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Khairahani Municipality of Chitwan has kicked off a 'larva search and destroy' campaign to protect the people from mosquito-borne dengue disease.

The municipality has started the door-to-door visit campaign since Sunday to search and destroy mosquito larva in potential areas.

Mayor Shahsi Kumar Khaniya, Deputy Mayor Kabita Uprety, other elected people's representatives, employees, health workers and locals had participated in the campaign.

On the occasion, Mayor Khaniya pledged to continue the campaign and asked the residents to remain cautious of dengue outbreak.

He said that the public awareness creating campaign would be continued to eliminate the Aedes mosquitoes' eggs.

Municipality's health section chief Nirmal Ghimire said that the public sensitization campaign has been intensified by reaching out to the community to eliminate dengue risks.

"There are several areas within the municipality which are favorable for mosquitoes to produce larva, " he said, adding, 'Rapid urbanization is contributing to spreading the mosquito-borne infection'.

Meanwhile, Ratnanagar Municipality has urged the municipal residents to adopt safety measures to protect oneself from mosquito bites.

The municipality has urged all ward residents to participate in the campaign to search and destroy mosquito larva.

Public Health Officer of the municipality Madhav Prasad Poudel said that the 'search and destroy' campaign has been put in place to eliminate the larva of mosquitoes that can transfer dengue.

Number of patients with dengue infection has reached 13 in Chitwan.

According to the Health office Chitwan, 13 people were tested positive to the dengue while carrying out blood tests among 121.

Lawmaker and CPN-UML Secretary Yogesh Bhattarai has called for giving full shape to the parliamentary committees.

The UML will not participate in the upcoming meetings of the committees if the parliamentary committees are not given full shape, said Bhattarai, speaking in a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives today.

Stating that the parliament and the parliamentary committees have not been able to run as per the parliamentary process, he claimed that the committees have not got full shape due to the dispute among the ruling coalition partners.

"The opposition does not want to shoulder the burden of the problem caused due to the ruling coalition. Probably we will not attend any of the meeting of the committees hereafter if the committees are not given full shape as per the parliamentary process. We want to inform the committee presidents beforehand," lawmaker Bhattarai said.

He argued that the parliament and the Constitution have not become the symbol of national unity as the parliament has not been run in an effective manner.

"The main opposition UML has not sought any share in the quotas. However, there is a practice that the presidency of the PAC is given to the main opposition party. If the ruling coalition does not even want to give this to us, we do not need it. Nevertheless, the parliamentary process should be followed in moving ahead the formation of the committees," the main opposition party secretary reiterated.

He further added it is not good that the committee president has not been elected even three months into the committee starting its work.

Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP) Chair Rajendra Lingden and lawmaker from the Rastriya Swatantra Party Manish Jha also echoed Bhattarai saying the parliamentary committees be given full shape at the earliest.

Arjun Narsingh KC of the Nepali Congress who was presiding over the meeting in the capacity as the senior-most (by age) lawmaker of the PAC, said the committee's serious attention was drawn to this topic.

The PAC meeting today passed the Public Account Committee Operation Procedures, 2080. The meeting also discussed the draft of this Operation Procedures.

A sub-committee has been constituted for preparing the draft of the Procedures. Rajan KC is its coordinator.

The Public Accounts Committee of the House of Representatives has drawn the attention of the government to form a high-level probe committee to investigate the 100 kg gold smuggling case.

A meeting of the Accounts Committee held on Sunday demanded formation of a high-level probe committee to carry out a fair investigation into the 100 kg gold smuggling scam.

Nepali Congress lawmaker Arjun Narsingh KC, who chaired the committee as a senior citizen, drew the attention of the government to form a high-level probe committee to launch an independent investigation into the gold smuggling case.

In the meeting, CPN-UML lawmaker Yogesh Bhattarai said that a high-level probe committee should be formed to investigate the latest  gold smuggling case.

Bhattarai, also the secretary of the UML, said that the Home Minister and the Finance Minister should also be investigated.

The UML has been saying that the gold could not be passed from the Tribhuvan International Airport without the involvement of ruling coalition leaders.

So far, police have arrested 18 persons in connection with the gold smuggling case.

On July 19, the Revenue Investigation Department had confiscated around 100 kg of gold concealed inside brake shoes ‘imported’ from Hong Kong in the name of Ready Traders from Sinamangal.

The Nepal Stock Exchange (NEPSE) plunged by 26. 14 points to close at 2,100.34 points on Sunday.

Similarly, the sensitive index dropped by 4. 17 points to close at 399. 66 points.

A total of 6,860,042-unit shares of 266 companies were traded for Rs 2. 50 billion.

Meanwhile, People's Power Limited was the top gainer today with its price surging by 3. 56 percent.

Likewise, Manakamana Smart Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Limited was the top loser as its price fell by 6. 78 percent.

At the end of the day, the total market capitalization stood at Rs 3. 08 trillion.

Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal and the main opposition CPN-UML Chairman held a meeting at the former’s official residence in Baluwatar on Sunday.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed ending the impasse in Parliament and recommending Chief Justice, a source at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat said.

On the occasion, UML Chair Oli showed concern over the Lalita Niwas land grab case, Bhutanese refugee case and a recent gold smuggling case.

Oli also questioned the working style of the government with Prime Minister Dahal.

He also expressed his dissatisfaction over protecting the people of the ruling coalition and accusing the opposition.

In response, Prime Minister Dahal said that he has already directed the concerned authority to carry out a fair investigation into the gold smuggling case and book the guilty.

The main opposition CPN-UML on Wednesday had obstructed the Parliament proceeding demanding formation of a high-level probe committee to investigate the 100 kg gold smuggling case.

Accusing the government ministers of being involved in the gold smuggling case, the UML lawmakers, in the meeting, demanded a ruling for the formation of a high-level probe committee.

But the UML lawmakers chanted slogans and picketed the well after the Speaker tried to take the zero hour business ahead.

The meeting of the House of Representatives has been called for Tuesday.

During the meeting held this morning, Oli urged the Prime Minister to call the meeting of the Constitutional Council immediately.

Vehicular movement along the Palpa-Butwal road section of the Siddhartha Highway has been obstructed following a landslide near Siddhababa Temple of Palpa on Sunday.

The Dobhan Police Post, Papla said technicians, dozers and excavators of Siddhababa Tunnel Construction Company China State Corporation have been mobilized to remove the landslide debris.

The construction company China State Corporation has been working continuously even in the rainy season.

Technicians have assumed that the landslide might have occurred due to the vibration of the machine.

Palpa police said that it would take some time to clear the debris.

Hundreds of vehicles leaving for Palpa, Gulmi, Syangja, Arghakhanchi, Parbat, Baglung and Kaski among others places have been stranded halfway following the landslide.

Siddharth Highway is the main highway to connect Pokhara from the Indian border Sunauli.

The Narayangadh-Muglin road section has been obstructed yet again today following a landslide near Kalikhola of Ichchhakamana Rural Municipality-6.

According to DSP Bijay Raj Pandit, spokesperson at the District Police Office, Chitwan, the landslide occurred at 9 am today, obstructing the vehicular movement.

He said that the efforts are on to resume the traffic by removing the landslide debris.

Vehicular movement along the road section has remained frequently disrupted due to the landslides time and again.

The price of gold has increased by Rs 300 per tola in the domestic market on Sunday.

According to the Federation of Nepal Gold and Silver Dealers’ Association, the precious yellow metal is being traded at Rs 112, 900 per tola today. It was traded at Rs 112, 600 per tola on Friday.

Meanwhile, tejabi gold is being traded at Rs 112, 3500 per tola.

Similarly, the price of silver has increased by Rs 5 and is being traded at Rs 1,455 per tola today.