'The price we pay for power' (#142) by Navin Singh Khadka gave a clear picture of the internal economic transition within the NEA and the companies selling "white coal" to it. That's half the job done. Now you should clarify why we pay among the highest per unit price for electricity in the world. It seems odd that a country so rich in hydro potential has not made that a primary source of energy but imports costlier petroleum products. If we use our abundant resources carefully, the student protests and political harangues could be avoided. We need not pander to the conditions set by 'donors' like the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. Hydropower should take a page from the community forest program. The government must encourage the participation of local people.

Abhas Parajuli,
Kathmandu.

. The 6 May edition of The Times of India carried the piece 'Wanted: US Role in Nepal, Sri Lanka'. It says, "Clearly neither country seems to have what it takes to tackle the situation on its own." It further goes on to declare that "the US needs to exert more overt pressure to get both parties back on the track". This is a direct warning for us to shape up, or else. It seems the Indian intelligentsia has already formed a clear opinion of the inability of our own politicians and leaders to clean up the mess created in the past decades of stagnation and corruption. Rationally one cannot blame the Indian media for such comments. In the present day of international brotherhood and global policing, it means the big brothers have to end their younger brothers squabbling, even if there is nothing to gain from it. Either our leaders lack even this much vision to see that India has changed its foreign policy doctrine, or they are knowingly leading our country down the doomsday path. Either way, they are making a grave mistake.

AT Sama,
India

. The rebuttle by Todd Carter of Panda Energy (Feedback, #144) to your article on Bhote Kosi sidesteps the issue of the company using pressure tactics through Congressmen close to President Bush's Texan constituency. In fact, Carter sends out a veiled threat that it could use this connection for future trade and quota retaliation. If Panda has never requested payment for the extra energy, then why the pressure on NEA?

N Thapa,
Kathmandu