Floated five years ago the idea to connect Hindus from all over the world between Mukti Chhetra (Nepal) to Harihar Chhetra ( Bihar, India) through Kali Gandaki River, the only sacred river to have Saligram, senior advocate and environmental lawyer Prakash Mani Sharma has the finally got this opportunity to raise the issue and discuss among different stakeholders. Following an interim order issued by the Supreme Court on a petition filed by Sharma and others on behalf of Pro-Public, the proposed construction of the Kali Gandaki-Tinau river diversion scheme, which is environmentally, religiously and culturally devastating, come to halt. With this order, advocate Sharma find time to materialize the idea of how to promote religious tourists for the economic prosperity of people living in the region and protect the river’s ecology, environment and religious sanctity
By Keshab Poudel Nov 24, 2022
Although Nepal has been holding elections since 1947 in different political systems and regimes at local and parliamentary levels, Nepal is yet to build an election management body with a credible image. As Nepal is heading for the next general elections on November 20, the parties in the opposition have already started questioning whether Election Commission can hold the election free and fair.
By Keshab Poudel Nov 15, 2022
Following an interim order issued by the Supreme Court on a petition filed by senior advocate and prominent environmental lawyer Prakash Mani Sharma and others on behalf of Pro-Public in July 2020, all activities including the stone queering, sand extractions and proposed preparation for Kali Gandaki River Diversion scheme come to a halt. However, the ecological, cultural and environmental threat to Kali Gandaki, one of the highly important spiritual rivers of Nepal with civilization linkage, remains. Backed by high-level political leadership, massive illegal sand extractions and stone queering continue in some areas and the idea of diversion is yet to remove from Nepal’s Irrigation Master Plan, which proposes to divert rivers in eight different basins. Thanks to the petition and order of the court, people from all walks of life united to protect the river. From the mouth of the river (Damodarkunda in Mustang) and up to the tail of the river at Debghat (Chitwan, Nawalparsi and Tanahu), there is a consensus against diversion and indiscriminate stone and sand queering. However, delaying taking the final decision on the river is causing problems as well. Local levels and communities, who opposed interventions in scared river, have been facing a scarcity of construction materials like sand and stone necessary for infrastructures development and construction of houses calling new order for wise use of resources of the river
By Keshab Poudel Nov 12, 2022
Recently, Nepal has chosen realistic approaches to multilateral issues keeping Nepal’s core national interest in mind. However, Nepal’s foreign policy Mandarins are yet to reform multilateral policy towards Israel with whom Nepal has cordial and warmth relations at the bilateral level
By Keshab Poudel Oct 08, 2022
At a time when some constitutional commissions are struggling to demonstrate their visible presence by exercising their enormous constitutional powers, Chief Elections Commissioner Dinesh Kumar Thapaliya has revealed how studies conducted by Niti Foundation helped them to make the commission’s function effective and strong
By Keshab Poudel Oct 04, 2022
Funded by the European Union and implemented by Helvetas-Nepal in close partnership with local NGOs Women Empowerment Action Forum (WEAF) (Karnali Province) and Sahayogi Samaj Nepal (SSN) (Madhesh Province), Promotion of Youth Engagement in Local Governance Process (PROYEL) has demonstrated how equipping youths with basic information on constitutional, legal process and techniques of handling new digital media can increase the participation of youth to exercise their democratic rights and duties through dialogue and engagement with the local governments.
By Keshab Poudel Sep 29, 2022
By signing an MoU to build 1061 MW Upper Arun project under blended finance, Nepal Electricity Authority and its subsidiary UAHEL have pushed Nepal into a new era in the power sector. This is the first four digit project which will be built by Nepal. In the presence of minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, NEA MD and chairperson of AHEL Kul Man Ghisin signed the MoU with financial Institutions
By Keshab Poudel Sep 28, 2022
Unprecedented global energy crisis created by Russian invasion of Ukraine is pushing some countries in South Asia to the brink of collapse. With surplus hydro-electricity in the grid, Nepal is taking this crisis to transform from fossil fuel to green and clean hydro-electricity. With the backing and support of Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Pampha Bhusal, Nepal Electricity Authority, under the leadership of Managing Director Kul Man Ghising, has pushed Nepal’s energy sector to a new era. After exporting over 365 MW surplus electricity to India daily, NEA has launched a nation-wide campaign to increase the domestic consumption targeting the kitchen for e-cooking and street for e-vehicles
By Keshab Poudel Sep 13, 2022
During her 70 years as a monarch of the United Kingdom, Queen Elizabeth II paid state visits to Nepal twice. However, her love and affection towards Nepal remain immense. The frequent visit by royal family members of the UK at the time of difficulty was a testimony of her love for Nepal and the Nepali people. As Nepal had gone through a devastating earthquake with big suffering, Prince Harry visited Nepal to draw the attention of the global community. Connected through Gurkha over two centuries, Queen Elizabeth II takes the relations between the two independent countries to a new height. As Queen Elizabeth died at the age of 96, Nepalese also lost a guardian and good friend
By Keshab Poudel Sep 09, 2022
As soon as she was appointed as a minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation 14 months ago, the first declaration of MinisterPAMPHA BHUSAL was to reduce the use of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), petroleum products encouraging electricity in kitchens and vehicles. She also announced to the provision of free electricity to poor and marginal people. With the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the prices of petroleum products went almost 100 percent higher, and her agenda of electric cooking and electric vehicles took pace. With a big surplus of electricity at hand, electric vehicles and electric cooking have received a high priority and Nepal has even started to export a huge volume of surplus electricity to India, which some Nepalis always describe as a myth and impossible agenda. Minister Bhusal, who has engineering, spoke to KESHAB POUDEL at her residence in Minister Quarter on the issue of energy transition in Nepal. Excerpts of the interview:
By Keshab Poudel Sep 03, 2022
Having been involved in the Dalit moments, DEVRAJ BISHWOKARMA, chairperson of the National Dalit Commission, has his own way to work to uplift the life and Dalits and end all kinds of discrimination against them. Chairperson Bishwokarma, a young and dynamic, talked to KESHAB POUDEL about various activities and the role of the National Dalit Commission. Excerpts:
By Keshab Poudel Aug 28, 2022
As he started his second year of second tenure, Kul Man Ghising, MD of Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA), has set many new records. Increasing profit margin by 164 percent or Rs. 16.089 billion and exporting electricity worth of Rs.3.88 billion and reducing the electricity leakage, MD Ghising has made many historical achievements. As NEA, a public utility, celebrated its anniversary, MD Ghising has a sigh of relief as he cleared piles of problems left over by his predecessor
By Keshab Poudel Aug 17, 2022
At a time when 14442 (forty-one percent) of youth are elected at local level elections this year, Nepalese youth are celebrating international youth day on 12 August. However, electing youth at the local level cannot alone ensure the engagement of youth in the local governance process. Funded by European Union and Implemented by Helvetas in collaboration with local partners, Youth Sounding Board (YSB) can be a game changer to increase the engagement of youth at the local level governance process.
By Keshab Poudel Aug 11, 2022