Kathmandu, September 1
Bagmati Province Chief Minister Kiran Thapa has said that the immediate priority following the devastating floods in Rasuwa is to rescue affected people and distribute relief assistance.
Addressing an all-party meeting chaired by Rasuwa Chief District Officer Narendra Pariyar, Chief Minister Thapa said the scale of destruction caused by the floods was unimaginable and that the entire government machinery had been mobilised effectively.
He said all concerned agencies had been strictly instructed to ensure there is no shortage of necessary manpower, equipment, food, medicines and other relief materials during this time of disaster.
The all-party meeting also made several important decisions to make rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts in flood-affected areas more prompt, systematic and effective.
What decisions did the meeting make?
Infrastructure repair and resumption of transport: Roads and other infrastructure damaged by the floods will be repaired immediately to resume transportation services. Necessary resources will be mobilised through coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments.
Relief distribution at the ward level: Relief materials will be collected from federal government offices, properly managed through the provincial government, and distributed directly to the ward level in coordination with local governments.
Local governments to manage bodies: Security agencies will be mobilised to identify and manage the bodies of those who died in the floods. The concerned local governments will be responsible for arranging the necessary locations and other logistical aspects of body management.
Long-term reconstruction and preparedness: Along with the immediate repair of damaged roads and bridges, concerned agencies will prioritise long-term reconstruction. Security and preparedness measures will also be strengthened to prevent further damage in potentially high-risk areas.
