Far-west Nepal Research Articles

Population mobility and spread of HIV across the Indo-Nepal border.

The article reviews information on the epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and behavioural networking to examine the role of population mobility in spreading HIV across the Indo-Nepal border. Documents were collected through a systematic search of electronic databases and web-based information resources, and the review focuses on studies about types of the virus, prevalence of HIV, and sexual and injecting networking. HIV-1 (subtype C) and HIV-2 were identified in Nepal. The prevalence of HIV was higher among male labour migrants and female sex workers (FSWs) who returned from India, especially from Mumbai, than in similar non-migrant groups. In the early 2000s, about 6-10% of Mumbai returnee men, compared to up to 4% of India returnee men and up to 3% of non-migrant men in the far-west Nepal, were identified with HIV. Likewise, when the prevalence of HIV among sex workers in Kathmandu was found to be 17% in 1999-2000, up to 44% of India returnee and 73% of Mumbai returnee FSWs were identified with the virus. These data are, however, based on small samples with questionable representativeness of the target populations and need to be interpreted cautiously. They also generate a biased impression that HIV was coming into Nepal from India. Recently, the possibility of a two-way flow of HIV across the Indo-Nepal border through injecting and sexual networking have been indicated by serological and behavioural data from a south-eastern cluster of Nepal and a north-eastern district of India. Although similar behavioural networks exist along other segments of the border, serological data are unavailable to assess whether and how extensively this phenomenon has caused the spread of HIV. Collaborative research and interventions covering both sides of the border are desirable to fully understand and address the prospect of HIV epidemics associated with cross-border population mixing.

Spatial Integration of the Rice Market: Empirical Evidence from Mid-west and Far-west Nepal, and the Nepalese-Indian Border

This paper studies the integration of rice markets in the mid-west and far-west districts of Nepal. The data were drawn mainly from the World Food Programme (WFP) database on Nepal. Results indicate that the rice markets of the hinterland are poorly integrated with the regional market of Nepalgunj. In contrast, price fluctuations are transmitted, both in the short and medium run, across the Indian-Nepali border between Nepalgunj and the Indian border districts of Rupedia and Jogbani. Large price differentials relative to transport costs indicate market inefficiencies in the mid-west and far-west districts of Nepal. Moreover, the poor road infrastructure determines the price differentials. Poor infrastructure impedes price correlation and convergence between these districts. Given its opendoor policy with India and the ongoing efforts to further align trade policies with the World Trade Organization, the findings suggest that Nepal would maintain its partnership with India and build an effective market surveillance system that covers the Indian border markets as well, to ensure food security in the short run. However, substantial investment in transport infrastructure is required to improve market integration and accessibility in the long run, especially in the hilly and mountainous areas.

Geologic and U–Pb geochronologic evidence for early Paleozoic tectonism in the Dadeldhura thrust sheet, far-west Nepal Himalaya

The Dadeldhura thrust sheet inm western Nepal consists of Proterozoic–Lower Paleozoic sedimentary and plutonic rocks, and their metamorphic equivalents, that rest structurally on Proterozoic strata of the Lesser Himalayan sequence. Although regional metamorphism and ductile deformation were widespread during Tertiary thrust emplacement, relicts of early Paleozoic tectonism are preserved locally. New field and geochronologic studies, together with the findings of previous workers, indicate that this early Paleozoic tectonism included: (1) regional metamorphism to at least garnet grade, (2) regional folding of a thick metamorphic sequence into a broad east–west trending syncline, (3) outcrop-scale folding of metasedimentary rocks, (4) emplacement of Cambro–Ordovician granitic bodies during and after the metamorphism and deformation, (5) uplift and erosion of the metamorphic sequence, with garnet-grade rocks locally exposed at the surface, and (6) derivation of Ordovician conglomeratic sandstones from the early Paleozoic orogen. Similar records of metamorphism, deformation, and uplift/erosion have been found in other regions of the Himalaya, indicating that rocks of the Dadeldhura thrust sheet were originally involved in a regionally extensive orogenic system. Future tectonic models of Himalayan orogenesis must accommodate this early Paleozoic event.

Socioeconomic Change in Far-West Nepal: A Town in the Doti Valley

This article briefly examines the economic and social impact upon local society brought about by the opening of a seasonal road link between Dipayal, Doti District, and Dhangardi, Kailali District, in the Far-West Development Region of Nepal. This road, which runs via Dhadeldura Bazaar, reached Dipayal in January 1986, and since then a large, seasonal bazaar has sprung up, bus service between Dipayal and the Indian border has been established, and the town has become the most important trading center for much of the Far West. In spite of these developments, I conclude that the residents of Dipayal have yet to benefit from the new economic activity and may, in fact, have been negatively affected. Dipayal is located at the bottom of the Doti Valley on the north bank of the Seti River and is the seat of the Dipayal Nagar Panchayat, a Nepalese administrative designation equivalent to a city council. However, the bulk of the Nagar Panchayat population is located in and around Silgarhi, the district center 12 kilometers to the east, which sits on a high ridge overlooking the valley. Although the Nagar Panchayat population is around 10,000, the actual population of Dipayal is 1,953.1 The town proper consists of a small bazaar, several government offices, and approximately 205 scattered houses. There is a telegraph office, post office, Royal Nepal Airlines office, and Rastriya Bank branch office. In 1982, when King Birendra established the Far-West Development Region, the small village of Rajpur, located across the river from Dipayal, was chosen as the regional administrative center. Temporary government

Socioeconomic Change in Far-West Nepal: A Town in the Doti Valley

Socioeconomic Change in Far-West Nepal: A Town in the Doti Valley

Change assessment of forest cover in Ghodaghodi lake area in Kailali district of Nepal

Ghodaghodi Lake in Far-West Nepal has been listed as a Ramsar Site due to its significance as a habitat for several endangered species of flora and fauna. The wetland and its surrounding area is facing deforestation, forest degradation and encroachment. In this case study, unsupervised and finally supervised classification of multi-temporal Landsat imagery covering the wetland area was applied. A post-classification comparison approach was used to derive forest cover change maps. The results depicted the loss of forest cover over a thirty- one year period, in three time slices. The highest rate of loss was observed in the 1990 to1999 time slice. Keywords: Change detection; forest cover; Ghodaghodi lake; Landsat DOI: 10.3126/banko.v19i2.2980 Banko Janakari, Vol. 19, No.2 2009 pp.15-19

A Widening Gap In Economic Crisis And Opportunities: A Perspective Of Migration And Hiv From Dadeldhura, Far-West Of Nepal

Introduction: A cross-sectional study was undertaken to explore socio-economic conditions of inhabitants from Dadeldhura district in Far-West Nepal. Methodology: The study examined chances of migration to India for earning, and then possible risks of HIV transmission in migrants. Results: It was found that most of the respondents have insuffi cient food supplies, which led to a large number of economically productive populations to migrate India for earning. Although the level of knowledge on HIV/AIDS was high in the respondents, they also had several confusions. The cultural restrictions forbid them to talk about the issues related to sexuality or to acquire relevant information. Conclusion: As an implication, they remained unaware of the threat of HIV transmission despite the fact that some of them engaged in unsafe sexual behaviours. Provisions of information through peer networks seem to be effective to promote safer sexual behaviors in migrant populations. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/saarctb.v8i1.5887 SAARCTB 2011; 8(1): 15-19

Ecological study of Ghodaghodi lake

Wetlands comprise 5% of world's total land areas of Nepal. The present study Ghodaghodi Lake in the Far-West Nepal Terai manifested the physicochemical contamination in the lake. All the parameters were within the WHO guideline values except for Phosphate and Dissolved Oxygen. Water depth varies form 1-4 m. High phosphate level suggested that the lake is hypertrophic. Dissolved oxygen was low, ranging between 5.27-6.56 mg/l. The presence of high density of Hemiptera (384.23 ind/m2) and Ephimeripterae (273.66 ind/ m2) indicted that water was polluted due to high nutrient deposition both from the decaying of the abundant aquatic flora and from the surrounding area. The most important challenge that we have to face is to strike a balance between sustainable human exploitation and maintaining the ecological character of a wetland ecosystem. Key words: Ghodaghodi Lake, phytoplankton, macroinvertebrates, phosphate, nitrate doi: 10.3126/banko.v19i3.2207 Banko Janakari, Special Issue February 2009, 18-23