Generate electricity, or protect tourism?

Paavan Mathema
Sindhupalchok ,Nepal

Durga Shrestha of Sakhuwa village is worried. There is talk of a new hydropower project on the Bhote Kosi and he is concerned his adventure tourism job will go.The 102MW Middle Bhote Kosi project is a subsidiary of Chilime Hydropower and will have a gated diversion weir at Chaku, and a powerhouse 7 km downstream at Jambu village. With the feasibility done, construction is set to begin in 2013 and the project will be completed in four years. 

The project will be the third hydropower plant on this stretch of the river, and has become the latest example of Nepal's need for energy clashing with tourism. With the country reeling from 16-hour power cuts in winter, the government has declared an energy emergency and encouraged investors in hydropower."We hear that if the project is implemented, the river will run dry, so will our jobs," says Durga Shrestha.The Bhote Kosi has its headwaters in Tibet and cuts through the Himalaya through mighty gorges with steep gradient. With 80 rapids within 21 km, many up to Grade 5, the Bhote Kosi is one of the world's top ten rivers for white water rafting and the venue for many international rafting and kayaking championships. It is also a river prone to glacial lake outburst floods, and there are a dozen lakes upstream in Tibet that could overflow in future because of thawing due to climate change. 

Nepal's first wind energy project in a dying state

Mustang,Nepal

The country's first and model wind energy development project established to light up villages has itself trapped in the shadow of neglect.

Twenty-five years passed since the project was set up in Kagbeni of Mustang district, but it is about to turn into ruins now, thanks to utter indifference by authorities concerned.

Established in 2042 BS with the support from foreign donors and an investment of around Rs 10 million, the 20-KW wind energy centre was shut down within two months of operation after pillars of its wall crumbled and two fans were destroyed by high wind blowing from the north.

The previous government way back had appointed eight staff under the leadership of engineer Bhola Shrestha to smoothly run the project. However, not a single employee are there now.

१ सय २ मेगावाटको मध्य भोटेकोशी बन्ने

ध्रुव दङ्गाल, चौतारा, सिन्धुपाल्चोक

सिन्धुपाल्चोककमा पहिलोपटक जिल्लाबासी र सर्वसाधरणसमेतको सेयर लगानीमा १ सय २ मेगावाट क्षमताको मध्ये भोटेकोशी जलविद्युत आयोजना निर्माण हुने भएको छ। चिलिमे जलविद्युत पावर कम्पनीको नेतृत्वमा बन्न लागेको यो आयोजना जिल्लामा सबैभन्दा ठूलो हो।

गत साउनमा कम्पनी रजिष्टर्डको कार्यालयमा मध्ये भोटेकोसी पावर कम्पनीको रुपमा दर्ता यो आयोजना पिपिए (विद्यतु खरिद सम्झौता) को प्रक्रियामा छ। साता-१० दिनमै पिपिए सम्झौता हुने आयोजनाका प्रवन्ध सञ्चालक प्रकाशमान श्रेष्ठले बताए। 'पिपिए अन्तिम चरणमा पुगेको छ,' उनले नागरिकसँग भने।

व्याजसहित १५ अर्ब रुपैयाँ लागतमा बन्ने आयोजना सन् २०१३ को सुरुवातमा निर्माण सुरु गरी सन् २०१६ को अन्त्यमा सम्पन्न गर्ने लक्ष्य लिइएको छ। आयोजनामा चिलिमेको ३८, नेपाल विद्युत प्राधिकरणको १० तथा स्थानीय नेपाल अरनिको हाइड्रो कम्पनी, सिन्धु इन्भेष्टमेन्ट कम्पनी प्रालि र सिन्धुपाल्चोक हाइड्रो पावर कम्पनीको एक/एक प्रतिशत संस्थापक सेयर रहने श्रेष्ठले जानकारी दिए। उनका अनुसार सर्वसाधरणलाई १५, प्रभावित जिल्लाबासीलाई १०, कर्मचारी सञ्चय कोषलाई १९.५ र आयोजनामा कार्यरत कर्मचारीलाई ३.५ प्रतिशत सेयर दिइनेछ।

Small is beautiful

                            A small electric car makes big sense in Kathmandu.

बीबीसी साझा सवाल

आफ्नै गाउँमा जलविद्युत परियोजना बन्दा के साँच्चै फाइदा हुन्छ त? देशभरि जलविद्युत उत्पादनको प्रचुर क्षमता छ भनिदाँ त्यस्ता जलविद्युत परियोजनाबाट स्थानीय बासिन्दाहरुले के फाइदा लिन सक्छन् त? रसुवाको धुन्चेमा निर्माण गरिएको यो साझा सवालमा चिलिमे जलविद्युत परियोजनालाई सफल परियोजना बनाउन योगदान पुर्याउनुभएका यसका प्रमुख योजनाकार डा. डम्मर नेपाली र विद्युत विकास विभागका उपमहानिर्देशक डा. सञ्जय शर्मा हुनुहुन्छ ।

      

Interview with Energy Minister of Nepal;Gokarna Bista

RAMESH PRASAD BHUSHAL

Within one and half month of his tenure, Energy Minister Gokarna Bista has brought about some revolutionary changes in the country’s power sector . Breaking the political appointment system, Minister Bista established a new mechanism of appointing the Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) Managing Director on competitive basis. Many believe political appointments  are a major hindrance to development of NEA. Apart from this NEA’s financial status is pitiful with cumulative losses standing at Rs 20 billion. Minister Bista also turned another stoneby resolving financial matters for Upper Tamakoshi hydro project (456 MW) worth about Rs 32 billion. Bista now has numerous proposals at hand. Lately, he signed a memorandum of understanding with Employees Provident Fund (EPF) worth Rs 16 billion for construction of four hydro projects of nearly 200 MW under the Chilime Hydropower Company— an NEA subsidiary company. A new institution — Hydropower Development and Investment Public Limited Company with proposed capital share of more than Rs 30 billion— specifically for investment in hydropower is all set to take off. He Spoke to Ramesh Prasad Bhushal of The Himalayan Times.

Ecology is economics

PAAVAN MATHEMA
Sunday 5 June is World Environment Day, and to mark it there will be a rush to organise neighbourhood cleaning campaigns, tree plantations and numerous seminars and conferences. But hanging the 'green' tag needs to go beyond 5 June, it has to be year-round way to thinking. Sustainable lifestyles and an ecological consciousness doesn't just save the planet, it also makes business sense. Being ecological is economical.

The best way to do this is to promote green jobs: work opportunities that explore ways to preserve and restore the environment and at the same time are economically viable. Green jobs offer a hybrid solution to address problem of unemployment and environment sustainability, linking the twin goals of reducing poverty and protecting the environment.

The transition to a low-carbon economy presents employment opportunities by opening new markets, and by stimulating eco-innovation and investment in more efficient production techniques. Prospects for creating green jobs can be developed in entirely new ideas or in finding ways in which the existing businesses can be made environmentally friendly.

माथिल्लो कर्णाली आगजनी भित्रको कारण राजनैतिक

नौ सय मेगावाटको परियोजनाबाट भारतीय कम्पनीले नेपाललाई दिने १२ प्रतिशत बिजुली सीधै राष्ट्रिय प्रसारणमा जोडिने र ८८ प्रतिशत सीधै भारत लग्ने भएकाले स्थानीय जनता ठगिने भन्दै विरोध गरीएको थीयो । माथिल्लो कणर्ाली जलविद्युत् आयोजनाका लागि भारतीय कम्पनी जिएमआरले दैलेखको सालतडामा बनाएका तीनवटा भवनमा आइतबार आगजनी भएको थीयो ।

थप जानकारी को लागि तल क्लिक गर्नुहोला
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3reMGp5z-c&feature=player_embedded

स्रोत : www.news24nepal.com

Rural Energy Policy, 2006

There are huge possibilities of producing energy in Nepal. Availability of enormous water resources and topographic situation gives rise to a potential for 83,000 MW of hydropower of which about 43,000 MW of power production seems to be economically and technically feasible. Till now, where only about 563 MW has been harnessed which is mainly consumed in urban areas, the rural and remote areas of the nation has no access to reliable and clean energy. In the other hand, in spite of enough possibility of producing energy in rural areas in the form of biogas, solar energy, wind energy, improved water mill, micro and mini hydropower, it has not been used as per the needs.

In Nepal, only 160,000 biogas plants have been installed out of the installation potential of 1.9 million biogas plants. There has been savings in the energy consumption by installing 250,000 improved cooking stoves. Similarly, in spite of huge potential of solar energy, only 75,000 solar home systems have been installed. With regard to the wind energy, it has not been possible to harness its potential. Up to now about 2,000 traditional water mills have been improved. Onlyabout 8 MW power is produced through micro hydro. These efforts have made it possible toprovide electricity services to about 40 percent of the population in the country. In the ruralareas, only 29 percent of the population has access to electricity.

Hydrocratic dreams

RATNA SANSAR SHRESTHA 

You don't need to be a Nobel-laureate economist to deduce that Nepal is technically insolvent. Our balance of trade deficit in the last fiscal year (2009-10) amounted to Rs320 billion. It was only Rs216 billion the year before. Our balance of payment deficit during the same period was Rs 2.92 billion. It was favorable by Rs38 billion the previous year. 

The business community, renowned economists and the "hydrocracy" argue that the only way out is to export hydropower. Susan Goldmark, the World Bank country director in Nepal, lent credence to this diagnosis by declaring that Nepal's GDP could be comparable to that of Saudi Arabia if we exported hydropower.
Actually, it is because Nepal for the past two decades concentrated on projects to export hydropower that we are suffering an energy crisis in both electricity and petroleum products. This situation will get worse unless policymakers refocus and realign the country's energy policy.

Ozone over Everest

BUDDHA BASNYAT,

Amazingly, pollution-related ozone concentrations in the Mount Everest region are reported to be very high as shown by John Semple, colleagues from the University of Toronto in a 2009 March issue of the New England Medical Journal. This is potentially alarming because death rates from respiratory causes are associated with increasing concentrations of ozone. The Mount Everest region is somewhere you can inhale deeply without feeling a burning throat sensation as you do when you complete such a manoeuvre in Kathmandu. But if the ozone story is true, our lungs may be in for a rough ride even in the pristine Solukhumbu Valley. 

Ozone concentrations in the troposphere have doubled globally since preindustrial times. They are now 30 ppb from estimates of 15 ppb in the pre-industrial era. And, not surprisingly, the major reason for this is burning of fossil fuel. (Not to be confused with the stratospheric ozone layer which is "good" ozone and protects the planet from harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun.)

Government yet to foot bill for Kalapatthar climate meeting

Ramesh Prasad Bhusal
Kathmandu,Nepal 

A high on the hog Cabinet meeting at Kalapatthar in Mt Everest Base Camp in 2009 had hogged headlines in the country and abroad. But the meeting on climate change now has spoilt the environment in government ministries and among the stakeholders.

While the government is yet to pay its dues, ministries and concerned stakeholders involved in the meeting are passing the buck. The erstwhile Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government had called the Cabinet meeting in Kalapatthar on December 4, 2009 to ‘draw the attention of the international community towards melting of Himalayas due to climate change’.

The Ministry of Forest and Soil Conservation had coordinated the meeting and the then forest minister Deepak Bohara had claimed and reiterated at the meeting that not a single penny would be spent from the state coffers, as he had been able to raise the required fund by passing the hat around.

एक रुपैयाँमा बिजुली

Kaski , Nepal 
Manoj Adhikari

मुलुकमा दैनिक १४ घन्टा लोडसेडिङ भइरहेका बेला कास्कीको पार्चेमा भने कहिल्यै अँधेरो हुँदैन। स्थानीय गज खोलाको पानीबाट १७ वर्षअघि निकालिएको एक सय किलोवाट क्षमताको लघुजलविद्युत आयोजनाबाट पूरै गाविस वर्षैभरि झलमल्ल हुन्छ। २०५० सालमा चन्द्र गुरुङको सक्रियतामा बेलायती दाताको सहयोगमा उक्त लघु जलविद्युत आयोजना स्थापना भएको हो। गाविसका ५ सय ६५ घरधुरीले बिजुली बालिरहेका छन्।

दाता र स्थानीय श्रमदान गरि कुल ९० लाख रुपैयाँमा निर्मित उक्त आयोजनाबाट २०५१ चैत १ देखि बिजुली उत्पादन सुरु भएको सिक्लेस विद्युत व्यवस्थापन उपसमितिका व्यवस्थापक कुमबहादुर गुरुङले जानकारी दिए।'वर्षैभरि गाउँमा बिजुली बल्ने भएकाले धेरैलाई लोडसेडिङ भन्ने नै थाहा छैन,' गुरुङले नागरिकसँग भने, 'आफैंले उत्पादन गरेको बिजुलीका कारण गाउँलेले सस्तो दरमा बिजुली बाल्न, राइस मिल र फर्निचर चलाएर व्यवसाय गर्न पाएका छन्।'

मुलुकमा नेपाल विद्युत प्राधिकरणले प्रतियुनिट ७ रुपैयाँ शुल्क लिने गरेकोमा गाउँलेले प्रतिवाट १ रुपैयाँमै बिजुली बाल्न पाएका छन्। दुई वर्षअघिसम्म यो दर ५० पैसा मात्र थियो।घरघरमा मिटर बक्स नहुने भएकाले युनिटका आधारमा नभई खपतका आधारमा शुल्क निर्धारण गरिएको गुरुङले बताए। उनका अनुसार एक घरले सय वाट क्षमताका चिमबाट बिजुली बाल्दै आएको छ भने उसले मासिक सय रुपैयाँ मात्र शुल्क तिर्नुपर्छ। फरक-फरक कोठामा राखिएका बल्ब आवश्यकताअनुसार पालैपालो बाल्दा त्योभन्दा पनि कम शुल्कमा धेरैले बिजुली बाल्ने गरेको उनले बताए।

Discussion about energy crisis in Nepal

Kathmandu,Nepal

A radio program 'Shaja Sawal' is discussing about energy crisis in Nepal held by BBC World Trust . This program is host by Naryan Shrestha. The guest for this discussion are Shitalbabu Regmi , Subarna Das Shrestha and Ratnasansar Shrestha

Click the link for listening.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/nepali/programmes/2011/04/110417_sajha_sawal.shtml

Protecting Rara from the future

KUNDA DIXIT in MUGU 

After a steep climb through a scented pine forest, suddenly through the curtain of lichen you see the sun flashing on the lake's ripples. On the pebbled shore of Rara, we soak in the sight of the inky blue water reflecting the snow mountains and sky beyond. Words fail you, and you are reduced to clichés: picturesque, magnificent, breath-taking.

But you understand just how fragile this beauty is because Nepal's largest lake is located in its poorest and most remote district. But a new road is snaking up the ridges and has nearly reached Rara's eastern shore. At the airfield at Talcha, excavators snarl as they claw into the mountainside to lengthen the runway. Rara's serenity and splendour is so lovely it makes your heart ache to think how vulnerable it has become. As the sound of diesel engines gets closer, you wonder how long this wilderness will remain a wonder.

In 1964 King Mahendra sat under a juniper tree here and penned his famous poem 'Rara ki Apsara', ordering his government to protect the lake. The juniper tree still stands at Mili Chaur today as hundreds of water fowl make a brief stopover before they head off north to the lakes in Tibet.

Cooling without heating

DAMBAR K SHRESTHA 
Syangboche ,Nepal

Narmaya Tamang is a Grade 8 student at the Khumjung School and says she sees signs of climate change all around her. The snowline is receding on Ama Dablam, which she sees from her classroom window. It is getting warmer year by year, and there is less winter snow.

Narmaya, with classmates Kabindra Rai and Lakpa Tenzing, are members of the Eco Club at the Khumjung School, and they thought they knew what caused this: emissions from fossil fuel burning that led to global warming. What they didn't know is that there is another, even more dangerous greenhouse gas: hydro-cholorofluorocarbon (HCFC), used in refrigeration and air-conditioning.

HCFCs replaced the CFCs that were the main cause of the depletion of the earth's ozone layer that protects the planet's surface from harmful ultraviolet rays. The Montreal Protocol phased out all CFCs by 2010, and the ozone hole over Antarctica has stopped growing. But while solving one problem (ozone depletion) another was created. HCFC is 2,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

Is NEPAL really in second position of WATER RESOURCES ?

जलस्रोतमा नेपाल विश्वमा कतिऔ  धनी देश ?-पहीलो ,दोश्रो,तेस्रो आदी इत्यादी-  कृपया आफ्नो उतर तल कमेन्ट बाकसमा लेख्नु होस् ।
What is the ranking of NEPAL in water resources ? Please write your comments below.

साढे चार वर्ष ऊर्जा संकटकाल

गोकर्ण अवस्थी

दुई वर्षभित्र दैनिक लोडसेडिङ समय १२ घन्टा घटाउने योजनासहित सरकारले फेरि साढे ४ वर्षका लागि ऊर्जा संकटकाल घोषणा गरेको छ । सरकार र निजी क्षेत्रको लगानीलाई प्रोत्साहित गर्ने कार्यक्रम अघि सार्दै उपप्रधान, अर्थ तथा ऊर्जामन्त्री भरतमोहन अधिकारीले संसद्मा प्रस्तुत गरेको योजनामा उक्त अवधिमा २५ सय मेगावाट बिजुली उत्पादन गर्ने उल्लेख छ ।

तत्कालको माग सम्बोधन गर्न सरकारले विद्युत् प्राधिकरणसँग रहेका थर्मल प्लान्ट चलाउने निर्णय गरेको छ । यसबाट करिब ५९ मेगावाट बिजुली उत्पादन हुने अनुमान छ । निजी क्षेत्रबाट कोइला र डिजेल थर्मल प्लान्ट निर्माण गर्न सार्वजनिक आह्वान गर्ने र पीपीए दर तोक्ने निर्णय पनि सरकारले गरेको छ । '२०६८ मा दैनिक १० र २०६९ फागुनमा दैनिक २ घन्टा मात्रै लोडसेडिङ हुनेछ,' अधिकारीले भने ।

अब सरकारले ल्याएका कार्यक्रम बेरोकतोक कार्यान्वयन गरिनेछ । सार्वजनिक टेन्डर प्रक्रियाका प्रावधानसमेत पालना गर्नुपर्ने छैन । संकटकाल कार्यान्वयनको कानुनी प्रावधानका लागि तत्काल विधेयक प्रस्तुत गरिनेछ ।

मोबाइलको प्रयोगले हराए भँगेरा

गिरिश गिरी, काठमाडौँ 

तपाईंले भँगेरा देखेको कति भयो? सायद धेरै नै। घरका बार्दली र कौसीमा छरिएका अन्न टपक्क टिप्ने र चिरबिर चिरबिर आवाज निकाल्ने यो मसिनो चरो हराउँदै गएको छ। मोबाइल फोन भँगेराको संख्या घटाउन मुख्य जिम्मेवार देखिएको छ।

मान्छेसँग नजिकिएर बाँच्न चाहने यो चरा घट्दै गएपछि वर्षमा एक दिन यसैको संरक्षणबारे चिन्ता गर्दै 'विश्व भँगेरा दिवस' मनाउन थालिएको छ। आइतबार यो दिवसका बेला अन्यत्र थुप्रै कार्यक्रम भए पनि नेपालमा कुनै चिन्ता प्रकट गरिएन।

सहरी क्षेत्रको प्रदुषण, बढ्दो विषादीको खपत र यसको बासस्थान नासिनुका साथसाथै मोबाइल फोनका टावरहरू यसको संख्या घटाउन मुख्य जिम्मेवार देखिएको तथ्य त्यस अवसरमा सार्वजनिक भएका छन्। 

मोबाइल फोनलाई उपग्रहसँग जोड्ने 'इलेक्ट्रो म्याग्नेटिक रेडिएसन' भँगेरा विनाशको मुख्य कारण हो। बेलायतको ब्रिस्टल विश्वविद्यालयमा गरिएको एक परीक्षणबाट यस्तो विकिरणले भँगेराको उड्ने बेलामा दिशा ठम्याउने शक्ति र यसको अण्डा कोरल्ने प्रकृया दुबैलाई प्रभाव पार्ने गर्छ। यसले जीवित भँगेराको बाँच्ने आधार र यसको प्रजनन् दुवैलाई प्रहार गरेपछि भँगेराको अस्तित्व खतरामा पर्न थालेको हो।

माथिल्लो मस्र्याङदी'ए'को प्रारम्भिक अध्ययन पूरा

लमजुङ , नेपाल 

एक सय ५० मेगावाट क्षमताको माथिल्लो मस्र्याङदी जलविद्युत परियोजना 'ए' को प्रारम्भिक अध्ययन हालै सम्पन्न भएको छ । परियोजनाले प्रारम्भिक अध्ययन पूरा भए पश्चता यसै साताबाट सम्भाव्यता अध्ययनको काम शुरु गर्ने भएको छ ।

'सम्भाव्यता अध्ययनको काम आजैबाट सुर भयो भन्दा हुन्छ,' परियोजनाका प्रर्वधक हेमजङ्ग गुरुङले भने 'हामी जति सक्दो चाडो सम्भाव्यता अध्ययन पूरा गरि पिपिए गरि निर्माणको काम थाल्छौं ।' उनका अनुसार अहिले टोकोग्राफी सर्वे सकिएर वि्रफिङ र बाताबरणीय अध्ययनको कार्य समेत भैरहेको छ । असारभित्रमा ति सवै सम्भाव्यता अध्ययनको काम पुरा गरी पिपिएका लागि नेपाल विद्युत प्राधिकरणमा प्रस्ताव गर्ने र ६ महिनामा पिपिए सम्पन्न पश्चत १५ महिनाभित्रमा निर्माण कार्य शुरु गर्ने लक्ष्य रहेको प्रर्वधक गुरुङले बताए ।

'पिपिए नेपालमै गर्ने र अबको १५ महिनाभित्र जसरी पनि निर्माण कार्य थाल्ने हाम्रो योजना छ ।' गुरुङले भने । साँढे २ बर्षअघि एक सय मेगावाटको अध्ययन अनुमति लिएको परियोजनाले प्रारम्भिक अध्ययनबाट ५० मेगावाट बढी उत्पादन हुने सम्भावना देखाएको हो । अध्ययनको विषयबारे परियोजनाले सोमबार साँझ सदरमुकाममा एक कार्यक्रम आयोजना गरि जानकारी गराएको थियो । 

Saving vultures

In the last 20 years, the South Asian vulture population has gone down by 97 per cent. Even in Nepal, hailed for its work in vulture conservation, they are declining at the average rate of 17 per cent per year. The decline, attributed mainly to poisoning caused by the residue of the veterinary drug Diclofenac in carrion, has been so bad that three of eight vulture species found in Nepal are now critically endangered.

Nepal recently launched a ten-year program titled Saving Asia's Vultures from Extinction (SAVE). The SAVE consortium brings together the Nepal government, NGOs working in wildlife conservation, and organisations in India and the UK to revive the dwindling vulture population.

"It is not possible to protect vultures through the efforts of a single country. A trans-boundary partnership is necessary to put policies in place that will displace Diclofenac across the region," says Hum Gurung, CEO of Bird Conservation Nepal.

झुपडीदेखि महलसम्म

-पेशल आचार्य

जलस्रोतमा विश्वमै धनी मुलुक नेपालका सहरबजारमा अहिले दैनिक १४ घन्टा विद्युत् कटौती भइरहेको छ। तर, विकट पहाडी भेगमा बसोबास गर्ने तीन लाख घरधुरीमा भने लोडसेडिङ्को असर परेको छैन। कारण हो, सौर्य ऊर्जा। सरकारले विद्युत् सेवा नपुगेका दुर्गम पहाडी जिल्लामा सौर्य ऊर्जा प्रविधि -सोलार प्यानल) जडानमा प्रतिपरिवार ५ हजारदेखि १० हजार रुपियाँ अनुदान दिने व्यवस्थाका कारण सहरमा अन्धकार हुँदा पनि गाउँ झिलीमिली बनेको हो। विद्युत् कटौतीसँगै चार वर्षयता सहरी क्षेत्रमा पनि सोलार प्यानल जडान गर्ने क्रम बढेको छ। सहरी क्षेत्रमा जडान भएका सोलार प्यानलको संख्या ८० हजार पुग्नुले पनि त्यसको पुष्टि गर्छ।

चारवटा बत्ती बाल्ने २० वाटको सोलार खरिद गर्न सहरमा २० हजार रुपियाँ आवश्यक पर्छ। विद्युत् नपुगेका गाउँमा त्यही जडान गर्दा १० हजार रुपियाँ अनुदान पाइने व्यवस्थाका कारण गाउँले सोलार प्यानलतर्फ होेमिएका हुन्। एकपटक लगानी गरेपछि २५ वर्षसम्म लगानी गरिरहनु नपर्ने, आवाज नआउने, सञ्चालन खर्च नचाहिने र वातावरणमैत्री भएका कारण पनि सोलार वैकल्पिक ऊर्जाप्रति आकर्षण ह्वात्तै बढेको हो।

जापान, अमेरिका, भारत, युरोप, चीनमा निर्मित सोलार प्यानल बढी चल्छन्, स्थानीय बजारमा। बंगलादेशमा पाँच वर्षभित्र १० लाख सेट सोलार प्यानल जडान गर्ने लक्ष्य लिइएको छ भने भारतले केही वर्षभित्रै सोलारबाट २० हजार मेगावाट विद्युत् उत्पादन गर्ने महत्त्वाकांक्षी योजना अघि सारिरहँदा नेपालमा भने दीर्घकालीन योजना अघि बढाउन नसक्दा लगानी विस्तार हुन सकेको छैन। ३५ वर्षअघि सुरु भए पनि हालसम्म नेपालमा १० मेगावाटभन्दा बढी ऊर्जा निकाल्न सकिएको छैन, सोलार प्रविधिबाट।

लोडसेडिङ् बढाउन सहयोग पुर्‍याएको ठहर गर्दै सरकारले गत वर्षदेखि इन्भर्टर आयातमा प्रतिबन्ध लगाएपछि सर्वसाधारणको ध्यान सौर्य ऊर्जातर्फ मोडिएको हो। इन्भर्टरकै कारण अहिले पनि दैनिक चार घन्टा लोडसेडिङ् बढेको दाबी गर्दै सोलार सोलुसनका प्रबन्ध सञ्चालक राज थापा भन्छन्, "अहिले पनि सोलारमा लगाउने नाममा इन्भर्टर आयात र स्थानीयस्तरमा उत्पादन गर्ने कार्य भइरहेको छ, त्यसलाई पूर्णतः बन्देज नलगाउने हो भने विद्युत् कटौती अझै बढ्ने निश्चित छ।"

Let there be light

GREEN SCENE by PAAVAN MATHEMA

Through the hours of loadshedding, a group of innovative students have been working to design an alternative energy option - a solar battery charger for areas with no access to the grid.

Under the British Council's first Skills for Employability project in Nepal, Balaju School of Engineering and Technology, Bharatpur's Nepal Polytechnic Institute, and Nuwakot's Trade School partnered with Dundee College of Scotland in 2008 to develop technical and vocational skills training for students. Dundee College is the sixth largest vocational education college in Scotland.

The project involved sharing of research, skills and technical experience in order to develop an innovative and cost-effective product for Nepali villages, and to equip students with vocational skills. One of the outcomes of the project is a prototype solar battery charger with battery tester – the Munro Solar Power Pack. The pyramid-shaped portable solar pack weighs 10 kilos with a battery. A 24-watt product with a potential of 96 watts, the pack can power 25 LED light units for 15 hours.

संकटमा बासस्थान

काठमाडौँको अमृत साइन्स क्याम्पसमा आईएस्सी द्वितीय वर्षको प्रयोगात्मक परीक्षाको मौखिकमा शिक्षकले सोधे, "काठमाडाँैको कान्तिपथ खण्डको शिक्षा मन्त्रालय र लैनचौरसम्मको बाटो हिँडेका छौ ?" मैले भनेँ, "छु।" "उसो भए त्यहाँका अग्ला रूखहरूमा तुर्लुंग झुन्डिने जनावरको वैज्ञ्ाानिक नाउँ भन त," फेर िशिक्षकले सोधे। म एकतमासले घोरएिँ। र, भनेँ, "चमेरो। पेट्रोपस वा फलाइङ् फक्स।"

व्यावहारकि कक्षाहरूमा यस्ता चमेराका अंगहरू देखिने गरी चित्र बनाउनुपथ्र्यो। विशेषता लेख्नुपथ्र्याे। त्यसैले पनि चमेराहरूप्रति मेरो एक खालको जिज्ञासा र आकर्षण थियो। मैले गुफा, ओसिलो सुनसान ठाउँ, खोँच, भवनका छत, प्वालहरूमा बसेका चमेरा बस्छन् भन्ने थाहा पाएको थिएँ। तर, दरबारको दक्षिणी खण्डमा मोटरगाडीको कोलाहल, मानिसहरूको आवतजावत, वायु र ध्वनि प्रदूषणका बीचमा पनि यी थुप्रै चमेराहरू झुन्डिरहेको देख्दा अचम्म लाग्थ्यो। आफँैले आफँैलाई प्रश्न गर्थें- किन यस्तो भइरहेको छ ?

थाहा भयो, चमेराहरू दुईथरी हुन्छन्। फलफूल खाने र कीराफट्याङ्ग्रा खाने। थुतुनो छोटो भएका साधारणतया उड्नका लागि पखेटा भएकाले चरा वर्गमा पर्नेजस्तो देखिए पनि चमेरा बच्चा जन्माएर दूध चुसाउने हुनाले स्तनधारी वर्गमा पर्छ। हूल तथा बथानमा बस्ने यो ठूलो चमेरा जसको पखेटा आधा मिटर फराकिलो र ३० सेन्टिमिटर लामो, खैरो रंगको भुवाले छोपिएको शरीर र थुतुनो ब्वाँसोको जस्तो हुनाले यसलाई 'उड्ने ब्वाँसो' पनि भनिन्छ। रातमा सक्रिय हुने, पाकेका फलफूल वा कीराफट्याङ्ग्रा खाने, एकान्त मन पराउने, लजालु स्वभावको चमेराको तौल भने निकै कम हुन्छ।

Banned pesticides

Yadav Thapaliya in Arthik Abhiyan

The Nepali market is flooded with banned, fake and obsolete drugs. Dealers have been found to tamper with expiry dates and sell them in the market, while banned drugs are being sold under the trademark of renowned Indian pharmaceutical companies.

According to Ashok Shrestha of Shubh International, the banned methane parathion is being marketed as a product of Wire Crop Science and Hindustan Pulverising Mills. Similarly, the banned monocrotophus is being sold as a product of the Indian company Dhanuka and Agro Chemicals. According to Sabitri Baral at the Pesticides Registration and Management Division, fungicides were found labelled as products of Indian Synjenta India Ltd in Chitwan last year.

Green bricks

Lalitpur,Nepal

The Kathmandu Valley's smog owes much to the highly polluting brick kilns that dot its southern expanses. What's worse, the smoke billowing out of these towers obscures the terrible conditions in which its workers - including many children and donkeys - slave for minimal reward. These are the victims of the capital's housing boom.

It's time we moved away from 'blood bricks'. This may be possible now, as Animal Nepal's award to Indra Tuladhar of Bungamati Itha Udyog last week indicated. Tuladhar was honoured for producing 'clean and green' bricks using Chinese technology, and the animal welfare organisation hopes other brick producers will follow suit to reduce pollution and stop the exploitation of kids and animals. "The industry has the technology and the resources to stop the production of 'blood bricks'; all it needs is the right motivation," says Krishna Singh, program manager at Animal Nepal. "We can address the issues by introducing new technologies such as Vertical Shaft Brick Kilns and automated machinery."

बरफ र आगोको देश

आइसल्याण्ड विश्वविद्यालयको वातावरण विज्ञान विभागको सभाकक्षमा नेपालबाट आएको पत्रकारले जलवायु परिवर्तनले हिमालहरूमा पारेको असरबारे अन्तर्क्रियामा बोल्ने कार्यक्रम थियो। कार्यक्रमको शुरुमा मजस्तै सेतो कपाल फुलेको, सुट र टाई लाएको मानिस हलभित्र छिरेको देखेँ। कसैले उनलाई धेरै वास्ता गरेन, तर उनले मैले देखाएको नेपाल र तिब्बतका हिमताल र पग्लिँदो हिमरेखाका तस्बिरहरूको पावर प्वाइन्ट प्रस्तुति रुचिपूर्वक हेरे। बोल्ने क्रममा एक-दुईवटा प्राविधिक खालका प्रश्न पनि सोधे। आइसल्याण्डका कुनै वैज्ञानिक होलान् भन्ठानेँ। मेरो प्रोफेेसर साथीले परिचय गराइदिएपछि पो थाहा भयो, उनी त आइसल्याण्डका राष्ट्रपति ‘लाफुर ग्रिसोन रहेछन्।

६ महिनाअघि यही स्तम्भमा मैले माल्दिभ्सका राष्ट्रपतिको सरलता र आफूलाई ठूलो मान्छे भनेर बिलकुल नदेखाउने बानीको चर्चा गरेको थिएँ। आइसल्याण्डका राष्ट्रपतिसँगको छोटो कुराकानीमा पनि मलाई त्यस्तै लाग्यो। सभाकक्षभित्र प्रवेश गर्दा उनीसँग न अङ्गरक्षक थिए, न पिए। हलमा भएका कसैले पनि नेपालमा जस्तो झ्ुकेर चाप्लुसी गरेनन्। प्रमुख अतिथि भनेर २५ केजीको माला लगाएनन्। बरु देख्यानदेख्यै गरे। कत्रो भिन्नता नेपालका नेताहरूको दाँजोमा।

Electricity for whom?

Editorial in Arthik Abhiyan, 8th January 2011

Kathmandu,Nepal

When we talk about Nepal's water resources, the first thing that comes to mind is electricity. A crucial question we should ask while formulating policy for water is, for whom is the electricity being generated? Though Nepal's water policy should be for the welfare of the country, it looks as though it is made for foreigners.

Nepal's per capita consumption of electricity is 70 units per annum; it is 10,000 units per annum in developed countries. Experts say Nepal would require between 55,000 to 60,000MW if its people consumed as many units as in developed countries. This means if Nepal's economy grows at a rate of 7 to 8 per cent per annum, there is no question of exporting electricity at all. If we think we have enough energy to export it for money, we are just being plain stupid. But the Ministry of Energy has not accepted this truth.

A study conducted by Somnath Poudel shows that Nepal needs at least 10,000MW by 2018 if economic growth is to maintain its momentum. In this context, if we invite foreign investors for hydro projects and export 90 per cent of generated power, how can we meet even domestic demand for energy? We need to generate an additional 1,000MW per year to meet the demand. But existing energy policy has not acknowledged this fact.

Power to the people

Kathmandu,Nepal

As we approach the winter months, both the dwindling supply of water in Nepal´s rivers, and the growing demand for electricity as the days get shorter and colder, has resulted in the inevitable: A new and expanded loadshedding schedule.

Loadshedding- a euphemism for planned power outages- is a pretty simple process: Operators in each of the feeder stations look at their watches and flip a switch at the appointed time to turn off (and on) the power. Without these planned shut-offs, ´the system would collapse´ explains Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) director Sher Singh Bhat, until recently a key player in of the load dispatch office of the NEA´s System Operation Department. If not for loadshedding, he explains, we would have blackouts throughout the country and the electricity system- such as it is- would collapse.

Loadshedding affects every consumer connected to the grid (with the exception of government hospitals, the blood transfusion center, Singha Durbar, the Kathmandu International Airport, and, until 2008, the former Royal Palace.) We´ve had loadshedding in Nepal, on and off, since the late 1970s when demand first began to outstrip supply. It is similar to a game of catch-up, as the NEA’s attempts to develop additional sources of electricity lag behind runaway consumer demand. There have been temporary respites following the construction of new hydro projects, like Khulekani in 1982, and the Kali Gandaki in 2002 when additional capacity actually exceeded demand. But loadshedding has become a fact of life in Nepal over the last few years, and even according to the NEA´s own predictions, it will be with us for at least another few. This winter, the NEA is saying that we’ll experience “at least” 14 hours per day of outages.

Saving the Bagmati

Kathmandu,Nepal

The UN General Assembly adopted a resolution recognizing water as a human right and , the 10th Bagmati River Festival will wrap up with the incongruous sight of a human flotilla on rafts, parading alongside the daily flotilla of garbage. And among the spectators will be those who have made the riverbanks their home and ironically, are among the furthest from realizing their right to clean water and sanitation. Although little has been said publicly, these informal settlers, or squatters as they are called, are surrounded by controversy; situated alongside one of the most powerful cultural and religious symbols of Kathmandu and the darling of environmental donors, the Bagmati River, and on a very precious commodity – vacant land.

The banks of the Bagmati are not prime residential areas – observers say that if not for Kathmandu’s daily pumping of effluent in the form of sewage, industrial and solid waste into the river, there would be barely any water there at all. So great is Kathmandu’s thirst for water, that we have practically drunk the river dry at its source, leaving the riverbed an open sewer.

The woes of the Bagmati are just the visible effects of a water table that is shrinking faster than it can be replenished. The river’s strong stench is the superficial reminder to those living there of the health hazards posed by this cesspool – especially during monsoon. Much of the Bagmati watershed and its tributaries in the Kathmandu valley are an ‘urban commons’ plundered for sand to feed an insatiable construction craze, and an unlicensed dumping ground and shelter for the homeless.

Red alert

Ilam,Nepal

What started as a women's initiative to conserve red pandas in Jamuna VDC of northern Ilam has brought about an impressive transformation. The Choyatar forest has been restored to its past glory and the village economy is thriving because of tourists that have poured in following a rise in the number of these endangered animals.

Unill two years ago, open grazing and caused uncontrolled logging had caused the destruction of the forest, and a subsequent decline in the number of red pandas in the area. But now the villagers are so keen to protect the forest that people are required to take permits from the women's user group committee even to collect fodder.

Thanks to efforts like these, there are now 15 red pandas in the community-managed forest. The IUCN red-listed species, Ailurus fulgens, has proven to be a major tourist attraction. The user group committee charges Nepalis Rs 500 and foreign nationals Rs 1000 to enter the forest for red panda-watching. A 1.7km road has been constructed from Alebhanjhyang to help tourists reach the forest.