KATHMANDU, June 19: In view of possible disasters during the monsoon, the government has directed the provincial, local governments and Nepal Army to remain on alert and undertake all the necessary measures to minimize possible loss of life and property.
Prime Minister KP Oli, in his capacity as chairman of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management National Council, summoned chief ministers of all the seven provinces and representatives of all three security agencies at his office on Monday and directed them to activate necessary mechanism at provincial and district levels to prevent possible loss of life and property due to disasters like floods and landslides during the monsoon. Chief ministers of the provinces and chief of Nepal Army are the members of the council.
Prime Minister Oli directed chief ministers of the provinces to coordinate with the authorities concerned at all three levels to ensure supply of essential goods, equipment, boats and medicines required for supporting immediate rescue and relief operations in the event of possible water-induced disasters.
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The council, which was also attended by various ministers, also directed Nepal Army rescue teams to remain on standby with choppers at Itahari of Province 1, Pokhara of Province 4 and Surkhet of Karnali Province to tackle monsoon disasters.
Similarly, Prime Minister Oli also directed the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transportation to deploy necessary heavy equipment and manpower at strategic junctures along the major highways to remove road blockages caused by landslides.
As of now, even though the provincial governments have been formed, the province-level disaster management committees have yet to be given full shape. Internal affairs and law minister of the provinces lead the provincial disaster management committees. Similarly, at the local level, mayor of the local units head the local-level disaster management committees, which also have yet to get full shape. The first meeting of the council asked the chief ministers to immediately give full shape to the committees at provincial and local levels and provide them necessary resources.
Likewise, the council has asked the bodies concerned to immediately expedite the task of relocating settlements that are at high risk of landslide and floods during the monsoon season.
According to the National Emergency Operation Center, floods, landslides and incessant rainfall claimed 258 lives and left another 132 people injured last year.
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