Visa for Bangladesh:

More than 1,000 Nepali students are taking various health-related courses in universities across Bangladesh. Many of us are having a tough time renewing our visas. The Bangladesh embassy in Kathmandu issues visas only for three months, telling the students to have their visas extended at the Immigration Department of Bangladesh — a task which is extremely difficult. There is therefore no alternative for us but to return home just for visa extension. But this would involve a two-way trip, which is a bit too expensive for most students. Hence, I urge the ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal to take up our problem with the foreign ministry in Dhaka and spare us this unnecessary expense and trouble at the earliest.

Rajeev Jha, Bangladesh

Unrealistic:

Everyone talks of the Jana Andolan II’s mandate, but most of us seem to have forgotten its root cause — corruption in high places without fear of punishment. The civil society, too, seems to be long on rhetoric but short on action. In a country where the culture of crime and corruption prevails, the task of building a new Nepal will be an almost impossible task.

Ramesh B Shrestha, Lalitpur

Incorrect:

The news “ADB-funded water project not serving urban poor: Report” (THT, Dec 3), which is based on a brief report of the NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation, has drawn the project’s attention. The information given in the news story about participation of poor people is not entirely correct. The ADB-financed Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Sector Project, in collaboration with the Users Community, aims to provide improved water supply and sanitation facilities for all those who live in the project area. The financial viability of the water supply scheme under the project, financed on fifty-fifty basis between the government and users, has been tested with monthly traffic rate within internationally recognised affordability limit of five per cent of the monthly household income; the tariff band is based on a progressive rate with a minimum one till lifeline consumption of up to 10,000 litres per average-sized household is reached. There is an additional provision of 20 per cent off at the community tap, which is especially meant for the absolutely poor households. Besides, the project also worked with Water Users’ Community and other stakeholders to institute a framework for inclusion of the poorest and for equitable use of project water. The framework includes schemes for the reduction of fees, connection charge and water tariff, including the use of proceeds (one per cent interest on TDF loan) from reduction of interest from eight to seven per cent. The project has also been providing subsidy of up to 50 per cent to construct in-premise latrines in the poorest households. Regarding transparency, the project has great community involvement in each stage (feasibility study, design, procurement and

implementation). However, the lengthening of project implementation is mainly due to the nature and design of the project, which includes disparate stakeholders.

Hari Prasad Sharma, Project manager, Small Towns Water Supply and Sanitation Project