KATHMANDU: Metropolitan Police Range has declined to file a complaint made by the wife of journalist Rabi Lamichhane saying that they are unable to lodge the case in Kathmandu as it is currently under the purview of Chitwan Police.

Lamichhanewife Nikita Poudel today went to the Range with the complaint that the video — recorded by journalist Shalikram Pudasaini before his death and used as evidence to arrest Lamichhane along with two others — has been tampered with.

However, her complaint was not registered at the Range.

According to Metropolitan Police Range, the complaint could not be lodged with them because all the investigations regarding the case are being carried out in Chitwan. Poudel was advised to go there with her complaint.

Chitwan District Court had extended the remand of television host Lamichhane, Yuvraj Kandel and Asmita Karki (Ruku) by five more days after their previous remand expired yesterday. The three had been taken under police custody on August 15 in connection to the suspicious death of journalist Shalikram Pudasaini.

Pudasaini, associated with Mountain Television, was found hanging in a local hotel in Chitwan district on August 5. A video footage recorded by Pudasaini on his mobile phone accuses Lamichhane, Kandel and Karki for his death, which appeared to be a suicide.

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KATHMANDU: As many as nine children have been rescued from Namuna Pragatisheel Mahila Samaj in Baafal where they had been kept without any accountability.

A joint team from Children Search Coordination Centre and National Child Rights Council, on Wednesday, found the children at the organisation in Baafal area of Nagarjun Municipality-4 where they appeared to have been kept without any legal provision, according to Mohan Bikram Dahal, Inspector at the Children Search Coordination Centre, Bhrikutimandap.

Dahal stated that out of the nine children, five are girls and four are boys. The children are mostly from the western part of the country.

It has been learnt that they were kept inside the building of the organisation — the legal status of which is unclear — in substandard conditions. Local police have reached the site to take charge of the situation and carry out further investigation.

The children will now be taken for medical check-up and counselling, further informed Dahal.

It is unclear as to how and for what reason the children were brought there. Moreover, the record of the organisation shows that there are 15 children under their care but only nine were found during the intervention.

Whereabouts of six other children are still unknown. Search is going on to find them.

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Kathmandu, August 20

As many as 43 representatives of 13 metropolitan cities from six countries will be participating in Indra Jatra this year, in a bidto promote Visit Nepal-2020 campaign.

Kathmandu Metropolitan City, today, confirmed that mayors and officials of various metropolitan cities from countries including the USA, China, India, Japan, Bangladesh and Bhutan will be joining the eight-day festival. KMC has established sisterly relation with all the municipalities that will join the jatra, which will be organised at Basantapur, a World Heritage Site, on September 13. The guests will arrive in Nepal on September 12 and will return on September 16. KMC had started sending invitations to sisterly metropolitan cities before seven months.

KMC Mayor Bidhya Sundar Shakya said the event would strengthen relationship with other cities and help to promote culture and festivals in the world. Indra Jatra is annually celebrated with much fanfare by worshipping Lord Indra, the Hindu God of rain.

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Of 2,000 microbiology graduates, many have been denied licence to practice

Kathmandu, August 20

Stating that licensing procedure was discriminatory, microbiology graduates and students have urged the Nepal Health Professional Council to issue licences to all graduates. The council issues licences only to those who graduated from medical colleges.

The council does not issue licences to microbiology students who graduate from the Central Department of Tribhuvan University and Institute of Science and Technology, to work in health sector. The university has been running microbiology programme for the last 30 years. But the graduates have not been issued licences. There are about 2,000 microbiologists in the country and many are deprived of licenses.Graduates who formed Microbiologist Struggle committee (including current students), have demanded to immediately re-open name registration in the council which was halted by the NHPC in 2011.

The NHPC had issued temporary licences to 116 microbiologistsat that time. The National Public Health Laboratory, in its letter to NHPC in 2011 had asked it not to halt issuing licences. But the procedure was halted following a writ petition filed in the Supreme Court.The students and graduates have demanded that permission be given to graduates to teach microbiology in different levels of various educational institutions. The NHPC has also made it mandatory to hold a licence for teaching programmes like MBBS, BDS, Health Assistant, Pharmacy and Public Health. They have also demanded to formulate public health microbiology guidelines and establish a microbiology council and a microbiology research centre, besides including microbiology programme at schools. &We have been teaching students as per the guidelines of the NHPC. We have also submitted Rs 80,000 along with an application to the NHPC for inspection visits, but no one came for inspection,& said Megha Raj Banjara, Head of Department, Central Department of Microbiology at TU. The students have also asked the NHPC to take initiative for compulsory hiring of microbiologists in various food and beverages companies. Microbiologists are able to conduct diagnosis tests, identify cause of infectious diseases, suggest measures for disease control and are also capable of teaching at universities and guide research students. There is no point in barring students from acquiring licences, said Bhupendra Lama, member of the struggle committee.The council has been issuing licences to those studying in medical institutions but hasn&t issued licences to those studying in the university.

It also awards licences to those who have acquired equivalence certificates from the Tribhuvan University after completing their studies at universities in India, Bangladesh and other countries, in the faculty of science and technology, said Lama. Microbiologists have in-depth knowledge on public health, food and agriculture. Microbiologists are important as they help in monitoring anti-microbial resistance, multi-drug resistance, infectious disease detection, prevention and control.

Microbiologists also doresearch on drinking water and food contamination. They can work as scientists in production of antibiotics, antibody, steroids, vaccines and hormone, said Banjara.

&Curriculum should be approved before running the course. As the Central Department, TU has failed to do so, we can&t issue licences to its students,& said Ram Prasad Bhandari, chairman of NHPC, adding that NHPC is set to hold a dialogue with the Central Department, TU regarding the issue.

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