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Mahalaxmi Baniya, a resident of Lalitpur Metropolitan City-26, has a tap water connection at her home but she depends on an underground well for her water needs, as the drinking water supply is unreliable. But that was until recently. These days Baniya pays money for tankers to bring water to her home, because her trusty well has dried up. Dilli Bahadur Bista, who has been digging wells to extract groundwater for households for the past 14 years, says the situation that Baniya is facing is common around Kathmandu Valley. "When I began this profession, we could get water just 15-20 feet underground. We now have to dig at least 40 feet to find water these days," he says.  "In higher areas, we have to dig 300-400 feet to find water.” Bista has observed the groundwater level decline by as much as 12 feet in a year. On average, he says one must go at least 100 feet deep to find water, even in low-lying parts of the valley like Duwakot, Imadol, and Thapathali. Another problem, he adds, is wells drying up within a few years. This has added to the water scarcity problem. Gyanendra Bahadur Karki, the deputy executive officer of Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Ltd (KUKL), says there is a significant difference between the rate of groundwater recharge and extraction. "The groundwater level is declining due to increased extraction, and it is a fact that we now have to dig deeper to access groundwater." The daily demand for drinking water in Kathmandu Valley is approximately 400m liters. KUKL distributes between 140m to 180m liters per day during the wet season, and around 80m liters during the dry season. The Melamchi Water Supply Project has been providing KUKL with 17m liters of water per day. Krishna Hari Budhathoki, the chief of KUKL’s electro-mechanical division, says there are no issues with deep wells that are more than 50 meters deep. It is the shallow wells that are drying up as a result of excessive extraction. “The groundwater level is not falling. We are simply extracting too much water.” He says the water level might have decreased by 2-4 meters for various reasons, while noting that  around 80 percent of tube wells that had dried up are back in operation following minor repairs. KUKL has 105 tube wells installed in different parts of the valley. Most of them have only been in operation for the past four-five years. Budhathoki says KUKL extracts 50-60m liters of groundwater every day, and these tube wells have a capacity of extracting 300-1,800 liters per minute. Madhukar Upadhayay, a watershed expert, also agrees that groundwater depletion in Kathmandu Valley is a result of unregulated extraction. “It has no correlation with climate change like many have conjectured.” Upadhayay says there is a possibility of shallow upper floor recharging if managed efficiently, which can allow water spouts and wells to produce water again. “The lower level cannot be recharged, though,” he adds. “We are currently extracting water from the lower level. Therefore, the only option we have is to reduce extraction.” Meanwhile, burgeoning construction activities that are heavily reliant on cement and concrete has led to the closing of the ground surface, which prevents water from trickling below the earth's surface to recharge the upper floor. Additionally, unplanned construction and development projects are causing rivers to dry up, and riverbeds to become hollow, further hindering the groundwater recharge process. A 2010 study conducted by Bishnu Prasad Pandey shows that the demand for water increased as the population exploded and the number of hotels grew in Kathmandu Valley. Between 1980 and 2000, the report states that groundwater levels declined by 1.3 to 3 meters annually in 9.6m cubic meters of land area. Similarly, groundwater levels declined by 1.38 to 7.5 meters between 2000 and 2008. Pandey warns if the relevant agencies do not take immediate action to develop groundwater, the environmental condition will deteriorate further. According to the Underground Water Resources Management Policy, 2069, tube wells are excessively used at both upper and lower levels (deep and shallow). Various establishments such as hotels, residential areas, apartments, industries, nursing homes, schools, business complexes, government and semi-government offices, and embassies have been extracting groundwater using deep tube wells. The policy highlights that the groundwater level in the valley is decreasing at an average rate of one meter per year; it is 2.5 meters per year in some places. As the groundwater reserve dries up, only 233 out of 389 community water spouts are supplying water, and about 30 percent of Kathmandu's wells are drying up. The policy stresses the need to prevent further depletion of underground aquifers, protect traditional sources of water such as streams and wells, and monitor groundwater extraction in Kathmandu Valley, which has a high population density and has a specific geographical and geological structure compared to other regions of the country. Dr Santosh Nepal, a climate change researcher at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), has identified two main factors contributing to low groundwater recharge: the increasing use of cement in construction and changes in rainfall patterns. “The use of concrete in construction prevents rainwater from being absorbed into the land surface. Additionally, rapid urbanization has resulted in a decrease in natural land and open spaces, further reducing the recharge rate of groundwater,” he says. The other factor is changes in rainfall patterns. Nepal says Kathmandu Valley has been experiencing shorter but more intense rainfalls these days, compared to long, gentle drizzles of the past. “Rainwaters are unable to penetrate the ground during heavy rainfall events.” Data shows that 8.8bn cubic meters of water penetrates below the land surface annually. But only 22 percent of it can be utilized. Nepal emphasizes the need for comprehensive groundwater governance, including measures to preserve groundwater in certain areas. He also underlines the need to revive natural springs and to allocate specific areas for groundwater recharge. “There is also the need to identify areas outside the core area of Kathmandu where groundwater can be recharged and rainwater could be utilized more effectively,” he adds. Nepal recommends that the government introduce necessary laws and regulations for water conservation, as well as provision that requires setting aside free space while constructing residential houses. “There should also be a set of policies to encourage rainwater harvesting, and to make big consumers of water, such as hotels and hospitals, accountable.”

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has emphasized the need to develop a sense of responsibility and unity among citizens for national security. Addressing the concluding ceremony of the National Security Training organized by Nepal Army  on Tuesday, he said that the traditional concept of national security solely relying on military power has now become broader. "It is equally important to address sovereignty, national integrity, as well as the social, economic, cultural, environmental, and humanitarian aspects when it comes to national security," said Dahal. The prime minister emphasized that national security is crucial and sensitive, especially in the present context of Nepal. "The national security of every nation is directly affected by incidents occurring in the global context. This fact is even more significant for nations like Nepal," he added. Prime Minister Dahal said Nepal's political situation, increased military power of powerful nations in international and regional forums, competition and influence, climate change, and internal political complexities are security challenges for the country. “Global economic recession and its impact, extremist and separatist ideologies that threaten national unity and security, scarcity of skilled human resources, open borders, and potential cross-border offenses continue to be our challenges." According to Dahal, national security requires a gradual development and adaptation to changing circumstances, including the emergence of powerful countries on the international and regional stage, the rapid and complex development of information technology, and the evolving political, social, cultural, and economic sectors within the country. To develop a comprehensive national security system, the prime minister emphasized the importance of maintaining mutual harmony, tolerance, and solidarity among diverse caste, language, culture, and community within the country, while also protecting sovereignty, freedom, territorial integrity, and national unity. Dahal also stated that the National Security Policy, 2075 BS, has been implemented with the aim of strengthening the security bodies and promoting their competency, professionalism, and efficiency. He further stressed the need to timely assess challenges related to international and external security and to formulate and implement necessary policies such as defense policy, international security and public information policy, foreign policy, and finance policy. The prime minister also said that the Nepali Army has the capability to enhance its political, economic, diplomatic, communication, and military power through cooperation and coordination to address challenges and promote national interests.

The KCG-123 model of Emotional Intelligence developed by the Six Seconds Network is a go-to framework I refer to when practicing Emotional Intelligence in my daily life. The framework consists of three main themes that the acronym stands for—Know Yourself, Choose Yourself, and Give Yourself. The first component, Know Yourself, is about knowing our strengths and challenges in our daily situations, what we are doing, what we want, and might want to change. The second component, Choose Yourself, is about seeing a range of choices available to us in any given situation (instead of being myopic and stuck to just one option we can see). It’s about choosing to respond rather than react. Hence, Choose Yourself helps us sift through factors like how we want to take action in a given context and, at the same time, how we influence ourselves and others. Give Yourself is the third component of the model, which helps us connect our daily choices with our long-term vision of who we wish to be as individuals. Let’s consider that we want to be someone who cares for the environment. However, we use plastic bags daily, leave the tap running while brushing our teeth in the morning, take longer showers, and use non-degradable products. By making such daily choices, are we giving ourselves what we envision becoming in the long run? Practicing the component Give Yourself as a person who wants to care for the environment would mean we would use cloth bags instead of plastic ones, use water mindfully, and choose biodegradable or eco-friendly products. It would also include not judging people who cannot readily switch to making eco-friendly choices because of their reasons as it also means empathizing with the purpose of people around us and their long-term vision. We might want others to follow our lead and live more eco-friendly lifestyles. But Give Yourself also means refraining from being a person who isn’t willing to understand the choices of people and their reasons for doing what they do. Give Yourself helps us grow into individuals who can listen, empathize, and inspire others to make better choices. As an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, I consider all three components Know Yourself, Choose Yourself and Give Yourself, equally important, as each informs and guides the others. However, having ‘Give Yourself’ in mind helps me take action at present, which will add value to the person I want to become in the long run while enabling me to understand the long-term vision of the people around me too. To understand and practice the component ‘Give Yourself,’ having clarity about three concepts—goals, meaning, and purpose—can be helpful. Goals are what we either do or wish to do in the days ahead. They include what we want to achieve in the short-term or long-term future. We create goals to become better versions of ourselves in one or more areas of life, like health, time management, academic performance, life relationships, or professional development. Goals are specific, measurable, and attainable as well. An example of a ‘goal’ can be to become physically fit, which might require us to exercise every day for 30 minutes, eat home-cooked food three times a day, and sleep eight hours every night. Meaning is the reason behind our goals. It explains why we do what we do and why our ‘goals’ hold importance for us. The meaning we give our goals motivates us to continue making choices that can help us achieve our goals and shape us into the individuals we want to be. So, let’s say our goal is to become physically fit, ‘meaning’ can help us figure out ‘why’ we want to become so. Maybe we want to build strong immunity, feel confident through physical fitness, become active, fight a medical condition, or lead a healthy lifestyle. Purpose is the impact we wish to have on the people and world around us. Purpose means the bigger picture we have in mind when making our day-to-day choices and connecting with the people in our lives. When we are purposeful, we constantly remind ourselves to keep doing what we do and connect with people who could benefit from our help and vice versa. What can be the purpose if our goal is to become physically fit? Maybe it’s to contribute to a world where people care about maintaining physical health and leading healthy lifestyles. While goals are more actionable, meaning and purpose guide us in terms of our thought processes. We often want to achieve a goal, but we don’t know why (we can’t figure out the meaning it has for us) and the impact we wish to have in the world (the purpose of our actions and choices). If we don’t think through the meaning and purpose of our daily choices, goals can’t be sustainable. Goals, meaning, and purpose also create a cyclic process. Our purpose guides us in creating life goals. Our goals further help us become better versions of ourselves in life areas that are meaningful to us. Together goals, meaning, and purpose can help us put our long-term vision into daily actionable choices. The author is the linchpin at My Emotions Matter, an education initiative that helps individuals and teams learn the mindset and skills of Emotional Intelligence. You can learn more at myemotionsmatter.com

Nearly everyone falls prey to constipation at one time or another—more so when it comes to elderly individuals. People generally believe that if you are afflicted with constipation, you must give a wide berth to eating bananas.  As much as it is a delicious and healthy fruit loved by all, it has long become the focus of speculation and debate concerning constipation, a common gastrointestinal complaint. My wife never eats bananas because she has constipation. She believes bananas aggravate the problem, as did most people I talked with. I still recall the old days when my mom gave us kids bananas to eat when we had diarrhea, saying it worked wonders to stop loose bowels. Nevertheless, a nonagenarian, she eats half a banana each day. Although I'm a diabetic, I eat one banana every morning for breakfast. While on cycling rides, I indulge myself with two as it works like an energy booster when doing grueling inclines. It has been like this since I got into cycling for 15 years. That has never interfered with my bowel movements to this day. My daily regimen starts with guzzling down nearly a liter of water on an empty stomach—first thing in the morning, followed by a refreshing mugful of tea. Before you know it, I have to dash for the washroom. It stays that way every day, ruling out rare exceptions like when visiting new environments, a filthy bathroom, and while traveling—worst of all, if I have to use an archaic squat toilet instead of a commode.   My wife knows I never have a problem with constipation, but trying to convince her that bananas would not add to her problem always leads to a stalemate.   She instead goes for a heap of laxatives, stool softeners, and whatnot, ayurvedic antidotes, too, into the bargain—and that goes every day. It works for her most days a week, but the irony of it all, the motley medications do not work as a perfect remedy.  It was time I dug into this issue and got to the roots. Ta-da! My little research debunked the near folk myth that eating bananas aggravated the problem but helped those suffering from it—poop. It was nothing less than an eye-opener and a plausible answer to my wife's misconception.  In a nutshell, constipation is a condition that leads to fewer than three bowel movements a week with hard, dry, or lumpy stools that are difficult and, at times, painful to pass, landing you feeling not all stool has passed through the rectum. My research led me to the finding that constipation is a health disorder affecting almost 20 percent of the world's population.  To go by medically-backed findings, the primary causes of constipation include your eating habit and lifestyle. You will likely get constipated if your food needs more fiber, like leafy greens, vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, or in the event, high-fat meals, such as meat, junk food, or processed food, outpace your dietary regimen.   Next, your daily intake of fluids needs to be improved, which can also precipitate in harder stools, stubborn from passing usually. Our body needs enough fluids to keep it functional, and science backs the theory. You won't believe it! A whopping 67 percent of water makes up for our bodies.  Or, you are less involved in physical activity. Health experts maintain regular workouts contribute to more than toning up the heart and the body muscles; it also boosts regular bowel movements. Now, the knotty question pops up, what makes bananas bowel-friendly and helps alleviate the severity of constipation? Fiber-rich food is essential to keep you in excellent overall trim, including better gut health or microbiota. Consuming adequate fiber can prevent or relieve constipation, aiding waste to move smoothly through the body. It also encourages healthy gut microbiota. Medical and health reviews claim dietary fiber enhances the bulk of stool, helps promote regular bowel movements, and cuts down on body wastes lodged in the intestines helping against gastrointestinal disorders.  That said, what makes bananas functional in alleviating constipation, and even work as a prophylactic against it and relieve those suffering from this miserable condition?  For a start, bananas pack both soluble and insoluble fiber. While insoluble fiber contributes to bulk, spurring bowel activity, soluble fiber absorbs water, helping stools stay large but soft, complementing the movement of waste through your digestive tract. Many plant foods, such as fruits, broccoli, carrots, oats, and beans, fall under this category.  There is more, the nutrient-dense bananas are a source of vitamin B6, potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, A, and over three times as much phosphorus and iron as apples, all contributing to a healthy heart, stronger bones, and help keep your cholesterol and BP in check and cuts down on the risk of stroke—the checklist seems still an arm long.  Good news for diabetics! As maintained by the American Diabetes Association, the fiber in bananas counterbalances blood glucose at a safe level. Even diabetics can go for a modest single banana a day. Touted as a ‘superfood’ at the turn of the 20th century, it also gathered a lustrous endorsement from the journal of the American Medical Association.  That said, bananas are not unfavorable to constipation; they act instead as a close ally to mitigating the setback. Hopefully, this write-up will rid my wife of the long-harbored fallacy and go for bananas—haha! The above content provides generic information based on research. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your doctor for further details [email protected]