An email from a former student

 

One of my former students wrote:

 

Dear Prof. Nawaraj Khatiwada,

I was one of your student in the class entitled Environmental Engineering, at Kathmandu University 2011 AD and at present i am doing my postgraduate education.

Environmental Engineering was the course that has no direct relation with my major, but now I feel like that was one of the course which has broaden my horizon. If there was no course on that topic, i would have been remained very ignorant about the environmental impact analysis of projects, Life cycle assignment and many more. I have already forgotten many of the things that i studied there, but 3 things remain deep rooted in my mind. Environmental and socio cultural impact of the projects, Life cycle assignment of the product and estimation. I really like the way you focused on teaching us how to give a quick and rough estimate on everything we see. And I do still remember the question that you threw to our class "Roughly estimate the density of this pillar". Back then i didn't realized the importance of estimation and just said a number back to you because i was just supposed to give u an estimation. And my perception on estimation was no answer is wrong, so its easy to answer. I can say any random number. BUT, after 7 years i feel everything start with a estimation before the deeper analysis. Thank you once again for that awesome lecture.

Well that was some background on how I came to know you. Now, coming to the point, I saw some news on social media and some mainstream media that local are objecting the construction of fast track also regarding some pond construction in Dharan, Bijayapur panitanki.Since there are no news on media and also the fact that media is so biased in nepal. Similarly, I was also hearing those sort of news from Khokana since long back but never believed that and though deeper into it. However, during last week my social media account was flooded with pictutes that boiled my blood. An old grandfather being harshly thrashed for ordering the deaf government to conserve our cultural heritage. An old grandmother with placards asking government to stop road expansion and not to crush few of the existing monuments. All these pictures forced me to rethink why these grandpa, grandma are out on the street ? Are they similar to the people who comes down the street under the political flag ? Obviously not! Those grandpa and grandma are the one who were brave enough to struggle at that age to save the culture and hand it to our generation, but will we be able to handover these monuments to out upcoming generations ? These sort of many questions hit my mind time and again. The inhumane police action is another part of the story and is well imprinted on the brain of youth. But today i wanted to have some answers from you regarding the analysis that is carreid out before the start of these mega projects.

While thinking of all these, i remembered one of your lecture. I do still remember one of another question that you asked to our classroom. "If you were a planner, will you go for on-surface road or underground tunnels in basantapur area ?" and the conclusion to this question was "we would go for underground tunnels because on-surface road construction on that area will disturb the cultural monuments of that place.". Now what i cannot believe is, if these sort of things are taught for every engineering students(even computer engineers like me), weren't the planners of those mega projects unaware about these stuffs ? This is nothing to blame you, but as far as i remember, you told us during the lectures that you were also the part of environmental impact analysis of the fast track project. Therfore, I would kindly like to know from you if such environmental, socio-economic and cultural impact analysis was made or not in the planning phase of these sort of projects. You are the closet person i can reach and trust on these sort of informations because you are my guru. Being specific, i am sorry to state, i don’t trust Nepalese media, government and the so called planners of our country. Till 26 years of life enough has been seen from them and expecting something form these curropt system is making myself fool. Therefore, i couldn't stop writing this email to you and know the fact of these issues. As you were a part of this analysis team of fast track, could you please answer few of the questions below:

1. Are the current issues(social economic and cultral aspects) related to the domain of imapct analysis you taught us ? If yes, please answer me following two questions, else it was nice talking to you. See you soon some day at KU for ramailo guff.

2. Was socio-economic and cultural impact analysis made at the time of making environmental impact analysis of fast track, if yes, what kind of analysis was this ? Why did planners closed eyes when their design was going to wipe out one of the cultural heritage. if NO, why not ? Is our planners missing knowledge on such issues ? If so lets drag them to classroom for the lessons.

3. If such analysis was done and identified, why were alternatives not searched for these issues ?

4. What are your recommendations to youths for these sort of issues ? What would be the role of youths in these sort of issues ?

Before wrapping up this email, I repeat, I am not writing this email to blame you or your impact analysis. I understand that even though experts have pointed such issues, that might not have been implemented due to various other issues. Hope you will write back to me or it would even be between if you could allow us to read an article on this issue on papers or your social media. This is my sincere request to you to prevent the ethnic clash that might occur in our society. Now this issue is been seen more as an ethnic issue than the cultural issue. We are Nepalese and cultural heritage that will be destroyed will not be a loss of a particular ethnic group but a loss of we Nepalese. Therefore, as you are one of the person who can clarify these sort of issues, if possible, please give us an opportunity to understand what is the root of the cause. and needless to say, this will help our society to go on a ethnic clash.

Finally, I really want you to thank you for teaching us one special thing on that class. i.e. Estimation. I still remember you saying engineering starts with estimation and as an engineering student you must be able to roughly but correctly estimate the things. Yes, back then i use to think that it was useless thing, but nowadays i also apply these sort of estimation on my research and then do the microanalysis of the things. The point i wanted to say is you have changed my way of thinking and perceiving things. Thank you professor. Still a lot to learn. This hot issue gave me an opportunity to talk to you again. See you soon Professor.

PS: Suryaman sir sanga padne mauka na paye ni sir ko stroy telling youtube ma sune thiye. Same questions nepal ko first Environmental Engineer sir lai pani. Hajur ko chai yo kura ma k cha bichar. Ani hami jasta yuwa lai k sughab dina huncha ?

Thank You. Waiting for your reply.

 

My reply to him: 

 

Dear 77854 Raj :

Good to know that your name also contains the word Raj. I really love this word 'Raj'.

(1) Thank you for appreciating my style of teaching and the themes I have included in the course. I am really pleased to take a note that the skills your learned in my class are useful to your career and thinking process.

(2) Regarding the Fast Track, the original alignment did not encroach any heritage site ( I am not sure if they have changed the alignment now). We had by-passed both historic settlements, Khokana and Sano-Khokana. However, it takes plenty of agriculture land and I believe the project must have compensated the acquisition.

(3) I was also deeply saddened by the incident occurred between the protesters and police. It was very unfortunate. I take this as a serious lapse in the side of the project executors and the government. I was told that in a similar mega project in Seoul, South Korea, they have conducted at least 4000 nos. of public hearings. I very clearly remember that we had done one Public Hearing in Khokana. That was in 2009, I guess. So, they could have done many more such events and addressed the concerns of the local public.

(4)  As per the media, the construction of the Fast Track Road has been entrusted to Army. I believe they must be following the environmental mitigation we have included in the EIA report. 

(5) After reading your email, what I really appreciate is the way you remember us ( Sun Jodi) and put forward your views. Thank you for considering us as your Gurus, I am really pleased to tell you that I am proud of my disciples like you who understand a difference between a teacher and a guru. I see a tremendous potential in you to become a Guru in future.

Keep up the good work going and keep in touch.

With best regards,

Nawa