Grass pays wages

WALING: A higher secondary school in Syangja pays salary to teachers by selling grass grown on its land. Reeling under financial crisis, Gangalal Higher Secondary School based in Suntalitar of Chapakot grows grass on 189 ropanis of land. “Since we cannot pay the salary of four teachers from other sources of income, we grow grass to raise money to run the school,” said principal Khem Raj Bhatta. Established in 2031 BS, the school has nearly 1,500 students. Besides growing grass, the academic institution also leases its building. “We raise Rs 65,000 by renting out the building and Rs 90,000 from grass yearly,” Bhatta said. Students from Kuwakot, Chapakot, Ratnapur and neighbouring district Palpa study in the school. — RSS

Mushroom farming

Baglung: Farmers in Salija VDC of Parbat have started farming Shiitake (Lentinula edodes) mushroom at the initiative of local community forest users. Sewa Samaj Parbat is enabling the production on a test scale by mobilizing local entrepreneurs under the Small Entrepreneurship Development Program. The mushroom is grown on logs of Uttis (Alnus nepalensis) tree. Demand for it is high in neighboring Myagdi and Kaski districts, but the supply is low. The mushroom produced in the area can be sold for Rs 600 to Rs 800 a kg in the market, said Yudhistir Sharma of Parvat Sewa Samaj. Uttis tree is cut into logs of 1.5 metres in length. Around 25-30 holes are made in each log and mushroom spores are put in the holes. The mushroom gets ready in three months. — RSS