KATHMANDU: Construction of holding centres has been expedited in Bhaktapur district under the leadership of the Nepal Army’s Birdal Battalion, Bhaktapur.

Two holding centers are being readied in Bhaktapur after the government announced that the citizens of State-1 and State-2 to be repatriated from abroad would be first kept at the holding centers before sending them to their home districts.

A holding center is being set up at the Emperor Banquet at Katunje, Suryabinayak municipality-5 and another one at Heritage Banquet at Madhyapur Thimi municipality-4 in the district. The foreign-returnees from State-1 would be accommodated at the former holding centre and those from the State-2 in the latter one.

A team from the COVID-19 Crisis Management Centre (CCMC) has on Wednesday monitored the preparations going on for the holding centres. The CCMC has representation of the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health and Population, the Ministry of General Administration and the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation.

Chief of the District Coordination Committee (DCC) Bhaktapur, Nawaraj Gelal on the occasion briefed the monitoring team that the DCC should be delegated rights for the smooth operation of the holding centers citing that the CCMC Guidelines did not specifically speak of the various problems that might be faced in the district.

Gelal said the district-based CMC was confused as the Guidelines was not specific regarding who will bear the food expenses, what to do with those who cannot pay the food and accommodation expenses and how the food and water would be managed for the volunteers and employees to be mobilized in the operation of holding centers.

He also shared that the Rs 1 million to 1.2 million that is allocated to the District Crisis Management Committee was not enough and the government should provide extra funds from the central COVID-19 Relief Fund for sound management of the holding centers.

District-level CMC coordinator and Chief District Officer, Humkala Pandey said medical supplies as masks, sanitizers and other goods would be needed for the people to be kept in the holding centers. She said issues like transport fare of people to and from the holding center, the rent to be paid for the party palaces and properties where the holding centers are operated and the food and water for people accommodated in the holding centers have to be properly managed.

Nepal Army Birdal Battalion commander, Col. Shiba Poudel briefed the CCMC monitoring team of all the preparations that have been made so far in connection with operation and management of the holding centers. He said arrangements have been made so that 1,000 people can be accommodated in one holding center.