'Write a couple of paragraphs to describe the physical appearance of your English teacher.' This is a 6-mark writing prompt in a Grade 9 question bank for an English exam meant to evaluate the quality of students’ use of language.&nbsp; Nepal’s textbooks have long earned a reputation for being sloppy, unrevised, and filled with content that ranges from comical to outrageous.&nbsp; New Gateway to Computer Science textbooks for Grades 8 and 9 define computers as ‘100% accurate machine’, adding ‘computer never feels tired or boring but a human being does’, while also blaming computers for ‘creating unemployment problem’, ‘being non-intelligence devices’ and alerting students that ‘damage may occur anytime’. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/teaching-nepali-teachers-to-teach-better">Why do so many Nepali students underperform?</a>, Anita Shrestha  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230919140956_228175995d0ecdbd519d03589314f21db2c69aabf2967278318e45591507020a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230919140956_228175995d0ecdbd519d03589314f21db2c69aabf2967278318e45591507020a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1585" height="603" loading="lazy" alt="Textbooks"> <figcaption>New Gateway to Computer Science textbook, Grade 8 (left) and Grade 9 (right), 2077 edition </figcaption> </figure>  To make matters worse, these modern day computer textbooks have several pages dedicated to tautological descriptions of ancient computers and obsolete devices, and only a single cursory reference to artificial intelligence. Green Books’ Health, Population and Environment Education for Grade 10 offers an easy solution to overpopulation: ‘When females have job opportunities, they have less time in rearing and bearing children. Ultimately, the population is controlled.’ Government-directed exam questions are no better. An SEE science question asking students to reason out why the energy crisis can be ‘pushed up to the next generation’ poorly phrases what it is actually trying to ask. As a result students are left questioning the concept of sustainable development that they have spent hours memorising.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230919140956_06c897c3c7a790de291a38adddf3fce55b3349875055cf7649656c144939f674.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230919140956_06c897c3c7a790de291a38adddf3fce55b3349875055cf7649656c144939f674" data-rendition-name="original" width="1423" height="477" loading="lazy" alt="textbook"> <figcaption>A question from the 2019 Sudurpaschim Province SEE Science exam</figcaption> </figure>  Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/digital-divide-exposes-class-divide-in-nepal-schools">Digital divide exposes class divide in Nepal schools</a>, Nunuta Rai Rajendra Dahal, editor of the Shikshak Monthly magazine for teachers blames the poor quality of government funding in education. “Those who are entrusted with developing the curriculum as well as writing and approving content in both government and private textbooks should be experts in their field, not unmotivated officials who cut corners,” he says. Outdated content creeps into compulsory English and Nepali exams as well, where time and again students are required to write and design lengthy letters and postcards in exams. Add pretty borders, a stamp, and a neat envelope illustration, and you will get bonus points. Moreover, not only are questions poorly framed, they are also flawed in how they are asked. As a result, teachers have to decipher questions to students alongside teaching how to answer them. The stark difference between the English and Nepali versions of this SEE science question, where half of the question is lost in translation, says it all.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230919140956_be411c8ff560c239759608df30f963a6bda32aa555049b26dbf1f6d1233d6240.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20230919140956_be411c8ff560c239759608df30f963a6bda32aa555049b26dbf1f6d1233d6240" data-rendition-name="original" width="1722" height="288" loading="lazy" alt="textbook"> <figcaption>A question from the 2019 Lumbini Province SEE Science exam</figcaption> </figure>  &nbsp;With such poorly revised content in books and exams, the authors only promote confusion and frustration among students. Sentences are rife with grammatical errors, proofreading and fact-checking are thrown out of the window, and rote learning is entrenched in the fabric of every chapter, every model set, and every question. Admittedly, every five years, the Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) revises its textbooks, and completely rewrites them every ten years. This academic year, the updated curriculum for Grades 5, 8 and 10 rolled out along with all-new textbooks, but the quality of content is no better. When questioned about the deplorable quality of school textbooks, CDC Director Kunti Adhikari was indifferent. “Minor errors in textbooks within the first year of publication are normal, and we regularly correct them,” she said. “Besides, our review process is rigorous and extends beyond CDC to a wider group of experts and professionals.” That is not reflected at all in the content. The CDC-issued Grade 8 English textbook, in the name of ‘speaking activity’ asks students to read out pointless dialogues that do not match the level of intellectual stimulation their age requires. Absent are prompts that ignite critical thinking, and meaningful discussions that allow students to voice their views on topics that actually matter to them. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/teaching-nepali-teachers-to-teach-better">Teaching Nepali teachers to teach better</a>, Tom Robertson  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2023091915098_fa94d77e28a340701e409c653bd796a3d36cd1111d02f281fd3b4e5578810ec8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="2023091915098_fa94d77e28a340701e409c653bd796a3d36cd1111d02f281fd3b4e5578810ec8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1300" height="1092" loading="lazy" alt="textbook"> <figcaption>Speaking activity assigned to students in the English Grade 8 textbook (2023 version) published by the Curriculum Development Center</figcaption> </figure>  Even more worryingly, the 2080 edition of CDC’s Health, Physical and Creative Arts Grade 8 reduces the cause of mental depression to this inane definition: ‘People sometimes are affected by small things and they become sad. This condition causes depression.’ Over 7 million students go to school in Nepal, of which a majority study in rural schools, 80% of them government-run. For these children, such books are the only source of information and education. “By neglecting the importance of these learning materials, not only do we compromise their right to quality education, we also limit their ability to become competent academics, workers, and leaders,” adds Rajendra Dahal. Over two decades ago, school teacher Perry Thapa had raised this very issue in Nepali Times. What she wrote in this paper in 2000 still holds true: “Too many young minds are being brainwashed with rubbish. Too many hours are being spent memorising gibberish. Too many hands are slavishly penning utter nonsense. Even discerning students are forced to parrot nonsense if they want to succeed.” Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/nepal-s-hard-working-students-overseas">Nepal’s hard working students overseas</a>, Sonia Awale

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Learning rubbish, memorising gibberish

Classrooms in Nepal still follow orthodox instruction methods where teachers spoon-feeds information, encourage memorisation for exams and discourage questioning. Students then become docile and are not motivated to think out of the box. A Kathmandu-based organisation is set to change that. Fun Play Learn works with schools in Kathmandu Valley to make learning especially science and maths fun and accessible through interactive sessions. The non-profit has 580 volunteers who visit 65 poorly-resourced local schools, most of them government run, in Koteswor, Baneswor, Chapagaun, Mahalaxmi, Lalitpur, and Basantapur reaching more than 8,100 students every week. Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/practicing-mindfulness-in-schools"> Practicing mindfulness in schools</a>, Basu Gautam  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230710100736_99c3726bda54eb2760851c6604ec2af1c207a568a193d97f9d1437239d2cb476.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230710100736_99c3726bda54eb2760851c6604ec2af1c207a568a193d97f9d1437239d2cb476" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Playing to learn NT"> </figure>  Fun Play Learn was set up last year by Abhay Puri who previously worked at the Indian education NGO Pratham, and Sakar Pudasaini of the Kathmandu-based Karkhana to improve the quality of instruction and the education system in Nepal and the region. Puri is an Indian tech professional formerly with Google in Silicon Valley who is invested in making learning fun and accessible. He says, “Spending on education is the most optimal way to get a high payback for a nation.” Puri himself was not the brightest students before left for the US for higher studies. What he had was a lot of curiosity and questions, but the conventional education system didn’t encourage those qualities, especially if a student fails exams. &nbsp; So for the past two decades, Puri has dedicated himself to making education more accessible and learning more for fun so that children like him would be interested in instructions. He chose Nepal because it shares many cultural as well as education system similarities with India. Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/improving-learning-in-nepali-schools"> Improving learning in Nepali schools</a>, Barbara Butterworth  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230710100740_490f7108882ac3bba1b9a5b2120a53ac9a9d1f367722015a12575ecfb3f72c95.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20230710100740_490f7108882ac3bba1b9a5b2120a53ac9a9d1f367722015a12575ecfb3f72c95" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Playing to learn NT"> </figure>  The key is to introduce and implement various kinds of games relevant to their instruction. Explains Puri: “Discipline often squelches your learning. It was a waste to not use play for children because playing allows children to be focused, passionate, and curious.” Puri likens his method to that of learning in the pre-industrial world. “I’d like my children to play with real mud, real pots and pans. See how cement is made,” he adds. “Learning is a continuous process of experimenting and failing. The community should provide a vehicle to do that.” Fun Play Learn uses a range of creative practices to integrate fun. During one of the sessions recently at a local school, volunteers passed around a pre-made origami fish and gave the children time to be creative with sheets of paper. Sure enough, the children immediately copied the complex folds to make their own paper fish. “Our methods are unorthodox, as we do not tell children how to do something. We act just as children and encourage them to ask questions so that they navigate the game along with us,” says team lead Ravi Timsina, adding that they are not trying to teach something entirely new but get children curious and excited. Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/growing-appetite-for-school-lunches">Growing appetite for school lunches</a>, Marty Logan  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230710100740_d7b2e4786fb289b137da6414065bd126cc6951ffe37682511b9875881fb4dd48.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20230710100740_d7b2e4786fb289b137da6414065bd126cc6951ffe37682511b9875881fb4dd48" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Playing to learn NT"> </figure>  Fun Play Learn also trains local volunteers to become leaders, a grassroots organisation that encourages young people to take agency over the change they wish to make. Individual volunteers, their unique way of dealing with children, and their personal motivations are emphasised. One of their volunteers in the Anamnagar area is Payal Agrawal, a third-year Bachelor in Social Work student. She joined Fun Play Learn to utilise the time she would have otherwise wasted by procrastinating at home. She says: “Interacting with the kids and seeing them focused, independent, and curious gives me a sense of purpose and fulfillment.” Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/teaching-nepali-teachers-to-teach-better">Teaching Nepali teachers to teach better</a>, Tom Robertson

Playing to learn

Many students in Nepal do not even learn half the content of the school curriculum in various subjects because of teachers without adequate training and motivation. The 2020 report <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1J1ZmZgigpoOPtrRW05wzp7N4kZYZUB3H/view">National Assessment of Student Achievement (NASA) in Mathematics, Science, Nepali and English for Grade 8</a>, published recently by the Education Review Office (ERO) showed that students are struggling to acquire even minimum learning. The report draws from its assessment of 43,886 students from 1,800 schools across the country, and concluded that the majority of students are not able to learn even half of the content of the subjects they are taught.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230329150352_4f54a4bd8b361f57e915abccca760ac5d8fefd6ed9bd8338a553a11f6145f776.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20230329150352_4f54a4bd8b361f57e915abccca760ac5d8fefd6ed9bd8338a553a11f6145f776" data-rendition-name="original" width="796" height="1060" loading="lazy" alt="Student performance in Nepal"> </figure>  Three versions of standardised tests, together with the background information in the questionnaire to the sample students, the teacher questionnaire to subject teachers and the school survey questionnaire to the head teachers, were administered in each school.&nbsp; Only 32.1% of eighth graders in Nepal passed the basic proficiency level in mathematics. The numbers for science, Nepali and English stand at 37.7%, 58.8% and 51.1% respectively.&nbsp; In the case of mathematics, the national average of learning achievement in 2020 decreased by 17 scale scores from 500 in 2017. Similarly, the national mean of science was 470, which is 30 scale scores below the national mean from the NASA 2017 study.&nbsp; And while the students from Bagmati, Gandaki and Kosi scored above the national average, the report adds that the performance of Madhesh, Karnali and Sudur Paschim students was lower in all four subjects than the national average. “The increased number of students with minimum learning achievement shows problems in the teaching-learning strategies, remedial actions and the role of head teachers,” says Devi Ram Acharya of ERO. The assessment was designed to prepare baseline data for the School Sector Development Plan (SSDP), as well as to compare the learning achievement of 2020 with the previous cycle of NASA in 2017 to ensure quality school education. Since 2011, ERO has published four reports, all of which have found lower-than-average learning achievements. "We have been suggesting the government and policymakers to formulate practical and implementable educational policies at national and sub-national level for the much-needed educational reforms,” adds Acharya. “But the government has failed to address the problem.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20230329150352_7fa0b2ef65c148899547f715806dc7ef9b32827b81f226ee26e3b912babbb3b4.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20230329150352_7fa0b2ef65c148899547f715806dc7ef9b32827b81f226ee26e3b912babbb3b4" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1125" loading="lazy" alt="Students in government schools"> <figcaption>Photo: NEPALI TIMES ARCHIVE</figcaption> </figure>  The factors considered in the research are age, home language, school type, distance between home and school, career aspirations, parental education and occupation, family size, teacher's regularity, permanent head teacher, and subject teachers. The president of Nepal Teachers Federation, Kamala Tuladhar, believes that one of the reasons behind the poor level of learning of Grade 8 students is the promotion of failed and weak students from lower grades.&nbsp; The government in the 1990s introduced the Liberal Promotion Policy which allows students from Grades 1 to 7 to be promoted to higher grades even when they fail the final exam. But teachers and parents are also said to be equally responsible for the lower proficiency level.&nbsp; Education expert Shyam Shrestha, on the other hand, blames the ignorance of the government. “Most public schools don’t even have enough subject teachers to begin with,” he says.&nbsp; Shrestha was a member of the High Level National Education Commission in 2019 which published a report recommending the government to fill the vacant post of teachers to improve school education. Shrestha’s team found that out of 650 public schools, only 71 had the required number of teachers.&nbsp; “In our report to the government, we recommended that enough teachers should be hired, even suggesting the ways in which the student’s learning achievements can be improved,” he says. “If there are no adequate teachers, including subject teachers, how can the students learn?” Teachers were involved in politics, they lacked infrastructure and textbooks, and there was unequal distribution of students in class. “The government itself is promoting private schools rather than thinking about the improvement of public schools,” he adds. The Curriculum Development Centre (CDC) however says there is no link between the students’ learning achievement and the curriculum. Director-General Baikuntha Aryal says, “We have been analysing the recommendation of ERO and we have changed the curriculum as per the students’ point of view.”&nbsp; But the difference in basic-level learning achievement affects not only the students and their future, but also the country's human capital and knowledge economy, especially as Nepal continues to rely heavily on labour migration even as the world advances rapidly in all the sectors. &nbsp;“There is a noticeable gap in monitoring and evaluating school governance, empowering head teachers,” he adds. “Proper systems for reward and penalty should be in place to improve the situation, and local government should also play a crucial role in the improvement of governance in the school.”

Why do so many Nepali students underperform?

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110711110/6368d75a9c7e80680e0314d9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1000" height="495"/>Ncell Private Limited honoured outstanding students of various faculties at the Central Campus Pulchowk, Institute of Engineering (IoE) with Ncell Scholarships and Excellence Awards on 30 May, as a part of its CSR initiative aimed at promoting young talents and contributing to nation by nurturing skilled human resources.Under the initiative, Ncell has been awarding Ncell Scholarships to students securing highest annual scores and Ncell Excellence Awards to students graduating with top scores in Bachelor of Engineering Electrical, Electronics and Communication, and Computer faculties since 2014.This year the Ncell scholarships were rewarded to 12 toppers while Ncell Excellence Awards were awarded to 4 students who graduated securing highest marks. Campus Chief Professor Dr. Gokarna Bahadur Motra, Assistant Campus Chief Jitendra Kumar Manandhar and Ncell representatives handed over the scholarships and awards.Since its inception a total of 60 students have been honoured with Ncell Scholarships and 20 students have received Ncell Excellence Awards of Rs8 million till date.Ncell Scholarship receivers: 1st Year Toppers<ol><li>Shishir Lamichhane (Electrical)</li> 	<li>Nishesh Awale (Electronics and Communication)</li> 	<li>Baibhav Bista (Computer engineering)</li> 	<li>Shristi Shrestha (topper among all female students of these faculties)</li></ol>2nd Year Toppers <ol><li>Aditi Gajurel (Electrical)</li> 	<li>Jayshree Rathi (Electronics and Communications)</li> 	<li>Saramsha Dotel (Computer)</li> 	<li>Saloni Shikha (topper among all female students of these faculties)</li></ol>3rd Year Toppers<ol><li> Avishek Sapkota (Electrical)</li> 	<li>Selina Shrestha (Electronics and Communications)</li> 	<li> Prakriti Dumaru (Computer)</li> 	<li>Shreeti Shrestha (topper among all female students of these faculties)</li></ol>Ncell Excellence Awards winners:<ol><li>Bibek Rai (Electrical)</li> 	<li>Pranjal Dhakal (Electronics and Communications)</li> 	<li>Brihat Ratna Bajracharya (Computer)</li> 	<li>Himali Aryal (topper among all female students of these faculties)</li></ol>

Ncell confers scholarships and awards to students

The newly-formed Himalayan Art Council is set to launch Nepal’s National Art Protection Platform that seeks to preserve <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/the-history-of-heritage">Nepal’s unique cultural heritage </a>using<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/artificial-censorship"> AI-powered tools</a>. The Council seeks to safeguard <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepali-art-going-places">Nepali art works</a> from neglect, theft and counterfeiting as well as preserve existing artwork and celebrate living masters by giving them a cultural space to continue the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/sacred-survival">sacred art traditions</a>. "We are introducing a new digital platform designed to preserve, verify and elevate <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/nepals-new-generation-of-alternative-artists">Nepal’s art for generations to come,</a>” says a statement from the Council, adding that the digital platform will use AI told for authentication and blockchain to keep track of works of art. Artists can now be protected by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/ayo-ai?fbclid=IwAR1uwmTVq4gUB70ljfRezjzukD9ArWXPuMnUikopeQ8PoiZMjicToPSwhKE&amp;=1">AI tools</a> that detect forgeries, identify their work even when unsigned, and ensure they receive proper recognition and credit. The archives will be searchable with translated inscription and interactive guides. Says curator Meena Lama: “AI and blockchains are tools that give us the power to detect fakes and identify unsigned paintings and track every piece. With these tools we can restore trust, secure authorship and give artists the dignity they deserve.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250514170544_2ab58f6313c0458f75114a692b0016bd9efb3b59d5f8f07f0da72e1e37b82f53.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20250514170544_2ab58f6313c0458f75114a692b0016bd9efb3b59d5f8f07f0da72e1e37b82f53" data-rendition-name="original" width="1300" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Artwork at the Traditional Art Exhibition at Patan Museum."> <figcaption>Artwork at the Traditional Art Exhibition at Patan Museum.</figcaption> </figure>  The Council is also holding an exhibition of Nepali cultural masterpieces with 50 historical <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Buzz-the-art,671">thangka and paubha </a>by past masters and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/between-the-sacred-and-everyday">contemporary works by current artists</a>. This curated collection is a living tribute to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/when-yaks-go-so-does-culture">Himalayan culture</a> with economic depictions of deities, mandala and sacred narratives. The exhibition at <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/a-portal-into-patan-s-past-and-present">Patan Museum</a> also provides an opportunity to meet painters and custodians of art and culture. Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/golden-deities">Golden deities</a>, Sewa Bhattarai ‘The exhibition is only the first step in a long journey to ensure that Nepali art is no just seen but fully understood, <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Narratives-of-Faith-and-Memory-Remembering-the-Lost-Sculptures-of-Kathmandu-exhibition,987">protected and remembered</a>,’ the Council says. Artist Kailash K Shrestha of Artudio has spent decades promoting thankha and paubha traditions because of their beauty and devotional meaning. But he also says artists are underpaid, exploited and ignored. He adds, “AI and blockchain are not just buzzwords, they are powerful tools that can protect Nepal’s artists from fraud, verify authenticity and build a permanent record of provenance.” Traditional Art Exhibition Till 17 May Patan Museum

Digital protection for Nepal’s art

India and Pakistan are twins separated at birth. Tensions between them have been at a hair trigger ever since independence and has erupted into full scale conflict at least four times in the past 80 years.
The 22 April terrorist attack in Kashmir that killed 25 Indian tourists and a Nepali citizen, threatens to escalate tension between the two nuclear-armed nations. India has squarely blamed Pakistan for the attacks, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given his military “operational freedom” to respond. Pakistan has said it has credible intelligence of an Indian military strike and its officials have promised a “full spectrum” response — a code for a <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/thinking-the-thinkable">nuclear retaliation</a>.
For Nepal, the killing of its national in the Pahalgam attack comes as another stark reminder that in conflicts from Afghanistan to Iraq, from <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/how-to-agree-an-armistice-in-ukraine">Ukraine</a> to Israel, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/10-nepalis-from-one-town-fighting-in-ukraine">Nepalis are getting caught in the crossfire</a>. The last time full-scale fighting broke out between <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/peacemongers-at-india-pakistan-border">India and Pakistan</a> on Kargil in 1999, at least 22<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/india-s-trial-by-fire-for-soldiers-from-nepal?%27%5C%22="> Nepalis fighting for the Indian Army</a> were killed in action.
Three of Nepal’s immediate neighbours (China, India, Pakistan) have nuclear weapons, and they do not have good relations. With China supplying weapons, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/editorial/war-and-warming">missile technology</a> and other support to Pakistan, this triangular friction could set off a regional conflagration.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s43016-022-00573-0" target="_blank">Research at Rutgers University</a> has calculated that even a week-long tactical nuclear exchange between India and Pakistan would throw up so much smoke and debris into the atmosphere that it would block out the sun for years, and lead to a collapse of the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/grow-nourish-sustain-together-world-food-day">global food system</a>. This does not take into account the radioactive fallout that prevailing winds would blow up to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/lives-on-the-line-in-the-himalaya">the Himalaya</a>, contaminating glaciers that are the sources of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/saving-what-is-left-of-himalayan-rivers">Asia’s main rivers</a>.
The impact of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/climate-breakdown-linked-to-thame-flood">climate breakdown </a>on High Asia was already ringing alarm bells about its <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/himalayan-icecap-melting-faster-than-thought">shrinking ice cap</a> reducing the dry season flow of water downstream. Water was going to be the next strategic commodity, geopolitical experts warned, and the next wars in Asia would be over water.
That water war is already happening. India retaliated to the Kashmir attack by suspending the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/24/world/asia/india-pakistan-indus-waters-treaty.html" target="_blank">Indus Waters Treaty</a> of 1960 mediated by the World Bank that has withstood at least three wars between India and Pakistan. The treaty gives India control over the three eastern tributaries of the Indus (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beas_River" target="_blank">Beas</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ravi_River" target="_blank">Ravi</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutlej" target="_blank">Sutlej</a>), while Pakistan got water from the Indus and two of its western tributaries (<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_River" target="_blank">Indus</a>, <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chenab_River" target="_blank">Chenab</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jhelum_River" target="_blank">Jhelum</a>.
Pakistan was assured of 70% of the annual flow, and India could use a reasonable amount of water for<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15231"> irrigation and hydropower</a>. &nbsp;Within days of its threat, India stopped water flowing down to Pakistan from the Chenab river and is reportedly preparing to do the same on the Jhelum.
The sabre-rattling has reached a crescendo. Besides threats and counter-threats there are also symbolic drills, with the Indian Air Force practicing landing on an expressway in Uttar Pradesh by its Rafale, Su-30 and Jaguar fighter jets to demonstrate ‘operational readiness’. In response Pakistan test-fired its Abdali ballistic missile that can carry a nuclear warhead and has a range of 450km.&nbsp;
The danger is that with ultra-nationalist rhetoric and the beating the war drums by both sides, India’s government and Pakistan’s military may have to ‘do something’ to appease domestic public opinion. But any tactical strike, an artillery exchange, or territorial incursion could quickly escalate out of control.
Expecting an Indian retaliation for the Pahalgam killings, Pakistan is using<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/interfaith-collaboration-for-nuclear-disarmament"> nuclear deterrence </a>and warning of “catastrophic consequences”. The two neighbours came close to a nuclear exchange in 2019 after an attack on the Indian military in Kashmir, and prompt international intervention led by the United States cooled tensions.&nbsp;
This time, the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/trump-shock-wave-hits-nepal">Trump administration</a> is too distracted and not as engaged. Pakistan has denied it was responsible for the terrorist attack and called on Washington to stop a possible Indian retaliation. India and Pakistan have stopped overflights by each other’s airlines, and some international carriers have even stopped flying over Pakistan fearing an air war.
Washington, Beijing, the UN and the EU have all urged restraint. Iran, which has good relations with both India and Pakistan has sent its foreign minister to urge both countries not to go into a tit-for-tat war. Iran has its own nuclear flashpoint to worry about with tensions in Israel, &nbsp;Yemen and Syria.
India and Pakistan both share similar problems of joblessness, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/why-nepal-s-poverty-rate-is-stuck">poverty </a>and <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/climate-change-new-threat-to-nepal-s-rhinos">environmental threats</a>. Neither side needs the threat of a senseless war, and we in the neighbourhood do not need it either.&nbsp;
Kunda Dixit
This Editorial 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.

Nukes in the neighbourhood

Most Nepalis thought they had seen the last of it after <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/11-56-25-april-2015-wkc9q2an">the 25 April 7.8 magnitude </a>earthquake ten years ago. But the Himalaya had more surprises in store. On 12 May, another 7.3 magnitude tremor that some said was an aftershock, but was strong enough to itself be a major earthquake, struck Dolakha.&nbsp; Not many people had heard of Singati till then — a cluster of houses by the Tama Kosi River along a narrow gorge that is the roadhead to Rolwaling Valley.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_57b6e316656851f71eca56ca6f98d9bbcc820c1a00d62af3c990725b4361244d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20250508110520_57b6e316656851f71eca56ca6f98d9bbcc820c1a00d62af3c990725b4361244d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1000" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_016534fb2b6a79957402281cda768efb83a146786377e39e11df3e251d37159e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20250508110520_016534fb2b6a79957402281cda768efb83a146786377e39e11df3e251d37159e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>  It was here that dozens were killed on 25 April in the first earthquake. Hundreds of <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Singati-rising-from-rubble-rebuilding,3703">Singati survivors</a> had lined up for food and relief supplies in the morning of 12 May when the second earthquake triggered a rock slide that buried a nearby camp. At least 50 people were killed. &nbsp; Three hours later, a US Marine Corps UH-1Y Venom helicopter landed in a nearby cornfield to pick up the wounded, and flew off. The aircraft lost contact with air traffic control in Kathmandu and its wreckage was located high on Kalinchok four days later. Six American servicemen, two Nepal Army soldiers, and five wounded civilians from Singati were killed. Today, Singati bears little physical scar of the multiple tragedies that struck the town ten years ago. Most <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/multimedia/bungamati-builds-back">houses have been rebuilt</a> as urban-style concrete structures, and Singati has become an economic hub on the road leading up to several hydropower plants and a<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/off-the-beaten-trek-in-nepal"> popular trekking destination</a>.&nbsp; The town looks less like a village and more like a suburb of the Dolakha district headquarter of Charikot, 47km away.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_196f341d1df1403ba133e5dfeb837eec20d7cbcb4c8c56b17cc5598810de5df2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20250508110520_196f341d1df1403ba133e5dfeb837eec20d7cbcb4c8c56b17cc5598810de5df2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110524_ae66c4a92430f67db51b5e11e017059eedfbac4cb18c8e073f2a50cca1fe904e.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20250508110524_ae66c4a92430f67db51b5e11e017059eedfbac4cb18c8e073f2a50cca1fe904e" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> </figure>  “The demand for construction material, cement, iron rods and bricks peaked after the earthquakes,” says Suresh Khadka, who owns a hardware business here and now supplies material to the 456MW Upper Tama Kosi hydropower project that is undergoing repairs after it was damaged by a landslide last year. The demand for cement boomed since most residents believe, not necessarily correctly, that <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/in-a-disastrous-state">cement houses are safer</a>. Although Khadka did well selling construction material after the earthquake, he worries that most new structures do not follow seismic-resistant building codes.&nbsp; The construction boom financed by bank loans has in turn forced many from Singati to <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/making-overseas-migration-better">migrate overseas for work</a> so they can service their debt.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110524_50caa4530bd5ff9120cf7ab70a62173846d337ef448ff8bac339f3faa375a9e2.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20250508110524_50caa4530bd5ff9120cf7ab70a62173846d337ef448ff8bac339f3faa375a9e2" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> <figcaption>Suresh Khadka</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_ef8b7d3993fc3b5df852bbf952feb3fbabc96d6883b0d5eb74ee5c60f4123b83.jpg" data-media-id="editor_11" data-image-id="20250508110520_ef8b7d3993fc3b5df852bbf952feb3fbabc96d6883b0d5eb74ee5c60f4123b83" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> <figcaption>Phu Doma Sherpa (right)</figcaption> </figure>  “My family had no choice but to borrow money to rebuild our home since the government compensation was not enough, and ten years later we are still paying off the loan,” says Phu Doma Sherpa, 60. Because of the shortage of qualified masons and proper seismic engineering, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/structural-problems">many of the buildings are of questionable building standards </a>and the traditional architecture has been abandoned, admits Kul Bahadur Budathoki, deputy chair of the municipality. “But these buildings were more expensive than what the government grants could cover, many people here are heavily in debt and the men have <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/every-day-is-closer-to-pay-day">migrated to the Gulf to pay their loans</a>,” Budathoki says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20250508110520_32f89e97b7e757fc9286c0bbb671f48ea8d4468e9634fa646d7247c650ad8480.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20250508110520_32f89e97b7e757fc9286c0bbb671f48ea8d4468e9634fa646d7247c650ad8480" data-rendition-name="original" width="1501" height="1079" loading="lazy" alt="Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village NT"> <figcaption>Kul Bahadur Budathoki</figcaption> </figure>  Singati is in a multi-hazard zone. The <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Singati,3091">12 May 2015 earthquake </a>could have led to the collapse of Nepal’s largest glacial lake, <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/stairway-to-heaven">Tso Rolpa</a>, upstream. Due to global warming, the glacier has turned into an expanding lake 3.5km long, and its collapse would have unleashed a catastrophic Himalayan tsunami down the Tama Kosi Valley, with Singati directly in its path. Singati has literally risen from the ashes of 2015, with its residents beginning to recover from the trauma and financial toll. But it is not out of danger as <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/climate-breakdown-linked-to-thame-flood">climate breakdown </a>magnifies the risk from future earthquakes.

Climate magnifies earthquake risk in Nepal village

Starting 17 September Turkish Airlines will fly daily to Seville, one of Spain’s major tourist draws. This is Turkish’s sixth destination in Spain after Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Malaga, and Bilbao. Seville is in the Andalusia region on Spain’s south coast with a rich Moor history. There are approximately 30,000 Nepalis living in Spain.&nbsp;

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