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A security guard was found dead at the under construction building of the Pashupati Area Development Trust on Tuesday. A staffer of the PADT found Dhan Bahadur Rana hanging while cleaning the premises of the office. Police reached the incident site after the staffer informed the Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala. The PADT said that Rana was recently transferred to the security department from the garden section. DSP Sanjeeb Babu Khadka said that the body has been sent to the Maharajgunj-based Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH) for post-mortem. Police said that they are looking into the case.  

On the occasion of World Environment Day, Annapurna Media Network (AMN) organized an electric vehicle rally in Kathmandu on Monday. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Shakti Bahadur Basnet, and Captain Rameshwar Thapa, Chairman of AMN, jointly flagged off the 'Nexon EV AMN EV Rally 2023 in association with Tesla' from Annapurna Tower in Tinkune. Although 200 EVs, including two-wheelers and three-wheelers, participated in the rally organized with the slogan 'We Believe in Action'. During the rally, the participants emphasized the importance of collective participation in the journey towards a sustainable future. The event was supported by TheeGo, World Wildlife Fund-Nepal, Save the Children, and Pan-C Bikes. Additionally, Garden Restaurant served as the food partner, Fruit Agro as the beverage partner, Foodmandu as the online food delivery partner, and Simrik Foundation as the synergy partner for the event. The rally that started from Tinkune progressed through Gaushala, Chabahil, Balaju, Naya Bazaar, Sorhakhutte, Durbar Marg, Gyaneshwar and Gaushala before concluding at Tinkune. All must act to protect environment: Minister Basnet Minister Basnet commended the Annapurna Media Group for organizing the rally. "This event teaches how every person and organization should take the initiative to face the challenges effectively," he added. Highlighting the impact of environmental pollution on human life, Minister Basnet expressed the difficulty in preserving the interdependent relationship between nature and humanity. "If we do not take initiatives in proportion to the extent to which the problems in people's daily life are expanding, then a great imbalance will arise," he warned. Minister Basnet reiterated his confidence that the rally would play a significant role in promoting environmental protection and creating a healthier environment. He said that this campaign was not only relevant but also necessary to address the pressing environmental concerns of our time. Minister Basnet highlighted the role of electric vehicles in reducing air pollution and safeguarding the green environment.  "The use of electric vehicles instead of petroleum vehicles will make a positive contribution by reducing harmful emissions," he said, adding that the government has taken a policy of promoting electric vehicles. During the event, AMN Chairman Captain Rameshwar Thapa highlighted the use of electric vehicles as a positive practice and called on the society, the government, and everyone to act. Thapa said he joined the campaign to protect the environment and that he believed in taking action. Stating that he has closely witnessed the impact of climate change on the mountains, Thapa expressed concern about the melting snow and its risks for humanity. "It is the responsibility of everyone to reduce the impacts of climate change. We, at AMN, consider it our duty to promote positive awareness. The EV rally is a part of our efforts," he added. Meanwhile, Shyam Kaji Maharjan has won an electric bicycle as a door prize of the event.    

Structures in Bandipur Rural Municipality-1, Dumre of Tanahun are being demolished as part of the Prithvi Highway expansion drive. A drive has begun to demolish houses and huts that were constructed within the road section. According to engineer of Muglin-Pokhara Road Project (Eastern Section) Bishnu Pandey, five houses of Dumre Bazaar – the main commercial hub of Bandipur and entry point to Lamjung district – are being razed now. 'The drive is underway to remove structures built within the road territory. As of now, five houses have been razed', he said, adding, 'All the structures constructed within the road scope would be gradually demolished'. Most of the houses built long back in Dumre Bazaar were found within the road area. A plan was mooted to raze such structures by providing compensation. The eastern part includes Anbukhaireni rural municipality, Bandipur rural municipality and Byas municipality. Preparations are also being made to remove the structures built in Anbukhaireni and Byas. He further said that as many as 631 structures would be removed from the section. Compensation amounting to Rs 2.245 million would be distributed to the rightful owner. The Muglin-Pokhara Road Expansion Project has expedited its works in two sections. The eastern section from Anbukhaireni to Jamune has made 30 percent progress, the project sources said. Blacktopping has started in seven-kilometer section of Anbukhaireni. Project chief Narendra Subedi said that works have been expedited with a target to complete blacktopping of seven-kilometer in the current fiscal year. The expansion drive was initiated in the eastern section in April 2021 after contract signing for the same in January 2021. In the 41.45-km road section, three big and four small bridges would be constructed. The contract was awarded to China Communication Construction for the eastern section. The government this year has allocated a budget of Rs 5.42 million for the Muglin-Pokhara road expansion. The four-lane road is being constructed with the loan assistance of the Asian Development Bank. The contract of Rs 6 billion 231 million was signed for the eastern section while it was Rs 7 billion 44.6 million for the expansion of western section. The four-lane road section will have 20-25 meters on each side.  

The Melamchi Drinking Water Project has constructed a gate of the alternative system at the project site in Ambathan. According to the Melamchi Drinking Water Development Committee, the maintenance was carried out to ensure smooth supply of drinking water to Kathmandu even when there was rising water current and sometimes dirty water flow in the Melamchi River. Committee Spokesperson Rajendra Prasad Pant said that the sluice gate 1 of the project was being used to release water into the tunnel and gate 9 to fall water flow. 'Gate 9 checks dirty water flow to the tunnel'. The project remained closed for 10 days for undertaking maintenance of sluice gate under the alternative system. Though headwork was being used to flow the water into the tunnel, the alternative route has been used now for water release when the headwork saw technical glitches no sooner it was constructed. The water supply to the Kathmandu valley had resumed since Tuesday. Committee Spokesperson Pant further said that the gate was closed for maintenance and volume of water was increasingly released being aware of the potential risks. 'One-third of the water will be released in the beginning and then remaining two-third will be supplied. This is how the project is planning to supply water in full capacity', he said.