Small Initiatives

Every country, either developed or developing, undergoes substantial migration towards their capital city and our case is also not an exception. But maintaining capital city’s outlook is equally of high significance. It should animate an example of cleanliness, civil security, and superior quality of facilities, infrastructures and sense of strong presence of the government is vital.
However, we see the grim picture if we see the development of other countries. The constructural infrastructure projects are virtually non-existent in the capital today. For more than half a century hardly any new roads are constructed. Hardly any reconstruction or renovation projects have been noticed in the main city streets for decades. It’s a big surprise that why authorities are in such a defunct state! Why every aspects of development are influenced by political mayhem. Public are trapped in heavy traffic jams for hours everyday. The situation is too critical due to narrow, filthy and congested roads. Unregulated constructions, parking have further intensified the congestion of roads. Why the authorities don’t take initiatives such as construction of underground parking bays? Government can at least build an environment so the private players & investors can come!
New & big road extension projects may be unviable due to high economic cost but authorities are not concerned even repairing/renovating tiny, dusty, filthy roads and cross- roads. However, they are always ready to attain international conferences related with the subject like environment, urban management etc. Why authorities are in such a deep slumber? Is it due to lack of knowledge, skill, will or something else?
Small street-expansion and widening projects support the traffic to be lot smoother. For that we can utilize the space above the sewer-line at both the sides of road can add huge space hence increase the road size. For any such successful initiatives, first of all, the government should bring out plans then it can invite the private players & ask for public support. The desire for positive change is important but authorities are too rigid to have even such dreams. The public also do not expect the government to fulfill their gigantic expectations at this transitional period but desire at least such small initiatives. The tasks of drafting new constitution as well as fulfillment of people’s long-awaited aspirations should go parallel. People can not tolerate if both of their hands are empty at last.

On going Political Stalemate

The present state of affairs shows our country is getting tied with the incessant web of complexities guided by the erratic politics and inefficient governance. One of the root causes of this state-of-affair is due backlash and untrustworthiness between the government and the people. It is happening since a long long span of time. Every time the government fails to show up the positive changes to the people hence, always fail to win the trust of the people as well.
Deeply-rooted party-based and faith-based politics & inclination towards political party is deeply rooted in Nepali political culture. The neutral & nationalist feeling is absent in every political scenario. Though non-believers in ideology based politics is ever increasing, they have nothing in their hand & not so strong as yet. One setback is, the loyalty in the political party in power is crucial to obtain a powerful position. While, good policies of the parties in power are also often protested and ill-treated by the opposition parties fearing it may win the trust of the people and gain extra political mileage.
The historic opportunity of Nepali to draft New Constitution is challenged by several obstacles. Political parties indulgence in dirty power game to reach the throne often dismantle the government one after another. Procuring the citizen’s basic necessities, Militant tendencies in political parties, armed-violence & unpractical demands of the Terai-based parties, individualistic & self-centered attitude of people, muscle-power base politics, citizen’s apathy towards rules and regulations, blockades and their gruesome demands, violent protests, killings etc are the serious issues to address today.
It is very shameful that political parties often talk about ‘new Nepal’ and ‘inclusiveness’ and do nothing. Maoist leaders are conventionally in favor of the People’s Republic though they express commitment in multiparty democracy too. Congress, UML & other parties’ demand democratic republic. Some of the pro-king parties are again trying to reinstate the king. So the web of all these conflicting ideologies is dissuading the country to stability & prosperity.
Formulating new and inclusive constitution is a long-awaited agenda & expected to address especially the under-privileged & backward people. They are desperate to ensure the equal footage and rights in the state mechanism. Present situation is a big joke while parties propagate ‘New Nepal’ and ‘New Constitution’. The ongoing political stalemate shows state of hopelessness on drafting a new constitution & the country’s future.
However, the serious question is, can we let those wait till the new constitution formation who can’t afford two meals a day? Can we afford to make new constitution ignoring day to day crisis? Do citizens afford wait & see the “new constitution” in such insecure state? Do citizens believe the constitution will ensure the freedom of expression when the people and journalist are getting brutally murdered while simply trying to uncover the social injustices & discriminations? Will the new constitution ensure the fear-free movement of the citizen from one place to another? Will streets be protest free? These are the serious issues.
Though, transitional governments have scores of responsibilities and take the peace process ahead, it should simultaneously ensure the presence of the government compel all to comply with the rule of law. Government should be accountable to the citizens and while making themselves accountable to self good governance is equally important. Government should establish a mechanism ensuring the people endowed with the basic services. Only then we can ensure the smooth path towards New and Prosperous Nepal.

Realizing small but important changes

The country is in the dire circumstances with the crisis looming all over and the citizens have hardly any respite from any angles. Governments after governments have changed and now political system has changed, but the citizens have hardly felt the government’s concern for them.
The new government has been repeatedly assuring the public that they will make the citizens feel the changes in the coming days but it hasn’t taken place as yet. Government may be busy in bringing out the ordinances in order to address the grievances from different angles. But, implementing them is also a serious challenge today.
Therefore, now parallel attention for constitution making as well as construction & development is vital because the standstill in reconstruction would be disastrous because constitution-making will take a longer period and crisis need to be tackled with urgency.
Every country, whether its developed or underdeveloped face the massive migration to the big cities and mostly the capital city. Outs case is also no exception. Governments and municipalities need to strictly enforce the rule, regulations and equally concerned to the management of the city. Physical, constructural infrastructure is the most important and visible factors/ways to gain the support of the citizens and can serve as a life-saving drug to the crisis stricken citizens. Widening the roads, cross- roads, management of pavement, concretizing and working on environment are of tremendous urgency today. Public has been curious where do the allocated fund goes because we very rarely see such activities until today. There are many places where if the authorities acted to broaden the roads and streets, the traffic would be smooth and hassle free. It should act upon constructing underground and above ground parking areas jointly with the private-public partnership. It can generate the revenue from that initiative.
First of all the government should act because it has the implementing capacity and resources and then ask for the public support. The desire for change is essential and only then the dream task to make that desire a reality comes later. The public doesn’t want the government to fulfill the unjustified and big desires now at least in this period. They desire the small and one day those small initiatives with multiply into the bigger ones.