WATER AND ENERGY
Re: 'Flood-control, irrigation, hydropower', #418. To harness water resources, whether for power, flood control, irrigation or navigation, we need at least two basic natural resources inputs: water and topography. Nepal's comparative advantage is the availability of both. These two factors lead to three major water products: regulated river flow in the lean season, avoidance of floods, and power. Minister Soz categorically states that India values flood control, irrigation and power in that order of priority. This is a major policy departure from the past. Nepal has to get over its paranoia over Indian intentions and resorting to the principle of 'no agreement with India is a good agreement'. Perhaps we need to build our confidence and engage in dialogue with India. How we calculate the various benefits and apportion the costs accordingly is a matter best left to the judgment of technical experts on either side.

Arun Dhoj Adhikary,
Kathmandu

BRAVE BUDGET
Good budget, although slightly over ambitious-but that's good! It's not impossible, is it? This government can well collect the revenues if it controls the rampant corruption and smuggling on the Nepal-India border and at Tatopani. The budget has the three mantras for Nepal's development: agriculture and rural development, water resources, and tourism. I hope this government will be able to seriously implement it.

Agni Kharel,
Lazimpat

NATIONAL RAGE
Excellent writing by Ms Aryal in 'National rage'(#418). Violence begets violence. We have all seen and suffered violence in the last 12 years. We see it on tv and online all the time. Young minds have not been spared it either. What can you expect from a damaged and traumatised psychology? The solutions to this problem: challenge any form of moral degradation, observe the strict rule of law, end impunity, control violence in the media and films, and create opportunities for young people to experience positive and constructive interactions.

K Rai,
Khotang

MOLARS AND TUSKS
Pushpa Kamal Dahal has now taken his flip-flopping to an international forum (Editorial, 'Molars and tusks', #418). We at home are still unable to discern where exactly he stands vis-?-vis his future plans for Nepal. Now this newspeak further serves to exacerbate our confusion and apprehension.

Chanda T,
Jhamsikhel

GURUNG MAGIC
Since I have lived most of my life in and around Baluwatar and Bhat Bhateni, Min Bahadur Gurung is a very familiar face and he is a very likable person. His success needs to be studied ('Chain reaction', #418). However, Mr Gurung's expansion plans give me a shudder. Big supermarkets are not really good for a society even if they provide convenience to the upper class. They spread consumer culture and eat up family-run corner stores. As a policy, we should be creating jobs and not taking away livelihoods and therefore should not encourage big chain stores.

Rajendra Khadga,
Lazimpat

* Every time I visit Bhatbhateni, I wonder what the magic is behind this pasal. I wanted to run www.Pasal.Net but never had the logistics, nor the motivation, dedication, vision and focus that Mr Gurung had. He proved that Nepal offers similar opportunities to the US. Freedom and democracy offer these possibilities. These cannot be replaced by government-controlled national trading like Sahakari Sansthans that Baburam Bhattarai is proposing. These government-run business houses will be the source of corruption and will kill productivity, variety and service that Mr Gurung has brought us.

Pasal.Net,
Nepal

* What a heart-warming story of accomplishment. Congratulations, Min Dai for being selected Nepali Times Company of the Month. You have shown that it is far more important to build than to sit and complain all the time. We salute you. We wish there were more like you in Nepal today.

Jujubhai,
Asan

ANIMAL SACRIFICE
Animal Nepal is concerned about the reintroduction of state-sponsored animal sacrifice. We believe the majority of the people are relieved that the government no longer has to cough up millions for the public beheading of innocent animals. This is confirmed by a survey which we carried out in 2007. In fact Nepal is the only country in the world that sponsors such rituals. It is also the only country that shows animal sacrifice live on tv, with millions of children watching. How can a New Nepal be build if the beheading of thousands of animals continues?

Animal Nepal Bagdol,
Patan