Toilets For The World's Poor

 
Bill Gates Names Winners of the Reinvent the Toilet

California Institute of Technology in the United States received the $100,000 first prize for designing a solar-powered toilet that generates hydrogen and electricity. Loughborough University in the United Kingdom won the $60,000 second place prize for a toilet that produces biological charcoal, minerals, and clean water. University of Toronto in Canada won the third place prize of $40,000 for a toilet that sanitizes feces and urine and recovers resources and clean water. Special recognition and $40,000 went to Eawag (Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology) and EOOS for their outstanding design of a toilet user interface...... One year ago, the foundation issued a challenge to universities to design toilets that can capture and process human waste without piped water, sewer or electrical connections, and transform human waste into useful resources, such as energy and water, at an affordable price. ..... Food and water tainted with fecal matter result in 1.5 million child deaths every year. Most of these deaths could be prevented with the introduction of proper sanitation, along with safe drinking water and improved hygiene. ...... “Imagine what’s possible if we continue to collaborate, stimulate new investment in this sector, and apply our ingenuity in the years ahead,” said Gates. “Many of these innovations will not only revolutionize sanitation in the developing world, but also help transform our dependence on traditional flush toilets in wealthy nations.”

Gates Foundation Wants To Reinvent The Toilet
Bill Gates spends millions for toilet of the future challenge (PHOTOS)
Swiss boffins craft new toilet for world's poorest

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10 States

With their names to be decided by their duly elected legislatures through majority vote. Their elections, along with local elections to be conducted before monsoon 2015. That is my proposition. The Election Commission is right that it should have the authority to decide on election timetables for local, state and national levels. Each parliamentary constituency to be split into two for the state elections. Do we keep the 75 districts or no? It might make sense to keep them.

पुर्ण आन्तरिक लोकतन्त्रका सस्ता तरिका

अनिश्चितकालीन मधेश बन्द अगर ५ दिनसे ज्यादा तक जाए तो माँग सिर्फ सीके राउतकी रिहाईकी नहीं रह जाएगी, बढ़ जाएगी। ये मधेसी क्रान्ति एक नए पार्टीका निर्माण करेगी: मधेस स्वराज पार्टी। उस पार्टीमें पुर्ण आन्तरिक लोकतन्त्र रहेगी, और पुर्ण आर्थिक पारदर्शिता। पार्टीके आयव्ययका पैसे पैसेका हिसाब पार्टीके वेबसाइट पर रखा जाएगा। पार्टीके भितरके प्रत्येक पदके लिए पार्टीके भितर चुनाव होगी।

वार्ड लेवलसे केन्द्र तक आप चुनाव ही कराते रहिएगा तो कितने बैलट छपेंगे? खर्चा कितना बैठेगा? कौन देगा खर्चा? एक तरीका है जिसमें खर्चा ही नहीं होता है। मान लिजिए पार्टीका महाधिवेशन हो रहा है। देश भरसे १,००० प्रतिनिधि जमा हुए हैं। पार्टी अध्यक्षके लिए ३ उम्मीदवार मैदानमें हैं। तो क्या करेंगे। उन १,००० लोगोको आप तीन गुटमें बँटके खड़े होनेको बोलेंगे। उम्मीदवार क के नाम पर ३५० लोग खड़े हुए, उम्मीदवार ख के नाम पर ३५०, और उम्मीदवार ग के नाम पर ३०० लोग, लेकिन नियम है कि पार्टी अध्यक्षके लिए कमसेकम ५०% वोट चाहिए। तो उम्मीदवार ग को पराजित घोषित किया जायेगा, और उनके ३०० समर्थकोंको तभी कहा जाएगा, अब आप उम्मीदवार क और उम्मीदवार ख में से एकको चुनिए। वो ३०० लोग चलके दोमें एक चुनेंगे। पैदल चलके मत डालेंगे।

बैलटकी कोइ जरुरत नहीं है। खुला लोकतन्त्र। ये एक भी पैसा खर्चा किए बगैर चुनाव करानेका तरीका स्थानीय लेवल पर और भी उपयोगी सिद्ध हो सकता है। वार्ड वार्ड में संगठन निर्माण करना है तो कैसे करेंगे नेतृत्वका चयन? ऐसे ही।

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Five States In The Terai

Capital Cities: Nepalgunj, Bhairahwa, Birgunj, Janakpur, Biratnagar (to be connected directly through the Hulaki Rajmarg)
States: Tharuhat, Lumbini, Bhojpura, Mithila, Kochila

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So Many Maps To Choose From

Exhibiting Flexibility On Federalism

6 Geographic States With Geographic Names

There are some fundamentals that you can not compromise on. For example, there is no compromising on the very idea of federalism. Similarly, there is no compromising on the Madhesi Kranti agreement that the Terai's share in the national parliament will be proportionate to its population. So if 50% of Nepal lives in the Terai, it will have 50% of the MPs. If 55% of the people live in the Terai, it will have 55% of the MPs. There is no compromise on the northern boundary. The northern boundaries of the 20 Terai districts will stay the northern boundaries of the Terai states.

But those stands also create plenty of room for compromise. For example, it is not true that there can be only one state in the Terai. That might have been the starting point in the negotiations. But there are other viable options. There could be two states. Chitwan to Kanchanpur could be one state. Birgunj to Jhapa could be another state. Heck, personally speaking, I am open to the idea of five states in the Terai. Tharuhat, Lumbini (Chitwan included), Bhojpura, Mithila, Kochila. You will note, four are cultural names, one is a geographic name. I think that might also be a good formula for the hills. Some states in the hills will have geographic names, some will have cultural names.

I am open to being even more flexible. What if you create only two states in the Terai and give them both geographic names? My preferred position is to create two states in the Terai that include the Bhitri Madhesh (Inner Terai). So Nawalparasi to Kanchanpur (Surkhet included) would be West Terai. Chitwan to Jhapa (Udaypur included) would be East Terai. Two states with purely geographic names.

There is a fear among the Parbates (I am dividing the Terai population into two for this discussion: Madhesi and Parbate) in the Terai that once you create the states in the Terai, only Madhesis will become Chief Minister. My way to address that fear is by including Surkhet, Chitwan and Udaypur in the Terai states. Parbate and Madhesi are already in the 50-50 ratio in Jhapa, Morang, Kailali and Kanchanpur. In my preferred position of two states, the Parbates will stand a good chance of grabbing the Chief Ministership in the Terai.

The disadvantage of the two state ideas is you might have to keep the district boundaries, otherwise the state government might be too far from the local government. There the five state idea is better. Then you will not miss the district boundaries.

Personally I am very open to Ek Madhesh, Panch Pradesh, as long the fundamentals I have outlined in the first paragraph are respected.

In this blog post I have not talked in detail about the hills because I want the hill people to talk more about that. I have a few ideas, but I want to leave the details to them. It is my guess that there will be about five states in the hills as well. Some will have geographic names. Some will have cultural names. But all will have to be one word names.

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NRN लाई दोस्रो दर्जाको नागरिकता

अमेरिकामा संगठन विस्तार नभएसम्म काठमाण्डुका नेताहरुले NRN अभियानलाई गम्भीरतापुरबक लिएन। तर अहिले जुन Mission Accomplished को प्रचारबाजी गरिँदैछ त्यो misleading छ। राजनीतिक अधिकार बिनाको नागरिकता भनेको के? NRN हरुलाई कमैया बनाएको हो? नागरिकता भनेको दुई किसिमको हुनै सक्दैन। NRN को dual citizenship को माग पुरा भएको छैन, ज्युँका त्यूँ कायमै छ।

"देशै नरहन सक्छ।" हो र?

हिजो प्रधान मंत्री सुशील कोइरालाले यहाँ न्यु यॉर्कको सनीसाइडको कार्यक्रममा "नेपालभन्दा पनि उग्र" भन्नुभो, "देशै नरहन सक्छ" भन्नुभो। बड़ो व्यवस्थित कार्यक्रम थियो। सीके राउतको मुद्दामा प्रोटेस्ट गर्नेहरुले पनि बड़ो व्यवस्थित ढंगले आफ्नो कुरा राखे। होहल्ला गर्ने मनसाय थिएन, भएन पनि। एक जना प्रमुख वक्ता जनजाति महासंघका लुईसंग वाईबाले मन्चबाट नै भन्नु पर्ने कुरा भन्दिए पछि प्रोटेस्ट असंयमित हुने कुरै भएन।

देशै नरहने भनेको के? भारत एशियाबाट उछिट्टिएर नेपाल समुद्रमा पुग्ने भनेको होइन होला। नेपाललाई भारत अथवा चीनले कब्ज़ा गर्ने कुरा गरेको होइन होला। भनेपछि देशलाई खतरा प्रकृतिबाट छैन, छिमेकीबाट छैन भने खतरा आयो कहाँबाट?

देशै नरहने भनेको देश टुक्रिन्छ भनेको हो? राजा महेन्द्र, राजा वीरेन्द्र र राजा ज्ञानेन्द्रका पालामा सुशील कोइराला र सुशील कोइराला जस्ता थुप्रै लोकतन्त्रका सेनानीहरुलाई "अराष्ट्रिय तत्व" को संज्ञा दिइएको हो। त्यति बेला लोकतन्त्र चाहनेहरुलाई त्यसरी नै गाली गरिन्थ्यो। अहिले त्यही सुशील कोइरालाले संघीयता चाहनेहरुलाई त्यसै लवजमा यसरी गाली गर्नु कहाँसम्मको ठीक कुरा हो?

पंचायती व्यवस्थाभन्दा लोकतंत्र बढ़ी राष्ट्रवादी हो किनभने लोकतन्त्रमा सार्वभौमसत्ता जनतामा निहित रहन्छ न कि एक व्यक्ति राजामा। त्यस्तै संघीयताबिनाको नेपालभन्दा संघीयता भएको नेपाल बढ़ी बलियो नेपाल हो। संघीयताबिनाको नेपाल बरु टुक्रिने सम्भावना बढ़ी हुन्छ किनभने संघीयताबिनाको नेपालमा सबैलाई उकुसमुकुस भइराखेको हुन्छ। भइराखेको छ पनि। संघीयता भएको नेपालमा विभिन्न समुदायले समानता र अवसर पाउने संभावना बढेर जाने भएकोले त्यो नेपाल टुक्रिने सम्भावना कम भएर जान्छ।

पंचायतलाई पनि त पंचायती प्रजातंत्र भनिन्थ्यो। अझ नेपालको माटो सुहाउँदो पंचायती प्रजातंत्र भनिन्थ्यो। पछि त त्यो सुधारिएको पंचायती व्यवस्था भयो जहाँ कि वोट खसाल्न पनि पाउने भयो। तर खोइ गिरिजा कोइरालाले चुनाव लड़ेनन त। किनभने त्यो लोकतंत्र थिँदै थिएन।

त्यस्तै अहिले नेपालमा सत्तामा रहेका थुप्रैले जे कुरा संघीयता हुँदै होइन त्यसलाई संघीयता भनिरहेका छन। संघीयता के हो भन्ने कुरा पछि गरौं, पहिला के होइन भन्ने पट्टी जाऊँ।

संघीयता भनेको देश तोड्ने होइन, त्यसको उल्टो हो। संघीयता भनेको देश जोड़ने हो। धान रोपेकोलाई धान काटेको भन्न मिल्दैन। त्यस्तै संघीयतालाई देश तोड़ेको भन्न मिल्दैन। संघीयता भनेको विकेन्द्रीकरण होइन। यो प्रशासनिक कुरा होइन। तर संघीयतामा power devolution हुन्छ र व्यापक रुपमा हुन्छ। संघीयता भनेको वामदेव र सुशीलको "निगाह" बाट जनताले पाउने कुरा होइन। लोकतन्त्र जस्तै संघीयता पनि जनताको अधिकार हो। र जसरी निर्दलीय प्रजातन्त्र भनेको प्रजातन्त्र होइन, जोक हो, ठट्टा हो, त्यस्तै संघीयता भनेकै आत्म अधिकार भएको संघीयता हो। आत्म अधिकार बिनाको संघीयता त संघीयता नै होइन।

स्कॉटलैंडमा भएको जनमत संग्रहले ब्रिटेनलाई झनै बलियो बनाएको छ। आत्म निर्णयको अधिकारले ब्रिटेनलाई झनै बलियो बनाएको छ। लोकतन्त्रमा राष्ट्रियता अझै बलियो भएर जान्छ, संघीयताले सच्चा राष्ट्रीयताको निर्माण गर्छ।

बहुदल आए देशै नरहन सक्छ भन्नेहरु थिए। सुशीलको भाषा तिनीहरुसँग किन मिलेको?