Incredibly boring article.

I wanted to begin by writing the summary on Environment Protection Act 2053 BS/1997 AD but after reading it thoroughly (twice) I would much rather critique it or better ignore it. Bear in mind that it was written (formulated?) more than two decades ago. The entire paper has superbly worded pages, a Royal seal which at that time meant serious business (I guess) and if you can read between the lines, “FAILURE” written all over it. Written 10 years before the first generation iPhone was released, the act is yet to be revised let alone implemented. TRAGIC!!!

Let me shift your focus to sound pollution – ignored among the pollution bretherin but still brutal. One of the major noise polluters in Kathmandu is the saw mills (among million others) that have been established as furniture factories in residential areas. Such factories should not have been allowed to register within the Ring Road under the policy of the Department of Cottage Industries, but they are to be found everywhere in the Valley. The government has not given serious priority to control such sound pollution even under the Environment Protection Act, 1997. No single authority has the responsibility or capacity to minimize any form of noise pollution under the prevailing law. I found this article written on The Himalayan Times dated March 22, 2006 stating that when the concerned authority were asked about the sound pollution inside the Ring Road, they answered that without a legal framework, they were also handicapped to take any legal action against such factories. In some areas, even municipalities are unknowingly regularizing such saw mills while collecting local taxes. (And that was on 2006 and it was impossible to find any other legit articles on the net on this topic, except for one in The Kathmandu Post about pros and cons on sound pollution. Come on ‘The Kathmandu Post’, you can do better.)

During my not-so-extensive research I found –

1. A woman in Bhaisepati pleading to the Internet about how can she proceed legally to stop noise pollution from factory near her place with zero reply to the thread. Yes ZERO. (I feel you sister. From one frustrated city dweller to another, I hope you found the peace.)

2. Thesis paper posted on ICIMOD website - 2005. (Topic : “Neighborhood noise pollution in residential area and noise control law : Case study of furniture factory in Baluwatar residential area.”) It was barred from logging in. I tried to contact the author but they have made it impossibly hard to do so. (Working for FBI mister?)

3. Article published on April 14, 2017 by the Ministry of Finance in the Nepal. Stating – Section 36 of the Labour Act, 1992 (Yes, 1992) has vested on the government the power to determine standards of safety at work place. So permissible exposure limit of 90 dBA. And as we all know they are strictly implementing it (Major eyeroll).

The government has not given serious priority to control such activities even under the Environment Protection Act, 1997. No single authority has the responsibility or capacity to minimise any form of noise pollution under the prevailing law.

There are few laws that provide provisions on noise pollution in Nepal. The Civil Aviation Act, 1958 provides a provision to control airplane noise, the Explosives Act, 1961 is to regulate noise from the use of explosives to some extent. But the major noise pollution in the city is from vehicular traffic and textile/metal cutting industries, which have not been covered by any legal framework in Nepal. Provisions controlling noise from other range of accessories like power tools, air conditioners, amplified music should also be taken care in this context. The government has not given serious priority to control such activities even under the Environment Protection Act, 1997. No single authority has the responsibility or capacity to minimise any form of noise pollution under the prevailing law.

And that is all. I, like many of you are, am a victim of things beyond my control. I have tried my best (for years now) to curb the sound pollution in my area, but you know how the story ends. I have written to concerned parties like Department of Environment, Pulchowk, Hariharbhawan and they did not reply. I was not surprised though. I have, now, made a formal complaint to Ward Office but I have little faith in them. So, if anyone of you have any information or suggestion as to what should be next appropriate move – please do share or DM me. Or like that woman in Bhaisepati, I will try to find my peace. Now, ending my rant.

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यस्तै हो ।

WORD : Kafkaesque (kafkəˈɛsk) : Characteristic or reminiscent of the oppressive or nightmarish qualities of Franz Kafka's fictional world. "A Kafkaesque bureaucratic office."

EXAMPLE : I submitted my papers on 30th of November and was strictly summoned on the 15th day of submission which I obliged to. So today (17th of December) I went to collect my certificates at "Office of the Controller of Examination". An old man with a rectangular myopic glasses dismissed my papers stating his superior hasn't showed up since last 4 days. "But you called me today", I said as calmly as possible. From inside of dingy old office-window he shrugged and said, "यस्तै हो ।" And other people in line confirmed it happened to them as well.

SOLUTION : I wasn't too angry. In many ways I had expected this. It has happened to me in Nepal Medical Council and other Government Offices. And they would reject as if it was their right. No apologies. No shame. So today I decided I'd complain. But where and who to blame? I looked for a complain box, searched online, got frustrated, went for a coffee instead.

QUESTION : What do we do? Where do we complain? And who are these absent superiors? Why यस्तै हो? Did we allow this to propagate? Did I?

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rules

You can. You can't.
There are so many rules you know. 
There were. I grew up with them.
There were simple ones.
Clean shoes and Neat hair.
Ironed shirt and Good manners.
Those were easy ones.
And then there were other kinds.
Do not cross legs while you sit they said. Boys don't do that.
There are rules to be a boy.
They don't cross legs. I didn't. I don't.
When I did in the solitude of my room. I quickly reverted and obeyed rules.
You can't have a hand gestures.
You can't cry.
As they famously put it, "boys don't cry."
You talk a certain way not because you feel like it,
but that was what asked of you.
You obeyed them just like I did.
No questions asked no answers given.
I showed up when the neighbor that I hated died.
I mourned externally but beautifully.
That shows how refined I am they said.
I was a child. I believed.
I mourned.
Half-heartedly but beautifully.
I still hated him. I still do.
Drink beer they said.
Only a child drinks a yellow and red thing called juice.
Beer - did it make them men?
It was bitter when I first tasted it.
But oh'boy did I convince them how I liked it.
Dammit! I drank more.
CHEERS I said. I am not a child anymore.
I am a man.
And that is the true aspiration - being the "idea of man."
The concept.
"Idea of man" but not a human that is important.
Ideal man or woman not a human.
Men don't like reading. They like football.
Anything other than that is for sissies. Yes they have a name for it.
They have other names,
- fat, ugly, weird and bunch of others.
They aren't who they are supposed to be.
It's a crime. Social suicide.
They need to be slim, beautiful, popular.
Yes, popular. That's the word.
They won't survive otherwise. Not a chance.
Unspoken rules.
The End.
The Beginning.

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Donkeys would have done a better job!

     "The worst illiterate is the political illiterate. He hears nothing, sees nothing, takes no part in political life. He doesn't seem to know that the cost of living, the price of beans, of flour, of rent, of medicines, all depend on political decisions. He even prides himself on his political ignorance, sticks out his chest and says he hates politics. He doesn't know, the imbecile, that from his political non-participation comes the prostitute, the abandoned child, the robber and, worst of all, corrupt officials, the lackeys of exploitative multinational corporations." - Bertolt Brecht.
     Wise words. I hear "I hate politics" a lot. I read "Politics is a dirty game" a lot in self introductory write-up section on Facebook and what not. Display of talent might not make you cool but expressing, "I hate politics" might just do the trick. Am done reading the idiots for whom politics is only "a dirty game" and full stop. I agree, politics is not at all the lucrative job that people look up to especially in our part of the world. And who do we blame? The one playing the game or the ones turning a blind eye to it all?
     One teacher in my school had once told us, "there can be one bad doctor in the system. He might mess up some lives but number is still ignorable but the bad doctor (oh'boy) will go onto destroying the country." And as fate would have it the ones ruling the county right now are donkeys (correction : Donkeys would have done better job at it). They've proven not only incompetent but embarrassing all at the same time. I remember watching this video where this woman says "reproductive" instead of "republic" in an international forum. Had it been a blunder I would have been forgiving but they just sent a wrong person for the job (when we all know that the right ones ate still unemployed and desperate). Auntie'ji, I appreciate your effort but do me a favor and stick to Nepali next time instead of English. You can barely pronounce the name of the country and you are onto representing the country. I highly doubt it.
     I hate it when some politicians open their mouth. They are neither well spoken nor can they charm me with their ideas. If its up to me I'd flush them down the poo hole for good. The news baffles me too. Political news should be about future, about plans, about tomorrow. But not ours. Noway. Its more like a gossip channel. What happened yesterday, who said what and angered whom. Shove it down your back side bitches.
     I like Rajesh Hamal because he is educated re. I understand his well spoken-ness charms you all. But he is an actor for crying out loud. His degrees doesn't make him a good actor. I wonder if they've watched his movies (let alone one movie) to deduce that he's their favorite actor. Its like saying Shailesh is the best architect (if you see me designing some buildings - would love to) when I've been educated to be a doctor. The education must fit its domain. Babu Ram Bhattarai might be educated but is he really? Is he really educated to be a politician (???). The point is there ain't any fit people for the job. At least the one who stands out. 
     Its like all the politicians are in the car (lets say Lamborghini), they know how to drive, road is long and clear, people are cheering for them. But why aren't they driving? They chose to play dumb or worse considers us dumb. Instead of driving they chose to take a nap. Hence, the frustration among people. Can't they see what days and months of protest have led us to. And they did the worst of all things recently. They've started and fuelled the civil violence and possible out break of civil war. We are Nepali first and those jackasses need to come back to their senses or commit suicide. Once one of 'em promised to make Nepal into Switzerland in the matter of few years. Seriously??? Just show me the progress - no matter how small. I don't need Switzerland or the Wonderland. I'd better stop now. I am far off the topic and ventilating my anger out. I make no sense (I know), spare me :)

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one among 101 articles not to read*

     Featured in 101 places not to see :: Oh'well, not the sort of article that'll help tourism in Nepal but its funny and true ;) "Unless you love frostbite, hypoxia, blinding snow and high-altitude games of Russian roulette, do Nepal a favor and stay at home", says the author.
     But my word, "Come visit anyway." I'm sure the writer herself hasn't seen the majesty of our mountains. It is one among 101 articles not to read (my pick)!!!

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Blind corners??? Seek a second opinion.

     Seeking a second opinion! Oh'well how hard can it be?

     While on a road, blind corners are everywhere. The roads are narrow and walls extend right out to meet the curb. It is inconvenient at best, deadly at worst. From the driver’s seat of a car there is just no way to see what is around the corner. The only help is a mirror on the other side of the intersection. If you look into the mirror, it is like you are standing in a different position. It is like you cross the road, and now have a clear view straight around the corner. This is the only way to see around blind corners. Looking from this different position makes the way forward obvious. In life, blind corners are everywhere. You are dealing with a problem or are faced with a challenge and you just can’t see the solution. You are blind to the solution because your perspective is limited by the position you are in. You can’t see the way forward because of who you are, what you believe and how you normally behave.
     Doubts mean don't. But in the times of doubt, its best for you to seek a second opinion just so you can plan your next step. Life - easy or hard - has its way of judging us. We are tossed, beaten and pushed to the blind corners of life; there, we all behave in the only way we can - by doubting ourselves. Such conditions are lethal... and hence we need to seek second opinion just so that we can resurrect and rejuvenate ourselves.
     And thank UNIVERSE that there are those who plays their part in re-kindling hope within us, thank UNIVERSE that there are those who honor the fire within us. Dear readers, we all have bright future; so bright that it burns my eye (Ewww!!! I just made it sound so tacky). Listen to those who believe in you. Meanwhile, bid adieu to those who don't (kick 'em out if you have to). Don't believe in me??? Oh'well seek a trustworthy second O!

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