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Economic crisis has had its impact on Parsa's economy as it forced the closure of 177 industries last fiscal 2079-80 BS (2022/23), according to the Cottage and Small Industry Office, Parsa. The figure is an increase as compared to 152 industries shut in the previous year 2021/22.

Lack of loans from banks and financial institutions and capital is to blame for the situation, said office chief Dhananjaya Kumar Singh. In the FY, 2022/23, the office got the registration of 1,089 new industries, and 1,480 in the FY, 202/22.

Similarly, 1,275 industries were renewed in the FY, 2022/23. In the FY, over Rs 10 million in revenue was collected from the industries. Similarly, 4,460 people got employed at the industries, said Singh.

The selling and consumption of tobacco products have been banned in Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) from today.

KMC, Health Department Chief Ram Prasad Poudel, said a complete ban has been imposed on the sale of tobacco products in all the 32 wards of the metropolis.

According to him, the selling, storage and consumption of tobacco products packed in plastics have been completely prohibited within KMC from today.

The banned tobacco products include raw tobacco, chewing tobacco, bidi, tambakhu, sulpha, gutkha, panparag, packaged in plastic pouches.

The KMC had on November 28 issued a public notice about this ban.

The KMC Police will seize such products if found selling them. "We are on a campaign of making Kathmandu a healthy city. We have decided to ban the storage, selling and consumption of tobacco products harmful to people's health and the environment, coinciding with the 29th KMC Day," said the KMC Health Department Chief Poudel.

He said this provision is included in Clause 42 of the Public Health Act the KMC issued in 2080 BS. The provision in the Act is being strictly implemented in a bid to reduce the adverse effects the use of tobacco products is having on individual health.

Tobacco control is the first condition for improving the public health and environment in the city. 

It has been learnt that the KMC is preparing to implement a program to control hukka in the second phase.

The political parties have been urged to be more sensitive regarding the issues of the sexual and gender minority community.

Speakers at a program organized by the Blue Diamond Society here on Tuesday complained that the LGBTIQ people have been deprived of their fundamental rights due to the delay in making the laws.

Lawmaker and Rastriya Swatantra Party leader Sobita Gautam called on all the political parties to be sensitive for providing the civil rights stipulated in the constitution. She said there should not be politicization in the Parliament, the law-making body, on the issue of endorsing the bill related to gender inclusion.

National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) member Lily Thapa stressed on ending all forms of discrimination for ensuring social justice, equality and human rights in society.

Under-Secretary at the Ministry of Women, Children and Senior Citizens, Ramhari Gaire informed the program that the Ministry has recognized its responsibility for making laws and was working to that end by formulating the annual action plan.

Society president Pinky Gurung complained that the state was not serious regarding implementation of laws drafted for the identity and rights of the LGBTIQ community.

Police on Tuesday afternoon opened fire to take an alleged drug peddler under control at Thadodhunga in Jhamsikhel of Lalitpur.

SP Rabindra Regmi who is also the spokesperson of the Valley Crime Investigation Office said that Abhinas Rai (45) was shot and taken under control after he tried to attack the police personnel at around 1 pm today.

Rai, who sustained injuries on his right leg, is undergoing treatment at the Trauma Center, he said.

Police said that they have recovered a pistol, two rounds of its bullets and drugs from his possession.

Further investigation into the incident is underway, said police.