LETTERS: Non-judicious use of water

Nepal is heading towards a catastrophe due to over exploitation and non-judicious use of fresh water resources. The recent surge of legal and illegal construction industries in the nation has been withdrawing ground water sources indiscriminately to cater to their selfish purposes and impacting the water resources of the nation. Several of these companies and organizations are favored by different political parties for funding them, and, as such, indirectly support their act of looting the scanty water resources of the nation. The farming communities are applying synthetic fertilizers and pesticides for crop production way beyond recommended levels, and, as a consequence, rain and irrigation water is discharging these residual chemicals to the adjoining water sources such as rivers, lakes, bogs, ponds, swamps and even percolating downwards contaminating precious ground water resources. Further adding to the agony, the global warming and climate change is impacting melting of glaciers in the high Himalayas reducing the annual flow of water in the rivers traversing Nepal; and the unfortunate geological changes, such as the recent massive earthquake, are altering and fragmenting riverine courses resulting in stagnant flow, blockage of river paths and rapid sedimentation. While the nation is overwhelmed by the recent fossil fuel crisis, no one is paying attention to the impending dangers of a national water crisis in the not too distant future. Several countries across the globe have been shifting to organic agriculture that avoids use of synthetic agro-chemicals; Nepal could follow that path slowly.

Saikat Kumar Basu, Canada

Right decision

Minister for Commerce and Supplies Ganesh Man Pun has stated that the consignment of the grant-fuel from China would be arriving in Kathmandu very soon, and the government has also sent a team to China to discuss purchasing fuel for regular and long-term trade. It seems that Nepal is trying hard to escape from the India-locked effect after the crisis arising from the failure to satisfy the Madhesis who did not welcome the new constitution. There have been eight Prime Ministers and all of them are from the Brahmin community since the country was declared a republic. But other important portfolios have been shared by Madhesis and Janajatis. This is one step forward in making the politics more inclusive. It can be expected that even the prime minister will also be elected from other communities as the new constitution has given due space to all communities. One precondition is that the ethnic leaders should be able to hold the chairmanship of the major political parties. The attempt by the government in Kathmandu to seek alternatives to too much dependence on India is a right decision, but such a move should have been explored long ago when the country was not plagued by political instability.

Karuna Ratna Yami, Kathmandu