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In the Kathmandu Valley, the delivery of water jars has become a symbol of everyday life. Whether in the narrow lanes of urban cities or the quiet villages on the outskirts, large blue or clear plastic jars sit on porches, kitchen counters and shop fronts. For the rich, poor and the middle class alike, jar water is not just a convenience—it’s a lifeline. Trusted as a safer alternative to tap water, these jars are seen as symbols of hygiene and modern living. 

A recent investigation from the Lalitpur public health office has cast a disturbing shadow on the daily routine of jar water consumption. Out of 28 samples of jar water tested in the district, 11 tested positive for fecal coliform bacteria. The bacteria was also found in all water samples collected from Mahankal rural municipality-3 in Lalitpur district. Among them, five tap water samples tested positive for potentially deadly microbes.

According to a report published in Rastriya Samachar Samiti (RSS), the Baglung provincial public health office has detected coliform bacteria in 125 out of 341 water sources tested across all 10 municipalities of the district. Dilli Acharya, a lab technician, told RSS that they found 42 out of 106 drinking water sources in Jaymini municipality contaminated. Also, 40 out of 91 sources in Galkot municipality of the district tested positive for coliform bacteria.

Acharya added that last year, coliform was found in 103 sources, which has now increased to 125. “We will expand the scope of testing in all municipalities, as coliform has been found in many sources,” he told RSS.

Dr Kiran Tiwari, medical superintendent at Dhaulagiri provincial hospital, warned that drinking water contaminated with coliform can lead to serious health issues such as diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, jaundice, Hepatitis B, urinary tract infections and blood infections. 

So, what is a workable solution to this problem? Water from affected sources should be boiled before drinking, said Dr Tiwari.

Harihar Sharma, deputy mayor of Jaymini municipality—which reported the highest contamination—told RSS that the municipality is “actively working” on cleaning and conserving the water sources. Fecal coliform is a type of bacteria that usually lives in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, including humans. These bacteria can come out through animal or human waste (feces) and sometimes end up in water. They are used as an indicator—meaning if these bacteria are found in water, it’s a sign that the water might be contaminated with feces, and possibly other harmful germs. Most of the time, these bacteria are not very dangerous, but their presence means that there could be other, more harmful bacteria, viruses or parasites in the water.

These samples were collected from water jars sourced from Gotikhel and Pandhere rivers, located in Godawari municipality and Mahankal rural municipality. “This contamination may be due to the rainy season and drainage system too,” according to Shree Bhadra Sharma, a lab technician at Public Health Lalitpur. “Bacterial contamination resulting from mixing rainwater with river water might have caused this. However, retests after 2-3 days found the contamination gone. The issue was temporarily settled.”

But the fact that contamination was found at all—especially in water meant for direct consumption—has raised a question across the valley. The discovery comes at a precarious time. Every monsoon, cases of cholera and diarrhea spike across the country, straining already overburdened public health systems.

According to the Ministry of Health and Population, 1,316 cholera cases were reported in fiscal year 2022-23 , the number slightly decreased to 1,016 in 2023-24 and surged to 2,373 in 2024-25. As for diarrhea, 227,485 cases were recorded in 2023-24 and 199,169 cases in 2024-25.
Not all cases can be directly linked to jar water, but the presence of fecal coliform in widely distributed drinking water raises red flags.

So, how do water jars end up in our homes? The Department of Food Technology and Quality Control (DFTQC) is responsible for regulating and licensing water jar companies. In theory, companies must pass water quality tests and undergo site inspections before they can operate.

“We only approve the company license after a lab test of the water sample,” said Jyotsna Shrestha, senior food research officer at the DFTQC. “The site is inspected, and approval is given only after ensuring proper sanitation and source safety.”

But Shrestha admits to a key gap in the system. “We only test water quality after it reaches the market, not before packaging after giving the license.” That’s where the problem lies.

In short, companies might pass the initial test but face little routine monitoring afterward. This means water could be clean during licensing but contaminated by the time it reaches your home. Worse, many jar plants—especially smaller, unregistered ones—reportedly refill jars directly from natural sources like rivers or underground wells, often without sufficient filtration or disinfection.

The jars themselves are part of the problem. Made from polycarbonate plastic, these containers are meant to be reused multiple times—but only if they’re properly sterilized after each use. In practice, many facilities skip or rush the sterilization process. Some even reuse visibly discolored or damaged jars.

“The jar should be transparent,” said Shrestha. “That helps detect cleanliness and usage better than just counting how many times it’s reused.” But without standard labeling or usage tracking, there’s no way for consumers to know if the jar they’re drinking from has been safely sanitized—or simply refilled and resealed.

While municipalities have begun awareness campaigns, the response remains reactive rather than preventive. Testing is conducted every six months, once before the rainy season and another during the rainy season, said Sharma and “only when people raise concerns about the water.”

Tibrata Sharma from the Bhaktapur Health Office echoed similar concerns. “In Bhaktapur, we found fecal coliform in one of two companies tested. It could be due to the rainy season—or human behavior.”

Until these issues are addressed—through stricter regulation, more frequent testing and greater consumer awareness—the safety of jar water remains uncertain. Health experts now urge the public to boil jar water or use in-home filters, especially during the rainy season. It’s a precaution that could prevent illness—or even save lives. In a nation already overwhelmed by waterborne diseases, every drop should be clean.

The festive season is upon us. With teej around the corner and Dashain and Tihar following soon after, it’s that time of the year when you find yourself meeting up with family and friends over lunches and dinners. It’s mostly likely that you will want to host a couple of parties yourself. After all, could there really be a better time to indulge in good food and spend quality time with your loved ones than when you are free from meetings and deadlines?

But does the idea of throwing a party or having even a small get-together at home stress you out? You think of the million things you need to do, like prepare the menu, get the house in order, think of festive gifts and what not, and you feel overwhelmed. It happens to the best of party planners so that doesn’t mean you can’t welcome guests. With the information and tricks we’re here to provide you, you can throw a wonderful dinner event that will have your guests raving about your hosting skills. The good thing is it will be a breeze and you will also enjoy and be proud of yourself.

Plan in advance

The key to a successful party is planning, planning, and more planning. So whip out a notebook and write down everything that needs to be done, and include even small details like ‘clean the bathroom’, ‘get flowers and candles’, or ‘change the table runner’. Oftentimes, we tend to stress out over small things or forget them, leading to last minute hassles. Plan the guest list, appetizers and main course menu, and decor. Having everything written down will remove the mental clutter and make tasks much easier to manage. You can also create a to-do list on your phone and tick off items as you complete them. Also, planning in advance doesn’t have to mean planning a week before the party. You can start gathering things like decor items and gifts sometimes even a month in advance. Currently, there are many fairs and exhibitions being held around town in preparation for teej. Visit a couple to see what all you can pick up that you can use as party favors later on. Stocking up on things like these can help lessen the preparation load later on.

Pick a theme

If you thought having a theme was only for children’s birthday parties, think again. We, at ApEx, believe every party should have a theme. Not only does it seem like you have put a lot of thought and effort into hosting, it’s also easier to plan around a theme. You don’t have to decide everything like decor and food individually. Say you are throwing an outdoor barbecue party, then you don’t have to worry about indoor decor. All you need are some string lights and maybe a cool bar station setup. Similarly, if your theme is 90s throwback then the right music, a selection of candies that you used to have during your school days (and yes, there are widely available these days), and decor using balloons, banners, and ribbons could pretty much sort it out. Sometimes, a color or type of cuisine could decide your theme too. A cocktail soirée is a great low-effort theme, especially if you host an outdoor one during the day time. You only have to prepare some meat and cheese platters and let the drinks take over.

Let the decor take over

Apart from the food, the most important aspect of any party is how welcome and comfortable you make the guests feel. And this can only be done through the right decor. We recommend investing in sustainable decor items that you can use again and again and not on balloons and streamers that have to be tossed after a single use, though this can be used if you are throwing themed parties that need them. But if not, invest in large flower vases, candle holders, and lights that can be used to make your space seem more festive. For Dashain and Tihar, we couldn’t recommend floating candles enough. Place these in small urns in various corners of your house, along with some rose petals, to give your home a festive feel. Light a diffuser with an aromatic essential oil to keep it smelling fresh. You could also place incense sticks in bathrooms and corridors. Invest in cute tableware and glassware that will make your appetizers and drinks look even better. The devil lies in the details so make sure you get them right.

Set up the food in style 

A buffet style set up is the most common way of serving food at most parties. And while these are practical and perhaps even irreplaceable, there’s really no excuse for a boring buffet. To ensure your party is the talk of the town, the food has to stand out in terms of preparation and presentation. We aren’t just talking about fancy ceramic wares and cutlery here though pretty napkins in vibrant colors and interesting patterns instead of regular, boring white ones definitely won’t hurt. Label your food using small photo holders and write down what’s in it. Make sure you mention the possible allergens if any. Decorate the buffet area with random arrangements of different flowers on small vases, fun food quotes written on chalkboards (this one is one of our favorites) and even cookbooks that your menu has been inspired from. You can also print out photos of your previous parties or take recent fun ones from your guest’s Instagram accounts and hang these on a piece of rope with pegs along the buffet area. Get creative with what you have around the house. You can use little knick knacks from your travels to decorate the area as well.

Over the years, the use of chemical pesticides in Nepal has increased so notably that it has raised serious concerns about human health and environmental sustainability. From residues in the food we eat to the degradation of soil health and biodiversity loss, the long-term consequences of excessive pesticide use are becoming harder to ignore. In Nepal, where agriculture remains the primary livelihood for around 60 percent of the population, the dependence on synthetic chemicals is not just a farming issue; it is a public health and environmental crisis in the making. 

Climate change has led to the emergence of new pests and the expansion of pest habitats, causing farmers to rely more heavily on chemical pesticides to protect their crops. While effective in the short term, the widespread and often unregulated use of synthetic pesticides triggers long-term consequences. These include the development of pest resistance, contamination of soil and water resources, accumulation of toxic residues in food, and alarming impacts on human health and biodiversity. Children, pregnant women, and farm workers are particularly vulnerable to pesticide exposure, with studies linking prolonged contact to respiratory issues, hormonal disruptions, and even cancer. 

Recent studies have shown that vegetables in Nepal often contain pesticide residues exceeding the maximum residue limits (MRLs), rendering them unsafe for human consumption. 

The increasing import of chemical pesticides over recent years highlight Nepal's growing reliance on synthetic pest control measures. As in the fiscal year 2023/24 alone, the country imported 1,664 active ingredient (a.i.) tons of chemical pesticides (PQPMC, 2025). The rising trend reflects an urgent need to question the sustainability and safety of our current pest management practices. 

In the face of these growing challenges, biopesticides present a promising and necessary alternative. Derived from natural organisms or substances like bacteria, fungi, viruses, and botanical extracts, biopesticides control pests without causing harm to the environment, human health, or beneficial organisms. Unlike synthetic pesticides, they are biodegradable, target-specific, and less likely to cause pest resistance. 

Common examples of biopesticides include Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), which controls caterpillars; neem-based formulations for a broad spectrum of pests; Trichoderma species that act against fungal pathogens; and Jholmal, a locally prepared bio-mixture made from cow/buffalo urine, dung, botanicals, and beneficial microorganisms for pest and disease management, and is currently being promoted in Nepal. These eco-friendly options not only help protect crops effectively but also support soil health, pollinator survival, and long-term agricultural sustainability. 

Biopesticides are no longer just something used by the organic farmers as a choice; they are now essential for mainstream agriculture, especially in the face of climate and health challenges. As climate change continues to alter pest dynamics, and as chemical residues threaten public health, a shift toward safer alternatives is not just desirable but urgent. The adoption of biopesticides supports multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 15 (Life on Land) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Nepal’s smallholder farmers, who are already facing the brunt of climate impacts, can benefit from locally available and low-cost biopesticide options like Jholmal, which enhance both resilience and productivity. 

Despite their proven benefits, the widespread adoption of biopesticides in Nepal faces several challenges. A major barrier is the lack of awareness and technical knowledge among farmers, many of whom are unfamiliar with how biopesticides work, how to apply them effectively, or how they differ from conventional pesticides. In addition, biopesticides are often not readily available in rural markets, and when they are, they tend to be more expensive or perceived as less effective due to slower action. Limited private sector involvement and insufficient government incentives have also contributed to a weak supply chain and low investment in local production. Without strong institutional support and market linkages, the transition from chemical to biological pest management remains slow and fragmented. 

To accelerate the transition toward sustainable pest management, a coordinated and multi-stakeholder approach is essential. First, government policies should actively promote biopesticides by including them in subsidy schemes. Investment in research and local production of bio-based inputs should be prioritized, enabling farmers to access affordable and effective products tailored to Nepal’s diverse agroecological zones. Extension services must be reoriented to include biopesticide training through farmer field schools, demonstration plots, and digital platforms. The private sector, too, has a critical role to play in developing, distributing, and marketing biopesticides, especially when incentivized through public–private partnerships. Finally, awareness campaigns targeting farmers, consumers, and policymakers can help shift perceptions and generate demand for safe, sustainable pest control solutions.

The overuse of chemical pesticides is not just an agricultural concern; it is a public health, environmental, and sustainability crisis. Thus, biopesticides offer a safer and more sustainable way to manage pests without damaging our soil, food, or ecosystems. If we want safe food and a clean environment, we must act now. With the right support from the government, private sector, and awareness among farmers and consumers, biopesticides can become a powerful solution against pest management.  The future of farming lies not in fighting nature, but working with it. By adopting biopesticides today, Nepal can cultivate a healthier tomorrow; for its land, its farmers, and its people.

The author holds Master's degree in Agricultural Economics and is currently working as a research intern at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

The 70th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relationships between Nepal and China is an important milestone for both nations but it is obvious to say that Nepal has been benefitting the most from this relationship.

Over the years, Nepal proved to be a reliable and trusted partner for Beijing and it is worthy to observe that Kathmandu was able to forge a strong relationship with China without putting its own strategic interests in jeopardy. Co-habiting a space hemmed between India and China, while it can bring multiple advantages, can also be a tricky endeavor.

Balancing off different interests and trade-offs between New Delhi and Beijing requires high skills in navigating foreign diplomacy without forgetting in the equation, the role of the United States that, with the exception of the incumbent administration in Washington, has also been a strong and important partner for Kathmandu.

Thanks also to the presence of different communist parties in the country, Beijing has been able to assert its influence and it is remarkable how swiftly China has been capable of boosting not only its development assistance but also its soft power in Nepal.

I often read mesmerizing reports from reporters invited to China to observe firsthand and then report and explain back home the huge improvements in the lives of Chinese citizens over the last 30 years, enhancements that have been accompanied by a turbo state-led capitalism that supported China’s rise. I have a huge admiration for China’s history and ancient civilization while as someone who grew up in the West, I have also a critical view of certain policies and positions taken by Beijing.

I never expected China to turn itself into a democracy but at the same time, I do not have an uncritical view of some of its approaches related to human rights and freedom of expression. Yet I always had a strong desire to try to understand the nuances of certain policies because in politics as well as in governance, we cannot simplify everything through “white and black” lenses and this is particularly true for a complex country like China.

Because understanding the ways the Chinese Communist Party works and the multilayered governance structure of its political and administrative systems are complex endeavors that require a lot of expertise.

In short, observing and trying to make sense of what is happening in China is indeed a fascinating thing and I do believe that the West should make a much bigger effort at grasping the nuances of China’s political system.

Nepal, despite its links with India, has managed, quite successfully, at building important bridges with China. At the same time, even in relation to the Road and Belt Initiative, Beijing’s flagship global program, Nepal has been able to push back with due respect and smartness. At the same time, the civil society of Nepal has been able to forge stronger relationships with peers in China and slowly a stronger knowledge of the country is emerging and this is a good thing.

Yet, I do feel that members of the press corps and activists should also develop a more holistic understanding of China. I never believed that a paradise on Earth exists, a nation capable of embodying perfection in all its spheres of life where no problems exist. This not only applies to China but also Europe, Australia or the United States of America or any other nation.

As a European, I can be proud of our democratic credentials and freedom of speech I can enjoy back home. I can also certainly assert that the EU has also been struggling with double standards and I wish the Europeans could always walk the talk in matters of upholding human rights domestically but also in their foreign policies. So, I do not take it easily to criticize the second biggest power on Earth, especially when China has been doing a lot for the nation that has been hosting me for many years.

Yet, as Nepal’s consciousness of India has matured over the years because the citizens of the former know very well the mindset, culture, politics and foreign policies of the latter, I do believe that slowly a more “complete” view of China will emerge.

From Beijing’s perspective, this inevitable evolution of views is not necessarily a negative thing because real partnerships require the space also to vent some criticisms or simply different perspectives. As China might sometimes vent its frustrations toward Kathmandu, it is normal that Nepal can be in a position to question certain policies and positions taken by Beijing, not out of disrespect, but simply out of sincere and trustworthy commitment to make the bilateral relationship stronger. This would happen because the rapport between the two will be enhanced when the interests of the smaller partner are better addressed and the latter becomes more assertive.

Nepal learned how to navigate its relationships with its south neighbor, developing a sense of self-confidence in also pushing back whenever needed. At the end of the day, such a level of candid approach might annoy New Delhi but at the end of the day, India knows that the relationships are stronger when both parties feel comfortable at expressing each other even if the positions are different.

Eventually, the same would happen with the northern neighbor. This would represent a new level of relationships between China and Nepal that, rather than being one-sided, are more mutually beneficial because they are more balanced.

Finally, I want to take an appreciative view of what China has been doing for Nepal. With the exception of the Ring Road work that I believe has been poorly designed (see the number of lethal accidents that have occurred so far since the revamped partial motorway has opened from Koteshwar to Kalanki), China has been playing a huge and very generous role in supporting Nepal.

I recently read of plans that China will build a bone marrow transplantation facility at the BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital in Bharatpur, Chitwan.

There are also discussions on important expansions at Civil Service Hospital in Kathmandu, a hospital entirely built by China that, since its start of operations, has already seen important upgrades. These are key infrastructure projects for Nepal, very tangible initiatives at direct benefit of local peoples. At the same time as Nepal is proceeding to graduate from the category of least developed nations, would it not also be essential for Kathmandu to start doing something to help China? I do understand that this might look like a ridiculous proposition but instead I do believe that Nepal is about to reach the point where it can also show gratitude to its northern neighbor.

As Kathmandu tries to learn more about the almost unimaginable improvements in the lives of Chinese people and how Beijing has been prioritizing the right to development, Nepal can also show its templates and success stories. For example, how the nation halved its poverty and levels of social exclusions and how its political system, despite its own issues like instability and corruption, proved to be indispensable for such progress. Nepal could also do much more in promoting its culture and way of dealing with internal problems and differences and why not establish an exchange program where hundreds of Chinese students come here to learn about the country?

If millions of Chinese students have flocked to the USA, why not have some of them also learn Nepal’s way to development and prosperity? Frankly speaking, the university system in Nepal, while having its own share of challenges, also counts with some best practices. Higher education is just one area where Nepal could do something to reciprocate China’s generosity.  Without a doubt, there are many other areas where Nepal can do its bits to show that it is not taking China’s generosity for granted.