<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107141112/636904509c7e80680e037d17jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1800" height="1050"/><figcaption>Photo: RSS</figcaption></figure>The Kanchanpur rape case should go down in history books as a landmark that brought long awaited changes to Nepal’s justice system, how it is implemented and delivered, and how rape is reported in the media.In early 1900s when women all over the world were waking up and rising up against the patriarchy and were demanding their right to vote, in Britain some <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-34425615" target="_blank" rel="noopener">women started to train in jiu-jitsu</a>.It came in handy while dealing with male vigilantes who believed women should be harassed or beaten to submission, and the police who did the same to protesting women. The Women's Social and Political Party (suffragettes) was formed in 1903, and two decades later, finally women over 21 won the right to vote.See also: <a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/republic-of-rape/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Republic of rape</a>We are in 2018 now, and it is not just women fighting for women, but <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/the-roots-of-rape/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">men are also joining the marches for justice</a>. Rapes do not only happen to women. And in a land where we have to fight to even register a case, the chances of abuse of an irreversible penalty like capital punishment is high.Let us demand fast track courts, a well-funded and well-trained prosecution arm of police, safe houses for women, compensation for victims, and (not or) harsh punishment for the perpetrator. Let us also call for <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2015/03/11/kalaiya-protest-rape/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">counselling services for rape survivors</a>, and efforts to remove stigma of rape. There should also be stricter punishment for those who obstruct justice regardless of their political clout or position in the police or bureaucracy. Here is what each sector can do:Major opposition partyIt is shameful to politicise the rape of a minor on the street to try to get some airtime and harass the government. Each party has <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/four-fold-increase-in-reported-rape-in-10-years/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">served in government when there were rape cases</a>. You did very little then, so if you really want to be in the news, then fight it out in Parliament to which you were elected. If you want to join the protests in the streets, leave your political baggage and flags  behind. Fight for the right as a citizen, not as a party hack.Ruling government party <a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/justice-for-sale/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A compensation of Rs1 million is not what the victim is looking for</a>. Ask yourself: is that your price tag on the life of a child? Where can they go to heal? What is the Ministry of Women and Child Development really doing? What is the Home Ministry doing in Kanchanpur? If you believe the opposition party is fanning the flames, why weren’t you quick off the mark to address the problem? Why did you let it drag on to the point where it could be politicised?Development agenciesExamine which activist group or government agency you fund and ask for a statement of solidarity from each of them for better implementation and delivery of justice and stricter and swifter laws. Your mandate doesn't need to explicitly state that you will be an ally of the rape victims and survivors. It is assumed.Nepali citizensRapes do not only happen to Nepali women, men are also raped. You don't need to have a mother, sister, daughter, aunt to empathise with the cause. If someone needs to be shot dead to demand justice, then we really have no hope of expecting swift and stern action against perpetrators of other crimes as well. If you do not like 'dollar wallas’ then create a rupee funded organisation that will fight for the cause. The culture needs to stop objectifying women, and releasing block-blusters in which women have no role except to play a love interest of the ‘villain' or ‘hero’, with no will, no voice, no part at all in a plot in which men are rewarded with love and marriage for stalking a woman. Fight for women not because you think they (we) are weak, but because we want a just society. We want a society that will take responsibility for safety for everyone at all hours.MediaC<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/how-does-the-nepali-media-cover-rape/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">over this as a trend, not an event to be forgotten</a>. Keep following up.Protestors and activistsWomen in Britain 100 years ago were beaten, force-fed when they went on hunger strikes, and it took them almost 25 years to get equal voting rights. They passed the baton to a new generation of leaders, and kept fighting. In Nepal, it may take more petticoat protests, but the next generation of leaders must be groomed. Civilisation always progresses, but in the meantime, Nepali women may also need to learn martial arts to protect themselves.

Sumana Shrestha

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To the Point

Turning outrage into justice

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221107121144/6368f00f9c7e80680e0359b4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="576" height="1024"/><figcaption>Photo: KUNDA DIXIT</figcaption></figure>If you knew Hari or Phulmaya when they were three or six years old, you would probably have put them in a mental compartment of pity, blaming the system, blaming the parents, or wishing things were different for them.These days, I still blame the parents and the system, but I have evolved to not pitying anyone. I have often been pleasantly surprised that my subconscious is now trained to see hope and potential in every child. Despite their circumstances, despite what my eyes see and my brain demands.Cancer claimed Hari's mother when he was three. His father was an alcoholic, and often landed in jail, sometimes with his youngest son because he would beat the little one black and blue. Hari would have become a <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=4949#.W2wGedUzbIU" target="_blank" rel="noopener">street child</a> along with his siblings if it wasn't for a few people who saw him outside the long shadow cast by his father.He went to a free school and stayed at a free hostel. He now has a 3.7 on his <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/grading-the-grades,3124" target="_blank" rel="noopener">SEE</a>, plays excellent<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-cricket-comes-of-age/" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> cricket</a>, despite the mental naggings of his father and the inner need to belong to someone biological who would also love him back the same way.Phulmaya grew up in a family in which the parents took loans and made the daughters work in their food stall, while the son was sent to a private school. The seven members of the family grew up in a single room (not one bed-room, but one room) with daughters sleeping on the floor while the bed was given to the son. Despite having to work from 5:30AM, commute three hours each day to go to school, and work till 10PM, Phulmaya struggled for an education.These two children are now adolescents. They are miracles given all the emotions they have had to overcome, or live with. I had to fight back my tears while they practiced interviews for IB scholarships at a prestigious high school. We rehearsed, corrected grammar, body postures. All they needed was an opportunity, and another miracle: they both got spots for the program.They will now be in class with students from the wealthiest segments of society. But I also worried: what if they couldn’t fit in, or their insecurities get better of them? So far they have been in a free school where everyone shared the same story -- alcoholic parents, children abandoned because they were girls, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/no-country-for-women/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">children born of rapes</a> and abandoned even by their mothers, or extreme poverty that drove them to Kathmandu’s streets.Perhaps I need to take them to a coffee place and teach them restaurant etiquette, or the basics of how to get the movie tickets. As I thought of how to make the transition easier, I realised that I was seeing their strength as their weakness. Surely, they will figure it out like they have done so far, and we will always be there to provide a helping hand?Instead, I told them that it will get difficult only if they give those passing judgement the permission to inflict pain, and to be strong like they have always been, to see and learn, to hear and learn, and remember they already are miracles, and they don't need anyone's validation to believe that.So, when you see street children lying on the sidewalk, sniffing glue, or a child worker,  instead of judging them try to imagine the circumstances that put them there, and see if you can create an opportunity for them. What they need is just an opportunity.If we look back in our own lives, hasn't it been a series of chances of being born to certain set of parents, of someone deciding to give us a break, take a chance on our ideas, or being at the right place at the right time that has made all the difference?So why not give it to others in whatever form we can? Our one intervention on behalf of a child might be the right place and right time for that person. You never know. It surely was for Phulmaya and Hari -- their neighbour and teacher had heard of a free school and mentioned it to them. And that has made all the difference to their lives.Names have been changed.Read also:<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=4949#.W2wGedUzbIU" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> A day in the life of Patan's street children</a>, Kashish Das Shrestha

The right place and the right time

Rapes of minors and the arrest of a high-profile paedophile highlight the urgent need to protect Nepal’s young  Recent rapes of minors and allegations of <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=3347#.Wt1jWhuFO70">long-term child abuse in Nepal</a> by, among others a high-profile international civil servant, has once more forced us to ask the question: are our children really safe? How can we ensure their safety?Added to the dangers faced by Nepali children from domestic and foreign predators, the 2015 <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/epicentre-trafficking-migration,3256">earthquake has put more children in the vulnerable category</a>. Thousands of families have been pushed below the poverty line, and three years on there are people still in flimsy shelters. A quest for better future drives many parents to believe in any one who offers help.There have been many wake up calls to the Nepal government and public to be more wary of the helping hands being extended, especially in times of emergencies. The abuse cases of the <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/bal-mandir-rape-allegations,1495">Bal Mandir</a> and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/child-abuse-kidnapping-happy-home,1143">Happy Home</a> are still raw, yet policy-level interventions have been massively inadequate or missing. Perhaps it is poverty,  desperation and lack of information that has forced Nepali families time and again, to extend open invitation to what looks like local and foreign do-gooders without any scrutiny of their past.Some have criminal records, others may be alimony refugees, still others could actually be working for child welfare organisations, but we trust them implicitly for their philanthropy or charity work.Perhaps it has become a norm that we ignore street children who seem too cosy with a tourist in Thamel, or who all of sudden have brand new clothes or bicycle after a trek. Dig deeper, and there are dark secrets of exploitation and abuse.In the light of the recent arrest of Peter Dalglish, who served with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Nepal office and other UN offices around the world, we must really ask ourselves what can be done to ensure the safety of our children.Dalglish’s Wikipedia profile is everything a parent or a child can hope for in an angel that ‘saves children’. He has projected himself as a formidable friend of children: the founder of Street Kids International, someone who has been working to improve the lives of children since 1987, chief technical adviser for the UN’s anti-child labour program, Unicef, senior adviser to UN-Habitat Afghanistan.  He was decorated with the Order of Canada, the second highest honor of merit accorded to Canadians for their community service or service to Canada.The 60-year-old Canadian was arrested last week in Nagarkot in the company of two children by the Central Investigation Bureau after a tip-off from Interpol.  He is to be arraigned on Wednesday. But what lurks behind these accolades are three things: is his reputation and circle of friends going to create pressure on the investigating team, if yes, how do we prevent such pressures?Then is a serious OMG moment: how much of an unparalleled access to vulnerable children and parents Dalglish’s child protection platforms must have given. There is also a cold sensation of the loss of comfort: who else could be in the paedophile ring if indeed he is convicted? How many knew and did nothing? How many will continue to access children through those platforms?This is not the first arrest in Nepal related to pedophilia. In 2016, an American Kenneth Joseph Coombs was caught: he had a history of sexual misconduct and assault in the US. Yet, he made it inside Nepal because of lax immigration laws.  In 2015, Ernest Fenwich MacIntosh was found guilty and is serving a seven year sentence.It may be time to warn street children about foreign and Nepali paedophiles, take better care of them in shelters with vetted child protection policies and actions, where they will be safe from such predators. Last time I checked, the Nepal government has a ministry specifically called Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare, but it remains to be seen what it has done to reduce the number of street children, child survivors of the earthquake, and implement policies against exploitation by aid workers.Read More:<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/bal-mandir-rapists-jailed,1861">Bal Mandir rapists jailed </a><a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=17174#.Wt2S79RubIV">Who's watching? </a><a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=13306#.Wt2TQNRubIV">Baby bajar</a><h2></h2>

Keeping children safe

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221104141140/636516fb9c7e80680e02c249jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1210"/>People often ask me how the United States compares with Nepal. Here are five things that are uniquely funny about my country. If you don't take these with a sense of humour, it may be hard to rationalise the way things are here.1 Not-for-profit organisations pay more than the for-profit sector. And the pay is lower in the US, compared to Nepal. As long as not-for-profit crowds out the employment sector by paying more, for-profit can never compete or really develop. After all, who can compete with what looks like a never-ending supply of free money? Besides, if the majority of people are focusing on ‘development’ which most of the time is supposed to centre on the bottom of the pyramid, who is going to focus on the middle class? (A strong middle class would probably have a much more positive effect on the BoP and quality of living.)2 Like in Silicon Valley, everybody wants to be an entrepreneur in Kathmandu Valley. Everybody wants to make it big. The only unfortunate part is, most of the kids in urban areas don’t really get a job until they are well out of their college or university years (excluding some amazing kids who are working and paying their own bills while studying). If most people want to be <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/business-of-entrepreneurship-in-nepal,3362">entrepreneurs</a> without ever having worked for someone and are mostly still dependent on their parents’ allowances, who will they hire to work on their idea? It must be quite an expensive on the job learning method. I’ve worked with few tech companies – some quite large, some small: the turnover rate is quite astounding. I still have very little clue as to what is driving the turnover rate to be so high. And large tech companies pay more than the not-for-profit sectors even at the entry level.3 Certificates: All students seem to be driven by the need to get a certificate. Most people who have worked in <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2015/12/06/carpooling-in-kathmandu/">my social initiatives</a> have probably found to their dismay that I don’t give out certificates. I just tell them that the work they will do is worth their time and if I have funding, they get some allowance. Are the certificates so important when one applies for a job or higher education? What is driving this funny need for certificates?4 Internships need a new name or do they? I am not sure if it is because this term has been over abused in Nepal as an excuse for free labour, or if students have been properly introduced to the concept of apprenticeship. A senior mechanical engineer friend with ten years of work experience at Mitsubishi, went to hire interns from a notable Kathmandu college for his project. It turns out the students wanted Rs 2 lakh per month salary to intern with him. I am glad he eventually shared his first internship experience with the students.But in Europe when he went to intern with another car company, he had to pay for the program because he would be gaining more than he would be giving.Apprenticeships / internships mean you value what the person has to teach and you really ask for that person’s time.I used to run lunch orders for my desk in my first job. That is basically going to each person and saying can I order lunch for you? Pick it up and deliver it to you, and collect cash from you and pay the restaurant, while you work. And in exchange, maybe after about a month of doing that for you, you will stay for 10 more minutes and show me that cool excel function that would save me four hours. Running lunch orders was the easiest thing I could do to get people to give me their 10 minutes. And this was the way all the first years got by to learn the ropes of the job.This was a productive way of learning, because in those 10 minutes, I would be most attentive as I had already put in 30 minutes each day for a month or more to earn those 10 minutes.5 The number of conferences on entrepreneurship, women empowerment and development, WOW! What is even more amazing is finding the same set of speakers, CEOs and social leaders, or same set of aspiring entrepreneurs attending most of the events. How do these people work on their startups which they are so passionate about and still manage to attend the endless events? Is it for networking, for business sales, another opportune moment to catch a potential subscriber or a buyer?Whatever the reason may be, hats off to the amazing time management skills folks have here.Sumana Shrestha is an aspiring Kathmandu-based entrepreneur and used to be with Boston Consulting Group and a financial trader at Citigroup. She writes this column, To The Point in Nepali Times every fortnight.Read also:<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2015/12/06/carpooling-in-kathmandu/">Carpooling in Kathmandu</a>,  Sahina Shrestha<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/business-of-entrepreneurship-in-nepal,3362">The business of entrepreneurship</a> , Triveni Chand and Pankaj Parajuli

Five 'funny' things about Nepal

The sight of a grassland where Rani Pokhari used to be exposes bureaucratic greed and lack of accountability<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221104141136/636515849c7e80680e02c1c4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"/><figcaption>Photo: Gopen Rai</figcaption></figure>Nepali politicians are rarely in the good books of the people. They cannot seem to get anything right. But who will punish the slow, corrupt and over-protected bureaucrats?It is these civil servants who are having the last laugh over the fiasco at Rani Pokhari. For those who haven’t followed the saga of the restoration of this historic pond, here is a brief recap:Reconstruction of the Balgopaleswor Temple in the middle of the pond started in August 2016 using concrete pillars.This was before local elections, when  Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) was run opaquely by bureaucrats who even managed to fool President Bidya Bhandari’s PR team, by having her lay the foundation stone to launch post-quake reconstruction. What she was inadvertently agreeing to by her presence was a beautification plan that was in motion even before the earthquake damaged the temple.The pond perimeter was draped in tarp and the construction site hidden from view. There was no public hearing or community engagement. When activists protested, chief engineer of Kathmandu Municipality Uttar Kumar Regmi argued that he was just re-using old construction material.Regmi said he had permission from the Department of Archaeology (DoA) for his design, even though DoA Engineer Sampath Ghimire promised traditional design and materials would be used in reconstruction. Giving into the public pressure and protests by activists, DoA chief Bhesh Narayan Dahal said his department would take charge of the reconstruction, and admitted to lapses.By December 2017 activists had to again rally to save Rani Pokhari from a concrete perimeter wall that the KMC said was needed to ‘beautify’ the pond. Mayor Bidya Sundar Shakya’s remarks broadcast on Facebook live exposed complete lack of understanding in how traditional ponds are built, lack of faith in the people protesting, who where in fact trying to work with him, and his blind trust in a bureaucracy that made a complete fool out of him.When the media and activists later prodded him, Chief Engineer Uttar Kumar Regmi said on camera he was only executing approved plans. The DoA’s Engineer Sampath Ghimire admitted that DoA approved the use of concrete.Demand by activists and even journalists for drawings, plans and contract details all went unheeded. Activists then sought to educate everyone on the traditional water management system, and demystify the 24-hour water in the stone sprouts. The KMC, DoA, and MPs were all invited, but only two MPs showed up.Then something unexpected happened: the deputy mayor lead a team that padlocked the construction site. The mayor lost his cool and broke open the lock. All this high drama lead to some frenzied coverage in the media.DoA Director General Bhesh Narayan Dahal went on national television to say the department never gave explicit permission to use concrete contrary to what his chief engineer had said earlier.Finally, the mayor realised he has been mislead by his own technical chief. It must have been hard to get slapped in public by the same people he so blindly trusted and defended. After the rude awakening, he rushed to consult experts and learned more about Rani Pokhari. MP Bhimsen Das Pradhan tabled a motion to halt the construction of Rani Pokhari which was approved by the Cabinet.The mayor, deputy mayor, DoA’s Dahal and the National Reconstruction Authority Secretary formed a male-only committee tasked to suggest options for reconstruction of Rani Pokhari within 15 days. The committee is heavy with bureaucrats and the same Sampath Ghimire who gave the original permission to use concrete.  The advisory committee includes politicians, but no activists. The mayor is back to square one because he is relying on the same bureaucracy that sank him with their greed.In all this mess, media pitched the deputy mayor against the mayor: political heavy weights have tried to make the best out of this, and political minorities too have got a lot of momentum.But the real question and the root cause of the problem remains: an over-protected bureaucracy. They seem immune to any prosecution. So, who will drain the swamp? Who will ask why Uttar Kumar Regmi lied that he had permission? How come Bhesh Narayan Dahal is still heading the Department of Archaeology despite his repeated failures to protect heritage sites like Rani Pokhari. How come Sampath Ghimire was not questioned about permission to reconstruct using concrete, an assertion denied by his own boss on national television.And most importantly, how did the tender to rebuild Rani Pokhari go to the same contractor twice? Who signed the cheque without proper approval from the DoA? Where is the math for the Rs30 million in tax payers’ money for destroying heritage? Who will refund the public coffers that are filled by our VAT payments? Who gained financially from these deals? And why does it take the activists to ring an alarm bell, when DoA officials pass heritage sites in the heart of the city every day? It points to something much more sinister: collusion between the KMC, DoA and the contractors.  The KMC has a Heritage Department, but the responsibility to rebuild Rani Pokhari goes to the Infrastructure Development Department.The new Cabinet needs to swiftly investigate the bureaucrats. Heads must roll, tax-payers money refunded, and elected representatives must restore Rani Pokhari. Let us demand that Mayor Shakya, ministers, and newly elected representatives punish the destroyers of heritage, and the people demand greater accountability from their leaders. This must be the reason activists have filed a first of its kind criminal case against the DoA, KMC and the contractors.Sumana Shrestha is an aspiring Kathmandu-based entrepreneur and former consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, and a financial trader at Citigroup. She starts her fortnightly column TO THE POINT in Nepali Times from this issue.

Draining the swamp

The monsoon has got bad press because Nepal’s tourism operators actively told visitors to avoid <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/managing-the-monsoon?%2F">the rainy season</a>. It is time to change that. The reason can be found right here in the vast alpine meadows of Central Nepal where this time of year you can walk on velvet grass of pastures abloom with delicate pink, red and yellow flowers as the mist rolls up the valley. There is no sound except the hum of bumble bees. &nbsp;&nbsp; There are dozens of places across high Nepal called Chaurikharka, which means yak pasture. But this particular Chaurikharka in Rukum East located at an altitude of 4,000m stands out for its serene beauty, rustic charm and bucolic setting. There is just the occasional chime of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">yak bells</a> in the distance, and the sharp whistle of herders corralling sheep. &nbsp;&nbsp; The grass shoots are so fragile that one hesitates to step on them, the rounded ridges appear and quickly vanish in waves of mist. With the<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/before-the-next-monsoon"> arrival of monsoon</a>, these meadows are a soothing shade of green dotted with millions of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-anatomy-of-a-flower?%2F=">multi-coloured flowers</a>. Until very recently, it took a week or so to hike up to places like Chaurikharka, but with the expansion of the road network even to these far-flung mountains in the lap of Dhaulagiri, they are much more accessible. It is just a three-hour uphill from the Mid-Hill Highway on the border between Baglung and Rukum East.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20250802130828_a0b06b494d751b2144ffbbf10894ea64b29e8aed844bc8c66171783abfaf4e16" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Purists would say that such easy access devalues the sanctity of these remote high meadows, but it also means more people will be moved to treasure the experience, appreciate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/natures-fragile-gift-to-nepal">the value of nature </a>so they can take steps to protect it.&nbsp; To be sure, the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/deadly-monsoon-in-nepal-turns-deadlier">monsoon season can be challenging for road travel</a>. The roads are rough even at the best of times, and in the monsoon they become muddy and treacherous, often blocked by<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/monsoon-deluge-in-nepal"> landslides</a>. But that could be precisely the kind of adventure that the more intrepid visitors crave. Improved road connectivity has already made Chaurikharka and places like Badimallika &nbsp;and other sacred lakes in the mountains of western Nepal popular with domestic tourists. What is driving this traffic is the urge to go to exotic new places and share videos and selfies on social media. Several of Nepal’s travel vloggers have visited Chaurikharka and popularised the place, enticing followers on TikTok or YouTube to retrace their footsteps. But even as they become more popular, these fragile and once-remote places should be protected from over-tourism.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20250731110736_f97110b7cdc3e7f80d5877690948fc9f4c95a09c583deb23b07355491e6c5446" data-rendition-name="original" width="1083" height="699" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon NT"> </figure>  <h2>INCREASING FOOTFALL</h2> Chaurikharka is located in Bhume Rural Municipality of East Rukum, near the scenic valley of Dhorpatan in Baglung district. Even in the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/monsoon-culture">middle of the monsoon</a>, there is a steady stream of Nepali hikers trooping to these high pastures – especially during festival days like Saune Sankranti which this year was on 17 July and actually marks the auspicious beginning of the monsoon here. “This year the rains have not been as heavy and there have been some clear mornings when we could see everything from Dhaulagiri to Machapuchre,” says Khageswar Bhandari, who trekked up here from the road. “The flowers, the greenery and the snowy mountain views make this an incredibly unique place.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20250802130824_1b9e26f2e9853fdfe69154bb42a7c9ea6da4bf4940efc1da99b304dcfbd7d3d9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1152" loading="lazy" alt="Visit Nepal in the monsoon"> </figure>  Chaurikharka is worthwhile to get to in any season, but it has a different charm during the monsoon. Word has spread and because it is now easy to get to from Baglung or even Pokhara, people have been flocking here.&nbsp; “Holidays and Saturdays see the largest crowds, with up to 500 visitors every day,” says ward chair Mankaji Pun of Bhume.&nbsp; There was a time not too long ago when local herders brought sheep, goats, cows, buffaloes, horses, and mules to graze here during the monsoon. Although there are still livestock around, animals have been replaced by visitors taking selfies. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-monsoon-and-nature-s-arithmetic">The monsoon, and nature’s arithmetic</a>, Tom Robertson Ward Chair Pun says infrastructure development is his main priority. A foot trail to Chaurikharka was built last year by the Tourism Division Office in Kohalpur, but access via the Raniwas-Koipa road section still remains challenging.&nbsp; “If we get more budget, we can improve the road and facilities to make Chaurikharka the main tourist attraction of this region,” says Bhume Municipality Chair Hom Prakash Shrestha. “After that, we hope to promote Chaurikharka as a top tourist spot.”&nbsp; Economic activity is also picking up with the arrival of visitors, but there seems to be a need to manage the makeshift sheds made of corrugated sheets that spoil the beauty of the place. Tea shops and lodges are also available but facilities are basic. Kuldeep Neupane took a three-day trip from Ghorahi in Dang to visit Chaurikharka recently, and says: “This is an ideal trip to make a quick getaway and let nature recharge your mind and body. And it is much more fun with a tent, to watch the sunrise over the Himalaya or the mist blowing in.”

Visit Nepal in the monsoon

Two weeks ago, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli announced jubilantly on social media that Nepal had achieved a historic annual growth of 81.8% in exports. He was right. Nepal’s trade did take a great leap forward compared to last year. But the dramatic rise was mainly due to processed soya bean oil.&nbsp; However, Nepal does not produce the edible oil it exports. In fact, the soya and palm oil that make up 44% of total exports are imported from Southeast Asia and South America, and simply re-exported, mostly to India.&nbsp; Under the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area) Agreement, Nepal can export products to India duty-free if it has at least 30% value-added. Nepal’s traders have taken advantage of SAFTA even though the edible oils they export do not reach that value addition threshold. “The 30% value addition requirement is often only on paper,” says former commerce secretary Purushottam Ojha. “It is clear that simply packaging edible oils in Nepal does not fulfil the terms of the trade agreement.” Prime Minister Oli is aware of this, and even called Nepal’s export figures “fake” at an earlier event. The government is relying on other iffy figures to suggest that Nepal’s economy is strong and getting stronger. For example, the value of imports rose by 13.25% in 2024-25 compared to the previous fiscal year.&nbsp; Some of it was due to a jump in electric vehicle imports worth Rs 31.76 billion, but mostly it was because more wholesale soya oil was imported to be re-packaged and sold in India. The very fact that the government boasts about increased imports is an indication of how much it relies on taxing them for revenue. Touting such trade figures cannot be the basis to claim an economic rebound.&nbsp; “A jump in the value of imports can be interpreted as an increase in purchasing power, but it is not evidence of a stronger economy,” says economist Keshav Acharya. “Even though imports have increased, Nepal's domestic production and productive capacity have not improved.” Nepal Rastra Bank's semi-annual economic activity study report shows that industrial production was down in the first six months of the last fiscal year. This despite an increase in the number of new industries registered and investment commitments. Out of the Rs70.2 billion proposed foreign investment, Nepal received only Rs17.9 billion last year.&nbsp; Meanwhile, the rate of capital formation was limited to 24% last year, which is lower than the year before, suggesting that new investment, job creation and economic expansion all declined. If domestic production does not improve in relation to this year’s inflated trade figures, the outflow will put pressure on foreign exchange reserves like it did three years ago. At that time, Nepal borrowed from the IMF under its Extended Credit Facility Program to kickstart the economy.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2025080710084_2cdaaa5795828c4a7de93a0604ba884ef0a8b8f24cccd939f6c24e279ab6058f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1633" height="723" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal's bubble economy NT"> <figcaption>Source: NEPAL RASTRA BANK</figcaption> </figure>  The macroeconomy is on firm footing with foreign exchange reserves at a comfortable Rs2,520 billion in May, up 23% from last year. This was largely due to remittances, and partly due to a falling NPR exchange rate. Real estate transactions and the stock market index have also been climbing as a result of government policies to revive the sector.&nbsp; However, former executive director of Nepal Rastra Bank Nar Bahadur Thapa cautions: “This is not organic growth, it is the result of deliberate policy decisions to relax rules on real estate and stock markets transactions.” In reality, the sharp rise in land prices have increased the cost of production, and excessive monetisation of the real estate has become the main source of Nepal’s economic woes. The central bank has announced a slew of new policies, shifting the terms of loan repayment for industrialists and entrepreneurs, reducing interest rates, and injecting more working capital — all designed to inject adrenaline into the real estate and stock market sectors.&nbsp; When he was governor, Mahaprasad Adhikari made several financial reforms during the latter half of his tenure to stimulate the economy, including tightening credit flow.&nbsp; By the last fiscal year, additional financial reforms had resulted in a credit expansion rate of around 8%. As the pace of credit expansion slows, real estate prices have started to fall. This is actually beneficial to the economy, because it lays the foundation for improvements in land-related entrepreneurship, production, and the construction sector. Just because real estate and the stock market transactions increase, it does not indicate an economic turnaround — especially when manufacturing and productive sector continues to languish.&nbsp; “It is foolish to believe that real estate and the stock market have magically revived our economy. Agriculture employs more than half of the population, but it is in decline. Investment in the productive sector has not increased, and job creation has not increased.” Two years ago, Nepal’s industrialists, business leaders, and political leadership predicted a recession amidst a sluggish business, declining market demand, large-scale job loss, and a shrinking real estate and share market.&nbsp; Still, the economy grew by 3.36% in fiscal year 2023/24. In fact, Nepal’s economy has grown nominally over the last two decades even when all sectors of the economy are in decline.&nbsp; Says Keshav Acharya: “The growth in trade, real estate, and the stock market are bubbles. The real economy remains stagnant.”

Nepal’s bubble economy

Nepal is graduating to become a developing country on 24 November 2026 after half-century in the Least Developed Country (LDC) category. By 2030, the country hopes to transition to middle-income status.&nbsp; Everone from Prime Minister K P Oli have boasted that this is a matter of national pride, and will have a multiplier impact on trade and economy.&nbsp; But will it make any difference to the average Nepali? Not unless improved governance <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/why-invest-in-nepal">spurs investment and creates jobs</a>.&nbsp; Countries need to meet at least two of the three criteria in two consecutive triennial reviews to be eligible for graduation from LDC. Nepal has consistently met the thresholds for the Human Assets Index (HAI) and the Economic and Environmental Vulnerability Index (EVI) in 2015, 2018, and 2021. But Nepal was recommended for graduation before meeting the per capita <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-great-income-divide">Gross National Income (GNI)</a> threshold of $1,306. “A major implication of LDC graduation is the loss of preferential market access available through Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) and other arrangements,” explains economist Sameer Khatiwada. “But over two-thirds of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-doesnt-produce-its-2-biggest-export-items">Nepal’s exports</a> are to India, and the preferential market access to India is through a bilateral trade agreement. This has nothing to do with our LDC status.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250815060832_f5eabe7628a8cdf84f33b25d7cef3c4dc8913a26d8e5b253ea52a36e176b8a85.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20250815060832_f5eabe7628a8cdf84f33b25d7cef3c4dc8913a26d8e5b253ea52a36e176b8a85" data-rendition-name="original" width="640" height="470" loading="lazy" alt="LDC graduation "> </figure>  Furthermore, a provision under the South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA) allows Nepal to export to India duty-free if the items are at least 30% value-added. Nepali traders take advantage of this by re-exporting edible oils without meeting that requirement, falsely boosting Nepal’s exports.“ Following graduation from LDC, the value addition threshold might increase to 40%,” says Kalpana Khanal of the Policy Research Institute. “This is supposed to work to our advantage, because on paper value addition inherently means <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/staying-home-to-create-jobs">job creation at home</a>.” But Nepal’s exports to other major destinations will face <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/nepal-and-the-us-india-tariff-tiff">tariff increases</a> with the graduation. A South Asia Watch on Trade, Economics and Environment (SWATEE) study shows that while tariff increase in the US market is relatively low (see page 5) it is considerably higher in Europe. The International Trade Centre (ITC) in a 2022 study also estimated that graduation could result in a 4.3% decline in Nepal’s projected exports, but this is excluding the impact of changes in ‘rules of origin’ provisions in preference-granting countries such as the UK and Europe.&nbsp; Nepal’s top export to these preference-granting countries is <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=1482">carpets</a>, and will not be impacted, but other items such as textiles and apparel will be heavily affected due to higher cost of production. The impact will felt mostly by small and medium enterprises which represent the largest share of exports to LDC-specific preference-granting countries. As for the service exports, Nepal never really made use of the World Trade Organization’s LDC services waiver anyway, hence the effect will be minimal, if any. There is also concern about Nepal’s graduation at a time when the global economy is topsy-turvy, amidst <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/turning-point-in-us-india-relations">tariff wars and conflicts</a>. This affects Nepalis abroad directly and may impact <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/more-remittance-more-than-remittance">remittances </a>which hit $11 billion in 2024. In comparison, Nepal only received $350 million in foreign loans and grants last year.&nbsp; Tourism arrivals have finally reached pre-pandemic levels, but bad publicity about pollution, poor infrastructure and bureaucratic hurdles hinder further growth. Manufacturing continues to struggle, while hydropower and the IT sector have taken off.&nbsp; “Look at data -- <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/tourism-needs-a-new-push">tourism arrivals</a> are up, spending is up, IT exports are up, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/why-nepal-needs-to-restore-ev-tax-subsidy">EV sales </a>are up, Europe still needs 85-90 million skilled workers. We are sitting on $16 billion in cash reserves, our balance of payment, foreign exchange reserve, tax to GDP ratio, credit flow are all positive, we have to build on these factors,” says Sujeev Shakya of the Nepal Economic Forum. He adds: “Our mindset creates negativity to promote rent-seeking behaviour, but this cynicism will go away after 2026 with LDC graduation. We must deal with data, look at trends, and projects which will bring in <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/from-the-nepali-press/why-there-is-no-foreign-investment-in-nepal">international investments</a>.” Khanal agrees that investment is not dependent on<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/backside/Nepal-not-the-least-developed-country,306"> LDC status</a>. The factors that that affect investment are policy stability, a strong legal framework, market potential and ease of doing business. She adds, “That is where our focus needs to be, and we need to retain <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/diaspora-diaries/migrant-worker-returns-to-create-work-at-home?fbclid=IwAR09xJfsClCwn8uRVAmz28CU658vdKpuyDwB_b1sNlvKtAFFnSldnA0JS2g">Nepalis with jobs at home</a> for our sustained growth.” After 2026, financing support from donors and aid agencies could be affected and Nepal will no longer be able to access Least Developed Countries Fund (LDCF) to adapt to the impacts of climate change. But the Global Environment Fund and Green Climate Fund will still be available.“ LDC status does not determine bilateral development aid, that is usually driven by broader <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/looking-beyond-two-boulders">geopolitical considerations</a>,” says Sameer Khatiwada. “The World Bank and Asian Development Bank, which provide concessional loans to Nepal, it is determined mainly by per capita income, not LDC status.” &nbsp;However, Nepal may lose some concessional terms for loans. Nepal is currently a lower-middle-income country as per the World Bank in the bracket for GNI between $1,036 and $4,045. The country is already receiving more loans than grants and in July the World Bank increased its interest rate on loans by 100% from 0.75 to 1.5%. “All this means that the impact of LDC graduation for Nepal might not be as earth-shattering as some tend to think. Countries that have recently graduated, such as Botswana and the Maldives, have shows that graduation is just a step in a country’s development path,” says Khatiwada. Sujeev Shakya also sees the glass as half full, explaining that LDC graduation is just a stepping stone if Nepal has the right policies in place. He adds, “Nepal’s biggest advantage is our<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/investing-in-people"> working age population</a> and we have investments coming in. These aided by how adaptive we are as a society are the very foundations on which Nepal will grow.”

Not poor, but not rich

The final investigation report on the crash of a Saurya Airlines jet on 24 July 2024 at Kathmandu airport has revealed flaws in the carrier’s technical operation procedures, poor monitoring by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) and gaps in the airport’s emergency response. Eighteen people including a child were killed, and only the captain survived as the plane plunged seconds after takeoff, crashing within the airport perimeter. This was the latest in a series of aircraft accidents in previous years, and further tarnished Nepal’s already poor aviation safety record and contributed to the country being retained in the EU’s air safety list. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The circumstances in the Saurya crash were different from the Yeti Airlines crash in Pokhara in January 2022 that killed all 72 on board, and two Tara Air crashes in February 2016 and May 2022 on approach to Jomsom that together claimed 45 lives. However, all four tragedies were a result of negligence of carriers and crew, failure to follow procedures, regulatory slackness, and overconfidence. The Saurya crash, especially, was a glaring example of how an ailing airline broke its own rules to allow passengers, including non-employees, a joy ride to Pokhara on a maintenance ferry flight. CRASH REPORT The Final Investigation Report prepared by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Commission and released on the first anniversary of the crash last week carried a long list of rules that were ignored or broken, and of regulatory failure. The first mistake was to cram spares, tools and inflammable chemicals needed for the aircraft’s C-Check in Pokhara into the cargo hold flouting its own ground handling procedures.&nbsp; There was no check-in of passengers, some of whom were not even employees – even though regulations say only flight and maintenance crew should be on board a maintenance positioning flight. Many brought their own luggage into the plane and stored it unsecured in the cabin. There was no flight attendant to give a safety briefing to passengers. The load and trim charts given to the flight crew were rough estimates, and the total takeoff weight of the plane was 18,300kg plus or minus 200 kg. That would still have been all right, but there was a glaring mistake in the speedchart Saurya pilots were using to calculate the minimum takeoff speed (known as VR), and it had been wrong ever since the 21-year-old aircraft entered service with the airline in 2017. FAULTY DATA&nbsp; The Commission probed Flight Data Recorder inputs from previous takeoffs of the Canadian-built CRJ200-LR in 2023-2024 and found that the undetected error in the speedchart had caused the plane to pitch up at an abnormal rotation rate at least 18 times on previous takeoffs.&nbsp; Any rotation rate more than 3°/sec is regarded as unusual. But on at least two occasions, this aircraft with tail number 9N-AME had rotation rates of 5.8°/sec and 5.5°/sec, the second one was when the pilot who survived was flying in March 2024.&nbsp; On this particular day, the plane’s rotation rate was 6.5°/sec, causing it to go into a deep stall soon after takeoff, the Commission report said. Essentially, the plane was not flying fast enough down the runway to take off safely.&nbsp; It is not yet clear whether excess weight, unsecured luggage, wrong centre of gravity were also factors, but relying on a faulty speedchart for the given takeoff weight, the captain flying pulled back on the yoke before the plane had reached takeoff speed and at a pitch angle that was too steep. The investigation report says the plane then went into a deep stall and started banking right with the stick shaking. At this point, the flight officer on the right hand seat is heard on the cockpit voice recorder saying: “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Sir, Sir, Sir…” It then banked left before the pilot flying turned the plane sharply to the right again in an evasive action to avoid the parking aprons of the international and domestic terminals. Had he not done so, there would have been a disaster of a much greater magnitude at Kathmandu airport that day. The plane scraped the runway with its right wingtip, collided with a container having helicopter spare parts, and plunged into a gully east of the runway, exploding in a fireball. The investigation also noted that the impact forces seemed to be survivable for some occupants. The fire trucks took unnecessarily long to reach the site even though it was inside the airport perimeter. The absence of an ICAO-standard runway strip, inadequate rescue drills, lack of training, and a blocked emergency service gate leading to the crash site were cited as other factors. &nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Timestamp of a Disaster</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20250731110724_39cdd04693994ce6e55a5b302905c0fa4884fe85bed21ff0779bb1439f3a5725" data-rendition-name="original" width="778" height="826" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:10:34 - The Saurya Airlines CRJ200 on the takeoff roll from runway 02. It had a takeoff weight of about 18,300kg, but the pilot’s speedcard had a previously undetected mistake about the minimum takeoff speed. 11:10:55 -The plane with tail number 9N-AME goes into deep stall soon after takeoff because it does not have enough speed to lift its weight. The plane also has an abnormally steep nose-up attitude.&nbsp; 11:11:03 - Without enough speed to generate lift, the plane banks right, then left and right again in CCTV photos taken from the domestic apron (below). If it had not banked right, it could have hit the aprons and terminal buildings. Seen parked is Saurya’s other CRJ200 with tail number 9N-ANM.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250731110732_608132f7225c649125cca2691dd6a6bf930984c5b359e888d7ad9e5eacce3afd" data-rendition-name="original" width="770" height="555" loading="lazy" alt="Flouting rules caused Saurya tragedy NT"> </figure>  11:11:08 - The plane scrapes the runway with its right wingtip, and falls into the gully. The captain is thrown off the left side of the cockpit and survives. 11:11:15: Plane explodes in a fireball inside the airport perimeter. Firefighters take time to reach the site because of lack of access road and a blocked gate. Read the full investigation report <a href="https://www.tourism.gov.np/files/9N-AME%20AIC%20Final%20Report.pdf">here</a>.