Realising B.P.'s Vision

THE nation has been facing diverse problems for some time now. From the gradual breakdown of law and order to increasing corruption, the country had been seeing alarming developments which were not beneficial for anybody, specially the people in general. Therefore, there was much euphoria amongst everyone when Girija Prasad Koirala became the Prime Minister and he pledged to provide full security to the people and also curb the rampant corruption. They felt he had rightly diagnosed the problems that had been troubling the nation. So it was really a befitting tribute to a leader like late BP Koirala, when at a function organised to mark the 18th BP Koirala Memorial Day the other day, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala reiterated his commitment to move ahead with a new vision for the all-round development of the country. PM Koirala, during the function, bluntly made the announcement that he was going to take stringent measures to make his campaign for good governance, corruption control and security situation in the country a success. How serious the Prime Minister is about the promises he has made to the people, was demonstrated when he outrightly said that he will fire any of his cabinet colleagues, if they are proved corrupt.

There is not doubt corruption is eating away into the nation's economy and thus depriving the fruits of development being reached to the people at the grassroots level. This could be the cause of many problems that are prevalent at present. Therefore, tackling this major challenge in front of the nation will go a long way in solving many of the issues that are troubling the people. Similarly, another major problem that the nation is seeing is the increasing Maoist insurgency. Many individuals have headed the government since this problem arose in some remote areas in Mid-Western Nepal some years back. But till now, it is probably only Prime Minister Koirala, who has been ready to face the challenge head on. Once mo

re, people have been encouraged by the assurance given by the Prime Minister that he will personally visit the affected areas and create public awareness against violence and unconstitutional activities. PM Koirala is right in saying that this will convince people not to support Maoist activities. It will be a fitting tribute to a leader like late BP Koirala if the same kind of vision he had, is utilised again to solve the many problems of the country and the people.

EIA Manpower

MINISTER of State for Population and Environment Shiva Raj Joshi, while lauding the role played by the School of Environment Management and Sustainable Development for producing the required manpower for Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and environment management the other day, further said that since the inception of the Ministry of Population and Environment in 2052 B.S., the Environment Conservation Act-2053 and the Environment Conservation Regulation-2054 had been enacted and made an integral part of the corpus of environment protection laws. The enactment of environment conservation laws clearly indicates the government’s serious resolve to protect the nation’s environment which, as all ecologists and environmentalists aver, is very fragile due to the country’s mountainous terrain that covers over 70 per cent of the territory, for posterity. As such, while the government’s intention to conserve the nation’s environment should and must be lauded by all, the need to translate the laws into actions has been keenly felt by all. More particularly by the concerned monitoring agency and the environmentalists at home and abroad. For, of late, the nation’s environment, which is not only very fragile but also precarious too, is increasingly coming under tremendous onslaught due to various factors such as the unbridled population growth, rampant deforestation, conversion of marginal lands into farms, rising popularity of adventure tourism and, last but not the least, unplanned development activities. All this, needless to point out, has resulted in increasing incidents of man-made disasters like massive landslips, flash floods and drought-like conditions troubling both the nation and the people alike. The more so since the last four decades that witnessed the population galloping at a fast pace. This, in turn, started putting pressure on the forests and marginal lands that were cleared to be converted into farms to feed the additional family members. Add to this the rising popularity of adventure tourism coupled with unplanned development activities and we have a potent mix of man-made calamities hanging like a Damocles’’ sword over the people and government alike. Notwithstanding this, it is indeed heartening to note that appropriate initiatives, albeit belatedly, have been forthcoming in the form of laws and environment protection programmes. However, no amount of environment protection laws and programmes, without adequate manpower schooled in the theory and practice of conserving the nation’s fragile ecology, would be able to realise the objectives--herein, protecting and preserving the environment for posterity. As such, if more trained manpower to carry out EIA is the need of the hour, then, on the other hand, the authorities must ensure that all development-oriented offices throughout the country are staffed with such personnel so that man-made disasters would soon be a thing of the past in the country.