Roaming in Nepal

Radish pile: while roaming around Kathmandu, I saw this pile of radish with two young boys waiting for the buyers. The vegetables in Kathmandu mainly comes from the near by areas of the city. However, most of the radish comes from Kakani, a place on the way to Trishuli from Kathmandu.  

Black and white spotted butterfly: While  roaming around Churia, upper Terai region near Bhairahawa, I could take very close up snap of this butterfly with my mobile camera. Nepal is known for more than 7 hundred species of butterfly. The presence of  such species also indicate natural environment or less pollution in the region.

The mustard field: While roaming around Chitwan, I could snap a large area of yellow mustard flowered fields. Chitwan was once the fertile ground for mustard cultivation but later due to wild variety of mustard, the production decreased.

 Steep slope and rocky terrain: This steep and rocky terrain was seen while roaming near Butwal area. Geologist claim that the rock formation is ongoing process in Nepal and due to the same the hills and mountains are in fragile condition. See the traffic sign indicating sliding of stones or rocks.

 Meandering of river: There are more than six thousands of rivers in Nepal. This picture is of Rapti river in Chitwan National Park. No need to explain further for this scene.

Building Kathmandu

Kathmandu is growing not only on its population but also on infrastructure development. No matter the problems are there like electricity (load shedding), drinking water (supply once in a week for 2-3 hours), traffic jam (reach destination on food than on car for short distance like of 4-5km), pollution... the building buildings are on high speed. This picture is showing the growing building heights in Kathmandu.

Housing colony in Kathmandu

This is a picture of one of the housing colony in Kathmandu. Due to not planned housing, road and other infrastructure development, the city looks very haphazard and ugly. However, recent investment on housing has little bit helped to add a beauty of city plus other basic facilities like water, road, sanitation and so on. All colonies under development are focused on high story buildings rather than city environment. Recognize the colony picture below.

Hottest day in Kathmandu (206C)

I was checking the weather condition of Kathmandu through the web page of meteorological forecasting division of Nepal, I got this page. I was very surprised to see the temperature of Kathmandu as 206°C. I am sure that the figure is wrong and it might be missing . (dot) in between 20 and 6. What happens if you consider the data provided by the division for your research if you don't notice the error in bulk or while taking average for long term data analysis. I hope some scientists will not claim that the Kathmandu got highest temperature due to 'climate change' for the mistake.

Grass on sale

When I was child, I had studied history of first Nepali poet, Bhanu Bhakta Acharya, where he has mentioned about 'grass sale'. However, selling grass is not common in many parts of Nepal even today. Some city farmers may buy grass for their cattle or hire some one to cut or fetch grass these days. Anyway, recently I was a old women selling grass. It was actually not for cattle nor the amount was large. The grass was 'dubo' (Cynodon dactylon) and sale was for worshiping gods. It is specially used to offer Ganesh God. Are the people so busy that they could not pick up this grass as it can be found any place? or there is no more open space for this grass to grow in Kathmandu city? I don't know how much the old woman could earn from this but it shows that the society is changing and reviving the history of grass sale. Check the green circle.

A Kathmandu's new building

Kathmandu is getting new and tall buildings for different purposes. Commercial complexes are increasing rapidly so as apartments flats. The housing However, I saw a building at the heart of Kathmandu city for different purpose. While looking the outlook and its design, I could not believe in its purpose. However it is for that. Could you guess which building is this or what could be its purpose. For answer, scroll down.

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Bir Hospital.

Yes this is Bir hospital's new building being built at the south side of old hospital building.

Newroad gate Kathmandu

When I was child, I used to look at the 'New road gate' of Kathmandu turning my head several times. The reason for that was the four heads which were holding the structure. Now a days, I hardly look for that reason but I look for its history and craft. Today, when I saw it, I feel that the concern authority is not caring it much. The traffic has increased, population has increased who pass the gate but either coloring nor removal of herbs from the gate is clear indication of careless. See the condition yourself.

Aesthetic value of solidwaste

In Environmental Science, 'aesthetic value' plays an important role. Environmental pollution lowers aesthetic value of nature and man made environment. If you can not see beautiful mountains in Nepal, you blame it to air pollution or to climate change. Similarly, people in Kathmandu blame solidwaste for tourist's flow decline. It is true that solidwaste is not collected regularly from the streets of city. This has affected the health of people, city environment and economy of city people. Besides these, how solidwaste affects the aesthetic value can be seen from the following two pictures. The first picture is with the solidwaste openly dumped in the street and second is just after the collection of same waste. How do you feel with and without the waste?

Open tires burning, environmental pollution and health impact

Open burning of vehicle tires on street is becoming a part of life in Nepal. Even for small events, aggressive mass start putting fire on tires to show their yes or no support and put pressure on government. The question of environmental pollution and health impact of such activities has been raised several times but no one has changed this behavior.

Open tire fire emissions include carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur oxides (SO2), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). It also includes hazardous air pollutants such as polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), dioxins, furans, hydrogen chloride, benzene, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The tire burning emission also releases heavy metals like arsenic, cadmium, nickel, zinc, mercury, chromium, and vanadium. People exposed to such emissions show symptoms of skin, eyes, and mucous membranes irritation, lungs and respiratory problems, central nervous system depression, and cancer. In a long run people may start showing mutagenic effects and higher number of cancer cases. In terms of mutagenic effects, open tire fires emissions are 16 times more dangerous than residential wood burning and 13,000 times than coal-fired emissions.

May be we will start stopping lighting the tires only we experience such effects ourselves but that will be too late to act on. (Information source: http://www.elaw.org/node/2764; Pictures by blogger)

A picture from United World Trade Centre

United World Trade Centre (UWTC) is said to be the largest shopping complex at Tripureshwor, Kathmandu, Nepal. The complex is spread over 5,596.11 square meters area and built in a leased-land owned by Tribhuvan University with the total investment of Rs 500 million rupees. The complex provides a number of services like department stores, cyber café, party palace, health club, and heated swimming pool. Last week, I could visit the building and had snacks at roof top restaurant of it. The picture is from the same roof showing Tripureshowr round about. National stadium, Dasharat rangashala, is just behild the two big hoarding boards in the picture.

Uncontrolled traffic system of Kathmandu

The traffic system of Kathmandu is really terrible. No matter how safe you drive, you could face accident due to others fault. Road rules are not cared by anyone. Larger vehicles try to dominate small vehicles and so on ultimately making the trouble to pedestrians. Traffic tried to established lane system with concrete slabs but they seems to be obstruction for drive and threat to live during night. Pressure horns are legally not allowed but almost all bus and trucks blow even near hospital and schools areas. Passengers also use bus and truck hoods for 'safe' journey. If driver pay some money to traffic, they don't care punishing them. Haphazard parking and turns are normal at any place and any time.

People can put illegal shops even under bridge obstructing the vehicle movement. Now, the roads are also a place to show all grievances. People demonstrate putting fire on tires on road. The reason could be either road accidents or political regression and/or support. Because of these all huddles, I think you can drive any part of the world if can drive in the street of Kathmandu. Here are some scenes of Kathmandu roads.

Traffic jam due to political demonstration 'Ranke julus'