Projects In Nepal Research Articles

Opportunities revealed by the Nepal multiple-use water services experience

Few programmes in the field have methodically applied multiple-use by design approaches. To some extent, this reflects both the novelty of the MUS approach, as well as the disconnect between water research, policy and practice. While water policy-makers have in recent times found the MUS approach attractive, there is significant resistance to actualizing the interdisciplinary approach. Although policies are slowly changing, much of the MUS experiences on the ground have evolved from a more innate process of programmes delivering to the ‘expressed’ needs of user communities. Drawing on eight years of MUS development effort in Nepal, this paper describes the critical components of the multiple-use water services projects in Nepal and the outcomes seen at the community level from these projects. Further, it reviews some of the gaps and limitations of the projects in order to explore opportunities for future MUS implementation not only in Nepal, but globally.

What Can TESOL Do in Order Not to Participate in Crimes Against Humanity?

TESOL QuarterlyVolume 43, Issue 2 p. 340-344 What Can TESOL Do in Order Not to Participate in Crimes Against Humanity? TOVE SKUTNABB-KANGAS, TOVE SKUTNABB-KANGAS University of Roskilde (Emerita) Roskilde, Denmark Åbo Akademi University (Emerita) Vasa, Finland Tove Skutnabb-Kangas is Professor Emerita at the University of Roskilde in Roskilde, Denmark, and at Åbo Akademi University in Vasa, Finland. She has written or edited around 50 books and 400 articles and book chapters, in 32 languages, about minority education, linguistic human rights, linguistic genocide, subtractive spread of English, the relationship between biodiversity and linguistic diversity, and other topics. She has received the Linguapax Award (2003), and is presently involved in projects in Nepal and India where Indigenous children are being taught through the medium of their mother tongues. Her home page is www.tove-skutnabb-kangas.org.Search for more papers by this author TOVE SKUTNABB-KANGAS, TOVE SKUTNABB-KANGAS University of Roskilde (Emerita) Roskilde, Denmark Åbo Akademi University (Emerita) Vasa, Finland Tove Skutnabb-Kangas is Professor Emerita at the University of Roskilde in Roskilde, Denmark, and at Åbo Akademi University in Vasa, Finland. She has written or edited around 50 books and 400 articles and book chapters, in 32 languages, about minority education, linguistic human rights, linguistic genocide, subtractive spread of English, the relationship between biodiversity and linguistic diversity, and other topics. She has received the Linguapax Award (2003), and is presently involved in projects in Nepal and India where Indigenous children are being taught through the medium of their mother tongues. Her home page is www.tove-skutnabb-kangas.org.Search for more papers by this author First published: 30 December 2011 https://doi.org/10.1002/j.1545-7249.2009.tb00176.xCitations: 12 AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinked InRedditWechat Citing Literature Volume43, Issue2June 2009Pages 340-344 RelatedInformation

Paraguay, Bhutan and Nepal: Landlocked but Hydropower Rich Cases of the Lame duck, Flying Goose and Sitting Duck!

Paraguay has 5.6 million people, Bhutan has 0.6 million and Nepal has 27 million, all small land locked countries with rich hydropower potential. The 12,600 MW Itaipu Project commissioned on Paraguay-Brazil border river, Parana, was the world’s largest hydropower plant until China’s Three Gorges superseded it in 2007. Paraguay’s share, half of Itaipu’s generation, is on average of about 44,000 million units annually with over 90% sold to Brazil. Nepal’s projected average annual generation from three major multipurpose projects, at Sapta Koshi, Karnali Chisapani and Pancheshwar’s 50%, totals about the same. Despite two decades of such large volume of power export, however, Paraguay remains the second poorest country in South America. Nepal, with a tiny 550 MW of hydropower capacity, is undergoing bouts of load shedding and is mired in controversies. Bhutan, with a mere export of about 1,300 MW, comprising 60% of the national revenue, has therefore been strongly recommended as the model for Nepal to replicate. If India is to maintain her 9% GDP growth rate then she will require 785,000 MW (6 times the present installed capacity) of power by 2026/27. Along with this demand for power, she will also need huge quantities of additional freshwater. While there are options for power, there are none for water. All large or small storage projects in Nepal augment water to the rivers flowing down to India. So far India’s policy has been to obtain this augmented water through Nepal’s default. Nepal needs to seriously consider why Paraguay, despite its huge export, is a lame duck while Bhutan with a tiny export is a flying goose!Key words: Power export, Karnali Chisapani, Pancheshwar, Sapta Koshi, Nepal-India Water Resources negotiations,Nepal’s default, Paraguay, Bhutandoi: 10.3126/hn.v3i0.1895Hydro Nepal: Journal of Water, Energy and Environment Issue No. 3, January, 2008 Page 4-8

Evaluating Appreciative Inquiry as an Organizational Transformation Tool: An Assessment from Nepal

Two women's health projects in Nepal are examined for impacts from using Appreciative Inquiry (AI) as an organizational transformation and team building tool. This paper describes AI, and then looks at its use in Nepal to help improve access, quality of care, and utilization of essential obstetric care (EOC) by pregnant women. AI is ostensibly designed to assist hospital, health post, and health project staff improve their attitudes towards work and their service to clients. Typical accounts of AI impacts are told in success stories, analogous to storytelling and mini-case studies in anthropology. The focus here, however, is on issues of evaluating AI, itself. Some AI practitioners eschew attempts at rigorous evaluation of their own work and maintain that AI is fundamentally different and not amenable to objective (especially quantitative) measurement. The results of the AI assessment on the two health projects are discussed in light of the ongoing debate about the nature of development in general, ...

Linking economics and emotions: towards a more integrated understanding of empowerment in conflict areas

The disintegration and disempowerment caused by war and organized violence in conflict areas are often reinforced by aid projects. Instead of addressing the social and psychological processes of threat and fear, destruction and trauma, loss and grief through interventions, they separate them, delegate them to specialists and ignore them in the other sectors of programming humanitarian aid. On the other hand, in psychosocial projects, the material needs of people are not always addressed adequately. In this article, a tool is introduced that helps to better understand the real extent of individual and collective disempowerment in conflict areas, and to facilitate an integrated psychosocial approach to empowerment. The application of this tool will be illustrated with two examples. One example looks at economic projects in Nepal, where staff examined more closely their individual beneficiaries and realized how the fears of both past and future influence economic performance. The other is in a psychosocial project in Gaza where this tool helped counsellors to take the material needs of their clients more seriously, and to turn sewing and pottery courses from occupational therapy into a form of economic empowerment.

A model for pro‐poor wealth creation through small‐plot irrigation and market linkages

AbstractThis paper relates the field experience of an international NGO in strengthening linkages between irrigation development and poverty reduction. Poverty Reduction through Irrigation and Smallholder Markets (PRISM) is introduced as a methodology for combining small‐plot irrigation technology with complementary inputs and services to enhance small farmers' ability to participate effectively in markets for high‐value agricultural commodities. Data from field projects in Nepal and India indicate that the PRISM approach can lead to significant additional income for small farmers and other micro and small enterprises in agricultural value chains. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rock support in hydropower projects of Nepal: case studies

The principal objective of rock support is to assist the rock mass to support itself. One common example is where the rock support system (e.g. rock bolts and shotcrete) actually becomes integrated with the rock mass. Rock support strengthens the rock mass surrounding an excavation by creating a reinforced zone, which maintains the integrity of the excavated surface, possesses sufficient flexibility to allow for the redistribution of stresses around the excavation, and has enough stiffness to minimise the dilation (opening) of discontinuities. Rock mass classification systems are used worldwide as a basis for tunnel support design. The Q and Rock Mass Rating systems have been extensively applied in rock support design on most of the hydropower projects in Nepal. Generic design guidelines based on rock mass classification systems cannot provide suitable rock support for every site. Therefore some modifications are necessary to suite the site-specific ground conditions including local rock mass and geological hazards.
 There are relatively few tunnels excavated in the tectonically active Nepal Himalaya. Large diameter tunnels in Nepal are commonly lined with concrete whereas recently smaller-diameter tunnels are either shotcrete-lined or left unsupported. "Leaky" lining has been used in most of the projects to avoid the heavy reinforcement needed to withstand the occasional very high external water pressures.

The influence of NGO involvement on local people's perception of forest management: a case study of community forestry in Nepal

Despite high expectations of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) as project partners in bilateral-aid community forestry (CF) projects in Nepal, it remains unclear whether the NGO involvement favored by donors is efficient. This study examined the influence of NGOs on local people's perceptions of CF management by using a quantitative analysis based on a questionnaire survey. Three different forest user groups (FUGs) supported by the Nepal Swiss Community Forestry Project were selected from the Dolakha and Ramecchap districts: an FUG supported by another FUG acting as an NGO, an FUG supported by an NGO specializing in CF, and an FUG without NGO support. A structured survey examined the perception of CF management based on satisfaction, involvement, and self-reliance in 244 selected households belonging to the three FUGs. Knowledge of CF and personal information was also surveyed and analyzed. The results showed that NGO involvement influences factors such as self-reliance and knowledge of CF. FUG members who were supported by an NGO or an FUG had a significantly higher perception with respect to self-reliance and knowledge than did members without such support. This indicates that experienced FUGs can serve as adequate service providers for the CF formation procedure, in a manner similar to that of NGOs. On the other hand, the limited support from NGOs or FUGs during the formation process seemed insufficient to fulfill the expectations of aid agencies with respect to the enhancement of satisfaction and active participation on the part of FUG members. If aid agencies expect NGOs and FUGs to enhance the satisfaction and participation of members, these intermediary organizations should be assigned to support more CF activities than just the formation procedure. Aid agencies should take responsibility for strengthening the capabilities of NGOs and FUGs, as needed.

Downtime model development for construction equipment management

Downtime (DT) caused by non‐availability of equipment and equipment breakdown has non‐trivial impact on the performance of construction projects. Earlier research has often addressed this fact, but it has rarely explained the causes and consequences of DT – especially in the context of developing countries. This paper presents a DT model to address this issue. Using this model, the generic factors and processes related to DT are identified, and the impact of DT is quantified. By applying the model framework to nine road projects in Nepal, the impact of DT is explored in terms of its duration and cost. The research findings highlight how various factors and processes interact with each other to create DT, and mitigate or exacerbate its impact on project performance. It is suggested that construction companies need to adopt proactive equipment management and maintenance programs to minimize the impact of DT.

Water Projects Related Involuntary Displacement in Nepal

Development interventions can result in involuntary displacement of families and communities, as can natural calamities like earthquake, flood, and landslides as well as wars and internal strife. In all instances forced departures from home and livelihood is directly or indirectly attributable to the action of the state (Bhattarai, 2001). Since development projects conceived and implemented by the state are considered as nation building, the state often ignores the hardship experienced by the displaced. Because the extraneous forces, which induce involuntary displacement, are often alien to local communities the experience can cause socio-economic stress that transcends the immediate and can even be inter-generational. The displaced are usually poor, marginalised, uneducated, and unorganised, and the price they pay is heavy. Women, children and other vulnerable groups suffer the most. Displaced persons also face the risk of impoverishment, which comprises landlessness, joblessness, homelessness, marginalisation, poor health, food insecurity, loss of common property resources, and unravelling of the social fabric. This paper reviews the literature on involuntary displacement related to water projects in Nepal and looks at relevant legal provisions and the policies of financing agencies. The purpose of the paper is to raise questions about the adequacy of Nepal’s legal and policy framework to handle the social and economic rehabilitation of families displaced by water projects. Water Nepal Vol.11(1) 2004 pp.85-103

Material and equipment procurement delays in highway projects in Nepal

Delay in the delivery of materials and equipment to construction sites is often thought of as a contributory cause of cost overruns in construction projects in developing countries. A cursory examination of the environment in which projects are executed in developing countries appears to support this thinking. However, there does not seem to have been much research work conducted that investigates whether this is actually the case and also assesses the causes of these delays and magnitude of their impacts on project costs. This research was aimed at firstly ascertaining the occurrence of material and equipment procurement delays in highway projects in Nepal. An assessment of the causes of the delays and the magnitude of their impact on project costs was also made. The survey method was used in conducting this research involving 22 highway projects. The main causes of material and equipment procurement delay were found to be (in rank order) organizational weaknesses, suppliers' defaults, governmental regulations and transportation delays. However, the actual impact of these delays on project costs was found to be on average, only about 0.5% of the total budgeted cost of the projects. Among materials, delays in the supply of aggregates were found to occur most frequently while delays associated with pavers occurred most frequently among equipment.

Integrating gender needs into drinking-water projects in Nepal

This article shows what project planners can do to ensure women's true participation in the design and maintenance of development projects, without increasing women's workloads, and with the aim of raising their status in the family and community, as well as challenging men's prejudice.

Exploiting Nepal’s Hydropower Potential: Some Prospects

Abstract: This article examines the macroeconomic effects of hydropower projects in Nepal using an economy-wide, computable general equilibrium model. Hydropower projects can be expected to have important effects because of the considerable construction expenditures they involve and their electrical power generation. The finding here, as might be expected, is that hydropower projects will provide overall benefits, especially economic growth, although there may be an increase in the general level of prices and a decline in traditional exports in the short term. The benefits will be particularly significant if private foreign investment can be attracted to finance such projects. To the extent that the projects are financed domestically, the overall benefits are modest because funding for the projects will have to come from foregone investments. Given Nepal’s abundant water resources and the enormous demand for electricity in neighboring India and China, exploitation of this resource represents an excellent opportunity to finance the process of broad national development of Nepal. However, complex geopolitical problems in the region present serious challenges, and considerable political conviction will be required to see these projects through. It is imperative that hydropower projects are seen as equitable and take environmental issues into account through the highest degree of transparency and participation.

Reviews

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Industrial projects and economic policies: future lessons from past projects (Nepal)

This initially outlines the uses for information obtained from ex post economic evaluations (hindsight) studies of industrial projects in developing countries, and summarises much of the literature. A survey of import-substituting industrial projects in Nepal is then summarised (sugar, cement, textiles, pharmaceuticals, footwear). The technical economic framework and detailed results (starting on page 179) are followed by an analysis and implications that may interest a broader audience (page 183). Examples of conclusions are: typically, the surveyed firms use only 50% of their production capacity (so plans based on fuller utilization will have been misleading); protection from the international marketplace (as given to infant industries, say) is correlated with economic inefficiency; and this hindsight analysis suggests some industrial sectors that certainly merit consideration for further investment—and others where the experience is best not repeated.

The Estimation of National Economic Parameters for Shadow Pricing of Projects in Nepal

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Hydropower Development and Its Sustainability With Respect to Sedimentation in Nepal

Sustainable hydropower development is the basic for the economic development of Nepal. The current generating capacity of hydropower projects in Nepal is about 600 MW. Despite adequate availability of surface water, several water resources projects have not been yielding expected output primarily due to sedimentation problems, which were underestimated at design stage in most of the cases. Sediment production in Nepalese watersheds has generally been acknowledged to be the highest in the world and little reliable data of actual sediment production is available. Attempts were made to study the sedimentation processes in the Kulekhani Reservoir, Nepal and efforts were made to find appropriate sediment management options to keep Kulekhani Reservoir Sustainable. This paper provides historical development of hydropower, opportunities and challenges in this sector. Problem associated with sediments in developing hydropower has been addressed.Key words: Hydropower, sedimentation, sediment monitoring, sediment study and research.Journal of the Institute of Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 1, July 2009, pp. 56-64doi: 10.3126/jie.v7i1.2063

A Decade of Legally Practicing the Environmental Assessment Tool

Two and half-decades of experience in implementing environmental assessment (EA) tools through policies and legislations have contributed to integrating environmental aspects into development projects in Nepal. The Enforcement of Environment Protection Act (EPA) of 1996 and the Environment Protection Rules (EPR) of 1997 have expanded the application of EA tools for the prescribed proposals. After the enforcement of EPA and EPR, the government has approved the EIA reports of 72 projects. In 2006 alone, EIA reports of 22 projects were approved. In general, however, approval of EIA reports has no meaning unless they are effectively implemented. The benefits of EA could be realised after environmental monitoring and auditing that helps to know the level of compliance and effectiveness of mitigation measures. This article outlines the causes of delay decision and major initiatives taken to make the EA more effective, realistic and practical. 
 
 Hydro Nepal: Journal of Water, Energy and Environment Vol. 1, No. 2(2008) pp. 13-16