Govt working actively for shelters, assistance to disaster survivors: Minister Gurung

Kathmandu, Oct 6: Minister for Communications and Information Technology Prithvi Subba Gurung asserted that the government was working actively and sensitively for the post-disaster management.     

Making public the 21-point decisions made by the Cabinet meeting of October 4, Minister Gurung, also the Spokesperson of the government, reaffirmed the government's commitment to effectively cope with aftermath of disaster.     

In a press meet at his office on Sunday, the Minister mentioned the government had emphasized arrangement of accommodation and other essential assistances to those rendered homeless in the recent rain-triggered disasters in the country.     

It may be noted that the torrential rainfall on September 27-28 claimed lives of more than 200 people. The landslides, floods and inundations triggered by the nonstop rains also took a huge toll on physical infrastructures and livestock.     

Assessing the scale of damages and destructions in the wake of the disasters, the government decided to declare various disaster-affected local levels of 12 districts as disaster crisis zone for three months, according to Gurung.     

It is believed that declaration would facilitate effective distribution of relief materials, reconstruction and rehabilitation process.     

Similarly, the meeting made several decisions, including endorsement of Hydrology and Meteorology Policy-2081 BS, of recommendation for temporary appointment of 28 officer-level posts under the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies and 21 similar posts under the Ministry of Home Affairs for the ongoing fiscal year 2024/25.     

Gurung announced government's approval for acquisition of some 7 ropanis of land for the Nepal Electricity Authority's sub-distribution centre in Ramechhap district.     

The Butwal Sub-Metropolitan City has been granted a permission to use three hectares of forest land to build the Ujirsing Stadium. Additionally, the government allowed the use of six ropanis of national forest land for the construction of a building for the Ajirkot Village Executive Office in Gorkha district, he said.     

Similarly, the Spokesperson informed that the government decided to appoint Judge Dhruba Raj Nanda of the High Court in Biratnagar as the legal member and Chairperson of the Revenue Tribunal Biratnagar.     

Justice Subhas Poudel of the High Court in Tulsipur has been appointed the legal member and Chairperson of the Revenue Tribunal Nepalgunj and Justice Gokarna Dangi of High Court in Dipayal as the Chairperson of the Foreign Employment Tribunal.     

Prof Dr Thakur Prasad Duwadi has been nominated as the Chairperson of the Singha Durbar Baidhyakhana Development Committee.     

Furthermore, the Minister shared that the Cabinet meeting's decision including granting pre-approval to the Ministry of Home Affairs for organization and management survey.     

According to Minister Gurung, the meeting permitted the delegation of the National Planning Commission participating in a programme in Thailand from October 8-10.     

The government also gave a go-ahead to the delegation led by the State Minister for Forest and Environment to attend a ministerial level programme on climate finance to be held in Azerbaijan from October 9 to 11.     

The meeting issued permission to the delegation led by the Minister for Health and Population to take part in an event in New Delhi in India from October 7-9.     

The Foreign Employment (sixth amendment) Regulation 2081 BS was approved by the meeting. The approval in principle was also given to devise a bill on the Applied Science Technology and Innovation Fund.     

As per the Cabinet decision's, a new guideline regarding personal items that passengers could take along during their flight will be put in place soon.(RSS)