Govt forms special taskforce to assess losses caused by rain-induced disasters

KATHMANDU: The government has decided to collect the details of losses caused by rain-induced disasters across the country within the next 15 days by forming a special task force.

The decision aims to assess the losses and ensure compensation to the affected people on time. Flooding and landslides caused by incessant rains on September 27-28 resulted in 192 deaths, 30 missing, and 194 injuries (as per the Home Minister’s latest updates).

A meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction Executive Committee held today under the Chair of Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak formed the task force comprising under-secretaries from the Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, Health and Population, Physical Infrastructure and Transport, Agriculture and Livestock, Urban Development, Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation and Communications and Information Technology as well as experts from relevant areas.

As per the meeting decision, the relevant ministries will promptly commence reconstruction works of government and public buildings, transport infrastructures including roadways and bridges, in the drinking water sector, at schools and health institutions.

The meeting recommended that the Council of Ministers endorse the Disaster Sensitive Social Security Guidelines, 2081 BS. The Committee will seek the submission of the Law Ministry to this regard and propose the Council of Ministers to endorse it in accordance with Clause 39 of   Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act-2047 BS.

The Committee has planned to identify potential beneficiaries and grant assistance (first installment) for building temporary shelters within a week as per the Temporary Shelter Guideline-2081 BS.

The meeting decided that the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport Management is required to work instantly to restore the disrupted roadways so that the stranded passengers can reach their destination.

The concerned bodies will undertake managerial duties through a fast track to resume transport, and drinking water services among others amidst adversities caused by the flooding and landslides.

The process of distributing relief to those affected by weather-related disasters will be started immediately from one-door policy and relief will be provided to the families of the deceased persons as per the ‘Disaster Rescue and Relief Standards, 2077’ according to the decision of the Council of Ministers on June 15.

The meeting thanked the volunteers for the post-disaster search, rescue, relief, and removal of boulders, mud among other debris piled up by the flood. For restoration and reconstruction, the local level has established the Disaster Management Volunteer Bureau. And according to the mobilisation procedure, 2078, national, province, district and municipality volunteer bureaus have been instructed to actively mobilise volunteers.

The Provincial Disaster Management Executive Committee and the Local Disaster Management Committee of the disaster-affected provinces have requested for post-disaster search and rescue, relief, treatment, rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery activities as per the responsibilities prescribed by the Act.

The Communication Strategy for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, 2081 will be approved with amendments within one week after taking opinions from the members of the committee.

The process of amending the Emergency Warehouse Operation Procedure, 2081 will also be carried forward.

After assessing the epidemic that might spread after the disaster, the Ministry of Health and Population will conduct programmes such as public awareness and health camps in potentially risky areas to prevent the spread of epidemic diseases.

Disaster-affected Private Housing Retrofitting, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Subsidy Procedure, 2081 will be amended and submitted to the Council of Ministers for necessary decisions.