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The Kathmandu Valley’s weather has been quite unstable lately. Capricious weather patterns, marked by a sudden rainfall and dip in temperature, have led to many people suffering from common cold, cough and fever. Anushka Nepal from ApEx caught up with Dr Subodh Sagar Dhakal, chest and critical care specialist, to know the cause behind these illnesses and the ways to stay healthy amid unpredictable weather. Has the weather anything to do with people falling sick? Weather change is one of the factors. But it’s not just the rain and cold conditions that cause people to catch a cough, cold or viral fever. These illnesses are also common during other times. In fact, the risk is even higher during spring, since the winter inversion layer (inversions trap a dense layer of cold air under a layer of warm air) forms in the Kathmandu Valley. Imagine the valley to be a bowl. The inversion layer acts like a lid and pollution is trapped within that layer. So, more than the change between hot and cold weather, it’s the accumulated pollution we see in Kathmandu that’s causing these health issues. In a way, the rainy days we have been witnessing lately are good. It minimizes air pollution. As for the rapid change in temperature, it’s just that our body might take some time to adapt to the change. But this should not cause much health issues, unless you have weak immunity or have been drenched in rainwater. Some claim that they haven’t fully recovered from the cold for weeks. Everyone believes it’s because of the unstable weather. What do you think is the reason behind this? More than the weather itself, it’s the nature of the virus that prolongs the symptoms. We call that post-viral syndrome. There are two reasons for it: 1) The nature of viruses have changed in the past few years. 2) Lingering side effects of medication might make you feel weak and lethargic, which also comes under post-viral syndrome. A few years back, a viral infection could be cured within seven days. Now, it takes around 14 days. Although you might stop getting a fever, the other effects of this virus will not go away for around four to six weeks, unless you take proper medications. Weather changes only trigger the viral infection. What should we be aware of when it comes to these health issues and medications?  We live in a country where anyone can buy antibiotics. And there are people who get the strongest dose possible and have it if they have any symptoms of cold. We should avoid doing that. You do not need medicines, unless your body shows warning signs like unusual headaches, high fever, lethargicness, etc. Even when you are displaying those signs, the first thing to do is go see a doctor, not have medicines that haven’t been professionally prescribed. If symptoms are mild, taking anti-allergens and steam should be enough. But do not add any kind of mentholated gels or oils (for example, Sancho). That will do more harm than good. Are people with existing respiratory conditions at more risk of developing illnesses due to weather change and pollution? Yes, people with existing respiratory conditions need to be more careful. Pollution in this season has a lot of pollen, which might worsen their health conditions. People with asthma, or anyone who is under heavy medications are at higher risk and in most cases, these individuals easily get infected with pneumonia. It’s the same for people with existing heart and kidney conditions. Pregnant individuals, anyone below five years, and above 65 years of age should also be careful. Also, many people take morning walks as a way of staying healthy. But it’s the morning and evening time when the air pollution is at its worst. It’s best to avoid going out between 5 and 10 in the morning, and after 3 in the evening. But that’s not possible all the time, but you could at least avoid crowds and wear a mask when you are outdoors. What other precautions can we take?  A lot of people neglect the damage air pollution can do to one’s health. The pollution we see in Kathmandu is so harmful that it can even affect our bloodstream. So one should be wearing a mask not just as a Covid-19 precaution, but everytime they are outside. Secondly, avoid visiting hospitals unnecessarily. It’s one of the most infected places you can visit. If someone you love or know is admitted, call or leave a text. If you have a weak immunity, you are at risk of catching an infection. Also, viruses these days have a high transmission rate. You might have also noticed that if one family member gets infected, everyone falls sick within the next seven days. So try maintaining one meter distance from a sick person. And wear a mask whenever you are around a sick person. The best thing to do is get a flu shot, that not many are aware of. It will not prevent you from getting sick, but will help avoid the severity of the infection.

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) promotes peace and sustainable development through international cooperation in education, arts, sciences and culture. The organization supports media and information literacy around the world. On the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day on May 3, Kamal Dev Bhattarai of ApEx talked with Michael Croft, UNESCO representative to Nepal, about the state of press freedom in Nepal and around the world. How do you see the current state of global press freedom? The global press freedom situation is in a difficult time. Before the interview, I was reading some recent troubling statistics, for instance the news that the number of media professionals killed in 2022 was double than the previous year. The context for freedom of expression and press freedom in particular is challenging not only from the misinformation, disinformation and fake news, but also from the growing challenges of artificial intelligence. How will the public know that the things they are seeing in the media are real or fake? These things directly impact society and are dangerous to journalism, society and democracy. However, there is also a much better awareness of the threats as well. For instance, the member states of UNESCO have requested the organization to elaborate the guidelines for regulation of social media, which were first discussed at the Internet for Trust Conference this February held at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. While maintaining freedom of expression and human rights remains a priority, member states are now reacting in a more proactive manner because negative trends and impacts of so-called “fake news” and disinformation are better understood. Ten years ago, social media was still somewhat new and we did not have the perspective we have now. We also did not fully understand the consequences. But after realizing that the things have to be balanced, things are getting easier, or at least we have a better sense of what we need to do. Is the world becoming a dangerous place for journalists? Unfortunately, yes. There continue to be problems due to conflicts; many journalists have died while covering the conflict in Ukraine, for example. There are issues of impunity and many countries continue to grapple with this. Journalists are unfortunately a popular and easy target. The online violence and hate speech have also played their part. In Nepal, while it would be a scandal if someone slapped a female journalist on the street, much worse things happen online—and almost with full impunity. If you are freelance or working for a smaller media house, it only gets more difficult. How is UNESCO helping to create a safer environment for journalists? Across the world, we observed the World Press Freedom Day, originally created to draw attention to the importance of the role that journalists and media professionals play by realizing and promoting press freedom. It’s also a day that UNESCO brings attention to the relation of press freedom with gender equality, safety, sustainable development, and all. This year marks the 75th anniversary of declaration of human rights and so, appropriately, this year’s World Press Freedom Day theme is  “Shaping a future of rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights”. After all, if you don’t have freedom to express yourself, how will you realize all your human rights? In terms of actions, UNESCO and a wide international partnership have been working on these issues for decades. But owing to the impact of what I have already described, I think we are seeing that coalition broaden significantly now—it’s far from a niche issue.  “Fake news” and disinformation are impacting everyone, and this, for example, is why you see that the UN since 2019 has a plan of action for combating hate speech and promoting information integrity. It’s not just for UNESCO to push the issue, now we see more collective action across the system as it has grown into an important issue for the UN system.  That said, UNESCO has its place, especially to use its convening power in this area to connect different stakeholders. It’s less about what we do than what we can enable. The organization continues to try to combat impunity and help member states be accountable for the judicial process on violence or killing of journalists. Every year, the director-general of UNESCO sends a letter to the member states asking for an update on the judicial proceedings. We don’t only condemn the heinous acts on journalists but try to hold the state accountable and follow up on it. What’s your opinion on Nepali media? In Nepal, the freedom of expression is generally in a healthy state as is overall press freedom. We can say that the media sector, especially in terms of its current development, is fragmented and not necessary in balance. To grow and protect the sector, media development needs to be approached in a holistic and strategic manner; all stakeholders like government, the private sector, I/NGOs have a role to play here with our media partners. An activity-based effort through conferences and training is not sufficient; we need to come together to build a common understanding that can empower a common approach. I believe that Nepal is an interesting place in terms of media freedom. As the country has been through a conflict, a transitional period, new constitution, elections and governments, there was so much to do in terms of governance. I think freedom of expression, perhaps rightly so, didn’t get a lot of attention because it seems like a simple issue when you consider that Nepalis strongly support freedom of expression; this is well covered in the constitution. But having the right enshrined and public and political support are not sufficient in this day and age. “Fake news”, disinformation and misinformation can upend progress when many people lack media literacy. People have easy access to smartphones and they know how to use them. But does that come with an understanding about how to use them responsibly? That is now the challenge for Nepal as it is in many countries. And we need to review the training and standards in the media. Media professionals play a critical role in society in educating us about a host of issues so we can make informed decisions from politics to purchases to play. It’s a role that comes with responsibility and prestige. So this is the time to review the working conditions, code of conduct and professionalism of journalists, complemented with updated legislation and the roll-out of media literacy programs. What is your message for Nepali media community? We are in a difficult time as a global community. We have to make some hard choices but the time has come to stand up with the principles because principles are under threat. And if we value freedom of expression, we need to realize that media professionals are always in the front line in any democracy and we need to act accordingly. Their role is difficult and what they draw attention to is not always pleasant to read but it is because they represent the consciousness of our society. In Nepal, the media community is doing the best it can. If we want them to maintain the work to protect democracy, on World Press Freedom Day, let’s at least spare a thought for what they do—and what we could do to help them. Nepal is trending up when so many countries in the world are trending down in terms of media, this is to be celebrated, yes, but it can’t be taken for granted. It has become something to protect. And not just for Nepal but for all of us, as I strongly believe Nepal can become a strong advocate and actor, not only in the region but globally. Viewed through a UNESCO lens, we see not just rich cultural and natural heritage, but a country that wears its cultural diversity well.  In this, we see that Nepal is an actor which has so much potential to play a positive role in regional and international relationships. So, what happens in Nepal is important, not just for Nepal but for everyone.

Laxmi Acharya is a popular folk singer from Tikapur, Kailali. She started her musical career in 2013, and over the years she has recorded more than 150 songs. Many of her tunes can be categorized under Deuda genre, which comes from far-west Nepal. ApEx caught up with Acharya to discuss her musical journey and future plans.  Could you tell us about your journey so far? I have been working in this field for a decade, and I feel like I’m just starting out. There are still many things that I want to achieve for myself and my community. As a singer, I believe it is my duty to promote Nepali folk music and culture both within the country and outside. How much of an impact do you think your songs are making to promote the culture of the far-west? I want to believe that my songs have had a positive impact when it comes to promoting the culture and tradition of my region. I can only hope that my songs can one day serve as an archive of Deuda culture. After all, Deuda songs are more than just songs, they are also a rich source of information for anyone looking to learn more about our culture, history and tradition.  What are the immediate measures you think we need to take in order to promote this culture? There are many ways to do so. In today’s era of technology, we can disseminate information in different forms and formats. We need to incorporate Deuda culture in every platform, from school curriculums to social media. Also, local governments, politicians and political parties need to step up in order to preserve our indigenous history and culture.  What role do you think political parties play in promoting Nepali culture? Although their effort is minimal, political parties can play a vital role in promoting Nepali culture. We have politicians like Sher Bahadur Deuba from the far-west, who with his position could contribute a lot to promote the Deuda culture. There are other leaders too. If only they could give this issue a little bit of time and attention, I think we could draw a lot of national and international attention to Deuda culture.  The far-west region is rarely considered the center of arts, culture and development, even though the region has an incredibly rich heritage. Why do you think this is?   I think we are falling behind when it comes to promoting our culture and traditions.  We need more studies and research in various cultures and traditions from Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. Till now, there aren’t any comprehensive studies done in this field. Our publicity campaigns have also not been as effective because there aren’t enough texts or literature to refer to. 

Devendra Gautam of ApEx caught up with water resources expert and former minister for water resources, Dipak Gyawali, to discuss Nepal-India water relations and the way forward.  What’s your take on major river deals with India? Indian scholars, including those from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, have said this previously… India first decides that it needs this or that river and then imposes a treaty/agreement on Nepal. Besides, a treaty/agreement should be read in its wider political context, whether it’s the Treaty of Sugauli or the 1950’s Peace and Friendship Treaty.  Nepal entered into the Koshi Agreement after the overthrow of the Rana regime in the 1950’s. That was during the premiership of Matrika Prasad Koirala. The year 1958 saw Nepal under the premiership of BP Koirala signing the Gandak Agreement with India. These deals happened despite protests in Nepal.  For about 30 years of the Panchayat regime, no such treaty/agreement happened with India. In fact, the regime of King Mahendra revised some of the unequal provisions of the Koshi and Gandak agreements through talks with India.  King Birendra was under tremendous pressure from India to give away the Karnali river, but he did not budge. After the political change of the 1990’s, the first thing that the democratically-elected government of Girija Prasad Koirala did was secretly sign the much-controversial Mahakali Treaty with India.  Nearly 25 years after the Mahakali Treaty, the promised dawn of national prosperity is not even on the horizon…….. In the case of the Mahakali, the Supreme Court under Chief Justice Vishwanath Prasad Upadhyay could have nixed this legal instrument while the ball was in the court. The court could have ordered the passage of this instrument with a simple majority instead of a two-third majority in the parliament. But in a back and forth, the court sent the treaty back to the parliament, which subsequently passed it with a two-third majority, courtesy of the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led Nepali Congress government, the Rastriya Prajatantra Party of the Panchas and the CPN-UML.  The Krishna Prasad Bhattarai-led NC government, formed after the success of the 1990’s movement, had faced Indian pressure to enter into the Mahakali Treaty. But the diplomat that he was, Bhattarai told the Indians that his sole agenda was to deliver the country a democratic constitution.  However, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala took the matter in his own hands after the Congress got a two-third majority in the democratic elections held after the 90’s movement. During a visit to India, he signed the legal instrument secretly.    Initially, the UML was against this treaty and had staged demonstrations against it. But as the then prime minister, Sher Bahadur Deuba of the Nepali Congress, took it upon himself to get this legal instrument a House nod, the UML balked and played a role in the ratification of the treaty along with the Rastriya Prajatantra Party of the Panchas.  What’s more, the Madhav Kumar Nepal-led government of the CPN-UML harmed Nepal’s interests further by entering into a package deal with India by including the development of the Pancheshwar Project.      Let’s revisit the background of this treaty. India had already constructed the Tanakpur barrage, along with a left afflux bund on a patch of highland on the Nepali territory, to divert Mahakali waters into the Sharada canal. India had also built the Tanakpur barrage and wanted the Panchayat regime to rubber-stamp this act. But the regime refused to do this. That was one of the reasons behind the abolition of the king-led Panchayat regime in the 90’s and straining of India’s relations with the monarchy.  While defending this legal instrument despite public protests against the same, politicians of the time, including Sher Bahadur Deuba of the NC, KP Sharma Oli of the CPN-UML and Prakash Chandra Lohani and Pashupati Shumsher JBR of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, had declared that the Sun would rise from the West, that Nepal would get trillions of rupees, with the implementation of this instrument…… That has not happened even 26 years after the signing of the treaty.  There’s room for improvement in such treaties/deals? There surely is. Take the case of the Mahakali Treaty. It has a provision for revision every 10 years. But none of the leaders have bothered to press for a revision in Nepal’s favor all these years. This is because such a move will leave them red-faced as none of their promises—a new dawn from the west, earnings of trillions of rupees every year—have materialized.   Instead of seeking the revision of existing deals, successive governments have inked fresh deals over Arun, West Seti and Upper Karnali rivers….. In the 1990’s, there was a plan to develop the Arun III hydropower project for domestic consumption. We protested the project citing financing arrangements that would have pushed project costs over the roof. Eventually, the World Bank withdrew from the project. There’s a need to keep in mind the fact that we were not against the project per se, our protest was against the terms of financing that would have made the project one of the costliest when it came to per unit cost of power generation…..  What’s the controversy over the Upper Karnali project? As for the Upper Karnali project, the Supreme Court has issued an interim order (November 3 2022), putting on hold the agreement based on which the Indian promoter company Gandhi Mallikarjun Rao (GMR) was planning to sell 500 MW to Bangladesh after completing the construction of the 900-MW Upper Karnali Project. This is a welcome development. The Karnali is a highly lucrative project. The Karnali-Chisapani basin has the capacity to generate thousands of megawatts of hydroelectricity, that too at cheaper rates. Development of the 900-MW project seems to be intended to capture the whole river system. Upstream, for example, in rivers like the Tila and Jawa, which drain into the Karnali river system, there are small projects. The 900-MW project will render the future of projects predating it uncertain. This way, the project is indeed aimed at getting hold of the entire river system. We need some of the projects for domestic consumption as well. Karnali is one among such projects. Also, there’s a need to keep in mind the fact that the developer interested in the Upper Karnali project has questionable credentials.  As for the 750-MW West Seti and 450-MW Seti VI projects, the Indian state-owned company, NHPC Limited, has plans to develop them. One more thing: Power transmission to India should happen through national transmission lines and the government itself should invest in the development of such lines. It should not allow a foreign company/entity to also construct its own transmission line within the Nepali territories for cross-border transmission of electricity. Does our political leadership, regardless of its hue and shades, have the spine to say no to projects if they tend to harm our interests? No, it doesn’t. Recently though, Bhutan said no to the Indian proposal to develop the Sunkoshi project. This example should inspire us to put our national priorities first.  Nepal seems to be going the way of Laos, the ‘battery charger of Southeast Asia’ …..  No, this is far from the case. Laos is way smarter than us. After developing hydropower projects needed for domestic consumption, Laos has stopped venturing into more hydels. Also, unlike Nepal, Laos does not have the flatlands, so it does not have to worry about the plains going under the water because of a dam-based hydel. As for the Indians, they are very clever, they take their national interest seriously. When it comes to water-sharing arrangements with Nepal, they refuse even to abide by the Helsinki Convention, leave alone the guidelines of the World Commission on Dams.  Each water treaty/deal with Nepal is unique is what they say. On the other hand, we are not clever, we do not have a vision regarding the utilization of water resources for our own good. Our political leaders of different hues and shades do New Delhi’s bidding for the hospitality received during political struggles by entering into deals that serve India’s interests.  That is why, perhaps, Indian officials and experts say of the Nepali people (I have often heard them make this remark): Achchhe log hein, par bevkuf hain (The Nepalis are good people, but they are fools).  We have a suppressed demand for energy. Despite this, we are talking about exporting the green energy—hydroelectricity—not only to India, but also to Bangladesh……  Yes, per household power consumption in India is 1200 MW, whereas in Nepal it’s barely 300 MW. Instead of focusing on increasing the consumption of green energy, we are talking about exporting it.  This, despite several studies pointing at multiplier effects associated with domestic consumption of hydroelectricity. Domestic consumption of 1 cent of electricity yields a benefit of 86 cents, per a USAID study.    For Nepal, India is a monopsony market, meaning that Nepal cannot command price for its green energy in the Indian market. This is because per unit hydropower generation cost in Nepal is higher than in India and other countries. We cannot sell it cheap, given a high cost of power generation. Ethiopia is constructing the (6,450-MW) Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam on the Blue Nile at far cheaper rates. Why can’t we do the same? Per unit power generation cost should be more or less the same around the world. Why does this not apply to Nepal?  About the prospects for exporting hydropower to Bangladesh via India…. I remember interacting with India’s former Foreign Secretary Muchkund Dubey. In such interactions, Foreign Secretary Dubey used to show India’s willingness to purchase hydropower generated in Nepal. But the high cost of generation of hydropower in Nepal is a factor that cannot be discounted while talking about the export of hydropower.  Flood control is the topmost priority for Bangladesh. As for water and sources of energy, it has enough of them, natural gas and all. I have said during interactions with Bangladeshi experts and officials that your country wants to export flood to Nepal throughout the year by investing in the construction of dam-based hydels. If such projects materialize, Nepali territories coping with seasonal floods and inundation will have to deal with floods and inundation all year round. Even this is okay, I say to them, provided they are willing to foot the associated costs, including the cost of inundation of our territories for the sake of protecting Bangladesh from flooding and inundation.   I don’t think India will allow the use of its territories for the transmission of hydroelectricity generated in Nepal to Bangladesh.  Your take on Nepal’s increasing reliance on fossil fuel, whose prices are never stable? While Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai was in power, he went for the expansion of roads. This move is also behind the increased consumption of fossil fuel in Nepal. Data show that this petroleum addiction has been increasing in the country over the years.  For motorists like me, wider roads are indeed good. But what of the other people? What about the country? Increasing addiction of petroleum products is harmful for the environment and other aspects.  Produced water—water collected in dams and reservoirs by inundating territories and displacing communities—costs worldwide. Are we, by demanding a fair price for produced water, ‘weaponizing water’? India has introduced provisions stating that it will not purchase power generated with Chinese investment. Despite a toughening of stance, India sold the Upper Marsyangdi hydel license to a Chinese company. On the contrary, India is weaponizing water through such provisions, not Nepal, by taking it as a strategic asset. We seem to be focusing on hydroelectricity, not on water for irrigation, navigation, fisheries and drinking while going for harnessing our rivers. We seem to be forgetting that sources of freshwater are very limited in comparison to sources of energy…. Consider, for example, the reservoir-based Budhi Gandaki Project (1,200-MW). This project can irrigate around 1 lakh hectares of farmland down south. It can also irrigate fields across the border. We need to take cross-border benefits into account while developing this project. The project should be built on the basis of cost and benefit-sharing.   With Nepal’s water sovereignty severely weakened, how will the local levels, the provinces and the center fare? Do political leaders discuss this issue with you?      Political leaders do not consult us. In fact, they don’t need to. Our inputs are all there, in the public domain. What they need to do is implement those suggestions. They need to put national interest above all else.