Kathmandu, June 18 Minister of Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa has directed the police chiefs of all seven provinces to step up vigilance against criminal activities in their respective areas, to maintain peace and security. He called the deputy inspector generals, who were recently transferred to various provinces, to his office at Singha Durbar today and instructed them to discharge their duties and responsibilities in a way that strengthens peace and security situation in the country and ensures good governance. Minister Thapa also told them to provide quick and effective service to people. “You should act in such a way that imparts people with a sense of security and makes them feel the presence of the government. While discharging your duties and responsibilities at workstation, you have to think that you are not  only an employee but also a citizen,” a press release issued by the MoHA quoted the home minister. He also directed them to act as per the nature of situation and problems. Minister Thapa also raised the issue of gold racketeers creating a new route for smuggling, and stressed the urgency to bring them to book. “It has been reported that there is a nexus between police and smugglers. So I urge you to closely observe the activities of your subordinates,” he told the DIGs. He directed the provincial police chiefs to control the activities of Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal, royalists and separatists. The DIGs recently transferred by the MoHA as provincial police chiefs include Thakur Prasad Gyawali (Province 1), Tarini Prasad Lamsal (Sudurpaschim Province), Purna Chandra Joshi (Karnali Province), Pradhymna Kumar Karki (Province 2), Binod Sharma Ghimire (Gandaki Province), Sher Bahadur Basnet (Province 3) and Suresh Bikram Shah (Province 5).