Safe Sanitation
After reading your cover story (Universal Sanitation: Chasing a Challenge, Spotlight September 19-25), I came to realize that the country cannot meet its challenges to provide sanitation to all by 2017. The cover story paints the pathetic situation of sanitation problems in Nepal. Although government and non-governmental organizations have been launching various programs to provide sanitation for all, it seems virtually impossible to do so. I agree with your argument that political leaders have many good slogans for new Nepal but what they don't have is the vision to build one toilet for each house.
Jamuna Lama
Balaju via email
Coordination Is Key
The challenges in front of the country is how to make the coordination among various agencies working in sanitation and drinking water. The report prepared by WaterAid Nepal and Asian Development Bank clearly spells out lacunae in the implementation of the sanitation and drinking water project. Thank you very much for publishing the article based on the report. Every NGO and INGO working in the area must read the report so that they can find out the weaknesses. It is very unfortunate to know that people are yet to get benefits from programs launched for their sake.
Kapil Pokharel
Via email
No Toilet
It is shameful to know that over 60 percent of the population is yet to have access to toilets. At a time when there are many new cheap technologies available to build toilets, we can achieve the target to provide sanitation for all by 2017. What is required now is the political commitment and strong will. As the country is moving ahead with a mantra of new Nepal, it is our duty to prove what new Nepal is all about. If we are unable to build toilets for all, we cannot expect to fulfill other wishes.
Sashikala Sunuwar
London Via email
Community Approach
The INGO like WaterAid Nepal has been playing important role in supporting the government to achieve its target to provide sanitation for all. After reading the cover story in Spotlight on sanitation coverage, Nepal needs to follow program like Community Led Total Sanitation approach. Past experiences have shown that the community mobilization is one of the important aspects to make the sanitation program effective and durable. Let's try promoting community led total sanitation.
Banu K.C
Via email
Good Job
Thank you very much for reviewing the book China, Tibet and Nepal by late Baburam Acharya as it was very timely. Although it is published in Nepali, this kind of book needs to be circulated to every nook and corner of the country. Apart from India, Nepal also shares a long border with China to the north. This is the reason why China, too, is genuinely concerned about Nepal's prosperity. Renowned historian late Acharya's argument that strong and stable China has never committed any hostile activity against Nepal is a stark reminder of real politics. Spotlight needs to review many books like that of Acharya's.
Kamala Rai
Via e-mail
Frank Speech
Prime minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda seems to be a very frank politician. This is the reason why he didn't mince words when describing his whereabouts during the period of ten years long insurgency. He admitted that twelve points agreement was signed in Indian capital New Delhi and that he had stayed for eight important years out of that ten years of insurgency in India. Revealing about his revolution, Prime Minister Prachanda challenged many Nepalese scholars and academicians about their points that Prachanda had stayed in Nepal while steering the insurgency. One of the important aspects of prime minister Prachanda's recent visit to India is his revelation that his revolution was launched from a foreign country – the country which itself is facing the Maoist terrorism menace of its own.
Thakur Singh
Birgunj via Email
