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Urban & Environmental Planning in Nepal On Urban Environment Ambika Prasad Adhikari's new book highlights the environmental challenges of urban areas By KESHAB POUDEL At a time when Nepal is facing many challenges in the areas of environment and housing in urban region, there is a dire need of public debate and discussion over it. In his first effort, Dr Adhikari discusses different aspects of environmental planning in urban areas focussing on the planning and environmental problems related to the towns of the Kathmandu valley. The population is increasing in alarming rate exerting pressures in all areas of urban infrastructures, services and housing. Traditional community supports and planning systems are breaking apart due to several factors, such as changing social values, urban consumption patterns and commercialization of traditionally household activities. In the last two decades, Kathmandu valley has witnessed unprecedented number of new houses. This resulted in increased pollution and scarcity of the items of basic needs like drinking water. One of the reasons behind the present problems is the missing of urban planning system. Over the years, more than half a dozen of urban plannings have been introduced in the city but none of them was implemented perfectly. As Kathmandu Valley is suffering from many kinds of problems related to the urban mismanagement, Adhikari's book discusses ways to find out the solution. In his book, the author reveals different aspects of urbanization including building code, use of raw materials and other such things. Although many books have been written on urban problems and environmental planning, this is the first one that deals with all the aspects of environment and urbanization. The book, among others, discusses legal system, garbage management and other basic parts of urbanization. "Nepali society is in a transitional phase where traditional systems are breaking down and modern systems have not totally prevailed. In this gap, solution to many of the planning problems is missing," Adhikari says in the preface. Nepal has been making every effort to improve the urban planning. Instead of getting better, the situation is becoming worse. Adhikari's new book explains and suggests what needs to be done. "Environmental degradation is accelerating because of the inadequacy of the modern planning system to address the newly emerging problems," writes Adhikari. The book will be useful to urban planners and those interested in the urban management. VAT Ko Saathi Operation Of VAT A book that explains the procedures and provisions of Value Added Tax (VAT) system By KESHAB POUDEL The procedural part of Value Added Tax is confusing not only to common people but even to the businessmen and traders. Even after one has already passed since it was enforced, the VAT is still confusing to many people including the government officials. Known as most scientific of all taxation system the world over, VAT is yet to be fully grasped by Nepalese business community. The fear about the VAT among the businessmen also stems from the lack of knowledge about this system. As such any book that can help understand the system is welcome. "VAT Ko Saathi" -- or the Friend of VAT -- is one such bookS that attempts to make people understand about the system in simple and plain Nepali language. The author of the book and the publisher must be congratulated for their good effort. As VAT is a complicated system of taxation, people need to be well taught about its procedures and provisions. The book is expected to fulfill this duty. |
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