Richly deserved

This is a matter of great pride for the SAARC region that this year’s Nobel Peace Prize has gone to Bangladeshi social activist and economist Dr Mohammed Yunus. The prize-awarding panel selected him for his significant contribution to social and economic development from below, including poverty eradication. Yunus pioneered the idea of Grameen Bank, which has over the years helped lift millions of poor rural Bangladeshis out of poverty.

Yunus’s micro-credit programme, key to the success of the Grameen Bank, has gained worldwide recognition. Nepal, along with other poor countries, has adopted Yunus’s methods which are yet to prove highly effective here. This recognition will inspire other South Asians.

Ambika Pandey, Chitwan

God, indeed

This refers to your editorial “God of small things” (THT, Oct. 16). The winning of Nobel Peace Prize provides a boost to Asian ego. This also highlights the growing clout of Asia in the international arena, fuelled as it is by the progress in the field of IT, strong belief in its capabilities, sustainable development and, above all, a large pool of trained manpower.

It’s no coincidence that Ban Ki-moon of South Korea, an Asian, is replacing Kofi Annan as the UN secretary-general.

Eak Prasad Duwadi, KUHS, Dhulikhel

Street dogs

It is heartening to note that the Kathmandu Animal Treatment Centre (KATC) is delivering at least a modicum of services to the stray dogs in the capital and is ready to count them (Census on in City to count stray dogs”, THT, Oct. 17).

Adults and children often treat these highly helpful, communicative, loyal but helpless creatures cruelly. Since the number of stray dogs in the city is estimated to be around 25,000, the KATC should also try to find foster homes for these wonderful animals.

I personally have four of them in my courtyard and one at home, and thanks to their loyal services, my house has been safe from burglary so far. The KATC should make people believe that it is rewarding to have at least one street dog in every home.

Bihari Krishna Shrestha, Green Block, Patan

Incorrect

Apropos of your sports report “Razzaq masterminds Pak win” (THT, Oct. 18), you gave the wrong scores of Tuesday’s match between Pakistan and Sri Lanka. You put Pakistan’s total score at 155.6. First of all, cricket scores do not have decimals; the actual score was 255.

Sachin Bal, Min Bhawan

Bribes

En route to Chitwan from Birgunj, a fellow bus passenger was carrying bags of pesticide without VAT bills. Near Adhbart, a policeman asked the man to produce the VAT bills. But the latter produced another kind of paper instead, a fifty-rupee note that silenced the cop. I have seen the highway police accept bribes many times in the past.

Ishwor Singh, Chitwan

Science page

THT’s news coverage is generally comprehensive. It would be wonderful if it could add a page devoted to science news.

Kush Nepali, Surkhet