In Need Of Civic Sense

AT A time when violence and terrorism have been affecting every sector of the country, Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur Chand once again reiterated the priority of His Majesty's Government to ensure law and order and hold elections in a free and fair manner in order to further strengthen democracy and accelerate the pace of development. Addressing the second convocation of Pokhara University in Kaski the other day, Prime Minister Chand said that as the country is really in a state of crisis because of growing violence and terrorism, it is the duty of all citizens especially the intellectuals and educated populace to extend active and meanignful support and help to the government for tackling the problems being faced by the country and the people. Nepal is, indeed, in a critical situation. Violence and terrorism have divided the society and created a sense of insecurity and terror in the country, which is by no means compatible to development and democracy. Violence and terror cause hatred and destruction. Violence and terrorism being perpetrated by the so-called Maoist terrorists have already claimed more than 5000 innocent lives and damaged property worth over billions of rupees. Development has virtually come to a standstill. The nation is without elected representatives both at the central as well as local level. Parliamentary election had to be postponed because of violence and terror. Free and fair election is the essense of democracy. The government is, thus, committed to hold elections in an appropriate time. However, elections cannot be held in a free and fair manner unless peace was restored and law and order improved in the country. The government is also working to create a conducive environment for holding elections by improving security situation in the country. Besides government's efforts, cooperations and contributions from political parties and civil society are equally important. However, some political parties do not seem serious for the election and have not reciprocated to government's appeal.

Peace is, thus, a must for consolidation of democracy and institutionalisation of development in the country. It is the education that promotes moral values and civic sense among the people and builds a civilised society. Absence of civic sense and moral education, distortions and aberrations crop up in the country. The educated people and intellectuals are the jewels of the nation, who shape public opinion and properly guide the society for better posterity. The country is, thus, in need of moral values, sense of civility, peace and mutual harmony. This can be possible only when we promote civic and moral education in the country.

No Wetland, No Water

THE Department of National Park and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), in keeping with the United Nations' declaration of the year 2003 as the International Year of Fresh Water, is marking the International Year of Fresh Water on February 2 along with, as per a news item carried by this daily the other day, the World Wetland Day whose slogan for this year is "No Wetland, No Water" by organising an interaction programme along with other extra activities. By now it is well known to all that wetlands, be they in Nepal or elsewhere, support diverse eco-systems that, in turn, sustain a wide variety of the bio-diversity. It could be for this reason that our ancestors, in their search for food and game, settled around the wetlands. And, as they gradually graduated from the hunting to the agricultural stage, they began to convert the wetlands into farm lands. One likely reason for converting wetlands into farms by our ancestors could that the wetlands were brimming with fresh water that sustained their varied crops-and which, in turn, supported their own lives. That our ancestors discovered the true worth of wetlands could be gleaned from the various cradles of civilisation that rose and fell with the march of time. Almost all of them were located near the mightly rivers. And where there are rivers, wetlands of varying sizes are not far away.

This process of turning wetlands into farmlands, unfortunately, is still proceeding on a relentless pace. While intense population pressure coupled with lack of related laws, measures and efforts could be the likely causes that are abetting the process of converting the wetlands into farms, if the remaining priceless havens of complex eco-systems and unique bio-diversity were to be bequeathed to posterity, the concerned authorities need to implement a multi-pronged strategy. Declaring the remaining wetlands, especially those that support unique eco-systems and bio-diversity, as protected areas could deter land-hungry farmers from encroaching upon them. Since merely declaring them as protected areas would not suffice to save them from further encroachment, the concerned authorities should either fence them off or employ specialised staff to patrol them. While they are at it, they also should launch sustained campaigns among the farmers, especially among those with farms near the wetlands, to raise their awareness concerning unique roles that the wetlands are playing in supporting complex eco-systems and sustaining a varied bio-diversity within their areas.