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The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has formed an expert-led panel to seek recommendations to bring reforms in the country’s public transportation system. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Narayan Kaji Shrestha formed the ‘study task force on vehicle pollution, road safety and road accident reduction’. Former secretary Sharad Chandra Paudel is the coordinator of the seven-member task force. The task force is assigned to prepare a report based on its study. Former Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Nepal Police Bigyan Raj Sharma, Prof Dr Padam Bahadur Shahi of Pulchowk Engineering Campus, public transport expert Madhu Sudan Acharya and engineer Bijay Gautam are the members in the task force. The task force shall have a representative from the public transport entrepreneur. Director General of Transport Management Department Dr Tokraj Pandey is the member-secretary of the task force, the Ministry stated issuing a press statement.  

Shree Panchami also known as Basanta Panchami is being celebrated today across the country by worshiping Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, wisdom, learning, art, music and culture. The day is very special for students and new learners. Students take an early bath, observe the mass Saraswati Puja in schools, visit temples and listen to Basanta Shrawan. Many educational institutions arrange special prayers or pujas in the morning to seek blessings of the goddess. Poetic and musical gatherings are held in some communities in reverence of Saraswati. Many families mark this day by sitting with young children, encouraging them to write their first words with their fingers, while some just study or create music together. Goddess Saraswati is worshiped with various names such as Bharati, Sharada, Jagatmata, Bageshwari, Kaumari, Baradayani and Kamdhenu. People from Hindu and Sikh communities, mainly in Nepal and eastern India, observe this festival. It is believed that the festival marks the beginning of the spring season. Meanwhile, the Basanta Shrawan ritual is to be organized at Nasalchowk of Hanumandhoka in the capital at 10.47 am on Thursday. According to the Nepal Panchanga Nirnayak Bikas Samiti (Calendar Determination Committee), the ritual event is to be held at Nasalchowk at the auspicious time of 10.47 am this morning. President Bidya Devi Bhandari is scheduled to attend the Basanta Shrawan ritual, Chief of Hanumandhoka Palace Management and Conservation Committee, Sandeep Khanal. Also present on the occasion would be the Vice-President, Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, Ministers, members of parliament, constitutional bodies chiefs and members and province assembly members, among others. All necessary preparations for the event has been completed, the office said.

Police have arrested a man in possession of 35.5 kg hashish. The detainee has been identified as Bir Bahadur Tamang (32) of Gajuri-8, Dhading. A team deployed from the Metropolitan Police Circle, Koteshwor nabbed Tamang acting on a tip-off. The market price of the seized hashish is Rs 862, 500, DSP Yogendra Kumar Khadka said.  

Six people, who were killed in the Pokhara plane crash on January 15, are yet to be identified. Their identity would be established through the DNA test, said the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital. The TU Teaching Hospital said that the identity of six of the 48 dead people brought to the hospital for the postmortem are yet to be established. Identity of 42 dead people has been ascertained through forensic reports and fingerprints, said the Hospital’s forensic expert Dr Tulasi Kandel. “There were difficulties in ascertaining the identity of six people through forensic reports and fingerprints as their bodies were excessively burnt. So, we have started the process to identify them through their DNA test,” he said. DNA tests would be carried out in the Nepal Police Laboratory. The process of collecting DNA samples of the deceased and their relatives is underway, he said, adding that it takes at least 22 days to ascertain the identity of them. On January 15, an aircraft of the Yeti Airlines flying to Pokhara from Kathmandu crashed into the Seti gorge in Pokhara, killing all 72 people onboard the plane including four crew members. Bodies of 22 people killed in the crash were taken to Pokhara for the examination.