16 dead, hundreds missing in search of Nepal's miracle herb

The search for a potent herb, known as 'jeevan buti' or the life-giving herb, in northern Nepal's snowy mountain slopes has resulted in the death of at least 16 people while dozens have been blinded and hundreds reported missing.

The Nepalese home ministry told IANS the disaster occurred due to heavy snowfall in a remote and inaccessible village called Kahigaon, about four days walk from Dunai, the headquarters of the northern Dolpa district.

]In the remote north, cut off from the rest of the kingdom for absence of roads and an inadequate telecom system, the yarshagumba or cordyceps sinensis, an amazing fungus growing on butterfly larva at heights above 4000 metres, is one of the props of economy.

About 50 per cent of the supply comes from Dolpa, once an ancient Tibetan kingdom and part of the ancient salt trade route between India and Tibet.

Every year, villages are deserted and schools closed as residents head for the mountains to collect the yarshagumba, Nepal's ginseng, demand for which has been growing due to its perceived efficacy as an aphrodisiac.

The yarshagumba rush occurred this year as well. However, from Saturday, there had been heavy snowfall without any warning. As a result, nearly 1600 villagers have been missing.
The home ministry, on the basis of reports received from the area, said 16 bodies had been found.
An army helicopter went to the area to help in the rescue operations Tuesday.
The yarshagumba disaster comes as conservationists have been warning a succession of governments for years about the potential ecological peril the summer searches could trigger.
Community forest users point out that every year, there is an influx of thousands of people from the adjoining districts, raising the risk of habitat destruction.

The government had banned the collection of yarshagumba till 2001. But rampant smuggling forced it to lift the curb.

Currently, there is a government levy of NRs. 20,000 ($307.69) per kg of the herb plucked but due to feeble enforcement of laws and dearth of vigilance the government's coffers remain empty.

There are over 3 million registered exporters and importers of yarshagumba, with China being a major player.

In search of Nepal's Monkey Hunters

For over ten years our GRN Nepal team has been trying to record the gospel for a small nomadic people called the Raute. This tribe numbers less than 300 people. Every few months or so, this group tears down their simple shelters and moves on. The Raute live on a diet of monkey meat and spend much of their time hunting them. To catch them, the tribal leaders chant incantations to cast spells over the monkeys while the other men make sounds unique to monkey hunting. These sounds make the monkeys run along the ground causing them to get caught in specially laid nets. Then the Raute men kill them with sticks.
There has been much opposition to the recording of this language. One time, our GRN Nepal director Barnabas Shrestha went to this tribe to ask about recording their language. The tribe was very resistant and said that the gods would not let them tell their language to anyone else.
On another occasion while Barnabas was in search of the Rautes, he went through many villages, some where the people practiced witchcraft. When evil spirits speak to the witches, they must offer a man sacrifice. This time, the spirits induced a witch to prepare poison which was put into Barnabas's food. He became violently ill and the word spread around the world to pray for his healing. Almost everyone who gets this type of poison dies, but in answer to prayer, Barnabas recovered. Now he is making plans to go back to the Raute with a new contact who believes that they will be successful in recording this language.
We believe that the time is drawing closer for the Rautes to hear the gospel and respond to it. Join with us in praising God for what He will soon do.

Nepal Training Providers and Trainers

Trainers 'n' Mentors
...s of India. We can provide training on special request at Nepal, Bangladesh and Srilanka. Training programs offered by Trainers n Mentors (for more details vist our website http://www.trainersnmentors.com) 1. Basic etiquettes 2. Basic etiquettes for dining, party, formal and informal interaction. 3. Business writing 4. Career counselling 5. Communication skills 6. Cultural
Visu International Ltd
Visu International Ltd. (Formerly Visu Consultants Ltd.), a pioneer in the field of "GLOBAL EDUCATION", is the main arm of Visu Group of Companies. Its core activity lies in assisting students to make the right choice with regard to higher education overseas. Every country on the globe has Universities which are vying for students across the frontiers. In such a scenario, it becomes an impossible
Memory Vision
...nducted programmes in United Kingdom, Malaysia, Thailand, Nepal, Indonesia and Singapore apart from India. Now it s all set to conduct workshops in Brunei, Philippines, Australia, China and UAE too The team holds several Indian national records (Limca) and one world Record in memory. I (Nishant) was awarded "International Grand Master of Memory" and Grand Master of Memory titles by
Agriculture Information and Communication centre
... and communication centre has been establish goverment of Nepal Ministry of Agriculture & Cooperative which objective directly related agriculure farming system nepal our job is agiculture journalim realted agriculture video program agriculture Radio program Agriculture publication distribution as a ministry of agriculure spokes preson our aicc another program web design agri extension program
QMC Resource Centre
...ons in Vietnam, Philippines, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Japan, Nepal, Pakistan, Fiji and other Asia Pacific countries. We provide training in Food Safety; Standard-based Management Systems; Personnel Certification; and Quality / Organizational Excellence. We are the Asia Pacific agent to conduct the IRCA 2109 FSMS Lead Auditor / Auditor Traning course and have provided approved tutors to conduct

Searching for Balance: Water Rights, Human Rights and Water Ethics

Abstract

Worldwide, the many debates over water management emphasise the importance of establishing secure rights systems as the foundation for the efficient and equitable allocation of scarce freshwater resources. This perspective follows from global statements recognising water as an economic good and from pragmatic considerations regarding the incentives individuals have to waste resources in the absence of clear ownership rules. Private, tradable rights are the foundation for water allocation systems based on market mechanisms. According to economic theory, private rights and the presence of a market should also provide strong incentives for individuals to use water as efficiently as possible. The above pragmatic perspective has formed the basis for many efforts in many countries to reform water rights systems. There is, however, increasing dissonance between this perspective and a broad array of values or perspectives held by local water users and others who may lack formal legal rights but whose interests are affected either directly or indirectly by water allocation decisions. When rights to any resource are allocated or claimed by any one group of individuals, other individuals will lose their right to that resource and also to the values it supports. This raises questions concerning the legitimacy of the initial allocation system and whether or not those losing rights did so willingly and in an informed manner. It also raises questions regarding the authority of those who allocate rights to make such an allocation. This issue is particularly fundamental when, as in the case of water, the resource being allocated is essential for life. Access to water is essential for human survival and the right to life is recognised as fundamental in many religions, national constitutions and international agreements. Should, then, access to a basic minimum of water be classified as a human right? Taking it a step further, is a human right being violated when water is privatised or private rights to water are issued? Classifying access to water as a human right would pull the chords of emotive and legally powerful global institutions. This said, however, arguments about the denial of human rights are most often associated with acts of commission – such as murder, torture and genocide – as opposed to acts of omission – such as the failure of a government to provide for the basic needs of its people. In general, questions about access to water for fundamental needs are more acts of omission or at most diffused commission (such as the depletion of groundwater aquifers by thousands of individual users) rather than the direct violations associated with what are commonly perceived as human rights abuses. Furthermore, looking at water through a human rights lens may obscure many of the basic ethical issues inherent in the growing effort to develop private rights systems. My perspective, articulated in this paper, is that it may be more appropriate to recognise a new category of basic rights or entitlements which differs from – but which complements – those rights commonly falling in the human rights category. This new category would not carry the sets of associations already embedded in debates over human rights. Instead it would capture and give voice to many of the fundamental ethical issues inherent in different approaches to the allocation and management systems water and other natural resources. Drawing on examples from the western US, South Asia and the Islamic world, this paper explores themes in the growing debate over water rights systems. The economic logic underlying current efforts to reform rights systems is discussed first. A discussion of the social and historical roots of concepts emphasising the public ownership of water and providing for the role of the state owner or trustee of water resources follows. Private rights approaches, the counterpart of public ownership, are discussed next, followed by an exploration of ethical issues inherent in different rights systems. Particular attention is given to the ethical foundations of other rights systems such as those evolving for intellectual property. The subsequent section focuses on links to debates over human rights and the utility of using a human rights lens for looking at water issues. The final section explores potential alternatives and introduces notions of a ‘basic ethics’ framework.

Full Description

Description
Volunteer Nepal, an affiliate of Nepal Orphans Home, strives to serve and enhance the relationship between the Nepalese people and volunteers who seek a heartfelt, life-changing experience. Please see www.nepalorphanshome.org (click on volunteer opportunities) and www.volunteernepal.com for a description of the opportunities for volunteering.

Cost Details
Please see www.volunteernepal.com for the fees and costs.


Language Needed

Skills Needed/ Experience
While all skills are welcome and no experience in Nepal is required, a prerequisite for a successful volunteer experience is a commitment to help address the challenges faced by the poor in Nepal, especially the children. Volunteer opportunities are available in many parts of Nepal, in both rural and urban areas. A wide variety of programs are offered to suit individual talents and interests.

Detailed Location Information
The volunteer experiences are individually designed. Volunteers pay for their travel to and from Nepal and for discretionary travel within Nepal. Volunteer opportunities are available in the Kathmandu valley and select villages throughout the country.
About Nepal Orphans Home Inc.
Nepal Orphans Home (NOH) attends to the total welfare of children in Nepal who are orphaned, abandoned, or otherwise not supported by their parents. NOH operates Papa's House, providing for the children's basic needs of food, shelter, clothing, education and health care, and administering to their emotional needs with love and compassion. For children born into poverty and caught in the turmoil of contemporary Nepal, Papa's House offers a haven and chance to grow up in a nurturing environment.


School supplies for a child at Papa's House

$33 -
Clothing for children of Papa's House

$35 -
Fresh fruit for improved nutrition for the children of Papa's House

$ (Other)

Geography Nepal

Location: Southern Asia, between China and India
Geographic coordinates: 28 00 N, 84 00 E
Map references: Asia
Area:
total: 147,181 sq km land: 143,181 sq km water: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative:
slightly larger than Arkansas
Land boundaries:
total: 2,926 km border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Coastline:
0 km (landlocked)
Maritime claims:
none (landlocked)
Climate:
varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Terrain:
Tarai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Elevation extremes:
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m
Natural resources:
quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Land use:
arable land: 16.07% permanent crops: 0.85% other: 83.08% (2005)
Irrigated land:11,700 sq km (2003)
Total renewable water resources:
210.2 cu km (1999)
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):
total: 10.18 cu km/yr (3%/1%/96%) per capita: 375 cu m/yr (2000)
Natural hazards:severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
Environment - current issues:
deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
Environment - international agreements:
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Marine Life Conservation
Geography - note:
landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest and Kanchenjunga - the world's tallest and third tallest - on the borders with China and India respectively

Introducing Nepal

Draped along the greatest heights of the Himalaya, Nepal is where the ice-cold of the mountains meets the steamy heat of the Indian plains. It's a land of yaks and yetis, stupas and Sherpas and some of the best trekking on earth. The Himalaya's most sophisticated urban cultures took shape here, in the three great minikingdoms of the Kathmandu Valley - Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur - home to a world-class artistic and architectural heritage.
Behind the Vishnu shrine of Ichangu Narayan, northwest of Swayambhunath in the Kathmandu Valley, rises the 'Abode of Snows' (Himalaya in Sanskrit), a magnet for trekkers and mountaineers the world over. Only in Nepal can you trek for weeks without the need even for a tent. No longer does your name have to be Tenzing or Hillary to set foot in Everest Base Camp. Out of the mountains, get your adrenaline kick from world-class white-water rafting, kayaking and mountain biking, or from the spine-tingling sight of your first tiger or rhino in Royal Chitwan National Park.

Search Searching Tips

Everyone knows there is great stuff on the web. But where is it? How do we find what we really want? Searching the web requires practice, caution and patience. Searching tools in this environment deliver a high level of irrelevant information. This workshop is designed to improve the quality of retrieval and provide tips and strategies to make searching the web a less frustrating and more efficient and fruitful experience.
There are different tools for finding information on the web. The most important are search engines and subject directories.
Remember that scholarly databases are not searchable on the free web.
Learn more about when to use which tool

Search Engines

Search engines collect web pages using software called "robots" or "crawlers". Search engines usually cover a bigger part of the web than subject directories do. It is good to use them when you are looking for information on a specific topic and you already know some keywords.
Meta Search Engines

Meta search engines allow you to use several search engines simultaneously. They pass your query to the search engines and give you back the result. The advantage is that you will have results of different search engines at one time which is helpful for a broad search. The disadvantage of meta search engines is that a complex search is not possible because of the different "search language" in each search engine.
Subject Directories

A subject directory is a selected list of web sites. These web sites have been organized by human beings. They start with main categories and are broken down into subcategories. It is good to use them if you do not yet have a precise idea of what you need. You can start with the broader topic and try to find valuable information inside a category. Another reason to use directories is for their selectivity and annotations describing content.
Databases

Your library subscribes to hundreds of databases in different subjects. These databases contain scholarly information such as articles, company information, patents and reference. They are essential if you are looking for an article on a special topic.
Other Library Resources

Not all valuable information can be found on the web. Your libraries offer many important print resources such as books, journals, magazines, encyclopedias, dictionaries and other reference books and publications in print.
Building your search strategy

Define your search terms

Think about possible search terms for your topic. The broader your term, the more hits you will get. So if you want to avoid that, try narrowing your search by using an exact term or multiple terms. Here are some possibilities to narrow your search:
If you are beginning your search and you are not sure about an appropriate term, use an encyclopedia, a dictionary or a thesaurus.
Look at sites that you have already found that are relevant for your topic for possible search terms.
Ask a librarian for help
Use synonyms and variants of your search term.

If you have identified a search term and used it for your search but you don't get satisfying results, try to think of similar words that describe your term. Maybe another keyword is more frequently used.
Check spelling

Check if you spelled your search terms in the right way. Some search engines will correct wrong spelling, but not all do so.
Advanced search techniques
Most search engines offer an advanced search option which allows you to use more features to improve your search.
Most search engines ignore stopwords such as "a" and "the." Use a plus sign (+) before a word or phrase to indicate that it must be present in the result. Use quotation marks to indicate a phrase, for example, "lord of the rings". You can group your search terms using parentheses.
Boolean Logic

Use boolean operators to combine your search terms. You can either broaden or narrow your search. The operator AND will narrow your search. Your search will show only results that include all your search terms. The operator OR will broaden your search. Your results will show sites that include any of the search terms. The operator NOT will narrow your search by eliminating a search term.
Field Search

You can limit your search results to a special part of the web site, for example to the title, the URL or the domain. To see which possibilities you have in a special search engine please check their web site for information.
Truncation and Wildcards

You can use truncation if you are not sure about the word ending or spelling. You have to enter the root of a word and the symbol for truncation at the end and the search engine will show results that include any ending of the word. The truncation symbol can vary from search engine to search engine. You will find information about that on the search engine site. For example: child* will show child, children, childhood and so on. Wildcards work in a similar way by substituting a single letter within a word. This can help you if you are unsure about the spelling of a word. For example when you enter wom?n the result will show woman and women.