 No Electricity, No Problem!
What are you doing for a New Nepal? Here is what the Nepal Electricity Authority is doing:
By Madan Lamsal
No petrol? No electricity? No gas? No water? No money? No problem. There is a silver lining to every black cloud. If you are a creative businessman, you can see business opportunity even in the face of these adversities. For example, you can start a candle business. Tourists like candles, don't they? Remember candlelight dinners?
The NEA is trying its level best to make way for such new business opportunities to all of you in a New Nepal. The campaign's central theme is to reverse the age-long slogan 'from darkness to light' into 'from light to darkness'. And NEA has achieved considerable success in it. Its recently published public notice is a giant step forward in this direction. The gist of the message in the notice runs like this:
"Proposals are pouring in from the investors within and outside the country for illuminating the country by producing more electricity. But to keep up the age-long belief and tradition of NEA, we, the high officers of NEA, have decided not to let any new power project to be implemented. Rather, we shall request the consumers to reduce consumption and help us in our endeavour to realise the slogan "from light to darkness" by observing the following advice:
l Use the cheapest Chinese and Indian electric bulbs and tubes that fuse out immediately so that there will be darkness even when electricity is available.
l Do not use electricity from five o'clock to 10 o'clock in the evening because these are peak hours. Use electricity during off-peak hours only.
l Do not use electric appliances such as fans, heaters, TVs and fridges even when you need them because such appliances are being used by NEA and other government offices on a 24 hour/365 days basis.
l Do not use floodlights on hoarding boards. If you must illuminate them to promote your business, use the floodlights during the day or at mid-night when all everyone is asleep.
l Do not organise any feast, party or celebration of any kind because you may need light during such occasions. If such celebrations are unavoidable, observe them in a progressive manner, i.e. in a way that needs no electricity. Do not invite anybody except the bride and groom to the wedding ceremony.
l Leave the street lights on all the time and launch a campaign to encourage students to read under them.
l Stop running industries and businesses. This will save you from having to pay salaries to employees and go through the hassle of fulfilling the demands of the trade unions and Maoists. If you develop a habit of living without electricity, you will also save on ink expense used in computer print outs.
l Don't worry about load shedding. Instead, spend the time to prepare a perfect schedule to know when electricity is actually available at your place. That will ensure that you win the Best Planner of the Year award from the Planners' Club.
l It sure will bring about a growth in the country, as it will result in a baby boom...! You want growth anyway. Don't you?"
If all the institutions and organisations are to make similar efforts, Nepal will become a New Nepal in the real sense of the term.
We must thank NEA for such an innovative idea for creating the New Nepal.
|
