Bhaktapur, April 14, 2006

This year witnessed the lowestever turnout of people in the over 1,400 years old tradition of raising and pulling down the Linga (a wooden pole), which is a part of Bisket Jatra, at Bhelukhel in Bhaktapur. Apparent reasons for the low turnout are the current political unrest in the capital and a declining interest of people in the age-old tradition. Hirakaji Shrestha (80), a resident of Panauti, who has been attending the Jatra more or less regularly since he was 20, said, “One used to hardly get space to stand here on Jatra days in the past years.” Unlike in the past years when approximately 1,00,000 people used to take part in the event, Shrestha said only around 5,000 people showed up today to witness the spectacular scene of the approximately 30m tall pole being pulled down. The pole was raised yesterday. Local resident Pratap Kasaju said the people have developed an indifferent attitude towards the Jatra. “People these days prefer to be observers than to be part of it.” He added the youth nowadays do not show interest in taking part in the festival. A significant number of youths was seen at the scene, but most of them were just observers rather than a part of the Jatra. A modest bunch of people was battling to offer puja to the Linga, which is considered an embodiment of Lord Shiva while most youths were watching it from the pavilion.

Outer Ring Road may plug groundwater supply in Valley

Kathmandu, April 14, 2006

The government’s plan to construct a 71-km-long Outer Ring Road around the Valley could disrupt supply of underground water in the existing residential areas and escalating the existing water crisis, experts have warned. At present, over half of the demand of drinking water is supplied from underground water sources by the government as well as private water suppliers. According to statistics of Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC), the average water demand of the valley is 22 million litres per day. Against this, the government provides only 17 million litres in the wet season and 10 million litres in the dry season. The rest of the water demand is met by private tankers, most of which also supply underground water. According to data complied by the NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation, there are 300 deep bored water plants in the Valley. Geologically, water beneath the surface of the Valley is collected through catchment areas around the Valley. Experts say once the fringes of the hills around the valley are converted into built-up area, it would block supply of underground water in the Valley and create a disaster for the residents. Dr Suresh Raj Shrestha of the Central Department of Geology at TU said that the construction of Outer Ring Road would adversely affect supply of underground water in the valley.