Kathmandu, September 10
Opposition parties represented in the House of Representatives have decided to urge the government to form a parliamentary special committee to make disaster management, relief, rescue, search and rehabilitation efforts more effective.
A meeting of the opposition parties held at the Nepali Congress Parliamentary Party office in Singha Durbar on Thursday decided to press the government to form the committee to monitor and inspect relief and rescue operations, provide additional recommendations and facilitate necessary measures through Parliament.
CPN-UML Parliamentary Party Deputy Leader Padma Aryal said the opposition parties would continue to raise the issue strongly in Parliament and draw the government’s attention to the need for such a committee.
“We had demanded the formation of a parliamentary special committee to assist the government in disaster-related work, including relief, rescue, search and rehabilitation, and to monitor, inspect and review the government’s efforts while also providing additional suggestions and contributing actively from our side,” Aryal said.
She said the opposition parties would continue pursuing their demand as the government had not yet formed such a committee.
The meeting also thanked the agencies and personnel involved in search and rescue operations so far. However, the opposition parties concluded that shortcomings had emerged due to inadequate consultation, coordination and preparedness during the initial stages of the disaster response, according to Aryal.
She said the government must immediately accelerate temporary rehabilitation efforts to prevent people affected by the disaster from losing patience.
Aryal said opposition parties were committed to working with the government by putting aside partisan political interests and agendas during the national disaster.
“In this hour of national disaster, the opposition parties are committed to setting aside partisan political interests and agendas and working hand in hand with the government,” she said.
