The fundamental mistake Adam Friedensohn makes in his beautiful article (“Fossil economy”, #106) is to assume that there is a government in Nepal. The Nepali people know that a mob of crooks are running the country, and holding the country and everything in it to ransom for their vested interests. What Friedensohn said is absolutely true: Nepal can save billions in fuel costs, fund development of electricity and other facilities through this saving, generate employment for millions, save billions in medical costs, make itself a prime tourist destination etc etc, if it gave up fossil fuel and switched to electricity. This switch will not happen now. What the Nepali Times is doing to highlight fuel adulteration and the diesel lobby is highly commendable. Your paper and investigative journalism can go further and compile a list of the people in the mafia involved in this racket so that they can be roasted on a slow-burning kerosene fire when a real government begins to rule the country.

R Khadga,
Kathmandu
Despite years of experience in Nepal it seems that Adam Friedensohn has no idea about the workings of our country. He talks about the diesel lobby in Nepal and the government working together to prevent the entry of electric vehicles in order to protect their long-term interest, and the Ministry of Population and Environment being in the palm of the hand of the diesel transportation lobby. Nothing could be further from the truth. The actual reason for electric vehicles not taking off is quite simple: lack of bribes. Officials and decision-makers are not moved by pious claims of betterment of the environment, or a healthier atmosphere, or replacement of foreign fuel by locally produced electricity, or even creation of jobs. If enough bribes are offered, all diesel vehicles will be banned. If there are kickbacks in importing electric vehicles, they will be allowed in. And there is no reason for our officials to answer letters from foreign countries. They did not elect our ministers or hire our government officials. Our ministers and government officials are answerable only to those people who look after their personal benefits, nobody else, not even the local citizens. This may be cynical, but that is the way the cookie crumbles in Nepal. Moaning about it may be good for cocktail parties, but to get things done bribes are the norm: whether directly or indirectly through agents or as consultation fees. This is the way everything else is done-from buying planes to building hospitals-why should electric vehicles be any different?
Kabindra Pradhan,
Butwal