IF THIS IS WHAT MEANS DEMOCRACY IN NEPAL, A MILITARY DICTATORSHIP WOULD BE MUCH BETTER

[Below posted is a forwarded email-message from Prof. Kamal Krishna Joshi on Nepal's power-sector mess, rife political corruption and 'dismantled institutions of democracy' which follow two comments: one each from Kalyan Dev Bhattarai and Bihari Krishna Shrestha also. Seemingly a very frustrated Prof. Joshi angrily puts further - "They have successfully dismantled all institutions of democracy by their own inaction, ego and corrupt behaviour. If this is what democracy means, a military dictatorship is much better". Also shared, as it is, below for our readers is a news-report on Bhotekoshi power project with Energy Forum Nepal. In the meantime, should a political party have major banks of its own in the country to do some business also ?  - The Blogger]

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Kamal Krishna Joshi 

Date: Sat, Dec 20, 2014 at 11:15 AM

Dear Friends,

Image: Nepal Energy Forum

Several hydro-electric projects including those being constructed by Chinese and Indian private sectors are now under attack from major political party cadres. The local cadres of the two ruling parties have themselves asked for shares of the Bhotekoshi project exhibiting the lowest level of ethics in our political system.

This is no different from asking ransom by kidnapping children since hydro-projects in our power-lacking nation is extremely important. Obviously the present Koirala government is a mute spectator to this dirty game of brinkmanship. In this context, I wonder how foreign direct investment - FDI would come to our country where a foreign investor is expected to pay tax not only to the nation but also distribute shares to the ruling political parties ?

Besides this, two major banks are known to have been set-up by the CPN(UML) party. Money and not the Constitution seems to be the priority of these party leaders. In a matter of 7 years, their perception among the commoner has come to the lowest ebb. They have successfully dismantled all institutions of democracy by their own inaction, ego and corrupt behaviour.

If this is what democracy means, a military dictatorship is much better.

Regards,

K. K. Joshi,

Kalimati, Kathmandu
Nepal.

*

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Kalyan Bhattarai 

Date: Sun, Dec 21, 2014 at 4:42 AM

Dear K.K Joshi,

I fully agree with you.I think the present day political leaders and their cadres  (with few exception) are just the camouflaged dacoits and they have joined politics to fool the people and loot the country. 

It would be an insult to the real politicians to call present day Neplease leaders as 'politicians'. They are just the corrupt power hungry bunch of dacoits and should be thrown lifelong into jail for corruption and betrayal of the people and country.

Thanks,

Kalyan Dev Bhattarai,
Kathmandu, Nepal.

*

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Bihari Krishna Shrestha 

Date: Sun, Dec 21, 2014 at 5:29 AM

Dear Kalyanjee,

I would like to join the issue with you by adding an observation of my own to your very poignant statement about our politicians' corruptibility. As I wrote recently in the Nepali Times, a successful politician in Nepal is necessarily a corrupt man in most cases. So, what is being reported in the media about their attempted blackmail and criminal hooliganism against power projects is only to be expected. Where else except in Nepal, one can expect to find that people convicted and jailed for corruption continue to remain influential members in the top echelons of decision making in their own party which otherwise boasts itself of being the citadel of democracy in Nepal? For all practical purposes, a political party in Nepal today is nothing more than an opportunistic ensemble of thugs, thieves, dacoits and murderers who also happen to have the temerity to masquerade as "politicians" and "people's representatives".

But we must not forget that this used to be the case during the Panchayat days too, except that these days they have become much more blatant and aggressive with such extortion to such an extent that they have practically placed themselves above the law. Otherwise, how come, that while all corruption in Nepal emanate from the politicians, the CIAA has been unable to prosecute even one of those bad guys? By our own experience, we know that there is direct and proportional relationship between the increasingly rampant political corruption -the mother of all other forms of corruption in the country - and the nation's failure to progress, leading Nepal to become overwhelmingly dependent on remittances.

Given such a tragic antecedent to Nepal's politics, the one question we should be asking would be: Where do we go from here? How can we get a clean democracy so that it becomes an instrument of rapid and inclusive progress in our country too that we see in established democracies around the world?

Warm regards,

Bihari Krishna Shrestha,
Kathmandu, Nepal.

 *

LOCAL POLITICIANS OBSTRUCT MID-BHOTEKOSHI AS WELL

By Nepal Energy Forum 

Local leaders of Sindhupalchowk, who have shutdown Upper Bhotekoshi, have also obstructed construction of 102 MW Mid Bhotekoshi being developed in public private partnership (PPP) model. Leaders of ruling Nepali Congress (NC), CPN­UML, opposition party UCPN (Maoist) and other parties have obstructed construction of Mid Bhotekoshi putting demands like making them sub­contractor, procuring all construction materials on the basis of consensus among parties, buying petroleum products only from the place fixed by the political parties, jobs and others.

Local political cadres had vandalized a petrol tanker of the project a few days ago. The project looks set to be stalled due to political interference and delay in its construction will affect local investment. Mid Bhotekoshi Hydropower Company Limited and Chinese contractor Guangxi Hydro Electric Construction Bureau of China had signed agreement for civil construction over a year ago. The contractor has not been able to work due to repeated obstructions. The Chinese contractor has urged Prime Minister Sushil Koirala and the Chinese Embassy in Nepal to facilitate for an environment to work. But the government has not taken any initiative for resumption of construction. The line ministry, Energy Ministry, has not paid attention to end obstruction.

Local cadres have been obstructing projects putting different demands even as the main political parties have expressed commitment to not obstruct construction of any hydropower projects. Upper Bhotekoshi has been shut down for over four months demanding shares. Obstruction has yet to end even after the project has already agreed to provide five percent shares at Rs 100 each.

Administrative Officer of Chilime Hydropower Company, the promoter of Mid Bhotekoshi, Ram Gopali Shiwakoti says the project will be delayed by a year due to political obstruction. “Cost of the project can also rise if there is delay in work. But we cannot say by how much cost will rise now,” he adds. Work of the project had started aiming to start generation from August, 2017. Construction work should have started last year as per the working schedule. The estimated project cost is Rs 14 billion. The Employees Provident Fund (EPF), locals and commoners will invest in the project. All investors will be affected by delay in construction. The project will generate 542.20 million units of electricity a year. Lahmeyer International of Germany is doing supervisory work for the project. Chilime Hydropower has 38 percent stake in the project, Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) 10 percent, locals 10 percent, EPF 19.5 percent, and commoners 15 percent apart from other local companies.

Source : Karobar Daily