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Friday, January 10, 2014

देसले हारेको बेला

देसले हारेको बेला
§  अमृत भण्डारी
मेरा बुढामावली हजुरबुवा धुव्र भट्टराइको २ वर्ष अगाडि ७१ वर्षको उमेरमा निधन भयो । काम र पढाइका सिलसिलामा सानैदेखि जन्मथलो अर्घाखाँची वाङ्गला छाडेपनि उहाँको गाउँप्रतिको मोह मृत्यु हुने समयसम्म कायमै रह्रयो । जागिरे जीवनबाट अवकास पाएपछि जन्म गाउँमा फर्कन लागि भत्कन लागेको घरलाइ जीर्णोध्दार गर्ने प्रक्रियामा मै उहाँको देहवसान भएको थियो । दुखलाग्दो कुरा । तर, अझसम्म सम्झन्छु उहाँले अस्पतालको शैयाबाट भनेका कुरा । उहाँको चाहना थियो वर्षौदेखि बाझो रहेको जरीखोलाको खेतलाइ पुनर्जीवन दिने । धान फलाउने, तरकारी फलाउने, बेच्ने । त्यसबाट आम्दानी लिने । सामुहिक रुपमा काम गर्ने र आम्दानी पनि वाँडफाँड गर्ने । "किन होला हाम्रा गाउँका पनि युवा विदेसिन थालेको ? सबैका खेत बाझिए रे गाउँमा," उहाँ सधै चिन्ता लिने गर्नुहुन्थ्यो ।

खेत बाझो रहने कुरा अर्घाखाँची वाङ्गलाको एक परिवारमा मात्र सिमित रहेन अहिले आएर । अधिकांस नेपाली कृषकले खेतबारी बझाउदै छन् । विदेसिएका छोराछोरीले पठाएको पैसाले सबै चिज किनेर खान थाले । विडम्वना, कतिसम्म भने गाउँघरमा कसैको मरि परेमा मलामी जानका लागि पनि युवा छैनन् । गाह्रो छ अनि सास्तिले वित्न थालेका छन बुढेसकालका समयहरु ।

उता वर्षौदेखि गाउँभरिका कपडा सिलाएर जीविकोपार्जन गर्ने साहिली भाउजुको जीवन उस्तै वेथाले भरिएका छन् । कुनै परिवर्तन आएन उनको जीवनमा । उनका श्रीमान सिलाइ बुनाइ गर्दा गर्दै वर्षौ अगाडि संसारबाट विदा भए । उनले सुख भन्ने केहो बुझ्नै पाएनन् । गाउँभरि डोका बुनेर गर्जो टार्ने माइला टोमटाको जीवन पनि कम सास्तिले भरिएको छैन । सधै वराजु र हजुर भन्दै ठूलावडाले दिएको खाएरै जीवनको अस्ताउने उमेरमा पुगेका छन उनी पनि ।

मिडियामा समाचार आइरहन्छन, लोडसेडिङ्को नयाँ तालिका बनेका, कर्णालीका स्वास्थ चौकिमा सिटामोल नपाइएका, एक किलो नुनको झण्डै सय रुपैयाँ परेका । दैनिक हजारौ युवा कामको सिलसिलामा खाडि मुलुकमा भासिएका । खाडिबाट दैनिकजसो लास नेपालको विमानस्थलमा आएका । यस्ता दुख र अभावका समाचारको लिस्ट बनाउने हो भने रामायण नै बन्नेछ ।

भन्न र सुन्न पनि लाजमर्दो छ । जहाँ एक सेकेण्ड पनि कति मूल्यवान छ विकासका काम गर्नका लागि त्यहि देसका राजनितिक पाटिका नेता महिनौ कसले संविधानसभाको बैठक बोलाउने भनेर आलिसान होटलमा कुखुराका खुट्टा चपाउदै असहमतिमा सहमति गर्नै सहमति भएको गर्जन गर्दै हिड्छन् । वाह क्या वात । जति खाए पनि आफ्नो जादैन के मतलब । अति भयो अब । राजनिति पाटि र नेताले देखाएको चरम गैरजिम्मेवारीले अब पराकाष्ठा नाधिसकेको छ । जनताको धैर्यको बाध फुटिसक्नु पर्ने हो तर अझपनि कसरी सहेर बसेका छन् । धन्य छन नेपाली जनता । ६ वर्षसम्मको नालायकिपन देखेपछि पनि पुन आशाका साथ राजनितिक पाटिलाइ भोट दिएका जनतालाइ राजनितिक पाटिले कति मानमर्दन गर्दैछन अहिले त्यो भनि राख्नु पर्दैन ।

नेपालीलाइ कहाँ फुर्सद छ अहिले राजनितिक सहमतिका लागि हप्तौ, महिनौ, वर्षौ अनि दशकौसम्म पर्खिएर बस्ने ? कहिले बनाउने हो दुर्गममा अस्पताल र दैनिक स्वास्थउपचार नपाएर मर्ने जनसङ्ख्यालाइ बचाउने हो ? कहिले बनाउने हो कर्णालीमा बाटो र १५ रुपैयाँ किलो नुनको भाउलाइ सयबाट १५ रुपैयाँमा बेच्ने अवस्था ल्याउने ? कहिले खानेपानीको स्वास्थ सुविधाको बाटोघाटोका पूर्वाधार बन्ने हुन ? कहिले सुधार्ने हो विग्रीसकेको कृषिप्रणालीलाइ ? कहिले गाउँमै सबै विकासका पूर्वाधार बनाएर गाउँलाइ आत्मनिर्भर बनाउने हो र विदेसिएका नेपालीलाइ देसमै फर्काउने हो ? कहिले बन्द गर्ने हो त्रिभुवन विमानस्थलमा लासका कोफिन आउनका लागि ? कहिले गर्ने हो काठमाडौमा खानेपानीको व्यवस्था ? कहिले गर्ने हो शहरीकरणको व्यवस्थापन ? कहिले गर्ने हो नेपालमा अत्यधिक कफिलगायतका खाध्यान्नको उत्पादन र कहिले पुर्याउने हो अन्तररार्ष्टिय बजारमा र विदसि मुद्रा आर्जन गर्ने हो ? कहिले हुने हो सामाजिक न्यायको विकास ?

माथि दिइएका काम त केही मात्र प्रतिनिधि सूची मात्र हुन । गर्नुपर्ने कामको सूची बनायो भने नेपालकै भूगोल ढाक्ने कागजले पनि नपुग्ने भैसकेको छ । अनि कहाँ फूर्सद छ हामीलाइ कसले संविधान सभाको बैठक बोलाउने भनेर महिनौ विवाद गरिराख्ने । जनतालाइ संधियता भए के ? राजा भए के ? जनतन्त्र भए के ? लोकतन्त्र वा प्रजातन्त्र भए के ? समय र विश्व परिस्थिति अनुकूलको सबै नेपालीले बुझ्ने सासन व्यवस्था भए पुग्छ हामीलाइ । हाम्रो व्यवस्था मात्र विकास हो जहाँ सबै नेपालीले आफू नेपाली भएको गौरव गर्न सक्ने हुन । दुइ छाक खान र ढुक्कसँग जीवनयापन गर्न पाउन् । छोराछोरीले राम्रोसँग पढ्न पाउन् । अनुहारमा सबैको खुसी होस । राज्यले नागरिकका अधिकारको सुनिश्चित गरोस ।

के हामी युवा यति धरै समस्याका अगाडि धैर्य राखेर बस्न सक्छौ ? अझ पनि संयम मात्र अपनाएर टुलुटुलु हेरि मात्र राख्ने हो त ? के हाम्रा सन्तानले पनि यसैगरि नेपालको गरिवीका तथ्याङ्कलाइ अध्ययन गर्दै जाने हुन त ? के गरिवीको दुस्चर्कलाइ अझै बढाउदै जाने हो त ? कति धैर्य लिन सक्छौ नेपाली युवाहरु ? के गाउँगाउँबाट उठ्ने वेला भएन अब ? कति कुम्भकर्णको तालमा सुत्ने हो ? होइन भने के हामी परिवर्तनका लागि तयार छौ ? के नेपाली युवामा देस परिवर्तन गर्नका लागि एक पटक फेरि जोखिम उठाउने क्षमता छ ? जोखिम बन्दुक उठाएर होइन कोदाली उठाउने हिम्मत हामी राख्न सक्छौ ? के हामी अब नयाँ आयामका साथ देसभर नयाँ अभियानमा लाग्न तयार छौ ? के त्यो अहिलेको आवश्यकता होइन ? के हामी भष्ट्राचारमुक्त देसको कल्पना मात्र होइन वास्तविकतामा पनि भष्ट्राचारमुक्त देस बनाउन सक्छौ ? हजारौ युवाका सपना इच्छाशक्ति कहा गए र हामी दसकौ पनि उहि पुरातनवादी विचार वोकेका इच्छाशक्ति नभएका पाटिका पुच्छर समातेर हिडेका छौ ? हाम्रो लगनशीलता र पौरख कहाँ गयो ? के हामी सधै विदेशिनका लागि प्रमाणपत्र बोकेर दुतावास दुतावासमा लाइन बस्न जाने हो ?

नयाँ अभियानका लागि के हामी अहिले नै हाम्रो सबै स्वार्थ त्यागेर नमुनाका रुपमा अगाडि बढ्न सक्छौ ? हो सक्छौ भने किन ढिला गरिराखेका छौ हामीले ? के मेरो गाउँकि साइली भाउजु र माइला दाइ जस्ता लाखौ परिवारमा खुसी ल्यानका लागि हामीले नयाँ जागरण गर्ने समय भएन अब ? हो भयो भने सधैभरि मिठा भाषण गर्ने गगन थापा देसका लागि के पाटि परित्याग गरेर नयाँ अभियानमा आउन तयार छौ ? के गोकर्ण विष्ट जस्ता नेता एमालेसँगै सबै स्वार्थ छोडेर नयाँ अभियानमा लाग्न सक्ने क्षमता राख्छन् ? के रेडियो र मिडियामा छाउने रविन्द्र मिश्र, विजयकुमार, नारायण वाग्ले, युवराज धिमिरेलगायतका मिडियाकर्मि एक पटक सबै चिज छोडेर देसको नयाँ नक्शा कोर्न बाहिर निस्कने क्षमता राख्छन ? नामको सूची लम्विन सक्छ के हामी सबै युवा आआफ्ना स्वार्थ र लोभ छोडेर १० वर्षका लागि विष्मयकारी अभियानमा नशा लागे जस्तो लठ्ठिन तयार छौ ?

हिम्मत छ निस्वार्थरुपमा नागरिक समाजको अगुवा बन्नका लागि ? के मिडियामा लागेका मिडियाकर्मि, स्वास्थसेवाकर्मि, इन्जिनियर, समाजसेबी, वुघ्दिजीवि सबैले चिन्ता मात्र प्रकट गरेर देस बन्छ ? जबजब देसले हार्न थाल्छ सबैले टुलुटुलु हेरेर बस्छौ भने तिमिहरुलाइ देसले श्राप दिनेछ । देसमा तिमीहरु जस्ताले नयाँ अभियानका लागि अगुवा गर्न थाल्यौ भने जनताले पनि विश्वास गर्न थाल्नेछन । के तिमीहरु अब स्वार्थका सबै पोका १० वर्षका लागि थन्काएर देस चलाउने अभियानमा लाग्न सक्छौ ?

अचम्म लाग्छ तिमीहरु कसरी धैर्य लिदै रातभर निदाउन सकेका छौ ? यतिवेला देसले हारेको छ । राजनितिक पाटि नालायक भैसकेका छन् । खुलेयाम भष्ट्राचार मौलाएको छ । सरकारी संयन्त्र विगठनतुल्य भएको छ । सिमित व्यक्तिले राज्यको सम्पति कुम्ल्याएको कुम्ल्याइ छन । के अब अति भएन ? मुख खोल्ने समय भएन ? पत्रकार हौ वा वकिल, डाक्टर हौ वा इन्जीनियर, व्यवसायी हौ वा उधमि के अव तिमीहरु सडकमा आउने बेला भएन ? सबैलाइ समेट । आव्हान गर । हातमा हात मिलाउ । अब देसले तिमीहरुसँग थप परीक्षा लिन चाहन्न ।

देसमा भएको स्रोत साधनलाइ सदुपयोग नगरेर हामी विदेसी बस्तुको उपभोग गर्न थालेका छौ । के तिमीहरुको मन खुसी छ ? मेरा हजुरबुवाले भनेजस्तो कहिले सुधार ल्याउने हो कृषि प्रणालीमा । कहिलेसम्म हजारौ विगा जरीखोलाका खेतवारी जस्ता उत्पादनमूलक जग्गालाइ बाझै राखेर कोफिनमा ल्याएको पैसा गनेर देसको आर्थिक स्तर बढेको घमण्ड गर्ने हो ?

के नयाँ अभियानका लागि नेपालमा कुनै सपुत जन्मेको छ ? कोही छ नेपालमा जिउदो मान्छे जसले १० वर्षको कार्यक्रम ल्याएर देसलाइ परिवर्तनउन्मुख बनाउने हिम्मतवाला ? कि सबै मरिसके ? र देस मसानघाट जस्तो भैसक्यो ? जहाँ दिनदहाडै देसलाइ बलत्कार गरेको हेर्न सक्ने नागरिक छन त्यस देसमा कसरी परिवर्तन आउछ ? कसैको हिम्मत छ एक सरो कपडा बोकेर नाङ्गीएको देसलाइ लगाइदिने ?  बलत्कृत देसलाइ मनोवैज्ञानिकरुपमा शितलता दिदै पुनर्जीवन दिने, कसैले हिम्मत गर्न सक्छ ? छ भने अब ढिला नगर । बाहिर आऊ । देस अब कसले झिनामसिना बैठक डाक्ने जस्ता लफडामा समय वरबाद गर्न चाहन्न । कसिङ्गर हटाएर नयाँ फरम्याटमा देसलाइ नेतृत्व देऊ । लाखौ युवा देसका लागि जीवन बलिदान गर्न तयार छन् ।
भण्डारी वासिङ्टन डिसीस्थित रहेको भिजन फर नेपाल फाउण्डेशनसँग आवध्द छन् ।



Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Due to Early Warning System

§  AMRIT BHANDARI
With the start of monsoon showers fears and worries of the people residing by waterfront areas begin to increase. The incessant heavy rainfall panics the residents in those areas especially when the downpour leads to massive floods leaving the residents in a state of despair. The rainy season is a curse to the panic-stricken denizens living in the bank of or nearby the river. Every year the settlements nearby the rivers suffer from significant loss of their property and physical displacement caused by the unprecedented level of flood. Furthermore, the flood claims the lives of people, ravages their farmland and other property leaving a number of people homeless.

Here I have a short article that explains how Early Warning System established by Practical Action with financial support of ECHO's disaster preparedness programme (DIPECHO) helped them to move from flood prone settlement to a safe place this year. The story is based on field information.  

The advent of early monsoon this year has already portrayed its horrific pictures, a bad omen for coming days during monsoon, causing severe consequences and leaving thousands of people homeless in Darchula district. On the other part, an incessant rain begun on 15 June this year in Bardiya district unexpectedly caused to raise water level of Karniali River at Chisapani. While the Karnali relentlessly continued to swell with the possibility to invade into a number of villages in Bardiya, an electronic display board at District Police Office in Bardiya was updating information on overflowing water level through the tele-matric system established by Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DHM). Parbati Gurung, a staff of DHM located at Chisapani station was observing the gushing Karnali River and updating information to District Police, Administration and Branch office of Red-Cross intermittently in every 15 minutes.
People leaving for safe places with their belongings

On 17 June, during afternoon, the river approximately crossed the danger line of gauge reader at Chisapani. The Chief District Officer, Bardiya, Dr. Man Bahadur BK was then informed henceforth he wasted no single second to call an emergency meeting with Nepal Army, Armed Police Force, Red-Cross and other stakeholders to keep them alert and prepare for the rescue and support.   

Mahesh Chandra Gautam, President of Nepal Red-Cross Society, Branch Office, Bardiya divulges that District Administration, Police and Red-Cross staff were analysing the information provided by the tele-metric system and Parbati Gurung. The digital board placed by Practical Action was giving the information based on level of water at Chisapani. 

No sooner the digital board showed that the water level at Chisapani was nearly crossing the danger line, the community radio in Bardiya frequently started airing information on possible danger in order to make communities alert residing nearby the river. The Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and other stakeholders hurriedly marched toward the flood prone settlements to help evacuate people to the protected areas. An alerting siren started ringing in Rajapur, Bhimmapur, Daulatpur, Patabhar, Manau, Khairichandapur, Gola and Pashupati Nagar of Bardiya Districts. No sooner the flood invaded their settlement, people in the areas begun to collect their important belongings, documents, foods, and clothes and left home to the safe places. About 2620 people were lifted to the safe vicinities.   

A local from Patabhar, Bardiya, Purna Ram Tharu reminisces, "We were terribly frightened while we knew that the river is crossing danger line and entering our settlement. But thank god, we could successfully leave our place before the flood intrudes into our settlement. No human loss we had to bear this time." Similarly Khusi Ram Tharu, President of Patabhar Disaster Risk Management Committee shares his experiences, "No one is injured in such a big flood, no considerable loss we faced. We had time to march on towards the safe places with our belongings. We now realised that how Early Warning System helps us in avoiding the precarious impact of flood."  

People using tractor to carry their belongings to a safe place
Thakur Tharu, President of Disaster Management Committee, Rajapur says, "The Early Warning System established in various places of Bardiya helped wonderfully this time as they were informed about a flood before it entered the village. The System also allowed us to assemble ours important documents and other properties and move swiftly to a safe place. No sooner the flood got into the village; the people were informed by ringing sirens and had already moved to the safe places." The Disaster Management Committee warned villagers, disseminating information about the flow of a flood, using microphones. The committee also prioritised the safety of pregnant women, disabled people, and children to prepare them to leave for safe areas. The trained committee members nicely performed their duty in this crucial time. People lifted in the safe areas were taking shelter in the local schools. When the water level went down all the families has now gone back to their home again. Thanks to the system established!

The Early Warning System established by Practical Action with financial support of the ECHO's disaster preparedness programme (DIPECHO) has now proved one of the important system to avoid the human and materials loss due to flood. The project has also provided equipment and accessories such as sirens, mikes, jackets, boats and strings for handling emergency in case of flood.

Birkha Bahadur Sodari, Patabhar says, "We heard the loud sirens in our village then we became alert and started packing important documents, property and food and prepared to leave for a safe location. Again for the second time we heard the sound of the siren then immediately moved to a safe place.” The disaster management committee also worked perfectly in that critical situation. Thanks to Practical Action, ECHO and the project, mitigation infrastructure such as culverts and roads were in place to allow people to move quickly during floods.

It is now well-known and proved that The Early Warning System installed in the Bardiya is highly effective guards against floods and flood-led natural disasters. If the system is promoted by the state in flood prone areas across the country, settlements close to riverfront areas will not face untimely deaths and loss of property. 

The writer works at Practical Action and can be reached at abamritofficial@gmail.com

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

A LITTLE ACT OF IGNORANCE

  • AMRIT BHANDARI
It was last November when I was returning from Bangladesh to Nepal after participating in an international workshop on knowledge management. My itinerary contained a four hour-long transit in the Hazrat Shahjalal International airport, Dhaka that offered me to meet many immigrant Nepali workers returning home from Malaysia and the Gulf region. Thanks to the approaching Dashain festival, the crowd appeared bigger than usual.

Transit hours are mostly painful especially for a frequent and seasoned traveller and when hours are long; even for occasional flyers, airport transit time is not pleasant either. I got taken a back when I found that some of these Nepalese workers were stranded in transit for last 16 hours. Few recounted that they have not had any food for 2 days. Others were crafting their arrival pictures in Tribhuvan International Airport anticipating that they would be welcomed by their family and friends with open arms. One young fellow in his late 30s spoke his heart, “I am desperate to meet my parents.” It has been exactly three years since I left my wife and daughter. I am restlessly waiting to meet my daughter who was mere five months old when I left home," another worker returning from Saudi revealed his aching saga.

When I listen to sagas of struggle and sacrifice, my heart filled with emotions and sheer kindness. Some of these returnees had spent half a decade in Saudi Arabia; there were few ones who were returning after a year of trial and tribulations in Malaysia and realizing that this was not right pursuit for them. By and large, returnees looked anxious, exhausted and bemused, as the transit woes didn’t seem to alleviate anytime soon. But finally, airlines authorities announced that it was time to board the plane. No sooner the announcement was made, scores of passengers rushed to the check-in counter as if there were bumper prizes for the first in line. The congregation was as haphazard as the political demonstration. Only after repeated request of airline staff to form a proper line, the crowd become little more orderly and disciplined. Except handful of foreigners, most of the passengers were Nepalese living overseas for work.

No doubt, all the passengers were impatiently waiting to get to their destination but our fellow citizens wee brusque and unusually restless. Many seemed to be ignorant of common rules such as making line, waiting for one’s turn and thanking the other for help, if any. For some time, there was an uproar brought in by the stubbornly absentminded crowd. Oops, the airport staff took a long breath. "Can you please help me form a line and respect others’ right," he was asking passengers. As I continued to witness the entire situation, I felt sorry for the staff that he was so helpless before a crowd that was taking his advice with a pinch of salt.

Even the most haphazard and disorderly act must come to an end, whatever the ways we took we all boarded plane. No sooner I grabbed my seat, I breathed a sigh of relief. The crewmember briefed about safety instructions to be followed on board, and the captain made final announcement, the plane took off. It had not even been 15 minutes since the plan took off and was still manoeuvring its ways to get to its route, our fellow brothers began to unfasten their seat belt and leave their respective seats albeit the seat belt sign was still on. The crowd began to form line in order to use the restrooms. One by one, literally every other Nepali passenger left their seat and consequently the line got surprisingly too long. When the cabin staff noticed such a long line in the plane that was beyond general control, she began to repeatedly ask passengers to come turn by turn. She was telling, "It is all for your safety. Please come to toilet in turn. You do not need to make a long line here." She was irked by the passengers' ways to use toilet.

As I became unusually vigilant about the on-going chaos and confusion with paranoid of being at a considerable height, I recalled an incident that took place at Tribhuvan International Airport few years ago that one of the passengers had opened the emergency door of a plane that was ready to take off. No wonder he was also a fellow countryman. While I understand that majority of us are not savvy travellers, but even at the limited engagements we come across with, we do not become thoughtful and deliberate to learn and improve our habits and skills.

We even do not care of the dreadful repercussions of our actions that harm ourselves. Especially when our feet are in alien lands, both our verbal and non-verbal acts in the public display our character and represent our nation. Any social act of indecency and indiscipline shatter our national dignity and pride. Keep aside all social etiquettes including the respect for others’ right and dining manners; these worker-travellers seemed to be oblivious of even the basics of air travel.
I was severely embarrassed to be the mute witness of what was happening around me. From her murmuring, it was obvious this problem was routine to her. Cabin crew seemed helpless but my extraordinary analysis revealed that these occasional worker-travellers were not to be blamed entirely for the mess. Soft skills such as dining out, speaking in public, or even air travel etiquettes can be learned only through experience and education. For many of these labourers who make to capital city for the first time from their home town just to fly overseas for work, none of us should take for granted that they better know how to behave.

Manpower agencies working for them are the ultimate pathfinders who could prepare them in advance just not on the areas of soft skills but also on the areas of workplace safety, insurance protection and workers’ right. And it’s the Nepal Government who must be vigilant enough on these agencies if procedures have been put in place and protocols have been followed well. A little act of ignorance can jeopardise the national image beyond its boundaries.

Bhandari is an anthropologist.

Monday, July 30, 2012

Flood Early Warning System for all

Amrit Bhandari
With the start of monsoon showers fears and worries of the people residing by waterfront areas begin to increase. The incessant heavy rainfall panics the residents in those areas especially when the downpour leads to massive floods leaving the residents in a state of despair. The rainy season is a curse to the panic-stricken denizens living in the bank of or nearby the river. Every year the settlements nearby the rivers suffer from significant loss of their property and physical displacement caused by the unprecedented level of flood. Furthermore, the flood claims the lives of people, ravages their farmland and other property leaving a number of people homeless. While settlements in majority of riverfront areas across the country continue to suffer from monsoon-led natural disasters, a community residing nearby the Babai River in Bardiya District, Balapur now is beginning to breathe with a sigh of relief after the installation of Early Warning System in their village.

Balapur village touches Babai River in three directions and the river flows through approximately one and half kilometer away from the village. During the rainy season, the swelling river would enter into the Balapur from Shanti and Babai settlements. "It was very difficult to live in this village. It was in 2052 BS the flood drowned my three goats, cows and the whole food stored at my home. The flood also washed away my paddy plantation. I could not even protect documents important to me and materials kept at my home. The whole village was waterlogged," says Tihar Bahadur Chaudhary, Balapur village.

The swelling Babai River again invaded Balapur in 2063 BS and swept away the home of Sabit Kumar Chaudhary. His four goats including food grain and other physical properties were drowned. "I could save nothing," says helpless Sabit Kumar in retrospect," We were hapless." Manuwa Chaudhary reminisces the days when everything he owned was inhaled by water in front of his eyes in 2052. The family was compelled to spend several days eating beaten rice only. He is the sole breadwinner in the eight-membered family. "When rainfall would start, we would be panic and distress. No one could sleep at night with ease," Manuwas recalls those heartbroken memories.

People in Balapur were compelled to live in this trouble for a long time. However, when Practical Action with financial support of the ECHO's disaster preparedness programme (DIPECHO) installed Early Warning System in this village, people living here have reasons to cheer up. People living in the poverty have received relief from the project. The project has also provided equipment and accessories such as sirens, mikes, jackets, boats and strings for handling emergency in case of flood.

The department of hydrology and meteorology (DHM) under the Ministry of Science and Technology has established a water gauge reader (an equipment to scale the water level) in upper station of Babai at Chepang. The staff working for DHM positioned in the upper station observes the water level. If they find the water level rising to a dangerous line, they quickly inform to the police administration, media, and rescue officials and also to the communities. Practical Action has facilitated the communities to build a good rapport with DHM to channelise the information as quickly as possible so that the flood could cause limited harm. The communities are informed about the flood through the two sirens installed in Babai village.

After the installation of this System, Balapur dwellers get information of flood before it enters into the village. The System also allows the residents to assemble their important documents and other properties and move swiftly to the safe place. No sooner the flood enters into the village; people are informed by ringing the sirens. Additionally, surrounding communities have formed disaster management committee in the local level. The committee warns villagers disseminating information about the flow of flood using mikes. The committee also prioritises pregnant women, disable people, children in the first place. The committee members are trained in flood awareness and preparedness procedures. Moreover, there is a separate rescue unit under disaster management committee, responsible for immediate rescue operations and other locally developed procedures such as pulling the people drowned in the water using strings and boats.

The system is solely installed with full participation of communities and therefore the community owns the system and maintains it and upkeep the safe custody of equipment and accessories. Interestingly, the communities are able to operate the System on their own as the project has already built their capacity with various training and practices.

Sitapati Tharu says," If the observer in the upper station finds the water level rising to a crucial level, we can hear the loud sirens in the village. If the siren rings for the first time, we become alert and start packing up the important documents, property and foods and prepare for the makeshift to the protected places. If we again hear the sound of the siren we then immediately move to the safe places." The Balapur dwellers are delighted after the installation of this system that their lives are not at stake and they have emergency handling procedure in place. Such security procedures not only help them safe their lives but also to protect their belongings. The disaster management committee upon notice of the second siren sounds prepares shifting the pregnant women, disables people and children to the safe areas. As soon as villagers hear the third round of siren sounds, all of them run away surging their livestock on and carrying other materials to the safe places.

Thanks to the project, mitigation infrastructure such as culverts and roads are in place to allow people move quickly during flood. The project also organises mock drill practices to build capacity of communities. Mock drill is a rehearsal to make communities alert on how should be prepared at the time of flood.

Sitapati Tharu tells about the System," Before this system was installed, flood water would enter into our village without our notice and damage our lives. We would lose everything we had. Thanks to the support, our life has drastically changed after the installation of flood monitoring system in our area- we have early notice at our disposal. We are now able to prevent the damages and live a more worry free life.” The project also constructed a bio-dike to protect the farmlands of Babai villagers. A robust dam is constructed with environment friendly measures and planted bamboos trees. The dam has protected the farmland where villagers produce vegetables and other crops for their subsistence and incomes.

The flood entered into the Balapur in 2052 and 2063 damaging everything and causing a great loss, both physically and financially. People living here had great shortage of drinking water. They were compelled to drink contaminated water; many suffered from diarrhea. Villagers painfully recollect the bygone days and loss of their property. Manuwa Tharu vividly yet harrowingly reminisces," In 2052 when flood entered into our village I carried my child on my shoulder and fled the area. To make things worse, I was stumbled at a stone and both of us nearly lost our lives. The life was very challenging and miserable."

It is learnt and observed that The Early Warning System installed in the Balapur, Bardiya has been a proven and highly effective guard against floods and flood-led natural disasters. If the system is promoted by the state in the flood prone areas across the country, settlements close to riverfront areas will not face untimely death and loss of property.

The author works at Practical Action Nepal Office.
abamritofficial@gmail.com

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Awareness or agitation

AMRIT BHANDARI
A number of studies and researches have been carried out on the topic of public awareness. Writers and publishers of these researches and studies often tout the impact of their findings in creating an increased level of social awareness in Nepalese society. Media reports and press releases from institutions working primarily on social and economic development appear every now and then to our knowledge. Furthermore, political parties, donor agencies and some non-governmental organisations in an effort to promote their vested interest have historically emphasised their performance reports only to make public feel that they’re only concerned on catch-as-catch-can initiatives. And there is one upper crust of the society that increasingly appears to be crediting to Maoist party that the heightened social, political and cultural awareness in the Nepali communities is the result of a decade-long internal conflict waged by the Maoists .What a credit theft!

As I reflect on the decade-long Maoist conflict and changing landscape of Nepalese society, I am always reminded of a line by Bijay Kumar in his article in a daily paper – “raising awareness in a society and making the society agitated are two different jobs.” As a student of social science and a development worker, issues pertaining to social awareness and its impact on societal harmony, wellbeing and human development are few areas I am truly passionate about and accordingly continue to engage and involve myself in learning, deciphering and writing about the topic. I wanted to dig deeper in the topic of social awareness this time and began my study bottom up. The lexical meaning of ‘awareness’ as defined by http://www.thefreedictionary.com happens to be the– “knowledge of, understanding of, appreciation of, recognition of, attention to, perception of, consciousness of, acquaintance with, enlightenment with, sensibility to, realization of, familiarity with, mindfulness of, cognizance of, sentience of.” As I flip through books on social sciences and related literature, I find what we call awareness is too broad and we’ve a long way to get there to be a society that’s fully cognizant of social and cultural issues for the society to be on the higher scale of human development index.

My personal research on the issue of awareness urged me to reassess the definitions of awareness as coined by self-declared elite group and self-declared intellectuals. I wonder why they never attempt to understand and explain through precise methodology and facts how Nepali societies are at a new height of social awareness as they claim. If the awareness as they assert is factual, one would imagine a greater harmony in societies, increased accountability and transparency in government offices and high level of professionalism in companies and respectful and healthy exercising of democratic rights. I believe a society with high level of awareness would not be engaged in violent strikes in the street of capital city burning tires that produces a hazardous smoke jeopardizing the human health. Ministers caught publicly in bribery activities wouldn’t hold power and cabinet wouldn’t decide to doll out cash from government coffer to political activists. Baban Singh, the most wanted person in the list of the police would have not been elected as a lawmaker by the people in the Constituent Assembly of Nepal if level of social awareness was at its best as claimed by reports and publications.

The credit frequently given to the people's war that stretched for more than ten years and cost thousands of lives – if by any means was a major contributor in raising political awareness in Nepal, were real, Nepalese people perhaps would not elect a candidate like Baban Singh. If the people's war had been successful in raising political awareness among the ordinary people, there would not be rampant cases of homicides, abductions and extortions across Nepal in the name of revolution. If awareness is defined in one's favorable spectrum it is essential that one have to self-evaluate his/her past activities. And there is another faction of so-called intellectuals who also claim and credit it trying to attest to the public that their activities and intellectual intervention have been successful to radiate awareness among the marginalized people. Contrary to the rising number of documented cases of Dalit issues such as challenges in collecting water from public taps, one strata of the society drums up that the years-long caste discrimination rooted in the Nepali communities has been reduced because of their involvement. What an irony!

Had the level of social awareness truly scaled up, we would have observed a respectful democratic exercise within society, conscientious public interaction and peaceful social debates. While the level of awareness may not be precisely quantified like demographic data, but there are time tested yardsticks such as the solution of conflicts on the basis of caste, religion, region, and communities that can provide a credible basis in determining level of social and human development. In a fully civilized, informed and socially and culturally aware society, people enjoy their rights that the state assured them without any discrimination on the basis of language, caste, region, politics or any other form. From what’s happening in Nepali society despite the claims of progress made by intellectuals and politics alike, I find that wrong approaches are being applied to achieve win over delicate issues like social awareness, justice and equitable distribution of societal rewards.

Presently, many institutions seem to be applying flawed approaches to reduce the caste discrimination by only mainstreaming Dalit people would not definitely solve the problem unless people from upper caste are aware of the rights of the lower caste people. However, making Dalit people agitated against upper caste people begets the new form of conflict in a society. Challenging and creating chaos in a society to obtain and enjoy rights of certain people and group doesn’t make a right example of civilized and responsible society as falsely attested by by intellects and social pundits.

The claim that awareness has been raised and people from all walks of life are able to fully exercise their rights while being aware of their responsibilities fails here to answer some critical questions. One could figure out how socially aware we are when the head of government, the prime minister has to take the lead in campaigning for one of the most basic jobs of metropolitan city, road cleaning and garbage disposal in pubic space. A populous political campaign or a lack of conscience? Mr. always-first probably knows the right answer. Those in the ranks, the elite folks and the intellectual ones would not throw their domestic waste to the streets from their car window. In an ideal society with heightened level of awareness, the ambulance would get its way to hospital without any traffic hassle, other drivers on the road would pay their special attention for the ambulance's siren and help the ambulance to get its way. But it’s unfortunate to see when critical life services like ambulances are mistreated and when doctors and nurses go on a strike when patient is fighting with his life. Education does only seem to do so much in life. Wisdom comes from a broader set of life’s lessons.

If our society were reasonably au fait with general principles of life and societies, the poor people would be knowledgeable about cleaning their hands before and after eating food, after using toilets; we could save thousands of lives every year. People would drink water and Jivban Jal at the time of dehydration that would save their life.

In a country where declaration of open defecation zone acquires headlines of newspapers, it is worthless to claim that awareness has been raised. It is not the fault and guilt of ordinary people; however, it is the serious question to those who claim that they have raised awareness in the societies. Moreover, if the political awareness were created during the people's war, there would not be such a significant delay in drafting the constitution of Nepal. In a country where political leaders are not aware of their roles and responsibilities, how could they claim that they have created awareness in the society? Awareness and conscience need to be reflected on their duty and assignments. Awareness is not a weapon to be used for the fulfillment of someone's interest by deceiving the ordinary people and making them agitated to take to street against one group for another, one community to others, one caste to another, and one region to another. It is necessary to understand the differences in between awareness and agitation and it takes wisdom to decipher that difference.

The writer has master's degree in Anthropology.
abamritofficial@gmail.com

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

सामाजिक उत्तरदायित्व खोइ ?

अमृत भण्डारी
The article is published in Gorkhapatra Daily on 20 Feb 2012 and can be read in the link - http://www.gorkhapatra.org.np/gopa.detail.php?article_id=63719&cat_id=18
१८ औँ र १९ सौँ शताब्दीमा अमेरिकामा नागरिक उत्तरदायित्व भनेको केही जनताले जनताकै हितका लागि कुनै पनि काम गर्नु हो भन्ने बुझिन्थ्यो। त्यो चाहे आगलागीका क्रममा स्वयं सेवा प्रदान गर्ने होस् वा अन्य यस्तै कार्य जसमा जनता स्वयं सेवा गर्ने भन्ने धारणाबाट अभिप्ररित हुने गर्दथे। सन् १९६० को दसकमा सामुदायिक र नागरिक उत्तरदायित्व भन्ने विषय अमेरिकामा निकै प्रचलित थिए। त्यतिबेला शीतयुद्ध र युद्धका अन्य चुनौती सबैका लागि सामूहिक त्रास बनेका थिए जसबाट जोगिन अमेरिकन नागरिक स्वतस्फूर्त एकतामा बाँधिएका थिए।

नेपालमा भने सामाजिक उत्तरदायित्वको विषयले कहिले पनि प्राथमिकता पाएको देखिँदैन। देशप्रेमको भावनाबाट निर्देशित भएर लाग्ने नेतृत्वको अभाव नेपालले सदियौंदेखि भोग्दै आएको छ। वास्तवमा विश्वका अधिकांश देश एक न एकपटक विभिन्न किसिमको सङ्क्रमणकालीन अवस्थाबाट गुजि्रएको पाइन्छ। हाम्रै छिमेकी देश भारत लामो समयसम्म बि्रटिसको उपनिवेशमा बस्न बाध्य भयो। त्यही समयमा भारतले महात्मा गान्धी जस्ता नेता जन्माउन सफल भयो र उनकै नेतृत्वको कुशलता र क्षमताले भारत स्वतन्त्र हुन पुग्यो। महात्मा गान्धीबाटै अभिप्रेरित भएका अमेरिकाका नागरिक मार्टिन लुथर किङले अमेरिकामा काला जातका मानिसमाथि हुने भेदभावमा गान्धीकै विधि अपनाएमा काला जातिको अधिकार संरक्षण हुनसक्ने कुरामा विश्वस्त भए।

किङ मूलतः गान्धीको एक भनाइबाट निकै प्रभावित थिए। गान्धीले शान्तिपूर्ण अभियानमा भनेका थिए-"हाम्रो दुःख र वेदनाबाट हामीले बि्रटिसलाई हामीमाथि अन्याय भएको महसुस गराउनेछौँ।" अर्थात् आफ्नो हक अधिकार खोसिएको, आफू सामान्य नागरिक अधिकारबाट वञ्चित भएको र यसले गर्दा देशका जनताले एक पीडादायक जीवन गुजारेको भन्ने कुरा बि्रटिसलाई महसुस गराउनुपर्दछ भन्ने ध्येय गान्धीले राखेका थिए। यसै भावनाबाट प्रेरित भएर भारतका जनताले नागरिक अवज्ञा अभियानबाट भारतलाई बि्रटिसबाट मुक्त बनाएर एक स्वतन्त्र राज्य बनाउन सफल भए। मार्टिन लुथर किङ पनि लामो समयसम्म अमेरिकाका काला जातका नागरिकको हक र अधिकारका लागि नागरिक स्वतन्त्रता अभियानमा लागे। न्ाागरिक अधिकारकर्मी किङले नागरिक उत्तरदायित्वका बारेमा त्यहाँ निकै ठूलो योगदान पुर्‍याउन सफल भए।

त्यसैगरी अमेरिकाका तेस्रो राष्ट्रपति थोमस जेफरसनले स्वतन्त्रताको घोषणा नामक पुस्तक लेखे। जसमा उनले खोस्न नसकिने जीवन अधिकार र खुसीको अनुसरणलाई सुनिश्चित गरेका छन्। नागरिक उत्तरदायित्वमार्फत नागरिकले आफ्नो अधिकारको प्रयोग गर्न पाउँछन् भन्दै अरूको अधिकारलाई पनि आदर गर्नुपर्नेमा उनले जोड दिएका छन्। यसरी देश विविध घटनाले विश्व परिवेशमा पनि एक न एक व्यक्तित्व जन्माएको छ। जसले राष्ट्र तथा मानव सभ्यताको अस्तित्व बचाइराख्न कार्यमा सफलता पाएका छन्। तर दुर्भाग्य नै भन्नुपर्दछ अहिलेसम्म नेपालले यस्तो व्यक्तित्वको जन्म दिनसकेको छैन।

सामाजिक उत्तरदायित्व वहन गर्नमा देशका शिक्षित वर्ग, नेतृत्व तथा राजनीतिकर्मीको अत्यन्तै महत्त्वपूर्ण भूमिका रहन्छ तर यस्तो दायित्व वहन गर्न त्यहाँको सरकार, राजनीतिक परिवेश तथा मानिसको अन्तरनिहित धारणा र सोचले पनि ठूलो भूमिका खेल्न सक्दछ। नागरिक हुनु र असल नागरिक हुनु भनेका दुई फरक क्रियाकलाप हुन् किनकि असल नागरिक बन्न हामीमा केही अतिरिक्त जोस र जाँगर हुनु आवश्यक हुन्छ। मानिस सामान्यतः स्वार्थले नै निर्देशित हुन्छ र हुनु पनि पर्दछ। तर असल नागरिकमा त्यो स्वार्थको मात्रा केही कम हुने गर्दछ। जसमा उसले सामाजिक आवश्यकताको महसुस गर्दछ। यसको अर्थ एक नागरिकले आफूसँग भएको सबै समय स्वयं सेवामा बिताउनुपर्दछ भन्ने होइन तर पनि आफूसँग भएको समयको केही मात्र समयलाई कसरी सामाजिक काममा लगाउँदा आफ्नो समाजको भलो हुनसक्छ भन्ने कुराको सोचाइ राख्नैपर्छ। यसो गर्न सकेमा मात्र समाजको उत्थान हुन्छ।

प्रजातन्त्रको सफल कार्यान्वयनका लागि पनि नागरिक उत्तरदायित्वले उल्लेखनीय भूमिका खेल्न सक्दछ। नागरिक उत्तरदायित्वले कुनै पनि देशका नागरिकलाई निश्चित किसिमको मूल्यमान्यतामा बाँधेको हुन्छ तर जब मानिसले विवेक गुमाउँछ, उसका अगाडि सामाजिक मूल्यमान्यताले कुनै अर्थ राख्दैन। एक नागरिकको भूलले सानो समुदाय वा समाजलाई नराम्रो असर पार्न सक्दछ तर एक नेता वा नेतृत्वको भूलले देशलाई अनिश्चयको बन्दी बनाउन सक्छ भन्ने भन्ने कुरा नेपालमा राजनीति गर्ने नेताले बुझ्नु जरुरी हुन्छ।

नेपालमा नागरिक उत्तरदायित्वको महसुस हराउँदै जान लागेको छ। यसले देशको भविष्य कालान्तरमा अराजक, उच्छृङ्खल र अस्तव्यस्त बनाउन सक्छ। नागरिक उत्तरदायित्व बहन गर्नका लागि राज्यले सकारात्मक भूमिका निर्वाह गर्न र नेतृत्वले आफैँबाट यस्तो उदाहरण पेस गर्न सकेन भने त्यसको परिणाम देशका लागि घातक बन्न सक्छ। नेपालको परिपे्रक्ष्यमा पनि अहिले नै यस्ता कार्यमा लाग्न ढिलो भइसकेको छ। अझ ढिलो भएमा यसको नतिजा निकै भयावह हुनेछ। त्यसैले यसतर्फ सबैले समयमै सजगता अपनाउनु मनासिव हुनेछ।
The writer can be reaced on - abamritofficial@gmail.com

Monday, February 13, 2012

भ्यालेन्टाइन डे यसरी मनाउने कि ! - Published in Kantipur Daily

फाल्गुन १ -
प्रत्येक वर्ष भ्यालेनटाइन डे आउँछ, जान्छ । यस दिनमा मूलतः हामीले मायाप्रेमका विषयमा छलफल गर्छौं । कसैको प्रेमले सफलता पाओस् भन्ने अपेक्षा गर्छौं । भ्यालेनटाइन डेलाई मुख्य रूपमा विवाह-बन्धनमा नबाँधिएका युवायुवतीको प्रेम सम्बन्धका बारेमा बढी चासो राख्ने दिनका रूपमा चित्रण गरेको पाइन्छ । हुन पनि भ्यालेनटाइन डेको सुरुवात नै यस्तै प्रसंग र परिवेशबाट भएकाले यस्ता खालका विषयमा बढी चासो देखिएको हुन सक्छ । खासगरी युवापुस्तामा भ्यालेनटाइन डे बढी चर्चामा आउँछ । यो दिवस अहिले कुनै वर्ग, क्षेत्र, देश, संस्कृति नभनी सबै क्षेत्र, जात, संस्कृतिका युवा तथा तन्नेरीलाई आकर्षण गर्न सफल भएको छ ।

अहिले प्रेमलाई भिन्न तथा नवीन तरिकाले पनि प्रयोग गर्न थालिएको छ । विकासमा पनि भ्यालेनटाइन डेको प्रसंग उठाइन्छ । यस दिवसलाई विकासका दृष्टिकोणले पनि हेर्न सकिन्छ ।

विकसित देशमा यस्ता धार्मिक तथा सामाजिक कार्यलाई कोष निर्माणको विशेष दिवसका रूपमा मनाउने गरेको पाइन्छ । जसबाट अविकसित देशका थुप्रै जनताले राहत प्राप्त गरेका छन् । धर्म, संस्कति तथा अन्य दिवसलाई विकासका दृष्टिकोणबाट हेर्ने हो भने यसले समाजमा सकारात्मक परिवर्तन ल्याउन सक्छ । हामीले प्रत्येक वर्ष दसैं मनाउँछौं । यस्ता चाडमा हामीले हजारौं रुपैयाँ मासु तथा अन्य परिकार बनाउन मात्रै खर्च गर्ने गर्छौं । साथै, हजारौं रूपैयाँ हामीले विभिन्न किसिमका रक्सी, वाइन, रम किन्नका लागि खर्च गर्ने गर्छाैं । यसरी गरिने ठूलो रकमको एक हिस्सा मात्र हामीले बचाउन सक्यौं भने दुर्गम जिल्लामा खानेपानीबाट वञ्चित जनताका लागि पाइप किन्न, ट्याङ्की बनाउन सहयोग गर्न सक्छौं ।

हामीले मनाउने विभिन्न चाडलाई विकास र गरिब जनतासँग जोडेर हेर्ने हो भने नेपालीले नेपालमै पनि ठूलो धनराशि संकलन गर्न सक्छौं । जसबाट दुर्गम गाउँमा विद्यालय निर्माण हुन सक्छ । स्वास्थ्य चौकीका लागि सानो भवन निर्माण हुन सक्छ । हामीले छुट्याउने सानो रकमको एक हिस्साले गरिब समुदायको मुहारमा हाँसो ल्याउन सक्छ । सरकारी होस् वा गैरसरकारी संस्थाहरूले यस्ता किसिमका दिवसमा जनचेतना जगाउने किसिमका कार्यक्रम सञ्चालन गरेमा त्यसले विकास प्रक्रियामा ठूलो सहयोग पुर्‍याउन सक्छ ।

हामीकहाँ मनाइने विभिन्न खालका संस्कृतिमार्फत कोष निर्माण गरेको पाइन्छ । देउसी-भैलो पनि विगत केही समययता कोष जम्मा गर्ने र यस्तो कोषको रकम विभिन्न विकासका काममा लगानी गर्ने माध्यम बन्न थालेका छ । देउसी- भैलोबाटै गाउँगाउँमा धारा निर्माण, विद्यालय निर्माणका लागि सहयोग, पाटी- पौवा बनाउनेजस्ता काम गरेको पाइन्छ । त्यसैगरी नारायण पोखरेलले सुरु गरेका विभिन्न किसिमका धार्मिक कार्यक्रमबाट विकास निर्माणका कार्य भइराखेका छन् । उनका छोरा विश्वबन्धुले यस्ता कार्यलाई निरन्तरता दिइराखेका छन् ।

नेपाली समाजमा खासगरी हिन्दु संस्कृति तथा अन्य धर्मावलम्बीमा भ्यालेनटाइन डे जस्ता दिवस आउने जाने गर्छन् । यस्ता दिवसलाई उत्पादनमूलक र उपयोगी बनाउनका लागि युवाले भिन्न तरिकाबाट सोच्ने हो भने सानो-सानो सहयोगले विकास निर्माणका काममा ठूलो सहयोग पुर्‍याउन सक्छ । यस्ता दिवसले जातीय तथा मानवीय एकतालाई अझ मजबुत बनाउन सक्छ ।

भ्यालेनटाइन डे दिवसका अवसरमा नेपाली युवा तथा गैरसरकारी वा सरकारी निकायले पनि कोष निर्माण गर्न सक्ने जस्ता उपहार बनाउने हो भने सानो-सानो कोष निर्माण हुन सक्छ । यस्ता उपहार बनाउँदा सम्बन्धित पक्षलाई ध्यानमा राखेर बनाउनु उपयुक्त हुन्छ । यसै दिवसका लागि खर्च गर्ने रकमबाट विभिन्न किसिमका विकासका काम गर्न सकिन्छ । नेपालमा कार्यरत नेपाली गैरसरकारी संस्थाले सधैं विदेशी निकायबाट कोषको अपेक्षा गर्ने भन्दा आफूले पनि भिन्न तरिकाले सोच्ने हो भने केही रकम अवश्य उठाउन सकिन्छ । जसले स्थानीय विकासमा समेत योगदान पुर्‍याउन सक्छ ।

हामीले रक्सी र अन्य विलासिताका लागि खर्च गर्ने ठूलो रकमबाट यस्ता दिवस आउँदा जाँदा मात्रै सानो रकम छुट्याउन सक्यौं भने कुनै न कुनै विकासका कामका लागि पक्कै सहयोग हुनेछ । यही भ्यालेनटाइन डेबाटै युवाले सोच्न थालौं । हामीले पनि विकास प्रक्रियामा सहयोग पुर्‍याउन सक्छौं । आफ्नो प्रेमी वा प्रेमिकालाई भनौं, हामीले खर्च गर्ने ठूलो रकमबाट सानो रकम बचाएर विकास प्रक्रियामा सहयोग गरौं । हयाप्पी भ्यालेनटाइन डे ।

प्रकाशित मिति: २०६८ फाल्गुन २ ०८:५४
http://www.ekantipur.com/kantipur/news/news-detail.php?news_id=263886