There Will Be No Dearth of Resources for Post-disaster Recovery: PM Shah

Prime Minister Balendra Shah has expressed the commitment that there would be no any shortage of resources for the recovery following the devastating floods in the Bhotekoshi river in Rasuwa and subsequently in the Trishuli river.

The PM expressed this commitment during a discussion with the representatives from flood-affected areas. The discussion was held at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Singha Durbar today.

On the occasion, Prime Minister Shah mentioned that the government is preparing to use the resources it has, as well as those provided by donor agencies, for the post-disaster restoration, according to Dipa Dahal, the Prime Minister’s Press and Research Expert.

He expressed his belief that today’s discussion with local representatives from the flood-affected areas would help boost their morale. During the discussion, Prime Minister Shah mentioned that he was happy to hear from the affected area’s representatives that coordination between the federal, provincial, and local levels happened immediately during the disaster.

“Earlier, we used to hear that there was no coordination between the federal, provincial, and local levels, but during this disaster, we stood together in one place and worked together,” he said to the people’s representatives during the meeting.

Prime Minister Shah said that the government is consistently working to restore the road network in the affected areas as quickly as possible. He also expressed the confidence that once the road network is operational, it will be easier for the affected areas to naturally return to their previous condition.

During the discussion, Prime Minister Shah mentioned that they have been raising the issue from the beginning that settlements in downstream areas are at risk. He said, just like the local representatives mentioned, it is now not possible to resettle communities in the flood-affected riverside areas of Rasuwa, and that the government has started preparing to settle people in nearby but safe locations instead.

“Employment needs and opportunities, access to education and healthcare services and cultural aspects of the affected people should be taken into consideration while rebuilding the settlement,” the Prime Minister said.

He went to stress that the affected citizens should continue to have access to all these facilities at the same level they had earlier. He also emphasized the need to protect arable land and ensure the scientific resettlement of the affected. He urged the local representatives to identify land which is suitable for the resettlement of the affected and recommend to the federal government.

The Prime Minister remarked that the meeting provided an opportunity to the federal government to realize the stock and scenario of the affected areas. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung, Minister for Infrastructure Development Sunil Lamsal, Nuwakot- 1 House of Representative member and Minister for Information and Communication, Dr Bikram Timilsina and another people’s representative from Nuwakot-2, Achyutam Lamichhane, were also present in the meeting.

The people’s representatives from local-levels were Rajan Shrestha (Mayor, Bidur Municipality), Jagat Bahadur Gurung (Mayor, Belkotgadhi Municipality), Birbal Tamang (Chairperson, Kispang Rural Municipality), and Shiva Adhikari (Chairperson, Tarkeshwor Rural Municipality) from Nuwakot; Madhav Prasad Aryal (Chairperson, Uttargaya Rural Municipality), Hari Krishna Devkota (Chairperson, Kalika Rural Municipality), and Buchung Tamang (Chairperson, Aamachhodingmo Rural Municipality) from Rasuwa. Additionally, the discussion included Kedarnath Khatiwada (Chairperson, Galchhi Rural Municipality), Parashuram Khatiwada (Chairperson, Siddhalek Rural Municipality), Ganesh Lal Shrestha (Chairperson, Gajuri Rural Municipality), and Krishna Bahadur Thapaliya ‘Bibek’ (Chairperson, Benighat Rorang Rural Municipality) from Dhading; Til Bahadur Thapa (Chairperson, Devghat Rural Municipality) and Shukra Chuman (Chairperson, Aabukhaireni Rural Municipality) from Tanahun; and Dipak Timilsina ‘Sakar’ (Chairperson, Gandaki Rural Municipality) from Gorkha. (RSS)