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 Q. Three adjectives to describe yourself.

A: Sensitive, honest and lazy

Q. Three qualities you seek in your friends.

A: I think it’s the vibe that connects me with someone and once we become friends, I only expect loyalty.

Q. A question you wish people would stop ask­ing.

A: There used to be a question—“Are you an Indian?” But no one has asked me that for quite a long time now. So there’s no question as such right now.

Q. Words you live by.

A: At this particular moment of my life, the words I am living by is, “I want to be happy and feel peace­ful at mind in anything I do.”

Q. Celebrity crush.

A: No one at the moment.

Q. An advice you would like to give to your younger self.

      A: “In the end, everything will be fine and it will be the way it is supposed to be. Just keep going.” This is the advice I would like to give not only to my younger but to            my present self also.

 How important is open space for urban areas?

It is very important. We saw that during the 2015 earthquakes. We also need open spaces to orga­nize sports programs and mass gatherings. In the past we were not able to do much urban planning. But now we are working to set aside at least 5 percent of total city area as open spaces.

Can’t barren open spaces, the few that are still left, be turned into public parks?

Public parks need to be spacious and suitable for all age groups, and they should be disabled-friendly. They should also have amenities such as public toilets and drink­ing water. Narayan Chaur in Naxal, for example, even has a system to recycle rainwater.

Out of total area of Kathmandu valley, how much is open space?

Around 39 percent of the valley is covered by forests whereas houses have been built on 17 percent area. Urbanization is encroaching on agri­cultural land, not the areas covered by the forests. So the valley’s forests are largely intact. Also, we have specified that for a land larger than 8 aanas (254.37m2), up to 60 percent of the area can be taken up by the house. Land smaller than 8 aanas should can have up to 70 percent area covered by the house.

Why can’t the vast open spac­es at Tinkune for instance be turned into a green space?

Sometimes it is hard to evict peo­ple from a piece of land even after giving them due compensations. Talking about the open space at Tin­kune, it is partly privately-owned. Some locals are unhappy with the amount of compensation they are getting, and so the case is currently under the purview of the Supreme Court. Other challenges include poor budget allocation and distribu­tion and lack of coordination among local authorities.

Is budget shortfall a hindrance to building of green spaces?

It is more about government pri­ority than budgeting. If the gov­ernment deems is necessary there will be no problem in mobilizing the budget. It can also invite the private sector. The parks can also be made with the help of local com­munity members, for the benefit of that community. So rather than the budget it is about prioritization and government mindset.

Are there any new plans for creating open spaces?

Not immediately but we have a vision to create four cities in four corners of Kathmandu valley. The demand for public parks is high. There is prospect for green spaces around Tri-Chandra College area and Chhauni if we relocate the col­lege and army barracks respectively. Relocating some governmental bod­ies could also free up much-needed open spaces.

As you pointed out, lack of open spaces was keenly felt during the 2015 earthquakes. But there are fewer open spaces now compared to 2015.

Yes, this is happening because the services are centralized. We have centrally located educational institutions, medical services and entertainment facilities. That is why our city is densely populated and there is lack of open space in city center. But if you go by statistics, only 17 percent area of the valley is covered by houses.

Just for the sake of open space, people cannot be expected to live in outskirts of the valley, can they?

That is why we have come up with the vision of four cities around the valley. The goal is to reduce conges­tion by providing quality services and facilities in these smaller set­tlements are well. The old city will remain as it is but people won’t nec­essarily have to be there to be able to benefit from modern-day facilities.

Where will the four cities be located and how long before they come into being?

The three small cities will take three years and one big city will take about four years. The small cities of around 5 million square meters will be built around the Gundu-Balkot area, Bhainsepati-Bungmati area and Naya Buspark-Jhor area, respec­tively. Likewise, the big city of around 50 million m2 will be built around Changu Narayan munici­pality, Sankharapur municipality, Kageshwori-Manahara municipality and Thimi municipality.

How do you see green spaces evolving in Kathmandu valley?

The areas for green spots will remain intact. The government is aware of its importance and working to protect open public spaces. Also, for the private sector, our new plans have better specifications regarding open spaces in private property. Hopefully, all these efforts will lead to more open public spaces.

Photos by Pritam Chhetri

 Q. In three adjectives, how would you describe yourself?

A: Passionate, sensitive and humorous.

Q. A common misconception about you?

A: People fear me thinking I’m a very serious–natured character, which I’m not.

Q. Question that you wish people would stop asking?

A: Why we named the band 1974 AD.

Q. Words that keep you motivated?

A: “Legends”; when our fans honor us with this word, it moti­vates us the most.

Q. What would your ideal weekend look like?

A: Sleep till late, indulge in wife’s cooking, movie evenings. Hike or trek, if outdoors.

Q. Best possession?

A: My greatest possession is my “music”.

Q. If you could wish for three things, what would they be?

A. 1. A leader who could lead Nepal and Nepalis.

    2. That peace be prevail in the whole world.

        3. And that we were not on an earthquake zone. Lol.....

 Why does BIMSTEC exist at all? What is its focus?

The Bay of Bengal is one of the world’s least integrated regions, with abysmal levels of trade, connectivity, and cooperation. The deep divide between India and other countries around the bay hinders their efforts to increase their economic and strategic interdependence.

BIMSTEC offers a well-positioned platform to help address these chal­lenges. But BIMSTEC’s mission to deepen regionalism will stand a better chance of succeeding if its members make the organization a priority, endow it with adequate resources, and enact reforms to strength its capabilities. 

Why such emphasis on the Bay of Bengal?

As the largest bay in the world, the Bay of Bengal is of pivotal impor­tance to the countries bordering it. More broadly, demographic, eco­nomic, and security developments in the region have crucial implica­tions for Asia and the global order. While exact definitions vary, the bay’s scope is generally defined as a “triangular basin” stretching west to east between Sri Lanka, Bangla­desh, and Malaysia. One-fourth of the world’s populations live in the seven countries around it, and half a billion people live directly on its coastal rim.

The highly populated Bay of Bengal carries a lot of economic promise. With a combined gross domestic product (GDP) close to $2.7 trillion and despite an adverse global financial environment, all seven countries were able to sustain average annual rates of economic growth between 3.4 and 7.5 percent from 2012 to 2016. The bay is also rich in untapped nat­ural resources, with some of the world’s largest reserves of gas and other seabed minerals, as well as, it is increasingly believed, oil. The nutrient input from the Ganges and Brahmaputra rivers ensures that the bay’s waters contain extraordinarily large fishing stocks.

Is BIMSTEC a platform to undercut SAARC?

BIMSTEC is complementary to SAARC and other regional initia­tives. But unlike SAARC, BIMSTEC has greater potential because it is not hostage to cyclical India-Paki­stan tensions. Its focus is also more towards the Southeast, focusing on inter-regional connectivity with Southeast Asia and the Indo-Pacific.

What brings the seven countries of BIMSTEC together?

In a more interdependent world, states around the Bay of Bengal are realizing that their national eco­nomic and security interests are increasingly tied to the ability to cooperate across borders through regional institutions. Responding to the inroads China has made in the region, India is placing an unprec­edented emphasis on strengthen­ing regional connectivity and links with Southeast Asia. Small BIMSTEC countries see regional multilater­alism as a potential check on the rising capabilities of China, India, and major external powers.

What is India’s role in BIMSTEC?

Under Prime Minster Modi, India has taken a proactive stance to revive BIMSTEC under its Act East policy. India’s leadership is important, but regional organiza­tions only succeed if all members move in the same direction. India’s strategic priority now is to connect with its neighboring countries in order to respond to China’s growing presence across South Asia and the Indian Ocean.

There is going to be a joint mil­itary exercise among BIMSTEC member states. Why involve militaries in this forum meant for technical and economic cooperation?

It does not make sense to separate economics and security. Whether it is the threat of terrorism, insur­gencies, or natural calamities, the military services need to be pre­pared to coordinate and cooperate in the Bay of Bengal region. The BIMSTEC states will not be able to achieve their developmental and connectivity plans without being able to secure their territories and populations. But BIMSTEC’s focus remains on economic cooperation and connectivity.

Nepal is not even on the Bay of Bengal. Why is it a BIMSTEC member then?

Nepal was historically well con­nected to the Bay of Bengal, via Kol­kata, Orissa and Bangladesh. This connection was interrupted because India closed its economy, and hence the repeated transit and trade crises between India and Nepal after the 1980s. Nepal then started to open its economy more than India and got interested in greater con­nectivity, trade and transit. Now with India also finally opening up, there is a chance for Nepal to revive its old Bay of Bengal connections, including via Bangladesh.

What does Nepal gain from such connections?

Under PM Oli, Nepal has achieved an unprecedented democratic sta­bility at home, and has indicated willingness to assume greater activ­ism and leadership in its foreign pol­icy. With Nepal’s greater power, stra­tegically situated between Asia’s two most important states, also comes greater responsibility.

Nepal has been diversifying its foreign policy, with closer rela­tions with Bhutan, Myanmar and Southeast Asian countries. BIMS­TEC offers an important platform for Nepal to develop its own Act East policy.

But BIMSTEC is by and large an Indian initiative, isn’t it?

It’s tempting for Nepal to just observe and criticize from the side­lines, and wrongly assume that BIM­STEC is an Indian initiative.

Instead, Nepal should see BIMSTEC as a historic opportunity to revive its historic links to North­east India, Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal region. This will allow Nepal to again play its historic role as a bridging power, connecting the Tibetan plateau and the Hima­layas with the subcontinent and the Indian Ocean region. Multilat­eral institutions like BIMSTEC are particularly beneficial for small­er countries like Nepal, increasing their bargaining power over larger countries like India.

Bilateralism is often tempt­ing, especially with China, but multilateralism and regional coop­eration are more beneficial in the long term.

Shouldn’t Nepal instead be bat­ting for SAARC?

SAARC will remain important, but it will only be reactivated once India and Pakistan attempt a new normalization. Nepal will have to be realistic and play on multiple geostrategic chessboards, including BIMSTEC, which offers an excellent platform to escape its landlocked position and connect to Northeast India, Bangladesh, Myanmar and Thailand. Nepal will benefit from greater integration, connectivity and cooperation across the Bay of Bengal region.

What can Nepal realistically expect from the upcoming summit?

It will be a symbolic moment for Nepal, after hosting the SAARC summit in 2014. BIMSTEC goes beyond South Asia, and focuses on the Bay of Bengal and links with Southeast Asia, including Myanmar and Thailand, and is therefore an opportunity for Nepal to assume greater global visibility.