In a Hybrid State
In a Hybrid State
Nepali Times ईspecial 23 - 29 August 2024 #1226
Despite the fact that Nepal was never under the colonial yolk and is often visited by natural and unnatural calamities, it is heartening to note that our Great and Dear Leaders are constantly thinking about their longevity in office so as to look after our welfare.
That is why the ruling NC-UML collision has submitted a bill in Parliament to put a statute of limitation of five years on corruption scandals (not making this up). Which means no neta can be tried and prosecuted for embezzlement if 1,825 days have passed since billions were pocketed from fake refugees, or stolen from cooperatives. This will ensure that they can be prime ministers multiple times more till they are 102.
Nepal is a hybrid state: our democracy is a blend of capitalism and crony communists, we have hybrid federalism in which national parties run seven provincial franchises, and Nepal is a republic with a decentralised network of little monarchs.
It is fitting, therefore, that this week’s centrefold is devoted to hybrid cars. Of the 18,000 private cars sold in Nepal in the past year, more than 12,000 were electric vehicles. But owners with range anxiety have realised EVs have neither ground clearance or resale value, and some are opting for the more expensive hybrids.
In ‘Rev Your Car (and Charge it Too)’ Reporter Vishad Raj Onta sizes up two hybrid SUVs by Toyota and Subaru currently available in Nepal (page 6-7).
Nepali Times takes an indepth look at the Thame flood on 16 August with ‘HIGH ALERT’ on page 1, ‘Act Now on Climate’ by Manjeet Dhakal of Climate Analytics in the Guest Editorial on page 2, Rastra Raj Bhandari argues on page 10 that climate finance should also look at the loss of culture and heritage, and Editor Sonia Awale pieces together the past, present and future risk from glacial lake outburst floods in ‘Lives on the Line in the Himalaya’ with excellent explainer graphics (below) by our inhouse cartographer.
The Weekend Longread this time is by business reporter Ramesh Kumar who analyses why after decades of dramatic progress, Nepal’s poverty rate is stuck despite increasing remittances and state intervention.
Monday is Krishna’s birthday, and we invite you into the Nepali Times archives to read ‘My Sweet Lord’ by Sewa Bhattarai about the enduring universal popularity of the playful God with flute and peacock feather.
Till next week.
Kunda Dixit