ChatGPT: And the rise of artificial intelligence

Welcome. We are now in 2023. Last year in 2022, in a recent television interview after the Nepali general election results, the Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal said he was surprised by the election results and the leading cause. And he said, "We cannot win the election just by stating we are working on making big infrastructure projects and political agendas for the country, but it seems we win if we have enriched the IT sector and know how to use social media better".

It is good that our Nepali politicians are now talking about the importance of the IT sector, digitalisation and the rise of social media in our country. ChatGPT is one AI-based viral IT project recently launched by OpenAI, an AI research and deployment company which has caught the Internet by storm. ChatGPT is the best chatbot released to the general public, with over a million people using it within five days.

ChatGPT and the rise of AI is a new hotcake, and people from Twitterverse to Youtube and social media are talking about this now.

In addition, there is a chatter that people's jobs are at stake and may impact various sectors, from the public, judiciary, journalism, human rights to health and agriculture, among many other industries and vertical sectors.

ChatGPT can write an article and is good at answering questions you can commonly ask, giving suggestions and predictions about who will win the next elections. It can also help software programmers spot and fix errors in their code.

The next wave in IT is artificial intelligence. Unfortunately, most chatbots we see are mainly "stateless", meaning they don't comprehend previous questions, e.g., your Siri in Apple iPhone or Alexa from Amazon. However, ChatGPT seems to remember the prior conversation, which may lead to innovation and a boom in Personalized Stress and Therapy Bots.

ChatGPT could be better, but currently, it is not perfect. The ChatGPT doesn't crawl the web for information, and its knowledge is restricted to things it learned before 2021, as a large language model is trained by OpenAI. Its training data include books, articles and websites on various topics.

Therefore, it has yet to have information about recent events or developments since then. It also cannot browse the Internet as it cannot provide information by looking up specific information. So expect it to answer questions only in its training data.

Research conducted by The Accenture Institute for High Performance shows that by 2035, the US will grow by 5 per cent compared to the present 3 per cent because of the use of AI technologies. However, in the Nepali market, only a few companies are working in the AI sector (for example, waiter robots).We have yet to move to avoid long queues or go paperless in public sectors, and there is a shortage of "digitalisation" in most public and private sectors.

Nepal needs more policy-level intervention in AI, but using AI-based technologies in banks and health sectors shows that Nepal is still catching up in technological advancements. Nevertheless, we may benefit from the rise of AI and must adopt our policy accordingly by investing in this emerging field.

There are many forms of AI, and the exact number can vary depending on how AI is defined and classified.

Some common forms of AI include machine learning, natural language processing and robotics. Machine learning is a type of AI that involves training algorithms on large datasets to make predictions based on the data. This can include image recognition, speech recognition and language translation. Natural language processing is a type of AI that involves understanding and generating human language. This can include language translation, text summarisation and sentiment analysis.

Robotics is a type of AI that involves the design and control of robots. This can include tasks such as navigation, manipulation and object recognition. There are also many other subfields and applications of AI, such as computer vision, deep learning and evolutionary computation. The field of AI is constantly evolving and growing.

The AI that ChatGPT uses is based on unsupervised and semi-supervised machine learning algorithms, incredibly generative AI models that are diverse. For example, they can take images, longer text formats, emails, social media content, voice recordings, programme code and structured data. In addition, they can output new content, translations, answers to questions, sentiment analysis, summaries, and even videos.

AI is a powerful technology that has the potential to improve many aspects of our lives, such as healthcare, transportation and education. However, AI has limitations and can only solve some of humanity's challenges where sustainability is the key.

One of the critical limitations of AI is how good the quality of data and algorithms it is trained on is. This means that AI systems can only make predictions based on the information they have been given. Another limitation of AI is that it is incapable of creativity, empathy or other uniquely human traits. AI systems are designed to perform specific tasks, and they cannot think outside the box or understand complex human emotions.

A coalition of the CPN (Maoist), CPM(UML) and the National Independent Partyhas now formed a new government. Good that our politicians and policymakers are also starting to talk about using digital technology. The sooner they realise the rise of "digitalisation" and the importance of the IT sector's role, the better it can boost the economy and provide better service delivery in Nepal.

Overall, while AI has the potential to help us solve many problems, it is only capable of solving some of humanity's challenges on its own. Therefore, it is essential to use AI responsibly and in combination with other technologies and approaches to achieve the best results.

Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

What a game

On December 18th, Argentina made history by becoming the champions after winning against France for the first time since 1986. Captain cool and popularly called "goat", led by superstar Lionel Messi, the team battled its way through the tournament, eventually edging out France in a thrilling match that ended in a penalty kick-out win 4-2.

The entire country of Argentina will now celebrate the World Cup's victory, as the team was seen as underdogs when they lost the game against Saudi Arabia.

The tournament was a roller coaster for the team, which had to overcome several tough opponents, including powerhouse Netherlands and Croatia. But Argentina was able to rise to the challenge and ultimately emerged victorious.

Messi has recreated history in Argentina Football with about a thousand games, 789 goals and 300 assists by winning the La Liga, UEFA Champions League, Olympics Gold, Copa America, and finally, FIFA World Cup 2022.

 

Kylian Mbappe, who is only 23 years old and has scored 12 world goals in 14 games, is the sixthhighest men's World Cup scorer He scored their first hat-trick in the men's final since 1966 and almost led France to the back-to-back title in the final World Cup match.

There may be no winners or losers in the final match as both teams in the Qatari desert showed incredible play, one of the greatest games ever played. France had the better play for much of the second half of the game, and it seemed like they were on track to win the World Cup. Mbappe's penalty kick-out in the extra minute changed everything, sending both countries' supporters into a frenzy.

There was a lot of noise about Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar, and Modric's last World Cup, but who can forget it was also Angel Di Maria's final World Cup? It may be Messi's last game of the World Cup, and Argentina's performance showed there is always hope, and dreams do come true.

The victory is crucial to Argentina, as it is a chance for the country to unite and celebrate something that had been a long time in coming.

Football is a team game, and it is not the individual who wins the matches. In addition, football teaches vital life lessons, such as discipline, perseverance and sportsmanship.

Congratulations to Argentina's World Cup victory, which will be remembered for years. The team's victory is a sign of hope for the future and the upcoming New Year, 2023 — a moment that will be remembered for generations to come.

 

Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

No place called home

The term "Sukumbasi" does not directly translate to homelessness; however, it is often used pejoratively for "people living in slums". In general terms, homelessness is a growing problem in Nepal. With the country's population increasing and its economy struggling, more and more people are being forced to be homeless.

According to a recent informal report, an estimated 200,000 people are homeless in Nepal. The causes of homelessness in Nepal are complex and interrelated.

Many inhabitants and people live near the Bagmati riverbank without proper homes and mainly in slums. Poverty and economic inequality are the primary culprits of homelessness.

In addition, a lack of access to education and employment opportunities and limited access to health care contribute to the problem. Other factors include gender-based discrimination, displacement due to natural disasters or conflict, and the country's civil war effects.

 

 

Homelessness is a complex and persistent problem in Nepal, and it is essential that all levels of society – from the government to individuals – work together to address this global challenge. There is an urgent need for more resources, including housing, jobs and health care, as well as targeted measures to reduce poverty and inequality.

To address this issue, it is essential to understand the root causes of homelessness. Many people are homeless due to poverty, unemployment and displacement due to natural disasters or civil conflict.

One solution to this issue is to provide safe and affordable housing for people who are homeless. This could include building shelters or providing access to existing housing. Additionally, it is crucial to provide access to essential services, such as healthcare, sanitation and education. This will ensure that homeless people can access and get the resources they need to live healthy lives.

Another solution is to create job opportunities for those who are homeless. This could include setting up job training and placement programmes and providing access to microloans for starting a business.

Additionally, government programmes such as food stamps and other social safety nets could be used to help those in need.

Finally, it is crucial to provide resources and support to homeless people. This could include providing access to mental health services, addiction treatment, and other forms of support. By providing access to safe and affordable housing, essential services, job opportunities, and resources and support, it is possible to make a difference for those who are homeless in Nepal.

 

Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

The Fall

I was reading a short novel by I Camus, "The Fall", which immediately started me to question a visualisation portrayed in the book when Camus sees a crying young woman on the bridge, and he passes by her. The young woman is alone and watches him pass by. He hesitates to turn his head back to her. Finally, after some time, he turns his head and tries to look back at the young woman but cannot see her on the bridge.

The gist of this short story is clear: life may seem absurd; however, never be afraid to talk to someone. Recently, there have been many reported cases of people jumping and committing suicide from the Narayani Bridge in Chitwan, which is alarming. Over August this year, there were reported cases of more than five such incidents where people jumped off the Narayani Bridge. The suicide rate in the country is slowly on the rise. According to some informal estimates, the suicide rate has escalated by 72 per cent in a decade, where about 19 people commit suicide almost every day.

 

WHO reports that more than 700,000 people die of suicide across the globe every year. In addition, the UN says one in four people worldwide is affected by mental health problems, and about 450 million people currently have a mental disorder.

I will not go deeper into the minds of those people having hard times in their lives and the causes behind them. However, you may already be aware that there could be many reasons behind these upticks: mental health, neurological disorder, substance abuse, emotional turmoil, loneliness, chronic diseases, the COVID-19 pandemic, economic woes, migration, urbanizations, and social and financial misbalance, and so on.

There are no easy solutions to suicide and mental health problems, and the suicide solution song by Ozzy Osbourne, which goes "Wine is fine, but whiskeys quicker. Suicide is slow with liquor. Take a bottle, drown your sorrow. Then it floods away tomorrows...", is not going to help either. We don't live in a perfect world. We live in a fragile and sometimes meaningless world where reality is questioned.
Some even question our very existence and argue that we may live in a simulation where there has been a debate about the nature of our reality. As a result, life is hard and killing yourself or feeling like things will never get better may not be the solution.

In conclusion, I argue that, as Camus claims in his novel, men are guilty of something. We are guilty not only of our actions but of our inactions or failure to act. Crimes we fail to stop are just as much our fault as those we commit ourselves. Hopefully, in our general election, we will elect someone who will make mental health issues their priority, not with words but with action.

 

Published: The Himalayan Times (THT)
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

End of our world?

We mark Dashain and Tihar to celebrate the victory of good over evil. But, on the other side of this world, the West and Russia may start a nuclear or winter war, which would be devastating for the new world order after all the COVID-19 sufferings.

The other day, I checked Twitter, and no wonder "World War III" was trending. We live amid this new world order and geo-political crisis. While listening to one of my friend's podcasts, he mentioned that we live in a VUCA (volatile, uncertain, complex and ambiguous) world. Something fishy is happening in this new world order, and it feels heavy what's happening elsewhere.

Recently, the Nord Stream gas pipeline was blasted by an unknown country, and this is the beginning of a "hybrid war" between the West and Russia. And Germany is bracing for an unthinkable scenario - an "energy crisis".

 

Europe is living in difficult times with the Ukraine war still continuing. In addition, there were persistent heatwaves across several countries in Europe. Those heatwaves killed people, and thousands of ordinary people died. Yet several months have passed since the Ukraine war, and Russia is not budging. Instead it has annexed large territories of Ukraine.

Just a few days ago, Putin threatened the West with its tactical nuclear bomb if the West kept interfering in his "special military operation".

Russian President Putin is closely watching what the free world leaders are doing with their strategic, political and so-called "democratic values". No wonder he does not care about the Western sanction, which has failed. All this has resulted in high inflation, and rising food and gas prices can be seen and felt everywhere worldwide, including in our homes.

And Finland and Sweden are in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) ratification process. NATO, however, does not represent only the world power of several developed countries. When its members get involved in a war between two countries, supplying weapons, resources, money, soldiers, and all unseen support, they are also at war with another country without being on "enemy" territory. As a result, it feels as if World War III has already started.

I am unsure if democracy is failing us as the winter approaches or if our discontent will lead to World War III. On the other hand, it looks like as if the free world's leaders are intent on escalating this situation against Russia and China. The very fact that we are flirting with a nuclear conflict with Russia is dangerous, and yet there has been no effort to avoid it in practical ways. Gandhi said, "An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind," and if a nuclear war were to begin that will be the end of this world as we know it.

 

Published: The Himalayan Times (THT)
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

 

Dengue spreads in cities

A European friend wanted to travel to Kathmandu a few months ago when I accidentally met him in a doctor's clinic where he was taking precautionary medicine and injection for dengue and malaria. It is a well-known fact that Dengue cases are rising in the Kathmandu Valley and elsewhere.

Dengue, a mosquito-borne disease, is spread through the bite of an infected Aedes species mosquito with four types: DENV-1 to DENV-4. The identical infected mosquito is also reported to transmit chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika viruses based on reports by the WHO. The incubation period of dengue is between 3-10 days, showing very little or no symptoms like fever, digestive problems, and fatigue. Therefore, it seems that dengue cannot spread directly from person to person, like the COVID virus. However, someone infected can infect mosquitoes, which can infect another human. According to Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, almost forty per cent of the world's population lives in areas at risk of dengue with over 100 countries.

 

Climate plays one of the crucial drivers of the current distribution and incidence of dengue. However, dengue in Nepal is found regardless of climate and weather situations. Dengue is not necessary to spread because of the monsoon season, but the country has also seen the spread in pre- and post-monsoon seasons. Based on the data from EDCD (Epidemiology and Disease Control Division), dengue cases are rising and have been reported in more than sixty districts this year alone. Besides climate, there are other socioeconomic factors at play as well. Examples include unplanned urbanisation, travel, increase in breeding sites, intensive farming, dams, irrigation, poor housing in urban areas and improper solid waste management.

Several campaigns against dengue from 2010 onwards have not been very effective because of a lack of active public participation. Raising awareness and allocating a budget is one thing, but the actual implementation must come from people and the community. Unfortunately, our typical Nepalese nature is not to take things seriously until they battered us.

It isn't easy to eliminate Aedes mosquitoes because of their adaptive nature. However, introducing an "early warning system" can be used to predict and prevent dengue outbreaks with public health interventions. The awareness campaign can start in schools where learners can be taught effective mosquito and repellent strategies. Some preventive measures can include: keeping water containers adequately covered to prevent mosquitoes from entering, regularly cleaning spaces where water is logged and becomes a breeding ground, wearing clothes with full sleeves, or regularly cleaning nearby areas where mosquito eggs might be rotting.

 

Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

Electronic Voting

I visited Estonia during the summer break to check on my accountants who were doing the fiscal year closing. My accountant told me that they have the local election, and he was doing online internet-based voting, which excited me to delve into the prospect of such a mechanism.

Elections are the bedrock of democracy; however, it is a costly endeavour. As the Nepali general election will be held on November 20, 2022, the government has allocated about Rs 8 billion for it. Imagine how much we could save if only we invested and created an electronic voting mechanism (EVM).

Many countries are exploring and experimenting with different approaches to enable more streamlined voting that is secure, efficient and auditable. There are some advantages of e-voting, such as increased efficiency and improved accuracy.

Technically, to implement e-voting, we can use e-identification through the banking system to identify a person. Second, we could implement deep facial recognition together with biometrics. Finally, voters can identify with their digital voter ID card through future e-voting platforms. No vote should be recorded for those who could not pass through the eligibility verification process (it should not be that somebody else votes on my behalf). All ballots must be kept confidential during and even after the polling.

Still, there are some disadvantages of e-voting. For example, there is no guarantee if voter turnout will be more or less because of online voting. The technology solution will only make things messy if not done right. And there are high chances that technology is constructed without giving due thought and diligence. As a result, it may inevitably create more problems, so the solution lies in designing the process rather than the tech of e-voting itself. Perhaps, blockchain can provide cryptographic solid verifiability and solutions if appropriately used, which could increase transparency while allowing more fluid and decentralised decision-making.

The government should start a feasibility study on internet and electronic voting, to produce information that can be used to define the premise and possible acquisition of e-voting platforms. Besides, a working group should be formed to collect international experiences related to the digitalisation of elections and monitor such activities in the future.

Every citizen should be allowed to participate through online voting regardless of where they live, travel or work. Possibly e-voting will be the right solution to choose the best candidate and will hit hard on those politicians who are now playing "musical chairs" in the game of politics.

Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

Getting Rid Of Garbage Mess For Good

 Many developing countries are presently facing severe environmental degradation and health risk associated with mismanagement of domestic waste. The overall status of garbage problems is now a challenging ecological issue in Katmandu. Over the past decade, the Katmandu Valley has encountered rapid population growth, dumping of garbage near water bodies, unplanned waste disposal, excessive urbanisation, and an imperfect solid waste management system. In addition, issues in the reliable waste management systems have now encountered a lack of public understanding of the stable waste system, unplanned urbanisation, the introduction of environmentally unfriendly commodities, and changing consumer habits.

 

 

Crucial role

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is a tiny area with more than a million individuals. The garbage management system is mainly a door-to-door waste pickup service by KMC. Still, much garbage is unmanaged and ends in rivers or dumped near streets. A landfill site near Kathmandu is said to have already reached capacity despite a spread of over 37.65 hectares. According to KMC, the Kathmandu Valley generates about 853 tons of waste daily and 70,080 tons annually.  The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) plays a crucial role in developing plans and policies, including sanitation and drainage. For Katmandu, the KMC Office is the principal jurisdiction in executing the solid waste management (SWM) system. 

The majority of households (89 per cent) want to segregate the organic and non-organic portions of their waste. Lack of proper lining, raw solid waste from the city's dumpsites leaches into river water, causing contamination and degrading the quality of the water. Despite the initial effort made by the newly-elected Mayor of KMC Balendra Shah, city dwellers are still facing many problems due to garbage. Tourists suffer from the bad smell while passing the massive piles of rubbish. Every day, the 18 municipalities in KMC generate over 1,200 metric tons of solid waste. Recently, as the Bancharedanda road has been under construction, Kathmandu has now been unable to collect garbage for several days. 

With continuous growth in population density and urbanisation, waste generation in Katmandu is rising dramatically. In 2014, the Ministry of Health and Population had identified SWM as the country’s most crucial challenge. There is only one waste collection and transfer station at Teku, where wastes from Kathmandu and other cities are transported. This station transports waste to the Bancharedanda Landfill now. Kathmanduites have been facing problems with garbage transportation during rainy and monsoon seasons along the 27-km road that stretches to Sisdole and Bancharedanda. Because of the rainy season and transport issues, the city uses 40,000 square feet of plastic tarp to cover the ever-growing garbage problem at Teku transfer station.

The segregation of garbage is also a big problem. Furthermore, many remote areas and slums of Katmandu do not have sufficient financial capacity to collect and manage waste. Moreover, open dumping is a common practice in Kathmandu. As a result, waste is scattered on roads, drainage, and open spaces. To solve the problem of garbage segregation, a pilot project was started in 2020 but did not work correctly. Besides municipal solid waste, healthcare waste is another major challenge for KMC. According to the Health Management Information System of Nepal, within the small city of Kathmandu, the number of registered public and private healthcare facilities (HCFs) in 2019 is more than 1,070 and combined with unregistered HCFs, the number is around double, and these HCFs produce more than a ton of hazardous wastes.

In addition, Metro City Waste Management picks up on-hazardous waste generated from these HCFs. Still, no central management system is practised for dangerous wastes in the KMC. Moreover, few HCFs are individually practising incinerations for hazardous waste; in many cases, body parts have been found to mix with general waste. Nepal has adopted numerous legal facilitating regarding solid waste management in KMC, for instance, Solid Waste (Management and Resource Mobilisation) Act and rules, 1987, Solid Waste Management National Policy, 1996, Solid Waste Management Act, 2011 and Solid Waste Management Rules 2013. Despite having laws and policies, KMC has considerably not guaranteed a sound management system primarily because of a lack of economical implementation of actions and policies. 

Eventually, the garbage situation within Katmandu has reached a critical level. KMC has now taken initiatives to work with private agencies for solid waste management systems like private sector participation (PSP) as a crucial role for SWM. But unfortunately, it is not working well due to insufficient funding. According to the world population review (2021), like other cities, Katmandu will protect its individuals by providing a healthy environment, a good solid waste management policy and economic opportunities. In some areas of Katmandu, private organisations and local communities work together for waste management. 

Suggestions

In conclusion, KMC must integrate solid waste management from collection to final disposal to minimise environmental impacts and facilitate clean city and resource recovery materials. It is necessary to sort waste at home before taking it to a waste container and create good collection points and sorting containers. Sorting should be based on biowaste, paper, cartoon, glass, metal, plastic, mixed waste. There is also need to create separate collection points for hazardous waste, e.g. batteries, broken computers, electrical equipment. 

We should learn from Scandinavian nations like Finland and Sweden on how to implement an efficient waste management system where the overarching mission is simple - to stop sending waste to recycling in the first place. Finally, KMC must plan to transform the waste disposal system from open dumping to an engineered landfill site which may require investment with a commercial vision to address and align tech, policy, and environmental possibilities. Hopefully, with everyone's concerted efforts, Kathmandu will become garbage-free metropolis, where sustainability and a smart city vision can prosper in the future. 

 

Published: The Rising Nepal
Nepal's first English broadsheet daily

Shady cooperatives’ practices

Lately, a friend who deposited millions in a cooperative bank came to me and said he had lost his life savings because the owner had run away with all the money. He said more than a thousand depositors had lost their money in the scam, and a police complaint had been filed. This is not an isolated incident. They are happening across the country for multiple reasons.

Muhammad Yunus, a Nobel laureate, created the concept of Grameen Bank, a cooperative banking system in Bangladesh. It became widespread, providing micro loans to the marginalised, average and lower middleclass people. More than 16 million people who had no access to the traditional bank loans benefitted from the scheme. Somewhat inspired by the popularity of these cooperative banks, aspiring bankers and Nepali entrepreneurs started to found cooperatives here, too.

According to recent government data, there are more than 25,000 cooperatives (saving and credit as well as multi-purpose cooperatives) with more than 7 million members across the country. One regulatory body, the Department of Cooperatives, governs these co-op organisations. However, thanks to nominal or no monitoring by the so-called Department of Cooperatives, many depositors are being cheated almost daily.

 

Perhaps, it is a debatable and controversial topic. But are the Class A banks, categorised by the Nepal Rastra Bank as such, any better or worse than the coops? Still, of the many sectors and industries, the banking sector is an outlier and one of the most-profitable businesses. Among the many reasons, co-ops became highly popular here because of the higher interest rates that were provided than the big banks, which was lucrative for the middle and lower-middle income people. As a result, the number of cooperatives has mushroomed in recent times, and depositors' complaints have also increased drastically.

Moreover, once there were enough deposits, some of the founders of these co-ops started to invest for their personal benefit, such as real estate property, contributing to political parties, and building big shopping complexes and malls. Consequently, some ran away, swindling depositors of their money. I know that my friend's life savings are now lost forever, and it will be a dream to recover any of that amount.

In a nutshell, some other reasons that result in market fraud are weak or no monitoring or lack thereof, unethical co-op practices, lack of effective regulations, way too many co-ops in the provincial and local units, syndicated markets with cartels, political influence on lawmakers and shady business practices.

 

Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

Legalise cannabis

Recently, I had travelled to California, where I saw that cannabis is entirely legal in the state and is also allowed for medical use. However, one Nepali doctor asked me a question that haunted me for days.

He asked, "Why have we made cannabis illegal in our country?" Cannabis was and currently is a vital part of Nepal's society and culture; however, it has been banned by law since 1976.

Ayurveda began thousands of years ago with cannabis use by saints and yogis. We worship Lord Shiva, but why do we ban cannabis use? The use of cannabis, especially during festivities, rituals and social gatherings, as in Shivaratri, is tolerated.

About 50 years back, people from all over the world used to come and visit government-licensed stores on "Freak Street", a popular destination for cannabis use. Now, the West has moved on and liberalised the prohibition of cannabis, and almost half of U.S. states are decriminalising its use. Recently, Thailand has become the first Asian country to legalise cannabis.

As Nepal's trade export has faltered in recent times, a rejuvenated cannabis trade tailored to the export demand can not only boost the "brand value" of the country but also prove a highly lucrative business for the agriculture sector in Nepal. In addition, some lawmakers and experts have claimed cannabis possesses "medicinal property" that will boost Nepal's fragile tourism industry and benefit those with chronic mental illnesses.

According to some estimates, by 2030, the global cannabis market is projected to be more than $120 billion. Therefore, the Nepal government should consider how much foreign exchange it can bring if we allow farming and legalise it in the future.

Furthermore, it will boost innovative products and services for future medical products in cannabis and pave the path for new and emerging businesses that could arise from the agricultural sector.

A Californian Nepali friend said he had found excellent benefits from cannabis. Not only has it treated migraine, headaches, pain, anxiety and insomnia in some cases, but it has also allowed him to slow down in some situations. I believe Nepal should take advantage of this untapped market as soon as possible by carrying out research on cannabis for scientific and medicinal purposes, which will bring colossal royalty income to our country.

Nepali lawmakers must create a pathway for cannabis cultivation and legalise it for recreational and medical use. Legalising marijuana/cannabis is a way forward for Nepal, but policymakers in our country do not care much about public issues, I jokingly told a friend.


Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

Why Nepal Fails

I have completed writing a new non-fiction book entitled "Why Nepal Fails", which is now in the final stages of publication. Here are some questions and answers in-line:

 

What is the book about?

"Why Nepal Fails" discusses entrepreneurship in Nepal. The way people are doing business in Nepal, for example. It attempts to look into various perspectives, although the book is solely based on my own experiences. 

What is the genre of the book?

The book is non-fiction based on real-life events. 

Who is the target audience?

The target audience is everyone above 18+ age and all the young people who are doing business in Nepal or thinking of doing business in Nepal.

 

What is the word count?
The total word count of the book is approx 55k+ words with references.

What is the print format?

The book will be available in both paperback and hardback.

Where to purchase the book?

The book can be purchased from the bookstore in Nepal, e.g. B B Book Store, phone +977 986-9257210 and also available online soon.

Can I pre-order the book?

Yes, you can. Don't hesitate to get in touch with the bookseller through email here: bajrangbalibooks@gmail.com

or via phone at +977 986-9257210

Do you have the concept cover of the book?

Yes, the concept cover of the book looks like above, but this may not be the final book cover. 

Putin is the new Hitler

Russian President Vladimir Putin, by attacking his neighbour Ukraine has become a new Hitler in the 21st century. I know why he attacked Ukraine to gain power and authority in his neighbour so that NATO forces would not come closer to his doorsteps. Regardless of that fear, he sees thousands of NATO forces now on the Eastern flank. This is the war now between Russia Vs. West. "Putin's War" will cost everyone, not just Putin. The dream of turning back the clock will have severe implications for the EU and Russia. 

Putin is the new Hitler, and both of their intentions are not bad to stop expanding NATO forces and alleviate the threat to their national security. However, this could have been done through diplomatic channels, not through conventional war. What will Putin do if no diplomats listen to him? He wanted Ukraine not to join NATO, but nobody listened to him. So, if you look from Putin's perspective, he is doing the right thing to save his people from the NATO forces.

West cannot help Ukraine win this war. Russia may win this war, but the Ukrainians will never surrender to Russian aristocrat Putin. Even some of them might surrender; time cannot go back as we live in the age of information, and this will have dire consequences for Putin himself later. 

Putin is getting older, and in a few years, he will die. But, before his death, he wants to conquer the world and re-build the "Russian Empire." He is not stupid, but it is good to remember that having a large portion of land does not mean you own the entire Earth. Genghis khan tried to do the same but look now how much land Mongolia has compared to during his era. 

The war causes great devastation not just to ordinary people but also to mother earth. Read, for example, "war crimes" havoc related to the environment and climate change. But who cares when people die, buildings are destroyed by missiles, and bullets are firing every second. 

Like German philosopher George Hegel famously said, "The only thing that we learn from history is that we learn nothing from history".  Long before Putin, Aristocrats, Kings and Great Rulers such as Hitler, Genghis Khan, and others all come and go because the time will never stop. No one can stop the clock because it does not care about the world's rulers. Time also does not care about world politics or the world's geopolitics. The Earth does not stop rotating within a limited span of human life. As long as our Earth turns, we will all die at some point.  

The war in Ukraine will not stop until Ukraine either loses Kyiv or the Russian military is withdrawn by Putin's order, which will not happen because it is not the nature of aristocrats to reverse their decisions. Any western sanctions, isolation, or hindrance will not hamper Putin's ambition. He is just like me no regard for the rule of law and no aspiration to back down once committed. 

Like the fall of Hitler when he waged war on two fronts, both in Britain and Soviet Russia, Putin will have to face dire consequences if he stages multiple battles on many Eastern and Ukraine fronts. So, Putin will not do that immediately even though NATO is boosting its military presence on its eastern flank. 

Only aristocrats listen to other aristocrats, so China's role is vital in this conflict. President Xi can ask Putin to stop this war, but he will not do so because he has solid ties on many fronts with Putin. They have already agreed on this before waging war. So China does not care if Putin occupies Ukraine as long as Chinese studying in Ukraine is not hampered. A similar story is with India since both countries have "abstained" from the UN security council resolution. 

The mask is off our faces, and now nobody is talking about "Pandemic"  or the "Coronavirus" any longer. We are all carefully looking and seeing what other fellow human beings in Ukraine are going through in these challenging times. Even when said to Putin by the UN security general, "In the name of humanity, please stop this war". Putin does not care about "humanity". Humanity to him means Russian people and the great Russian empire only. 

I know very few, or nobody, will read this blog or post. Surely nobody from the Russian empire as there are millions of posts, tweets, and information floating around the Internet. However, from what I am seeing and felt over the past few days and weeks, Russia might go nuclear, but this is also hard to sell to the Russian people because it has opposite consequences. Like Gandhi said, "eye to eye makes the whole world blind". So Russia throwing nuclear weapons over any country will also receive the same from another country, so "humanity" will collapse. 

So, who going to stop Putin? It is Putin himself and nobody else. 

#stopthewar #putin #ukraine #ww3 #eu #nato

Guilty

I’m pleased to announce my 100-word story, Guilty is, published by Friday Flash Fiction. And of course, it’s not my first time writing such a brief story, but I think it may resonate with some readers. 

Hopefully, you will enjoy the reading.  Here is the screenshot of the story

Published: FridayFlashFiction 

Boosting entrepreneurship: Target the youth

The New Year 2022 has just begun, and Nepal should make a resolution to give a boost to tomorrow's young homegrown entrepreneurs. Approximately 10,689,842 people in Nepal are under the age of 30, according to the 2021 Census (40.3 per cent). Nepal is poised to flourish because it is young, active and eager to engage in the global economy. It is also a democracy.

There are several investment options available here. A critical role in the country's long-term economic growth is played by entrepreneurship. As suggested, Nepal's future cannot be predicated only by international assistance and remittances. If we want to continue ahead on the course of sustainable economic development, we must create an atmosphere conducive to new entrepreneurship and innovation.

Entrepreneurship is vital because it produces jobs, while it also has a significant influence on the lives of young people in general.

Nepal's young and enthusiastic populace is leaving the country daily to pursue new opportunities. If all of Nepal's residents are involved in entrepreneurship, the country's need of foreign aid would reduce significantly.

According to the most recent World Bank ranking, Nepal ranks 110th out of 190 nations regarding the ease of doing business. Legal assistance, a suitable atmosphere, a large young population, and an abundance of resources are some of Nepal's benefits for boosting entrepreneurship.




In terms of commercialising the agriculture sector, Nepal offers tremendous potential. Because of increased government assistance for the farming sector, businesses will reap tremendous benefits. In addition, tourism shows great potential although it has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Nepal's geographical conditions are conducive to developing the tourist industry.

In Nepal, the information technology industry is seeing significant growth.

Information technology offers substantial potential for generating growth, investment and considerable profits in the entrepreneurship industry. Nepal is a newcomer to information technology entrepreneurship, but it has a more promising future in terms of employment opportunities.

It has lower running costs, is more accessible, and has a limited influence on occurrences like the COVID-19 pandemic.

There are several issues facing society that need new and inventive solutions (fintech, agri-tech, ed-tech, biotech, reg-tech, climate-tech). Because most young people are focussed on studying or working overseas, individuals who opt to remain in the country and develop their entrepreneurial skills have fewer competitors.

Beyond these business prospects in Nepal, we still have many challenges to solve, opening even more doors for entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams. Even though Nepal faces several obstacles, I believe that this should not discourage the spirit of entrepreneurship.

We do this because embracing challenges and taking risks are fundamental to the very essence of the entrepreneurial spirit itself.

Entrepreneurs must have a vision that others do not currently recognise.

People may feel that their ideas are hypotheses and impose a high level of uncertainty, but that is what entrepreneurship is all about: putting everything on the line for a view you believe in. As a result, we will see several prospects for entrepreneurial growth in Nepal if we look at it carefully. There is a crisis – a shortage of electricity, water, fuel, communication and inflation. But remember that a crisis may be a window of opportunity for an entrepreneur. Many company concepts may be established here with first-mover advantages since we are still a developing nation and technology is still in its infancy. Because of the high unemployment rate, you may put together a group of determined adolescents anxious to keep their jobs. Even though the world has progressed, many challenges still need new and imaginative answers.

Because there are fewer development activities in the nation, people with money have fewer sectors to invest in. Consequently, several investors are eager to support if an entrepreneur can provide a compelling concept and a viable business plan.

There are various reasons why entrepreneurship is vital, ranging from advocating social change to pushing innovation. Most people consider entrepreneurs to be national assets, who should be developed, driven and rewarded to the maximum degree feasible.

However, this is not always true. It is indeed true that some of the most industrialised countries are global leaders thanks to their citizens' innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.

Exceptional entrepreneurs can transform how we live and work on a local and national scale. If they are successful, their ideas may raise living standards.

In addition to generating income via entrepreneurial endeavours, they may also provide employment and contribute to the economy's growth.

Entrepreneurs also contribute to the advancement of change via innovation, in which new and better goods allow the development of new markets. However, excessive entrepreneurship (i.e., a high level of self-employment) may harm economic growth.

Entrepreneurial endeavours contribute to the creation of new wealth. Existing enterprises may find themselves restricted to their current markets and at a point of diminishing returns.

Entrepreneurs' introduction of new and better goods, services or technology allows for the development of new markets and new riches. Increasing employment and income growth lead to higher national income via increased tax revenues and government expenditure. The government may use this cash to invest in poorly run industries and human capital.

Finally, if it results in the layoff of a few current players, the government may mitigate the impact by allocating excess resources to retrain employees.

This is an excerpt from the upcoming book, "Why Nepal Fails" by the writer

Published: The Himalayan Times.
Nepal's leading daily newspaper

The pandemic wedding

 Kris and Kiyana had begun to plan their wedding in Nepal before the pandemic started. They had already planned everything, and almost all of the preparations were done, so retracting their decision seemed impossible at that point—they simply went along with it. They wanted a traditional wedding, so not only did it take time to plan everything out, it was also meant to be something huge. Kris was dressed up very traditionally, which seemed unconventional for a groom. Kiyana, on the other hand, had spent a lot of time with her mother in choosing the right dress. While sending out invitations, they didn’t bother themselves with the number of people that would attend, nor was the seating arrangements a matter of concern. After all, it was their wedding, which had to be replete with as big a celebration as possible. They had been asked if they wanted to have their wedding in another venue, but both insisted on getting married in Ratnanagar, Chitwan.

Both had several relatives that they wanted at their wedding, with a total of 250 people in attendance—not including their families or close friends.

Due to many guests attending, one of Kiyana’s best friends came up to her and asked something that weighed heavily on her mind.

“Kiyana. Will you and Kris be asking the guests to wear masks?”

“Masks? Of course not. This is a unique occasion, and I wouldn’t want them to look back on this day with masks covering their faces.

“Are you not worried about the pandemic?”

“Not for the wedding. Nobody is even sick, and if they are, then they will just stay home. We are all family, so I’m confident that we would all be safe,” Kiyana told her.

Standing by what she had said, no one was asked to wear masks on the wedding day. Although the ceremony was wonderful, nobody adopted any safety measures; no social distancing whatsoever. Everyone danced like it was their last day on Earth, with absolutely no regard for their own health and safety.

The newlyweds’ families were overjoyed at the occasion and mostly kept to themselves throughout the ceremony. None of the guests appeared to be sick indeed, and the virus was the last thing on anybody’s mind that day. As far as they were concerned, the night was a success, and there was nothing to worry about. None of them suspected that anything would go south until Kris’s mother called the two of them, panic-stricken, two days later. “Are the two of you okay?” she asked them.

“Of course, we are okay, mother. Why wouldn’t we be?” Kris said.

“I have just gotten a call that your uncle tested positive for the virus and is currently at the hospital”.

“Will he be alright?”

“I do not know yet. We can only hope and pray. I was calling to make sure if either of you had caught the virus.”

“There is no way anybody had it at the wedding. I spoke to everyone who was there, and nobody was feeling ill. Nobody was even coughing, so I know that he didn’t get the virus from there. He must have gone somewhere else and contracted the virus. Please let me know if you hear any changes from him,” Kris told his mother and hung up.

The husband and wife did not think much of this until more calls kept coming in. More relatives from the wedding had tested positive and were now showing symptoms. They looked at each other, realising that their wedding might have been where they all got infected. They didn’t know how this was even possible until they started looking at the news about the virus. They learned that the virus could be transmitted from someone even without any symptoms. It left them distraught because some of the relatives they invited were older and at a much higher risk of developing serious complications from the virus.

They were ashamed that they wanted to have a traditional wedding so badly that they put their family and friends in danger of getting seriously ill. They realised that if they wanted the wedding to be truly traditional and authentic, they should have waited until the coronavirus pandemic was over. Or if they wanted to have the wedding now, they should have scaled it down and made their guest follow social distances and wear masks. Unfortunately, they didn’t know or attempt to educate themselves about preventive measures. The final hit to Kiyana came when her best friend called her on the phone.

“Hello, Kiyana,” her friend said weakly on the phone.

“You sound terrible. What happened?” Kiyana asked, knowing what her friend would probably say.

“I was not feeling well and went to the doctor. They told me that I tested positive for COVID-19 and had to remain at the hospital.”

“You are at the hospital?” Kiyana asked.

“Yes. It is getting harder for me to breathe, so they want to put me on oxygen and possibly a ventilator if I don’t improve.”

“I don’t understand, though. You aren’t old. You are as young as me, so the virus shouldn’t have made you this sick.”

“Just because we are young doesn’t mean we are immune to the virus. I had a weaker immune system anyway so I was already vulnerable to the virus.”

“I am so sorry that I did not listen to you when you tried to tell me to adopt precautions in the wedding.”

“You don’t have to be sorry. Just be careful so that you don’t become sick like me too.”

“I will. I hope you feel better soon,” said Kiyana before hanging up the phone.

Putting someone their age in the hospital hit Kris and Kiyana hard. It gave them a new perspective of what was important to them—and it wasn’t big weddings or celebrations. It was keeping the people they cared about safe and healthy. They made sure to call everyone on the guest list to warn them of possible exposure and told them to get tested. The couple also got tested and came out negative for the virus. But, it still felt like they needed to do more; they didn’t know what.

The days went on, and they got calls and updates about family members doing much better and some still having mild side effects, like headaches. There wasn’t any word on Kiyana’s best friend until another few days later. The call was what she had dreaded the most, and she found out that her best friend had died of the disease. She was devastated, and Kris did his best to try and comfort her. As she slowly recovered from her grief, she understood what she had to do now.

She became an advocate and tried to educate everyone in Chitwan about the virus and its devastating effects. She told her story of how she was oblivious about the asymptomatic nature of the virus and how her ignorance had led to the death of her best friend. She told people that although tradition was necessary, the life of their loved ones was more important. They needed to protect themselves if they ever wanted to recover from this horrible pandemic.

Kiyana and Kris even found other young people preparing to get married and urged them to not go through with the wedding like they did. They might not have been able to save their friend, but they might be able to save someone else’s. It was a long road ahead, both in their marriage and in the pandemic. Nobody knew for sure when it would end or how long things would need to be different. The only thing they knew was it was their responsibility to tell their story and keep the people in Chitwan safe from the virus and its ever-emerging variants.

Published: The Kathmandu Post

Nepal's leading daily newspaper

Current climate crisis in Nepal

KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 08

Climate change has now turned into a climate crisis for countries like Nepal. The global climate model shows climate change impacts may be severe at high elevation and in a complex topography like Nepal.

The current climate modelling scenario in Nepal has described two types of disasters due to increased temperature.





They are rapid disasters, such as floods and landslides, and slow-onset disasters, such as drought, forest fires, snow melts and sedimentation.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report has said that Nepal will suffer the adverse impact of climate change, although its contribution to greenhouse gas emission is small. Temperature increase is resulting in faster glacier melt, leading to flash floods. Water-related hazards, especially during the monsoon due to melting of ice in the mountain and plentiful rainfall in the foothills, are quite common now.

Additionally, landslides in the mid-hills occur regularly due to extreme rainfall during the monsoon. Consequently, people suffer from food insecurity since agricultural activities are disrupted, and there is forest and biodiversity loss as well as water scarcity.

Migration from the rural to urban areas due to the climate crisis is increasing in Nepal.

Drinking water, hygiene and proper sanitation system are being disrupted due to climate crisis.

Scientific research may help reduce the climate crisis through adaptation. According to Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC), Nepal plans to combat greenhouse gas emissions by setting 14 goals in collaboration with the UN programme on Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.

Maintaining risk reduction strategies like emergency awareness programmes and shifting traditional agricultural practices for food security by using natural barriers are ways to combat the adverse effect of climate change.

Nepal's aquaponics practices may be an innovative technology that can help grow more vegetables per unit area and improve fish farming to meet the extra food demand.

Use of electrical appliances in our homes and everyday life with the clean energy produced in the country can help cut down on greenhouse gas emission.

Active participation from all sectors, such as the public and government, is required to reduce the adverse effects of climate change. As they say in the west, "prevention is better than cure". Therefore, we all need to start preparing for the impending climate crisis in our country, which will be the norm if no action is taken.

A version of this article appears in the print on November 09, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.




Published: The Himalayan Times
Nepal's leading daily newspaper