Safe and reliable transport arrangements shall be made for upcoming festivals, says PM Oli

Kathmandu, Oct 1: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said that safe and reliable transport arrangements shall be made in coordination with the concerned private sector entrepreneurs to make travel easy and accessible during the upcoming festivals.     

"Strategic roads across the country blocked by floods and landslides will be operated as soon as possible", he said at a press conference held at the Office of the Prime Minister in Singha Durbar earlier today.     

He also said that market monitoring and regulation will be made effective in coordination with the private sector to control artificial shortage, price hike and black-marketing of essential goods that may take place post-disaster and in the lead up to the upcoming festivals.     

The government has mobilized on-site teams including employees of relevant ministries in the districts most affected by the disaster under the leadership of the Joint Secretary to make the necessary coordination and facilitation with the provinces, local levels and related parties effective in matters such as relief and rescue for disaster-affected households.     

Prime Minister Oli said that the preliminary calculation of the damage caused to human life and public and private property will be completed within a month and necessary work will be done in coordination with the provincial and local levels to bring normalcy to the people's lives. "Reconstruction and rehabilitation of the damaged structure is being done to operate the telephone and electricity services which have been interrupted in various places", he said, "This work will be completed with highest priority."     

He also called upon all the government and private sectors to help in rescue and relief work in the post-disaster situation of the country. "I look forward to the cooperation of all political parties, all three levels of government, private sector, development partners, non-government and community-based organizations, volunteers and citizens towards that end," Oli said.     

Following a detail assessment of the damage caused by the disaster and action plan of reconstruction and recovery will be formulated immediately and implemented in coordination and collaboration among the three levels of government.     

Prime Minister Oli said that priority will be given to re-operation of power plants whose hydropower production has been interrupted. The structures of the damaged power transmission line will be replaced through Emergency Restoration Towers.     

The Prime Minister said that arrangements have been made for the free treatment of the people injured in the disaster and necessary preparations have been made for the prevention and control of possible diseases that may spread following the disaster.     

In addition, for this purpose, preparations have been made to conduct health camps in the affected areas in collaboration with the provincial and local levels. The water supply system will be restored through immediate maintenance of the water supply structures blocked and damaged by floods and landslides.     

During the press meet, Prime Minister Oli also expressed his gratitude to all the civil servants, security personnel, health workers, volunteers, general public and the media workers who played their respective part in responding to the disaster.(RSS)