| Username |
Post |
| ashu |
Posted
on 08-Oct-00 10:05 AM
What follows is taken from a last May's
issue of America's most influential newspaper --The Wall Street Journal.
Two Nepalis quoted in the article --Bikash
Pandey and Ashok Raj Pandey are former
Boston Nepalis. Bikash is an MIT (EE) grad
while Ashok is a Harvard MBA.
Enjoy,
oohi
ashu
*******************
Katmandu Tests Out Battery-Run Fleet,
But Fans of Diesel Fuel Offer
Resistance
By MIRIAM JORDAN
Staff Reporter of THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
The Wall Street Journal
KATMANDU, Nepal -- An experiment in pollution-free transport and
environmental politics is
under way in this poor South Asian capital: It's home to the world's
largest fleet of electric
public-transit vehicles.
Some 550 battery-powered three-wheeled vehicles, each carrying up to 12
passengers, ply the
temple-studded streets in this city of 1.2 million. Known as Safa
Tempos, or "clean three-wheelers"
in Nepalese, they ferry tens of thousands of residents every day.
Introduced commercially in 1996, the vehicles, which are white or green
and advertise their
environmental friendliness, illustrate that it isn't just high-tech
inventions that can improve people's
lives. The batteries running the vehicles aren't revolutionary. They
are the ones that run golf carts in
the U.S. But they could change the face of Katmandu -- if the private
sector and government
officials let them.
Air quality has actually improved in this windless city since electric
vehicles took to the streets. The
World Bank once denounced air pollution in Katmandu's bowl-like valley
as an "assault" on health.
Streets are crammed with aging motorbikes, trucks and buses. Poor fuel
quality adds to the noxious
fumes, as do brick kilns and cement factories on the city's outskirts.
Dirt particles are trapped in the
windless air.
But the air quality does seem better since 1996, when for-profit
companies first began assembling
the electric vehicles, which have replaced older diesel-powered
three-wheelers. Although hard
figures aren't available, environmentalists say the gray-brown smog
that blankets the city in winter is
thinner. The snow-capped Himalayas in the distance are visible more=
often.
Residents say they are breathing easier. One is Mayan Tuladar, a
housewife who travels daily to a
downtown market to buy food and supplies for her family. They "look
just like the old
three-wheelers," she notes, after paying five rupees, or 11 cents, for
the ride. "But they are much
more comfortable -- they don't release fumes, they don't make noise and
they don't vibrate."
World-wide, alternative-fuel vehicles are beginning to gain some
ground. U.S. cities such as New
York and Chicago are introducing or boosting their fleets of electric
or electric-diesel buses, and
auto makers in the U.S., Japan and Germany have developed both
all-electric cars and
gasoline-electric hybrids. Still, in the West, all-electric vehicles
are generally regarded as too slow
and too limited in range.
Speed isn't an issue here, with bicycles, pushcarts and cows jamming
the streets. Nepal's electric
vehicles can travel 28 miles per hour =96 but congestion means the
average speed for all vehicles in
the city rarely surpasses 7.5 miles per hour.
In many ways, the city is an ideal test bed. Its population grew by
almost 50% between 1980 and
1990. "We still can't say that the electric vehicles have made a huge
impact," says Bikash Pandey,
director of the Nepal branch of Winrock International, a Morrilton,
Ark., volunteer group that
supports alternative-energy and agricultural projects. "But they're a
very important trend that offers
hope for the future and environment of Katmandu."
Katmandu's electric-transit fleet came to be following a 1993 ban on
the sale of new diesel-run
three-wheelers, which were being imported from India. The Nepalese
government enacted the ban
out of concern with Katmandu's deteriorating air quality and the
potential impact on tourism.
But it allowed diesel-run vehicles already in the streets to remain.
Some environmentalists estimate
that the diesel vehicles, although cheap and convenient, were
contributing as much as a quarter of
city's air pollution.
It was also in 1993 that the city of Katmandu invited a Eugene, Ore.,
nonprofit organization, Global
Resources Institute, to design electric three-wheel vehicles. A pilot
vehicle hit the road in September
1993 and soon caught the attention of the U.S. Agency for International
Development, which
pledged $497,000 to expand the program, train mechanics and promote the
emission-free vehicles.
Peter Moulton, executive director of Global Resources, recalls that
early local press coverage of the
Safa Tempos "treated electric vehicles as a joke." To change
perceptions, Mr. Moulton and his
colleagues met with Nepalese newspaper editors and bankers and urged
them to offer loans to
parts-importers, manufacturers and fleet operators to create a viable
industry for the Safa Tempo.
Crucially, they persuaded the government to reduce import duties on
several electric-vehicle
components to 1% from 60%.
When the AID funding ended in 1996, two local business groups had
started assembling, servicing
and operating electric vehicles in the city. Today, six companies make
Safa Tempos. The production
cost of each vehicle is about $3,500, and they sell for about $6,000.
Several battery-charging
stations have popped up to serve the vehicles, which have to change or
recharge their batteries
every 37 miles.
The largest manufacturers, Nepal Electric Vehicle Industry Ltd. and
Electric Vehicle Co., sold only
a handful of vehicles a year during their first three years of
operation. But local environmental
groups, many backed by Winrock International, staged rallies supporting
the Safa Tempos and
demanding the removal of diesel Tempos. neighborhood associations
plastered posters and
distributed pamphlets. "I got threats to my life," from diesel
three-wheeler operators, recalls
environmentalist Bharat Basnet, who took part in the rallies.
In September 1999, the government went a step further and banned
existing diesel three-wheelers.
Filling the void, NEVI and EVCO each sold more than 100 electric
vehicles between October and
January. "We had a bonanza," says Ashok Raj Pandey, managing director
of NEVI. EVCO's
general manager, P.P. Pokhrel, said the brisk sales signaled two
things: "People have accepted the
technology, and there is profit to be made in operating electric
vehicles."
But the victory for electric transit is suddenly uncertain. Citing
demand for more public
transportation, the government recently approved the import of 300
15-seat minibuses. It still isn't
clear whether the vans will run on liquefied petroleum gas or diesel
fuel, but they will probably have
an impact on the electric-vehicle industry.
Mr. Pandey says NEVI already is seeing a decline in orders for its
vehicles. The company made a
small profit for the first time last year, but now, he adds, "there is
a lot of concern." Makers and
operators of Safa Tempos privately accuse senior politicians of
pandering to interests of vehicle
importers. In the case of the 300 vans, the imports will receive the
same preferential import duties
given to Safa Tempos -- although they aren't emission free.
Nepal's environment minister, Shiv Raj Joshi, insists that the
government is serious about pollution
control. "I'm very much in favor of the electric-vehicle industry," he
says, adding that the decision to
import vans wasn't his.
Adam Friedensohn, chairman of Lotus Energy, a solar and
alternative-energy company that holds a
10% stake in EVCO, notes that "Nepal could be a model for the world in
electric vehicles, but this
will hinge on government policies." Unfortunately, he cautions, "there
is more money to be made with
less-wholesome transportation methods."
In Nepal, both NEVI and EVCO hope to expand their market by introducing
cargo versions of the
Safa Tempo. But recently, EVCO says, the government blocked trial runs
it had been planning of a
larger, four-wheel electric vehicle imported from Britain. The
government said it objected to the trial
because the electric vehicle was designed to transport milk, not
passengers or other goods.
Environment-conscious residents are trying to keep the pressure on the
government. In mid-April,
about 1,000 protesters demonstrated in downtown Katmandu against the
plan to import vans. Mr.
Basnet, the environmentalist, says his next objective is to put
pressure on the government to
eliminate polluting motorbikes and motorized two-seater
"auto-rickshaws."
Until then, 26-year-old Katmandu resident Zalvin Sherpa will continue
to don a green mask over his
mouth to guard against the exhaust. "Katmandu feels a lot less polluted
since the Safa Tempos
arrived," he says. "But, I still need to wear the mask."
********
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| Biswo |
Posted
on 08-Oct-00 10:19 PM
I have heard a lot of experiments being done
by Americans in Nepal.This experiment looks
innocuous from surface, and it is upto
intelligent and informed people to analyze
the program thoroughly.
However,there are a lot of experiments done
in Nepal which are regrettable.The most
prominent one is "New Education"(Nayaa
Shikshya Pranali) governed by one university
in Illinois.(I think it is Northern Illinois
or some not-very-well-known univ).I think the
change of the curriculum was disastrous ,the
result is apparently confirmed by US side
also who doesn't seem to have emulated that
system here.
We have been guinea pig of some of medical
universities.I don't want to even mention the
names of those programs here but sapient
readers will know them.One of such
experiments was stopped some times ago in
Patan Hospital.
Dazzled by western achievements, we have
ceased to evaluate our own position in their
eyes. We are apparently nothing for them,a
subpar creature which they can test, try and
throw.We don't have say over our own economic
models, our educational paths and even our
marketing policy.We serve as testbeds for
a lot of countries, and our mendicant
straitjacket stops us from revolting.
This electrical thing sounds nice.However
smells fishy, and deserves another
interpretation, specially from the point of
view of some consumer groups.After all, it is
not a good practice to shape our view
depending on the writing of one sole paper.
|
| ashu |
Posted
on 09-Oct-00 04:50 AM
Biswo,
You are entitled to your views, of
course!
I, for one, do NOT think Nepalis in Nepal
are so stupid as to CONTINUE to be
"guinea-pigs" for other people's [i.e.
Western] experiments.
Naya Sickycha Yojana failed NOT because
of the American involvement, but for
other reasons (for details: see Himal Magazine of Sept/Oct of 1994, which
carries an article of mine on the topic;
also see Boston-based Samachar-Bichar
of Fall 1994, which carries an article
of mine on the same topic)
Sure, one report in The WSJ is NEVER
the WHOLE truth about anything - but,
come on, isn't that an obvious point
that need NOT be made to intelligent
people who read these postings?
I mean, to humor you, what new insights
or info are you adding here besides saying
that one report is not everything?
Surely, being intelligent, you can come up with much sharper criticisms from which
we can all learn!!
I post this response here in a
spirit of, well, spirited kura-kani.
oohi
ashu
|
| Biswo |
Posted
on 09-Oct-00 12:23 PM
Hi Ashu:
I regret I couldn't add anything but my
skepticism in my article.Frankly,that is
because I don't know any more thing about
automotive or environment rather than the
posting that we read in newspapers and in
communiques of the organizations involved.
You are right that my posting was just a
vacuous script.
BUT,it may surprise you that I don't take
everything related to environment at its
face value.You don't need to go very far to
understand the implication of current
environment standards that we understand here
in west.Please, take a stroll down to India,
Vietnam, China and even Philippines.Consider
if we impose the environment standars there,
how many factories will be closed, how many
people will be in street, by how percentage
the productivity of that nation decreases,
and how many government will be overthrown?
The thing becomes more unintelligible
when I think about the pertinaciousness of US
to handover new techniques to another
countries. The west has overrun the whole
stratosphere of this earth since three hundred
years , and wears tuxedo with that booty, and
now when the paupers of third world try to do
something, this environment issue comes as an
obstacle to them.A lot of people here in US
doesn't understand that while environment
protection may be noble cause to them, it is
not the same for everywhere,for everybody.
Now, we can reason the pristinity of the
environment is not only for west.Agreed.But
then they should pay us for what they did and
what we can't do.
I am anti diesel-powered-three-wheelers,
and I sincerely hope that KTM's environment
ameliorates to the degree that I could see
the snow-capped mountains in the north very
clearly.I also strongly support the
environment protection efforts being done by
various groups.But I am entitled to further
information about any experiments being done
in KTM valley. For example, why we don't do
such an experiment in another city? Why not
Birgunj or Biratnagar which are also
sufferring from pollution and chronic lack
of public transportation?Why put KTM at first
and at risk?
Please do not misunderstand me.I am not anti
those electric powered vehicle.But I am anti-
experimentalists. Nepalese people are really
fool enough to be tested.I have seen
various kinds of agricultural tests being
done by donors in Chitwan, Community forest
program is itself a test, and the
forestration that caused a terrible
femine in Humla last year was also a result
of such tests.Patan hospital case is also
a test.For my university here, there are two
tests being done in Nepal(I believe they are
innocuous enough,however!).Our school proudly
consider(written in website) Nepal as lab.
What is lab,by the way, Ashu?
As for New Education, I shall love to see
your article.I think I have read in Himal
about that, but you know it is too long ago
so remains in my mind vaguely, and will read
again if I get such a chance.My information
source, which I think may not be as
authoritative as yours, adamantly informs me
that the primary cause of that Nayaa Shikshya
is US-sponsored test.To say that we are not
foolish to be tested,in this perspective,is
probably just a smugness.
|
| Biswo |
Posted
on 09-Oct-00 12:38 PM
Just remember one thing about electrical
vehicle that I found missing in this article.
It doesn't address the weight of the vehicle
that is supposedly one of the issues in west
besides the speed.It is generally more heavy.(one
of the vehicles K-State is making for Ford
employs only six batteries, but snarled mess
of cables, making vehicle weigh well above
4000 pounds, one fourth of which is for
battery and powers.And the article says the
vehicles in KTM has fifty batteries and
doesn't talk any thing about the cables
and weight,which made me feel skeptic because
cable snarl and weight has been main issues
in making of such vehicles..)
I don't want to carp about everypoints, however. What I think is incomplete articles
don't provide every support to make the
articles itself tenable, be it be published
in whatever journals.
I think my point is clear now.
|
| ashu |
Posted
on 09-Oct-00 11:05 PM
Hi Biswo,
Four things:
First, the snow-capped mountains and green (or, as you would probably write, verdant) hills are visible these days from downtown Kathmandu. Kathmandu's air-quality has
improved a lot since, say, 1997. Stop
getting pessmistic (or, as you would
probably write, lugubrious) about things
in Nepal.
Second, there are people who are trying
to help start the business of Safa Tempo in Birgunj, Hetaunda and Biratnagar. You
may wish to gather relevant information
about this by contacting Martin Chautari's Bimal Aryal (aryalbimal@yahoo.com
or chautari@mos.com.np) who's making strategies to make Safa Tempo a viable
business elsewhere.
Third, as a passenger, I have used Safa Tempo, and have not seen some big mess of cables. Nor did I find the weight of the tempo to be a problem. Nor too I have found the batteries to be a problem. My ride
was a pleasant one for a reasonable
fee from Jawalakhel to Thapa Thali.
Fourth, the Wall Street Journal is hardly
a bastion for Western environmentalists.
More than knee-jerk environmentalism, what
is guiding the Safa Tempo industry is
a eye for the bottom-line. Ashok Pandey
and other businessmen are NOT into Safa
Tempo for charity or for some environmental
crusade. They are in it business -- pure and simple, and the WSJ article addresses those concerns. I don't know what more can one
WSJ article needs to do.
oohi
ashu
|
| Biswo |
Posted
on 10-Oct-00 12:01 PM
Ashu:
I think you got some of my comments wrongly.
First, what I meant about the visibility of
Himalayas was not meant to take literally.
In another note, People may have felt better,
but to say that all of suddenly Himalayas are
clear, and air is good is simply an
overstatement behooving to commercials. Come
on, all those minibuses(those second world
war period models of Mercedez), the old
trucks dragged mercilessly by the cupidity
of unscrupulous owners, they still ply in the
road of KTM.They outnumber the tiny(but in
deed toxic) Vikram three-wheelers and their
contribution to air pollution is immense,but
belonging to powerful "yatayat byabasayi
sangh" they have wielded enough power to
cripple the nation if any decisions were made
against them.You agree in this point,right?
(By the way, lugubrious is not same as
pessimistic!, is it?)
Why not you ask Bimal to publish his info in
this website for public consumption.I think
that is better than I asking him for info so
personally.Anyway, thanks for forwarding his
email.
Hey,ashu,come on, you will not see the
snarled mess of cable outside in the vehicle.
What I was pointing out is the recent problem
faced by electrification of vehicles. I don't
know what is your university major, (Will you
please write it down in next posting),but we
both are probably not expert on such
vehicles. However, I have worked on several
computer controlled environments, and my
experience with cable snarling in other
industries (whenever we tried to automate
something, we needed more devices and device
drivers, and unless they are completely
wireless, you are bound to have cable snarls)
has been profusive.
The last of your points is a good point. Nor
do I want people to sacrifice everything in
the name of environment protection. The
recent trend has been,however, more towards
benefitting from the image of environment-
friendliness,be it in industry or in
politics. Even Al Gore touts his records in
environment protection.Every industry,if they
have give a penny to the environment
protection,writes that in its advertizements.
And hey, if you don't say your vehicle is
environment friendly, who is gonna buy the
creeping 7.5 miles/hour thing in this world?
Sounds reasonable,right?
Don't think that I am dyed-in-the-wool
skeptic. Want of more information is
warranted thing, and right thing. No
intellectual should hope his readers/writers
to follow his logic without even listening
them,you know. That's what is the difference
between karyakarta and evaluators. That's why
I want to raise questions. That's how we
can penetrate to the core of the logics. A
superficial understanding doesn't enhance our
intellect, nor do it make us any more
competitive.
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