Valley’s waste management

Your editorial “Cost of indifference” (THT, Feb. 22) highlighted the shocking situation of garbage in Kathmandu. We can all sympathise with the residents near the Okharpauwa landfill site, but as you said the matter needs to be addressed now, and a long-term solution found. All must realise that the potentially lethal waste problems are not going to disappear. If nothing is done, they will only get worse.

I have just read the January 2007 free ublication: “Kathmandu Valley Environment Outlook” produced by ICIMOD, MoEST and UNEP. It paints a very depressing picture of the way the environment of Kathmandu was totally ignored by the municipalities and other governmental bodies, which could have taken some positive steps to protect the Valley in the last 30 or more years, but did nothing.

As a New Zealander living in Nepal for over a year now, I have witnessed the construction business ‘run riot’ with no municipal controls or future planning, even as sewage and rubbish were dumped in the Bagmati river. As a result, the prospect of a health hazard continues to grow. As the summer temperatures rise not only will the smell get worse, the health risks will increase as well.

The government and municipality have failed in their tasks by ignoring the early signs of environmental degradation. The Bagmati river has been completely ruined. Proper management of the garbage will take considerable planning, discussions and finance.

Realising the gravity of the situation, the government must have this programme at top of their action list.

Perhaps, post Constituent Assembly election, when the government is infused with many new and younger personalities, including the Maoists, the problem will receive due attention. I am sure they will do a better job of resolving the garbage crisis than those at the helm of power in the previous years.

Dr Anthony Callow, via e-mail

Perceptive

According to Aditya Man Shrestha, the country should adopt a republican set up at the earliest, “Royal address” (THT, Feb. 22), in sharp contrast to the practice in Europe where, instead of the legitimate parliaments taking quick decisions, the political leaders waste time on referendum after referendum even on such trifling issue as replacing their traditional currency with the Euro.

Shrestha’s demand for Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala’s retirement is also premature as the latter has worked tirelessly for the birth and growth of “People’s war group” (read Maoists) over the years.

And he is still trying to bring them into the “mainstream”.

Bihari Krishna Shrestha, Patan

Biased

Apropos the news report “15 hurt as Maoists, MJF men clash” (THT, Feb. 24), I would like to point out that it was not the MJF activists who clashed with the Maoists, but the Maoists who forced the MJF activists to retaliate after the former tried to disrupt the latter’s mass meet and beat up the local Madhesis in Bhairahawa. Your presentation reflects a biased attitude towards the Madhesi people.

I hope you realise the sensitivity of the issue and act more responsibly while stating facts in the future.

Raj, via e-mail