By Narayan Prasad Mishra
A government is an organized entity with the authority to govern a nation. The primary duties and responsibilities of a government encompass a wide range of areas, all aimed at ensuring the welfare and prosperity of its people and maintaining the country's stability, sovereignty, and growth. We cannot expect all people to be educated, wise, sensible, and aware of citizens' rights and duties in any country. Some may be wise and responsible, while others may be foolish, self-centered, and ready to do anything for their own benefit, but not for society and the nation. One of the duties of a government is to maintain law and order in the country, to bring all citizens under the law, and to lead them toward the development of the country and the welfare of the people.
According to our present political system and constitution, we have a federal system consisting of three levels of government – federal, provincial, and local – that work for development and provide services to the people. At the local level of government, we have three entities: Rural Municipalities, Municipalities, and District Coordination Committees. Kathmandu Metropolitan City, in the capital of Nepal, where Balen Shah is the Mayor, is one of them.
We all know that the primary role of any level of government is to govern effectively, ensuring the welfare of its people and the smooth functioning of society. Good governance and maintaining law and order are at the heart of this mission. Good governance refers to the process by which public institutions conduct public affairs and manage public resources that are free from corruption and abuse, efficient, and inclusive. Maintaining law and order involves ensuring that laws are respected and enforced and that citizens are safe from crime, violence, and disorder.
We also know that Mayor Balen Shah has been putting his knowledge, intellect, labor, energy, honesty, and dedication into the development of Kathmandu and the welfare of its people based on the above principles, leaving no stone unturned using his authority since he assumed office. People feel his active and energetic leadership is unparalleled in the country, though he also has some weaknesses. People think he is extraordinary and has brought noticeable changes in the city's development within a short period despite many hurdles and obstacles. In this context, people happily recall his achievements in garbage management, clearing pathways for pedestrians by removing street vendors, replacing old pathways with standard beautiful pathways, removing haphazard parking in the streets, and arranging and providing parking lots under buildings where parking space is available and getting back the government land from the occupiers even by dismantling houses.
People also remember, with regret, that he was consistently hindered by political parties and the government instead of being supported and assisted. Now, he is doing his best to extend standard and beautiful pathways. He is also making every effort to remove squatters and settlers from the riverbanks and to create a holy river by controlling pollution. Undoubtedly, we all think the responsible government or a good leader of any party should not fail to recognize honesty, dedication, and talent for the development of the country. This does not mean that someone should be exempt from criticism or condemnation for their weaknesses, such as wrongful actions or arrogant, authoritarian behavior.
Balen Shah, the Mayor of Kathmandu Municipality
As a non-aligned and independent citizen of this country, when I observe the admirable work and service of Balen Shah, I also recognize his weaknesses. These include creating parking problems in some areas by prohibiting parking where there is ample parking space due to broad roads, no traffic jams, and no alternative parking; erecting pathways that block the motorable gates of residential houses based on his own authoritarian standards, causing unnecessary problems for homeowners who need to install a ramp or bridge; and dismantling residential compounds without legal notice or compensation for opening such as the underground Tukucha River in the Lal Darbar area, where the current homeowners are in no way illegal occupiers of government land. With my appreciation, love, and good wishes toward him, I wrote the articles in "People's Review" titled "Lal Durbar, the Tukucha River and the Rule of Law" on September 28, 2023, and "Balen, Parking, and Problem" on May 8, 2024, pointing out his weaknesses for reform regarding the Tukucha River and his parking management.
Regarding the problem of erecting pathways that block the motorable gates of residential houses, I politely explained to Pankaj Yadav, his engineer who came to supervise the pathways at Kuleshwor, Balkhu, where I reside, about the problem of his partition high block between the road and the pathway, along with my suggestion and a photo of a pathway in the USA that would solve this issue. I even sent the following photo of the pathway in the USA to Balen Shah's email address.
A photo of a pathway in the USA where you can drive to your house without needing a ramp or bridge to connect it to the road.
It seems that people in power—mayors or ministers in Nepal—always think they are wise, know everything, and do not need anybody's suggestions. I am sorry to say that the Mayor and his engineer did not pay any attention to this.
Despite such disappointments, I firmly believe the government should appreciate and support Balen Shah’s remarkable work. Instead, it is disheartening to witness clashes between him and the authorities. Political parties have even instigated riverbank settlers, who illegally occupy public land, against him, undermining his efforts to implement law and order and establish river-friendly urban environments. A violent clash between Kathmandu Municipality and Bagmati riverbank settlers occurred just about two and a half years ago. I even wrote an article titled “Do We Have a Democracy or Mobocracy” in People’s Review on 14 December 2022, to witness that sad incident. Everyone knows the government must protect river lands according to the official 2021 B.S. survey map. This is a state responsibility. I believe this is the right time for the government to partner with Balen Shah to revive Kathmandu’s river heritage.
This brings to mind stories from our scriptures, epics, and Puranas, where noble and virtuous individuals often suffer due to others’ jealousy. In our culture, people are more likely to resent than emulate the good deeds of others. My late wife, Shanti Mishra—the first lady professor at Tribhuvan University and the founder of its Central Library—and I, then Chief of the Tribhuvan University Service Commission Office, both faced unjust consequences driven by political conspiracy and envy and needed to get retirement at 9 and 14 years before the retirement age.
The stories of Baliraja and Vishnu, Goma, Indra, and Shiva, as well as Dhruva and Indra, are notable in our religious scriptures. Baliraja, a symbol of sacrifice and generosity; Goma, the obedient daughter of Shivabhatta and Sati; and Dhruva, a devoted follower of Vishnu—all endured unwarranted suffering due to jealousy and power struggles. I condemn such injustice, whether committed by gods or humans. We must do the same in our society. We must learn to praise goodness in friend or foe alike—and criticize wrongdoing wherever it occurs. Only then can we build a benevolent, just, and civilized society.
Today, many believe that political leaders are obstructing Balen Shah out of envy. In this light, I sincerely hope our government will recognize and support his commendable work. At the same time, I hope Mayor Shah will work on improving his approach and fostering cooperation and respect in his interactions. Avoiding unnecessary confrontation will ultimately serve the best interests of both the country and its people.
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