The girls looked around and spotted a boy standing on the terrace of a nearby house in all majesty, murmured a few words of disappointment among themselves and headed toward their college as if nothing had happened.
This has become routine for women and girls in the capital and most places in the Tarai where Holi, the festival of colors, comes into play at least 10 days earlier than scheduled, leaving them vulnerable to such irksome abuses that eventually turn this celebration of amity into a fortnight of woe for them.
The local administration maintains that spraying colors on unwilling persons even on the very day of Holi, that falls on March 10 this year, is punishable under the law. But people go scot-free even after flouting the law right under the nose of the police.
"No one can spray colors on others without their consent and the offenders can be tried under the Public Offense Act and slapped a fine of up to Rs 10,000," says Chief District Officer of Kathmandu Bhola Shivakoti.
But he cannot provide a single instance of an offender having been punished under the act to date. "We will take action if someone lodges a complaint," Shivakoti promises but is lost for words when reminded that the flouting happens even in front of policemen.
He accepts that the administration has failed in enforcement and may also have not given strict instructions to the police. But he is also right when he says it is a question of social awareness and civility.
Most parents turn a blind eye, and some even join in, when their children have fun at the expense of hapless people passing by adjoining roads. "Civil society can also play a major role in raising awareness for solving this problem," Shivakoti believes.
The authorities may be slack in punishing the offenders but the victims themselves are also not very serious and accept Holi misconduct as part of the culture. But the Home Ministry is, or at least tries to make us believe it is, serious about the issue and has published public notices accordingly.
"Action can be taken either through complaints or if the police catch the culprit. We will definitely take action if someone comes forward and lodges a complaint," Home Ministry spokesperson Navin Ghimire promises.
So when someone throws a lola at you the next time, you can check out the nearest police officer to test his conviction.
premdhakal@myrepublica.com
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