The daily 10-hour curfew at Tribhuvan International Airport from 8 November that will last five months has affected tourism during Nepal’s peak season, with some hotels and trekking agencies here reporting cancellations into spring next year. The reduced hours at Nepal’s main aviation gateway till 31 March means that a third of all flights have been cut. This has also caused ticket prices to surge by up to eight times of normal fares. For example a Kathmandu-Delhi ticket that used to cost Rs12,000 is now listed at Rs50,000, and even then seats are not available.&nbsp; “Especially if they are here to trek, change in flight dates can cause tourists to miss their connections,” says Jagan Timilsina, who runs a trail running and outdoor education business. &nbsp; Pokhara is feeling the brunt as hotels report last-minute cancellations for November because of flight disorders. Some hoteliers also say although there have been some cancelled trips, most itineraries have been rescheduled.&nbsp; Hari Prasad Sharma Gaire of the local chapter of the Hotel Association of Nepal says the Kathmandu airport closure should have been timed for the off-season. He told us: “Starting construction during the peak tourist season was a mistake and will cause the tourism industry to lose a lot of business. The upgrade could have been spread out over a longer time but closed for fewer hours at night so that disruption was minimal.”&nbsp; Nearly a third of the 1.2 million tourists who visit Nepal annually come to Pokhara, which is also the gateway to Mustang, the Annapurna treks and pilgrimage tourism to Muktinath. Located by scenic lakes with a range of adventure sports like hot air ballooning, paragliding, canyoning, bungee and ziplines, Pokhara is also popular among diaspora Nepalis. “Besides its own attractions, Pokhara is really the hub for central Nepal, and we have been trying to get visitors to extend their stay here,” says Timilsina, who started out as a trekking porter and rose up the ranks to be an expedition guide and entrepreneur. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024111603114_0e071ce63ea9b0a9a7ee76f8c3cea0ff08c6767c41dd09f6bc4413d2db067a60.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024111603114_0e071ce63ea9b0a9a7ee76f8c3cea0ff08c6767c41dd09f6bc4413d2db067a60" data-rendition-name="original" width="3500" height="2333" loading="lazy" alt="Pokhara's tourism woes NT"> <figcaption>Tourist arrivals in Pokhara have slumped since the disruptions at Kathmandu airport due to upgrading work. Photo: KRISHNA MANI BARAL/NEPALI TIMES ARCHIVE</figcaption> </figure>  Even without the Kathmandu airport closure affecting tourist arrivals, Pokhara was already suffering from a decline due to many factors like the poor state of the Prithvi Highway, the shortage of luxury accommodation for high-end tourists, and the reluctance of international airlines to start direct flights to Pokhara despite an expensive new airport that was inaugurated two years ago.&nbsp; “There was a lot of initial excitement on the construction of the international airport,” says Timilsina, “but it hasn’t delivered as expected due to politics. People have invested in nearby businesses, and have faced losses.” India has blocked direct flights from its cities to Pokhara because the facility was built by a Chinese company. Although tourists and pilgrims from India hit record levels this year, the poor state of the highways and the Indian bus accident on the highway to Kathmandu in July that killed 27 pilgrims from Maharashtra state dampened arrival figures. Gaire says, “While tourist arrivals to Pokhara are now approaching pre-Covid levels, we haven’t seen the improvement we were expecting. We need a better marketing strategy. What are our embassies abroad doing?”&nbsp; Indeed, Pokhara used to be a favourite destination for Chinese tourists. There was a boom in arrivals from China before Covid, especially after a popular Chinese tv serial was shot on location here. But arrivals from China have not really recovered since the pandemic because of the economic slowdown there. Promoting Pokhara airport to handle direct flights from Chengdu or Kunming could revive Chinese arrivals.&nbsp; Nepal’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN) has used the Kathmandu airport closure as an excuse to arm-twist international airlines to start flying to Bhairawa, which has barely been in operation for two years since it was inaugurated. So far, Fly Dubai, Thai AirAsia, Jazeera and Qatar are flying to Bhairawa, but most use it as a hop before flying on to Kathmandu, which does not reduce congestion at Kathmandu.&nbsp; An ideal situation could have been to get Pokhara to run to full capacity while Kathmandu is partially out of action. Pokhara entrepreneurs are puzzled why the CAAN and the national government have not taken more interest in promoting Pokhara as an alternative to reduce the congestion in Kathmandu. Nepal’s football team that was flying to Dushanbe this week couldn’t get tickets via Delhi, and took a domestic flight to Bhadrapur, crossed over to Bagdogra and flew on to Delhi to catch their flight to Tajikistan.

Vishad Raj Onta

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News

Pokhara’s tourism woes

Prime Minister K P Oli appears to have decided that since an invitation to visit India is not forthcoming, he will go to China instead. This breaks the tradition of Nepal’s prime ministers flying off to New Delhi first after assuming office.&nbsp;
The Indian media has labelled Oli as ‘pro-China’ so often that most of India seems to believe it. Having a pro-China public persona suits Oli fine since it bolsters his nationalist credentials at home, while privately he keeps his trust with Indian leaders.
“India not inviting Nepal on a state visit does not need to be made into such a big deal. The success or failure of our common national interests do not hinge upon whether or not Nepal and India’s leaders visit one another,” says political commentator Indra Adhikari. “And it is unproductive to believe that Nepal’s government will fall just because India has not invited Oli for a state visit.”
To be sure, Oli and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi had met in New York in September at the UN General Assembly, so he has partially kept to the tradition.
Not much has been divulged about the agenda for China visit, but it is expected to include Chinese aid projects in Nepal under Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). This is largely symbolic, since it does not really matter on the ground whether Pokhara’s airport is BRI since the Chinese-built facility predates the initiative.
Amidst widespread perception that Pokhara airport is a white elephant and straddled Nepal with a $220 million Chinese Exim Bank debt, Oli could be trying to turn that loan into a grant if calling it ‘BRI’ is all it takes.
Pokhara airport has seen no regular international flights almost two years after it was inaugurated. India has balked at granting flights between Indian cities and Pokhara, and neither Nepal’s nor China’s airlines have shown much interest in connecting it to Chinese cities.
Despite signs of perennial strain in inter-governmental ties between New Delhi and Kathmandu, people-to-people and military-to-military relations appear to be as healthy as ever. India’s Board Security Force head Amrit Mohan Prasad will be in Kathmandu on Friday, and Indian Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi isset to make a visit next week.
As it stands, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri visited Kathmandu, and Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba was feted in Delhi in August. India’s Army Chief Upendra Dwivedi and Border Security Force head Amrit Mohan Prasad are also visiting Kathmandu in the coming days.
Foreign Minister Rana’s relationship with India has been amicable, and she was received warmly by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in New York in September. Rana who is flying to Beijing in the coming weeks to prepare for Oli’s visit has also been tasked with managing the visit through an unusual bipartisan mechanism made up of top leaders from the UML and Nepali Congress. &nbsp;
UML spokesperson Pradeep Gyawali clarified: “The bipartisan mechanism was not just made to set the groundwork for the prime minister’s visit to China, but also to foster collaboration between the two parties on important domestic issues.”&nbsp;
Says Adhikari: “This two-party mechanism could perhaps be the leaders trying to send a message that they are united and that their partnership will sustain as well as to assure the public that they are serious about working on their promises including amending the constitution.”
While Oli and his UML comrades have tried to gloss over the absence of an invitation from India as no big deal, there have been the usual signs of bilateral friction. Just as the Indian press portrays Oli as ‘pro-Chinese’, the Nepali media often highlights Indian high-handedness on trade, river sharing, and refusal to allow air routes that would facilitate more flights to Pokhara and Bhairawa airports.&nbsp;
Nepal has gone ahead and forced some international airlines to start flying Bhairawa to reduce congestion at Kathmandu airport, which is seeing taxiway upgrades till April next year.
Another irritant has been non-tariff restrictions on Nepal’s exports to India like cement, textiles, and other consumer goods that use Chinese-made raw materials — just like India refuses to buy electricity from hydropower plants built by Chinese contractors, even though the power is all fed into Nepal’s national grid.
Meanwhile, Maoist chair Pushpa Kamal Dahal has been campaigning at the grassroots in Kirtipur’s by-elections next month. And RSP chair Rabi Lamichhane remains in custody and was brought to Bhairawa from Pokhara to be investigated in the cooperatives scam. &nbsp;

Shristi Karki

Oli’s oscillations

<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/recruiters-of-nepalis-into-russian-army-identified" target="_blank">Khagendra Khatri</a> had his sights set on working in South Korea. He had even relocated from Rolpa district to Dang so he could take classes to prepare for the mandatory Korean language exam. One day a man approached him in Tulsipur and asked if he was interested in going to work in Russia. He said he was not, but the man persisted. Six weeks later Khatri changed his plans, and on 15 October 2023 took off for Moscow via Dubai from Kathmandu together with 52 Nepali job-seekers. He had heard about the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepalis-flee-ukraine-as-russians-advance" target="_blank">Russia-Ukraine war,</a> but the recruiter had promised him a job as a cook behind the front lines. The salary would be equivalent to Rs500,000 monthly and after one year he would get Russian permanent residency. Khatri was even told he would be eligible for a US visa after that. The Nepalis in the group spent a couple days in Moscow filling out papers. Then they were put in a bus and driven to a camp in the forest where there was a week of training, including how to use a rifle.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024111111110_ed1128a7b16537008091da8ade6f3a70b270fccd882f26498c5ce0c88e2e6fca.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2024111111110_ed1128a7b16537008091da8ade6f3a70b270fccd882f26498c5ce0c88e2e6fca" data-rendition-name="original" width="720" height="584" loading="lazy" alt="Nepalis in the Russian Army"> <figcaption>Khagendra Khatri with other Nepali soldiers in Russia. </figcaption> </figure>  At that point Khatri still thought he would be cooking for the fighters. “It was only after we were taken to a second training camp, where I saw my name suddenly pop up on a list of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepalis-in-the-russian-army-want-to-quit" target="_blank">conscripts going to comba</a>t. And that is when it hit me that I was going to war,” Khatri recalled in an interview in Kathmandu. “After I saw my name, I started talking to an important looking soldier, using Google Translate,” he continued. “I tried persuading him to take me out. He was not listening to me at the beginning, but I kept talking to him for a day and a half and he finally agreed to take seven of us Nepalis if we each paid him 17,000 rubles ($174). The man dropped the Nepalis off in his own vehicle some 5 km out of camp at midnight. From there they started walking through the forest in the bitterly cold Russian winter.&nbsp; “We did not fear that somebody would come and capture us,” says Khatri. “We were more afraid of encountering wild animals — what would we do? It was also snowing, so we worried that maybe we would just perish in the cold.” The group walked for 16 hours straight, until a vehicle approached on a road, and stopped. After the men explained what had happened and where they were from, the driver agreed to drive them the seven hours to Moscow. Learning their visas had expired, the helpful driver took them to a hostel where he knew they would be safe. He even refused to take any money for driving them all the way and helping them. Safe in the hostel, the men contacted friends and family back in Nepal who sent them airline tickets. A day later they were already at Moscow airport, boarding their flight home. Today, almost exactly one year later, Khatri says the experience sometimes seems unreal: “It actually feels like a story, and maybe people don’t believe it. But when I was actually there, I was really afraid. One thought in the back of my mind was … oh this is it I’m going to die here,” he says. Khatri has started a farm in Rolpa with his family. But he is doubtful that he will make enough money to pay off the Rs1 million he owes money lenders. He is now looking for a new, safer opportunity abroad.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024111111114_017a0deff850c31846f48757fa1d4b5eae6a38582cc54b88139516fe85cbb8a2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2024111111114_017a0deff850c31846f48757fa1d4b5eae6a38582cc54b88139516fe85cbb8a2" data-rendition-name="original" width="657" height="1170" loading="lazy" alt="Nepalis in the Russian Army"> </figure>  Asked if he’s worried about being tricked again he replies, ‘Yes, I’m afraid of that. And I think it is normal to think that way. But then again I feel like if I only choose countries that have agreements with the Nepal government, maybe I will not be tricked again.” Khatri says he can’t think of any of his peers who have done well for themselves without migrating abroad. He adds, “Most of my friends, even those who have attempted to do something in Nepal, have failed and had to finally go abroad. I do not think I have seen any of my friends actually succeed in Nepal.” Khatri along with other Nepalis was recruited by men named<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/recruiters-of-nepalis-into-russian-army-identified" target="_blank"> </a><a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/recruiters-of-nepalis-into-russian-army-identified" target="_blank">Mohan Oli and Nim Bahadur Kunwar (Sushant)</a>, according to a report by the Centre for Investigative Journalism Nepal. The police has a list of 61 traffickers involved in recruiting Nepalis into the Russian Army, and arrested 22 of them. Some refunded the fees, and most have been set free. There are estimated to be a few thousand <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/from-frying-pan-into-fire-for-nepalis-in-russian-army" target="_blank">Nepalis in the Russian Army</a>. At least 44 of them have been killed in action, while six were captured and are said to be <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepali-captured-in-ukraine" target="_blank">prisoners of war in Ukraine.</a>

Marty Logan

19 days in Russia

The shock wave of the return of Donald Trump to the White House, as well as the Republican control of the Senate and possibly the House, will impact not just America but people across the world.
In South Asia, it will mainly change the way Washington views and deals with China and India, and in more unpredictable ways. The impact on Nepal will be governed by how US relations with the country’s two giant neighbours develop in the next five years.
“Compared to Harris who has been focused more on multilateralism and maintaining allies, Trump is more confrontational and unilateral,” says National Assembly member and former Foreign Minister Bimala Rai Paudyel. “There is fear that Trump’s policies will push the world to become even more polarised than it is now.”
India and China will both be able to fill the gap left by Trump America’s retreat from global and regional leadership. They will be able to take advantage of Trump diluting relations with or abandoning traditional allies in Europe and Asia.
Although India is in the western camp, New Delhi has wanted to call its own shots. It is using its growing economic clout to thumb its nose at the EU and the US. For example, India has got away with importing oil from Russia despite western sanctions.
Says Akhilesh Upadhyay, Senior Fellow at the Strategic Affairs Center, IIDS: “From a traditional security perspective, Nepal is bang in the middle of China and India. China and America have a great power rivalry, and it is unclear which way Indian axis will go.”
India can also benefit if Trump follows through on threats on more tariffs on Chinese imports. Even though the Biden-Harris administration has been punishing China with tariffs and other barriers, Trump has in the past been more belligerent on Beijing.
“On the one hand, India is close to US in Quad, on the other hand, it takes part in BRICS where it works with Russia and China, and the Shanghai Cooperation. It remains to be seen how the US relationship plays out with our two big neighbours,” adds Upadhyay.
Since the enemy of an enemy is a friend, Washington has regarded India as its bulwark against increased Chinese economic and military clout. But New Delhi has not always gone along with US strategic interests, and does not really like the Americans being too involved with India’s smaller neighbours.
On the downside, A Trump administration could curb the influx of Indian IT workers in US, and the easy access Nepali students have to those jobs in the US could also be scaled back.
Some experts say which party is in the White House will not affect policy South Asia, and Nepal even less. But a Trump win could mean less development assistance to Nepal, particularly in reproductive health, human rights, and social safety.
Nischal Pandey at the Centre for South Asian Studies in Kathmandu says that the few state-level visits between the US and Nepal — from King Mahendra’s address to the joint session of US Congress during President Eisenhower tenure in 1960 to Ganesh Man Singh being received at the White House by President Bush Sr after 1990, to US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s visit in 2002 during George HW Bush’s term — have all been during Republican administrations.
He adds, “Historically, Republican presidents and administrations have been &nbsp;interested in Nepal than Democratic ones.”
More directly, Nepalis aspiring to migrate to the United States could find it more difficult. There are currently about 300 Nepalis waiting in Mexico for human traffickers to smuggle them into the United States, and that border is going to be tightened even more.
Earlier this year, Sao Paolo airport in Brazil had 150 Nepalis stranded after arriving to take the Darien Gap backdoor to the US. Another 200 headed out to Brazil were stuck at Addis Ababa airport, forcing Ethiopia to ban visas to Nepalis.&nbsp;
Trump has threatened a 20% tariff on Mexican imports if it does not stop migrants. He plans to deport 11 million undocumented people, he may not be able to carry it through but the threat is there for Nepalis in the US without papers.
Trump’s strong rhetoric on China could be bargaining brinkmanship, and it will be interesting to see how he balances this with Sino-Russian alignment. Biden did not roll back bans on Huawei and restrictions on TikTok, and US security concerns about China’s rise is a bipartisan issue, just as Gaza is. Harris would not have done things differently in those sectors.&nbsp;
Says MP Bimala Rai Paudyal: “Trump’s win could cause economic tensions with China, which will affect trade here as well, this is something we will need to prepare for.”
America’s moral authority to lecture countires like Nepal on transitional justice, human rights, democracy, and press freedom will be diminished during the second Trump term.&nbsp;
Reproductive rights, support for family planning projects in Nepal through the UN system may also fall like it did during his earlier presidency. Foreign aid through USAID could also be cut.
But perhaps the more indirect impact on Nepal of the Trump presidency will be his rollback on America’s commitment to curb climate change which will accelerate melting of the Himalayan icecap with major impact on water supply downstream in Asia.&nbsp;
“America’s climate commitments and goals will be impacted by Trump who doesn’t believe in climate change,” says Paudyal. “The current work on loss and damage, and carbon trading depends significantly on US funding, and the world looks to the US to be proactive.”
If Trump can bring the Ukraine war to a close by cosying up to Putin, a peace deal may improve fuel and food situation globally. There are thousands of Nepalis in the Russian Army, at least 50 have died, and they could finally come home.&nbsp;
Concludes Upadhyay: “As for Nepal, the Trump administration should see Nepal as a soverign nation on its own right rather than through the prism of great power rivalry either between US and China.”

Trumpet Call

Heads swinging in the air. Shoulders jiggling. Hands and feet taping in time with the rhythm. People humming along. This was a common sight throughout this week’s Surya Nepal Jazzmandu. The guitar, drums, piano, flute, sarangi (even tapping feet) and other musical instruments fused on stage every evening, producing soulful melodies to keep the audience warm through Kathmandu’s autumn chill. This was the 20th edition of the jazz festival which started on 24 October featuring international and national artists including the likes of Swiss-French trumpeter Erik Trufazz, Aussie Owen James Newcomb, jazz saxophonist, flamenco singer and composer Antonio Lizana, our very own Cadenza Collective and artists from the Dhrupad Gurukul in Kathmandu.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024110104114_e35518cd86adafbd72e0bec4936baad9e81b14ebc911f71aff1d13fe2a2d5b7b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024110104114_e35518cd86adafbd72e0bec4936baad9e81b14ebc911f71aff1d13fe2a2d5b7b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1656" height="1370" loading="lazy" alt="Jazzmandu 2024 NT"> </figure>  “I really like it here in Nepal, people are friendly, there is virtually no road rage,” Erik Trufazz told nepali Times during one of the parties ahead of their performances. “I have known about Jazzmandu for a while, my sound technician has been with the festival for a quite some time but only this year did everything align for me to be here too. The audience has been warm and receptive.” The annual event (except for the Covid years) first started in 2002 at the height of the Maoist insurgency with the intention of uniting people through music and simultaneously prioritising cultural interaction, music education and promoting tourism in Nepal. “The first edition was rather easy. Everything fell into place. It was as if destiny was leading the way,” says Navin Chettri, one of the founding members of Surya Nepal Jazzmandu who is also the vocalist and drummer of Nepali folk Jazz band Cadenza Collective. “What is harder is to maintain the legacy.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024110104114_79936cc630c834b1d4ff1dd16d23c748ea7e3e6f6bc4e69a567b0a7de9bfa391.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024110104114_79936cc630c834b1d4ff1dd16d23c748ea7e3e6f6bc4e69a567b0a7de9bfa391" data-rendition-name="original" width="1261" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Jazzmandu 2024 NT"> </figure>  &nbsp;The jazz scene is ever-evolving and so is the festival but in the recent editions, it is clear that cultural interaction has been more prominent with the collaboration that have taken place between national and international artists. “Jazzmandu has stayed true to the essence of what it was,” says Owen James Newcomb of Australian Jazz band Afro Dizzi Act who was here for the first edition in 2002 and was back this year. Nick Aggs of the same band has been performing in Jazzmandu for the past six years, and agrees: “Kathmandu has become a fertile land for music to flourish. The cross-pollination of music that is happening here says it all.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241101011124_58251b3af8fcca39887a1a772f9a59f12d9afd789bd0af8459089661dfafa6bf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241101011124_58251b3af8fcca39887a1a772f9a59f12d9afd789bd0af8459089661dfafa6bf" data-rendition-name="original" width="1333" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Jazzmandu 2024 NT"> <figcaption>Photo: PINKI RANA</figcaption> </figure>  Jazz has often been credited for embracing culture and diversity, and is known for collaborating with different genres of music. Here in Kathmandu, the festival has taken a step further to blend jazz with eastern music genres. For example this year a Spanish flamenco performer tap dances to the beat of classical Nepali tabla. “We’ve been performing jazz all over the world and the perception of jazz can be sectioned. The open mindedness people here in Kathmandu when it comes to jazz is the most exciting,” said Shannon Sol Carroll of Afro Dizzi Act speaking to Nepali Times before their &nbsp;finale at the Malla Hotel on Wednesday. The demographic of the audience is also changing. While expats and tourists still make up the majority of the audience, younger Nepalis are now a significant presence. There are others like Zoe Meister, 20, who is in Kathmandu as part of her exchange programme. The first experience has already left her wanting for more.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024110104114_d052567ac67050ef3024b8e02e7171ba1ba480fe8df8a279ef358908d6b7dd17.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024110104114_d052567ac67050ef3024b8e02e7171ba1ba480fe8df8a279ef358908d6b7dd17" data-rendition-name="original" width="1486" height="966" loading="lazy" alt="Jazzmandu 2024 NT"> </figure>  Women still remain a minority in the Jazz scene globally. But this edition of Jazz Festival featured an all female band Sheroes from the US and highlighted singer Alma Naidu and her quartet from Germany and classical singer Jonisha Paudel from Nepal.&nbsp; Paudel’s high notes (shall we call it ‘ragajazz’?) underlined the amalgamation of eastern and western music. On initial hearing, the music did come off as Hindustani Classical but as the gig progressed, the sound of tabla, sitar fused with trombone and bass guitar to enhance the symbiosis. Her performance at Yalamaya Kendra on 29 October brought the house down.&nbsp; On the same day, Sheroes sang its own version of My Favourite Things from the 1965 musical The Sound of Music. Seeing the majority of women perform on the same stage made the performance even more inspiring. As the 20th edition of the jazz feast comes to an end, Chettri says, “When the younger musicians come up to me and tell me they are inspired seeing artists in our festivals, I believe we have been successful in setting up jazz culture in Kathmandu and our legacy.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024110104114_4510825ab497a488fd46a9d0c0b76f76ed7e6d0772002d9d0e8f698ed988cb8f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2024110104114_4510825ab497a488fd46a9d0c0b76f76ed7e6d0772002d9d0e8f698ed988cb8f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1194" height="832" loading="lazy" alt="Jazzmandu 2024 NT"> </figure>  <h2>Jazzing up Gokarna</h2> The third day of Jazzmandu, dubbed Jazz Bazaar, took place at Gokarna Forest Resort. This was the longest day, starting at 3PM and running until 10 at night unlike most days of the jazz festival that happened exclusively in the evenings. The stage and the stands for food and drinks were set up in an open meadow at the expansive Gokarna Forest Resort. The stage was the first thing on the left, and the bars were set up opposite that a bit further away. Further in the area there were food stalls presumably set up by the hotel selling food like chowmein, chicken wings, and paneer pakodas. There were bonfires set up which provided quick bursts of much needed warmth in the chilly October evening. Perhaps owing to the location, the crowd seemed much younger than at most of the other days of the festival. There were many children and young adults, both Nepali and foreign. Many seemed to be tourists from South Asia, Europe, the USA, or Australia. The audience either sat in chairs or benches set up opposite the stage, or on mats on the floor right in front of the musicians.&nbsp; One of the main acts of the night was Swiss-French trumpeter Erik Trufazz and his band, a quartet also including keyboard, bass and drums. Trufazz and the band were exceptional with a strong rock element to their act and soon the audience were bobbing their heads or tapping their feet to the music. They were followed by the Antonio Lizana Quintet, spearheaded by jazz saxophonist, flamenco singer and composer Antonio Lizana. The quintet was made up of Lizana on saxophone, a guitar, a bass, drums, and a flamenco dancer. The dancing, done by a member of the five called El Mawi, provided a strong performance aspect to their set and was visually drawing. The tapping nature of the dance also added a quick rhythm on top of the drums. There was also a performance by artists from the Dhrupad Gurukul in Kathmandu. Dhrupad is an ancient Hindustani classical musical tradition characterised by ragas and swaras. The group had sitar and flute players as well as percussion, on a big two-sided Indian drum called the pakhavaj. Their music was accompanied by trippy visuals. Vishad Raj Onta

Pinki Sris Rana

East meets West at Kathmandu jazz

Sloppy refereeing could not stop a 10-woman Nepal football team from snatching victory from the jaws of defeat against India in Kathmandu on Sunday night — a match that will go down in history as the craziest Nepal’s national stadium has ever seen. Nepal will now play Bangladesh on Wednesday in the finals of the South Asian Football Federation (SAFF) women’s championship at Dasarath Rangasala in Kathmandu. The Sunday match had a lot of lessons: about repeated refereeing inconsistencies, overdone or premature celebrations after goals, wildly partisan home supporters, and a warning for crowd control if things go out of control in future.&nbsp; The stars of the match were striker Sabitra ‘Samba’ Bhandari and substitute goal-keeper Anjana Rana Magar, but there was no doubt who got an F grade: referee Om Choki from Bhutan.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102814104_72bf1217e4f5e8509ee2e3ecf5acdcd48d4217285600aaf52455d8f0e1edc59e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024102814104_72bf1217e4f5e8509ee2e3ecf5acdcd48d4217285600aaf52455d8f0e1edc59e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1070" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal India women's football SAFF"> </figure>  Choki had already angered the crowd by failing to award a penalty to Nepal despite an Indian defender deflecting a goal shot with her hand. Then she showed a second yellow card to Nepali forward Rekha Paudel in the 51st minute as she competed for a loose ball near the Indian penalty area.&nbsp; Paudel jumped and just poked the ball away with the toe of her boot. Ranjana Chanu hit Paudel’s foot following through as she tried to clear the ball. Paudel fell to the ground, and the lineswoman flagged frantically, indicating bizarrely that Paudel had been at fault.&nbsp; Choki arrived on the scene and brandished a second yellow card at Paudel, sending her off. Paudel sprang up and put a hand on Choki, enraged at this terrible mistake. Nepal then had to play the remaining forty minutes with one less player. Choki could only point at her lineswoman, who in the heat of the game had made a nasty error. Sabitra ‘Samba’ Bhandari approached the lineswoman with her arms out questioningly, but the official gestured that this wasn’t open for discussion.&nbsp; The only other interpretation of the yellow card is that the lineswoman thought Rekha Paudel dived, trying to buy a foul. But Paudel was off balance and Chanu had kicked her foot: there wasn’t much she could do to keep from falling. The game had not seen a goal so far, and tensions were running high. The stadium was packed to the rafters, and the crowd became a frothing, hostile cauldron and stalled the semi-final match in the second half for more than an hour, protesting a series of inexplicable refereeing decisions by Choki.&nbsp; The fans threw plastic bottles from the stands to players and officials on the pitch. Chants of “Nepal! Nepal!” reverberated around the stadium, to the accompaniment of drums and air horns. The crowd calmed down a little after ten minutes. The first half had been fairly equal, and Nepal had started the second half slightly better than India. But now, with the advantage of an extra person, India started taking over the game amidst a jeering crowd.&nbsp; They broke through in the sixty-second minute. From the left wing Chanu sent in a cross that the Nepali defense cleared, straight to the Indian number 8, midfielder Sangita Basfore. About 30 yards from the goal, Basfore took a touch to ready herself before unleashing a perfect shot that curved and dipped straight into the top right corner. It was an excellent goal. The crowd was stunned: this was not part of the script.&nbsp; The overjoyed Indian team frolicked on the touchlines joyously: they had just scored a go-ahead semi-final goal. But there was still half an hour left to play and the celebrations seemed to go on for a touch too long. The Nepali players were already in position to restart and waiting for the Indians to get ready to resume play.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102814104_df6ddfc0812009a6a927e97d7f76870ce537fda18ba1089d3b0b0c1d0e383806.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024102814104_df6ddfc0812009a6a927e97d7f76870ce537fda18ba1089d3b0b0c1d0e383806" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal India women's football SAFF"> </figure>  Referee Choki seemed to blow her whistle to restart. With the Indians still dancing balle-balle, Samba played a simple ball to 19-year old midfielder Preeti Kulung Rai who had been excellent throughout the game, and in this instance she took a touch and shot low from far out, scoring and sending the crowd into pandemonium.&nbsp; Choki had seemed to follow the play after the restart, it all seemed legal: Nepal were instantly back level. The crowd was overjoyed and were ready to go get the winner. But, wait! The refereeing team decided to rule out the goal.&nbsp; This is unprecedented in football: a referee cannot restart a match, run with the action, and then disallow the goal when it does go in. Perhaps Choki was trying to get the Indians back playing, but she should have either waited for India to get back in position before restarting, or she should have let the goal stand.&nbsp; Compounded with the earlier mistakes, Nepali players, officials, and the entire stadium went ballistic. This was corruption, robbery even, of the highest order, and there was no way the game could be allowed to go on like this.&nbsp; More bottles rained down on the pitch. The crowd, already angry, was now outraged. “Referee Out. Referee Out,” rent the air.&nbsp; The officials seemed spooked by the reaction of the 20,000 strong crowd calling for their heads. Riot police and even bench players begged the crowd to calm down, but to no avail as the Nepali red shirts stayed out of the field in protest and argued intensely with match officials. The Indian team was still on the pitch, warming up.&nbsp; Almost certainly this was just a series of bad calls by a nervous ref who had never worked in such a charged atmosphere before. Some officials also tend to purposely not give decisions for the home team, lest they be accused of reffing to appease the crowd - but if that was the case, this was too much of an overcorrection.&nbsp; After the break in play had gone on for an hour, the crowd grew jaded and restless. The feeling in the stadium was that a decision needed to be made: to either stop the game altogether or to get on with it. The game restarted after Nepal’s one-hour tantrum, with the score still one-nil to India.&nbsp; And that is when things got even more exciting. Choki probably realised by now that her life was now on the line if she made another flub up.&nbsp; Bhandari had been especially animated during the stoppage, and she was egged on by chants of “Samba! Samba!” From the stands. Suddenly Preeti Rai split the Indian defense with a brilliant through ball. Samba ran onto the pass and got there just before a defender, and the rushing goalkeeper.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102814108_184f57bfad928b4d728930347ca08590c6955f9cd6098aee046e4a48f8a419ae.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="2024102814108_184f57bfad928b4d728930347ca08590c6955f9cd6098aee046e4a48f8a419ae" data-rendition-name="original" width="1084" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal India women's football SAFF"> </figure>  Samba finished deftly, and Gooooooooaaaaaal! She took off her shirt to celebrate. The crowd was vindicated: perhaps Pashupatinath was hurling blessings from across town.&nbsp; Despite the extra player advantage, the Indian team seemed to be shaken up by the frenzied crowd. Both sides traded chances as time ran out. The game would be decided on, penalties. Both teams swapped keepers.&nbsp; India got the first kick, which bodes well in a shootout - but only if the first kick scores. Unfortunately for India, Nepali keeper Anjana Rana Magar dived the right way at Ashalata Devi’s shot, pushing it against the post and out.&nbsp; Samba was first for Nepal, and she made no mistake with an excellent strike right into the bottom right corner of the goal. Advantage Nepal: as long as they didn’t miss, India would be playing catch up. The next two kickers for both teams all scored. Now 3-2 to Nepal. Magar saved the next kick, from Chanu. Nepal forward, number 19 Amisha Karki, stepped up and fired into the bottom right corner. 4-2! The stadium erupted. Not only had Nepal overcome India, but also the crooked circumstances.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102814104_f9aaee3c558c6e1fe1bdba926db582b7d4cab2e8034d2bac2532bed82bd8b75b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024102814104_f9aaee3c558c6e1fe1bdba926db582b7d4cab2e8034d2bac2532bed82bd8b75b" data-rendition-name="original" width="4032" height="3024" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal India women's football SAFF"> <figcaption>Photo: VISHAD RAJ ONTA</figcaption> </figure>  As the players drank in the victory with the placated home crowd, perhaps most relieved were the referees and the security officials. Sabitra Bhandari showed her exceptional ability. Besides the goal and the penalty, Samba had a series of brilliant plays, like a late chip from the top left corner of the pitch that almost went in to win the game.&nbsp; Among those filing out of the stadium was a tourist in a Nepal jersey delirious with joy. As good as the game had been in a pure footballing sense, the reaction from the crowd had been exemplary, giving no respect to the officials where it was not deserved, and letting them know loud and clear that they messed up.&nbsp; The bottle-throwing was accurate, too, and while it may be easy to dismiss it as objectionable, one thing you could not call it was apathetic. Nepalis showed up to support the Ladies and demonstrated just how important crowd support can be.&nbsp; There were murmurs among the crowd wishing the Nepal men’s team showed half the fight the women’s squad had just exhibited. All eyes now are on the finals on Wednesday against Bangladesh. Stay tuned.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102814108_805acf87bc72d3214e9f15bd5c3476f12d10ed2e6f3d119878df578de4255f16.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="2024102814108_805acf87bc72d3214e9f15bd5c3476f12d10ed2e6f3d119878df578de4255f16" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="984" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal India women's football SAFF"> </figure>

Ruckus at the Rangasala

Next week from 31 October-4 November is the festival of lights, and that is when domestic demand for electricity will surge as it does this time every year. &nbsp; However, this year the the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) will be hard pressed to ensure adequate supply because of the damage to power plants and transmission lines on 28 September. In a flash, Nepal lost nearly half its electricity generation capacity as a dozen power plants were knocked out. Most of them are now back in operation, but the 456MW Upper Tama Kosi was damaged in a massive rock fall, and will take at least six months to return to full operation. The export of over 1,000MW of power to India has been slashed to meet in-country demand over the festival. The flood was a warning that Nepal must not bunch up power plants on just one river basin. An Indian company is building a cascade of four plants on the Arun to cumulatively generate 3,000MW in the next five years -- half of Nepal's total. We should also not rely solely on hydro, but diversify to solar.&nbsp; But how can Nepal <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/what-s-cooking-in-nepal-besides-politics">increase domestic power consumption</a>? Even without catastrophic floods like the one last month, the math is simple: unless domestic power consumption is increased and the distribution system upgraded, Nepal is on track to ‘spill’ millions of units of electricity worth billions of rupees. &nbsp;&nbsp; “Domestic consumption of electricity is very much linked to GDP and economic growth,” says Chandan Kumar Ghosh of the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA). “Expansion of our network doesn’t necessarily mean increased consumption. What we are seeing right now is a worrying decline in electricity demand in rural areas due to outmigration.” Transportation has been seen as the low hanging fruit to increase domestic energy demand. The government’s tax rebates on battery-operated vehicles has increased <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/rev-your-car-and-charge-it-too">EV uptake</a>. In fact, among Asian countries, Nepal has the highest annual sale of EVs in proportion of total vehicles sold. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241025051052_38c0218c19cff744eb7da36c5d31b5d357e5d4c253766f35425c32557a95c8dc.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241025051052_38c0218c19cff744eb7da36c5d31b5d357e5d4c253766f35425c32557a95c8dc" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="Power to the people NT"> <figcaption>Photo: CLEAN COOKING ALLIANCE(Photo: Shristi Karki)</figcaption> </figure>  However, the same subsidies and incentives to electrical appliances would have a bigger impact on electricity consumption. Only 3% of Nepali households own &nbsp;cars, jeeps, and vans but nearly all households cook three meals a day. The government did provide subsidies for induction stoves, but cultural factors because of the shape of cooking pots, lack of maintenance backup, and insufficient amperes in the current means there were few buyers.&nbsp; “Use of electrical and electronic appliances in Nepali households was very low even by South Asian standards until 2010, but it increased due to awareness, accessibility and availability of electricity,” says Prabhakar Shumsher Thapa of Golchha Group which sells the Himstar brand. He adds: “But the market is becoming more challenging mainly because a large portion of young Nepali consumers have migrated.” Sales figures show that demand for tvs, refrigerators and washing machines are still growing, while rice cookers are best sellers.&nbsp; Air conditioners in the Tarai and heaters in the mountains also have seasonal sales peaks. Chilling stations which use up significant energy have become a lifeline for farmers across the country to keep produce from going to waste. “Induction stoves are popular but it is culturally more challenging, so many choose the infrared option which takes utensils of various make or rice cookers which are always high on demand,” explains Sefali Agrawal of the Triveni Group which has its own local brand Yasuda. The NEA’s Ghosh, speaking as the energy supplier, is not so keen on increasing domestic consumption of electricity with cooking appliances because of peaking demand. Nepal’s existing transmission lines cannot handle a morning and evening spike. The higher investment on distribution may not be justified if there is low demand the rest of the day.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102412100_0ae89b3197601d868b829b9f346c35d67f14e21e4430696da7c81ea8f75cb2fb.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024102412100_0ae89b3197601d868b829b9f346c35d67f14e21e4430696da7c81ea8f75cb2fb" data-rendition-name="original" width="1247" height="639" loading="lazy" alt="Power to the people NT"> </figure>  “The solution is balancing out such peaks with electrification of industries and the IT sector,” Ghosh says. “And what would really help is day-ahead forecasts with a binding agreement of how much power the industries would need so that we can also provide quality supply. This helps when we import power from India during winter at a very high rate, so we won’t buy what we don’t need and waste money.” Captains of industry, however, say the government needs to have a pro-manufacturing policy in place to encourage local production of household appliances by reducing taxes on imported raw materials and even subsidies. That way Made in Nepal appliances can be competitive, and even exported. However, Thapa of Golchha Group adds that while certain goods that are manufactured in Nepal are eligible for preferential treatment under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) agreement, not all countries reciprocate.&nbsp; India has non-tariff barriers on appliance imports that have to meet its energy efficiency ratings and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification which protect its own manufacturing industry.&nbsp; “The solution to increasing the domestic electricity consumption is by making larger customers pay less per unit,” says Thapa.&nbsp; Experts say that electricity tariffs should be as low as possible for consumers because Nepal risks wasting hydropower during monsoon. They recommend unbundling the NEA into a regulatory body and an operator, and deregulating the market.&nbsp; Other measures can be time-of-day metering as well as reverse metering so households and industries with solar arrays can export power to the grid. And the warning from the floods last month was that Nepal should not have all its eggs in the hydropower basket, and look into utility-scale solar generation sites combined with pumped storage hydropower so that solar energy can be stored for evening and morning peak demand without using expensive batteries. <h2>EV envy</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241025051052_733c35d24c389cb21570642d03f3a49eb08625b6592193cffc5202887e45f3d0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20241025051052_733c35d24c389cb21570642d03f3a49eb08625b6592193cffc5202887e45f3d0" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Power to the people NT"> <figcaption>Photo: SUMAN NEPALI(Photo: suman)</figcaption> </figure>  The sales of<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/evs-hybrids-and-plug-ins"> electric vehicles in Nepal</a> continue to rise, with the number of battery-powered cars, buses, vans, and tempos now totalling more than 50,000. Ten months into this year, nearly 80% of all private vehicles sold across the country are electric, the highest proportion among Asian countries. Nearly 12,000 EVs were imported between June 2023 and June of this year, with Chinese EVs such as best-seller BYD now having overtaken Indian models. This is despite fluctuating tax policies, which are generally more favourable than those of their petrol and diesel counterparts.&nbsp; Smaller EVs are also well suited for Kathmandu, while the improved range of new e-SUVs and e-vans means they can travel from Kathmandu to Dharan or Pokhara on a single charge. There is, however, still a gap in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/sajha-s-green-buses-go-greener">electric buses</a> that are five times as expensive as fossil variants of the same capacity, but do not get any subsidy or tax rebate. The real transformation in transport in Nepal will come when batery-powered buses get the same incentives. There are over 1.2 million motorcycles and scooters just in Kathmandu. Replacing them with electric two-wheelers will open a bigger market while also cleaning up the air and improving public health. However, petrol two-wheeler sales have fallen by 30% in the past year, according to retailers. There is a direct corelation between increased EV sales and Nepal's import of petrol and diesel from India which was down by 10% in July-August compared to the same months in 2023, although tight credit and an economic slump were also factors. Reducing petroleum imports by just 10% and replacing it with domestically generated hydroelectricity would save Nepal at least Rs30 billion a year, while contributing to the need to increase domestic demand for power.

Sonia Awale

Power to the People

Former bonded child worker and anti-slavery activist Urmila Chaudhary from Nepal is among recipients of this year’s Global Anti-Racism Champions Award given out by the US Department of State.&nbsp; The ceremony was on 21 October in Washington DC and the 'Global Anti-Racism Champions Award' was handed out by US Secretary of State Antony J Blinken. &nbsp;&nbsp; Chaudhary was notified by the American Embassy in Kathmandu last month as she was preparing to leave for Kohalpur to attend to her sick father. While she was elated to receive the award, she was worried about her father. Hearing the good news, her father insisted that she attend the award ceremony and stop worrying about him. Tragically, he never got to see her daughter receive the award.&nbsp; “I wanted to share my happiness of receiving the award with him, but that did not happen,” says Chaudhary.&nbsp; This award is not the first for Chaudhary, and she has been recognised for her significant contribution to eradicate the Kamalari system of bonded labour in the western Tarai. "The award has given me more encouragement to work for the children of disadvantaged and underserved communities," she told Nepali Times. "I dedicate this award to all the Nepalis and all my friends who have been rescued alongside me and who joined hands with me to eradicate the Kamlari practice."  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102304108_b03fd5af42e96d67a24a8aba74ccdc0bf3ae7733b794f71426939f0b112b8e06.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024102304108_b03fd5af42e96d67a24a8aba74ccdc0bf3ae7733b794f71426939f0b112b8e06" data-rendition-name="original" width="1536" height="2048" loading="lazy" alt="Urmila Chaudhary"> </figure>  Other recipients of the Global Anti-Racism Champions Award on Monday in Washington DC were Dintie Sule Tayiru from Ghana, John Leerdam of Netherlands, Elvis Shakjiri of North Macedonia, Tanya Duarte from Mexico and Tomasa Yarhui Jacome from Bolivia have also received the award. Established in 2023 by the US Department of State, the award recognises individuals in civil society worldwide for their exemplary work on advancing racial equity, justice and human rights.&nbsp; Chaudhary says though it is a matter of pride to receive the award, there is still a lot to be done for justice and equality. "Hundreds of freed Kamalari have not been rehabilitated yet and are still fighting for their right to be rehabilitated," she adds. Kamlari (women bonded labourers) and Kamaiya (male bonded labour) was once a common practice in the Tarai. Born in Dang, six-year-old Chaudhary was taken to a land owner’s house in Kathmandu as a live-in maid.&nbsp; "At the age when I should have been playing with books and toys, I was washing dirty dishes and doing laundry for my boss," she recalls. Till the age of 17, Chaudhary never went to school and was never paid.&nbsp; After 12 years as a bonded labourer, she was rescued by activists from Swan Nepal. After her freedom, Chaudhary started her academic journey and simultaneously started a campaign to abolish the Kamalari system. Her work was recognised and she was soon made the leader of the Kamalari eradication campaign in Dang district. It was under her leadership that Dang was declared a bonded labour free district. Chaudhary is now pursuing a law degree, and aims to provide legal aid to children from disadvantaged families like she belonged to. She says, ”After all my pain and suffering, I want to work as a friend for children who are living a difficult life like me.” The US State Department award honours six civil society leaders every year for ‘their exceptional courage, leadership, and commitment to advancing racial equity, justice, and human rights.’ Following the ceremony, the awardees are participating in an <a href="https://mcas-proxyweb.mcas.ms/certificate-checker?login=false&amp;originalUrl=https%3A%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com.mcas.ms%2F%3Furl%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%252FCL0%252Fhttps%253A%25252F%25252Feca.state.gov%25252Fivlp%252F1%252F01010192af0f1c57-b78afb59-58d7-48b1-9a37-8f14d15c27cf-000000%252FQtAPeLq2ks7BJwJYRrAd3DFmKFm9Qk7-Vh8tyF6uJok%253D375%26data%3D05%257C02%257Cjohnsonba%2540state.gov%257C10cf7543a5104f4f6d5b08dcf1cc375c%257C66cf50745afe48d1a691a12b2121f44b%257C0%257C0%257C638651106612865842%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata%3DEOSKYMl%252BZTWF7VxBmUd%252BmKylMnDDHAfqXy6KnI%252BPR%252Bo%253D%26reserved%3D0%26McasTsid%3D20893&amp;McasCSRF=0692e8eb1ff31afa69e9d2f472d584ac12a9e12cb618e6b55c6ec291fccec1dd" target="_blank">International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) </a>&nbsp;in Washington, DC and New York City, where they will engage in knowledge exchanges with their US counterparts on advancing the human rights and fundamental freedoms of members of marginalised communities and combating systemic racism, discrimination, violence, and xenophobia.

From slave to freedom fighter

After the relative serenity of the Dasain break, Nepali politics is in turmoil once more with the detention of the leader of the fourth largest party in Parliament. The RSP fashioned itself as an alternative to the three main parties that have taken turns to rule Nepal for the past 18 years, the NC, UML and the Maoists.&nbsp; It was going to show integrity, a vision for the future and do things differently. But RSP supporters took the streets of Pokhara and elsewhere on Monday to protest their leader’s arrest by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Kathmandu last week. On Sunday, the RSP leader and former home minister <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepals-home-minister-vs-the-media">Rabi Lamichhane</a> was remanded in custody for six days while investigations continue into charges of involvement in organised crime and siphoning off the savings of depositors in several cooperatives. A multi-partisan Parliamentary investigation committee last week found evidence linking the transfer of nearly Rs650 million from two cooperatives in Butwal and Pokhara to Lamichhane’s Gorkha Media Network where he was managing director and a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/after-balen-the-rabi-phenomenon">populist talk show hos</a>t before he launched the RSP.&nbsp; Lamichhane’s supporters are convinced that the current NC UML coalition is framing him for investigations into two scandals in which the top leaders of both parties were implicated. In fact, Lamichhane himself has said the Maoist-NC coalition in which RSP was a member was dismantled in June because his investigation was getting close to leaders in the NC and UML. After his arrest in Kathmandu on orders from the Kaski District Court, Lamichhane was taken to Pokhara overnight. Senior leaders of the RSP followed the convoy, and Lamichhane’s supporters greeted him along the highway.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241021141036_2aa9325ed227be9bfc18b42079bf42392dd286f049d7ba351afb64da82e2dc8b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241021141036_2aa9325ed227be9bfc18b42079bf42392dd286f049d7ba351afb64da82e2dc8b" data-rendition-name="original" width="3600" height="2295" loading="lazy" alt="Rabi Lamichhane arrest NT"> <figcaption>RSP members gathered at party headquarters in Banasthali as party chair Rabi Lamichhane was arrested by CIB on Friday. Photo: HARI RAM BHETUWAL / RSS</figcaption> </figure>  There were parallel protests in Pokhara against Lamichhane by depositors of Suryadarshan Cooperative who lost their savings to the scam.&nbsp; If found guilty, Lamichhane will not just face a jail term of up to ten years, but also be suspended from his Parliament seat and will be unable to contest the next election. Lamichhane has not presented any facts to defend himself, and has denied involvement in the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/heads-roll">cooperatives scam</a> accusing political rivals of feeling threatened by an emergent alternative party. “Rabi Lamichhane cashed in on populism, and public frustration with establishment parties to become politically successful,” explains political commentator Indra Adhikari. “But he has never been a particularly moral politician.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241021141036_ef0ffab776ff38897c3977b7ee25cea471faaf0ebf7649c4e6cfa5ea9c19a9d9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20241021141036_ef0ffab776ff38897c3977b7ee25cea471faaf0ebf7649c4e6cfa5ea9c19a9d9" data-rendition-name="original" width="3600" height="2021" loading="lazy" alt="Rabi Lamichhane arrest NT"> <figcaption>Rabi Lamichhane addresses party members at RSP headquarters in Banasthali before being taken into police custody on Friday evening. Photo: HARI RAM BHETUWAL / RSS</figcaption> </figure>  Lamichhane is <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-rabi-lamichhane">not a stranger to controversy</a>. Besides his citizenship caper, even before he joined politics in 2020 he was charged with abetting the suicide of a journalist by hounding him on his tv channel. He was acquitted. In early 2023, Nepal’s Supreme Court ruled that Rabi Lamichhane, who was Home Minister in the NC-Maoist coalition at the time, was <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rabi-lamichhane-is-home-less">not eligible to hold political position</a> because he had failed to reacquire his Nepali citizenship after renouncing his American one.&nbsp; Lamichhane subsequently got a new Nepali citizenship and contested the by-elections, which he won by an even bigger margin than his first time at the polls. Later that year, the Office of the Attorney General exonerated him in the case of possession of an active US passport. If found guilty in the cooperatives scam, it will be the second time that he will have to renounce his Parliament seat. Earlier, Lamichhane used his party’s strength in the House to be a kingmaker and bargained for a powerful role in coalition governments. This time, such tactics will not work since the current governing alliance is made up of the two largest parties which do not see any political advantage to supporting him. Indeed, they do not seem interested in rescuing him this time around.&nbsp; Says Adhikari: “The RSP is a personality cut around Rabi Lamichhane. It is not a political party, it functions more like a private company. Without Lamichhane, the party could just wither.” The Kaski District Administration Office has issued a prohibitory order in parts of Pokhara on Sunday. Riot police used water cannons and tear gas during protests by Lamichhane’s supporters.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241021141028_daaf97ea6434b9799a78c0b1925c3f5429184da069bd5936afea1a8dd9d1df66.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20241021141028_daaf97ea6434b9799a78c0b1925c3f5429184da069bd5936afea1a8dd9d1df66" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Rabi Lamichhane arrest NT"> <figcaption>Security forces use water cannons and tear gas in a confrontation with protestors at Pokhara's Shahid Chok. Photo: KRISHNA DAWADI / RSS</figcaption> </figure>  Even though many in Nepal's cybersphere question Lamichhane’s integrity, they see leaders of the three main parties as <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/nepal-s-corruption-carousel">being as corrupt</a>, if not more. They cite Prime Minister K P Oli accepting the donation of land and building from supermarket tycoon Min Bahadur Gurung to house the headquarters of the UML in Kathmandu. Even as the police investigate Lamichhane and former associates police DIG Chabilal Joshi, Gorkha Media Network chair G B Rai, and others, critics have pointed out that NC and UML leaders also involved in scamming depositors of cooperatives have got away scot free.&nbsp; The NC’s Dhanaraj Gurung and UML’s Rishikesh Pokharel, have also been implicated in the cooperatives scam, but have not been investigated even while their wives are at large.&nbsp; “We are only just beginning the process of investigating the individuals mentioned by the report of the all-party inquiry committee,” said Communication Minister Prithivi Subba Gurung on Sunday. “There is no need to create confusion by singling out names of the other people involved.” Popular RSP technocrats like economist Swarnim Wagle and IT expert Sumana Shrestha have <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/rsp-s-rsvp">taken a risk by backing Lamichhane to the hilt</a>. Analysts say there is a danger that their image could also be tarred.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241021141024_5c141b2d25cf6ce3bada82b0bdef0012b844334d992cd4203cec0ed2e6782ed3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20241021141024_5c141b2d25cf6ce3bada82b0bdef0012b844334d992cd4203cec0ed2e6782ed3" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Rabi Lamichhane arrest NT"> <figcaption>RSP vice chairman Swarnim Wagle addresses a crowd of demonstrators in Pokhara on Sunday. Photo: Krishna Dawadi / RSS</figcaption> </figure>  RSP leaders have resorted to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/democracy-s-discontents">inflammatory and populist rhetoric</a> to rile up supporters in the wake of Lamichhane’s arrest. MP Manish Jha said Monday he was ready to “spill his own blood and become a martyr in the fight against the country’s corrupt”.&nbsp; Those with inside knowledge, however, say that for all this bluster, it has no solid plans to maintain its leadership in the event of Lamichhane’s long absence from political activities.&nbsp; Indeed, the party has yet to appoint an acting chair in the aftermath of Lamichhane’s arrest. Senior RSP leaders and lawmakers Dol Prasad Aryal and Swarnim Wagle are the vice-chairs of the party. &nbsp;&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241021141032_70338ba3551acd1152aec265e6e27e88b5c591ef2ac7f7417a2ddde040f3d45e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_12" data-image-id="20241021141032_70338ba3551acd1152aec265e6e27e88b5c591ef2ac7f7417a2ddde040f3d45e" data-rendition-name="original" width="2700" height="1552" loading="lazy" alt="Rabi Lamichhane arrest NT"> <figcaption>RSP vice chair Dol Prasad Aryal addresses supporters during a demonstration on Saturday. Photo: KRISHNA DAWADI / RSS</figcaption> </figure>  There is also question as to the future of RSP’s leadership and the party as a whole if Lamichhane is found guilty of his charges by the court, which will cut his political career short.&nbsp; Says Adhikari: “It is useless to hope that the RSP will be any kind of an alternative party and work for good governance. A political party that is relying on incendiary rhetoric to rile up crowds to impede investigation into their leader cannot be considered democratic."

Rabi’s detention churns Nepali politics

It took <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/when-it-rains-it-pours-ksqprbu3">the Great Flood of 28 September</a> for the residents of Kathmandu to finally realise how much trash they were throwing into the Valley’s sacred rivers. Even three weeks later, plastic bags wave like flags high up on the branches of trees at Teku and Sankhamul, reminding us of just how high the water level rose on that fateful day. There are pieces of cloth, styrofoam, plastic bottles and other garbage still strewn along the ruins of pavements and embankments. This was <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-revenge-of-the-rivers">the revenge of the rivers</a>. The Bagmati, Vishnumati, Manohara, Nakkhu were getting back at city dwellers for treating the once sacred rivers as dumpsites. The rivers threw the trash right back where it came from. "If we do not want such garbage being washed away during the monsoon, we should prioritise waste management. We should focus on every aspect of waste generation," says Shilashila Acharya of Avni Ventures, a recycling company in Kathmandu. “Dumping sites are often near the riversides. So, we might also want to rethink the locations of the dumping sites.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_6c5aa3e6e413cf39fe6e7468c34897c41ddfa676a190f248261809e4e1388746.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241020131032_6c5aa3e6e413cf39fe6e7468c34897c41ddfa676a190f248261809e4e1388746" data-rendition-name="original" width="1807" height="1206" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_8eabed5914f6cd188997ca0e38c7c53d42b31601b85dcae93929fda6e08246a0.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241020131032_8eabed5914f6cd188997ca0e38c7c53d42b31601b85dcae93929fda6e08246a0" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_88cb0411a16b270393d5b9b3d3a93351a80c646cdfc586edc7e60dbaf3dd5de9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20241020131032_88cb0411a16b270393d5b9b3d3a93351a80c646cdfc586edc7e60dbaf3dd5de9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1364" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_8f009f0fd28e5890a4da1077ba3bd59615c5d9c0935268ac83e918e1109a93f9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20241020131032_8f009f0fd28e5890a4da1077ba3bd59615c5d9c0935268ac83e918e1109a93f9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>  <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/industrial-scale-litter" target="_blank">Single-use plastic</a> is the biggest source of trash in Kathmandu Valley which uses up an estimated 5,000,000 plastic bags a day. About 800 tons of this non-biodegradable material is dumped in the river, or in landfill sites every day.&nbsp; The thicker plastic of bottles and other discarded household items are collected by waste pickers for recycling, but plastic below 20 microns in thickness is thrown away after being used once to carry vegetables or other food purchases. One plastic bag takes 500 years to completely biodegrade, and microplastics contaminate drinking water and find its way into the human food chain. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/from-the-nepali-press/a-plastic-republic/" target="_blank">Plastics thrown haphazardly</a> into rivers can clog up drainage channels, harm the water cycle and poison aquatic species and wildlife. Waste collecting companies have realised that there is money in trash, and are doing good business recycling the plastic, but since thin plastic bags are not recycled it ends up being swept down the Bagmati to the plains. “Cleaning campaigns are not enough. When we clean, we pick up the waste from one site and throw it off in another likely a landfill. This does not deal with the main problem of waste,” says Nabin Maharjan of Blue Waste to Value which recycles waste and turns them into sellable products such as cooking utensils.&nbsp; He adds: “But what we can do instead is pick the waste in a segregated form, reduce them to products and sell them. And that is how a circular economy can thrive. The government and local authorities should be involved.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131028_068e6e8d53e5687b4ce6bdb9019dd4e54d75a987e9524edab1a1389628fee105.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20241020131028_068e6e8d53e5687b4ce6bdb9019dd4e54d75a987e9524edab1a1389628fee105" data-rendition-name="original" width="1631" height="1085" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_c4c12fd8b57429ba670a9daeb824986a056add949421ada0301ad4a1cc875463.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20241020131032_c4c12fd8b57429ba670a9daeb824986a056add949421ada0301ad4a1cc875463" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_29bfdadf2b9c12b70cc025bb28364b7851e1229fdb7d92b9e6a9f96135e8efcc.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20241020131032_29bfdadf2b9c12b70cc025bb28364b7851e1229fdb7d92b9e6a9f96135e8efcc" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_e84f74c0a64de669c3cb337ab29215805bf33f4aa2fdd439d94bf159d0d1288b.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20241020131032_e84f74c0a64de669c3cb337ab29215805bf33f4aa2fdd439d94bf159d0d1288b" data-rendition-name="original" width="1728" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>  Nepal’s governments tried to <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/plastic-free-new-year,2174" target="_blank">ban polythene and single-use bags</a> below 20 microns in thickness several times in the past, but these regulations were hastily withdrawn due to lobbying by importers of plastic pellets who have political connections. Hanging from railings on the Bagmati banks, and swinging from trees at its confluence with the Vishnumati in Teku are at least seven types of plastic. The lowest grade are single use thin plastic bags which have to be banned at source. But half-buried in the silt of the Bagmati’s floodplain are PET (polyethylene terephthalate) bottles, which can easily be recycled. Waste collectors do remove most of these and other types before they are dumped, but many do find their way into the river. Without extended producer responsibility, the Nepal government does not consider it mandatory to require manufacturers to ensure recycling. “The first and foremost step of waste management starts is the segregation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable trash at source. Secondly, there should be more planned landfills within a community. While we prefer landfills to be away from the city, planned smaller landfills help better manage the waste of a community," adds Acharya. "Third is the partnership that can exist between government authorities like Kathmandu municipalities with private organisation who are already working in waste management. This collaboration can help them better manage the waste," she says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_48605d7ecf39c69de5baa2fa40884c7358a5da04d0e3cf8a6d35a5d97ca81052.jpg" data-media-id="editor_13" data-image-id="20241020131032_48605d7ecf39c69de5baa2fa40884c7358a5da04d0e3cf8a6d35a5d97ca81052" data-rendition-name="original" width="1728" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_58c1a09be67c49863c27ad47a8c98f044c095d5f34b2376309f1e155fe4c6601.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20241020131032_58c1a09be67c49863c27ad47a8c98f044c095d5f34b2376309f1e155fe4c6601" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_43b3c1b4234be87fba985880b1f345e6d44ccccf76571771e9a56059dc1b24ce.jpg" data-media-id="editor_15" data-image-id="20241020131032_43b3c1b4234be87fba985880b1f345e6d44ccccf76571771e9a56059dc1b24ce" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1367" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>  Kathmandu Valley produces an estimated 1,500 tons of waste every day, most of this ends up unsegregated at the landfill site at Banchare Danda of Nuwakot, after another site at Sisdole got filled up in 2022. Nearly 65% of it is still organic household waste, and can easily be turned into compost and does not have to end up at the landfill at all.&nbsp; Much of the paper, plastic bottles, metal and glass can also be recycled easily if they are segregated at source — as Mayor Balen Shah promised in his election campaigning. This could reduce the volume of garbage that has to be sent in fleets of tipper trucks every day to the landfill.&nbsp; Residents living near Banchare already suffer serious health risks from water contaminated with leachate from the dumpsite. Says Nabin Maharjan: “We have to start working on minismising the waste generation. Until waste prevention is not taken seriously, this cycle of people throwing waste and people cleaning it up will never end.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_b209d360e5c016d6f639d5abe07c4d56aecf0fd5743a53bbec02a67b7a5cefa3.jpg" data-media-id="editor_16" data-image-id="20241020131032_b209d360e5c016d6f639d5abe07c4d56aecf0fd5743a53bbec02a67b7a5cefa3" data-rendition-name="original" width="2000" height="1333" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_0d36428ba5bf27a36984dd0418d2df6cc98ac79068f1568f0d6d54fec5af01c9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_17" data-image-id="20241020131032_0d36428ba5bf27a36984dd0418d2df6cc98ac79068f1568f0d6d54fec5af01c9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241020131032_826b4fca2bcad775298e2a362c6cfba1f0ff675c76a7504ed553ed145bf6dcc7.jpg" data-media-id="editor_18" data-image-id="20241020131032_826b4fca2bcad775298e2a362c6cfba1f0ff675c76a7504ed553ed145bf6dcc7" data-rendition-name="original" width="1994" height="1329" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu's garbage crisis after the floods"> </figure>  &nbsp;

Kathmandu’s flood exposes garbage crisis

Nepal’s only international aviation gateway, at Kathmandu airport, will cut night-time operation hours to allow construction of taxiways, and airlines have been told to curtail flights. This is expected to lead to more than normal chaos during the height of peak autumn and spring tourist seasons at an airport that is congested even at the best of times. The airport will close from 10PM to 8AM from 8 November-31 March 2025. The taxiways will now connect to the thresholds at both ends of the runway, making the airport more efficient in handling higher frequencies of landings and takeoffs. The parallel taxiway extension will allow international flights to land every 4 minutes instead of the current every 7 minutes. At present planes have to wait to land until a plane taking off backtracks along the runway.&nbsp; Kathmandu is Nepal’s only airport with international operations, and it has only one runway that is only one way in from the south over the mountains. With the taxiway improvement, the airport will be able to handle 42 aircraft landings and takeoffs per hour — double the current capacity.&nbsp; The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has been trying to entice international airlines to also start flying to and from the other two international airports at Pokhara and Bhairawa (Lumbini) by slashing landing and handling charges. But so far only Nepal Airlines operates a weekly flight to Bhairawa from Kuala Lumpur.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32" data-rendition-name="original" width="2356" height="1134" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport expansion"> <figcaption>Kathmandu Airport Expansion plan with extension of taxiways to the thresholds of runways 02 and 20 that will limit airport operations from 8 November 2024 - 31 March 2025. Areas in blue are existing structures, including the international terminal which in future will be the domestic airport, and the new international terminal near the north end of the runway,</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1353" height="1328" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport NT"> </figure>  CAAN has reportedly told international airlines to cut their flight frequency to Kathmandu citing the shorter operation hours and has told budget airlines to shift some of their flights to Pokhara or Bhairawa, or face cuts. Many airlines currently operate regular flights to and from Kathmandu between 10PM and 8AM: Air Arabia to Sharjah, Fly Dubai to Dubai, Jazeera Airways to Kuwait, Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines, several Nepal Airlines flights, and one of four daily flights by Qatar Airways to Doha. Jazeera Airways, FlyDubai, and Thai AirAsia have applied and got permission from CAAN to begin regular flights to Bhairawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport. Starting 9 November, FlyDubai will start making a stopover in Bhairawa before flying on to Kathmandu. Immigration, customs and security are all fully functional in Bhairawa. In Kathmandu, the next phase of the airport upgrade includes converting the current international terminal for domestic operations, the construction of a new international terminal where the domestic departure area is now, as well as moving the hangars and the Nepal Army Air Wing to the eastern side of the runway. The apron area will also double its parking space for widebody jets. This is part of a Airport Capacity Enhancement Project that was initially funded through a $80 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the entire masterplan is expected to cost $800 million. This project is the latest upgrade to Nepal’s only international airport since it saw its first flight in 1949. The current international and domestic terminals are too small to handle the current annual traffic volume of 8.5 million passengers a year that is growing at 20% a year.

Kathmandu airport to cut flight hours

As Kathmandu becomes more congested and polluted, and with remote online work becoming the norm, many professional Nepalis are planning to retire in Pokhara, or move there.&nbsp; With its stunning mountain panorama, balmy winters and proximity to a profusion of wilderness areas, builders are responding to this demand with new townhouses, housing development and apartments. One such block of flats is the 10-storey <a href="https://sungavaapartment.com/">Sungava Apartment</a> located at Phulbari above the Seti River, near the point where it flows into and under Pokhara. The imposing structure near Manipal Hospital is almost complete, and on a recent visit the site was strewn with huge boulders unearthed while digging the foundation.&nbsp; The Seti brought down these boulders during a gigantic flood that geologists estimate happened 800 years ago when a chunk of Annapurna IV broke off and ploughed into the glacier below. Today, Sungava (means ‘orchid’) sits safely on a high terrace, 100m above the blue-green Seti and commands a view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machapuchre, Annapurna III and IV.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2016" height="1512" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  The soil here is conglomerate that has solidified like concrete, and the boulders were extracted by heavy earthmovers. It is intriguing to think that these metamorphic rocks as big as cars, rounded by glacial grinding, were once a part of a much higher Annapurna IV. Even for those with little interest in geology, Sungava is an ideal place to contemplate the tectonic forces that pushed these peaks into the sky to be sculpted into delicate shapes by wind, snow, earthquake and avalanche over millions of years. The view of the Himalayan panorama from Sungava’s many balconies are breathtaking when not obscured by clouds, or the haze that drifts in from across the southern border. On most days, just watching the towering pyramid of Machapuchre (Tamu name: कतासुँ क्लिको) play hide and seek with the clouds is mesmerising. There are rocks aplenty at Phulbari, and it is probably the flowers that grew along the flat terraces e that gave the place its flowery name. The boulders will hopefully be turned into a rock garden while landscaping. An nearby restaurant complex is making the best use of the stones in its design, using flat rocks as outdoor benches and tables. Sungava was designed by the husband-wife architect team of Deepak Sherchan and Jyoti Joshi of <a href="https://thedarkmermaidamarbshrestha.blogspot.com/2013/12/creative-builders-collaborative-cbc.html">Creative Builders Collaborative (CBC)</a>, which also built Heritage Plaza, Indreni Apartment and numerous other projects in Nepal. Sadbhavana retains CBC’s trademark Newari-style masonry and here it borrows from the orange brickwork of the old town of Pokhara, integrating it with modern design elements. A few of those heritage houses are still standing in Ganesh Tole and Ram Krishna Tole in Pokhara’s old quarter.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab" data-rendition-name="original" width="1362" height="595" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  About 400m from the apartment past a bend on the river, and down below three tiers of terraces in the canyon is a suspension bridge. Below it, the Seti is still swollen with post-monsoon flow as it tumbles away in a hurry to head down south.&nbsp; Back at the apartment, it is quiet, far away from the hubbub of Lakeside a 15 minute drive away, and in the lap of greenery. There are 52 units at Sungava and it already has a close-knit prospective community of professionals, including doctors, publishers, engineers, and businesspeople from the renewable energy and IT sectors.&nbsp; Some residents say they opted for a second home in Pokhara to make it a ‘base camp’ to explore the Annapurnas with its many hiking trails made newly accessible with new roads. With the NRN citizenship law, overseas Nepalis can now also buy the flats. &nbsp; The floor plans include options for north and south-facing 3-bedroom apartments with verandas, and the facility has underground parking has EV charging, heated pool, sauna and gym. There are still some unsold apartments with panoramic views of the mountains and one can imagine oneself at the kitchen with its huge window, humming a ditty while preparing breakfast: “खाना पकाउँ हिमाल हेरेर...”

High living below the Himalaya

When the United Nations held its Summit of the Future at its headquarters in New York in September, many world leaders, including Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli, highlighted the effect of climate breakdown in increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. What did not get as much attention was the long term impact of the climate crisis on food production. In fact, heat stress, weather extremes and the consequences on rain-fed agriculture is already being felt worldwide, undermining the chances of the <a href="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/">UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a> being met by 2030.&nbsp; The SDG’s 17 targets commit countries like Nepal to reduce poverty and inequality, end malnutrition, protect the natural environment, and ensure that citizens all enjoy health, justice and prosperity without leaving anyone behind.&nbsp; However, besides the impact of climate breakdown on agricultural production, in Nepal the area under cultivation is impacted by urban expansion, falling productivity and the need for expensive inputs like fertiliser and pesticides.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62" data-rendition-name="original" width="999" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Kathmandu's urban sprawl is eating into its fertile cultivable lands. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  Now, a new study led by Nepali researcher Prajal Pradhan at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands looks at how urban agriculture may offer a solution to falling food production and meeting SDG targets. The researchers evaluated 1,450 publications exploring the contributions of urban agriculture with both positive and negative effects, and published their findings in the journal Cells Report Sustainability. Urban agriculture can help achieve 17 SDGs, positively influencing 81 targets. However, it could also undermine 51 goals.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-vanishing-land">The vanishing land</a>, Taylor Mason “Urban agriculture offers immense potential for sustainable development, but realising this potential depends crucially on adopting practices that minimise its adverse effects while maximising its benefits,” Pradhan explains. Urban agriculture can substantially enhance urban food security, provide employment to the urban poor, serve as ground water recharge in built-up areas, and preserve open spaces that can serve as safe havens during disasters like earthquakes. However, it also presents problems like the potential health risks from contamination and the need for expensive inputs. &nbsp; “Urban agriculture plays a definitive role in advancing the SDGs, but achieving this requires tailored, context-specific solutions that address the unique challenges of different regions,” says Yuanchao Hu of Wuhan University in China and who is a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “But it needs equitable access and rigorous management of environmental risks.”&nbsp; Rapid urbanisation is eating into Nepal’s most fertile agricultural land, which means farming in remaining open spaces inside cities can be a viable alternative, especially as food prices rise.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>A vegetable patch in between new houses in Thimi. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  “The conversion of Nepal’s most fertile land into cities is a severe problem,” Pradhan told Nepali Times. “Crop cultivation, horticulture, agroforestry, beekeeping, livestock rearing, or aquaculture can all be farming activities within and around cities.”&nbsp; The study makes recommendations for sustainable practices that build on the positive aspects of urban agriculture while mitigating the downsides, thereby promoting more resilient cities in future. Research shows that urban agriculture has been helping many countries attain SDG targets by enhancing food security and biodiversity while helping education and preservation of open spaces.&nbsp; Indeed, many farmers from the hinterland who have settled in Kathmandu Valley or other urban areas of the country have been practicing urban agriculture, leasing neighbourhood patches or cultivating roof gardens both out of necessity because of inflation and falling income to grow their own food, and also as a fulfilling hobby. Saurav Dhakal, a sustainability advocate with Story Cycle and now research fellow at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand, says there are socio-economic and environmental benefits of urban agriculture. “It provides benefits to all urban dwellers, regardless of their income status,” says Dhakal, “families get fresh food, and there are many other benefits like water retention, heat regulation and biodiversity. These are all public goods, so special government incentives may be needed.” It is not unusual to see vegetable patches and even paddy fields within inner city Kathmandu where an older generation of farmers are using available fertile land and <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rooftop-gardens-kathmandu,1415">roof gardens to produce fresh, nutritious food </a>to reduce their dependence on food items that have to be bought after being trucked in from large distances.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>An older generation of farmers are using any available fertile land to continue farming but it is getting more and more difficult. Photo: TAYLOR MASON </figcaption> </figure>  Nepal’s urban population grew rapidly from only 3.6% in 1991 to 25% today. There is large outmigration from the mountains to peri-urban areas of the Tarai, to Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara, with many young men then moving abroad for work. Kathmandu Valley’s population has swelled to nearly 3 million, and is growing at 6.5% a year. Dilip Shrestha, 71, used to work for Nepal Food Corporation, so he knew firsthand about inflation, shortages and vegetables with pesticide residue. So, when he designed his new house in Kathmandu, he built a spacious roof where he grows cucumber, ginger, garlic, coriander, onions, tomatoes, chili, beans, okra, pumpkin and lettuce. His family eats healthier, and he has reduced dependence on the market.&nbsp; The co-author of the Cell Reports Sustainability journal article, Daya Raj Subedi who is a PhD candidate at Beijing Forestry University, says urban agriculture also promotes inclusion and psycho-social wellbeing.&nbsp; He says, “A crucial finding of the study is the identification of opportunities and challenges associated with urban agriculture, it can promote sustainable transformation of society.” In Banepa, 55-year-old Bijaya Manandhar in her lifetime has watched the fertile farms of her neighbourhood that used to supply vegetables to Kathmandu, now completely built up with no open space left. The pandemic lockdown prompted her to turn to the family’s <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world">ancestral livelihood by growing food</a> not on terrace farms, but on the roof terrace. Manandhar is now a part of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world%5C%5C">कौसी खेती र करेसाबारी क्रान्ती</a> (Rooftop Farming and Garden Revolution) which has an online membership of 52,000, and awards annual prizes to women who excel in urban agriculture.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="736" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Rooftop farming is gaining popularity as a form of urban agriculture. </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> </figure>  Pradhan says the challenge now is to upscale such examples of successful urban agricultural practices so they support Neal’s efforts to meet SDG targets. He adds, “Crop cultivation around cities can be protected by land use plans and regulations. Promoting community-based agriculture, including rooftop gardens, requires community engagement and public-private partnerships across the food value chain.”&nbsp; Such support would accelerate the popularity of existing rooftop farming and community gardens in Kathmandu Valley, or kitchen garden initiatives in Pokhara, and building on traditional farming practices that are preserved and integrated into urban settings like in Bhaktapur and Banepa. In Lalitpur, the Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Center promotes urban farming enhancing both sustainability and empowerment.&nbsp; Another co-author of the report, Yuanchao Hu from China says followup research of the team will aim to identify good practices in local urban agriculture practices. He adds, “There are examples of urban agriculture that optimise sustainability, ensuring that it remains a viable solution for cities globally while countries try to meet SDG targets.” Prajal Pradhan, Daya Raj Subedi, Kshitij Dahal, Yuanchao Hu, Prakriti Gurung, Sijal Pokharel, Sagar Kafle, Biplav Khatri, Sudeeksha Basyal, Monika Gurung, and Aruna Joshi. Urban Agriculture matters for sustainable development. Cell Reports Sustainability, 1:100217, 2024. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2024.100217] Prajal Pradhan (<a href="mailto:p.pradhan@rug.nl">p.pradhan@rug.nl</a>) This article is brought to you by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/" target="_blank">Nepali Times</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://inpsjapan.com/en/" target="_blank">INPS Japan</a> and <a href="https://sgi-peace.org/" target="_blank">Soka Gakkai International</a>, in consultative status with UN ECOSOC.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758" data-rendition-name="original" width="680" height="103" loading="lazy" alt="SDG logo"> </figure>

Back to the land in the cities

The 700-year-old Lakshmi Narasingha temple in Bhaktapur houses a rare half-lion and half-human incarnation of Lord Vishnu carrying the Goddess Lakshmi. The temple was destroyed in the 1934 mega earthquake that killed 10,000 people and destroyed many monuments in Kathmandu Valley. It was rebuilt by a German project in the 1980s, but as a single-storey structure instead of its original two-tier pagoda design.&nbsp; With new findings from in-depth research, Bhaktapur municipality began re-restoring the temple in 2021, preserving its original architecture.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “Our temples and heritage sites hold deep meaning. It is disheartening to witness how often they lose their original elements, whether by design or accident,” explains Kumar Chawal of the Consumer Committee of Bhaktapur. “There is a need to preserve our architecture and protect its historical value for future generations. Otherwise, we risk losing a vital part of our identity.” The Laksmi Narsingha restoration is similar to the Bhai Dega temple in Patan Darbar Square which also collapsed in 1934, but was rebuilt with a Moghul-style dome by the Rana government at the time. Only two months before the 2015 earthquake, heritage conservationists had started to rebuild Bhai Dega as the original three-tier based on early photographs. But priorities shifted when four other temples in the square were brought down by the 7.8M earthquake on 25 April 2015.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  This showed how damage to monuments in Kathmandu Valley spanned from one earthquake to the next. Bhai Dega restoration remains half-complete to this day because money for its restoration ran out.&nbsp; Whereas Bhai Dega restoration was done by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust with grants from western embassies and international foundations, in Bhaktapur it is the municipality itself that allocated the Rs30.7 million needed to restore the Lakshmi Narasingha temple. The expected date of completion is early 2025. The municipality and local communities are focusing on two main aspects: preserving the past and promoting localisation. The restoration team has designed a blueprint for the temple by using historical photographs and insights from older generations.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="560" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “At first, the Lakshmi Narasingha temple had only one entrance, but during the demolition process, we uncovered the foundations of four doors. Now, we are restoring all of them. This is an example of how our ancient structures have changed over time, often without our knowledge,” says Chawal. “Constructing temples is not like building houses. They carry historical and spiritual values, which is why they hold a special place in our hearts,” he adds. By replicating ancient design elements and rebuilding the temple as accurately as possible to its original form, the team has stayed true to Bhaktapur’s soul. But the restoration also revived ancient techniques that were in danger of being forgotten, generating employment for woodcarvers, masons, and contractors. The community of Bhaktapur’s Gahiti neighbourhood near the famous Nyatapola Temple has also set aside specific days for locals to volunteer in the reconstruction work. This has encouraged young people to take pride in ownership of their heritage. Families have also supported the effort by donating funds for bells, the temple pinnacle, and other structural features to the temple.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “I feel at peace knowing I have contributed my sweat to restoring this temple,” said one volunteer. “It is our duty to preserve our temples and heritage. The Nyatapola area will look magical once this temple is completed.” Community mobilisation is a long-standing tradition in Bhaktapur. In the past, locals have actively participated in the restoration of other temples in the city, such as Bhairav and Nyatapola fostering a strong sense of ownership. This collective engagement has not only been crucial in preserving the city's historical monuments but also in strengthening the bond between local communities and their heritage, says officials at the municipality. While securing funding is essential, and the municipality showed it values heritage conservation, the Lakshmi Narasingha restoration is proof that active involvement and sense of responsibility of the local community is as important, if not more. Local involvement also means that the monuments will be cared for into the future, When locals take ownership of these efforts, the restored monuments are not only protected in the present but are also cared for in the future.