Smoking Hazard

The regular consumption of the tobacco in the form of either cigarettes, or chewing causes dependency on tobacco is called Smoking. The prolonged use of tobacco may lead to the dependency of the body on them is called tobacco addiction. Tobacco is the one of the most abused substances in the world which is made up from the leaves of tobacco plants (Nicotiana tobaccum and N. Rustica).

Smoking is the major cause of death in the world today. According to a report issued by WHO, smoking is currently responsible for the death of about 5 million deaths world wide each year. The report further estimates if current smoking patterns continue, it will cause 10 million deaths each year by 2020.

Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body, causing many diseases and affecting the health of smokers in general. Smoking and consumption

is a major health problem. Approximately 15,000 people are estimated to die to tobacco consumption every year, according to Nepal Cancer Relief Society report. Furthermore, smoking is the most common risk factor for diseases. According to health reports, tobacco smoke contains more than 4,000 chemical compounds, including at least 43 cancer causing compound

Hostel & Guest House In Nagarkot

Nagarkot is an international tourist destination with spectacular views of the whole Langtang range, sunrise on the mountains and sunset views. We can see the panoramic views of the captivating landscapes and hills with the Kathmandu valley. You can breathe the cool mountain breeze in the resort town of Nagarkot. There are resorts from top-end quality to decent lodges to accommodate you and serves different cuisines.

Nagarkot, at 2,175 meter above the sea level, is the most popular resort destination in the Kathmandu Valley. It is the favorite weekend gateaway among those seeking mountain view in comfort and quiet. At sunrise, the Himalayan range, stretching from Dhaulagiri in the west all the way past Everest to Kanchenjunga in the east, emerges from the darkness to greet the happy visitors with its awe inspiring majesty and beauty.For those wishing to stretch their legs and enjoy the fresh morning air, there are charming walking trails as well as a lookout tower from which the sights can be taken in. Reaching Nagarkot is easy. Situated at 30 km east of Kathmandu city, it doesn't take more than two hours to reach there by a tourist bus.

Among all the places for mountain viewing in the Kathmandu Valley, Nagarkot is usually considered to be the best. The views go from Dhaulagir in the west to Kanchenjunga in the east. On a clear day you can see Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha). You can also see Manaslu (8,463m), Ganesh Himal (7,111m), and Langtang (7,246m). Many people go up to Nagarkot in the afternoon, stay in a hotel in Nagarkot, and then get up at dawn to see the Himalaya Mountains during the sunrise.

Nagarkot is 32 kilometres east of Kathmandu, on the northeast edge of the Valley at an elevation of 2,175m. It is best to view the mountains in the early morning because it is more likely to be clear. There is a viewing tower next to the Club Himalaya Resort, where you get good views that has a coffee shop where you can sit inside. Many of the hotels also have good views.

There is a lookout tower south of the village where you can get a 360º view of the scenery. It is an easy one hour walk from the main hotel area. To get there you have to pass an army checkpoint, and they will only let you past in the morning. You can go to Nagarkot in the afternoon and stay over night and view the mountain at sun rise.

Patan The Historical Place of The Nepal

There are many historical places in our country.They are found in kathmandu valley and outside of kathmandu.Patan,Bhaktapur,Janakpur,Lumbini and Gorkh.a are some well known historical places in our country.One of the famous historical in the valley is Patan.It is the very old town. This ancient city is situated on the southern bank of Bagmati rive is about 5 kilometer southeast of Kathmandu.Patan city is the full of Buddhist monuments,Hindu temple with fine gateway,guardain deities and wounderful carving.Its metal works and craftmen are very notable.It is also known as the city of artist,''LALITPUR,'' the city of beauty is another name of patan.Patan Darbar Square consist of many famouse sites and unique architecture.Krishna Mandir in Patan is very popular.

This Mandir was built to honour an incarnateion of Lord Vishnu.This temple is the best example of stone architecture in Nepal.There are also the Bhimsen temple,Hiranya Varna Mahabihar,''the golden temple,''Sundarichok which contains exquisite sample of wood carving,stone and metal sculpture in Patan.Other site including Mahaboudha temple and Uku Bahal are only afew minutes away from the square.It is the really the city of beauti which remain in the mind and heart of the visitor after one visit.

About Tibet

Tibet autonomous region is located in southwest china & boarders Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region and Qinghai, Sichuan & Yunnan provinces. In south and west, it boarders Myanmar, India, Bhutan Sikkim, Nepal and Kashmir area. It has an area of 1.22 million square k.m. and a population of 2.6163 million. Of it's more than 30 ethnic groups such as Han, Monda, Lhoba, Hui, Mongol, Naxi, and Nu, the Tibetan account for more than 92.2 percent.The main part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the region has an average elevation of more than 4,000meters and is famous as the “Roof of the world” and the “third pole of the earth”. The mount Qomolangma in the bordering area of the china and Nepal is 8,848.13 meters tall, the highest peak in the world. Agriculture and livestock are the economic pillars of Tibet, cultivating mainly sheep, goats and yaks, and growing mainly barley. Wheat, potato and rape. Also the region produces the famous medicininal materials such musk, pilose antler and snow lotus, which enjoy a good reputation at home and abroad. Tibet leads the country in the deposits of hydropower and thermal power and ranks second in the solar energy in the world. Tibet has a long history and beautiful landscape. Its brilliant and ancient monasteries and unique local customs attract flocks of tourist. Lhasa, Xigaze, Shannan, Nyingchi, Nagqu. Ngari and Qamdo have different landform and fantastic customs. You are welcome to Tibet and to have a look of these rare wonders in the world.

Tibet, the mystic Shangri-La, the forbidden kingdom on the roof of the world has captured man's imagination for centuries. Great explorers & adventurers of the century have ventured into this holy land rendered inaccessible by the hostile natural conditions & bandits that way lead them on their journeys through the Himalayas . Despite untold ravages which occurred during the "Cultural Revolution". Tibet 's past grandeur, majesty, magic & mystery still remains undiminished. One can still see today nomads herding their yaks, pilgrims worshipping at sacred shrines & the expansive, striking & enduring Himalayan topography. Tibet is truly an adventurers paradise. Tibet is a rich and beautiful land with an average altitude over 4,000m (13,120ft) above sea level. Possessing more than fifty peaks above 7,000m (22,960ft), Tibet is home to eleven Himalayan mountains over 8,000m (26,240ft). China, India, Nepal, Sikkim, Bhutan, Burma and Kashmir all border Tibet.Over two million people inhabit this land of rich natural resources and ancient cultures, temples and monasteries, lakes and rivers, and mighty snow clad peaks are just a few of the intoxicating wonders to be experienced by adventurous travelers who get the opportunity to visit this land. Buddhism, with a history of some 1,300 years is shaped into a unique form of "Lamaism". Tibetan history, culture and religion are mixed together and infiltrate every aspect of social life. Tibetan religious arts have a distinctive style with adoption of Indian and Chinese Buddhist influence, thus forming a pearl of Oriental Buddhist art. The various people who live on the Tibetan plateau, such as Tibetans, Bonpas, Lhopas and Moslems, each have their own unique of traditions of marriage, burial birth, and other ceremonies. Festivals in Tibet are numerous providing many opportunities for large and exciting celebrations. So come and visit a the land rich in mountains, monks, mystery and adventure.

Museum of Natural History Nepal

Location:	Outside Kathmandu near Sambhunath Hills, across the National Museum
How to Reach:	Take an auto or hire a cab
Attractions:	Various species of Fauna and Flora
Timing:	10:30 AM to 5 PM, except Saturday

The Museum of Natural History of Nepal is one of the marvels of Kathmandu. Situated at a walking distance from the National Museum, the museum will fall in your right-hand while going towards Swayambhunath hills. The Museum of Natural History has a very interesting collection of various species of the fauna and flora from across the Himalayan kingdom. The museum has various types of amphibians, mammals, reptiles and invertebrates in its collection. While many of these organisms have been stuffed, a lot of them are preserved in a chemical called Formaldehyde that is popularly known as Formalyne.

There is a separate section for insects too that contains various insects collected from the nook and corners of Himalayas. Many of these species are now extinct. The same is true for various species of mammals and other amphibians. All of these displays are organized as per their evolution. It has a separate section for plants too. This section contains various herbs and grasses that grow in Himalayas and Tarai region. This section is not as comprehensive as the section on fauna but is equally interesting. The museum is slowly picking up on the tourist map but is in dire straits because of the lack of fund. If you are a biologist then this place is a boon for you. If you are not, then also this place is worth visiting.

Organization Details

Nepal Natural and Human Resources Development Association (NAHUDA) is a national, non-profit, non governmental organization established in 1992 with a mission to provide quality reproductive health services for Nepali women.

NAHUDA focuses on providing women with access to various reproductive health services such as uterine prolapse prevention, gender-based violence counselling, family planning, women's health rights awareness, referrals to hospitals and other routine medical checks such as PAP smears. Screening for breast cancer is also one of the primary roles of this organization. They provide mamograms and educational workshops on how to conduct self-breast examinations.

NAHUDA also conducts education workshops on topics related to reproductive health. They conduct these workships during many of their outreach visits in communities outside of the Kathmandu Valley. Outreach visits are an important part of NAHUDA's programs because through this program they have been able to conduct field research that enabled them to understand the scope of various projects to a deeper level. In addition, these outreach programs helped the team of NAHUDA to develop relationships with members of the community in which they serve. This increased the trust in the patience they were serving and enabled them to disclose more details about their current medical state.

Currently this organization has one static clinic in Lalitpur which is their primary center for educational training and medical examinations. In addition, NAHUDA conducts outreach programs referred to by their organization as "field camps". Each year, approximately 20 to 25 camps are organized and implemented throughout both the Kathmandu Valley and rural communities.

Namobuddha

Namobuddha is an important destination for Buddhist pilgrims in the area. Namobuddha is a little village in the mountains, near Dhulikhel, which hosts the Thrangu Monastery and the Shree Mangal Dvip branch school for monks. The place is famous for the stunning, yet not completely clear view of the mountains. One of the main attractions in Namobuddha is the little Stupa, a famous Buddhist pilgrimage destination in the center of the village. According to a legend, in a previous life, the Buddha came across a tigress close to death from starvation and unable to feed her cubs. The Buddha felt compassion and sorrow and offered his body to the tigress.

In the woods below the Stupa is a little mountain spring with extremely clean and good water, which is said to be blessed.The Phulbari, a beautiful park appears suddenly in the middle of nowhere. The owner is some German business man who also has a house in the park and who is kind enough to open the park for the public when he is not living there.

The bus ride to and back from Namobuddha is sometimes quite an adventure. The local buses are incredibly crowded with at least twice as many people as its capacity and many of the passengers have to sit on the roof.

Popular places to see

Being popular all over the world Nepal has many different things and many places to offer for sightseeing. The eye catching Himalayan views, unique culture and traditions, the historical monument, art and architecture, Hindu temples and Buddhist stupa and monasteries, its people and rites, myths and mysteries which are a part of the daily life of the people made Nepal unique as well as different from other country. The first entry point for most of the visitors is surrounded by and is divided into the three major cities of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur.

Every trekking office in Nepal arranges sightseeing trips for you in and around the Kathmandu Valley. Nepal possesses a rich sightseeing from mountain flight cultural diversity, and it is well worth exploring the region. Favorite destinations for visitors are Bhaktapur, where it is possible to see local potters at work, Nagarkot, for wonderful sunrises and mountain views, Swoyambhunath, Patan Durbar Square and Kathmandu Durbar Square.

Sightseeing in Nepal also takes you to different small but ancient places out of Kathmandu Valley and places of beauty out of Kathmandu Valley into remote places of Nepal. All the sightseeing tours are accomplished by knowledgeable guides who speak and understand English very well. Guides for non-English speakers can also be arranged.

Trekking In Nepal

Nepal is one of the best destinations in the world for trekking. It is a land of scenic grandeur and cultural diversity. Trekking is the best way to know the people, places and culture very closely. A network of well-managed trails throughout the trekking places would easily connect you with the numerous villages of Nepal. Treks in Nepal can be of two types -a short trek and a long trek. A short trek will reveal picturesque hamlets surrounded by elaborate terraced fields and forested ridges. A long trek may yield rich contrasts in people and culture from one ecological level to another.

The rich variety in flora and fauna within a short distance, everlasting smiles of villagers, hospitality of the host communities, favorable climatic and geographical condition, cultural and linguistic diversity, scenic beauty, rich cultural spirit which represents unique blend of Buddhism and Hinduism, Birth place of Buddha, Home of Mount Everest, ever flowing rivers and glaciers, snow-caped mountains, World heritage sites , etc. are some of the attractions of Nepal which have always lured tourists to visit Nepal.

Some of the major trekking destinations include: Everest trekking, Annapurna trekking, Langtang trekking, Mustang (Lo-Manthang) trekking, Manaslu trekking, Dolpo trekking, Rolwaling trekking, Kanchanjunga trekking, Makalu trekking, Arun valley trekking, Jomsom trekking, Helambu trekking, Api Himal trekking, Jumla-Rara Lake trekking, Dhaulagiri trekking, Jomsom-Muktinath trekking, Ghalegaun-Ghanapokhara trekking, Ghanruk-Ghorepani trekking, Royal trek, Siklis Lake trek, Mardi Himal trek, etc.

The trekking trails may sometime be rough because of the mountain terrain but it is delightful to arrive at numerous unique points which are to be found nowhere in the world that reveal new vistas. In the mountain area, the track may traverse steep slopes with plunging waterfalls but the large villages below temperate forests welcome travelers.

The best way to experience Nepal's unbeaten combination of natural beauty and cultural riches is to live with them for certain period. The immense contrasts in altitudes and climates found here support an equally spectacular mix of lifestyles, vegetation types and wildlife.

Concern over Nepal wildlife seizure

By Navin Singh Khadka BBC Nepali Service 3 July 2007/Big cats have been poached for their pelt and bones Conservationist in Nepal say they are concerned that former Maoist rebels have not yet returned wildlife products they had seized during the nation's 10-year conflict. Wildlife officials are calling for any items taken off poachers and traffickers to be handed over, especially as a number of the Maoist Party leaders are now members of the coalition government. No official records exist of the confiscated animal products, but a number of conservationists say they have documents listing seizures. The Maoist forestry minister said he was not aware of any wrongdoing by party members, but added he would launch an investigation if information was presented of goods being withheld. Lack of records Wildlife Conservation Nepal (WCN), which has been involved in undercover operations to identify poachers and wildlife traffickers, said it has records of an incident that took place in April 2006. "Three people with two tiger skins and three leopard pelts were caught by locals in the southern town of Birgunj, bordering India," said Prasanna Yonjan, the head of WCN. "The three were then handed over to the Maoists' People's Liberation Army, which seized the wildlife contrabands from them but has never returned them to the government." Mr Yonjan added that the three traffickers were freed after lobbying by a poacher who himself was later arrested. Red pandas are among the species being targeted by poachers Another conservationist working for an international organisation in western Nepal said two people that were caught with tiger bones were taken away by Maoists in June 2004. "The two, one of them a retired policeman, were taken to the mountain district Jumla by the Maoists," the conservationist added. "The Maoists later freed the two but the tiger bones were never returned." The Bardia incident was confirmed by a Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation official, who asked not to be named. "Many such incidents took place during the 10-year conflict," said Mangal Man Shakya, head of Wildlife Watch Group, an organisation affiliated to the World Conservation Union (IUCN). "But the Maoists have never returned to the state the wildlife products they had seized. "We have been asking the Maoist leaders to do so but there has been no response." Our party never had the policy of making income through such means Matrika Prasad Yadav, Nepal's forestry minister Forestry Minister Matrika Prasad Yadav, a Maoist leader, told the BBC that he was not aware of any wildlife products seized by party members. "If any organisation or individual provides us information in this regard, I can launch an investigation within our party," he said. Conservation groups suggested that Mr Yadav may not have be aware of the problem because he spent the majority of the decade-long conflict in prison. 'Transit post' One of the Maoist army's deputy commanders, Nanda Kishor Pun, also known as Pasang, acknowledged that seizures had taken place within lower levels of the party. "But that was clearly against our party policy and we hope that this BBC report will help us probe into such issues," he said. Wildlife groups are concerned that an increase in poaching and trafficking has led to a decline in the population of a number of endangered species. Figures from the Department of National Parks show that 150 rhinos have been killed by poachers in the past eight years. Department officials were able to record these deaths because the animals' carcasses were left behind after the horns had been removed. The level of poaching of other endangered species, such as tigers, leopards and red pandas, is much more difficult to track because poachers remove the whole animal. Although there has been no detailed study into the number of animals killed, officials say initial reports show animal sightings in some national parks have gone significantly down. Nepal has 16 protected zones that cover almost 20% of the country's land area. These areas had been protected by the government's army but the Maoist insurgency, which began in 1996, saw many soldiers being redeployed elsewhere to fight the rebels. Maoist leaders have denied any involvement in wildlife poaching or trafficking. "Our party never had the policy of making income through such means," said Minister Yadav. The Maoist Party's youth wing, the Young Communist League, recently won praise from conservationists after its members seized huge amount of red sandal wood that was being smuggled from India to Chinese controlled Tibet via Nepal. Several reports have suggested that Nepal is increasingly becoming a transit point for wildlife trafficking, particularly between India and China.

PRESS RELEASE: Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN

Hon. Mr. Kiran Gurung, Minister of Forests and Soil-Conservation of Nepal, addressed today the opening session of the plenary of the Eighth Session of the United Nations Forum on Forests (UNFF-8) and called for a sustainable and predictable funding mechanism to shore up international cooperation in sustainable forests management.

Hon. Minister Gurung said that global climate change has the most serious negative consequences to the Himalayas, often called as the Third Pole of the planet earth. He underlined the universal negative impacts of global warming on fresh water, biodiversity and socio-cultural status of the people in the Himalayan region, which plays a significant role in maintaining global environment and human civilization. Stressing that the Himalayas, its lakes, glaciers, and rivers are the water towers that feed Asia’s great rivers and ensure drinking water for millions of people, Hon. Mr. Gurung called upon the international community to start saving the planet earth starting from the top of the world - the Himalayan ecosystem and secure future of the billions of people.

The Hon. Minister highlighted Nepal’s extensive experience in community-based forests management which has helped preserve indigenous knowledge, empowered local community, and promoted inclusiveness and ownership of natural resources for varied socio-cultural groups in the rural areas. He also informed that about one third of total population in the nation is engaged in managing forests land through over 15,000 community forests user groups. He further said that the government is committed to a motto of “New Nepal Green Nepal” and launching a “Green Job Program” to promote forests-based enterprises.

The Hon. Minister informed that Nepal is celebrating the year 2009 as “Nepal Nature Conservation Year” with the objective of sharing the experiences and assessing achievements in the area of natural resources conservation. He also announced that Nepal would be hosting an International Conference entitled "Conservation in Changing Climate in the Himalayas" from December 1-3, 2009.

The United Nations Forum on Forests, an intergovernmental body, is meeting in its eighth session in New York from 20 April to 1 May 2009 and will focus on the importance of international policy coordination for the implementation of forests instruments and developing a financing mechanism to promote sustainable forests management.

Nepal Nature

Nepal covers a span of 147,181 sq. kilometers ranging from altitude of 70 meters to 8,848 meters. Mountains, mid hills, valleys and plains dominate the geography of landlocked Nepal that extends from the Himalayan range in the north to the Indo-Gangetic lowlands in south. Mt. Everest, the highest point of the Himalayas is in Nepal.

Physical features also include green paddy terraces, wind-swept deserts, dense forests and marshy grasslands. The country is well endowed with perennial rivers, lakes and glacial lakes that originate in the Himalayas. Twenty percent of the land in the country is used for agriculture, where 0.49 percent is used for permanent crops, mainly rice.

Climatic conditions of Nepal vary from one place to another in accordance with the geographical features. In the north summers are cool and winters severe, while in south summers are sub tropical and winters mild.

The variety in Nepal's topography provides home to wildlife like tigers, rhinos, monkeys, bears, yaks, leopards and different species of insects and birds. Nepal is a home to almost 10 percent of the world's bird species among which 500 species are found in the Kathmandu Valley.

The country has managed to preserve some endangered species of Asia in its extensive parks and protected natural habitats. The most abundant natural resource in Nepal is water. Other resources found here are quartz, timber, lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore and scenic beauty.

8 Days Lhasa-Nepali Border via Mt.Everest Overland Tour

Day by day itinerary B-breakfast; L-lunch; D-dinner
Day 1: Arrive in Lhasa (take flight or Qing-Tibet train at your own convenience)
Upon arrival, you will be met by our local Tibetan tour guide at the Gonggar airport or train station, and receive a Hada (a white scarf which is a symbol of good luck and happiness in Tibetan culture) as a gift. After arrival at your hotel, the rest of the day will be free for you to explore the local area acclimatize yourself to this high altitude city at the top of the world.

Day 2: Lhasa Sightseeing [B]
In the morning, visit Potala Palace the highest Palace in the world and the must be see in Tibet. Later after lunch visit Jokhang Temple, the real “Lhasa” in the eyes of the local Tibetan. Then take a stroll in Barkhor Bazaar, here you can experience the local style, picking up those interesting things in Tibetan style, Nepal style, Indian style, all up to you.

Day 3: Lhasa Sightseeing [B]
Today, you stay with Tibetan family and become a Tibetan for half day. You could learn how to make Tibetan joss stick, or Tibetan porcelain, or Thangka, etc. or you could learn how Tibetan turn the yak dung into a good fuel, or how they gather in the harvest. You could join into them if you want. Different season, different activities. After lunch, drive to Sera Monastery, have a little hike for the beautiful valley scenery nearby and picnic there, visit Sera Monastery which was created in 1419 and has always been an important Buddhist seminary. As rose planted everywhere in the monastery, it is also called “the court of wild rose”. Today still 200 Lamas live in there. Catch the famous debate session of the monks before returning back to Lhasa.

Day 4: Lhasa-Yamdrotso Lake-Shigatse via Gyangtse [B]
Morning time around 08:00 am depart from Lhasa pass Gangbala Mt. which is over than 4850m, then to Yamdrok Lake which is one of the three holy Lakes in Tibet (another are Namtso lake and Manasarovar), stop off and visit Maracaju la glacier. Then forward to Gyangtse, visit Palkor Monastery and Palchoi Pagoda, far view Tzong fortress. Then go to Shigatse.

Day 5: Shigatse-Shegar via Lhatse [B]
Morning time to visit Tashilumpo Monastery which was built in 1447, spectacular tombs of Panchen Lamas; after lunch drive to Lhatse on 318 (friendship highway) and cross Mt.Gatsola, later afternoon arrive to Shegar.

Day 6: Shegar-Mt.everest Base Camp [B]
Early in the morning drive from Shegar to EBC during this route, you can have a glimpse of 4 mountains which is 8000m high or more, such as Mt.lhotse (8516m), Mt.everest (8848m), Mt.chooyo (8201m), Mt.makalu (8463m). Then arrive at Rongbu Monastery (visit by optional) which the highest monastery in the world. Free time at your disposal; take more time to sightseeing the enormous scenery.

Day 7: Mt.everest Base Camp-Zhangmu town (the Nepal border)
Wake up in the morning to see the stunning sunrise at Mt.everest Base Camp. All in all it is highest peak on earth. Walk a little bit in front of it and take some of its true face. Than drive back to Shegar and connect to next destination where Zhangmu town.

Day 8: Zhangmu town-Friendship Bridge [B]
Morning your guide will drop you off at the friendship bridge, then to cross the friendship bridge and cross the border by yourselves. Up to there, our trip is over and say goodbye to holy Tibet!
(Please note: our service end from Zhangmu border only; transportation from border to Kathmandu will be on your own arrangement)

Regional Environment Office: Key Accomplishments

In promoting regional environmental cooperation in South Asia, the Regional Environment Office (REO) for South Asia sponsors key regional environmental initiatives to enhance transboundary collaboration in addressing environmental, science & technology and health issues. Much of its focus in project support has been on some of the key water problems prevalent throughout South Asia.

Regional Flood Forecasting Information Exchange: The International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), with support from REO and the USAID’s Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA), began this initiative in May 2001. Representatives of six Hindu Kush-Himalayan countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, and Pakistan) agreed to establish an information-sharing system for meteorological and hydrological data to make significant improvements in their shared capacity to forecast the flows of floods that afflict the South Asia annually. During the 2005 monsoon season, a test phase of real time sharing of hydrological/meteorological data proved successful among five of the countries via a central web-based data exchange platform. The U.S. Government’s involvement in the project ended on December 31, 2005. ICIMOD is seeking future support for a pilot phase. Contact: www.southasianfloods.org

Research on Arsenic Groundwater Contamination: REO and U.S. embassies New Delhi and Dhaka sponsored U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) research into the geochemical and hydrological causes of arsenic groundwater contamination in the Bengal Basin – a problem affecting tens of millions of people in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal. The USGS fieldwork yielded major discoveries that will assist regional governments in establishing guidelines for safe tubewell drilling practices and evaluating interim mitigation technologies appropriate to the South Asian social environment. For more information, please refer to: http://international.usgs.gov/regional/regasiapacific.htm or http://international.usgs.gov/projects/bg_arsenic.htm.

South Asia Water Quality Monitoring: REO and Sandia National Laboratories' Cooperative Monitoring Center (part of the U.S. Department of Energy) facilitated the creation of partnerships between scientists in Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Regional water experts, who exchange near real-time water quality data over an electronic network. http://sawan.icimod.org.np

Promoting Regional Cooperation to Eliminate Trafficking in Wildlife: This project brought together senior officials dealing with wildlife conservation in South Asian countries and China to develop a regional action plan to combat illegal wildlife trafficking, which has reached sky high proportions in recent years. During the workshop, the South Asian countries agreed on a roadmap emphasizing greater information sharing between regional member governments and community participation. The project especially promoted greater coordination between the governments of India, Nepal and China to combat wildlife trafficking along their common border areas. International wildlife experts have pointed out that coordination of these three countries is vital to break the back of the wildlife traffickers in the region who have brought the Royal Bengal tiger and the one-horned rhino almost to the brink of extinction. As follow-up, China convened a workshop in Urumchi, China that brought all the Asian tiger range countries together to create a more effective network to halt the rise in tiger poaching and trafficking in Asia. For additional information on the Project, please refer to www.traffic.org/news/south_asia.html.

Drought Assessment and Mitigation in South West Asia: The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), in conjunction with various international and national agencies, implemented this project to: review the current status of drought research and management in western South Asia (western India, Pakistan and Afghanistan); and identify priority areas and techniques in drought management for regional governments, relief agencies and local communities.

The project produced greater coordination between scientific and research communities with civil society organizations across India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, in a shared effort to assess and mitigate the impact of droughts in the region. The project resulted in more than a dozen publications providing important policy insights and recommendations on ways that decision makers in South Asia can address drought issues more effectively. In addition, the project developed an on-line remote-sensing-based drought monitoring system. Those who are interested, please refer to www.dms.iwmi.org. Details on the project activities and project documents can be accessed from the project website www.iwmi.cgiar.org/droughtassessment/index.asp.

Sustainable Livelihoods, Environmental Security and Conflict Management: Implemented by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) Asia Environmental Law program, the project brought in leading international environmental security experts to advise on techniques to reduce tensions over environmental protection and livelihood issues. In-depth country studies in the causes of such issues in parts of India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan, led to greater workshop focus on two of the most important natural resource in South Asia – Wetlands and Forests. In Nepal and Bangladesh, the project concentrated on wetlands and people interactions, whereas in India and Pakistan, it dealt on forest and human dynamics.

This project led to a path-breaking study on the cause-and-effect dynamic between restrictions on resource access and conflict in South Asia. Noting that the legal framework in this arena dated back many years (often to colonial times), participants concluded that the legal context first needed to be amended to: reduce local conflicts over natural resources; promote resource access and local participation in decision making; strengthen managerial capacity; and facilitate greater access to information. The project brought the resource conflict and environmental security issue into national discussions and has encouraged regional governments to integrate concern over resource rights and environmental security into economic and developmental policies. For more information, please refer to the following website: http://www.iucn.org/places/asia/livelihood.

Adaptive Strategies for Floods and Droughts in South Asia: The Colorado-based Institute for Social and Environmental Transition (ISET), with its Nepal office, implemented this initiative addressing the social, economic and environmental impacts of emerging water problems in South Asia, via a research project documenting current individual, community and governmental strategies for coping with floods and water scarcity. The eye-opening results showed that local people have often adapted gradually to recurring floods and droughts in ways that are often more effective than delayed government responses. For example, flood victims salvage whatever they can within the first ten days after a flood, which is often how long it takes for official responses. Similarly, communities in India’s state of Bihar have collaborated to gradually raise the ground level of whole villages to avoid the worst impacts of floods. In contrast are government-built river embankments that raise riverbed levels, which in fact exacerbates the impact of floods. Given its sociological approach, this research concluded that a paradigm shift was required to address flood- and drought-response decisions. The authors recommended that traditional national approaches to dealing with floods and droughts were inadequate responses at the popular level. The conclusions drew great follow-on interest from the UN, World Water Forum and South Asian government representatives. For more information on the project and downloading of the final document, please refer to: http://www.i-s-e-t.org.