Accounting system

This refers to the news “Develop national accounting system,”

published in THT on May 7. Random accounting system has often meant that the

statistics used in predicting economic trends are often inaccurate. The participants of the seminar on strengthening the national accounting system were pointing to this fact when they said that the government was quite unable to glean the accurate information on various

aspects. The Asian Development Bank also agreed that the reliability and timeliness of

macro-economic statistics in Nepal are inadequate for monitoring economic

development, GDP and similar other economic components due to lack of sufficient and reliable data source.

Commercial accounting is only one aspect of the accounting mosaic. But this sector should be quite easy to monitor as corporate houses can afford to buy automatic accounting

software which could easily be audited by the agencies concerned. This leaves

agricultural and similar other sector under the scanner. Because agriculture contributes 40 per cent of our national GDP, it cannot always be ignored as too diverse to be brought under an identifiable accounting system. It will pay to have a reliable accounting and data dissemination system even in the agricultural sector.

Meenu Shrestha, Samakhusi

Tradition

Cultural practices are too precious to be wiped out or even ignored. The younger generation might have its own ideas about it but they cannot forget the old ways too. However, having said that, there is a need for reforming redundant and malpractices thriving in the name of culture. In fact, cultural plurality must be encouraged so that there is space for diversity as well as traditionalism.

Krishna Kaphle, via e-mail

Reserve seats

A large number of students, office workers and ordinary people use public transport to move from one place to another. A lot of people, however, find that travelling in public vehicles is an uncomfortable experience, especially for the sick, elderly and women. Reports are rife about women’s privacy being invaded inside public buses and other forms of conveyance.

Therefore, it would be a welcome departure for the government to make it mandatory in all public vehicles to reserve seats for the disabled and women. On the road, speed is not always monitored.

The manner with which several buses carrying schoolchildren ply in the evening is far from what could be labelled as reliable and safe. That holds true for taxis and private vehicles. But the most careless of all are the bike riders. Let us be sensitive to safety issues as well

as become more reasonable towards elderly, disabled and women.

Deepesh Raj Rimal, Old Baneshwor

Ban it

The Chhaupadi custom is a cruel practice which must be abolished at all cost. It has been unnecessarily protected in rural areas of western Nepal. On previous occasions, the government has not always mobilised support to implement the apex court verdicts. It would be unfortunate if the Supreme Court verdict is not implemented.

Subrat Narsingh KC,

Budhanilkantha School