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The Ridi-Tamghas road section of the Madan Bhandari Highway has been completely obstructed due to a landslide at Bakhre cliff in Rurukshetra Rural Municipality-3 of Gulmi district this morning following a continuous rainfall. 

The landslide, which brought down large rocks, has completely blocked vehicular movement, according to the District Police Office, Gulmi.

Vehicular movement on both sides has come to a standstill, leaving passengers and vehicles stranded. Efforts to clear the landslide depositions have been initiated, said Ganga Bahadur Saru, the Information Officer at the District Police Office. 

He added that the debris will be cleared immediately after the rain stops.  

Likewise, DSP Saru urged the general public and riders to use the alternative route until the debris is cleared. 

In Nepal’s tourism capital, Pokhara, a new wave of city cleanliness and environmental protection is taking shape. From demolishing structures that violate lake conservation standards to partnering with major business houses for lake cleanups, and even campaigns that turn waste into cash, the city has launched a range of initiatives with the start of the new fiscal year.

The campaign marks a sharp departure from past years. Previously, environmental programs were almost absent from the city’s agenda. In the last fiscal year, of roughly 2,500 programs listed in Pokhara Metropolitan’s “red book” (its annual plan and budget allocation document), only 56 (about three percent) focused on environmental conservation. Under the category of tourism, culture promotion, and environmental beautification, just 1.5 percent of the total budget was earmarked, and only about one-fifth of those projects progressed beyond the detailed project report (DPR) stage. Many were never implemented.

“This year, we are prioritizing environmental protection programs with a focus on Pokhara’s beautification, biodiversity, and natural resource conservation,” said Motiraj Timilsina, spokesperson for Pokhara Metropolitan Municipality.

The city has also begun a crackdown on unauthorized lakeshore structures. Since the Nepali calendar month of Jestha, officials have installed 1,055 boundary markers along Phewa Lake, with GPS points added in areas where physical markers were not feasible or could be removed. All structures extending beyond these boundaries are slated for demolition under a formal municipal decision. “We will soon start demolishing the structures,” said Mayor Dhanraj Acharya.

Pokhara’s lakes, long a draw for tourists, have also become repositories for urban waste. Rapid urbanization, booming tourism, heavy rainfall, and the city’s sloped terrain funnel garbage—often dumped carelessly—into Phewa Lake through streams like Firke and Bulaundi. “Now, we will not just control this problem, we will turn this waste into cash,” Mayor Acharya said.

To that end, the municipality has launched the “Green Employment Creation Project,” forming 136 waste management groups, four in each of the city’s 33 wards. With support from the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), the project trains residents to produce compost from biodegradable waste and handicrafts from non-biodegradable materials. The city will also buy these products for sale through its “Koseli Ghar” (Gift House) outlet, creating both employment and market demand.

Just yesterday, the municipality signed an agreement with Laxmi Group, one of Pokhara’s largest business houses, to clean the lakes. The partnership will focus on removing moss and water hyacinth, helping restore environmental balance while enhancing tourism appeal. Laxmi Group Chairperson Ganesh Bahadur Shrestha said the company will also support local communities in turning harvested aquatic weeds into handicraft products.

The Weather Forecasting Division has stated that the monsoon wind has remained active in the western belt of the country compared to the eastern part. 

The Division said that the Lumbini, Karnali and Sudurpaschim Provinces and the hilly region of the country will remain generally cloudy today and remaining other parts will be partly cloudy.

According to the Division, chances of light rain are there in some parts of Lumbini, Karnali, Sudurpaschim and Madhes Provinces. 

Likewise, the Division has forecasted the chances of heavy rainfall in one or two hilly areas of Gandaki, Lumbini, Sudurpaschim and Karnali Provinces. 

Tonight, the hilly region of the country will be generally cloudy and remaining parts will be partly cloudy.

It said that chances of light rain are likely in some areas of Gandaki, Bagmati, Lumbini and Karnali Provinces.

The Kathakali Dance was performed in Birgunj on Wednesday evening on the eve of the Indian Independence Day. 

The program was organized by the Embassy of India in Kathmandu and India's Consulate General based in Birgunj.  

Nine Indian performers from Kerala performed this very popular Indian dance, which is based on the story of the Mahabharat.  

The event was attended by Minister for Sports and Social Welfare of Madesh Province, Pramod Jaiswal, Mayor of Birgunj Metropolitan City Rajesh Man Singh, Indian Consul General Devi Sahai Meena and others. 

On the occasion, Minister Jaiswal said that the centuries old cultural and people to people ties between Nepal and India should be further strengthened and mutual goodwill and harmony should be established. 

Likewise, Consul General Devi Sahai Meena recalled the remarkable contributions made by Nepal in the Indian Independence Movement. 

He said India was committed to further strengthening the cultural ties between Nepal and India.