KATHMANDU: Prime Minister Balendra Shah has said that disaster management efforts are underway with high priority through mutual coordination among the federal, provincial, and local governments.

Addressing the 21st meeting of the National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management today at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singhadurbar, the Prime Minister made it clear that the government remains continuously engaged in disaster management without making any compromise.

In the meeting, which was also attended by Chief Ministers of Gandaki, Bagmati, Madhesh and Koshi provinces, the PM Shah said the government would be concluding the disaster management with the mobilisation of available means and resources as early as possible. “I urge you to be confident of the government response.”

According to the Prime Minister, the government is fully engaged in managing the post- disaster situation, including assessing the loss and damage caused by floods and landslides in the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system and in the Gandaki, as well as other areas.
Premier Shah also added that the government is taking steps to further strengthen and systematize an early warning system for disaster risk reduction. He added that the government is undertaking necessary measures to mitigate the risk of avalanches.

He also expressed his gratitude to all those government employees, security forces, volunteers and representatives of political parties who engaged in post-disaster response, risking own lives.

At the meeting, Nepali Congress (NC) Parliamentary Party leader Vishmaraj Angdembey, demanded an amendment to law to officially declare those remained missing in disasters as dead or give a similar status to them.

Underlining the need of collective efforts during a time of disasters, he said the party is always ready to lending hands in relief and rescue and other support initiatives.

“Four hundred and six houses have been completely damaged and 736 houses partially damaged, 26 kilometers of road have been blocked, and roads and bridges have been damaged at 136 locations due to the floods,” he said.

Chief Minister Pandey informed that the floods have damaged roads like the Mid-Hill Highway, the Siddhartha Highway under the Kaligandaki corridor and the Dumre-Besisahar-Chame road.

It is estimated that it will cost about Rs 350 million immediately for road repairs and Rs 3 billion 870 million for bridge repairs. Also, he mentioned that the local reconstruction costs for roads and bridges are expected to exceed Rs 8 billion 370 million.

Koshi Province Chief Minister Hikmat Bahadur Karki said that 47 glacial lakes on the Nepal side are at high risk of bursting, and 42 of them are in the Koshi river basin, emphasizing the need to make the early warning system more effective.

“The Koshi Province government is weak in disaster management; our capacity alone is not enough, we need additional support in manpower and equipment,” he added.

Madhes Province Chief Minister Krishna Prasad Yadav pointed out that there is a big problem with drinking water in the Tarai-Madhes and emphasized that it needs to be managed as soon as possible. “The groundwater level in Tarai-Madhes is receding right now, and there will be more problems after Tihar, so support from the central government is necessary,” he said.

Bagmati Province’s Chief Minister Kiran Thapa Magar said that since August 26, the provincial government has been working in flood-affected areas in coordination with the federal and local governments.

According to him, preparations are underway to invite bids for setting up five suspension bridges and two cable bridges in the flood-affected areas of Rasuwa.

Similarly, he suggested that it might be possible to manage the land in the community forest at Lamidanda in Rammandir, Ward 2 of Bidur Municipality, for the benefit of those affected by the flood.

“In Lamidanda, there is a 1,185-ropani community forest and about 400 ropani of private land; and this land can be used for the safe resettlement of the flood-affected people through ‘land pooling’,” he said.