KATHMANDU: Home Minister Balkrishna Khand has said an integrated approach should be adopted to reduce the disaster risk. Adequate preparedness is equally important, he added.

At a stakeholders’ meeting organized at Home Ministry on Wednesday, Minister Khand viewed all related agencies should work in unison so that it could minimize the loss of lives and properties.

“It is government’s major responsibility to save people’s lives and properties,” he said, directing the agencies to prioritize the search, rescue and relief distribution in the disaster.

Obstruction of roadways not only halts transportation but also dents development works, he reminded and directed the concerned ones to keep everything- human and physical resources standby- for any disaster in the wake of monsoon.

Secretary at Home Ministry, Tek Narayan Pandey, argued the disaster risk could be reduced based on the timely and authentic information. He also stressed the need for making the monsoon information system more effective.

Similarly, CEO at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority, Anil Pokhrel, viewed the discussion with multi-stakeholders could be fruitful to minimize disaster risks.

Moreover, brigadier general of Nepal Army Padam Kumar Budha informed that Nepal Army had kept standby the necessary human resources and helicopter.

Director at Epidemiology and Disease Control Division, Dr ChumanLal Das, said 25 hospitals were determined as ‘emergency service hospital’ to respond to health care needs in the wake of monsoon and possible floods and landslides.

Executive Director at Nepal Red Cross Society Umesh Prasad Dhakal also informed that Red Cross was ready to extend international support in case of disaster.

Joint Secretary at Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Rudra Singh Tamang, reminded that all local levels were directed to act as per monsoon response plan.

Meanwhile, 11 persons were killed in the last 24 hours while 14 suffered injury and 2,074 were shifted to safer places. (RSS)