The shocking news about the killing of FCAN President Sharad Kumar Gauchan by gun shots in broad day light in the capital city Monday afternoon spread like a wildfire among the business community making them feel unsafe in the capital city where the law and order situation is stronger as compared to other parts of Nepal “FCAN President Gauchan shot dead” (THT, October 24, Page 1).

This unfortunate incident raises concern about the availability of small arms in the hands of assailants who brutally kill their fellow citizens for their ill purpose. What a shameful act is this? If Gauchan was asked for donations by the suspected people was it necessary to shoot him for not complying with their threat? This particular incident reminds us of the brutal killing of a Supreme Court justice Ran Bahadur Bam who was shot dead in May 2012 near the UN Park on the bank of Bagmati River while he was being driven to his workplace in the morning rush hours.

Likewise, media entrepreneur Jamim Shah was shot dead in Lazimpat in broad daylight in February 2010. The assailants were caught by the police after a number of years of the incidents. It is not definitely easy for the police department to maintain law and order situation intact.

However, this kind of incident shows that the government and the concerned authorities need to be more vigilant towards the control of small arms for which a stringent rule and policy may require to be put in place if it is not in place so far.

It seems that this unwanted situation must have scared the business community, and they must have felt insecure. It is yet to be seen how this unfortunate situation is handled by the government and the police department. This incident in the core area was a threat to doing business in the country as opined by the FNCCI.

Rai Biren Bangdel, Maharajgunj

Pollination

Native bee populations across different ecosystems are demonstrating an alarming decline with many species being threatened with extinction due to over application of toxic pesticides in agriculture, pollution, climate change and global warming, parasitic diseases, colony collapse, lack of nectar foraging plants and suitable habitats.

Conservation of native bee populations is extremely important from the perspective of agriculture as they are responsible for pollinating several important food and industrial crops.

This can have direct and indirect impacts on global crop production, food security and cause irreparable damages to vulnerable ecosystems.

Establishing suitable bee habitats or bee sanctuaries can easily provide extended bee foraging period; as well as quality nesting and foraging opportunities for native bee species and other insect pollinators to thrive in these specially created natural or artificial bee habitats. Pollinator comprise of annual/biennial/perennial bee-friendly, native wildflowers and/or annual/perennial legumes along with warm/cool season forage or native grasses which can have help establish suitable bee habitats.

Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada