Jivan Shahi deserves congratulations for informing all Nepalis and outsiders how the poor are made poorer by doling out subsidies and aid (''Don't kill the Karnali with your aid', #260). Politicians, donors, bureaucrats and contractors should learn this lesson. Shame on all of them. In the meantime why shouldn't local inhabitants stop making raksi out of precious rice and encourage serving locally grown staple foods even to outsiders. Let's hope Nepali Times will give us more thought-provoking articles like this in future.

Murari P Gautam,
Kathmandu