Notes from South Asia: Criminal (In)justice in India, Innovation Forum in Bhutan, Floods in Nepal

Hello, everyone. Good morning, afternoon or evening, and welcome to this edition of Notes from South Asia. You can find all the articles in the series here (along with my other diaries).The criminal justice system in India has become an instrument of torture for minoritised people, especially Muslims, Dalits (former untouchable caste groups), and Adivasis (Tribals). Bhutan hosts an innovation forum to discuss improvements in education, economy and outlook. Meanwhile, flood affected Nepalese are picking up the pieces in the aftermath.Read about these stories and more in today’s edition. IndiaCriminal Justice and PrejudiceIn India, there is a practice where parents of girls file false complaints of rape and abduction against their boyfriends, fiances or even husbands. The police help them with the charge as recounted in Rukmini S.’s Whole Numbers and Half Truths. Almost a third or more of rape cases filed in major cities are these kind of cases. The victims are disproportionately couples in inter-faith and inter-caste relationships.Now, it appears those false cases being charged against inter-faith relationships involving Muslim men and Hindu women have risen in numbers, with Hindu Nationalist organisations involved in pushing the filing of charges. Scroll Staff reports on a recent case where a judge refused to take the women’s statement into account and convicted her lover for sexual assault and the falsely made up crime of “love jihad.”A district court in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly on Monday sentenced a 26-year-old Muslim man to life imprisonment and fined him Rs 1 lakh for sexually assaulting a 23-year-old Hindu woman, despite the woman admitting that she had filed the case under pressure from Hindutva groups and her parents.Judge Ravi Kumar Diwakar cited the case as an example of “love jihad” even though the man was not booked under the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act, 2020. The law usually governs cases dubbed as “love jihad” in the state.“Love jihad” is a conspiracy theory that accuses Muslim men of being part of an organised plot to trick unsuspecting Hindu women into romantic relationships to ultimately convert them to Islam.The Union Home Ministry has told Parliament that Indian law has no provision defining such a term.The woman had lodged a case against the man in 2023 but retracted her allegations during the trial.“People from Hindu organisation came to her house and pressured her parents, saying that this is a Muslim boy and your daughter cannot go to his house,” read the judgement, paraphrasing the woman’s statement during cross-examination. “This case was filed only under pressure from Hindu organisations and the parents.”Diwakar, however, refused to believe the woman and argued that she had made the statement under pressure from the man, Mohammad Aalim.He also said that the woman is able to live an independent life because the man supports her, which is proof of his manipulation of her. The misogyny of the Indian court system is something to behold.He also argued that Aalim had been able to manipulate the woman as she “is not living with her parents and is living alone in a rented house”.“Where she is getting the money to live alone in the house, to eat and drink, to wear clothes, to talk on the mobile, is a matter of mystery,” read the judgement. “Certainly, the plaintiff/victim is being helped in the above case in the form of money and this money is being provided by the accused and the above case is a case of illegal conversion through love jihad.”Diwakar also claimed that women from “weaker sections of non-Muslims, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe and Other Backward Classes communities” were being “brainwashed” into illegal conversions.Anti-Muslim, casteist, and misogynist. The trifecta is present in anti-conversion tirades and laws. The judge demonstrates all of that.The article also says that in Uttara Khand, Hindu Supremacist organisations have been pressuring parents to file false cases, especially POCSO cases (which seeks justice for minor victims of sexual assault), against Muslim boys and men. However, the courts there apparently are letting the men and boys out on bail or dismissing the cases because the girls and women say in court that the charges are false. This judge in Uttar Pradesh though decided to not believe the woman.This criminal injustice is not limited to Muslims.Krithika Srinivasan reports for the New Indian Express that a Tribal Panchayat President who was protesting against caste discrimination in front of the District Collectorate was arrested.VILLUPURAM: An elected member of the panchayat, and a tribal woman, E Sangeetha (40) has been running pillar to post to make the district administration hear her plea but her woes fall in deaf ears.Sangeetha, the panchayat president of Anangur village in Gingee taluk in Villupuram district, has now been booked under multiple sections of the BNS Act following her protest at the District Collectorate on Wednesday.She was demanding action against alleged caste-based discrimination and harassment by her deputy, Chitra Gunasekaran, and husband, Gunasekaran, a local DMK branch secretary.She had filed a formal complaint to the district collector, twice, in July and August, alleging caste discrimination by deputy president and her husband but no action against the couple has been taken so far.Sangeetha’s complaint alleges that Chitra and her husband have consistently obstructed her official duties since she took office, three years ago. She is the first irular woman panchayat president in her village, after it was declared a reserved constituency for women.“Chitra, my subordinate, along with her husband, has refused to provide me with the digital key (a digital password) needed to approve salaries and allocate funds for basic amenities like laying water pipes and roads. They’ve also used my tribal identity to abuse and demean me in public meetings,” said Sangeetha.She further claimed that Chitra had openly stated, “You, an Irular woman, do not deserve to sit in the Panchayat President’s chair,” and threatened physical harm if she intervened in administrative matters.A Panchayat is the elected body in charge of a village, similar to mayoral councils for towns and cities (called municipal corporations in India).The police, and the judges who deny bail, are also similarly engaged in persecuting protestors, especially when they are Muslim. Poorvi Gupta reports for Article-14.Twenty Muslim women from low-income neighbourhoods in northeast Delhi, many of whom once joined protests against India’s citizenship law, seen as discriminatory to Muslims, are embroiled in a 2020 Delhi riots case that has upended their lives. From estrangement with in-laws to trouble finding a marriage partner and denial of passports, three spoke to Article 14 about their challenges. [...]Amid the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019, underway in February 2020, Muslim women and student activists organised a sit-in under the Jafrabad metro station on the night of 22 February and blocked the 66 Foota road to Seelampur.A kilometer from the protest site at the Jafrabad metro station, Kapil Mishra, a leader of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), addressed a gathering opposing the anti-CAA protests on 23 February and gave the police an ultimatum to clear the roads before former US president Donald Trump, who was on an official visit to India, left.Otherwise, Mishra said, he and his supporters would take to the streets.Communal riots erupted in northeast Delhi later that evening.Of the 53 people killed in the riots, three-quarters were Muslim.Specious EvidenceBy November 2021, the Delhi Police had named 26 people in the first information report 48/2020 of the Jafrabad police station, including 20 women. The accused were Muslim women from low-income neighbourhoods around the metro station and four student activists, Gulfisha Fatima, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Safoora Zargar.Seven Muslim women, including Fatima, were named in the first chargesheet filed in October 2020 and 13 in the second one filed in November 2021.The women, who were between the ages of 24 and 73 when they were accused, were homemakers, seamstresses, and a domestic worker. They were charged under two bailable provisions of the IPC: Section 147 (rioting) and Section 188 (disobeying an order of a public servant).In July 2024, Article 14 reported that a secret police informer claimed to have identified 13 accused who were all found randomly walking in the Peeli Mitti ground near the Jafrabad metro station every two to three weeks from 30 October 2020 to 1 January 2021.The supplementary chargesheet does not mention how the secret informer identified the Muslim women eight months after the protest.Article 14 spoke to eight women, and all of them claimed that the police forced them to submit their Aadhar Cards and sign a blank paper.We cannot independently verify this claim.However, the more or less identical answers the police recorded in response to the questionnaire they gave the women suggest they accused them of a rioting case to pin the Delhi riots on the anti-CAA protests and get statements against the student activists.This case, which has had 56 hearings overall since the Delhi police filed the chargesheet in October 2020 in the case called the “Jafrabad roadblock case’, is presently at the stage of framing charges, the legal proceedings before a trial.Advocate Ritesh Dubey, who represents two women from Jafrabad, said that filing cases against these women for transgressing boundaries or norms of society was not a new phenomenon and is similar to “witch-hunts”.India’s criminal justice system is one of the worst. However, there in the midst of all the violence some light breaks through at times.The Supreme Court deemed caste discrimination in Indian prisons illegal (which it is) and against dignity as noted in the news clipping at the top of the diary. You might remember reports of prison manuals in India’s prisons listing discriminatory practices? The reporter, Sukanya Shantha had filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) on the matter. The court delivered judgement yesterday. The Wire staff reports.New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday (October 3) declared that impugned provisions relating to caste-based discriminatory practices in prison manuals unconstitutional and directed all states and Union Territories to revise the Prison Manual.The Division Bench headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud and Justices J.B. Pardiwala and Manoj Misra also ruled that references to habitual offenders in prison manuals were to be declared unconstitutional and in case there is no amended definition of it in the state, the state shall make one. The Supreme Court directed all states to make necessary changes, reported LiveLaw.The court was hearing the public interest litigation filed by The Wire’s Sukanya Shantha, following her investigative work on the state-sanctioned caste-based discrimination and segregation in Indian prisons.Beyond declaring caste discrimination illegal, the court also said that the police cannot treat denotified tribes (once called criminal tribes under colonial administration) as habitual offenders and just place them under arbitrary arrests anymore. Given that this discrimination has been continuing since nineteenth century, it was a much delayed (criminally so) but much needed intervention. Hounding of an Independent Media HouseA couple of years back, NDTV, the news network then known across India for their integrity and no nonsense coverage of news was taken over by Adani. Reason or at least part of it? Their founders and owners getting entangled in an investigation regarding a loan. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has now closed the case for lack of evidence. Arvind Gunaseker reports for the Wire.New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation has closed the case registered against NDTV, Prannoy Roy, Radhika Roy and others in 2017 for alleged causing a wilful loss of over Rs 48 crore to ICICI bank.The central agency has closed the case for “want of evidence”, a source told The Wire.Acting on a complaint by a private person – one Sanjay Dutt of Quantum Securities – the CBI had initiated its investigation against the Roys and conducted searches at their residential premises in Delhi and Dehradun in May 2017.At the time, former officers of the premier investigative agency had flagged as unusual and irregular the fact that the CBI had taken cognisance of a private complaint in the matter even though ICICI bank had not filed any complaint of its own.The CBI raid triggered protests by journalists and the opposition, who saw the raids as an attack on press freedom. At the time, NDTV was considered the only television news channel in India willing to be critical of the Modi government.The Roys were summoned and questioned in this matter by the CBI as late as 2022 while the Adani Group was moving to acquire the channel.Interestingly, the loan taken in 2009 by NDTV and the Roys from Vishvapradhan Commercial Pvt Ltd (VCPL) – a Reliance entity at the time which the Adani Group bought in order to acquire the channel – was also part of the CBI investigation. The agency alleged that the VCPL loan was used to foreclose an earlier loan availed by the channel from ICICI bank which resulted in an alleged loss of 48 crore to the bank.In a strongly worded statement shortly after the CBI’s 2017 action, NDTV accused the agency of “[stepping] up the concerted harassment of NDTV and its promoters based on the same old endless false accusations.”It is not just the opposition that the state investigative agencies have targeted with persecution. They have targeted journalists too. Along with activists. The Life of a Muslim Migrant WomanNeha Dixit, journalist, had written a book on the story of migrant women. Privai Joshi reviews for Scroll.If one were to be asked why one reads, chances are one would say it’s the grip of the story or the beauty of the craft. But every once in a while, one stumbles upon a book that fundamentally reorients how one perceives and engages with the world. It rescues from obscurity the people, patterns and dynamics that underpin our collective realities, and makes visible what has been invisibilised by the power structures within which we operate.Neha Dixit’s first book, The Many Lives of Syeda X is one such work. By tracing one woman’s negotiations with the exigencies of global markets and rising socio-political strife in the country, it casts light on the lives of those who serve as the backbone of our economy and yet remain among the most marginalised and vulnerable groups in modern India – migrants, especially women urban migrants.In the heart of DelhiEvery year, millions migrate from rural to urban India in search of freedom, security and opportunity. According to the last count, three out of every ten citizens in urban India are immigrants.Grappling with the aftermath of the 1992 riots, Syeda, Akmal and their three children – Shazeb, Salman and Reshma – left Bazadiha, Banaras in a similar pursuit. To leave was Syeda’s idea, one that Akmal was happy to be on board with as long as he didn’t have to participate in any of the planning or execution. Having done her research and collected her dues, Syeda decided the family should move to Lucknow. However, being the manmauji that he is, in a manner only men can afford, Akmal bought tickets to Delhi instead. In their three and a half decades in the capital, all that has been written about urban India’s promise of infinite possibility rang hollow, their experiences laying bare the truth of the often repeated sentiment in the book – “Dilli bahot behudi” (Delhi is so ill-mannered).A product of interviews with 900 people over a period of nine years, the book is chronologically structured and explores three significant themes – the reality of women’s home-based, informal sector labour that keeps Delhi’s small- and medium-scale industries alive; the illusion of a sharing of roles and responsibilities in domestic lives; and the role of community in providing solace from both. In doing so, it overcomes the mainstream impulse to dismember women’s lives into isolated experiences of victimisation and, instead, makes an exemplary effort to piece their lives together and tell their stories whole.Nearly 96 per cent of working women in urban India are concentrated in the informal sector – a largely unregulated sector that accounts for almost 50 per cent of the national product. Over half of these women – over 80 million – are engaged in home-based work, making it the second largest source of employment for women in the country. Despite comprising 7 per cent of the country’s population and often serving as their family’s primary breadwinners, home-based workers are not recognised as “workers” by the state, trade unions, or the women themselves. Consequently, their average monthly income remains less than a fifth of the legal minimum wage in Delhi.The reviewer doesn’t say Muslim but given that the story starts with the 1992 riots that followed the demolition of Babri Masjid, I’d be surprised if being Muslim doesn’t affect her life, and isn’t part of the story. I have not read the book yet, but the reviews are good in case you want to check it out. Or maybe not because it doesn’t seem to be available in the US. ;-/ BhutanBhutan Innovation ForumBhutan is hosting the Bhutan innovation forum in Paro and the Bhutanese newspapers are reporting on that. Phub Gyem reports for Bhutan Broadcasting Service on some of the discussions.“You need to understand who you are and who you want to attract and be focused on the kind of talent you want to attract.” This is one of the key takeaway points from the ongoing Bhutan Innovation Forum in Paro. Day two’s panel on attracting global talents and fostering entrepreneurship saw international and local panellists discuss how Bhutan can attract global and retain local talents to foster entrepreneurship without changing the core values of the country.Talking about how Bhutan can attract global and retain local talents, Managing Director of Google For Education John Vamvaktis said it is important for Bhutan to reflect on its strengths and values and map them to the entities and individuals that the country wants to attract.He said that while Bhutan has so many strengths and the desire to advance in the right way it is important to do so without changing the values of the country.“There are enormous amount of technologies to make the environment more welcoming for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial companies. I think as I mentioned before, we need to think about how to reduce friction in the system. We want the least amount of friction while keeping with the ethos of the country so that we do not change everything.”Similarly, Thinley Choden from the Centre for Sustainable Studies said that at a time when the entire world is looking for talent, it is important that Bhutan attract talents that create jobs and enhance the values of the country.“It would really help if the government can come up with a special, whether you call it entrepreneurship visa or a new innovation visa whereby you attract talent from all over the world. You make a global call and say you have what we are looking for in terms of what kind of sectors, what size of enterprises, what kind of innovations we’re looking at.”KP Sharma reports for Keunsel: Technology and collaboration key to the growth of Bhutanese education institutions.Paro-As the Bhutan Innovation Forum (BTI) entered its second day, a key discussion focused on how Bhutan can standardise and improve educational institutions to support future growth and achieve the goals of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC).Education is one of the seven core economic sectors of the Gelephu Mindfulness City (GMC). Experts at the forum said that incorporating modern technologies and fostering international collaboration is essential for preparing Bhutanese students for an increasingly interconnected and rapidly evolving world.Globally, digital learning platforms and artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools are transforming traditional education models. These technological advancements provide personalised learning experiences and allow students to explore subjects through unconventional methods, leading to significant shifts in educational practices worldwide.For Bhutan, the challenge lies in adapting its education system to align with these global trends while preserving its unique cultural values.Speakers at the forum cautioned that if Bhutan does not embrace modern advancements, its educational system may struggle to keep pace with international standards.Eugene Demler, a professor of physics at ETH Zurich, acknowledged that while Bhutanese institutions have made some progress in adopting new technologies, significant gaps remain in critical scientific areas.“Policymakers must identify which areas of scientific knowledge are underdeveloped and plan accordingly, focusing on areas that have the potential to bring fundamental changes to the education system,” he said.Thukten Zangpo reports for the Keunsel that Bhutan must look beyond agriculture, hydro power and tourism to innovation and entrepreneurship.Bhutan’s economy, traditionally anchored in the hydropower, tourism, and service sectors, is at a crossroads, and to achieve sustainable growth, the country must pivot toward innovation and entrepreneurship.In an era marked by transformative technological advancements—particularly in artificial intelligence, renewable energy, and digital solutions—the urgency for diversification is palpable. The high rate of youth unemployment and migration of skilled workers highlight the urgent need to diversify the economy and create opportunities for the country’s young population. By increasing investments in innovation, Bhutan can not only retain its talent but also attract investments, stimulate entrepreneurship, and leapfrog into new industries, such as digital technologies and sustainability-driven enterprises. With an educated workforce and accessible digital infrastructure, Bhutan is poised to embrace emerging technologies in sectors like agriculture, fashion, renewable energy, and tourism. At the Bhutan Innovation Forum yesterday, the president of European Capital Coverage, LionTree, Fatine Layt, said that innovation is crucial for job creation but must be sector-specific. The upcoming Gelephu Mindfulness City raises questions about market positioning, product offerings, and competitive advantages, she added.“One cannot market a tax-free hub and a mindful place. If you need to combine the two, one needs to choose the right equity story,” she said.Fatine Layt said that in Bhutan, between two mass market oriented countries, India and China, the silver economy is growing fast. However, she added that Bhutan can create a platinum economy ecosystem. “Bhutan can bring precious mindfulness as the ultimate luxury destination creating a tech hub around research, mindfulness, neuroscience, and pharma.”The Keunsel also reported that Reliance (India) is going to partner with Druk Holding and Investments (DHI) on renewable energy sector in Bhutan. Since Reliance is as much of a cheat as Adani, this is not a great thing. BeekeepingThinley Dorji reports for Bhutan Broadcasting service on the first beekeeper in Pema Gatshel. Editor: Kipchu.Beekeeping is becoming a sustainable source of income in various parts of the country. In Pema Gatshel, a man in Zobel Gewog has embraced beekeeping and is flourishing in his honey business, emerging as the first man to take up beekeeping in the district. These beehives situated in fields and orchards were provided by the District Livestock Sector. 41-year-old Lobzang Thinley from Panthangdaza is preparing to extract his first harvest of the season.“I was encouraged to take up beekeeping while participating in a training program. The trainer explained the benefits of beekeeping for the community, which inspired me to pursue beekeeping as a successful venture since 2019.”Lobzang opens the beehive to check for readiness. Finding plenty of honey, he uses smoke to calm the bees. Initially scared of the stings, he has grown accustomed to them. He carefully removes the honeycombs one by one, enjoying the process despite the challenges and feeling proud of his progress.“We are advised to source bees locally, and we are currently raising them ourselves. This not only prevents issues but also fuels our passion for beekeeping.”Lobzang handles the honeycomb with care, transporting it home to extract the golden honey. This meticulous process requires patience. Once extracted, he returns the frames to the hive, allowing the bees to continue their work. Since starting this journey, Lobzang has seen significant positive changes in his life.“Thanks to my beekeeping and honey business, I am self-sufficient today. There are no issues in selling my honey, in fact, I am hardly able to meet the high demand.” NepalThe Toll from FloodsNepal saw significant floods last week due to a heavy downpour combined with landslides. Press Trust of India reports on the flood, published in the Hindu.The death toll from rain-induced floods and landslips across Nepal crossed 215-mark on Tuesday (October 1, 2024), while the number of those gone missing stands at 28, officials said.The disaster, which began on Thursday (September 26, 2024), continued to cause widespread destruction in multiple provinces until Sunday (September 29, 2024), leaving thousands displaced. Large swathes of eastern and central Nepal have been inundated since Friday (September 27, 2024).However, the weather improved from Sunday (September 29, 2024) in Kathmandu providing some relief to the disaster-affected people.The death toll in the flood and landslip triggered by three days of continuous rain in Kathmandu and various parts of Nepal has reached 217 as of Tuesday (October 1, 2024) morning. So far, 28 people have been missing and 143 sustained injuries due to the natural disaster-related incidents, according to Home Ministry spokesperson Rishiram Tiwari.Incessant rain from Thursday (September 26, 2024) to Saturday (September 28, 2024) has created havoc across Nepal.The Kathmandu Valley suffered the most where the death toll crossed 50. More than 20,000 security personnel, including from the Nepal Army, Armed Police Force and Nepal Police, have been deployed for all-out efforts of search, rescue and relief distribution.The AFP report from Oct 2 says the death toll is now 225.Survivors of the monsoon floods that ravaged Nepal at the weekend criticised the government on Tuesday (October 1, 2024) for inadequate relief efforts during a disaster that killed at least 225 people.Entire neighbourhoods in the capital Kathmandu were inundated at the weekend, along with villages in remote pockets of the Himalayan country that were still awaiting relief efforts."There is no road, so no one has come," Mira KC, who lives in a village in Kavre district to Kathmandu's east, said."Even if they do, those who died are dead already and the damage is done. All they will do is offer condolences, what will they do?"The floods disproportionately hit Kathmandu's poorest residents living in haphazard slums along the banks of the Bagmati river and its tributaries, which run through the city.I assume the death toll will climb a bit further as they look for missing persons. State Negligence and CorruptionSonia Awale reports for the Nepali Times that climate change may have contributed but the high death toll is thanks to criminal state negligence.More than 200 people lost their lives, dozens are still missing. Thousands of homes were swept away, Nepal lost nearly half its electricity generation capacity because of damage to power plants, Kathmandu has been nearly cut off with bridges and sections of highways swept away.Yes, this was primarily a natural disaster. Kathmandu Valley and its surroundings got half the average annual precipitation in just 40 hours, the heaviest rainfall measured since records started being kept in 1972. But the high death toll was totally manmade.Three buses were buried by a mudslide in Dhading, killing at least 35 people. This was an eerie reminder of the Simaltal accident on 12 July when two intercity buses were swept by a mudflow into the Trisuli River at night, killing 62. The buses have still not been found.In both cases, heavy rainfall on a poorly engineered local road up the mountains triggered the initial landslide that swept debris to the highway below. This was manslaughter, not an ‘accident’.We said it then, and we are saying it now: most mountain roads follow no reason or science. It is a corruption-fed activity in which local governments and their cronies plan roads ad hoc and rent their own bulldozers. Debris accumulated during construction is dumped over the edge, where monsoon rains wash them to settlements, farms and highways below.Kathmandu Post editorial says that mining and illegal sand extraction resulted in the calamity that struck Nepal.Just a few kilometres from Kathmandu, the district of Kavrepalanchowk is mourning more than 60 lives lost in last week’s deadly floods and landslides. A lot of human and physical damage has been done by the flooded Roshi River in Panauti, Roshi, Bethanchowk and Temal rural municipalities, with most houses reportedly swept away by the river. More than 700 families have been stranded as a result.This tragedy, however, wasn’t solely due to the downpour. The illegal quarrying and crusher industries rampant in the place are primarily behind the heavy destruction. In ward 12 of Panauti, there are half a dozen stone quarries in operation, with locals reporting that the operators would route the debris coming out of the mine into the river, which in turn obstructed its flow. The river overflowed and then entered human settlements to create chaos.For years, the locals, as per a Kantipur report, have cried out against the illegal quarrying and crushing in the area, foreseeing impending disasters. But authorities at all levels of government ignored their pleas. Tellingly, these industries, which are to be found all over the country, have in most cases the backing of local authorities and political leaders. Concerns about these activities intensified after the 2017 local elections, as the crusher industry owners were found supporting local representatives. A 2018 Centre for Investigative Journalism Nepal report revealed that even those tasked with monitoring such activities were involved in illegal excavations. Additionally, quarry works continue even after the completion of development projects as surveillance is either minimal or non-existent.As such, Kavrepalanchowk isn’t the only district facing human-induced disasters. Just a few months ago, residents in Kalakhola area of Baglung district had expressed their concern over illegal mining in the Kaligandaki River and its potential to destroy their nearby settlement. People in the Chure region have advocated against the mining mafia for decades as the activity has depleted the first layer of underground water and made land fragile. How much more should communities suffer before the state starts taking this thing seriously!Illegal sand mining is a major problem in India as well. Life After FloodsPurushottam Poudel reports for the Kathmandu Post on the struggle of flood victims in Nakkhu.On Thursday afternoon, as the autumn sun beat down on her, Lina Shrestha, a resident of Bagdol in Lalitpur, was busy cleaning her home and its surroundings covered in mud. All the dirt around was the result of the massive floods that lashed many parts of Nepal last week.The record-breaking rains last week had swelled the Nakkhu river and swamped her house and left the road in front water-logged. When the Post correspondent reached the flooded Bagdol area on Thursday afternoon, the local residents had already cleared the water inside their houses. But they were unable to venture out due to the water-logged road.“We haven’t even been able to carry out daily activities, let alone send our kids to schools,” said the 37-year-old Shrestha.Shrestha’s house is near that of the country’s first President Ram Baran Yadav’s. The two and half storied house of Yadav is empty at the moment, Shrestha said.“We don’t know if the house still belongs to Yadav, but it used to be his,” Shrestha told the Post. “People of this locality have named the street Rastrapati Marga in respect of former President Yadav, but we feel the condition of the road makes a mockery of the name.”Not only Shrestha, another lady in her 40s also complained about the road condition. “At a time when people are preparing to welcome the Dashain festival, we are busy sweeping debris,” she said.“The local government had sent an excavator to clean things up but it didn’t completely clean our homes and roads... There is just too much debris for an excavator to clear in a day.”Jyoti Shrestha reports for the Kathmandu Post about the residents of Bethanchok searching for safety.The surrounding hills have been ravaged by landslides and deep cracks. The Salandu stream has yet to return to its original size. The Patikharka area in ward 4 of Bethanchok Rural Municipality in Kavrepalanchok, has been badly damaged by floods and landslides triggered by heavy rains on Friday and Saturday.Scores of families in Patikharka lost their homes, land and other possessions. Many have started leaving the settlement in search of food and shelter. Some of them walked for hours to reach their relatives’ homes while a few others searched for rented rooms.When the Post reached Patikharka for reporting on Wednesday, women with their babies in piggybacks and elderly people leaning on sticks were seen leaving the rain-ravaged village. Villagers of the working age were found carrying loads of utensils, clothes and other belongings.“The landslide buried our house, and the floods destroyed the crops. We have no place to live and nothing to eat. We somehow survived the disaster. Now we have no alternative to leave the village to find shelter elsewhere,” said Sabina Mahat who was leading three goats with her. Sabina and her family have been staying at her maternal house in Khopasi in the district since Sunday. That is it for today. Until next Friday, everyone. Stay safe. Be well. Take care.May we have less state—that monopolizes violence or supports it—and more governance that support people.