Govt committed to post-disaster reconstruction: Minister Yadav

By Kedar Timalsina,Banepa, Dec. 19: Minister for Water Supply, Pradeep Yadav, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the reconstruction of areas affected by floods and landslides that occurred in the last week of September.

Speaking at the inauguration of a workshop on ‘Lessons Learned and Future Plans for Disaster Management,’ organised by the District Disaster Management Committee here on Wednesday, Minister Yadav highlighted the government’s serious approach towards reconstruction efforts.

Minister Yadav stated that during the flood and landslide incidents, the government had utilised all available resources for search and rescue operations. 

He also assured that reconstruction activities would be expedited. “Questions have arisen about where the government is in terms of reconstruction. Accurate data and police reports are required for the process. Data collection at the federal, provincial and local levels has been completed,” he said. 

“The Ministry of Home Affairs has drafted a working procedure and submitted it to the Cabinet. The Cabinet has sent it to the legislative committee, where discussions are ongoing. Within this week, a decision will be made, and reconstruction work will progress rapidly after the Cabinet approval,” added Minister Yadav.

He further said that the working procedure would outline the reconstruction model and establish standards, which are expected to be finalised within a week. 

Minister Yadav stated that once these frameworks are finalised, the reconstruction process will commence, emphasising that the government had not fallen short in rescue efforts, relief distribution or reconstruction following the floods and landslides.

He revealed that nearly 100 local levels across the country had been affected by the recent floods and landslides. 

In the first phase, funds ranging from Rs. 5 million to Rs. 10 million were allocated to 71 municipalities for immediate relief. 

Minister Yadav claimed that the current government was formed to address public despair and had begun efforts to alleviate it.

Former Minister and UML leader Gokul Prasad Baskota emphasised the need to focus on the preservation and management of limited water resources in the district.

He stressed the importance of all three levels of government working together for post-disaster reconstruction.

During the programme, Bagmati Province Assembly members Kanchan Chandra Bade, Laxman Lamsal, and Ratna Dhakal; District Coordination Chief Deepak Kumar Gautam; Mayor of Dhulikhel Municipality Ashok Byanju; and Chairperson of Roshi Rural Municipality Dinesh Lama highlighted the challenges faced by citizens affected by floods and landslides, particularly as the cold intensifies.

They called for accelerated efforts in resettlement and reconstruction.

Chief District Officer Umesh Kumar Dhakal stated that the workshop would include presentations on the damage caused by floods and landslides, followed by discussions on the collected data. 

An integrated plan for future actions will also be developed during the event.