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LETTERS |
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LETTERS |
Security Concerns The cover story "Security and
Cooperation in South Asia" (SPOTLIGHT August 15) rightly indicated that without
resolving the issues relating to security, the South Asian nations will not be able to
march in the path of prosperity. The leaders and statesmen of this region must rise above
their petty interests and work for the larger interest of the billions of poor people of
this region. Prem Dahal Alternate Anxiety After reading the cover story
"Perennial Destruction" (SPOTLIGHT August 8) one can easily conclude that an
alternative route is very essential to connect capital with rest of the country.
Kathmandu-Mugling-Narayanghat highway needs immediate maintenance, but another shortcut
Lalitpur-Tikabhairab-Hetauda, which is also known as Kanti Rajpath could be the best
alternative. Kanti Rajpath measures 96 km from Kathmandu to Hetauda, which is closer than
other routes connecting the capital. This route is already in use, local trucks carry sand
and stones in this route. If this highway gets black topped, it could be a viable
alternative. The amount road department spends in repairing Kathmandu-Mugling-Narayanghat
roadway every monsoon season is very huge. Investment of similar amount can easily bring
Kanti Rajpath into operation. Likewise, Banepa-Sindhuli-Bardibas roadway is another
alternative to get connected with terai and mainly the eastern parts of the country. It
reduces the total distance by as much as 164 km compared to the highway being used these
days. But the government is still waiting for foreign aid to complete this project that
was initiated in 2017 B.S. by B.P. Koirala, the then first elected prime minister. It is
important to find the suitable path to connect the capital with the rest of the country
for many obvious reasons. Shukra Gurung Innocent Victims Your coverage of the people displaced by
the Maoist intimidation in the remote areas is a praiseworthy job ("Severe
Hardships" SPOTLIGHT August 8). The so-called peopleís war has, in fact, persecuted
those poor folks who have committed the crime of not supporting their bloodshed. Most of
the victims are from rival parties and those who denied letting their teenage off springs
to join the rebel force. Besides, youngsters from the villages have migrated to capital to
avoid abduction by the Maoists. It has resulted in the bad impact in agriculture in
villages. Moreover, every household has to feed the Maoist cadres frequently. This
situation is not limited to few districts but prevails across the country. Uncertainty and
delay in the peace talks has further worsened the situation. Krishna Mahat Continuing Atrocities During the last six month long truce,
around four dozen people have lost their lives, according to a report by INSEC. It clearly
shows that both the sides are not serious enough to abide by the code of conduct. It seems
that they are not even clear on what they had already decided and agreed to follow. The
most controversial issue of restricting army within five-kilometer radius of the barrack
has raised question regarding the credibility of the decisions made during the talks. The
government has denied that the decision was ever made whereas the Maoists are stubborn on
their claim. Was the decision not minuted? Who is to blame? So, a monitoring commission
for peace talks to assess and witness all activities in the talks is a must. Jeevan Rai Crucial Juncture The government-Maoists talks have reached
to a crucial stage of make or break ("In Critical Point" SPOTLIGHT August 1).
The next couple of months are going to be very decisive for the future of Nepal. There is
no alternative to the successful peace negotiations. In case the talks fail, there will be
unimagined bloodshed in the country that could lead to intervention by the external
forces. Let all Nepalese understand the gravity of the situation. Lalit Thapa Cola Controversy While the international cola giants —
Coke and Pepsi — are under intense pressure in neighboring India to prove that their
quality is as good as compared to global standard, there has been no concerns raised by
any consumer rights groups in Nepal. As a matter of fact, often the rims of the bottles of
these soft drinks are often covered with a film of rust ñ probably due to using
substandard bottle caps. These rusts in the mouth of the bottle are most certainly
hazardous for health. Naturally, the health of cola drinkers are at risk as they have to
drink them despite those rusts. Concerned authorities and rights groups should take this
problem into serious consideration. Sushil Bista |
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editor: spotligh@mos.com.np |
