Media Alliance Nepal formed
Mainstream national news media organizations have established ‘Media Alliance Nepal’ to protect the media industry’s business interests. The alliance was announced during a ceremony in the capital on Sept 23. Bhaskar Raj Karnikar, chairman of Avenues Television, has been designated the alliance chairman while Capt. Rameshwar Thapa, Chairman of Annapurna Media Network, and Binod Gyawali, Chairman of Republica Media Pvt Ltd, will serve as advisors. Mahendra Sherchan of Rajdhani News Publications Pvt. Ltd. and Raju Kandel, Chairman of Mountain Television, have been elected alliance Vice Presidents. Likewise, Samridhi Gyawali, CEO of Republica Media, Rishi Dhamala, Chairman of Prime Television, and Rajendra Shakya, Vice Chairman of AP1 Television, are listed as working committee members.
At the ceremony, Chairman Karnikar said the alliance was formed for pure business interest and not motivated by any political mission. Karnikar added that he would work professionally for the uplift of the media industry.
Also speaking at the event, Capt. Rameshwar Thapa said he was committed to nationalism and democracy. “Democracy and nationalism are the first conditions of this alliance,” Thapa said. Stating that the Nepali media is in crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Thapa suggested that the state should take the initiative to save the media from the ongoing crisis.
The main objective of the alliance is to protect the rights and interests of investors in the communications sector by making the sector ‘fair, neutral and accountable.’
Settlements in Karnali at grave risk as relocation plans shelved
Six people lost their lives in a landslide at Aulgurta, Nalgad municipality-12 of Jajarkot district. The incident eight years ago put the whole settlement at risk. A decision was made to immediately relocate 60 households to safer places, and yet nothing was done. This year, the settlement is in a danger of another flooding.
Five years ago, three people were killed in a landslide in the model Badi settlement in Dailekh district headquarters. Many houses collapsed. Local politicians promised to relocate the settlement soon. Again, their promises came to nothing. The 52 houses in this settlement are still at high risk damage from landslides.
Landslides take place every year in Haudi, Shubhakalika rural municipality of Kalikot too, endangering its 176 households. Another 25 houses have already been destroyed.
Dozens of settlements in Karnali region are at high risk of landslide. This year, landslides in Jajarkot, Kalikot and Rukum West have caused severe damage to life and property. The various plans that have been drafted, from the district to the central level, are again limited to paper.
According to local Red Cross activist Govinda Acharya, there is a tendency to make ambitious plans at the time of disasters, but then these plans are quickly forgotten.
Acharya rues lack of seriousness in relocating endangered settlements, resulting in the loss of precious lives. Khadananda Chaulagain, chairman of Shubhakalika rural municipality in Kalikot, complains that the limited budget he gets is insufficient to resettle homes.
Karnali MP Ganesh Prasad Singh, elected from Jajarkot, is currently in Kathmandu to knock on the doors of Singha Durbar. He says the problems of the landslide affected people were ignored. A landslide had killed 14 people in Barekot last July.
The land there is now fragmented, the village itself at high risk of landslides. MP Singh has come to Kathmandu to draw the attention of the federal government even as the locals have left their homes and settled in open fields. “I have come to Kathmandu carrying the decision of the local and state governments to relocate the settlements,” Singh says. “If these villages are not shifted, another disaster looms.”
The Karnali state government has an integrated settlement program for the relocation of endangered settlements, and the budget for it was set aside in the previous fiscal.
Karnali Province Chief Minister Mahendra Bahadur Shahi says managing land for resettlement has been the main difficulty. “The local level bodies have been unable to arrange for the required land. At other places, the locals have refused to be relocated.”
The state government had allocated around Rs 500 million for the integrated settlement development program last fiscal, Shahi informs. The budget, however, was frozen due to lack progress. Shahi says the program has been given continuity in the current fiscal and will be implemented in Kalikot, Jajarkot, and Mugu districts after a detailed study.
Young people lead the way to help Covid-affected mothers
Sima Pahari from Badikhel, Lalitpur gave birth to a child during the lockdown. Due to the fear of contracting the coronavirus, Pahari could not access essential health and nutrition services or monitor her child’s nutrition status.
Her husband, a daily wage worker, did not have any means of income during the lockdown. Due to poverty, her family was also unable to get nutritious food and hygiene supplies. The socio-economic impact of the Covid-19 crisis has led to many vulnerable families like Pahari’s into deeper poverty, even as more children become malnourished.
To address the crisis, Social Changemakers and Innovators (SOCHAI), a youth-led non-profit organization, has been running a series of holistic Covid response programs in Lalitpur district. As part of this program, SOCHAI has been distributing nutrition-rich food and hygiene packages to marginalized pregnant and lactating mothers of Godavari Municipality and Lalitpur Metropolitan City.
The organization is not just supporting the vulnerable population with immediate relief, but also providing individual and group counseling on hygiene, nutrition and Covid-19 prevention to the affected population. SOCHAI’s counseling program includes their award winning innovation, ‘Nutribeads bracelet’ that is being distributed to the beneficiaries free of cost. Their awareness session is followed by the nutritional assessment of under-two children with the help of Mid-Upper Arm Circumference (MUAC) tape and referral services (if necessary). Till date, over 100 families have benefitted and the organization aims to reach hundreds more.
SOCHAI had coordinated with both municipality and ward for need assessment prior to program implementation. SOCHAI’s program manager Neha Malla shared, “With the help of government, we have identified hundreds of such mothers and children who are unable to fulfill their nutrition need due to the pandemic. We aim to support all these mothers in the coming days by mobilizing young volunteers.”
Along with the immediate response, SOCHAI is also planning to implement long-term socio-economic rehabilitation program in two more districts. This program will economically empower the communities by enhancing their technical and vocational skills on agriculture and nutrition.
Quick questions with AYUSHMA RANI SINGH Model/Emcee
Q. Name one fashion faux pas you regularly commit.
A. Definitely wearing the heels I can’t walk in. Lol.
Q. If you could wish for anything…
A. To be able to read any living being’s mind.
Q. What would be your fancy dress costume?
A. Egyptian Queen Cleopatra
Q. How would you describe yourself in a sentence?
A. An ambitious young girl who thrives on challenges, so I always have something to strive towards.
Q. Your makeup (style) icon?
A. Rihanna! Forever and always.
Q. The best advice you’ve been given?
A. This advice came from my mother and it has changed my life: “Your moods are contagious, always share positive energy”
Q. Who inspires you the most?
A. Ellen Degeneres
Q. What are you proud of but never have an excuse to talk about?
A. I’m literally so proud of being an amazing daughter to my mother and taking good care of her.
Q. If you had only one day left to live, what would you do?
A. I would spend the whole day with my family and my closest friends at home, having mo:mo party and barbeque and getting drunk.
Turkish Airlines Airbus had an accident. A museum was born
A sculpture or a curio piece, or a fine art masterpiece, makes for a museum of art or history. By this logic, you need a real aircraft to build a good aviation museum. For proof, visit the Aviation Museum at Sinamangal in Kathmandu.The frame of a dead aircraft and its dead engine come to life at this museum, the first of its kind in Nepal. The dead frame of a Turkish Airlines Airbus that skidded off the runway in Kathmandu in 2015 was dismantled, reassembled and fashioned into an aviation museum, right next to the country’s only international airport. When you visit this unique museum, you will feel like being inside a real airplane.
Launched in November 2017, the museum was established by Bed Upreti Trust—a non-profit jointly founded by Captain Bed Uprety—and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal. A pilot and an aviation instructor in Indonesia, Uprety wanted to interest the Nepali youth in the field of aviation, and he reckoned an aviation museum would be the perfect way to do so.
The museum’s exhibits include the aircraft’s original cockpit setting, various aircraft models, and items documenting the history of Nepali aviation.
The Turkish Airlines plane, Airbus 330-300, had flown for about eight months before meeting a mishap at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu in March 2015. It cost Rs 70 million to convert the useless outer-frame into a museum.
The museum has a lot to offer to visitors. It is the perfect place to educate yourself on Nepali aviation or to take your child who is fascinated about flying. The main attraction are probably the miniature airplanes and model helicopters displayed inside. Recently, a fun park for children has been built right outside the museum.
The Airbus has four sections. In the welcome hall, visitors are shown a documentary on the museum’s history. It gives information about airport model, cargo compartment, cabin crew, pilot training, and aviation safety. Then there is an air force hall imitating a fighter plane that served in both the world wars. Next is an airlines hall with models of aircraft operated by Nepal Airlines. Lastly, the manufacture and refreshment hall displays plane models developed by students of aircraft engineering.
Ticket prices are reasonable. Nepali citizens pay Rs 250, handicapped and older citizens Rs 125, SAARC country nationals Rs 250, and foreigners Rs 500. Entry fee is waived for students of grade 9-12 who carry a letter from their schools. All students with valid ID cards get 50 percent off. You may also get photographed as an airhostess or a pilot by paying nominal fees.
The museum opens 10 am-5 am, October to February, and 9:30 am-6:30 pm, March to September.
The place is popular with school children these days. “It’s astonishing to witness the excitement of the little children who come here. They have so many questions and I feel happy answering them as it reminds me of my own childhood," says Anisha Neupane, an employee at the museum.
“We want to encourage youngsters to pursue careers in aviation and engineering,” said Uprety, who is also the chief executive officer of the museum.
Despite all the hard work with the museum, there is always room for improvement. One such area is food prices. A disappointed visitor was heard saying: “For a place dedicated to children and students, the restaurant here is quite expensive. The prices need to go down.”
Quick questions with ASHISHMA NAKARMI PRADHAN
Q. A quote you live by?
A. “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.
Q. Something your fans wouldn’t believe about you?
A. My age.
Q. If one of your wishes were to be granted?
A. To always be happy.
Q. What’s the best part of your day?
A. Morning because I make plans for the entire day in the morning.
Q. If you could be anything, what would you be?
A. I am happy the way I am. I would not want to be anything else.
Q. Which place in the world would you like to visit?
A. I would like to go to Paris with my husband.
Q. Who would you like to dance with next?
A. Boogie Woogie 2018 winner Kabita Nepali.
Q. What is one outfit you cannot go wrong with?
A. Bikini.
Q. What is the weirdest thing a fan has ever done for you?
A. There is a guy who came to London to meet me when I was there for an award show. I talked to him and exchanged some messages. But then he started messaging me every day, making a lot of small talk. I like talking to my fans but there is a difference between friends and fans.
Hult Prize winners announced | Laxmi’s ‘Viber-Stickers’
Hult Prize winners announced
The Hult Prize organizing committee in Nepal this week announced the winning team, which has advanced to the 11th annual Regional Summit in Vietnam. The “Pop-Pack” from King’s College won with their idea of revolutionizing the packaging industry of daily consumable items such as toothpaste and shampoo. The winning team of BBA students includes Sachin Dangi, Rupesh Puri, Samaya Khadka, and Sushat Gaire.
The Regional Summit is happening all around the globe including in countries like Malaysia, Japan, London, the US, Mexico, Jordon, Nigeria, Philippines, and Pakistan.
The Hult Prize is a crowdsourcing platform for social good that was named one of the top five ideas changing the world by TIME Magazine. The innovative crowdsourcing platform identifies and launches disruptive and catalytic social ventures to solve the planet’s most pressing problems. This year, the Hult Prize’s focus is on ‘Empowering the Earth: Bold Business for a Better Planet’.
Laxmi’s ‘Viber-Stickers’
Laxmi Bank released its 16-set sticker pack on Viber with the objective of making money-talks more enjoyable in the Viber chat world. This was the first ‘Nepali animated sticker pack’ to be released on Viber.
Stickers are a fun, colorful way to express in Viber and “Greetings from Laxmi” definitely does that, a press release issued by the bank reads. Laxmi Bank offers its valued customers products, services and tips that make a difference in the everyday lives of individuals, families, small businesses or large corporates, the statement adds.
PRACTICE CHAKRA YOGA IN KATHMANDU | DO OFFBEAT SCULPTING IN POKHARA | TREK IN DHAMPUS
PRACTICE CHAKRA YOGA
IN KATHMANDU
Every Friday at 8 am, HUB, a coffee shop in Thamel, hosts Chakra Yoga classes with LaChelle Amos. LaChelle blends Tibetan singing bowls, crystal and platinum tuning forks, thingsaws, and vocals in her personalized and group sound sessions. Founder of Silence of Sound Yoga, she is also an international conflict resolution specialist. If you are feeling stuck in a rut, you should definitely try this. Each week the class explores a different energy center in human body, learning what each governs and how to keep them balanced through meditation, pranayama, and asana. The hour-and-half class costs Rs 800. Call 9866273244.
DO OFFBEAT SCULPTING
IN POKHARA
Learn about recycling waste for artistic endeavors in this class hosted by Mim Bahadur Magar Rana at the Modern Art Gallery. You will learn how to make your own mini-sculptures from discarded materials. This four-hour class costing Rs 1,900 (17$) is inclusive of all tools and materials. You will gain an insight into the creative mind of Rana as he will walk you through his other creations too. Call 9818421646.
TREK
IN DHAMPUS
If you’re looking for some exciting adventure but are not very fond of steep hills and exhausting treks, Dhampus could be an ideal choice to pacify your “craving for a vacation” soul. Pokhara Tour, Sight-seeing and Adventure activities presents to you a two-day Dhampus trek package at Rs 23,000 (215$). The trek is operated all year round and can be planned to your convenience. The fresh smell of the earthy villages, mesmerizing landscapes, warm hospitality of locals, and the view of the beautiful snowcapped Annapurna… worth it. The sum covers accommodation, food and transport. Call 9802014557.
