Showing posts with label Himalayas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Himalayas. Show all posts

Monday, September 14, 2015

सुष्मा स्वराज उवाच

India has always supported peace, stability, unity and development of Nepal. In the last two decades, we all have witnessed violence, instability, internal struggle and political discord in Nepal, as well as its negative consequences. Nepal had not yet emerged from this crisis, when a major earthquake in April 2015 wreaked havoc and caused major destruction in the country. Whether the crisis is political or natural, Government of India has always desired prosperity and well-being of Nepal, and considers itself duty-bound to stand by Nepal in any adversity.

For the last few months, the political leadership of Nepal has been intensively engaged in the critically important task of Constitution drafting, through mutual consultations and dialogue.

Encouraging voices were heard from Nepalese leaders from afar that the Constitution will carry along all regions and sections, and will become the focal point of a progressive, modern and united Nepal. Coming from all the political leaders, these voices make all of us in India very happy.

The Nepalese political leadership has shown wisdom and maturity in overcoming several challenges over the last few years, resulting in substantial gains in the peace process and consolidation of inclusive multi-party Constitutional democracy through two successful elections. We laud the achievements that Nepal has made in the peace process.

We welcome and commend the recent progress achieved by the Constituent Assembly in the Constitution-drafting process wherein several contentious issues have been resolved.

India is concerned over the ongoing protests and strife in several parts of Nepal. Horrific violence has once again shaken Nepal’s soul. Whether the victims are Nepali citizens or government officials, the blood spilt in all the incidents was Nepalese. When Nepal is yet to come out of the tragedy of the earthquake, these developments would hurt any humanitarian country in the world.

In this context, we urge continuing flexibility on the part of all the political forces so that any outstanding issues are addressed through dialogue and widest possible agreement, in an atmosphere free from violence. A Constitution, which is fully owned by and accommodates the aspirations of all regions and sections of the Nepalese society, will lay a durable foundation for a peaceful and prosperous Nepal and will become the focal point for Nepal’s bright future.

Nepal’s political parties, organizations and intellectuals have always displayed maturity and foresight in times of crises. It is only with their continued leadership and wisdom that Nepal can overcome its current difficulties. A durable and resilient Constitution is necessary to build a modern Nepal. We hope that Nepal’s leaders will leave no stone unturned in their efforts.

Government of India is committed to further strengthening its close and cordial relations with the Government and people of Nepal and will continue to provide all support and assistance, in accordance with the aspirations of the people of Nepal for peace, stability and socio-economic development.


Wednesday, September 02, 2015

Wake Up Kathmandu! Time For A Regime Change!

Time to come out into the streets like it were April 2006 all over again.

१६ बुँदे ल्याइनु को प्रमुख कारण
१६ बुँदे सम्झौताको प्रमुख कारण

Four months after quakes, Nepal fails to spend any of $4.1 billion donor money
Two months after foreign countries and international agencies pledged $4.1 billion to help Nepal recover from its worst natural disaster, the government has yet to make arrangements to receive the money and has spent nothing on reconstruction. ....... The United Nations estimates almost three million survivors of twin earthquakes in April and May – around 10 percent of the Himalayan nation's population – need shelter, food and basic medical care, many in mountainous, hard-to-reach areas. ........ Govind Raj Pokharel, chief executive officer of the newly created National Reconstruction Authority, said the government was unlikely to start spending the money until October at the earliest because of delays in approving plans and concerns about starting building work in the monsoon season. ....... "The government's response has been slow. I accept that," said Pokharel. ...... Nepal has been criticised for its chaotic response to the quakes that killed almost 9,000 people. The country failed to adequately prepare even though experts had predicted an earthquake was likely. And then the government struggled to cope with relief.Four months later, many partially damaged buildings in Kathmandu are still standing and rubble is strewn across public parks. Tens of thousands of people are living in plastic tents, preyed upon by flies and mosquitoes, with muddy paths and no drains. ....... Maili Pariyar, 50, knitting a purse to sell outside her tent, said she only received food and tent materials from aid agencies. She has not been given anything by the government. ...... "We have lost everything. We are desperate," she said. "How much longer do we have to wait for help?" ........ Pokharel said

the government had failed to spend any money because ministers had still not signed off on rebuilding and aid distribution plans.

He said

the government made an error by attempting to pass a contentious constitution

that will create a new political system and divide the country into new regions, a decision that has led to deadly clashes. The government argues the overhaul will help reconstruction in the long run by creating greater stability.........

"We would have liked it if they concentrated on the reconstruction first," Pokharel said. "That would have been better."

..... Jamie McGoldrick, the U.N. Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator for Nepal, said the government had been sluggish...... "The government needs to get going," he said. "The next big challenge is to ensure that people living in tents are prepared for the winter."After a two-month wait, Pokharel was appointed to head the reconstruction authority two weeks ago. He is now based in a government office that oversees printing because the earthquake damaged other buildings."We have lost time and now we need to catch up," he said.

Sunday, August 30, 2015

In The News (46)

To be young and Madhesi in Kathmandu
in second grade .... Two girls in her class asked her “what” she was. “Bahun or Chhetri?” Prasad answered that her father was a Madhesi. “So you're a Madishe? Does your father sell vegetables?” they asked. Prasad remembers being infuriated when she repeatedly had to explain that her father was a doctor. ....... "Later on in my teenage years, the stereotypes associated with being a Madhesi were used as a bullying tactic against me and many of my Madhesi friends. Once, my friend was going to Janakpur for her vacation, so a few classmates of ours asked her to bring fruits from there," says Prasad. “‘It's obviously where you get the fruit to sell in the market,’ they said to her.” ...... a process of dominance and discrimination toward Madhes has been in place for the last two and half centuries, started by the Shah kings and continued by the Ranas and the ruling hill elites of Nepal. ....... a particular definition of what it means to be “Nepali” has persisted in society: that of a fair-skinned, daura suruwal–gunyo cholo clad, fluent Nepali-speaking person. Madhesis, who have a different lifestyle, language, and culture, are frequently assumed to be migrants and not “true” Nepalis because of the cultural similarities and cross-border connections they share with neighboring India. ............. though fifty percent of Nepal’s population lives in the Madhes, the most common assumption that Madhesis encounter is that they are Indian. ..... often have to prove their nationality and identity, both socially and legally. ......... Kathmandu is now a large metropolis where people of all castes, cultures, colors, and religions live. Yet Madhesis, and those who differ from the conventional idea of how a Nepali should look, speak, behave, and live, say they continue to bear the brunt of what often feels like

deliberate ignorance

. ......... people verbally and physically abusing Madhesis working as manual laborers and vendors. ......... in a tempo along with my friend, who was darker skinned. The conductor shouted at us to sit properly, calling us Madishe ........ the worst he has seen is toward working class Madhesis in Kathmandu. ...... he started working in the NGO sector in Kathmandu. He says he regularly faced racism. ...... Never once did they think that I was a Nepali first, who was born and brought up in Kathmandu even though my roots are in the Terai."
नेपाल की सड़कों पर गोरिल्ला युद्ध जैसे हालात
संस्कृति व क्षेत्रीयता के आधार पर प्रदेश बंटवारे की मांग को लेकर नेपाल में संघर्ष और तेज हो गया है। हिंसक आंदोलन में

अब तक 45 लापता हैं।

..... हालात बेकाबू होते देख रौतहट, गुलहरियां सहित सेती अंचल के दस स्थानों को सेना के हवाले कर दिया गया है। पखवारे भर से चल रहे आंदोलन से नेपाल में जन जीवन असामान्य हो गया है। भारत के रास्ते नेपाल जाने वाले पर्यटक भी सीमावर्ती क्षेत्रों में जहां-तहां फंसे हैं। बड़ी संख्या में पर्यटक नेपाल में भी अटके हैं।

बाजारों में सन्नाटा है। अधिकांश स्थानों पर पुलिस और आंदोलनकारियों के बीच गोरिल्ला युद्ध जैसे हालात हो गए हैं।

...... पखवारे भर से चल रहे मधेशी, थारू व जनजाति समुदाय के आंदोलन के कैलाली में हिंसक रूप लेने के बाद

उसका विस्तार पहाड़ी क्षेत्रों की तरफ भी हो गया।

मंगलवार को सेना तैनात होने के बाद भी लोगों का आक्रोश दब नहीं पाया। मधेश प्रभावित जिले झापा, मोरंग, सुनसरी, सप्तसरी, किरहा, धनुषा, चितवन, नवलपरासी, रूपन्देही, दांग, कपिलवस्तु में दुकानें बंद रहीं, लोगों ने मार्च निकाल प्रदर्शन किया। अस्पताल को छोड़कर सभी सरकारी कार्यालय बंद रहे। .........

नेपाल में चल रहा आंदोलन खूनी होने के बाद सीमाई जिले बहराइच और बलरामपुर की सीमा पर चौकसी बढ़ा दी गई, वहीं लखीमपुर की सीमा को सील कर दिया गया है।

अहिंसात्मक मधेश आन्दोलन मे सहयोग करेगा भारत : बिधान सभा अध्यक्ष पाण्डेय
संयुक्त लोकतान्त्रिक मधेशी मोर्चा कपिलवस्तु द्वारा भारत के उत्तर प्रदेश राज्य बिधान सभा अध्यक्ष माता प्रसाद पाण्डेय को मधेश के शान्तिपूर्ण आन्दोलन मे सहयोग हेतु ज्ञापन पत्र दिया गया । भारत के बढनी स्थित डाक बंगले मे आयोजित प्रेस कांफ्रेंसमे पूर्व राज्यमंत्री ईश्वरदयाल मिश्र के नेतृत्व मे मधेशी मोर्चा ने भारत उत्तर प्रदेश के सत्तासीन दल समाजवादी पार्टीके वरिष्ठ नेता एवं बिधानसभा अध्यक्ष माता प्रसाद पाण्डेय को नेपाल सरकार पर मधेशीयोंका मांग संबिधान मे समावेश करने के लिए अतिरिक्त दबाव बनानेका ज्ञापन पत्र दिया गया है । ज्ञापनपत्र मे मधेशी मोर्चा द्वारा किये जा रहे शान्तिपूर्ण आन्दोलन मे सेना परिचालनको रोक्ने एवं भारत के साथ रोटी बेटी की रिश्ते को बरकरार रखने के लिए कूटनीतिक मर्यादा अनुरुप दबाव देने के लिए अनुरोध किया गया है । .....

खासकर मधेशीयों के अधिकतर रिश्तेदार भारत से होने के बजह से संविधान मे मधेशी नागरिकों की नागरिकता प्रवाधान मे जटिलता बनाई गई है । खसवादी मनसाय से प्रदेशों के सिमांकन मे प्रमुख ३ दलों कांग्रेस, एमाले तथा माओबादी द्वारा सभी प्रदेशों मे पहाडी ही शासन करे तथा केन्द्रिय सत्ता पहाडी का ही हो , जैसा षडयन्त्र किया जा रहा है ।

..... इस मस्यौदाको हिन्दी अनुवादकर सभी पार्टीयों के प्रमुखोंको देने के साथ ही बिधान सभा मे ले जाऊंगा और बाद मे

विदेश मंत्रालय एवं प्रधानमंत्री तक पहुँचाउँगा ।

..... कार्यक्रम में भारतीय बिधायक कमाल यूसुफ, विजय पासवान युवा नेता निशार बागी सभासद् रन्जीत श्रीवास्तव, समाजबादी लोहिया वाहिनी के जिला अध्यक्ष आषिश अग्रहरी एवं प्रमुख जिला अधिकारी अखिलेश तिवारी तथा मधेशी मोर्चा के युवा नेता रजत प्रताप शाह, अभय प्रताप शाह, राजु सिंह, गंगेश नाथ तिवारी, दिनेश चन्द्र गुप्ता, दिपक शुक्ला ,रामकुमार गुप्ता, राजकुमार चौधरीे लगायत के मधेशी बुद्धिजिवी नागरिकों एवं दर्जनो पत्रकारों की उपस्थिती थी । मधेशी मोर्चा द्वारा लगातार सत्राहवें दिन बन्द जारी रखने से नेपालका जनजीवन अत्यन्त ही कष्टपूर्ण होता गया है । दैनिक उपभोग्य वस्तुऐं मंहगी होती जा रही है तो वहीं भन्सार लगायत सभी सरकारी कार्यालयों के कार्य प्रभावित हुए है ।


'मैले आफैं लगेर पैसा बुझाएको छु... न्यायाधीश पनि लाइनमै छन्’
पाटनमा न्यायाधीश लाइनमै छन्। केस मिलाउन बसुरुउद्दिन (अन्सारी, नेशनल मेडिकल कलेजका सञ्चालक) ले पनि पैसा दिन्छन्। दुई घण्टाभित्र क्यास चाहियो भने नि उनले दिन्छन्। ..... त्यो बेला इन्डियन (विधार्थी) को सिट एक करोडमा गएको हो। नेपालीले ८० (लाख) तिरे। ..... यसपालि मेडिसिन ६८ (लाख) मा गयो। रेडियोलोजी चाँहि ८४ (लाख) मा गयो। नेपाली नै ८४ लाखमा गए।..... स्वास्थ्य मन्त्रालयमा सचिव डा. प्रविण मिश्रका नाममा तीन (लाख) पुर्‍याएकै हो। काउन्सिलमा डाक्टर दामोदर गजुरेललाई भाग लगाउनै पर्यो। गजुरेलका नाममा पार्टीमा धेरै पैसा गएको छ। चन्द्र भन्ने रहेछ, त्यो लिन आउँथ्यो। भोलिपल्ट बिहानै पैसा लाजिम्पाट पुग्दो रहेछ। ..... पोहोर किष्टको १३५ सिट बनाउँदा डेढ करोड खुवाइएको थियो। त्यसबेला काउन्सिल अध्यक्ष डा. गजुरेलले हातमा २ करोड पारे। ......

पोहोर निरीक्षणमा गएका टोली सदस्य विमलकुमार सिन्हालाई नोबेल सञ्चालक सुनिल शर्माले ‘तैंले सिट घटाइस् भने तँ रहँदैनस् र तेरो परिवार पनि रहँदैन, ल सिट घटाएर देखा’ भनेका थिए। त्यसो भनेपछि के घट्थ्यो सिट?

...... निरीक्षणमा आउने टोलीलाई अलिअलि खाममा हाल्नै पर्यो। काउन्सिलमा पदाधिकारीको गोजीमा नराखी केही काम हुँदैन। ..... अदालतमा केस मिलाउने काम कालुमार्फत हुन्छ। ..... केस भाग लगाउने काम सार्वोच्च अदालतमा मुख्य न्यायाधीश (प्रधानन्यायाधीश) बाट हुन्छ। कतिपय अवस्थामा केस मिलाउन गोपाललाई मात्र पैसा दिएर हुँदैन, रजिष्ट्रारमार्फत नै केस मिलाउनुपर्ने हुन्छ। अहिलेका रजिष्ट्रार पनि लाइनमै छन्। भनेका ठाउँमा मुद्दा हाल्न (पार्न) सक्छन्। रजिष्ट्रार नै पेलपाल गरेर अघि बढेपछि बिचरा कसको के लाग्थ्यो र? ....... काउन्सिलमा शशि शर्मा (पूर्व अध्यक्ष) ले भाग पनि लाउँथे। उनी त्यहाँ हुँदाखेरि यसलाई यति दिने, यसलाई यति दिने भन्थे। उनले आफ्ना नाममा १० लाख माग्थे। काउन्सिलमा अनिल झा, मनोहर, प्रधान, अन्सारी (एई) र अरुले पनि लिन्थे। ...... मेडिकल काउन्सिलमा रजिस्ट्रारको भ्यालु छ। भोटिङ राइट नभए पनि भ्यालु छ। अहिले सबै बिगारेको रजिस्ट्रारले नै हो। अख्तियारमा निवेदन हाल्ने उनै हुन्। ...... अहिले निलमणीलाई भैरहवा (युनिभर्सल) र पोखरा (गण्डकी) डुबाउनु नै छ । पहिला त रिलेसन राम्रो थियो, पछि पैसा धेरै माग्यो। माओवादी भनेर उसले मलाई सुरुमा ८० लाख (रुपैयाँ) माग्यो। ...... कपी पनि भनेकै मान्छेकोमा पर्छ । मनाउने नै एक्जाम सेन्टरलाई हो । पैसा त त्यसलाई पो चाहिन्छ । .... (सर्वोच्च) अदालतमा कल्याण आएपछि अहिलेसम्म गइएको छैन। हाम्रो मुद्दा सरेको सर्‍यै छ। सबै वकिलले मिलाइहाल्छ। गोपालले मिलाइ हाल्छन्। चोलेन्द्र त झन् माइडियर मान्छे हुन्। काम एक जनासँग गर्दा हुन्। अदालतले भन्दिएपछि सरकारले केही गर्नै सक्दैन। त्यो फाइनल हुन्छ। अरुले पनि त्यो मान्न परिहाल्यो।

हाम्रो एउटा केस मिलाउने बेला प्रधानन्यायाधीश दारीवाला थिए। त्यतिखेर हामीले २ करोड दिएको हो। दारी आफैंले लिएका हुन्।

........ पोखराको हो। मान्छे ठिक छ। पैसाको मामलामा त चर्कै हो । प्रवेश परीक्षाको केसमा हामी कलेजवालाले पुनरावेदन अदालत पाटनमा ८० लाख रुपैयाँ खर्च गरेका थियौँ। तपाईँले पनि केस मिलाउने हो भने जयनारायणमार्फत जानुपर्छ। उसले काम भएपछि मात्र पैसा लिन्छ। ..... अहिले काउन्सिलमा सबै कुरा बिगार्ने मान्छे रजिस्ट्रार नै हुन्। अख्तियारमार्फत लागेर सबै कुरा बिगार्ने उनै हुन्। देवदह मामलामा काउन्सिलका आफ्नै साथीहरुलाई मुद्दा हाल्ने काममा अख्तियारमार्फत लागे। सदस्यहरुलाई मुद्दा हालेर अहिले रजिष्ट्रार काउन्सिलको पावरमा छन्। यिनले कसैलाई बाँकी राख्नेवाला छैनन् । अहिले यिनी हाम्रो कलेजविरुद्ध खनिएका छन्। उनको निकटता नटराजसँग छ । हामीले तिनीसँग सम्बन्ध नबनाएको पनि हैन। पहिला हामीसँग राम्रै सम्बन्ध थियो। तर बीचमा आएर धेरै पैसा मागे । उनले हाम्रो कलेजसँग ८० लाख (रुपैया) मागेका थिए । ८० माग्दा हामीले दिएनौँ, त्यसपछि उनी हामीविरुद्ध लागे। ....... अहिले किष्ट मेडिकल कलेज बेच्न पर्‍यो भनिराछन्। ५२ करोड हालेको हो रे। आठ करोड त मेरो र बालमान सिंह कार्कीको ब्याज नै छ। ल ६० (करोड) मा भन्देउ त भाइ भन्दै थियो मलाई। ...... हामीले भारतबाट फ्याकल्टीलाई दुई/दुई महिनामा क्लास लिन बोलाउने गरेका छौँ। हाम्रो हरेक विभागमा एक जना प्रोफेसर अरु सबै लेक्चरर राख्ने गरेका छौँ। सबै फ्याकल्टी पुर्‍याउनुपर्छ भन्ने छैन।

Friday, May 22, 2015

Foreign Aid Truths

English: The United Nations Development Progra...
English: The United Nations Development Programme in Ukraine (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Where is Nepal aid money going?
a country where corruption is seen as "endemic"? Britain is already the biggest national donor to Nepal - but what has happened to this aid? ....... The UK's Department for International Development (DFID) has spent more than £20m ($30m) in the last four years on an earthquake resilience programme. So what has it achieved? ....... One focus has been on improving building regulations and enforcing them. But walk through downtown Kathmandu and you see hundreds of new buildings that are unsafe, badly built and have clearly flouted these building laws. ...... "Nepal suffers from poor governance, and corruption is endemic. ....... "If Nepal is to become less corrupt, improvements in governance and a change of culture have to be made to state institutions." ..... Part of DFID's programme was carried out by the United Nations Development Programme, (UNDP) which received more than £5m in funding from the UK for its comprehensive disaster risk management programme (CDRMP). One senior aid insider told me the project was "a disaster from start to finish". ......

Over five years, the UN spent £1.3m of its original £10m budget on two international employees.

...... Millions more went in what the public project document lists as unspecified "professional services". ...... the UNDP had "poor financial controls, weaknesses in payment processes and misreporting and recording of payments". .... Because of the widespread corruption and bureaucracy within the government of Nepal, international donors like DFID have channelled their money into the big NGOs and UN agencies to deliver their programmes. ...... Dr Govind Pokharel, vice-chairman of Nepal's National Planning Commission, admits the system is weak and corrupt but says the huge salaries on offer in NGOs and the UN means they are causing a brain drain in Nepal's civil service.

"A government guy gets $200 for a month, whereas you are paying $2,000 per month at an NGO or agency, it is damaging," he says.

....... "The Nepal police didn't like it. I was paid $300 (£190) a day but for the international consultants it was £1,200 a day." ..... "There's a strong case to say we should use national consultants before we go international. There will be a wave that will come - whether it's a helpful wave remains to be seen."


If the corruption culture is not remedied, and if somehow magically you get to cut down on the huge fees for foreign consultants, then most of the money will then go to corruption. Foreign consultants might be ridiculously expensive, but domestic corruption should not be getting a free ride in the process. There are two problems.

Friday, May 15, 2015

Kiva And The Nepal Earthquake



The question is not just of food, medicine and housing. There is also the question of livelihood. Perhaps Kiva can put a focus on Nepal for the next six months so as to help people get small loans, so as as to help people with their livelihoods in a sustainable way.


Bring In The Chinooks


They don't have to go near the villages if the fear is they might bring down weak houses. They could land in valleys some distance from the villages. But these helicopters are the difference between no help at all and some help in most remote villages.

The authorities are saying no because (1) coordinating all the incoming help has been tough, but that is a bad excuse, the problem should be that not enough help is coming in, it can not be that too much help is seen coming in, there is a huge unmet need, (2) when you fly in relief materials from the Kathmandu airport, you are bypassing the Nepal government machinery - corrupt, inefficient, sub par - and that hurts a lot of feelings at many different levels, you are challenging many people's authorities, they don't fear collapsing houses, they fear what they see as a collapse in their authorities, they want all help to reach the poor through them, this helicopter feels too much like direct help, and (3) the bean counters in the Nepal Government think the money the UK government is going to spend on these Chinooks is money that the UK government might otherwise give directly to the Nepal government if the helicopters are not allowed, but if they allow the helicopters, there will be less money for them to play with.

The truth is, these helicopters are needed, badly so. The monsoon is at the doorsteps. The monsoon is the real earthquake. And it is on its way.

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

A Second Hit

At least 68 dead after another major quake centered in Nepal
another 1,261 people have been injured. Thirty-two of the Asian nation's 75 districts were affected. ...... Just over two weeks after thousands died in a mammoth earthquake, Nepal got hit hard again Tuesday -- with another powerful tremor that has left dozens more dead, more than 1,000 injured and questions about what's next for the already traumatized Asian nation. ...... "For the first seconds, it was complete silence. By the fifth second, everybody started to scream" ..... "It was really, really intense. Even when the shaking stopped, people were still screaming. They were completely panicked, because they knew exactly what it was." .....

That earlier tremor was also more than three times bigger and 5.6 times stronger, in terms of energy released

..... It was "like the whole Earth was alive" ...... Open space is often a precious commodity in Kathmandu, but especially on Tuesday. The city's roads quickly clogged with people, many of them crying ..... "People are very scared" ..... "You never get used to seeing telephone poles swaying and surfing past you," he told CNN. "Or buildings just wobbling ... as the earth moves beneath your feet." .....

Expert: More aftershocks likely ...... The fact such a big quake hit so soon after the one last month is proof that another one -- perhaps bigger, perhaps smaller -- could come at any time. To drive home this point, residents in the region dealt with a number of powerful aftershocks, including one at magnitude 6.3 about a half hour after the initial quake.

...... warning of

dangerous landslides as monsoon season approaches

. "Every time it crashes, the Earth moves. Every time it shakes, there's strain." ..... "I don't think people were more prepared this time; people really felt like (the threat) was gone," Adhikari said. "Now they are more frightened."
१९९० सालको महाभूकम्पको बयान
ठीक २ बजी २४ मिनेट २२ सेकेन्ड जाँदा अकस्मात् जमिनभित्रबाट गुडगुडे आवाज आयो र साथसाथै भूकम्प सुरु भयो- २ माघ १९९० को महाभुइँचालो उत्पत्ति भयो । यो जमिनको अपूर्व आवाजले गर्दा भूकम्प हो भन्ने ख्याल झट्ट चढ्न सकेन । पानीको लहरीझैँ जमिनमा लहरी चल्यो । पहिलो अवस्थामा भूकम्पको वेग पूर्वबाट पश्चिम गएको अनुमान गरियो । दोस्रो अवस्थामा जमिन चक्कर खाई बटारिन थाल्यो र सोही वेगमा धेरैजसो घर इमारत लड्न गए । एक बिजुलीबत्तीको ग्लुपसमेत त्यसको सकेटबाट बाहिर उछिट्टएिको देखियो । जमिन कस्तो जोडले काँपेछ भने रूख, बोट हुरीमा परेझैँ लच्के । साना-साना बोटका टुप्पाले जमिन छोला-छोलाजस्तो भयो ।

पोखरीको वा भाँडामा राखिएको पानी बाहिर फ्याँकियो । पोखरीका पानी ठूला-ठूला छालझैँ उछिट्टनि लाग्यो । घरको गाहारा हुरीमा ढोकाझैँ खुल्ने र बन्द हुने गर्न लागे । जमिन तल र माथि गर्दा धमाधम घर लड्न थाले । अग्लाअग्ला पुर्जा गजुर पनि खसे । तोपको बढाइँझैँ घर भत्केको भयंकर आवाज आउन थाल्यो । धूलोले गर्दा अन्धकार भयो । आठ-दस हात अगाडि पनि देखिन नसक्ने भयो । सहरको धूलाले गर्दा टुँडिखेलजस्ता खुला जग्गामा पनि धूलोको कुइरीमण्डल हुन थाल्यो ।

सबै मानिस खुला जग्गातिर भाग्न थाले । कोही अड्न नसकी केही चीजको भर लिई ठाडो रहे, कोही चार हातखुट्टा टेकी चौपायाझैँ भाग्न थाले । कोही छिँडीमा लुके, कोही चोकमा दौडे, औ कोही बारीतिर कुदे कहीँ कहीँ आमाहरू आफू खुलामा आइसकेपछि छोराछोरीको मायाले घरभित्र पस्न जाँदा मृत्युको मुखमा परे । धूलोले अन्धो पारे तापनि अतासले गर्दा सबै मानिस दौडिन थाले । साथसाथै सबले अतासमा ईश्वरको नाम लिई कराउन थाले र चारैतर्फबाट शब्द निस्कन थाल्यो । सो शब्दघर भत्केको आवाजसँग मिल्दा कस्तो भयंकर आवाज आयो होला, विचार गर्नुहोस् । खास गरी स्त्रीहरू धेरै जस्ताले धर्म हुन्छ भन्ने विचारले भाग्ने कोसिस नगरी पानी भर्ने वा औँलाले जमिन छुनेजस्ता रकम-रकममा काम गरे । तर, भाग्ने मानिसले पनि सुख पाएनन् । सहरका ससाना सडक र गल्लीहरू धराप बन्न गए । हजारौँ घरले थिचिई मृत्युको गाँसमा परे । हजारौँ घाइते भए, टुँडिखेलमा कवाज खेलिरहेका सिपाहीहरू उभिन नसकी धेरै जस्ता जमिनमा घोप्टो परे, पूर्वको १ खण्ड जमिन फाटिन गई पानीसमेत निक्लिन गयो ।

सोही बखत धरहरा र घन्टाघर दुवै करौँतीले काटेका रूखझैँ चिराचिरा पर्न गई दुई-तीन टुक्रा भई ढले । धरहराका टुक्राहरू त्यसको पर्खालको चक्काभित्रै परे । अरू घर-इमारत पनि त्यस्तै किसिमले ढलेका थिए ।

खेत र सडक चिराचिरा परेका ठाउँबाट पानी निस्कन थाल्यो । सबै खोलानालामा बाढी आयो । वाग्मती, विष्णुमतीलगायत खोला छिनभरमै कालो र मैलो पानीले ढाकिए । कुनै ठाउँमा ८-१० हात माथिसम्म पानी फोहोरझैँ जमिनबाट फुटी आयो । धेरै जस्ता खेत पानीले जलथल भए । जमिन फाँटिदा तातोपानी र बालुवासमेत बाहिर आएको देखियो । बालाजू र शंखमूल नजिकमा सडक ठाउँ ठाउँमा एक-दुई हातसम्म भासिन गए । चिरान परेका ठाउँको गहिराइ ९-५० हातसम्म पनि हुन गयो, लम्बाइको त कुरै छाडून् ।

भूकम्प बन्द हुनासाथ सबै नातापाताको खोजतलासमा लागे । बेपत्ता भएकाहरूको नाम पुकार्दै सडकमा दौडन थाले ।

आ-आफ्ना घरतिर दौडन थाले । आफ्ना नाता पुरिएकाहरूले सकी-नसकी घरको रासन खोस्रन थाले । सबै आ-आफ्नै नाताहरूको खोजतलासमा लागेकाले मद्दत पाउन कठिन भयो । घरको रासबाट बाँचेकाहरूको स्वर पनि सुनिन्थ्यो, परन्तु झिक्ने पूरा सामथ्र्य भएन । यस्ताका नाताको दिल कस्तो भयो हो, कल्पना गर्न सकिँदैन ।

यस्ता मानिस पल्टन भएका ठाउँमा अथवा काठमाडौँको टुँडिखेलमा आई कराउन थाले । एकैछिनमा सबै खुला ठाउँमा यी आत्तिएका स्त्री-पुरुषहरूले भरिए । केही बेरमै चिफसाहेब, लाठसाहेब र अरू जर्नेल अफिसर जम्मा भए । पहिलो काम त्यहाँ जम्मा भएका सिपाही फौजलाई उत्साह र आधार दिने भयो । त्यसपछि तिनीहरूलाई ठाउँ ठाउँमा पठाउने काम गरियो ।

श्री ५ का छोरी मैयाँ दुई र श्री ३ की नातिनी मैयाँ मरेको खबर त्यहीँ आयो । सिपाहीको गठ-गठ गरी सहर र दरबारमा पुरिएका मानिस झिक्न खटनपठन भयो । तिनीहरू गई सहरमा धेरै पुरिएकालाई बचाइदिए । आफ्ना घरजहान सम्झी मनमा कस्तो ताप परेको हुँदो हो तापनि पल्टनिया जवानहरू आफ्ना कर्तव्यको सोझो रहे । खटाइएका ठाउँमा केही गाह्रो नमानी गए- यस्तो देख्दा खुसी पनि लाग्यो । दया पनि उठ्यो ।

त्यस बखत तीन सहरमा करिब ९ हजार ५ सय सिपाही थिए । घाइतेका साथै अरू सहरका बासिन्दाले अस्पतालको कम्पाउन्ड ढाक्यो । कोही आमा आफ्ना मरेका छोराछोरीलाई हातमा लिई बाँचेका छन् कि भन्ने आशाले डाक्टरलाई देखाउन आएको अपसोची दृश्य पनि देखिन्थ्यो । त्यस बेला अस्पतालको तैनाथवाला भएकाले घाइतेलाई औषधी पुर्‍याउने काम मलाई पर्न आयो । त्यस बखत सहरभित्र कोही-कोही सज्जनले दु:खी घाइतेको स्याहार-सम्भार गरे तापनि धेरैजसो अत्यासले होसहीन भई बसिरहे ।

श्री ५ महाराजाधिराजको सवारी त्यस बखत नागार्जुनमा थियो । केही बेरका लागि त्यहाँबाट आफ्ना नारायणहिटी दरबारमा सवारी भई- विष्णुमतीको पुल भत्केकाले छाउनीको बाटो गरी नागार्जुन फिर्‍यो । चलनबमोजिम छाउनी पास गरिबक्सँदा एक तोपको सलामी दिए । नागार्जुन दरबार पनि भत्केकाले पालमै राज भयो ।

सहरका कोही घर र दरबारमा समेत भत्केका घरका काठपात आगामा पर्दा आगलागी हुन गयो तर हावाको जोर पनि कम भएकाले सम्हाल्न सके । खोकनाको तेल पेल्ने ठाउँमा पनि आगलागी भयो तर फिँजिन पाएन । फर्पिङको मुख्य बिजुलीघरमा भूकम्प हुँदा आफसेआफ कल बन्द हुन गयो । आगलागी नहुनु एक भाग्यको कुरा सम्झनुपर्छ । त्यस बखतको अवस्थामा तपसिलको एक बयानबाट राम्रोसँग अनजाम गर्न सकिन्छ ।

होस-हतास हराएको दुई मिनेटपछि आँखा खोलेर हेर्दा चारैतिर प्रलयको दृश्य, प्रलयको कोकोहोलो स्वरले चिच्याउन र कराउन लागेको देखियो, सुनियो । मानिसको ता के कुरो मानिसका शरणमा परेका चराचुरुंगी पनि च्याँच्याँ र चँुचुँ गरेर आकासमा कराउन लागेका थिए । मुसोजस्तो छरितो जन्तुले पनि भाग्ने मौका पाएन, जहाँको तहीँ थिचिएर मर्नुपर्‍यो ।

छोराको सबै शरीर किचिरहेछ, मुख पक्कपक्क बाएको इँटका अन्तरबाट अलिअलि देखिन्छ आ...मा... भनेको मलिन आवाज अलिअलि सुनिन्छ, इँट-काठ पन्छाएर छोरो झिक्ने मद्दत पुग्दैन । यस्तो अवस्थामा त्यस अभागिनी आमाको तस्बिर खिच्नुहोस्, जहानमा ११ जना थिए, सबै किचिएर मरे, एउटा पाँच वर्षको बालक बाँच्यो । यो टुहुरोको सम्झना गर्नुहोस् । विवाह गरेको वर्ष दिन पनि भएको छैन, १५ वर्षकी बाहुनी विधवा भई, यसले छाती पिटीपिटी रोएको करुण क्रन्दनको विचार गर्नुहोस् ! जहानमा कसैको टाउको फुटेको छ, कसैको हात भाँच्चिएको छ । कुनै बेपत्ता छन् । कसैलाई खोस्रेर झिक्दै छन् । कसैलाई पोल्न लगिसके । घ्याम्पो फुट्यो, अन्नको गेडो छैन । घरमा मुर्दा लडिरहेछ । कात्रो किन्न जाने पसल छैन । दाउरा किन्ने पैसा छैन । घर भत्केका काठपातले मुर्दा पोलिए । बाबु मर्‍यो, छोराले किरिया गर्नलाई कपाल खौरन छुरा पाएन । पुरेत बाजेसँग किरिया गराउने पुस्तक छैन । घरले किचिएको छ वा कहाँ छ पत्तो छैन । किरियापुत्रीले नयाँ धोती नपाएर पुरानो पटुका फेरेर किरिया बस्नुपर्‍यो । सारा सहर भत्क्यो, पसल भत्के केही किन्न पाइँदैन । रात पर्‍यो, माघे झरी पर्ने डर छ, ओत छैन ।

लास जलाउनलाई दाउरा नपाउँदा धेरैले भत्केका घरको काठले जलाए । सबै घाटमा ठेलमठेल भयो । मुर्दाको सत्गत् गर्न नसक्नेहरूले घाटमा मुर्दाहरू त्यसै फ्याँक्न थाले, गाईवस्तुको कुरै छोड्नु । वीरगन्जसम्मको एक्लो टेलिफोन लाइन पनि टुट्न गएको र चारैतिर नोक्सान पर्न गएकाले बाहिरको खबर लिई घोडचढी गए । बाटो बिग्रेकाले भादगाउँ र वरिपरि गाउँको खबर पाउन पनि कठिन भयो । केही गोलमाल वा चोरीको बचाउलाई कौसी -सरकारी ढुकुटी) झेलखाना, तोपखाना र ठूलठूला दरबारमा पालो थप गरियो । खोरका थुनुवाहरू भाग्न कोसिस गरेकामा सिपाहीको मद्दतले भाग्न सकेनन् । हिउँदको छोटो दिन-रात चाँडै पर्‍यो तर बिजुलीबत्ती आएन । आफ्ना नातेदारको खबर लिन पनि फुर्सद भएन ।

स-साना कम्पनहरू रातभर गइरहे । तिनको गन्ती भएन । ठूलादेखि सानासम्म सबैका खेतबारी या खुला मैदानमा बास भयो । हजारौँले ओत नपाई खुला मैदानमा बसे । त्यस रातमा खान पनि थोरैले मात्र पाए । पानी जम्न थाल्यो । त्यो रात जरोको निद्राझैँ बित्यो ।

भोलिपल्ट पुरिएका मानिस र मुर्दा झिक्ने काममा मद्दत दिन सिपाहीलाई ठाउँ-ठाउँमा पठाए । धेरै जिउँदा मानिस निस्के । एकै ठाउँमा ४०-५० जनासम्म पुरिए । अफिसरहरू गाउँगाउँमा बुझ्न गए ।

'म घुमेका ठाउँमध्ये सानागाउँ र लुभु सहरको दृश्य अन्तको भन्दा हृदयविदारक छ । १५००-२००० छाना अघि जुन ठाउँमा थिए, आज त्यही ठाउँमा चार-पाँचवटा छाना पनि देखिँदैन । अघिको झिँगटीका छानाले भरिभराउ भएको बस्ती अहिले पटपटी फुटेको नांगो डाँडो देखिइरहेछ ।'

वीरगन्जसम्मको टेलिफोनको लाइन भोलिपल्टै खुल्यो । परन्तु, रक्सौलभन्दा परको खबर केही पाइएन । वीरगन्ज स्वाहा भएको छ । रक्सौलदेखि माथिसम्म रेल लाइन टुटेको छ । नेपाल सरकार लाइट रेलवेमा पनि नोक्सान पर्न गएको छ । तारको खुट्टा टुटेकाले हिन्दुस्तानपट्टकिो केही खबर छैन ।

महाभूकम्प गएको दिनैदेखि हररोज साना-साना भूकम्प जान थाले । ४ माघ राती अर्को निकै ठूलो कम्प गयो । आत्तिएका दुनियाँमा झन् हतास बढ्न गयो । तीन-चार दिनसम्म यस्तो कोलाहल बराबर चलिरह्यो । पछि-पछि यस्तो कराउने कम हुँदै गयो । दुनियाँलाई भूकम्पमा बानी पर्न गयो ।

Saturday, May 09, 2015

Nepal Government Responds To Criticism

From the horse’s mouth by Leela Mani Paudyal
command centers at the central level under the secretary of Ministry of Home Affairs and in districts under Chief District Officers were established within two hours of the first earthquake on April 25 ...... trained security personnel were deployed and helicopters sent for search and rescue operations in all the affected districts immediately. ........ Central Disaster Relief Committee meeting followed by the meeting of secretaries took place on the same afternoon and it took more than a dozen important decisions to mobilize resources for search and rescue. On the same day, all agencies dealing with essential services like communication, power, road, water supply and transportation, etc. were asked to run 24/7. Water supply was a bit sluggish, as were transportation and power service. The delay in resuming road maintenance and water supply was due to the unavailability of many skilled operators who were themselves victims of the disaster. On the other hand, the communication sector was among the quick respondents. ........ Many public servants resumed their service, risking their lives, even amidst repeated aftershocks. An electrical worker fell off a pole in Kathmandu while repairing transmission line due to an aftershock. But major road blockades were cleared by Sunday evening, power in many places in Kathmandu Valley had resumed by that time, and communication improved a lot. Around 22,500 public servants, 65,000 army personnel, 45,000 police and 25,000 Armed Police Force were at work by Sunday afternoon. ........ we have rough data from the VDCs about the number of affected households, schools and health posts that collapsed as well as public utilities that were damaged. ..... Recently, we have deployed about 1,800 officers in 14 affected districts, along with an 11-member team including doctors and engineers for each VDC. ....... This team will help control post disaster epidemic, collect data of losses, distribute relief materials and prepare physical plan. ....... Teams led by secretaries at the district level and joint secretaries in each constituency were deputed on the fourth day of the disaster. This is the highest-level deployment ever at the local level. As of today, altogether 56 joint secretaries and 14 secretaries are mobilized for this. ........ Our public servants were involved in search, rescue, treatment and maintenance of public utilities. ........ Transport entrepreneurs' apathy to the trouble of commoners after earthquake was a shocking phenomenon in a civilized society. There was similar response from the suppliers/manufacturers of essential services. People working there could not demonstrate magnanimity in these troubled times. ......... Even after facing this great tragedy some people were engaged in self-serving activities. Essential service providers, almost all, were out of business in Kathmandu after April 25 demanding water, tents, transportation and other essentials services from the government. How a poor government can supply all those services without their help? ........ We have requested every individual and organization to coordinate with CDOs at district level. One can help CDOs to make sure relief materials reach the needy. There have been false media reports about the government trying to control individual efforts, barring private sector's efforts, etc. Same bloggers used derogatory words against the government. ..... The PM's Fund is used in relief and rescue. The major contributor of this fund is the Government itself. A separate window is created to ensure quick release of fund in case of emergency without any hassles under present budgetary system. The record from the past several years proves that a ninety five percent of the contribution is from government's treasury. This goes through three channels and is fully accounted for and audited by Auditor General and is scrutinized by the CIAA in case of discrepancies.......... But we believe that no one can collect donations in the name of disaster from general public without prior government approval. This is the law of the land. ...... If the people of social and political stature derogate, demoralize, haggle with and try to use public officials for petty/personal or institutional benefit, the efficiency of this moderately operating system will be affected. ......... Some of you have lauded foreign workers while underrating national response. ...... Glorifying outsiders or non-governmental sector and belittling national system only strengthens outsiders and weakens the country. ............. Let us make government system strong and capable by joining hands with it, and making it accountable. ....... With the help of civil society, learned people and private sector working together, the government can hope to ensure equitable distribution. Otherwise, the powerful will continue to grab more and more, at the cost of the deprived. ....... With a stronger government, our national capabilities to deal with foreigners will be strengthened.


I get the impression he has attempted to dodge some of the concrete questions that have been raised. There is a vague appeal to work together. And there is no concrete proposal for a new level of transparency.

पुलिस र सेनाको एक महिनाको तलब काट्दिएको हो?
Massive Corruption At The Airport?
Making Nepal Different From Haiti
नेपाल सरकार कि विदेशी सरकार --- प्रश्न नै गलत
हेटी ले सिकाउने: घुस खाने कि तलब खाने?
The Government Under A Cloud
The Nepal Army Has Been Doing Exemplary Work
हो, सरकार अक्षम्य रुपले असफल भएको हो
A Corrupt Elite Rattled By The Earthquake
नेपालमा एउटा अहिंसात्मक कोतपर्व को खाँचो
Outlines Of A 100% Online Transparency Bill

Thursday, May 07, 2015

A Marshall Plan Is Possible Through 100% Online Transparency

Logo used on aid delivered to European countri...
Logo used on aid delivered to European countries during the Marshall Plan. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Marshall Plan was a US government effort. Done right, 100% online transparency allows you to bypass that US government and go straight to the American people. And by American, I also mean British, Indian, Japanese, whoever.

Needed: A Marshall Plan
governance in Nepal was a disaster zone even before the earthquake. ..... Slow delivery of services, lack of coordination, mismanagement, ad hoc decisions and corruption have been the hallmarks of our soft state. Despite the restoration of democracy and regular elections, accountability has somehow always fallen between the cracks. Leaders who traditionally thrived on patronage have felt no need for performance-based legitimacy. ...... How could we expect the Nepali state to become the epitome of efficient management and speedy delivery overnight, just because there was an earthquake? ....... It would have streamlined procedures to receive maximum assistance instead of creating hurdles, it would have expedited delivery of urgent medical and food supplies to remote areas instead of letting it pile up at the airport, it would have encouraged donations to pour in instead of creating obstacles and obfuscation. ...... what we saw were politicians and bureaucrats showing the same inertia and lethargy as they have during ‘normal’ times. They pushed paper, waited for rubber stamps and ‘clearance from higher-up authorities’ as if it was just another humdrum day in our banana republic. All right, we’ll say it:

the bureaucratic delays in the initial days after the quake cost lives. The earthquake killed people, red tape killed many of the survivors.

........ The Prime Minister toured Sindhupalchok by air 10 days after the earthquake, Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been holed up in a secluded villa in Man Bhavan for the past week, and only briefly gate-crashed a relief distribution event organised by the Guru Dwara. The President, it must be said, shunned media attention and made low-key personal visits to ruins of Kathmandu’s historic heart. ..... And when the politicians and the government did act decisively, it was to spread even more hopelessness and confusion. Just like the famously absurd sound bite by a palace official after the royal massacre in 2001 about it having been caused by the “accidental discharge of an automatic weapon” this time too, officials were busy shooting themselves in the foot every time they opened their mouths. .......... The Central Bank issued a dreadful statement that all earthquake aid had to be channeled through the Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund (‘otherwise they will be seized’) that immediately halted most emergency cash donations from abroad. The PMO tried to clarify it was only for NGOs set up after 25 April for earthquake relief, but its interpretation sowed even more confusion. Then some wiseguy in government said we don’t need any more aid. Not to be outdone, another smartass told foreign rescue workers “we don’t need you anymore we can handle it ourselves”. The government is the subject of ridicule across the world, it is squandering the goodwill that Nepal and Nepalis command internationally – testament to which is the tremendous and prompt delivery of relief flights.......... The Army and Armed Police together have 120,000 personnel deployed in the 12 districts, and by all accounts have gone beyond the call of duty, despite their own family tragedies, in search, rescue and ferrying supplies. Civil society, individuals, overseas Nepalis and the private sector have stepped in to fill the gaps. ......... In the short-term there is still the need to get emergency food, medicine and shelter to the areas where they are most needed. In the medium term, we will have to turn our attention to semi-permanent housing as well help with seeds for the planting season as the rainy season approaches. This is of vital importance so subsistence farmers who have lost their granaries have something to eat in the coming year and will not have to depend on outside food aid. Then there is the colossal need for reconstruction of the 300,000 homes and 15,000 schools that have been destroyed. ........ This needs a Marshall Plan type movement with seamless coordination between the government, local bodies, the international community, the UN and the multilateral agencies. By now we have plenty of lessons learnt from Haiti to Haiyan about how to best manage the rehabilitation of vast populations. No two countries are alike, but there are red flags about where things went dreadfully wrong elsewhere, and why things worked brilliantly in places. ....... more than anything else, we in Nepal need to turn this tectonic shift into a paradigm shift in the way we govern ourselves, how we plan, move towards a renewable energy economy, be more self-sufficient, enforce urban planning, zoning and safe housing regulations, and decentralise decision-making. ....... Nepal has turned into a no-man’s land because of overseas out migration. Village after village devastated by the earthquake have only women, children and the elderly.