KATHMANDU: Prime Minister (PM) Balendra Shah (Balen) has said there will be no shortage of resources for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of areas affected by the Rasuwa-Bhotekoshi floods.
During a discussion with people’s representatives from the affected areas at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers on Monday, Prime Minister Shah said the government was preparing to mobilize its available resources as well as support from donor agencies.
Prime Minister Shah said he was encouraged to hear that there had been immediate coordination among the federal, provincial and local governments during the disaster.
“Earlier, we used to hear that there was a lack of coordination among the federal, provincial and local levels. But during this disaster, we stood together and worked together,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government was working continuously to restore the road network in the affected areas as soon as possible. He expressed the belief that restoring road connectivity would help affected communities gradually return to normalcy.
During the discussion, Prime Minister Shah said he had been raising concerns from the outset about settlements along riverbanks being vulnerable to disasters.
He said it would not be possible to resettle the flood-affected settlements along the riverbanks in their existing locations, as also pointed out by local people’s representatives. He said the government had therefore begun preparations to establish settlements in safe locations close to the affected areas.
“While establishing new settlements, attention should be paid to the employment, education, health and cultural needs of affected people. The facilities and conditions they previously had should be ensured, while cultivable land should be protected and settlements developed in a scientifically planned manner,” he said.
For this purpose, Prime Minister Shah urged local people’s representatives to identify suitable land and recommend it to the federal government for further action.
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