KATHMANDU: Parliamentarians from the ruling party on Tuesday have said that significant loss of life and property occurred due to delayed natural disaster preparedness and rescue efforts.
During a State Affairs Committee meeting at Singha Durbar, members criticized the government’s negligence, pointing out that despite weather forecasts predicting heavy rainfall, necessary preparations were not made in time.
Congress General Secretary and Member of Parliament Gagan Kumar Thapa, speaking at the meeting, urged the government to accept the criticism regarding its disaster preparedness and rescue operations.
He emphasized the need to improve the effectiveness of rescue and relief efforts, pointing out that the heads of relevant agencies failed to respond adequately during the disaster.
Thapa also raised concerns about a major incident in Dhading’s Jhyaplekhola, where a night bus continued to operate despite an earlier decision to halt such services, leading to a severe disaster. He called for an investigation into the matter.
Similarly, Ravi Lamichhane, Chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, criticized the lack of disaster preparedness, alleging that citizens stranded on highways were not rescued swiftly after the disaster.
Rashtriya Janamorcha MP Chitra Bahadur KC echoed the same thing and said that delayed rescue efforts in Kathmandu worsened the situation.
He also urged the government to regulate airfares when roadways are blocked due to natural calamities, ensuring fair pricing during such emergencies.
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