| Murali Adhikari |
Posted
on 14-Oct-00 05:54 PM
Hi Ashu:
After reading your dramatized-style of response, I have found that you did not read my entire writing carefully. Please read what I said all the way to the end. No wonder Biswo set forth the same charge again and again what I am doing to you now.
For your information I am quoting from my earlier posting
"…..
Having said all, I suppose it is ya'll's judgement who is right or wrong. In my
perspective, Biswo is a winner because he said there are so many problems
with safa tempos and it will not be an elixir to solve a problem of air pollution in
Nepal and justifiably that safa tempo itself is going to
be a cause of environmental problems. It is the efficient economic policy that
dictates what should be done and it is the technical knowledge which can be
used to solve the problem of air pollution in KTM. Ashu is a winner because he
said despite all the problems it may be a viable short run solution forever
deteriorating air quality problem in KTM. As for me it is the long run solution
that we should focus on not the short run one. A myopic idea is the worst one
than no idea at all. "
Again look at the last few sentences inside the quote.
The fact that the safa tampos may be a short run solution, does not mean it is going to be the solution for degrading and as such pathetic air and water qualities in KTM valley. As one who has a tie with the direct interest group (your commercial friends), you may not see that right now but in a long run there is going to be lot of problems with this so called "safa tempos", one of those problems is battery disposals. And I also accept Biswo's other two arguments about the weight and extra length of cables incorporated into the vehicle although none of your business friends accept those now (it was these problem why US rejected battery vehicles). Perhaps in Nepal where there is not a strong body to enforce environmental rules and regulations, it may happen that your business friends will win and the other group who loves environment will loose. It is happening any way at the current situation in Nepal whatever area you look at. Unlike this safa tempo operated by battery, you being known to those business people may pursuade about using hydrogen power, natural gas power or even electric vehicles or electric rail transit system.
One thing you are saying is -- it is a short term solution. No we do not need any short term solution. We need a sustainable economy for a long run. Safa tempo is not going to do any good for us in developing a sustainable policy unless we implement some tough environmental policy and prosecute the one who does not obey these environmental regulations. Have you thought about this alternative rather than a short run solution?
I do not know your educational background but it sounds like you are a product of a business school who in the short run cares about profit in the name of some environmental tradeoff. Oh surely, I prefer the safa tempos and it is probably better than the vikram tempos, but again do not be a myopic in that sense. What safa tempos do is further degrade our water quality and make life measurable for some one who is now consuming ground water as eventually those lead and sulphuric acid have to go some where.
And about the other point that you mentioned about safa tempo being there for four years, think how long Vikram tempo lasted in Kathmandu until some other interest group tried to replace it. In Nepal if an interest group is powerful, even Vikram tempos can come back. That is the irony of our system.
I wish all the dedicated persons like you a good luck in bringing the change.
Murali Adhikari
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