KATHMANDU: Most of the ministries have not updated their websites for months.Consider the website of the Ministry of Environment, for example, which is the focal ministry for the current hot issue - climate change.

The website www.moenv.gov.np has posted on it ‘What is your opinion about the phase out of intermediate level from the University?’ to solicit public opinion, instead of something on environment or climate change.

It is ridiculous for the ministry to forward such a question to collect public opinion, according to Sujesh Shrestha, an environmentalist working with Eco Friends Nepal, who is a regular visitor of the site.

What’s more, the focal ministry for climate change has a question on computer in its web discussion forum - Can the use of computers in offices help reduce the operation cost and human resource involved?

“The world is talking about climate change but the focal ministry has not mentioned a word about the Copenhagen Summit,” noted Shrestha.

Websites of other ministries are in no better condition. A layman can guess the objectives of the Ministry of Science and Technology. But its website has ‘to promote sustainable economic development’ as its first objective. (Please refer to www.most.gov.np)

The conservation area has been increased to 25 per cent from 20 per cent after the December 4 cabinet meeting held at Kalapatthar. But the website of the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, under the Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation (MoFSC), still mentions 19.7 per cent as the protected area.

Most officials concerned did not want to comment on the issue. On official, on condition of anonymity, said it is no issue for a government office since everyone takes it to be ‘no problem’. All the websites have the feedback section, but the few received are rarely viewed.

Most Internet users have no point in visiting the sites that are not

updated. “It is futile

to hope any new information from the government website. What is promptly updated are the names of the minister and the secretary,” said Kabindra Dhakal, a frequent visitor of the portal.

Even ministry officials do not use official email addresses. Another official preferringanonymity said, “We can’t depend on the technology used here - it has problems most often.”

“Bureaucrats and policymakers never bother to solve public problems. They are irresponsible,” said Bimal Ghimire, another visitor at the Singha Durbar gate.