KATHMANDU: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has said eight bundles of corrugated sheets would be provided to each family displaced by floods and landslides in Sindhupalchowk through the Ministry of Urban Development for constructing temporary houses.
The PM said so after receiving a memorandum from a team, comprising CPN (UML) Bagmati Province Organization Committee Chairman Ananda Prasad Pokharel and In-charge Ram Bahadur Thapa, at the official residence of the Prime Minister, Baluwatar, Friday. PM Oli also directed authrorities concerned to restore the damaged drinking water, electricity and telephone services immediately.
Pokharel said the PM also instructed bodies concerned to erect bridges and install sirens on them to provide information about floods.
On the occasion, Pokharel urged PM Oli to provide compensation to the families of the deceased, relief and rehabilitation to 400 displaced families, initiate flood control measures and immediate reconstruction of damaged infrastructure (drinking water, electricity, road and bridges) in the landslide- and flood-affected areas at the earliest.
Stones and debris following the flood in Melamchi, Yangri and Larke rivers on June 15 completely damaged six towns of Melamchi Municipality, Helambu and Panchpokhari Thangpal rural municipalities as well as human settlements — Chanaute, Melamchi, Gyalthum, Talamarang, Halde and Timbu. A total of 16 people lost their lives to floods and landslides while 400 families were displaced and 337 houses and 60 huts, six motorable bridges and 13 suspension bridges were swept away, read the memo.
Melamchi Drinking Water project also suffered a huge loss due to floods. Power supply has been disrupted and entrepreneurs running their businesses on bank loans have been facing problems to pay bank installments.
The CPN (UML) Bagmati committee presented a charter of 18-point demand to PM Oli seeking the government’s role to ease the life of the flood-affected people in Sindhupalchowk.
The memorandum demands that the government should all the medical expenses of the injured. Likewise, a detailed survey of affected-areas should be ensured with the help of a multi-dimensional expert team and works should be promptly started to build an integrated settlement for the survivors, it asserted.
It has been demanded that eight bundles of corrugated zinc sheets should be made available immediately for constructing temporary shelter for 400 families displaced by the flood and immediate post-disaster response actions, including the construction of river dams and rebuilding of damaged houses. The party has also sought the restoration of damaged roads to resume traffic and temporary arrangements of alternative means of transport like Bailey bridge, suspension bridge for the convenience of people’s movement.
It further demanded that disrupted communications and power supply systems in the affected areas should be restored without any further delay and safe drinking water supply should be ensured by repairing the damaged water resources and their conservation.
Damage reported at the source of Melamchi Drinking Water Project should be fixed and water supply to the Kathmandu Valley be reinstated. Likewise, the government has been urged to promptly build new buildings for two schools hit by the devastating flood and resume classes. Demands have been put forth for rehabilitation of flood-damaged police outposts and provision of additional security for the livelihood of the people.
The party has highlighted the need for restoring police beat and taking additional provisions for the security of public and conducting health camps to control the possible outbreak of water-borne diseases and other infectious diseases after the disaster, by reaching to the affected with the means of support like foodstuff and other essentials.
It is demanded that the river should be restored to its old course by constructing wire mesh embankment on the river bank and integrated housing should be constructed for the vulnerable population so as to mitigate the losses from water-induced disaster that the district is enduring each year.
Similarly, exemption of interests of loans and refinancing have been sought in order to protect the investment in agricultural crops, livestock, agricultural farms, hotels, resorts, shops and other businesses operating along the river banks. An installation of a siren system has been demanded for the warning of the arrival of the disaster. RSS
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