Is Israeli ban fair?

Discrimination This is in reference to the news report “Israel considers recruiting Nepalis” (THT, June 17) and a similar news report published in Jerusalem Post which reported that the Ministry of Foreign Workers Authority (Israel) wishes to protect caregivers’ rights by

delegating more responsibility to Israeli manpower companies that recruit and provide for the caregivers. In addition, the new guidelines allow Israeli manpower companies to charge up to 70 New Israeli shekel per month for services and NIS 2,000 one time fee at the start of employment.

However, I failed to see any reform plan for agricultural workers. I would also like to request the Israeli government to clarify why it has imposed temporary ban on agricultural workers from Nepal. Moreover, other labour supplying countries like Thailand, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka and Romania are still sending workers to Israel without any involvement of International Organisation of Migration (IOM), so why is Nepal deprived of this privilege?

Suk B Gurung, via e-mail

Dangerous

This refers to the news report “Prison no bar to Charles Sobhraj’s love antics” (THT, July 3). I am surprised that a well-educated girl from the capital has fallen head over heels for a serial killer. Age is no bar in love and what Nihita Biswas has done is her private concern, but Sobhraj is a dreaded international serial killer and God only knows what awaits her if she marries him. Of course, he sounds normal and caring but Sobhraj uses subtle persuasion to lull his victims into a false sense of security. Somebody should knock some sense into her head.

Sheetal Shrestha, via e-mail

Misquoted

Apropos of the news report “Rain-harvesting viable: Study” (THT, July 5), out of respect for the Fulbright Commission, the NGOs and the people who helped with my research and especially the ‘case studies’ that were cited in your article, I regret to say that your paper

misquoted me. You quote that my study, “showed harvesting rainwater would cost less than buying tanker water”, which is not what I said. In fact, during monsoon if one were to

harvest rainwater instead of buying tanker water, one could save a lot of money.

The two case studies, Shuvatara School and Association of Craft Producers, harvest rain

during rainy season, and avoid a lot of tanker deliveries. They rely on tankers during the dry

season, and save a lot of money and time during the monsoon. This was to illustrate that during April to October, institutions that rely on tanker water can use this system to save time and money.

Tyler McMahon, via e-mail

Walk the talk

Apropos of the news report “One year on, journo’s status still unknown” (THT, July 7). It is sad that the media, which has played a crucial role in the success of April movement and

conduct of CA polls, is still under threat from armed groups. Lives of journalists are unsafe even after the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord. We must be vocal in bringing an end to these excesses. In this connection, implementation of past commitments of the

political leaders is imperative.

Madhav Humagain,

via e-mail