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Kathmandu Wednesday June 27, 2001 Ashadh 13, 2058.
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Census over, but critics doubt
data authenticity
By Subas Risal
KATHMANDU, June 26 - Number-crunchers at the
Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) are soon to begin the time-consuming and sensitive
process of making sense of the mass of data that was compiled through the Herculean
once-a-decade National Census exercise which ended today.
However, even before the results are out, there
is already a swirling debate about the authenticity of the data the CBS will eventually
have to put out in about a month’s time.
Critics say that the data will not provide a
true picture of the various facets of Nepali life, mainly of its indigenous minorities,
women’s socio-economic status and of disabled persons. Moreover, there is also the
worry of having to compile data through estimation rather than actual counting in the five
per cent of the territory under the control of the Maoist rebels in practice.
"The estimation definitely won’t
produce the authentic data and will put the negative impact in the long run," says
Laxman Pandey, a college teacher in Kathmandu.
However CBS authorities say this was the most
scientific of all census carried out in the country over the decades. Yes, there were
limitations, but much has been achieved in this census, they claim.
As its stands now, CBS completed the census in
around 95 per cent of the districts in the country. The five per cent are rebel-controlled
territory in which CBS hopes to do an "estimation." Census experts say that
estimation will produce roughly the same data.
The once-a-decade exercise began on May 14 this
year and the first phase ended on May 28. The second and final phase began on June 10 and
ended today. There were around 20,000 enumerators deputed to collect data in the second
phase. They were provided training by the CBS. CBS claims that enumerators were provided
adequate training with fair amount of allowances. Most of the enumerators were teachers of
the local primary schools.
For the first phase, around 5,000 supervisors
were deputed for family listings. The supervisors complained that they were not provided
with adequate training and the allowances were meagre.
CBS says that, Census couldn’t be exercized
in accordance with the schedule owing to the June 1 tragedy inside the Royal Palace. The
deadline got extended for five days as the nation plunged into state mourning.
The issue of ethnicity got into a heated
controversy after the grievances of ethnic groups was brushed aside by the government.
They claim that their demand of involving themselves in the Census has been completely
ignored. They say that, the result of the Census is definitely going to fuel the
controversy.
"We have received the report that
enumerators themselves were not cleared with the concepts- dialects and religion- while
collecting data. There is also report regarding the biases of the enumerators, " said
Dr. Chaitanya Subba, former Director of Nepal Nationalities Development Committee.
He further added "The outcome of this
Census will not be able to portray the real situation since organizations related to
ethnic groups could not be mobilized due to the tragic incident that took place in the
Royal Palace."
It seems that disabled people are also not
satisfied with the enumerators for deliberately leaving out the section for the disabled.
Munchun Mishra, Director of Nepal Disabled
Association said that result of the Census won’t depict the real picture of disabled
in the country. "The enumerators intentionally left out the section for the disabled.
We can’t expect the good result from this Census."
The disabled people seemed pretty much satisfied
with the inclusion of section for the disabled in the Census form but expressed concern
over the way the data was collected.
Likewise, the womenfolk of the country also
seems disenchanted over the way data was collected. " The enumerators who came to
collect data did not bother about asking on the women’s property," On condition
of anonymity said a woman. This is the first time in the Census history that section for
women’s property has been included.
Studies and researches reveal that they
contribute substantially to the household income. Organizations related to women expressed
concern over the not incorporating this particular section in the questionnaire.
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