe, the majority of Nepalis would still like to see the Maoists at the driver’s seat, but they’d also make sure that the driver refrains from getting “revolutionarily” drunk.

The Maoists would the serve the people better if they focused on translating the already achieved political metamorphoses into the everyday life of the commoners – by controlling political & bureaucratic anomalies/corruptions.

And since both the Maoists & the NA have preached a lot, they now need to show through practice.

Nepal: Sorry Mr. Human Rights Officer, You Were Too Late to Respond

YCL-MYF Clash in Terai Nepal

By Divas

Nepal’s former Chief Justice & incumbent Human Rights Commission Chief Kedar Prasad Upadhyaya blamed the youth groups of political parties for creating lawlessness & terror in the society, and asked for an immediate dissolution of the party youth wings. Mr. Upadhyaya was responding to the public outcry over the violent activities of the Maoists’ youth group the Young Communist League (YCL) & the United Marxists & Leninists (UML’s) Youth Force (YF). The nation’s human rights watchdog Chief also accused PM Prachanda of “obsessed with political issues rather than the humanitarian one”. Mr. Upadhyaya certainly said the right thing, but it was too late for someone in his position.

The opposition Nepali Congress has already made it clear that the issue of Maoist Army integration can not be smoothly implemented unless the Maoists dissolved the YCL. The UML created the YF to “counter the YCL attacks”. Even the incumbent DPM Bamdev Gautam accused his boss PM Prachanda for encouraging lawlessness, & asked for the dissolution of both youth wings – YCL & YF. On the other hand, more than 15 parties have formed their guerilla youth outfit modeling on the Maoists’ YCL. People from all walks of life have been expressing their frustrations at the atrocities & violent behavior of the political parties’ youth wings. Mr.Upadhyaya’s constitutional body the National Human Rights Commission has certainly received several complaints against the extortions, abductions, & parallel policing by the political parties. But, what kept Mr. Upadhyaya from cautioning the government for ignoring human rights violations until the United Nations’ Human Rights Committee condemned the Nepal Government for HR abuses, & the Danish Foreign Minister had to visit Nepal & express his concerns over the undemocratic activities by the political party affiliated youth wings (read youth gangs)?

One expects a rights body to be the first in calling government as well as other rebel & religious forces’ attention for decent & humane conduct toward the dissenting lots. There must have been some valid reason behind the Chief Justice turned Chief HR officer’s delayed justice. Tell me Your Honor, what kept you from making a prompt response to Human Rights abuses – reward or punishment?

Prez Ram Baran & Chutiya Politicians of Nepal

Dr. Ram BaranYadav: who is sick in my country?

By Divas

Nepal’s Physician President Dr. Rambaran Yadav took everyone at the Kathamandu Bir Hospital by surprise when he visited the hospital as a commoner patient, reports Dharmendra Jha in The Himalayan Times daily. As far as I know, no “national dailies” bothered making any report on the president’s visit, except a brief news by Dharmendra in the inside page of THT – & I was never a great nationalist to go through the “government media”. President Yadav dropped by Nepal’s cheapest hospital for a thorough check-up of his dental problem. “President, you have a decay in the root and need to undergo root canal treatment” advised the president’s dentist Dr. Prabin Mishra. After his own check-up, President Yadav inspected the government hospital and directed the personnel to serve people efficiently.

During a time when the experts are stressing on the need for making a clear provision in the constitution regarding ceremonial & executive roles of the president & the prime-minister to avoid a possible power tussle, President Yadav seems to be increasing his sphere of influence positively. The president, despite himself being a Madhesi, has persistently stood against the idea of making the whole Terai a single state as demanded by the Madhesi parties. A Rai from the hills writing to a Nepali daily the Kantipur confessed that the president’s firm insistence on national integrity regardless of one’s ethnicity has addressed the concerns among some Pahadis when both the President & the VP were elected from the Madhesi community. On the other hand, regardless of their political belief, the president certainly is no less popular among the Madhesis than he was, when an underdog Rambaran from the Nepali Congress party replaced the invincible Nepali Monarch as the first president of republic Nepal.

Nepalis are increasingly expressing their frustrations at the power & benefit-mongering attitude of the politicians & bureaucrats in a country which ranks among the world’s least developed countries. PM Prachanda’s refusal of observing such nonsense & truly bourgeoisie traditions like ritual sacrifice of goats, or accepting garlands from the Panchakanyas (five virgin girls) were certainly in line with what he likes to call “discontinuity from the past”. But many charged Comrade Prachanda of nepotism for taking both his wife & son during the recent U.S. tour. Similarly, some Nepalis in Japan began raising funds, and one from Kathmandu even promised to donate a free bicycle to each Assembly member when India government donated vehicles for the transportation of newly elected CA members.

A prominent conservationist requested President Yadav to reduce the latter’s carbon footprint by adopting eco-friendly modes of transport & lifestyle, thus becoming a role model for all. A veteran doctor recalling his recent visit to Sweden & Netherlands expressed his admiration in yesterday’s article for the widespread use of bicycles by politicians, government officials, & commoners alike. Others wryly question the republic agenda when stuck in the traffic jams due to the Sawari (an eulogy or what Dor Bahadur calls a “chakri” word used for former royals & aristocrats’ visit to & from somewhere now used for President, PM & other “high-profile” officials of republic Nepal J).

Hence, President Yadav’s small sawari to a dilapidated government hospital(that too donated by India government) for his dental check-up certainly deserves commendations for giving a message to, in the words of another medico Dr. Ajaya Yadav, “the high-ranking officials, who go abroad even for the treatment of minor diseases and drain out the state coffers”. Ironically, one day after the president directed all hospital personnel to serve people efficiently, the staffers began their politically motivated indefinite strike disrupting all indoor/outdoor services. On the other hand, some “freedom fighters” put up an alliance on the other side of the Indo-Nepal border to intensify slaughtering their own brethren on this side of the border. And our revolutionaries & democrats are still busy in their dogfight over the bone of army integration.

If you really ask me how I’m feeling toward all politicians from right to left and from Pahadiya to Madhise, you’re putting me in real danger, for to be honest I must call them, “ Chor Bhate Chutiya. . . mamamu. . .Byancho. . . ”

Update on April 03, 09: I’ve to admit i could not aprreciate President Dr. Rambaran for suggesting his son Dr. Chandra Mohan as a candidate for the by-election to be held in Janakpur area. It appears that Dr. Ram Baran visited Bir Hospital not to show an example but because his son was also working there as a physician.

The Kosi Balance Sheet

Kosi Victims being rescued by Nepal Police & Army in Sunsari Nepal

 

 

 

The Kosi Balance Sheet

Promised Irrigation

Through Eastern Kosi Main Canal                                   712,000 hectares

Slashed Down Target (1975)                                          374,000 hectares

Actual Irrigation            2003-04                                     141,970 ha (19.94%)

2004-05                                      91,560 ha (12.86 per cent)

2005-06                                    149,170 ha ( 20.95 p.c.)

2006-07                                    124,130 ha ( 17.43p.c.)

2007-08                                    136,180 ha (19.13p.c.)

 

Maximum that the canal irrigated was in 1983-84           213,133 ha (29.93%)

 

Western Kosi Main Canal

Promised Irrigation                                                       325,000 ha

Actual Irrigation            2003-04                                     13,750   ha (4.23%)

                                    2004-05                                     17,390   ha ( 5.35%)

                                    2005-06                                     21,620   ha ( 6.65%)

                                    2006-07                                     25,310   ha (7.79%)

                                    2007-08                                     23,770   ha (7.31%)

The Canal that was estimated to cost Rs 13.49 Crores in 1963 has consumed

 Rs. 1009 Crores till March 2008 and the construction still continues.

 

Flood Protection

 

Promised Protected Area                                              214,000 hectares

Land Waterlogged on the

east of the Eastern Kosi Embankment                           182,000 ha (a)

Land waterlogged on

the west of the Western Embankment                            123,000 ha (b)

 

Land permanently exposed to

 flooding / erosion/ sand casting

between the two embankments                                     110,000 ha ©

 

Sum of (a), (b) and (c)                                                 415,000 ha

 

This year’s flood has hit 5 districts, 35 blocks, 412 GPs, 1026 villages, a population of

 33.56 lakhs killing 162 persons and 767 cattle (Official Report 25^th September 2008)

 

Dinesh Kumar Mishra

Convenor-Barh Mukti Abhiyan

6-B Rajiv Nagar, Patna 800024, Bihar, INDIA

E- mail: dkmishra108@gmail.com  +919431303360 

Kosi High Dam will only bring great disasters

 Drainage Crisis of North Bihar & Nepal Remains Unattended

 

New Delhi

17 September 2008

All talk about seeking review of Kosi agreement that created the rationale for embankments and dams on the Kosi River seems like empty rhetoric. The Nepalese prime minister who has reportedly said that he favoured the idea of setting up a high dam on the river Kosi (though it doesn’t appear on the Joint Press Statement), at a meeting with Bihar chief minister at meeting hosted by President of JD (U) in Delhi on September 16, 2008. Leaders from Nepal and India have agreed to set up a new mechanism headed by the water resources secretaries of both countries to discuss issues related to flood control, strengthening the embankments and water management.

 

This is a welcome step provided it is credible, open and independent review of the experience of the past treaty over the last five decades. It is only through such a review in a participatory, democratic way that contours of future steps emerge. Any talk of big dams in absence of this seems like vested interests pushing a high cost project for reasons other than merits of the project, which is the situation today.

 

The Kosi agreement that was signed in 1954 was amended in 1966 to address Nepal’s concerns. According to the treaty, the repair and maintenance of the embankment was India’s responsibility. “It is clear that the embankment breached on Aug 18, due to the criminal neglect of those who were responsible at Govt of India and Bihar for the proper upkeep of the embankment. Govt of India has yet to set up an enquiry as to who is responsible for the worst ever flood disaster that Kosi basin in Nepal is facing today. Jumping to push high dam on Kosi, is an invitation to even greater disaster and the new Nepali government seems to be walking into that trap,” Dr Dinesh Kumar Mishra of Barh Mukti Abhiyan.

 

“The proposed Kosi High dam is in a highly geologically unstable and earth quake prone area – a recipe for disaster in the waiting. Besides the inherent dangers, there is also a growing evidence of dam-induced seismicity that is being completely overlooked. The proposed dam (even if we consider the highest proposed height) would silt up sooner than 40 years, according to government’s own reports. The silt from it cannot be released, as that silt would only end up again in the Kosi embankment and in the downstream Farakka, which would be an invitation to even greater disaster of Ganga bypassing the Farakka, already waiting to happen,” says Himanshu Thakkar of South Asian Network for Dams, Rivers & People.

 

“The rulers will have people believe that completing the projects (although a dam will take about 20 years for completion) especially a dam) tame the Kosi and solve the flood problem. It is being suggested to the Nepal Prime Minister that the Saptakosi high dam project besides Sunkosi diversion scheme and the Kamla dam project at a combined estimated cost of Rs. 38,000 crore would address the crisis in Bihar and Nepal. These claims need to be summarily rejected,” says Dr Sudhirendar Sharma of The Ecological Foundation.

 

It is noteworthy that the proposed dam is supposed to be for multiple purposes (irrigation, power-generation, flood-control, etc), and there is an in built conflict in-built into such projects. Flood-control would require the intended space in the reservoir to be kept vacant for accommodating flood-waters, whereas irrigation or

power-generation would require the reservoir to be as full as possible; and as the latter are gainful activities in an economic sense, they are apt to prevail over flood-control. If the space meant for accommodating floods is not available when the flood comes, the gates will have to be opened in the interest of the safety of the dam, and the downstream area might experience a greater flood than it would have done if the dam had never been built.

 

 This has happened in the past. In fact experience of Surat in 2006, of west Medinipur in W Bengal and Lakhimpur in Assam in June this year show that  flood disasters can be caused by wrong operation of large dams, while those guilty never get punished.

 

The Kosi High Dam proposal measures against the following facts:

 

1. The National Flood Commission, 1980, had noted: “The flood problem being more acute in the basins of rivers originating from the Himalayas, the reservoirs for flood moderation have to be sited in the Himalayan region, where there are complex problems to be dealt with in putting up large dams due to geological, seismic and topographical constraints. Because of narrow valleys, capacities of reservoirs on Himalayan rivers are not very large. Also, the rivers carry very large silt charge. The factors limit the economic life of the reservoirs, which, in turn, affects the economic feasibility of the project.”

 

2. The idea of 269-metre Kosi dam was first mooted in 1937 and has been projected to have a lifespan of no more than 37 years, owing to about 90 million cubic meters of silt being carried by the river each year. Thanks to faster-than-expected silting of the reservoir of the proposed dam, neither will it produce the promised power nor provide intended irrigation benefits. The learned public representative must know that the existing East Bank Kosi canal is heavily silted and delivers just 7 per cent of its irrigation potential.

 

3. While the proposal has conveniently ignored the issue of displacement and rehabilitation of over 75,000 Nepalese, the populist nature of the appeal discounts the fact that it will not be before next 20 years that the proposed dam will actually get built at a whopping cost of over Rs 50,000 crore. The flood plains of Kosi have immediate problems at hand, created and caused by the embankments that need to be addressed. North Bihar needs sustainable solutions and not technocratic interventions, which cannot guarantee protection from floods.

 

“In the context of the proposed dam, it must be remembered that it is the same area where earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale hit Nepal/Bihar in 1934. The real crisis of North Bihar is not floods but drainage, which the UPA’s Common Minimum Programme acknowledged. But did you hear anyone talk about responding to the drainage crisis, which has rightly been diagnosed as the real problem,” asks Gopal Krishna, a Member of the Fact Finding Mission on Kosi & Convener, WaterWatch Alliance.

 

What we need to do urgently is to institutionalise participatory governance in the Kosi basin, so that people in whose name all this is being pushed have a role. What is claimed to be solutions today are certain to be problem tomorrow, as is clear from the experience of Kosi embankment. Kosi and its people will not allow more of such faulty prescriptions. Kosi belongs to the ecosystem and all of society. The river must be allowed to perform its role in maintaining a natural evolutionary balance and continuing with its land building work.

 

For Details Contact:

Dinesh Kumar Mishra: Mb-09431303360, dkmishra108@gmail.com

Sudhirendar Sharma: Mb-9868384744, sudhirendarsharma@gmail.com

Himanshu Thakkar: Mb-9968242798, ht.sandrp@gmail.com

Gopal Krishna: Mb-9818089660 krishnagreen@gmail.com

 

*Press Release made available by Mr. Ram Manohar Sah