<figure><img width="1920" height="1280" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022111016114/636d13aa9c7e80680e0a9934jpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption></figcaption></figure>South-East Asia has achieved the fastest rate of decline in <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Comment/fired-up-over-tobacco,920" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tobacco use</a> among any other region in the world in 20 years, sustaining tobacco control measures during the Covid pandemic, according to a <a href="https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/who-global-report-on-trends-in-prevalence-of-tobacco-use-2000-2025-third-edition" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">new WHO Global Report</a>.
The region was estimated to have the highest average rate of tobacco use compared to all other WHO regions, with around 432 million users, or 29% of the total population.
However, the average prevalence of smoking among men in South-East Asia went down from 50% in 2000 to 25% in 2020, while tobacco smoking among women saw a sharp decline from 8.9% to 1.6% during the same timeframe, reports the 4th WHO Global Report on Trends in Prevalence of Tobacco Use 2000-2025.
South-East Asia at present has the highest proportion of the population covered by tobacco surveillance to monitor tobacco use prevalence and tobacco control policies. With continued efforts, smoking rates in the region could reach as low as 11% by 2025. 
“Sustained political commitment and relentless efforts by countries to strengthen surveillance, expand tobacco control measures including cessation services to help users quit tobacco are some of the key reasons for success,” said Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director of WHO South-East Asia.
In Nepal, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/in-a-puff-of-a-smoke,3739" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">overall tobacco use went down</a> from 56% of the population in 2000 to 26% in 2020. Meanwhile, 2020 figures put 15% of the Nepali population over 15 years old as smokers.
However, the report lists Nepal among the only two countries in the region, along with India, that are likely to achieve the targeted 30% relative reduction in tobacco use by 2025. 
Nepal introduced its Tobacco Control and Regulation Act in 2011 and has some of the strictest smoking laws. The country is far ahead of other nations in the region with its anti-tobacco campaigns and is among few in the region to have scaled-up tobacco cessation services.
However, Nepal, which has imposed a 27% tax on the retail price of <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Kicking-butts,329" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">tobacco</a>, has the lowest rates of taxation on tobacco products in the region. The WHO recommends a minimum 75% tax share of the retail price of tobacco.
For packaging, Nepal has implemented large-sized graphic health warnings on tobacco packs, requiring that they cover 90% of the front and back of packages. Pictorial, or graphic, warnings are one measure contained in the global blueprint for fighting tobacco use: the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Nepal joined the treaty in 2007. 
The FCTC and MPOWER package, a set of six cost-effective and high impact measures to help countries reduce demand and supply of tobacco, contributed significantly to the implementation and effectiveness of tobacco control measures across the country.
Singh also reaffirmed WHO support to member countries towards tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=18267#.YZYlumBByUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">controlling tobacco</a>, emphasising the importance of WHO’s ‘best buys’— a set of cost-effective interventions for the prevention and control of NCDs.
“The best buys…continue to be at the core of the Regional response, recognising the need for countries to identify &amp; implement the most effective, feasible, and affordable interventions whatever their resource setting,” said Singh.
With sustained and accelerated efforts, and using the power of innovation, countries in the region can fulfill their commitment to FCTC and to the 2030 Sustainable Development agenda, leaving no one behind, read a statement by WHO South-East Asia.
Globally, there are now 1.30 billion tobacco users compared to 1.32 billion in 2015. This number is expected to drop to 1.27 billion by 2025.  Sixty countries are on track to achieving the voluntary global target of a 30% reduction in tobacco use between 2010 and 2025, two years ago only 32 countries were on track.

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Tobacco use in South-East Asia declines

<figure><img width="900" height="600" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110141152/636d02ed9c7e80680e0a36a8jpeg.jpg" alt=""/><figcaption>Photo: NEPALI TIMES ARCHIVE</figcaption></figure><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/how-weather-elevates-air-pollution-in-kathmandu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Kathmandu’s air quality</a> has just got considerably worse, not just because of dirtier air, but because the World Health Organisation (WHO) has revised its Global Air Quality Guidelines, halving the recommended value for annual average pollution levels. Safe exposure to concentrations of harmful particles below 2.5 microns (PM2.5) in diameter every year has now been halved, meaning that many Kathmandu residents could be breathing much more <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/air-pollution-is-more-dangerous-than-smoking/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">polluted air</a> than they throught.On 22 September the WHO updated its Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) such that annual mean concentrations of PM2 should not exceed 5 kg/m3 and NO2 not exceed 10 kg/m3. In addition, peak season mean 8-hr ozone concentration should not exceed 60 kg/m3. The 2005 guideline values for PM2 and NO2 were, 10kg/m3 and 40 kg/m3 respectively, with no recommendation for long-term suspended particles and ozone concentrations.Environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar immediately took to twitter to respond to the new recommended standard for air quality: ‘The WHO just released its new air quality guidelines which have halved the guideline value for annual average PM2.5 in ambient air. This means Kathmandu, which had annual PM2.5 levels that were about five times higher than the WHO guidelines now have pollution levels that are 10 fold higher.’The new standards are ambitious and reflect the large impact of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/polluted-politics/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">air pollution</a> on public health, and experts hope that it will influence air quality policy across the globe. They recommend bold action to clean up the air at all levels and across all sectors such as transport, energy, industry, agriculture and residential.“Air pollution is a major global public health threat that causes a range of adverse health effects, even at the lowest observable concentrations. The updated guidelines offer a wake-up call, to reconsider current air quality legislation and regulations,” noted a joint statement released by the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) with the European Respiratory Society following the revised guidelines.It adds: “There is ample evidence to strongly support government action to reduce air pollution and address climate change simultaneously. But the most important message is that each reduction in the outdoor concentrations of key air pollutants brings health benefits to the surrounding population, even in places which already have low pollution concentrations.”Additionally, most jurisdictions with <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/solution-to-pollution/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">clean air</a> regulations have relied on fixed limit values with little incentive to further reduce air pollution levels once compliance with the limit value is achieved. Given the evidence that health effects occur down to very low concentration levels, future clean air policies must include incentives for progressive lowering of exposures of the entire population, thereby improving health for all.The new <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/how-transboundary-haze-affects-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">air quality</a> guidelines are not legally binding however but experts believe can represent a turning point in the way we approach air pollution globally, and in particular, South Asia where the air pollution levels are consistently high and the health burden is stark.“The new guidelines offer a benchmark for South Asian cities and countries to plan their air quality agenda. This will bring renewed interest in the topic and create an opportunity to push for stronger action,” says Pallavi Pant of Health Effects Institute based in Boston.She adds: “We know where we’d like to get to, and the real discussion now should be focused on the basket of strategies and sectors we need to address.”Air pollution, indoors and outdoors, accounted for some 12% of all death in 2019. Air pollution currently ranks fourth among major risk factors for global disease and mortality, only behind <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/why-do-so-many-nepalis-have-high-blood-pressure/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hypertension</a>, smoking and dietary factors.In terms of economic burden, the estimated global health-related external costs were $5 trillion in 2013 with an additional $225 billion in lost labour productivity as per the World Bank Group 2016.Here in Nepal, the new guidelines hardly made it to the news. Nepal doesn’t even have a minister for the environment because of a continued political stalemate.Successive governments in the recent past have made commitments to promote <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/cleaner-air-with-greener-buses/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">electric vehicles and transport for clean air</a>, but they have done the opposite. Earlier this year in the budget, it reintroduced tax rebates. But only this week, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s government slashed taxes on the import of 10 or more diesel buses by new luxury hotels to 1%. It also cut by half the duty on petrol motorcycle assembly in Nepal.The Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns over the last two years have shown people that the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/nepal-lockdown-proves-air-quality-can-be-improved/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">goal of clean air can be achieved</a>, and it has become even more crucial at this point where the coronavirus cases are going down, vaccinations have picked up and businesses are reopening for the Dasain-Tihar festive season.“There is no shortcut to clean air, we need long-term policies that target major sources including transportation, use of wood/animal dung for cooking and heating, brick kilns, coal power plants, industries and waste burning,” adds Pant ,who is from India.She adds: “Access to clean energy for all is one key policy that can help reduce the burden of air pollution. It is also useful to keep in mind that air pollution is a multi-sectoral problem, and we must engage not just technical experts but also legal and policy experts, economists, healthcare workers and others in developing solutions.In the short term, especially as we approach the winter season, the government should ensure the public that <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/open-air/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">air quality data</a> is accessible and understandable. With this information, the public can avoid outdoor activities during hours when the pollution is at its peak and reduce the prevalence of allergies and immediate respiratory illness.

Dirty Kathmandu air gets dirtier

<img width="1400" height="482" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42669c7e80680e04a6d0jpeg.jpg" alt=""/>Despite public awareness and relentless media coverage, Kathmandu’s air quality has worsened in the past two years. But public outrage does not seem to translate into action to clean up the air.A road-widening spree, earthquake destruction and delays in fixing streets dug up to replace water mains has turned the Valley into a dust bowl. There has also been a 25% increase in the number of vehicles on the roads.The theme for World Environment Day (5 June) is #BeatAirPollution. China will be the host nation and will showcase its dramatic progress in cutting pollution.In Nepal, 35,000 people die annually due to illnesses caused by polluted air. Average life expectancy is reduced by at least four years in the worst-affected areas like Kathmandu Valley, Chitwan and other parts of the Tarai. “Air pollution is a silent killer and while it is difficult to quantify its heath impact, hospitalisation due to serious respiratory diseases has increased sharply in recent years,” says chest specialist Raju Pangeni at HAMS Hospital in Kathmandu. “It is now causing heart attacks, kidney diseases, osteoporosis and dementia. Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking cigarettes.”Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27454&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Beat Air Pollution</a>, Editorial<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27475&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solution to pollution</a>, Pallavi Pant and Anobha GurungNon-smokers in Kathmandu are now suffering from diseases that you would expect to see afflicting chain smokers. And residents of the capital who smoke get a double whammy.“Controlling tobacco in Nepal is already such a big challenge, but  Kathmandu’s degrading air quality has doubled the disease burden,” says health activist Shanta Lall Mulmi. Ironically, World No Tobacco Day falls on 31 May, just four days ahead of Environment Day. Because Nepal’s national government and municipalities have done little to reduce risk, citizens have adopted their own methods of personal protection: wearing masks, installing air purifiers at home and office, cancelling morning walks, and monitoring air pollution levels on apps before allowing children to play outside.There are dozens of varieties of masks available in the market, along with air purifiers that cost more than Rs130,000. But public health specialists discount their efficacy and stress that the best solution is to reduce air pollution at sources.  Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27476&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic bubble</a>, Ajaya Dixit<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.15px; outline: 0px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27467&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Air</a>“A mask at best is a temporary solution and does not block harmful gases. Their effectiveness also varies depending on the work place, environment and fitting. Because indoor air pollution levels are also high, ideally you would have to wear a mask 24 hours a day,” says Pangeni. Air pollution is also the main environmental risk factor for non-communicable diseases like cancers and lung diseases, concludes a recent report by the NCD Alliance and the Forum of International Respiratory Scientists: ‘The challenge is great, but the cure is straight-forward... it must be met by national, regional, local and personal responses. Collective action from many sectors is needed to assure that everyone can breathe clean air.’Indeed, a long-term solution requires policy level intervention and coordination between all branches of government. Electrified public transport would have been a good place to start, but 6 months after Prime Minister KP Oli launched an electric mobility action plan to turn at least 20% of public vehicles into battery-operated ones by 2020, progress has been slow. Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27455&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to clean up Kathmandu’s air</a>, Anil Chitrakar<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Poisoning the air we breathe,</a> Sonia AwaleThe government slashed taxes on electric vehicles, but much of the supporting infrastructure required, like charging facilities, uninterrupted electric supply and adequate parking lots, has not even been planned.“The first step in controlling air pollution is with electric public transport because vehicular emissions make up the majority of pollutants in Kathmandu’s air,” says environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar.With neighbouring India and China committed to manufacturing only electric automobiles by 2030, Nepal will be forced to go electric. Getting prepared now will make that transition smoother.The US government held a meeting in Kathmandu this month of its embassy staff specialising in air pollution based in 30 Asian countries. On hand was Marcia Bernicat of the US Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs. “Dealing with a problem that is transboundary in nature requires strong regional cooperation,” she said. “When you can frame the problem in terms of how many people are dying and how much productivity is lost, then it becomes much more urgent.”Quantifying the socio-economic impact of air pollution on a country will be vital in raising awareness among the public as well as policy makers and leaders, but as we have seen in Nepal it does not immediately lead to policy change.   Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27487&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Atmosphere</a>, Arnico Pandey<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27462&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green sticker = green light to pollute</a>, Sonam Choekyi Lama <h2>Maskmandu</h2> There are dozens of types of masks available in Kathmandu. There are cloth masks and surgical ones, some are disposable but many use replaceable filters. Prices range from Rs10 to Rs10,500. Most make various performance claims based on lab tests but factors like the mask’s fit play important roles. Take your pick, but remember the best thing is to reduce the source of pollution.  <img width="2228" height="1200" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42689c7e80680e04a6d1jpeg.jpg" alt=""><img width="2724" height="1800" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a426b9c7e80680e04a6d2jpeg.jpg" alt=""><h2>Costly is not better</h2> Researchers at the University of Edinburgh recently concluded that surgical masks blocked 80% of particles sized 0.007 microns. Similarly, a University of Massachusetts study found that the good old surgical mask blocked 60% of 0.03 micron particles, and over 90% of 1 micron and 2.5 micron particles. Of course, a mask’s effectiveness depends on how well it fits on the face, but a simple, disposable surgical mask can be more cost-effective than those fancy looking expensive ones.

Sonia Awale

Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42499c7e80680e04a6c5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"/><figcaption>Pic: MONICA DEUPALA</figcaption></figure>A <a href="https://airsouthasia.org/2019/06/04/nepal-air-pollution-perception-survey/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">public perception survey</a> among Kathmandu Valley residents conducted last year shows near unanimous agreement that pollution levels are bad and getting worse. The survey was conducted via social media and asked residents of Kathmandu Valley about the pollution level in their neighbourhood, their commuting habits and their perspective on actions needed to improve air quality.Carried out by Air South Asia and Clean Up Nepal, the survey results understandably show that with a few outliers, most people living inside the Ring Road found the air they breathe Bad or Very Bad. Generally, the air was considered to be cleaner the further the respondents lived from the city core. However, the perception of air pollution was worse along busy intersections outside the centre, like Chabahil, Kalanki or Koteswor.Only along the foothills, in Mata Tirtha, Budanilkantha or Changu Narayan, did people feel the air quality was better. And there was only respondent (in Godavari) among 212 interviewed who considered air quality to be Excellent.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27455&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to clean up Kathmandu’s air</a>, Anil Chitrakar<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27475&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solution to pollution</a>, Pallavi Pant and Anobha GurungAsked to answer if air pollution had diminished their quality of life, 99% of respondents said it had. Asked how, most noted respiratory problems, chronic cough, sore throat, asthma attacks, lack of concentration and skin rashes, while other complained of clothes getting dirty. Interestingly, some included foul smell from nearby streams as ‘air pollution’, and said the stench was ‘unbearable’. Some said they did not take morning walks anymore, or venture into the streets during rush hour, and if they did, always wore masks.“Having fresh air to breathe is a human being’s most basic right and that right has been violated to an unimaginable extent in Kathmandu,” said one Naya Bazar respondent.Asked what they think are the main sources of air pollution in their area, more than 90% cited road-side dust caused by widening and delayed construction, vehicle pollution and open garbage burning. (see graph) Many noted that open spaces were shrinking, trees were being cut and plastic waste was burnt openly on streets. Outside the Ring Road, many of the complaints were about brick kilns and factories emitting smoke.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27487&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Atmosphere</a>, Arnico Pandey<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27563&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking</a>, Sonia Awale<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a424c9c7e80680e04a6c6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="889" height="810">Asked how they were coping with air pollution, most said they wear masks when outdoors and have cut down on going out for walks. Many said they now use public transport, avoid motorcycles, plant trees or take part in cleanup campaigns. Asked why they have not taken measures to reduce air pollution some said it was too large a problem and one individual’s action would not make a difference. Even those who wanted to contribute said they did not know how they could help reduce air pollution.Many were of the opinion that the government had not done enough to reduce pollution, and among their realistic and do-able suggestions for improving air quality were:Better public transportSubsidy for electric vehiclesTimely completion of road constructionTree plantingProper waste managementRelocation of brick kilns“If the dust from the roads is minimised, half the pollution problem will be solved,” felt one survey respondent in Maitidevi. However, when asked if they were satisfied with the government’s actions to date to control air pollution, a majority (84%) said they were not satisfied at all, and no one (0%) said they were satisfied to a large extent. (see chart) Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27476&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic bubble</a>, Ajaya Dixit<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27454&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Beat Air Pollution</a>, EditorialAccording to one resident of Bhaisepati: “The government could do lots more, but it is not willing to do anything although it has plenty of funds. They should get real experts to work on this problem.”Air pollution in Kathmandu appears to have got so bad that it is affecting people’s choice of where to live. This could ultimately reduce land prices along areas considered heavily polluted. Kathmandu residents who can afford it have already bought farms in surrounding districts, which have been sold by villagers moving in the opposite direction to Kathmandu, or abroad. Many say they are fleeing air pollution in the Valley. Indeed, some respondents even said they are thinking of relocating outside the capital, or even emigrating because of the bad air.Some, like this respondent in Thapathali, even noted that the family’s medical expenses had shot up because of medical treatment for respiratory ailments: “The air quality is getting worse compared to previous years. The air we breathe mainly contains particulates that are inhaled and affect our respiratory system. We are suffering from frequent headaches and eye irritation. We have to spend a lot of money on expensive medicines. If the air quality improved, we could use the money for recreational activities to improve our physical fitness and mental health.”Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27462&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green sticker = green light to pollute</a>, Sonam Choekyi Lama<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Poisoning the air we breathe,</a> Sonia Awale

Bad Air

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c0Sv3a2LjxoVehicle owners in Kathmandu need to pass an annual emission test, but many just buy Green Stickers over the counter while some even have them home delivered.Given the number of diesel buses and trucks spewing toxic black smoke in Kathmandu, it is no surprise that most drivers cheat. Lackadaisical and time-consuming inspection, corruption and the lack of political will have made a mockery of Nepal’s strict emission standards.The 2003 standards require four-wheelers registered in 1980 or before to emit carbon monoxide (CO) less than 4.5% of total gases, or not more than 1,000 parts-per-million of hydrocarbons. Vehicles registered after 1980 cannot exceed 3% of CO. If they do, they do not get a Green Sticker. It seems straightforward, but the route to getting dirty vehicles off the road is full of twists and turns.“There is no political will,” sums up the executive director of Sajha Yatayat, Bhusan Tuladhar. “If there was, this system would work perfectly.”Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27476&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic bubble</a>, Ajaya Dixit<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27563&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking</a>, Sonia AwaleBypassing the system by bribing inspectors is the most common method of getting a Green Sticker. A test costs Rs50, but for Rs500 middlemen will get you a sticker without a test. It is Rs1,000 to have the sticker delivered at home.There are artificial delays and queues at the Department of Transportation Management at (DoTM) Ekanta Kuna to tempt time-pressed vehicle owners to fork out Rs500 for the Green Sticker.“I don’t think keeping the vehicle in line for a week is cost-effective; why wait in a queue? It is much easier to just pay under the table,” admitted Suraj Tamang, a driver at Ekanta Kuna earlier this month.There are just two emission monitoring centres in Kathmandu Valley for more than 400,000 four-wheelers. Up to 200 vehicles visit the DoTM every day, and some eight diesel and four petrol cars fail the test daily on average, said Yam Bahadur Chhetri at the DoTM.If they cannot get the sticker under the table, drivers go to elaborate lengths to pass the test, adjusting the carburettor and then getting a garage to make it a smoke belcher again after they get the sticker. Traffic police rarely check if a car with a Green Sticker still has a smoky tailpipe.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27454&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Beat Air Pollution</a>, Editorial<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27475&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solution to pollution</a>, Pallavi Pant and Anobha Gurung<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42469c7e80680e04a6c4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="786"/><figcaption>Pic: SONAM CHOEKYI LAMA</figcaption></figure>But with rising awareness about air pollution in Kathmandu and the contribution of vehicular emission, many are asking why if driving under the influence (known by its Nepali acronym MaPaSe) was so easy to control, the same cannot be done for car exhausts.“It can be like MaPaSe — some people sometimes may evade checking, but overall the system will work,” says Tuladhar, who suggests deploying police with emission testers at busy bus terminals like Ratna Park.Tuladhar says 20% of vehicles cause more than 50% of the pollution, so getting rid of half the pollution should be as simple as cleaning up 20% of the cars.But the best solution would be a strategy to switch to electric public and private transport, he adds. All two-wheelers in China are already electric, like 80% of public transport in Hong Kong, and Indian cities like Ahmedabad now have full electric public transportation.Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27467&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Air</a><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27455&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to clean up Kathmandu’s air</a>, Anil Chitrakar

Green sticker = green light to pollute

<img width="1400" height="389" src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a424e9c7e80680e04a6c7jpeg.jpg" alt=""/>Air quality across Nepal has been deteriorating over the years. The average PM2.5 (concentration of particles smaller than 2.5 microns) in Kathmandu has increased from 88 to 100 µg/m3 between 1990 and 2017. The country needs a sustained and holistic long-term approach, not stop-gap measures, to control the main pollutants from <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/page/every-breath-you-take-air-pollution" target="_blank" rel="noopener">vehicular emissions</a>, waste burning, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dust from roads</a> and construction sites, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/earth-bricks-for-cleaner-and-healthier-kathmandu,4161" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brick kilns</a> and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/opinion/no-smoke-without-fire/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">cooking with biomass</a>, not stop-gap measures.The national government has taken some action for air pollution mitigation, but most sources are linked to civic and governance issues. For example, open garbage burning as a source of air pollution can only be solved through systematic changes in waste management.Action on air pollution hinges on the availability of reliable information on trends, sources and impacts of pollution. Nepal’s national government has invested in air quality monitoring and currently there are more than 15 monitors across the country, including five real-time monitors in Kathmandu Valley.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.15px; outline: 0px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27467&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Air</a><a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27563&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking</a>, Sonia AwaleReal-time air quality data from these stations is available <a href="http://www.pollution.gov.np/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">online</a> but the website does not support access to historical data. The US Embassy has also set up two air quality monitoring stations in Kathmandu; its hourly results are available live on <a href="http://www.nepalitimes.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">http://www.nepalitimes.com/</a>, through the SafaHawa App. Daily averages for every week are also published in the print edition of Nepali Times, and historical data can be <a href="http://www.airnow.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">downloaded</a>. Drishti, a citizen-led, low-cost monitoring network, is active in the Valley and publishes daily air quality data.There is a growing body of scientific research on trends in air quality, sources of air pollution and possible impacts on health. Innovations are allowing access to large, open datasets, which in turn are being used to design effective policies. In line with global developments, the demand for and use of open data has grown significantly in Nepal, and organisations such as <a href="https://np.okfn.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Open Knowledge Nepal</a> are leading the charge.In India, <a href="http://www.urbanemissions.info/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Urban Emissions</a> is using government statistics available in the public domain as inputs for an air-quality forecasting project, together with satellite data and other open datasets. This is helping to raise awareness and enable cities to tackle local air pollution issues in a targeted manner. In Pakistan, availability of data on air pollution through the <a href="https://twitter.com/pakairquality?lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pakistan Air Quality Initiative</a> has enabled conversations around the dinner table in homes, as well as in the country’s courts, leading to proactive measures to tackle air pollution. Through a growing air quality monitoring network and other research data, Nepal is well positioned for effective action on air quality management. Credible air quality data allows advancement of critical scientific knowledge and helps design effective policies and interventions.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27454&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Beat Air Pollution</a>, Editorial<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27455&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to clean up Kathmandu’s air</a>, Anil ChitrakarAccess to public data on air pollution, both air quality and energy use, urbanisation patterns and transport can help improve the understanding of patterns of air pollution and influence targeted plans. Availability of data also allows evaluation of effective action to improve air quality, helping us measure our success as well as understand gaps.Availability of open data on air pollution can enhance visual storytelling, ultimately leading to community-level action and innovation. Easy availability of real-time data on air pollution in Kathmandu Valley through apps and the media can enable Nepalis to stay informed about the quality of air they breathe and ultimately help make choices that can lead to cleaner air for all.Unlike many countries facing deteriorating air quality, Nepal is a step ahead. Thanks to the successful establishment of air quality monitoring, there are now research findings about local and regional sources of pollution, seasonal patterns and possible solutions.A good foundation of data to work with has been built; all we need to do is collaborate and work towards solutions to improve air quality.   Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27487&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Atmosphere</a>, Arnico Pandey<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Poisoning the air we breathe</a>, Sonia AwalePallavi Pant is an air quality scientist and works on air pollution and health issues including research and public engagement projects. Anobha Gurung is an environmental health scientist who has worked on issues related to air pollution and health in Nepal for the last 10 years. Amod Karmacharya of Cleanup Nepal also took part in the research.

Solution to pollution

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42639c7e80680e04a6cfjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1250" height="647"/><figcaption>Pic: ARNICO PANDAY</figcaption></figure>The global theme for this year’s World Environment Day on 5 June is air pollution — very apt in a year that saw the release of three major reports that together clarify that the causes and solutions of air pollution and climate change are intricately interconnected.This information helps citizens, researchers and policy makers perceive ‘one atmosphere’ within which short-lived climate pollutants and longer term carbon dioxide impact the air we breathe. It is within this one atmosphere also that these pollutants aggravate climate change.The flip side of the climate action coin is that <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=011870630917993763279:opm7uqsat-4&amp;q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/GUEST-COLUMN/every-breath-we-take,305&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiN6t7Awb7iAhVOinAKHRlFDFwQFjAAegQIBRAB&amp;usg=AOvVaw3_5jW6Q" target="_blank" rel="noopener">air pollution worsens our climate crisis</a>. Black carbon, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ozone</a> and other climate-impacting pollutants contribute to additional temperature increase beyond that caused by long-lived carbon dioxide. Our glaciers are melting faster because of air pollutants. Pollutants also profoundly impact the monsoon, and several recent severe flooding events in both of Nepal’s neighbouring countries have been attributed to air pollutants modifying clouds, changing how much rain fell where and when.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27563&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking</a>, Sonia Awale<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27454&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Beat Air Pollution</a>, EditorialThe IPCC’s <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5 Degrees</a>, released in October 2018, raises the alarm that concerted and rapid action is needed to avoid the catastrophic impacts of climate change that will occur if global average temperature increase exceeds 1.5C. This is the report that inspired <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/mar/11/greta-thunberg-schoolgirl-climate-change-warrior-some-people-can-let-things-go-i-cant" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Greta Thunberg</a> and other students to go on climate strike demanding that climate emergencies be declared. As those strikes articulate, climate action must occur over the next decade or it will be too late. This will require reducing not just carbon dioxide emissions, but also short-lived climate pollutants.<a href="https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007%2F978-3-319-92288-1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment</a> released in February 2019 by ICIMOD, <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=011870630917993763279:opm7uqsat-4&amp;q=https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/a-terrifying-assessment-of-himalayan-melting/&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjV2Ji8yr7iAhXNknAKHepBCmQQFjAAegQIAxAC&amp;usg=AOvVaw0EwrjcwqI8N" target="_blank" rel="noopener">summarises the current state of knowledge</a> about changes, vulnerabilities and risks faced by the Himalayan region, as well as opportunities in clean energy and other sectors. High mountain areas warm faster, so even a 1.5C global average temperature increase implies a 1.8C-2.2C increase in the Himalaya, with a loss of one-third of glacier volume.The Himalaya is often called the ‘Third Pole’ because it is the world’s third largest store of frozen water. But that store is dwindling rapidly, which in turn impacts water and food security. The report also describes the affects of extreme air pollution on people’s health, as well as on surface temperature, agriculture and the monsoon rains.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27467&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Air</a><a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27475&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solution to pollution</a>, Pallavi Pant and Anobha GurungFor every 100,000 people, 100-200 die from air pollution each year in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar, Nepal and Pakistan. Out of 51 cities in the region in the WHO air quality database, 50 have air pollution levels above recommended guidelines: 12 have levels more than 10 times above the guidelines.A third assessment report points to the solutions<a href="https://ccacoalition.org/en/file/4413/download?token=cpV0d7ly" target="_blank" rel="noopener">. Air Pollution in Asia and the Pacific: Science-Based Solutions</a> was released by UN Environment in January 2019 and identified the 25 most promising measures to reduce both air pollution and climate change in Asia. These include:scaling up enforcement of vehicular emission standards and post-combustion controls in industries;implementing next-stage measures that are not yet major components of clean air policies, such as preventing forest fires, reducing burning of agricultural crop residue and improving brick kiln efficiency;setting priority goals that have benefits for the atmosphere, such as switching to clean cooking and heating, increasing power generation by renewable sources, improving public transport and reducing leakage in oil and gas production.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27455&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to clean up Kathmandu’s air</a>, Anil Chitrakar<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27462&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green sticker = green light to pollute</a>, Sonam Choekyi LamaImplemented together by 2030, these 25 measures could allow much of Asia’s population to breathe clean air, while contributing to a reduction in average global temperature increase. The three reports provide a coherent narrative of the interconnectedness of air quality and climate issues in our region and beyond, of the cost of inaction and of available solutions.The problems and solutions of air pollution and climate change are interconnected: they are both related to human interaction with the atmosphere over a wide range of temporal and spatial scales. The challenge before us is to address these multi-sector, multi-scale issues in a coordinated manner. We can learn from others by looking at how <a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=011870630917993763279:opm7uqsat-4&amp;q=https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/air-pollution-mexico-city-lessons-for-kathmandu,805&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiN6t7Awb7iAhVOinAKHRlFDFwQFjACegQIEBAB&amp;usg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mexico City</a> and Beijing have reduced their air pollution in a short time.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27476&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic bubble</a>, Ajaya Dixit<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Poisoning the air we breathe,</a> Sonia Awale<a href="https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-uds-cse&amp;cx=011870630917993763279:opm7uqsat-4&amp;q=http://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Comment/air-quality-data-to-figire-out-what-to-do,841&amp;sa=U&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiN6t7Awb7iAhVOinAKHRlFDFwQFjAIegQIAxAB&amp;u" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arnico Panday</a> is <a href="http://www.icimod.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ICIMOD</a>’s Senior Atmospheric Scientist and the coordinator of its Atmosphere Initiative.arnico.panday@icimod.org

One Atmosphere

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42509c7e80680e04a6c8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="1094"/><figcaption>Pic: BIKRAM RAI</figcaption></figure>Kathmandu is the centre of everything in Nepal: power, administration, public education, tourism, hospitals. Till the late 1970s, the Valley’s built-up areas coalesced around historical settlements. After the 1990, the cities saw exponential growth, a process accelerated by war and declining agriculture in the countryside. Lack of jobs drove Nepalis first to Kathmandu and then overseas. The remittances that workers abroad sent back in turn fuelled the Valley’s real estate boom.Urbanisation, unplanned growth, lack of public transport and endemic corruption have enveloped Kathmandu Valley in a smog blanket most days. Nearly 38% of this air pollution is from vehicle emissions; other sources include dust from roads, excavations, debris of demolished buildings, construction sites, brick kilns, open burning of plastic and solid wastes, inefficient hospital incinerators, rice husk/coal/wood-burning industries, crushers and mixers, asphalt plants and metal and automobile repair units.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27462&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green sticker = green light to pollute</a>, Sonam Choekyi Lama<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27455&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to clean up Kathmandu’s air</a>, Anil ChitrakarThe World Health Organization says the mean annual and 24-hour concentration of PM2.5 (particles smaller than 2.5 microns in diameter) in the air should be less than 10µg/m3 and 25µg/m3 respectively. In Kathmandu Valley, both parameters are much higher year-long, and the capital is among the top 10 most polluted cities in the world.Air pollutants also blow in from north India, making the problem a transboundary one. Exhaust from commercial jets and short-haul aircraft contribute too, but is overlooked. Once inhaled, the fine particulates are carried via the bloodstream to our cells, where they can cause strokes, dementia, mental retardation, pulmonary disease and cancer.The pollution is directly related to poor governance — procedural lapses, almost non-existent regulation and enforcement, and a system of national, provincial and municipal governments either incapable or too steeped in greed to deal with it.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27487&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Atmosphere</a>, Arnico Pandey<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27454&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Beat Air Pollution</a>, EditorialThe overall outcome has been the growth of a concrete jungle without any form, aesthetics or character, with polluted water, land and air as by-products. Not only does Kathmandu have a serious air pollution problem, but its summer days are now urban heat islands because open spaces have been built over.Residents of the capital know they have a problem: they breathe it every day. Politicians and bureaucrats are also aware. Yet public outrage is not translating into action. The best way to end air pollution is to begin with its source. This year, Nepal’s petroleum import bill is likely to exceed Rs220 billion, double the amount three years ago.A year ago, the government gave a positive signal by reducing customs on the import of electric cars and buses to 10% and 1% respectively. All electric vehicles are now also exempt from annual road tax. This is not enough. Despite the tax rebate, Kathmandu has no operating electric buses because of the high upfront cost, although they bring multiple, long-term benefits: zero emissions, improved health, use of indigenous hydro energy and lower fuel import bills.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27563&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking</a>, Sonia Awale<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27475&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solution to pollution</a>, Pallavi Pant and Anobha GurungMore than 500 electric cars and 1,500 electric scooters now use the Valley’s roads. About 12,000 e-rickshaws ply in Tarai towns. Electric transport, including charging stations, must be part of the urban future, with pedestrian walkways, bicycle lanes, open spaces and green belts as other key elements.In the meantime, the government must proactively pursue low-hanging fruit, such as requiring interagency coordination to minimise roadside dust, banning the burning of plastic and solid waste, and working with households, the private sector and citizen groups to minimise air pollution. Other immediate actions should include rigorous pollution test of vehicles and fuel quality, improving the condition of roadside workshops and making brick kilns and incinerators more efficient.These pursuits would require mapping of pollution sources, monitoring, data analysis, adaptive policies and demonstrable actions. Understanding the policies that neighbouring countries are implementing to phase out fossil-fuel vehicles is needed to avoid the risks of Nepal becoming their dumping ground.As we take these measures, let us place images of our children in front of us, as a reminder that actions taken today will save their health and that of their children.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27467&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Air</a><a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.01em; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27476&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic bubble</a>, Ajaya DixitAjaya Dixit is Executive Director of Kathmandu based ISET-Nepal. His monthly column, Climate for Change, deals with the impact of global warming in Nepal.

Toxic bubble

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42439c7e80680e04a6c3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"/><figcaption>Pic: BIKRAM RAI</figcaption></figure>The least we expected from this new federal republic with its elected governments at three levels and numerous institutions paid for with our tax dollars, was that they would <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/featured-videos/fictional-female-prime-minister-tackles-air-pollution-in-teleserial/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ensure we did not have to breathe toxic air</a>. Even water is secondary to air as an essential ingredient to life.Cleaning up the capital’s air should be the number one priority of the Valley’s five municipalities, the national and provincial governments. Air pollution hurts everyone, no matter how much money you have or where in the Valley you live.Hence, if we are to believe that the political leadership actually cares, clean fresh air in Kathmandu is possible. Not easy, but possible. That is unless some people are making so much money from bad air in the capital, and sharing the loot with their political masters, that they don’t want it cleaned up. But even those crooks themselves have to breathe the poisonous air they create. Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27476&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic bubble</a>, Ajaya Dixit<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27475&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solution to pollution</a>, Pallavi Pant and Anobha GurungDust is the main culprit and hence, following the example of the people of Boudha, a small revolt will be required by the people, of the people and for the people who want clean air. The slogan has to be: ‘If Boudha can do it so can we.’ Over the last three decades, many good ideas have been successfully tried to tackle air pollution, but they were never scaled up for impact.Remember the electric trolley bus from Tripureswor to Bhaktapur, the conversion of diesel three-wheelers to electric ones, cheaper kerosene dyed blue to deter adulteration with diesel and petrol, green stickers on vehicle windshields (see page 6)? All these initiatives were piloted, and then just left to rot. It would take only a small push to effectively scale them up, along with monitoring to ensure no one is scamming the system.Some readers may be aware that every time you tank up at the petrol station, you pay a pollution tax for every litre of fuel. How much has been collected in nearly 30 years, and where is it stashed? Why not use it to invest in a fleet of electric buses connecting heritage sites, hospital and schools, where we could install electric vehicle charging stations?Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27454&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">#Beat Air Pollution</a>, Editorial<a style="outline: 0px;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27467&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Air</a>Let us follow the money and not write another donor proposal. When The Kali Gandaki Hydroelectric Project was being negotiated in the 1980s, we imagined we could create an electric Light Rail Transit system around the Ring Road and use the revenue to repay the Asian Development Bank for the loan for the train and Kali Gandaki. We lost — diesel buses and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">motorcycle</a> companies won. Two-wheel riders now have to put up with rain, dust, heat and choking exhaust fumes because of the government’s failure to get its priorities right.Plants need carbon dioxide, and they sequester it as carbohydrates and cellulose. Those carbohydrates become food for animals, while the cellulose props up plant structure. Many homes in Kathmandu still have a few trees left, and their owners should get annual tax rebates for caring for them or if they plant more trees.All open spaces, riverbanks and streets should be lined with fruit and flowering trees, financed by some of the taxes we pay. In 1997, all businesses along Darbar Marg contributed Rs5,000 to plant trees. There are still stone plaques on each tree with the names of donors. Today, Darbar Marg is a boulevard of purple mimosa. Trees, parks, rivers, ponds and wetlands are the lungs of the city and deserve the same treatment and care.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27487&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Atmosphere</a>, Arnico Pandey<a style="background-color: #ffffff; outline: 0px; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27462&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green sticker = green light to pollute</a>, Sonam Choekyi LamaThe city needs more cycle lanes and pedestrian streets; business will actually benefit. We Nepalis are walkers — traditionally we had to walk everywhere, carrying heavy loads. We even carried cars over mountains before we had roads. People today need to be reminded that walking is OK. At least heritage sites, parks and office areas should be made vehicle-free.<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/image/politics,305" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brick kilns and open garbage burning</a> contribute nearly half of the air pollutants in the Kathmandu Valley. Both are easy to control. <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/brick-factories-still-using-old-polluting-technology,2078" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Brick kilns</a> can be relocated and upgraded to burn more efficiently (which is also more economical). <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/mayoral-airs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mexico City</a> stopped open burning just by imposing fines.E-commerce and connectivity will greatly reduce the need to drive and pollute the air. This should be an integral part of cleaning Kathmandu’s skies. We pay our bills via e-Sewa now. Green Growth aggregates orders for fresh vegetables and fruits and delivers them to your home, efficiently eliminating the need for individual trips to the market. Smart Paani’s rainwater harvesting can do away with diesel tankers’ frequent trips in the city.We all know air pollution is a problem. <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/mayoral-airs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">We all know what the solutions are</a>. We just need the political will to push them through.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27563&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking</a>, Sonia Awale<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Poisoning the air we breathe,</a> Sonia AwaleAnil Chitrakar is the President of Siddharthinc.

Anil Chitrakar

How to clean up Kathmandu’s air

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a423b9c7e80680e04a6c0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"/><figcaption>Pic: BIKRAM RAI</figcaption></figure>The theme of World Environment Day 2019 on Wednesday 5 June is air pollution, and how to reduce it. This is not just a health issue for individuals, but one that affects the planet we live on.Research has shown that air pollution is so bad in parts of northern India, eastern China and the Kathmandu Valley that it reduces the lifespan of people by an average of four years. Even if action is taken immediately, and greenhouse gas emissions are capped, in the best-case scenario one-third of the remaining glaciers in the Himalaya will be gone this century.Whatever we do to stave off the climate crisis will take many years (beyond the lifetimes of those living today) to show results. However, action taken today to tackle air pollution can have immediate impact. Removing suspended soot particles can even reduce melting of the ice and snow in the Himalaya. The black carbon increases glacier melting by up to 20% because <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=19368#.XO5LatIza70" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dirty snow absorbs more sunlight</a>.But more importantly, cleaning up the air will make it safer to breathe, improve quality of life and reduce the cost burden on families and countries of medical treatment. The toxic miasma that used to blanket the Kathmandu Valley on winter mornings is now a year-round, 24-hour phenomenon.Read also:<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27487&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">One Atmosphere</a>, Arnico Pandey<a style="background-color: #ffffff; font-size: 15px; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27455&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">How to clean up Kathmandu’s air</a>, Anil ChitrakarA recent survey of 200 Kathmandu residents on their perception of pollution (page 6-7) found that every respondent felt that dirty air had impacted their lives. They were aware of where the pollution was coming from: traffic, road dust, brick kilns and open garbage burning. Respondents also knew what needed to be done: improving public transport, completing road construction on time and placing emission controls on cars and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/brick-factories-still-using-old-polluting-technology,2078" target="_blank" rel="noopener">brick factories</a>.Residents also know that public transport and public health are linked, the survey found. Politicians sometimes acknowledge that they are aware of the seriousness of the issue. So, we know what the problem is and we know the solution. Nepal just lacks the political will and an understanding of the urgency of the emergency in order to curb air pollution. In fact, Kathmandu’s dirty air is the most vivid proof available of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/open-air/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">governance failure, lack of accountability and corruption</a>.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a423f9c7e80680e04a6c1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="363">We thought local government elections would solve the problem because elected mayors and ward committees would be more accountable. Alas, no such luck. Nearly two years after winning polls and assuming office, local governments have been busy feathering their own nests, making recklessly unrealistic promises and lurching from one blunder to the next.Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27467&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bad Air</a><a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27475&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Solution to pollution</a>, Pallavi Pant and Anobha GurungKathmandu Valley’s five mayors came together last year for a conference organised by ICIMOD to hear from <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/mayoral-airs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mexico’s ambassador to Nepal, Melba Pria</a>. She gave them a checklist of how Mexico City cleaned up its air: a strategic shift to reliable public transport, control of all open burning, improving the quality of fuel, use of catalytic converters, strict vehicular emission controls and moving smokestack industries away from the city core.The solution, therefore, has to be structural, not piecemeal. It needs vision and a plan to be responsive to the need to protect the people’s health. When greed and selfishness become part of the job description of <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/featured-videos/fictional-female-prime-minister-tackles-air-pollution-in-teleserial/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">politicians</a>, it may be unrealistic to expect the public interest to suddenly take precedence. But we do not even have the luxury of waiting to clean up our politics to clean up the air. It is the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/poisoning-the-air-we-breathe/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">air we are breathing right now</a>, and it cannot wait.Elsewhere, politicians only woke up to pollution crises when they found out they were also affected. For example, when London’s Thames River had turned into a sewer 100 years ago, politicians acted only because the stink made it impossible for Parliament to sit at Westminster. And it was only when elderly politicians started dying of respiratory failure caused by pollution from coal burning that British legislators finally passed the Clean Air Act.Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27563&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Air pollution is more dangerous than smoking</a>, Sonia Awale<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27476&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Toxic bubble</a>, Ajaya DixitIn Kathmandu, we are already at a point where the air is so bad it could <a href="http://nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Sick-city,108" target="_blank" rel="noopener">shorten the lifespan</a> of politicians. That is when they may act, but don’t bet on it. Enlightened self-interest was never a hallmark of our rulers. As <a href="http://nepalitimes.com/article/nation/reducing-black-carbon-in-the-himalayas,2031" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arnico Panday</a> argues on page 9, emissions of short-lived carbon pollutants like soot particles can be tackled locally. This will improve public health, save money by making more efficient use of energy and even reduce glacial melting.As we see from the survey in this issue, Kathmandu’s air pollution could now have an impact on land prices as people move to less polluted areas. It is already driving people out – some respondents say they may leave Kathmandu or even emigrate because of the bad air.The national budget presented to Parliament on Wednesday is based on classical economics; it does not take into account ecosystem services, and the need to balance economic growth with environmental protection. Air pollution in Kathmandu is a representation of this skewed policy in which the government is so dependent on vehicular taxes that it has ignored public health costs.Read also:<a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/?p=27462&amp;preview=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green sticker = green light to pollute</a>, Sonam Choekyi Lama10 years ago this weekKathmandu was rocked by bombings by a Maoist faction this week, while exactly 10 years ago Hindu extremists set off a bomb inside Assumption Church in Jawalakhel, killing three people. Our editorial in edition #453 of 29 May-4 June 2009:‘The perpetrators of last week’s fatal blast at the Assumption Church in Dhobighat were terrorists, pure and simple. No religion preaches violence. No interpretation of Hinduism can justify such brutal slaughter of innocent human beings.Nepal’s Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu and other religious leaders showed unprecedented solidarity by arriving together at the church in Jawalakhel within hours of the blast. Nepal’s 10-year class war is in danger of being transformed into ethno-religious violence. Not because the people want it, not because there are genuine grievances but because certain political power centres want to use religion as an excuse to foment anarchy and violence.The lack of governance and the absence of the state is often the root cause of communal, ethnic and religious violence. That is where the treatment should begin.’<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121148/636a42419c7e80680e04a6c2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="1232">

#BeatAirPollution

One smoggy winter morning in February 2019, Ekta regretted coming to her sculpture class. It was the first day of her period, and the 19-year-old wished she was home, curled up in bed with a hot water bag to soothe her cramps.
Her class was at Kalapremi Ceramic Studio, a dark room on the ground floor of a house in Maharajganj, and Ekta’s teacher was the artist Gopal Das Shrestha ‘Kalapremi’, a noted sculptor.
Two other students were already there, using all their muscle strength to knead the sculpting clay. Ekta, now 24, recalls how Kalapremi asked her if she was feeling all right. She avoided him, as she did not want everyone to know she was menstruating.
Kalapremi repeatedly asked Ekta what was wrong. She finally muttered that she was having her period, after which he grabbed her hand and led her to a partitioned corner of the studio and sat her on a chair. Before she could stop him, he slid his hand under her dress, and started massaging her abdomen.
“I was horrified,” Ekta recalls. “I told him to stop, but he didn’t listen, asking me not to be shy, saying he knew how to relieve my pain. He stopped only after I protested furiously.”&nbsp;
The art tutor then said, “You’re like my daughter. I’m doing it out of love to make you feel better, but you’re so stubborn.”&nbsp;
“Instead of saying sorry he acted like I was the one having crazy thoughts,” remembers Ekta, adding that from April 2016 to August 2020 beginning the time she was 16, the artist sexually abused and harassed her on several occasions. &nbsp;
Now, Ekta and the artist’s other former students are finally sharing their experiences and some are pressing legal charges against him, hoping that others do not have to endure what they did.&nbsp;
Award-winning artist and teacher Gopal Das Shrestha ‘Kalapremi’ (the name means ‘Art Lover’) is known for his ceramic art, sculpture, and contemporary pottery. He was <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/review/the-house-of-kalapremi">profiled in Nepali Times after a collaborative exhibition</a>, ‘Where the Wild Things Are’ at the Siddhartha Art Gallery three years ago.&nbsp;
His pieces, titled Gaalis, featured sculpted female figures with the heads of dogs, sheep, and donkeys (pictured) to depict derogatory terms for women. Some critics said the collection was a satire on feminists.
Kalapremi started his artistic and teaching career in 1983 and over the years taught at Bhanubhakta School, Kathmandu University School of Arts, Lalitkala Campus and at his private Kalapremi Ceramic Studio. He has also lectured at Jeonju University in South Korea and recently at Tabor Academy in the United States.
Seven of Kalapremi’s former students were interviewed for this story. Five female students said he touched them inappropriately in his studio or at Kathmandu University. Two male students said they witnessed him abuse and harass the women. In all cases, the students struggled to recognise the abuse when it occurred, and the lack of reporting systems left them to cope on their own for years.&nbsp;
Earlier this year, students shared a social media post hinting at Kalapremi’s history of abusive behaviour following which more students of the artist reached out sharing similar experiences. Some students spoke of abuse that happened as long as 20 years ago.
Kalapremi, 60, has denied the allegations. He told Nepali Times: “Some years ago, there was a movement encouraging people to hug and kiss. I used to do it purely out of friendship and love. But after seeing posts on social media last year calling out my behaviour, I realised my actions may have hurt some people. I understand now that I should have been more mindful.”
He added: “I am also an auxiliary health worker, so I know the exact points to massage to relieve menstrual pain. It’s not just menstruation, I take anyone who is ill to the hospital.”
Sexual abuse is much more rampant than reported given how difficult it is to prove it in court. The law defines sexual abuse as occuring when someone touches another’s private parts, coerces them into touching theirs, uses vulgar language, shows degrading images, or behaves indecently towards them without consent.&nbsp;
Ekta and her fellow students are consulting lawyer Suneeta Regmi Pokhrel, who says they know that even if the court decides in their favour, it is difficult to survive after speaking up, and influential men defend themselves saying they are being framed.&nbsp;
“They are in a lot of pain and weep when recalling how he abused them,” Regmi Pokhrel told us. “They are angry and have filed a case against him, but they are also terrified. They know he is a powerful man and they have seen how our society treats women who speak up against abusers. Unless people speak up, perpetrators will be emboldened.”
Art and academia in Nepal simply reflect the power imbalances in society where people with intersecting identities experience worse forms of abuse. Theatre actors Raj Kumar Pudasaini, Rajan Khatiwada, and Sunil Pokhrel were called out during the #MeToo movement in the Nepali theatre scene in 2019. Even after the allegations Pokhrel went on to receive national awards, while others continued to work without repercussions.
“If you speak up against abusers, you gradually get sidelined from projects,” explained a theatre artist who wished anonymity fearing professional setbacks. “The theatre scene in Nepal is quite small, you just have to make peace with the perpetrators and work with them if you want to sustain yourself.”&nbsp;
In academia there is a history of faculty members sexually harassing students and getting away with it. After Tribhuvan University (TU) lecturer Krishna Bhattachan was accused of harassing women students, the university said it would follow Nepal’s sexual harassment law and set up a reporting mechanism. But nothing happened to the professor, who had already retired. Instead, he counter-accused the students of 'attacking the indigenous people’s movement with baseless allegations' as <a href="https://kathmandupost.com/letters/2019/01/29/bhattachan-responds">he told the Kathmandu Post in 2019</a>. He continues to be featured as a prominent speaker including at TU.
Other faculty members previously accused of sexual harassment include Jagadish Murti Koirala from TU, Bishnu Prasad Acharya from Ratna Rajya Campus, and Bodha Raj Tripathee from Lalitpur Madhyamik Vidhyalaya. A woman staff member from TU also filed a sexual abuse complaint against Dambar Chemjong from TU.
Prominent figures like <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/the-rise-and-fall-of-nims-purja">mountaineer Nims Purja</a> have been <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/31/sports/mountaineering-sexual-harassment-abuse-nims-purja.html">accused of sexual assault</a>, and cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, actor <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/celebrity-rape-case-spotlights-nepal-laws">Paul Shah</a>, and former speaker of Parliament <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/mahara-arrested">Krishna Bahadur Mahara</a> have been accused of rape, but society-at-large has let off the alleged perpetrators amdist a larger debate about justice for survivors and punishment of perpetrators.&nbsp;
‘Gaushala-26’ is the court name given to the 18-year-old who accused Sandeep Lamichhane, former captain of Nepal’s national cricket team and skipper of Biratnagar Kings in the <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/here-comes-the-nepal-premier-league">ongoing Nepal Premier League</a>, of rape. She left the country citing society questioning her character affecting her mental health while Lamichhane got an outpouring of support. In May, the Patan High Court overturned a prior verdict that found Lamichhane guilty of rape and had sentenced him to eight years in prison. During the 23-month legal battle to pursue justice, Gaushala-26 faced threats of gang rape and acid attacks.&nbsp;
Exhausted by the struggle, Gaushala-26 sought to “move to a new world” where she could live free without hiding her identity.
Actress Samragyee Rajya Laxmi Shah in an Instagram video now deleted detailed the harassment she faced from a filmmaker during a movie shoot. She did not name any name but veteran actor Bhuwan KC filed a defamation case against Rana, but the court ruled that the charge lacked sufficient evidence.&nbsp;
Former Kathmandu mayor <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/theytoo">Keshav Sthapit also mocked the #MeToo movement</a>, calling accusations against him by journalists Rashmila Prajapati and Ujjwala Maharjan “a rape of men’s rights”.
Serial Abuse
Back at the Kalapremi Ceramics studio, another former student, 24-year-old Rajiv, says he felt the need to speak out after seeing his female classmates being abused.&nbsp;
“He frequently kissed them on their cheeks,” he told Nepali Times. “Whenever they walked into the studio he flailed his arms like a child asking for a hug. They awkwardly hugged him from the side, but he pulled them closer, held their chin, and kissed their cheeks.”&nbsp;
Rajiv says he also saw Kalapremi pull the women’s bra straps, touch their breasts, and slap their buttocks. The young students would freeze, not knowing how to react, and if they protested, he would say it was “normal in art”. Rajiv, 19 at the time like his classmates, remembers thinking perhaps the well-respected artist was right after all.
Another student, Luna, who took lessons at Kalapremi’s studio from 2020 to 2022 did try to confront the tutor after he made an obscene proposal to her. She recalls: “One day when the other students had left the studio and it was just the two of us, he told me that God had given him special artistic talent and he could transfer those powers to me. But to do that both of us will have to be naked, inside a dark room, and have sex.”
Luna, who was 18 then, was livid and told him she did not want any of his powers, but she says he laughed at her as if he was joking. She did not tell her family about the incident because she thought no one would believe her.&nbsp;
“They were all in awe of this famous artist and felt I should be grateful that to be learning sculpting from him,” she says. “I was scared to be alone with him in case he talked about sex again. My coping mechanism was to be rude so he wouldn’t try to come close to me.”
Seeing how some classmates were standing up to Kalapremi, Ekta too tried to push back against his advances, but she said he found ways to coerce her. Since Ekta, Rajiv, and Luna could not afford Kalapremi’s Rs30,000 monthly fee for lessons, he had offered them all a stipend to assist him in the studio.
“He had spondylosis and took me to his therapy sessions to learn massage techniques, then he often made me and other students massage him,” says Ekta. Whenever she refused, he would feign pain to make her feel sorry for him. “He would insist that I put my hands under his shirt so that I could massage him better,” she adds.
The art tutor often tried to “seduce sympathy” from Ekta by sharing how he had never been loved as a child and was “sexually frustrated” as an adult.&nbsp;
“At 7PM, he would pour himself Signature whiskey and immediately go off again about how he was sex-starved. I didn’t know how to respond. It took me time to realise alcohol was just an excuse to talk about sex,” Ekta says.
If convicted, Kalapremi could face financial penalty and/or a prison sentence of up to three years according to Section 224 of National Penal (Code) Act 2017.&nbsp;
Data suggests that victims of child sexual abuse on average take nearly 24 years to tell someone about their trauma, and some may never disclose it at all.&nbsp;
“In our culture, children are rarely taught about boundaries. They often react, show anger when adults pinch their cheeks. But adults insist they did it out of love, and force the children to accept it,” says Sita Lama, a psychotherapist at Manka Kura. “And even when someone touches them inappropriately they struggle to identify and verbalise it.”
When perpetrators claim to be “acting out of love”, Lama says survivors are likely to perceive it as something safe, rather than recognising it as abuse.&nbsp;
“It may take years for them to realise they were abused,” she explains. "And even when they become aware, the power imbalance with the abuser and the associated shame often prevents survivors from speaking up."
Other former students from the School of Art at Kathmandu University have also come forward years later, saying Kalapremi sexually abused them. As young adults, they felt his behaviour was off but were uncertain if it was inappropriate, illegal, or they did not know how to respond. After having understood that it was indeed abuse, they say they are speaking out now to protect others.&nbsp;
Amina Singh, a visiting faculty member at Kathmandu University, says there is no clause against sexual abuse in contracts of teachers, and there is no formal grievance handling mechanism for the students.&nbsp;
“So the only way students can to deal with sexual abuse is approach someone they trust,” she says.
Eight other former art students of Lalit Kala Campus and Srijana College of Fine Arts of Tribhuvan University and other private art studios in Kathmandu say they were also sexually abused by their art teachers. Three faculty members interviewed from these institutions said they saw the abuse, but felt it was futile to report it given how powerful the teachers were.
In the absence of a formal system, some longtime women artists warned each other about “problematic” artists. They shared &nbsp;a “heads-up” to be more cautious when collaborating with them, and avoided responding to their calls and texts after work hours.
To ensure art institutions are safe for all, galleries, museums, artist studios, and smaller art spaces need to develop policies on sexual harassment. This would include a code of conduct or studio policies that hold the leadership accountable and outline the principles of professional ethics.&nbsp;
Students and employees should inquire about accountability mechanisms for raising concerns, both formally and informally, advocates say.
Three years after Ekta left the ceramics studio, she learnt that Kalapremi had harassed many other women. Still trying to get a footing in the art industry, she attended a workshop in Kathmandu where women artists discussed ways to stay safe in the art sector.&nbsp;
Since it was a close-knit group Ekta opened up about how she felt violated and realised she was not alone, he had been abusing underprivileged students for years, and this was common knowledge among artists in Nepal.
Ekta says that even after she quit, Kalapremi continued sending her text messages like ‘I am thinking of you’, ‘Why have you stopped speaking with me’, or ‘I am waiting for your call’.&nbsp;
But what really forced her to act was when Ekta found out that he was sending similar texts to her younger sister.&nbsp;
“I’ve had enough,” she told us. “He abused me all these years but I won’t let him abuse my sister.” &nbsp;
Ekta, Rajiv and Luna are not the real names of the students.&nbsp;

‘Art Lover’ accused of sexual abuse

It was 8:15 in the evening of 25 March 1968 when everyone in the village of Batulechaur near Pokhara heard a deafening sound like thunder as a bright flashing object hurtled down to land in a field.&nbsp; That field belonged to Kul Timilsina, and the next morning he retrieved a sheet of metal about 2m by 1m and carried it home with the help of a few others, thinking it would be useful for his buffalo shed.&nbsp; Before he died at age 83 three years ago, Timilsina had told photo archivist Sunil Ulak that the black metal sheet was not rectangular and had rounded corners. There are a few witnesses still alive who have a clear recollection of the object that fell from the sky that night.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024120707128_75cc85aac56b9cc4a77366471f058d7b3eb6868776811b0923845c2d0a61f014.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="2024120707128_75cc85aac56b9cc4a77366471f058d7b3eb6868776811b0923845c2d0a61f014" data-rendition-name="original" width="1170" height="601" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> <figcaption>The field in Batulechaur belonging to Kul Timilsina where fragments of a flying object fell from the sky in 1968.</figcaption> </figure>  One of them is Timilsina’s wife Gyanu, who was 22 at the time. She had been at home, and remembers hearing the big bang and the sky becoming very bright. “We saw the thing in the field in the morning,” she told us. “It looked like a lid, a covering of some sort. The way it was stuck in the ground, it must have fallen from the sky. We thought we could use it to dry clothes on, and took it home.”&nbsp; Another witness is Kul Narayan Paudel. “I was only eight then. We ran to the field to see what had fallen. It was a four-sided metal sheet. The elders took it away, and I don't know what happened to it.” &nbsp; Ram Bahadur Baniya, a teacher at the local school, says he had heard the sheet had been brought to the school, and later handed over to the Zonal Commissioner at the time, Nanda Prasad Malla. “But that is all hearsay,” he says.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024120707128_0bf207a12063fb8155b3c8d9a00a94887b126380c9e0627527c84cf5e1101f54.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024120707128_0bf207a12063fb8155b3c8d9a00a94887b126380c9e0627527c84cf5e1101f54" data-rendition-name="original" width="1170" height="610" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> <figcaption>Gyanu Timilsina, wife of Kul Timilsina.</figcaption> </figure>  There are two versions of what happened to Kul Timilsina’s metal sheet. One is that an American Peace Corp Volunteer teaching at the nearby Bindyabasini School took it, and another is that it was handed over to the government. Recently declassified Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and US State Department documents from the time say that the US Embassy in Kathmandu tracked down the object two years later and had it shipped back to the US. A telegram from the Department of State and Department of Defense tagged as ‘MOON DUST / Space Fragments’ dated 1 March 1972 stated: ‘1. Restored space fragment will be on board Embassy support flight 115 arriving Kathmandu on or about March 10. Fragment is packed in shipping crate (cargo no. 72-33365) marked in care of DAO.&nbsp; 2. State and Defense representatives examined fragments prior to shipment finding restoration acceptable.’  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071212_929d903ee06d41baa4f6040e981cd7c7d7bd75cc9c37c9b617d307fc8538d2df.png" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241207071212_929d903ee06d41baa4f6040e981cd7c7d7bd75cc9c37c9b617d307fc8538d2df" data-rendition-name="original" width="856" height="568" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> <figcaption>Declassified CIA documents about the investigation into the object sighted in Pokhara. </figcaption> </figure>  The documents show that the US government, military and intelligence agencies investigated this incident thoroughly when it occurred, and have continued to revisit it ever since, as recently as five years ago. What is even more intriguing is that the object that fell in Pokhara was not the only unidentified space object that fell to earth that year. There were similar sightings of objects falling from the sky in Ladakh, Sikkim and Bhutan between 19 February and 25 March 1968.&nbsp; These mysteries were the subject of a CIA investigation in 1968 titled ‘<a href="https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP81R00560R000100070007-8.pdf">Sighting of Unidentified Flying Objects in Ladakh, Nepal, Sikkim and Bhutan</a>’, and the report is part of the recent online declassification of 800,000 top-secret documents from the period.&nbsp; &nbsp;Although unidentified flying objects (UFOs) have a connotation now of being alien craft, it could be pieces of satellite, missile, rocket or even aircraft. The CIA report documents six sightings in 1968 and quotes local sources as describing all of them having similar characteristics: bright blue or red streaks in the sky accompanied by loud sounds like lightning and thunder and objects falling to the ground. Aside from the metallic object that was found in Batlechaur, there were other items also found nearby in Tallakot, Tureypasal, Armalakot and Maidan. Whatever the object was, it seems to have disintegrated even before it hit the ground.&nbsp; The CIA report records the first sighting on 19 February 1968 in various parts of Sikkim and Olangchung Gola and Ghunsa in eastern Nepal. The light was said to be ‘long and thin’ and giving out ‘green and red light’. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071212_c3c825027d966a2aedc846970390eebe063957503c7eacc8e01e0517843f9bbb.png" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20241207071212_c3c825027d966a2aedc846970390eebe063957503c7eacc8e01e0517843f9bbb" data-rendition-name="original" width="892" height="596" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara "> </figure>  Two days later on 21 February, a soundless blue object was seen traveling fast across the sky above Thimphu in Bhutan. Then on 4 March there were multiple daytime sightings or white streaks in the sky at Chang La Pass, Fukche and Koyul in Ladakh. There were more sightings in Ladakh on the very day fragments fell near Pokhara on 25 March 1968.&nbsp; After the sightings in Pokhara, rumours started flying in Kathmandu that these were aliens trying to land on Earth, it could be Russian or Chinese spy planes or satellites, and some even say it as a sign from heaven that the end of the world was near. This was at the height of the Cold War. The Russians and Americans were testing their thermonuclear devices as well as intercontinental ballistic missile delivery systems. The Washington-Beijing rapprochement had not yet happened, and China was making quick progress testing atomic bombs. Within two years after its first atomic test, in 1966 China exploded its first hydrogen bomb at the Lop Nur site in Xinjiang, 3,000km to the north from Nepal. After neary six decades, what is still intriguing is that all the sightings within a few months of each other in 1968 were along the Himalayan arc bordering Tibet: from Bhutan, Sikkim Nepal, to Ladakh. The US military intelligence seems to have concluded that this was not a coincidence and there were frequent research trips to the site in Pokhara by American officials in the months after the incident. With the help of the Royal Nepal Army, the region north of Pokhara was thoroughly searched.&nbsp; A confidential memo dated 25 June 1968 by Jerry C Trippy to a ‘Mr Farley’ mentions that the US Air Force’s Foreign Technology Division had decided that the debris could be important because it may be related to a Chinese missile test or a Soviet ‘Vehicle Venik’ rocket.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071216_feb5425692dc36b20187de4e4fcc2ce9fd12b6d9e1b8724398e50bcdbf9032fe.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20241207071216_feb5425692dc36b20187de4e4fcc2ce9fd12b6d9e1b8724398e50bcdbf9032fe" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> </figure>  On 28 August 1968 the US Embassy in Kathmandu sent a letter to Washington DC saying that the object could be of Soviet origin, possibly from when the rocket carrying the ‘Kosmos 208’ satellite re-entered the atmosphere. But why were the fragments falling to earth several weeks apart, and in the same region? No one knows where the metal sheet that Kul Timilsina recovered is now. It was definitely packed in a crate and taken to the US, and although it is rumoured that it was returned that is not very likely. Archivist Sunil Ulak heard from the Timilsina family that CIA officials had returned to the site five years ago. &nbsp; Interest in UFOs peaked in the US in the 1950s, with the Cold War space race and tests of atomic weapons and delivery rockets. CIA and scientists were being sent to investigate sightings, both publicly and privately. Could the Pokhara fragments as well as the sightings in Ladakh and Bhutan actually be alien craft falling to earth? The renewal in interest in space travel in large part due to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, UFOs and sightings are again subjects of public interest.&nbsp; Even 57 years later, even if there was definitive proof about whether the Batlechaur fragment was from a Chinese missile or a soviet rocket, it has not been made public in documents declassified so far. We may never know.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241207071216_b6938795f40731e7657fd6dcbb3cf460a326186a15eb11d4f832f602201ff598.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20241207071216_b6938795f40731e7657fd6dcbb3cf460a326186a15eb11d4f832f602201ff598" data-rendition-name="original" width="642" height="320" loading="lazy" alt="UFO over Pokhara"> </figure>  Sunil Ulak speculates if the debris actually came from an American aircraft, perhaps on an intel mission upon China. “Which could explain why they were so thorough in collecting the fragments in Pokhara,” he says. But that still does not explain the multiple sightings weeks apart in 1968.&nbsp; Indeed, US military aircraft were at that time flying frequent night-time missions from air force bases in India to supply weapons to Khampa guerrilla camps in Nepal located north of Pokhara in Mustang. It could very well be that the Chinese shot down one such aircraft. The other sightings could have been contrails of US spy planes, or Chinese anti-aircraft missiles.&nbsp; There were quite a few developments regarding UFOs in 2024. In a US congressional hearing in July, former intelligence officer David Grusch claimed that the government had long been involved in a program to investigate and retrieve non-human craft crashes, and then try to reverse engineer them. However Grusch did not show any evidence.&nbsp; The UAP Disclosure Act of 2024 was signed into law by Joe Biden in December 2023. It plans to oversee the public disclosure of UFO information. However, there is a clause in it that prevents disclosure if it would cause threats to military defense, intelligence operations or foreign relations.&nbsp; It is unlikely that the declassified documents about sightings in the Himalayan will cause any real surprise about definite evidence of alien life even if it was found. It seems humanity will continue, at least for now, to wonder about curious lights in the sky and whether there is anybody out there.&nbsp;

UFO over Pokhara

When Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) president Rabi Lamichhane was arrested in October on charges of defrauding depositors of cooperatives, the party’s vice president Swarnim Wagle gifted him Fareed Zakaria’s book, Age of Revolutions.
Since then, Lamichhane has been shunted around from Kathmandu to Pokhara to Chitwan and back to Pokhara to attend police investigations and court proceedings. He was being flown to Birganj via Kathmandu on Buddha Air on Monday. There is another pending case in Janakpur.
Human rights groups and civil society have criticised the government for hounding Lamichhane with inhumane treatment that borders on physical torture. The two parties in the coalition, Nepali Congress (NC) and the UML, see Lamichhane’s RSP as a potentially formidable challenge to their power.
Even if the fraud charges against Lamichhane are true, the Nepali public is increasingly looking at the government’s actions through the police and courts as political vendetta.
Despite all the travelling, sometimes by plane and often by road at night, Lamichhane appears to be in high spirits, waving to supporters who often gather if they know he is going to be driven around. A social media video shows him giving high fives to fellow passengers on a recent flight to Pokhara.&nbsp;
In the past weeks, streets in Pokhara have erupted with parallel protests by Lamichhane’s supporters as well as depositors of cooperatives who lost their savings to the scam.&nbsp;
Although family visits are allowed, prison officials in Pokhara told Nepali Times that not many people visit Lamichhane these days. He added, “When he does get visitors, he asks them to bring him books.”
Lamichhane is currently Nepal’s most high-profile public figure in custody, and highlights the stark difference between how influential prisoners are treated compared to ordinary inmates.
There are six prison cells at Kaski District Police Office’s two-story detention centre, three on each floor. And while authorities pack prisoners into already overcrowded cells, Lamichhane has an entire room on the second floor to himself.&nbsp;
He has also been allowed to call his family every few days. Other prisoners are not permitted phone calls except for emergencies.
Meanwhile, Lamichhane’s former business partner Chhabilal Joshi, an ex-Deputy Inspector General of Police with whom he established his Gorkha Media Network, is in custody under the same charges in the prison cell next to him.
Lamichhane is accused of siphoning off depositors' money to the tv network in which he was part-owner and anchor. &nbsp;
Both Lamichhane and Joshi are able to buy food from the police canteen instead of being served the regular meal like other prisoners. Joshi has also given his statement to authorities in Rupandehi and Kathmandu for his alleged role in the scam. Lamichhane is yet to be presented in Kathmandu for questioning.
While he was in custody at the Kathmandu District Police Complex, Joshi expressed his desire to sleep in a police officer’s office, reportedly assuring authorities that he would not run away and he was entitled to certain facilities as a former officer of the law.
“He seemed to be under the impression that he is still a police officer,” says a source at the Kathmandu District Police. “We made it clear to him that as someone accused of a crime, he was not entitled to special treatment.”
Former ministers Balkrishna Khand and Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, and ex-home secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, who were arrested in connection with the fake refugee scam last year, were similarly housed in the offices of law enforcement officials instead of prison cells. Khand has since been released after six months in jail.
While there is no legal provision to keep high-ranking officials in separate detention centres when they are arrested, authorities granting them special facilities is not uncommon. Law enforcement officials say VIP detainees expect preferential treatment while in police custody.
Among those is former Kosi Province minister Lila Ballav Adhikari, who was arrested from Biratnagar on 10 November over his alleged involvement in human trafficking and brought to Kathmandu. Adhikari had flown to Japan without government approval with three individuals on 29 October to attend a cultural conference, but had been sent back to Nepal from Narita.&nbsp;
His three companions were arrested at Kathmandu airport upon their arrival, but Adhikari was able to exit unscathed from the VIP lounge. Adhikari had resigned as the Kosi Province Minister for Internal Affairs and Law when it became public that his companions had been taken into custody, and was himself arrested shortly after. He has since been cleared by the courts.
Throughout his detention, Adhikari was kept separately from other inmates. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Basant Rajouri, head of the Bhadrakali complex, says that while there is no separate detention area for VIPs, some detainees are kept separately depending on the nature of their crime.
However, sources say that arrangements were made for retired judges and others to visit Adhikari frequently worked at the office of a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) during his time in custody.&nbsp;
“He used to constantly pester the authorities to let him sit outside in the sun, and to be able to use the police officer’s shower area,” added an officer.
Adhikari was released on 25 November after the government prosecutor’s office decided not to charge him in a move that was seen to expose the government’s double standards.
Over at Kathmandu’s Dilli Bazar Prison, former Kist Bank CEO Kamal Gyawali emerges from his prison cell into the courtyard of the prison’s ‘Ka (क)’ block every morning with a thick book in his hands, ready to give his daily sermon.
With his long beard, Gyawali, who is serving a prison sentence for banking fraud, looks the part of a religious guru as he implores his rapt listeners to “walk the right path, abandon bad thoughts and turn to scripture and spirituality”.&nbsp;
Afterward, the attendees gather to discuss politics and current affairs. Inmates at his daily sermons at the prison include other high-profile detainees, including former MP Ichchha Raj Tamang, who is in jail for money laundering and cooperatives fraud, former joint secretary Chudamani Sharma, who was convicted of corruption, as well as NC leader Chandra Bahadur Lama and Krishna Bahadur Upreti of the UML both of whom are on trial for embezzling billions of rupees.
Victims of the cooperatives scam that former lawmaker Tamang was involved in have made trips to the prison and requested visits, but he has refused to meet with any of them.
“Tamang often complains that the state has prevented him from returning the money to the victims by locking him up,” says a police officer at the Dili Bazar jail.
“All you hear every day from the VIP prisoners is that they have been framed,” adds the officer. “No one admits that they were involved in misdeeds.”
But while most high-profile prisoners complain about prison conditions, one exception is former provincial lawmaker Deepak Manange, who is serving a sentence at Dilli Bazar Jail for attempted murder.
“He is the happiest prisoner here,” says a warden. “Unlike the others, he doesn’t claim to have been framed, in fact he doesn’t seem to care that he is in prison.”
Manange is detained in the ‘Kha (ख)’ block of the prison complex, which he renovated at his own expense. The block previously housed female prisoners, but Manange used his influence to transfer them elsewhere. He faces no shortage of visitors, who range from political leaders to people from the underworld.
Along with Manange, other well-known prisoners in this block include Nepal Telecom Managing Director Sunil Poudel, and former executive director of the Surakshan Printing Centre Bikal Poudel, who are serving time for corruption.
Former prisoners at Dilli Bazar prison include ex-ministers Khum Bahadur Khadka and Shyam Sundar Gupta, NC leader Ganesh Lama, Maoist MP Balkrishna Dhungel, Nagarik Unmukti Party leader Resham Chaudhary, as well as former IGs Ramesh Chand Thakuri, Om Bikram Rana, and Hem Bahadur Gurung.
Section 54 of Nepal’s Prison Act assigns each prison’s internal administration the
responsibility of governing its prisoners, which means the more favourable the jail management is, the more comfortable it is for prisoners.
Dilli Bazar prison has been the prison of choice for many high-ranking prisoners, especially those convicted of white collar crimes, due to its more accommodating administrators. The prison, which has the capacity to house 700 inmates, is also less crowded than other jails.
Anuj Bhattarai, spokesperson of the Department of Prison Management, says that there is no legal classification in Nepal for felons to be assigned prisons based on the nature of their crimes.
“That Dilli Bazar Jail has a higher number of prisoners convicted of crimes like corruption is most likely a coincidence,” says Bhattarai. “There is no provision for influential people to be able to choose where they will be incarcerated.”&nbsp;
Translated by Shristi Karki from the Nepali original published in himalkhabar.com

What Nepal’s VIP prisoners do in jail

If you were raised in Nepal, you must have picked up its unique set of vocabulary: आन्दोलन, चक्का जाम, बन्द, राँके जुलुस, आफ्नो मान्छे, हाम्रो दल, कर्फु and many more words connoting political protest.
We became familiar with the acrid smell of burning tyres, and eyes smarting from tear gas. And yet, everyone speaks of another revolution in the making. Not by desire, but by suffocation.
We heard speeches about नयाँ नेपाल, but the New Nepal never arrived. The governance system changed, but it did not reflect on people’s lives — except for those close to centres of power. The state is still unreachable and is not bothered about <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/matter-of-life-and-debt">victims of loan sharks</a>, cooperative scams and other injustices.
Politicians continue to speak in sound bites, but fail to deliver. They have mastered the game of pointing fingers towards an external enemy and convincing people that they are never at fault. The political narrative is so disconnected from the actual analysis of the problem that suffocation doesn’t go away after every revolution.
No genuine effort has been made to deliver at all, which is why there is a palpable sense of disillusionment in the air forcing us to seek another revolution, even if Nepal may not be able to afford it.
How has the current system successfully held power, even if the public is deeply frustrated? How is it that for three decades we continue to be led by the same faces, who have time and again, proved to us that they may be great politicians but not national leaders?
<a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/improving-internet-governance-in-nepal">My experience at the epicentre of politics</a> has led me to identify three cultures that have enabled political parties to keep a tight hold on power: acceptance, silence and dependency.
We accept things the way they are. We use fatalistic phrases like “नेपालमा यस्तै हो” or “नेपालको कानुन दैब जानुन”. While this resilience enables us to rise back up from devastating calamities, it is also a reason for our compliance with the status quo.
Despite so many ‘revolutions’ that have led to significant reforms, these phrases keep getting reinforced, to the point that the upcoming generations have made it their lingo.&nbsp;
This acceptance is not a symbol of law-abiding citizens, but citizens living in fear of those in power, unable to ask the whys and why-nots.
Innovation suffocates in this culture of acceptance of the status quo. This is manifested in remarks like “but we don’t have any laws for this,” or “we don’t have the capacity to implement this”. An innovator or entrepreneur therefore has to spend that energy to become a political lobbyist, often educating and convincing the bureaucracy.&nbsp;
Remember when locally assembled <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/designed-and-made-in-nepal">Yatri motorbikes</a>, despite having willing customers, had to suffer to secure license numbers because of a lack of regulations? Instead of creating new laws, the government kept chanting the “We will promote Nepal-made goods” mantra, leaving entrepreneurs in a labyrinth of bureaucracy. The weight of acceptance of the law lies heavily on innovators. Fatalism is a tactic used by those in power to generate mass fear in society.
When we accept, we become silent. This is a pervasive phenomenon. We are trained to keep quiet, lest we ruffle feathers, burn bridges, or not get the help we need in future. We know, yet we don’t speak.
Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/bureaucratic-hurdles-in-researching-nepals-bureaucracy">Bureaucratic hurdles in researching Nepal's bureaucracy</a>, Daniel W Edwards
Here is one example: the 2021 census shows that the number of baby boys born for every 100 baby girls is 112. This is a clear indication of female foeticide because of boy preference in society.
Despite such horrifying realities, there is finger-pointing within the government between the Ministry of Health and Population with the Ministry of Home Affairs. At the citizen level, we know those who are involved in killing girls. Yet, we don’t speak up. The Nepal Medical Council reports state that despite this gender imbalance at birth, there is no indication of any action.
But why would anyone speak against one's own fraternity, no matter how vile the act is?
When we accept and keep quiet, we become dependent on those who yield power. From getting our government procedure completed on time to getting transfers, to accessing any of our legally protected rights as well, we are forced to depend on our networks of चिनेको मान्छे people we know by blood, village, relations, political affiliation.
The culture of dependency has been the established way in Nepal. If you drive a two-wheeler or four-wheeler, and you get into a small accident, you will be asked to sort it yourself, dialing up the most powerful person you know. It becomes a competition of who knows who.
Recently I was told that there were calls from the Ministry of Health and Population and another from the Prime Minister's Office for just one medical position in a private hospital. Each was pushing its own candidate. Guess which candidate got the position.&nbsp;
The dependency of people is not on the laws or the state, it is with people in power, a reliance on the network of somebody who knows somebody, including those not officially in power.
These cultures are deeply ingrained in our heads, and in society. Collectively they form a vicious circle that helps those in power to retain power. This is not the society we want to live in.
Then, what do we do as a collective to break away from this? How do we break away from the cultures of acceptance and silence that have created this dependency? What can we do to ensure that our children do not have to learn the jargon of आन्दोलन before they learn about the state?
These are the cultures political parties need to shed rather than use them to perpetuate their power. This is what <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/opinion/comment/an-alternative-to-alternative-politics-in-nepal">alternative politics</a> needs to be about.
Sumana Shrestha is a member of Parliament’s Education, Health and Information Technology parliamentary committee and represents the Rastriya Swatantara Party.

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