Expedite Disaster Relief

Every year, our country suffers from severe monsoon catastrophes that cause loss of lives and destruction of properties. Only good preparedness can provide proper and prompt response to the affected people which involves search, rescue, rehabilitation and relief assistance. If the disaster response fails to reach the affected people in a speedy manner, the scale of losses and damage climbs higher. Slow speed to action can lead to deaths and damages that could be minimised with prompt response. The sad part is that things tend to get delayed due to bureaucratic formalities. As a result, sometimes the urgent help comes when it is too late. Therefore, it is important to make sure that disaster related actions do not get stuck in procedural red tape and hassles. Timely search and rescue can save precious lives. This required trained manpower and reliable logistics. The rescued victims need to be relocated to safer places. They might need urgent medical attention which requires well equipped medical staff and medicines. Those who are critically injured may need to be airlifted to a good health institution. 

Remote location, adverse weather conditions, damaged roads and bridges make rescue and rehabilitation operations difficult. The disaster response teams need to be well prepared and trained to work in such challenging situations. The government can distribute cash relief to the disaster victims only after receiving the recommendation from the district-based disaster management committee led by the Chief District Officer on behalf of the beneficiaries. This process may take time and can result in delayed relief aid. In this regard, the first hand report of the personnel involved in the rescue and rehabilitation should be considered as proof of relief deserving beneficiaries. It is also important to make emergency supply of food, clean water, blankets, clothes and tents to the victims. Community buildings can be used for safe relocation of victims. The local and provincial governments can invest to build such disaster rescue centres.

It is reported in this daily that as of July 8, the federal government has disbursed only Rs. two million in financial aid to the rain disaster victims, according to the National Disaster and Risk Reduction Management Authority (NDRRMA). There is an urgent need to provide relief assistance to 64 districts currently impacted by monsoon-triggered landslides and floods. Due to neglect and inefficiency of relief recommendation committees, even victims of previous year's disasters have not yet received their cash assistance. The government's adoption of a one-door system for relief distribution, including cash, has resulted in a lengthy process. Multiple layers of bureaucracy have to be passed before the desired relief assistance reaches the affected households. An estimated 1.25 million people are projected to be affected by monsoon disasters this year, with 418,060 individuals urgently needing humanitarian assistance, including food. 

Despite the availability of the disaster fund of Rs. 6.31 billion, the assistance disbursed so far is too small while early monsoon rains have caused widespread devastations in the eastern districts of Taplejung, Panchthar and Sankhuwasabha.  The first month of monsoon is nearing end and about three months of the season remain. So far, 34 lives have been lost and 25 others are missing. Immediate action is needed for rescue, relief and rehabilitation. Procedural hassles should never hamper the prompt disaster response. Collaborative efforts between different levels of government, disaster management committees, and stakeholders are crucial to overcome bureaucratic hurdles and ensure efficient resource allocation. Fund utilisation must be transparent. To avoid mismanagement and guarantee that prompt assistance reaches the intended beneficiaries, accountability systems are required.