Disaster Reduction Council's directives for prompt rescue, relief and rehabilitation works

Kathmandu, Oct 7: The 19th meeting of the Disaster Reduction Council today decided to continue with the search and rescue of the people missing in the disaster. With this decision, the Council has directed the Ministry of Home Affairs and all the security bodies to engage in the search and rescue works. 

It has decided to make arrangements for taking immediate steps for operating transport services and service delivery by clearing the road obstruction, regularizing the transport and other impediments in service delivery, establishing coordination among the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport, the provincial governments and local levels. 

Similarly, the Council made a decision requiring the bodies concerned to make arrangement for restoring drinking water and power supply and communications services at places where these services have been disrupted. 

A policy has been determined so that relief would be distributed through the local levels from an integrated system so that there will be no duplication in the relief distribution. 

The Council has also made a decision to move ahead through the Ministry of Home Affairs the task of providing relief to the families of the dead and missing people as per the existing laws and to make necessary arrangements from the Ministry of Health and Population to ensure the free treatment to the injured people.

Likewise, a decision has been made requiring the Ministry of Water Supply to prepare for supplying safe drinking water, and the Ministry of Health and Population to conduct public awareness and psycho-social support programmes and health camps in view of the possibility of spread of diseases in the aftermath of the disaster.

An arrangement would be made to initiate temporary housing construction process by identifying beneficiaries at collaboration of local levels for the citizens who have lost their houses and to immediately provide first tranche of grants as per Standard 2081.  

The meeting also directed the Health Ministry to pay special attention in health service, cleanliness and medicine supply, urging the Education Ministry to provide space for construction of temporary shelters for recent disaster affected people at the school premises. 

Extending gratitude towards Nepali Army, Armed Police Force Nepal, Nepal Police, Red Cross and other volunteer organisations for their active contribution in rescue operation and relief distribution, the meeting asked the Mental Health Section under the Health Ministry to run programme at coordination of local levels for psychological support.

Similarly, the meeting also passed a proposal of study regarding construction of houses for long-term preparation of emergency situation and strengthening coordination among ministries. 

On the occasion, an extensive review was carried out about damages, rescue and rehabilitation after rainfall occurred from October 3 wreaked havoc in various places of the country. 

The meeting also directed the Home Ministry and all security bodies to continue the search for the missing people and rescue operation. (RSS)