HELLO NEPAL

MAKE CIAA STRONGER In Nepal , the attire of anti-corruption body known previously as Commission for Prevention of Abuse of Authority (CPAA) and now Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) kept changing as per the wish and intention of lawmakers based upon their vestigial interests. Now, the draft constitution has further tried to clip its wings limiting its role of taking action against corruption charges. It has been relieved from taking actions against improper conduct that used to be one of the major role of existing CIAA (“Off the hook” by Narayan Manandhar, 15 July, Page 6). The existing number of six commissioners has been proposed to reduce to five without citing any reasons whatsoever. It is not known whether it will retain corruption prevention and anticorruption education and awareness functions. It is known to everybody that Nepal is continuously sliding down in corruption index as one of the most corrupt nation. Instead of strengthening the ...

Encouraging programme The local health delivery system of Nepal is one of the best systems in the Asian region considering its organizational structure. In each 4300 VDCs, we will find one service outlet that is rendering primary health services to the local population. Nonetheless, its effectiveness in providing health services throughout the year is questionable for many good reasons. Lack of trained health workers, inadequate supply of medicines and lack of proper infrastructures are the major problems which have been the hindrances in providing quality health services. The announcement of gradual implementation of “One village, one Doctor to ensure basic health for all” (THT, 15 July, Page 2) made by the government in its 2015-16 annual budget seems interesting and encouraging. However, unless the government becomes serious in implementing this program, it will remain only in black and white. The government had not even been able to recruit and assign field level hea...

The Kathmandu Post 12 July 2015 PUNISH THEM It was sad to read the news (“Woman expelled from her house” 8 July, Page 4) at such a time when the women activists are clamouring about violence against women. Lalita Raya of Belbari in Morang district was expelled last year by her husband and in-laws from her house for giving birth of a girl instead of a boy. I was surprised to know that even after one year, no legal action has been taken to punish her husband and in-laws who are now demanding Rs 200,000/- and a motor-cycle from Lalita as a precondition to letting her stay in the house. She had already paid Rs. 700,000 and two tolas of gold as dowry. Asking for and taking dowry is legally punishable. Nonetheless, this anti-social and inhumane system continues to exist, especially in the Tarai. Lalita is   one of the representative victims of such illegal activities which are still in practice with or without the knowledge of concerned authorities. We must be proac...