PM Deuba directs immediate rescue, relief and rehabilitation operation

Kathmandu: Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba has directed the concerned authorities to work for the rescue, relief distribution and rehabilitation of those displaced by the recent series of landslides, floods and inundation.

Addressing the 8th meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management here today, Prime Minister Deuba, also the chairperson of the Council, directed the Ministry of Finance to make sure disaster management operations would not face a budget crunch.

The Ministry of Finance representatives during the meeting assured that there will not be any budget crisis for disaster management. The meeting was attended by the federal ministers, chief ministers of various provinces, secretaries of government agencies and security officials.

The meeting decided to expedite search and rescue, relief and rehabilitation drive, according to Anil Pokharel, Chief of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority.

Pokharel, also member-secretary of Council, shared that the Prime Minister instructed the concerned ones to take up field visits for search, rescue, relief distribution and rehabilitation drive as rain-trigged flood, landslides and inundation wreaked havoc in many parts of the country, mainly the far western region of the country.

PM Deuba also shared that he will make field visits for himself to disaster-hit areas, according to Pokharel. A separate fund will be initiated to resume road connectivity, power supply and communication mediums obstructed in the recent disasters, he said.

Decisions include providing compensation to the farmers whose crops were destroyed in the disasters after assessing details of the preliminary loss, he said.

The Ministry of Agriculture has been tasked to collect and assess the details of the loss. The meeting decided to use private helicopters for rescue efforts as only helicopters of the Nepal Army were not enough for the same, said Pokharel.

The displaced people have been evacuated into public places and school buildings. Food would be made available to the victims. The process to provide Rs 50,000 in immediate relief for constructing makeshift shelters has been initiated. Work to clear off the debris at obstructed highways in various 15 districts is underway.

The meeting discussed the issue of raising voices on the impacts of climate change extensively in the international forum. According to the latest details, 52 people have been killed and over 30 others are missing in the disasters in various 19 districts.