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Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Belan Shah said that he will comply with the order issued by the Supreme Court. Last week, the apex court had issued an order directing the metropolis to collect the garbage of Singha Durbar and Sheetal Niwas within three days. Following the order, Mayor Shah responded that the metropolis has been working on issues related to garbage management and sanitation giving priority. “We have received a copy of the interim order issued by the honorable court to remove garbage from Singha Durbar and Sheetal Niwas. We will abide by the order,” he said. Mayor Shah said that the federal government should also follow the order of the Supreme Court. “We are committed to comply with the order of the apex court. But, not only the metropolis, the federal government among others should also adhere the verdicts, orders and directives of the honorable court seriously,” he said. It has been more than two weeks that the garbage of Singha Durbar, the country’s administrative hub, has not been collected following the directive of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Mayor Shah. The metropolis had been saying that the garbage would not be collected unless the government showed readiness to hold talks. Mayor Shah said that the decision to not collect garbage from Singha Durbar was an outcome of neglect, lack of responsibility and carelessness on part of the federal government. Earlier on Monday, a writ was filed at the Supreme Court against the decision of Mayor Shah not to collect waste of Singha Durbar, Baluwatar and Sheetal Niwas.  

Nepal has urged the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to invest in projects which are productive and capable of creating jobs. During a meeting held between National Planning Commission (NPC) Vice Chair Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha and ADB Country Director Arnaud Cauchois at Singha Durbar today, the former requested for the same. On the occasion, the NPC Vice Chair insisted on the need of increasing investment in the productive and employment creation projects in Nepal. He also thanked the regional bank for its support to Nepal's development endeavors, expressing his hope for the continuity of the ADB assistance in the days to come. During the meeting, the two discussed cooperation between the NPC and the ADB and the ADB-funded projects in Nepal.  The ADB country director apprised the NPC Vice Chair that a 'portfolio review' of ADB investment in Nepal has improved. He added that the ADB is ready to invest in new projects launched by the government. The ADB's investment in Nepal is equivalent to USD 3.2 billion. Till the year 2022, the ADB's investment was in energy, transport, agricultural, drinking water, urban development, service, rural development, health and education sectors and in the natural resources. It has invested in various projects including Melamchi Drinking Water Project, Gautam Buddha International Airport and Upper Trishuli Hydropower Project. Last year, the ADB had provided a loan equivalent to 255 million US Dollar to Nepal. During the portfolio review meeting, the ADB also awarded the Urban Water Supply and Sanitation Project, Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project, Rural Enterprise Financing Project and Electricity Transmission and Distribution Efficiency Enhancement Project.  

Lumbini Province Chief Minister Lila Giri failed to secure a vote of confidence on Monday. The proposal of vote of confidence tabled by Chief Minister Giri was rejected by a majority of lawmakers in a meeting of the Province Assembly held this afternoon. A total of 33 votes were cast in favor of Giri while 53 votes were cast against him. There are 87 lawmakers in Lumbini Province. Giri was appointed as the Chief Minister with the support of 58 lawmakers on January 11. Nepali Congress has 27 lawmakers in Lumbini Province while CPN-UML has 29, CPN (Maoist Center) has 10 and Nagarik Unmukti Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party have four lawmakers each. Similarly, Janata Samajbadi Party and Democratic Socialist Party have three lawmakers each and CPN (Unified Socialist) and Rastriya Janamorcha have one lawmaker each. There are two independent lawmakers in the province.  

The counting of votes cast in the by-election held in Chitwan-2 on Sunday will begin from 1 am today. District Election Officer Bhimsen Karksi said that the counting of votes will start from 1 pm. Preparations are being made to count the votes at the International Exhibition Center of Chitwan Industry Association. An all-party meeting is underway at present. The counting of votes was delayed after the representatives of the Nepali Congress said that the counting should not be started until the case of violation of code of conduct filed against Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane is heard. The Election Commission had decided to hold the by-election in Chitwan-2 after the Supreme Court scrapped Lamichhane’s lawmaker post saying that he had never applied to reclaim his Nepali citizenship after renouncing his American citizenship. CPN-UML’s Ram Prasad Neupane, Nepali Congress’s Jit Narayan Shrestha and Rastriya Swatantra Party’s Lamichhane among other candidates are in the fray in Chitwan.