Environment & Development
Need For Striking Balance

THE term environment would denote a series of climatic, edaphic and biotic and abiotic factors that synergistically influence living beings in terms of survival and sustainability. It would thus indicate the circumstances surrounding living beings that are continuously acting upon them.

Nowadays, there is a growing concern about environmental degradation, which may be regarded as a direct or indirect corollary of human activities. There is no doubt that humankind has made remarkable advances in various fields but such advances are often accompanied by negative impacts on the environment.

At present, environmental degradation has become a global problem, to which Nepal is not an exception. In the past, human activities were limited and so nature was in a position to sustain itself. Now, the trend has reversed; there is so much encroachment upon nature that it is literally falling apart at the seams.

Environmental problems may be considered a byproduct of over-exploitation of natural resources, haphazard use of various materials and adoption of various methods or amenities in the name of development.

Nepal is a land of uneven topography. Ranging from 100 meters to 8,848 meters from sea level, much of the land of the country is rugged and sloping. There is an increasing trend to till marginal land. And unscientific use of fertilisers and pesticides has resulted in agrological degeneration and hence soil erosion. It is estimated that 1.8 million metric tonnes of nutrients required for crops are washed away every year, out of which only 0.3 million tonnes can be compensated for by the use of organic and other fertilisers. This has affected productivity to a great extent.

Forest cover is getting depleted year by year in Nepal. Now, close to 4.2 million hectares of the land is covered by forest, which comes out at about 29 per cent. The contributing factors to continuing forest depletion are heavy dependence on forest for firewood, cattle grazing, timber for construction purposes and so on.

Watershed development projects, if not run taking into account environmental impacts, may generate environmental problems. The physical, chemical and biological properties of water have also degenerated. Even a few swamps have been affected by human encroachment.

Eighty-nine per cent of the fuel requirements of the Nepalese are fulfilled through traditional sources like firewood, agricultural residues and cowdung, whereas the remaining are met through commercial sources like POL productsd, electricity and coal. However, in recent times the government has shown considerable interest in developing alternative sources of energy like biogas.

Effluents and smoke spewed forth by various industrial establishments have been polluting the environment to a great extent. It is, therefore, necessary to translocate such polluting industries to sparsely populated suburban or rural areas.

Similarly, polluting vehicles are a great source of air quality degradation. The government is very serious about it. It has, therefore, taken stringent measures to curb vehicular pollution. Its latest move is to ban the operation of 20-year-old vehicles in the near future.

The world is facing a population explosion on an unprecedented scale. Nepal is also facing a similar situation. In fact, population growth would exert tremendous pressure on nature, in consequence of which man has to face several problems. Today, drinking water, sanitation, solid waste disposal, waterborne and airborne diseases and over-use of non-biodegradable materials have become a constant headache.

Considering ever-growing environmental problems, the government has formulated eco-friendly policies, besides enacting environmental laws. It may be noted that the Environmental Conservation Act, 2053 and the related regulations, 2054 are in force now. There are various legal provisions regarding the need for adopting environmental impact assessment and anti-pollution measures while running a project.

Various units have been established to implement environmental conservation projects. The establishment in 2049 of the Environmental Conservation Council to give policy guidelines to the government and of the Ministry of Population and Environment in 2052 may be considered a positive step towards conserving the environment.

The government is not alone in the efforts to save the fragile environment; some NGOs have been actively involved in this field. These entitles engaged themselves in public awareness campaigns in close coordination with the government. Such campaigns would facilitate the implementation of natural resources management and pollution control programmes.

As a matter of fact, it is indispensable to integrate such programmes into social-welfare and development programmes. This would play a catalystic role in making both development and conservation sustainable synchronously. Sustainable development is one of the main goals encapsulated in the development planning of Nepal.

It would be germane to note that the Earth Summit was organised in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June, 1992 by the UN Conference on Environment and Development. The gathering was participated in by 117 heads of state and representatives from 178 countries. At the meeting, various treaties and documents regarding reconciling global economic development with environmental protection were signed. And nations committed themselves to pursue economic development in a way to protect the environment and non-renewable resources.

Nepal has not been able to solve environmental problems caused by population growth, urban migration, deforestation. Lack of proper sanitation, vehicular pollution and other factors. To resolve such problems is really a daunting task. Therefore, it is the need of the hour to vigorously strive to conserve the environment so as to strike a balance between development activities and the environment. After all, the environment is a keepsake of the present generation that should be handed over to posterity in its form.

Better Prospects In Store For Kathmandu Valley 

By Mohan K.C.

IT augurs very well for the Kathmandu Valley that a twenty year perspective plan is being formulated to make it a modern capital city as well as an economic centre. This news must come as a source of relief to inhabitants of the valley. The reason is obvious: the utter chaos that persists here is too much to bear.

Though Kathmandu Valley is the hub of most of the administration activities and an economic centre, there are numerous problems which have not been solved despite the repeated calls for the same. It is obvious that Kathmandu has developed from the ancient times with its strategic location. Surrounded by almost 10,000 high mountain peaks on all four sides, it was like a fort and offered great hindrance to any outsiders entering the valley with malicious intentions.

Kathmandu Valley saw its substantial development during the medieval period with most of the cultural, artistic and religious heritage coming into place. It was a combination of these heritage existing and blending among themselves.

The most important development took place after His late Majesty King Prithvi Narayan Shah’s efforts for the unification of Nepal materialised and Kathmandu became the administrative centre for the whole country. It has remained ever since. The only thing is that many physical changes have taken place since then.

That important event of historical and national significance had an important bearing in the influx of people from other parts of the country whether for commerce and industry or being absorbed in the administrative and military jobs. The very fact that the incoming population and the natives of the valley have mixed well is a result of the policies adopted. This has made the valley and more importantly Kathmandu a model. The harmony that exists between the people belonging to all castes and creed is exemplary.

It is crucial to note that with the conducive atmosphere that existed in the valley and which still exists, the flow of Nepalese from elsewhere in Nepal has increased. This naturally adds on the facilities and amenities that Kathmandu has to offer.

It is in the context to note that Kathmandu in this form started developing only after the great earthquake of 1934 A.D. The devastation that it caused in terms of life and property was immense. Yet, no stone was left unturned to build it from scraps. This speaks much for the mighty efforts of the Nepalese people. It was only when it was reconstructed that the New Road or Juddha Sadak came into existence. At that time that was the only road that could accomodate two way traffic in the
modern sense. It might have been considered unnecessary when horse carriages were far and few and only a number of automobiles belonging to the noble class.

That proved to be the starting point for the transformation of Kathmandu city. Since the establishment of democracy in 1990, greater freedom has been granted to the people and the role of Kathmandu, the capital, has become all the more vital. It is the power centre now catering to over 23 million Nepalese. Industry too has flourished. The rising demands of land has seen the landscape of Kathmandu changing from farmlands to one dotted with houses and streets everywhere. According to the data made available by the Department of Urban Development, the valley still contains over 20,000 hectares of greenery which include jungle, grassland and bushes. This seems unbelievable to an ordinary person who sees buildings everywhere.

For a layman the valley seems to be already crowded but according to studies carried out, Kathmandu Valley can still accomodate four times greater population than at present if it is developed in a more scientific manner. This entails carefully worked out action plans. Development by itself will not come. For this the infrastructures have to be in place. Already the valley is choking because of the inadequate civic amenities like sewage, drinking water supply, roads and so on. To make the idea come true billions of rupees have to be invested to make all the facilities available to the influx of people who will make Kathmandu their home.

But, it must be assumed that this is theoretically possible, not that it will happen. The space for greenery has to be allocated. The only thing is that the valley needs to be systematically and scientifically developed so that not only the people living here at present but even those who come in later will find their needs met. It is a great challenge but if commitment and sustained efforts are made then surely better days are ahead for Kathmandu Valley.

On The Occasion Of National Day Of Thailand
Buddha’s Teaching Brings Nepal, Thailand Closer

By Arun Ranjit

EVER since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Nepal and Thailand in 1969, the relationship of the two countries has been developing in cordial and friendly way. The exchange of visits by the senior leaders from both the countries have also enhanced more closer and better understanding of goodwill towards each other.

Lord Buddha’s teaching of peace, compassion and non-violence have always been a source of inspiration for the people of the two countries.

Nepal and Thailand’s commitments towards the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence based on sovereign equality of all states; territorial integrity and non-interference in internal affairs remain valid even to this day.

Situated in the heart of South East Asia and as a gateway to Indo-China Thailand covers a land area of 513,115 square kilometers and extends about 1,620 kilometers from north to south and 775 kilometers from east to west.

A home of around 59 million people, Thailand has been a democratic constitutional monarchy since 1932.

Nepal is the birth place of Lord Buddha. Many people in Thailand are Buddhist. The noble life of Buddha and his teachings have brought the people of both the countries closer. The teaching of Buddhism has a dominant influence on Thailand’s way of life where Buddhism is the national religion and 94 per cent of its populace are Buddhists.

Thailand is also well known as the country which has preserved traditions of Buddhist study. The people have great respect for elders and reverence to Buddhism. They are preserving the tradition of close family ties. Festivals also form a large part of fun loving Thailand’s social life.

Nepal and Thailand have a long standing historical and diplomatic relations. Both the countries have constitutional monarchies which is considered as the symbol of national unity, international glory and genuine friendship.

The similarities in many issues between the two countries have also contributed in strengthening the relationship between Nepal and Thailand.

The exchange of visit at the various levels may strengthen the existing ties despite having promotional ties in many sectors.

The regular air service between the two countries has also helped in strengthening the mutual cooperation of the people of both the countries.

The national carrier Thai Airways International was the first airlines to operate jet service to the Nepalese capital. It became the pioneer airlines that opened the Himalayan Kingdom’s capital as a new destination to the world which was a spectacular and memorable event in the Nepalese aviation history.

In the beginning, Thai flew once a week from Kathmandu to Bangkok. Soon after one more flight was introduced to cope with the high demand. Now Thai Airways International operates daily flights to Kathmandu. Thai was also the first airlines in Nepal to introduce the computerized system for air ticket reservation.

Thai has also been jointly working with Nepal’s national flag carrier Royal Nepal Airlines Corporation in the field of aviation. It has also been helping in the promotion of Nepal as a tourist destination. The service rendered by Thai Airways International to this tiny Himalayan Kingdom is remarkable and has acted as a catalyst in promoting tourism to make it what it is today.

Cooperation in the various sectors should be sought for promoting the +ties by exploring Nepal’s natural resources, age-old arts and culture in the days to come.

The accumulated experiences in various sectors from Thailand could also assist in tying the knot more at the people’s level as well as at the higher level.

The present democratic government of Thailand has succeeded in maintaining and promoting the relation with Nepal at the highest level.

Let’s hope that the growing spirit of cooperation will pave the way for a new era of peace and prosperity between Nepal and Thailand.

Today on the Auspicious Birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej of the Kingdom of Thailand which is also celebrated as a National Day by the Thai people, the relation of Nepal and Thailand may grow stronger in the days to come and reach the glorious height for the progress, prosperity and peace of the people.

The ties between our two countries based on Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence have withstood the test of time which have always been warm and friendly.

Such a development would no doubt serve the cause of peace and stability in the Nepal-Thailand relations.

Long live Nepal-Thailand friendship.