By Babbler

This is an optimum biased attitude of the government authorities that Kulman Ghishing, Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority got zero number on his performance evaluation.

Minister Deepak Khadka, known to be a corrupt NC leader, is trying his best to oust Ghishing just a few months ahead of the latter's retirement. The reason is clear the government is brokering in the interests of the industrialists who have refused to pay the electricity bills worth billions of rupees to the NEA. Surely, the government authorities, including the leaders have enjoyed a certain percent of commission from the government revenue to be collected from the businessmen.

This is an example of daylight loot!

Newspaper price

The Rajdhani vernacular Daily has increased the price from Rs. 10 to Rs. 50 per issue effective from February 28.

The price hike mentality of the broadsheet daily indicates a decline in sales of the newspaper and also a decline in commercial advertisements. We might have noticed that the so-called highest-selling newspaper Kantipur Daily has already reduced the pages it had introduced earlier. We are informed that many broadsheet dailies are unable to pay salaries to their staffers/journalists for months. The same has been applied to television channels.

This Babbler is not surprised about such news as the People’s Review Weekly was continuously saying that the government should not provide licenses free of cost. The publishers should compulsorily deposit a certain amount of money and other criteria should be developed for the financial security of the staffers during providing license to publish such newspapers.

Such free license distribution has encouraged those businessmen, blackmailers, brokers and smugglers to run newspapers and television networks. Now, there are so many print, audio and visual media in the country, which has encouraged yellow journalism.  

Of course, freedom is nice but excessive freedom cannot be fruitful for a country like Nepal!

Flourishing politics only

After the dawn of the present “loktantra” there is a decline in every sector. Nepal, a country exporting agricultural products, has turned into an importer. Factories are being closed down and industrial investors have turned into traders importing goods from abroad.

The reason is that if one industrialist starts running his industry, there are powerful labor unions affiliated with different political parties. The industrialist has to deal with them and also manage the supply of his products apart from tackling other challenges. The best way to secure profit for a businessman is by importing foreign goods and supplying the market with the necessary profit margin.

The government’s policy also encourages imports as the revenue target also relies on the customs duty.

Nepal losing air transportation business also

Due to the government’s excessive taxation and excessive landing and ground handling fees, Nepal or say the Tribhuvan International Airport has become an expensive destination for travelers. People are found flying to Bhadrapur from Kathmandu and taking flights to international destinations from Bagdogra, West Bengal, just across the Kakarvitta, Nepal-India border point. As international air tickets are very cheap from India, people have started to go to Bagdogra rather than directly flying from Kathmandu.

Be that as it may, this trend is also contributing to the collapse Nepali economy.      

QUOTES OF THE WEEK

If the Nepal Army has to wait for the orders of those who pushed the country into a crisis, then it will not resolve the crisis but only expand it.

Devprakash Tripathi, senior journalist

This is the time to correct the error – the imposition of federalism, secularism and republicanism – which is against the wish of the people.

Krishna Paudel

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Let’s develop a new understanding by introducing a fundamental political system adjusting from the King to the Maoists!

Rajendra Lingden

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At any cost, the situation in Nepal should be changed now. To change the situation, the system must be changed. Pokhara and Butwal showed signs of change. The only way to develop the country now is to move forward with a new understanding, including a parental monarchy. The existing system is no longer valid.

Pusushottam Dhungel

When I said that the thief has stolen, they arrested me!

Durga Prasain

We all should join hands to restore monarchy.

Santosh Pant

Excerpted and translated by Sushma Shrestha.