Nepal bearing brunt of climate change-induced disasters: Minister Deuba

Kavrepalanchowk, Jan 9: Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Arzu Rana Deuba has said that climate change has spurred unseasonal disasters in Nepal.     

She said so while addressing a blanket distribution programme organized here today by the Safe Motherhood Network Federation.     

"Unseasonal rain due to the effect of climate change that occurred in the last week of September when the monsoon had already retreated caused flash floods and landslides. N Minister Deuba said Nepal is at risk of loss of lives and property due to the unseasonal disasters.     

"Due to the impact of climate change, there were unseasonal floods and landslides in Nepal last September after the end of the rainy season. Nepal has not contributed to any activity causing climate change and this disaster. Nepal had to suffer huge loss of life and property caused by disasters resulting from climate change caused by the developed countries even when the country itself was not responsible for this," she said.     

Minister Deuba said that she has been raising the issue in the international forum that Nepal has no role in climate change, but it has also suffered losses due to other countries' role in causing climate change.     

"Who would pay for the losses suffered by Nepal due to the unseasonal disasters? Nepalis had to face the consequences for the mistakes they have not committed and who will pay the compensation for it," Minister Deuba wondered.     

She said it would be very difficult for the next generation as the water sources are drying up due to climate change.     

"The kind of pain I underwent while giving birth to my child, I had kind of reached the stage of life and death. I and my children survived and I was involved in this campaign so as to save the life of any woman who has to undergo similar experience as mine while giving birth to a child," she said explaining her association in the Safe Motherhood Campaign.     

On the occasion, Minister Rana handed over 1,090 blankets to people's representatives of Panauti and Namobuddha municipalities as well as Roshi, Bethanchowk, Bhumlu and Temal rural municipalities.     

Blankets were distributed to these local levels based on the numbers of pregnant and new mothers.     

Similarly, Nepali Congress leader Umesh Shrestha stressed the need of taking women ahead by building their capacity connecting with entrepreneurship as representation of women in every sector is very weak in terms of gender.     

Likewise, NC Kavre President, Tirtha Lama requested Minister Rana to take initiatives in reconstruction BP highway which was damaged by landslide and flood.     

Treasurer of the organization, Sunil Shrestha, shared that the organization established by launching a 'Clean New Mother' campaign by 26 women in 1986 has now been working as the federation since 2005.(RSS)