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Tarai metropolis

Population growth and migration are soon going to make the Tarai one long metropolitan strip stretching from Kakarbhitta to Banbasa. Already, traversing the East-West Highway is like driving along an endless city. Tarai towns have spread their urban tentacles along the highway. It is difficult to tell where one town ends and another begins. The roads [...]

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East side story

First posted on nepalitimes.com on 27 APRIL 2009 Here in Itahari, an important junction where the East-West Highway intersects the Biratnagar-Dhankuta road, there is no sign that anyone remembers the anniversary. For the past two months, Itahari has been crippled by continuous bandas, few vehicles have been plying on a major national road artery. First, [...]

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Happy New Banda

First posted on nepalitimes.com on 12 April, 2009 Here we are in Hetauda, trying to figure out what to do. We have to get to Lahan by tomorrow on nepa-laya’s Yuddha Chitra Film Tour, but news of bandas are closing in from all sides. Today the Tarai is closed, tomorrow Hetauda will be blocked. The [...]

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- fire burn and cauldron bubble: nepal bandh culture….lives on and has spread to the highest realms …may the mountain rest in peace
- Portlander (now back in Nepal): Great inspiration Dixit Sir, I hope to see an article on our revived bus service – SAJHA BUS and the opposition by our transportation entrepreneurs. This business has maximum demands (as a bussiness person – personal view) but the challenges is one of a kind. I am proud that Kanak Sir has taken this initiative and we – the public are there to support this organization. If we fall this time, we only need to blame ourselves. Please educate our public on this and let us fight this syndicate forever. Portlander (now back in Nepal trying something for my motherland)
- Janak BC: “It is when the going gets tough that the tough get going.” Outstanding piece of writing from Kunda daju. Well, We have the answers. The only problem I see here in Nepal is the lack of articulation. Yea, we do not have a problem-free world. The problem exists everywhere. This should not overlook the people who overrule the power at the center. However i am very much inspired by Mr. Kunda’s writings. Are we here to make a difference or, to mingle with the people who fight with words only. A big thank you!!!
- Joker Boyz: Anyone can feel such improvents on ilam by visiting once. It doesn’t mean to have higher hope about such progress but there is certain lessons have done that can impress everyone. Though Ilam is not develop as much as cities like dharan it tries to keep such strengthen. “elum” this word is enough to describe Ilam. If Ilam would have budget some more than yet it will be the model developed district. Without any huge project has been implemented there, almost all villages are connected to road. If electricity contribution will progress at current rate there will be no darkness within 2 yrs as almost 43 have light out of 48.
- R Rai: Mr Dixit, I very much agree with and appreciate your diagnosis of our problems, and your recommendations are absolutely sensible. What really moved and struck me was the degree of passion and conviction in your tremendous speech. Khai ke bhannu ra, I can only thank you, sincerely and honestly.
- Prasanna Dhungel: Very nice speech. Very inspiring and true!
- Basudeb: Thanks a lot, great truthful expressions. It sounds like the speech is actually a call from mother Nepal itself to all of her offspring within and outside the country to come and do real work for real benefit of the inhabitants. This kind of the attitufe should be the pattern of Bhashan that the political and other leaders of the country need to imulate instead of creating confusion and chaos which is harmful to the country, people and also to themselves in a deeper and long term sense.
- Dr. Nishchal N. Pandey: What an excellent speech by Kunda dai. Being a graduate of St. Xavier’s myself, I think we need to read his words carefully, again and again. Hopefully, the political leaders too will read it.
- D.Rai: It was Kunda sir’s words that affected this girl so deep that she ventured into the world of development and radio. It was almost like a mental shake-up. That was 1998. Even after more than a decade, his words ring so true that you feel overwhelmed with these very words of encouragement. Thank you, sir!!!
- Richa Adhikari: Kudos!
- SamSam: A very powerful set of words that I am proud to have seen come out of one of our own. I found the content of Mr. Dixit’s words revolving around the “live for god, lead for Nepal” mantra. Thank you Mr. Dixit for giving the speech at your (and mine) alma mater. Coming from someone with your caliber is bound to make the words stick with our younger generation just as much as they are bound to stick to the not so younger generation like ours.
- Werner Meyer: Thank you Kunda Dixit for providing an excellent summary of basic conditions with a realistic time frame, and a vision of requirements including good governance, integrity and governing leadership skills, which almost all politicians speak of during elections, but seem to forget as soon as they are in power.
- Anuj: “in a remote Kaski village” Correction: in a remote Myagdi village
- Raju Adhikari: Dear Kundaji Thanks for your write up. Please refer to my article on “Nepal Prosperity- Missing link” published by Nepalnews.com, still on. http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2013/others/guestcolumn/feb /guest_columns_10.php Through Skill Knowledge and Innovation Task Force, NRNA has taken some initiatives like Open University Initiative and NRN science Foundation. Mahabirji is also in the committee of the OU and we work together as a team. Through Science Foundation, we are also promoting Science Journalism and wondering whether you will have time to contribute. The frustration is obvious at individual as well as at Institutional level. NRN forum is a great hope one day like NRI, NRN can also play a meaningful role. I will like to remind you that we had met in Melbourne long time back. Dr Raju Adhikari Principal Scientist, CSIRO, Australia
- Raju Adhikari: Dear Kundaji Thanks for your great write up. Please refer to my article on Nepal Prosperity- Missing link published by Nepalnews.com. http://www.nepalnews.com/archive/2013/others/guestcolumn/feb /guest_columns_10.php. Through NRN Skill Knowqledge and Innovation Task Force, NRNA has also taken some falgship initiatives like Open University and NRN Science Foundation. Mahabirji is also in the committee of the OU and we work together as a team. Through, NRN Science foundationm we also promoting Science Journalism and wondering whether you will have time to contribute. The frustration is obvious and it is at both individual as well as at Institutional level. NRN forum is great and lets hope one day like NRI, we all can also play a meaningful role. I wonder whether you recall our meeting in Melbourne long time back. Dr Raju Adhikari Principal Scientist, CSIRO, Australia
- Vidhan Rana: Really glad to read this story. Even if nothing happens here, it is good to hear that the Prime Minister is at least taking initiative. Mahabir ji, you have been true inspiration to me and many other young Nepalis. Keep up the good work. In a similar note, Biruwa Ventures, a company I started back in 2011 has been helping young Nepali entrepreneurs start their business. In the last 18 months, we have helped over 15 companies start and mentored over 100 young entrepreneurs. We started with an investment of just Rs. 3 lakh. On the other hand, donor agencies have spent thousand of dollars on similar work without much to show for their effort. Private citizens like us have to take control of our country away from some politicians and bureaucrats who seem determined to ruin our beautiful country
- armugam: I have a Indian friend from my college days running an Engineering design firm on development of Hydro Power. He has been, as I gather, quite successful and has handle projects in the range up to 50 MW. I accidently met him in a Hotel lobby some time back and talked over for quite a while. He said he had been here, at least 20 times, in the past to make some headway in getting something done in the related field here. “Nothing moves in this b****y country of yours” he said in my ears softly. While every one talks sweet, but no one does a thing, as like you just described about Pun experience.
- Tara supporter: Do not be too hard on the STOL airlines Kunda sir – the terrain is unforgiving, runway and operating conditions terrible, fuel prices are one of the highest in the world, high freight charges and needless customs duty on aircraft spares, ridiculous insurance premiums and black mailing pilots and engineers…the list goes on and on. It all adds up to very high operating costs – direct and in direct. Airlines have to survive by matching revenue with costs… as no know the only private STOL airlines that has lasted over 12-14 years is Yeti/Tara. If the pickings were so plum you know there would have been many more! Sure there must be some sort of mechanism that checks profiteering but expecting privates airlines to operate at a loss means that the Karnali will continue to be under serviced for a long time. Perhaps the UN/World Bank/ADB geniuses can help – oh, they are already?
- Tara supporter: Hey, this report is not very well balanced. How about the subsidized flights that Tara Air conducts for the Karnali folks who fly to Simikot, Jumla, Dolpo and Bajura – Tara Air pays from it’s own pockets as no one subsidizes them! Don’t forget Tara Air ferry’s a huge amount of Indian pilgrims to Simikot on their way to Kailash and also trekkers to Rara, Jumla and Dolpo – it really helps the local economy in there! Give the devil his due!
- Sabita Thapa: A woman bears most the trauma of war irrespective of it’s man or a woman that dies. Tears & silence are virtues they say our traditional patriarchal society has given to women. How long will we keep swallowing tears of blood in the name of peace process that kills women with every breath taken! I liked your TRC rationale that at least it can initiate diagnosis of injusice injected by civil war into our society.

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