Once-over

Evacuation order

NEPALGUNJ: The Banke District Administration Office on Sunday issued an order to the Maoists and others concerned to vacate seized government and private buildings within three days. The notice has warned of legal action against anyone failing to comply with the order within the deadline. Earlier, on June 13, a meeting of the Peace Treaty Monitoring Committee, including the Maoists, had decided to urge land owners to claim ownership of the seized property and report to the local administration in case of any problem. — HNS

Blast at teashop

BIRGUNJ: An unidentified group of men on Saturday night detonated a socket bomb at a teashop in Kalaiya, the district headquarters of Bara, the Bara district police office said. The shutter of the Devakilal Dharmashala where the teashop is located was slightly damaged in the blast, police said, adding that there were no casualties. The site is 200 metres away from the Bara DPO. — HNS

Two drown

KAPILVASTU: Two members of a family, who had gone to fetch clay to daub their house, drowned in the Juneli pond at Gotihawa VDC of Kapilvastu on Saturday. The dead have been identified as Mira Kori, 19, and her husband’s younger brother, Tailu Kori, 11, of Babani village in Gotihawa VDC, said police . They slipped and fell into the pond while they were scooping up clay. — HNS

ULF ousts Mainali

KATHMANDU: The United Left Front Nepal has removed CP Mainali from his post as the party’s president and appointed general secretary of the CPN (MLM Centre) Nanda Kumar Prasai in his place. It has also appointed member of the CPN (United) central working committee, Kalpana Rana, the party’s secretary. A press meet was told that a meeting on Sunday of the party took the decision to this effect as Mainali had worked in “violation of the principles and policies of the party and jeopardized the organisation by fostering factionalism.” — RSS

Awareness stressed

Kathmandu: Increased awareness among teenagers about the adverse effects of drug abuse is vital to curb the malady, speakers at an interaction on ‘Role of Cine artists in the Control of Drug Abuse’ said on Sunday. “Cine stars are one of the best mediums to enlighten the youths about harmful effects of drug abuse,” said Chandeshwor Acharya, joint secretary at the Home Ministry. — HNS

Aussie missing

POKHARA: A 24-year-old Australian national, Shiva Pragasan Lasidhran, has gone missing in Phewa Lake since Saturday. He was staying in a hotel near Lakeside since June 15. Meanwhile, a body of a youth aged 32 was found on the bank of Seti River in Ramghat of Pokhara, police said. — HNS

SC quashes plea

KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court on Sunday refused to issue a stay order as demanded by former director general of the Water Supply and Sanitation Department, Ishworman Tamrakar. Tamrakar had moved the court, challenging the decision made by Minister of Physical Planning and Works Hisila Yami to give him retirement. — HNS

Call to meet demand

KATHMANDU: The Jana Andolan-II Victims’ Committee on Sunday appealed to the government to meet its six-point demand. Durgadutta Ojha of the committee urged the government to categorise the victims. — HNS