SAARC: Concern on climate change

Amid deep concerns over South Asia as one of the most vulnerable regions for climate change, most of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation ( SAARC) state heads have pledged to focus and tackle the issue of climate change.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of SAARC in Nepal on Wednesday morning, leaders of the South Asian nations stressed the need of joint efforts to tackle this global issue.

They were of the view that increasing natural disasters in the region due to erratic weather patterns, as a result of climate change, have inflicted a huge loss to the region. The SAARC leaders also highlighted the challenges of environment pollution and natural disasters.

Prime Minister of Nepal, Sushil Koirala, who is also the chairman of the 18th SAARC summit, said in his inaugural speech that it's high time to work collectively to confront the challenges of climate change for the benefits of the people in the region. "We call for a climate justice mechanism guided by the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and for activating funding mechanisms for adaptation and mitigation measures. No one has the privilege to pollute the planet without accountability," Koirala said.

According to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s report "Climate Change 2014: Impacts, Adaptation, and Vulnerability"released in March, flooding, food shortage and stagnating economic growth are some of the devastating impacts South Asia might experience due to advancing climate change. "Glaciers are retreating, crop yields are fluctuating, water levels in our rivers and streams have receded and we are experiencing more extreme weather,"said Prime Minister of Bhutan, TsheringTobgay. He added that flash floods and landslides have become recurring events, causing widespread damage and destruction.

In recent years, the melting of Himalayan glaciers and devastating floods and landslides, cyclones in the South Asian region have grown high, risking the lives of more than 1.6 billion.

In October, a snowstorm disaster occurred in Nepal, resulting in the deaths of at least 43 people, Nepal's worst trekking disaster under the impact of cyclone Hudhud in India.

Global Risk Data Platform, under United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), states that Nepal is also among the top 10 countries in terms of Mortality Risk Index (MRI) for landslides.

Emptiness

I feel impatient with no reasons
Walk here and there, there and here
A thunder hovers across my mind
Sparkle in my little eyes

Butterflies play around my belly
Sit, murmur, jump, fly
I smile with no reasons, feel shy
I feel spring everywhere, sense of joy

I whisper with breeze, I dance
I jump, aspire to fly
High and high
I feel like a dream, a paradise

Only colors, blue and bright
A magic, a fire, a power
Oh its divine, love, only love
Just you and me, me and you
Ignore the world to create a new

I question, what do you want my dear heart?
It keeps being busy, just beat
Fast and fast, to and fro, up and down
I wait, but no hints of answers



I wonder again, why this desperateness?
I ask to my sweet heart again
You in love no? Yea, I knew it
I smile, blush, keep my eyes closed
Feel of victory, completeness, total


It remains silent, makes me eager
I wait and wait, minutes and hours
Until all is calm, all is well
 Neither answer comes, nor it nods


Wait is over, I can't wait more
I open my eyes, look around
Pin drop silence, all alone
Gone are every feeling, everyone


Puzzle. Dark. Blur. Black.
Then, I notice little light, all answers in a word
Meaning in a single word, world within a word
Emptiness

Ancient narrative dance "Kartik Naach"

For the past 12 consecutive nights, Nepali youths converged in the historic Patan Durbar Square in this capital to join in the preservation of Kartik Naach, a unique dance-drama performed since ancient times.To the accompaniment of throbbing music, the youths are trying to safeguard the unique form of 17th century narrative dance and attune it to modern choreography.

It is believed that the narrative dance is based on stories from Hindu mythology. The dance-drama portrays different stories related to "Vishnu Puraan," a Hindu holy book. The underlying theme of the whole performance is the triumph of god over evil forces.

Ravi Krishna Shrestha, a 45-year-old resident of Patan, played the role of Varaha, the god, during a performance on Tuesday evening. He played his role with artistic finesse. Shrestha has been playing the role of Varaha Avatar for the past eight years.

Increasing DV lottery craze in Nepal

E-zone, a computer institute in Kathmandu, was filled with more than 100 young Nepalese on Sunday evening, all of whom trying to get a U.S. visa through a lottery program called Diversity Visa (DV) being initiated by United States each fiscal year.

According to the U.S. Embassy in Kathmandu, the Diversity Visa Program is administered on an annual basis, providing a maximum of 55,000 visas for countries with low rates of immigration to the United States.

As many Nepalese want to pursue their American dream, the number of young Nepalese who filled up forms for the 2016 Diversity Visa Lottery Program has increased.

Rita Baidhya, a 21-year-old resident of the capital, said that this was the third consecutive year that she tried her luck to get a U.S. visa through the lottery scheme of the U.S. Embassy. "I am again trying my luck by filling up this form. If I get lucky, I will work and live in the U.S. next year. If not, I will try again," Baidhya said while filling up her form.

As the lottery is simply based on the luck, there are no fixed criteria for the selection process. The lottery is conducted electronically on the official website of the U.S Embassy here.

The form consists of basic information about the applicant such as his or her name, date of birth, address, qualifications, marital status, a passport size photo and contact number.

Bubina Giri, a counselor hired by E-zone, said that they are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. with no lunch breaks. She said that there are around 500 applicants a day, adding that on weekends, the number of applicants usually increase.