Anti-pollution measures:

It is a good idea to remove all those hoarding boards that have poached the city skyline, as they are also pointed out as the cause of road accidents by distracting drivers.

It is high time Kathmanduites became concerned about the upkeep of their immediate environment. Hoarding boards are only a part of the problem. Issues like a proper garbage disposal system, curbing river pollution and organising the haphazard drainage system occupy the bigger part of the picture.

Individuals and organisations working in the field of pollution control and environment protection need to actively pursue cleanliness drives to protect the beautiful precincts of the Kathmandu Valley. Unless the rate at which pollution is rising in Kathmandu is checked, we will soon be living in filth.

Alankar Khanal, via e-mail

Cell phones:

I am concerned about when the cell phones in Nepal will come to life again. The blocking of cell phone service has rendered all the expensive phone sets useless even as the pre-paid cards lie idle, not to mention the deposits for the post-paid cards. As for the telephone companies operating on wireless local loop, they are sure to incur a heavy loss. I hope the government takes into account these aspects on behalf of the general public and people like myself who have visited this country 75 times and where I have been living for the past seven and half years working for the good of the Nepali people.

Nico Smeets, Belgium

Help disabled:

This is in reference to the editorial titled “Good gesture” published in The Himalayan Times on February 7. It is indeed good to learn that the National Planning Commission has prepared a draft to provide privileges and rights to the disabled. It is said that special infrastructure would be built for them in public places like hospitals, schools, banks etc. and they will be given reservation and scholarships.

In Nepal, the disabled have long been ignored and not much effort has been made by the government or the private sector to help them live comfortably.

I would like to urge all those young people and organisations recently involved in raising money for the tsunami victims to come forward and organise similar fund-raising events for our own differently-abled people. What they need more than sympathy is concrete support.

Nirvani Rana, Kalikasthan

Compromise:

The age-old dispute in the Mideast over the Israel-Palestinian issue is now showing some sign of improvement. Recently, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the newly appointed Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas agreed to form a committee to release political prisoners held on either side. Such effort will prove to be a good confidence-building measure to the forthcoming Mideast summit.

In the past, Israel and Palestine have fought major wars and all the initiatives for peace between the two sides have failed.

The historic Oslo peace accord initiated by the US proved unsuccessful, and more recently the great plan of road map to peace in the Middle East also could not bring the two sides to a peaceful dialogue. It is important that the people of Israel and Palestine understand the importance of a peaceful resolution of the conflict so that peace could be restored. For this, both sides should be ready to accept a compromise formula.

Ajit Thapa, Baluwatar