KATHMANDU: Political parties have pledged to support the government in responding to the national disaster, urging it to focus entirely on search, rescue and relief operations.
Speaking at an all-party meeting convened by Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane, Nepali Congress President Gagan Thapa said political differences should be set aside during the crisis and every effort should be directed toward saving lives.
Thapa said the immediate priority should be rescuing people from affected areas and preventing further loss of life. He urged the government to mobilize available resources, including private-sector and government helicopters, as well as young volunteers, for rescue operations.
“Now is not the time to think about other matters. Everyone should come together in this disaster without politicizing the situation. We should focus as much as possible on rescuing people and preventing further loss of life,” Thapa said.
He also urged the government to pay attention to misleading and disturbing content circulating on social media, saying such material could create confusion and distress in society.
Thapa said the government should not be concerned about political differences during the disaster and assured that opposition parties would cooperate with the government’s rescue and relief efforts.
“Even though we are in the opposition, we want to cooperate and move forward together during this disaster. The government should make every possible effort to rescue and assist those affected,” he said, adding that the all-party meeting should remain focused on the immediate crisis rather than lengthy political discussions.
Thapa also recalled that a similar flood had struck the area last year and called for a sustainable solution in coordination with the Chinese government. He said recurring problems at border points should be addressed through broader discussions and political consensus after immediate rescue and relief operations are completed.
Similarly, Nepali Communist Party Coordinator and former Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal said the state’s foremost responsibility at present was to protect people’s lives.
Dahal called for a joint action plan involving the government, political parties and all relevant agencies to coordinate search and rescue, medical treatment, relief and rehabilitation efforts.
“Our first responsibility now is to save people’s lives. We should move ahead with an effective common action plan involving the government, political parties and all concerned agencies,” Dahal said. He also called for the immediate activation of available information and early-warning systems in coordination with neighboring countries.
Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle told the meeting that assistance from international organizations was continuing. He said efforts were also underway to secure support from India, China, Japan and the Asian Development Bank.
Wagle said the government had initiated discussions with the World Bank to mobilize around Rs 25 billion in financial assistance, while efforts to secure additional support from other international partners were also underway.
Leaders from the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, Loktantrik Samajwadi Party and Shram Sanskriti Party, including Gyanendra Shahi, Mahanta Thakur and Dhruba Rai, also expressed solidarity with the government’s disaster-response efforts.
Rai said members of his party were actively involved in rescuing people affected by the disaster. Participants at the all-party meeting agreed that all available national resources and forces should be mobilized collectively to respond to the disaster. The meeting also welcomed the significant amount of money being collected in the government’s account for relief efforts.
However, some participants raised concerns about funds being collected through an organization affiliated with Home Minister Sudan Gurung. RSP Chair Lamichhane clarified that contributions should be deposited directly into the government account rather than personal accounts.
Lamichhane said he had raised the issue after receiving complaints regarding the collection of funds through personal accounts.
Meanwhile, RSP Chair Lamichhane said Prime Minister Balendra Shah had visited several areas of Nuwakot and other flood-affected locations to assess the situation on the ground.
Lamichhane said the scale and suddenness of the disaster had caused deep concern and thanked all those who had extended support during the crisis.
He said authorities had made every possible effort to rescue people, but difficult conditions, including the inability of helicopters to land in some locations, had resulted in significant loss of life. He added that concerned agencies were continuing to collect details of the human and physical damage caused by the disaster.
“We made every possible effort to rescue people, but we lost many lives when helicopters could not land. The concerned authorities are collecting details of the human and material losses. We will continue doing everything possible to rescue those affected,” Lamichhane said.
He said the government would also work with friendly countries to find long-term solutions to the recurring disasters and consider recommendations provided by them.
“We are all together in this disaster. Let us help in whatever way we can,” Lamichhane said. He also expressed concern over the spread of misinformation on social media and said relevant agencies were investigating sensitive videos and other content circulating online.
Lamichhane said the unity demonstrated by political parties in responding to the disaster had provided encouragement and relief as the country dealt with the crisis.
He said the extent of the disaster and property damage was beyond what he had imagined. “There has been enormous loss of property and human suffering. This is not the time for lengthy political debates or rhetoric. It is time for all political forces to stand together and focus on search, rescue and relief,” he said.
Lamichhane added that the government had made every possible effort in response to the disaster and would continue doing so.
“The government has made every effort and done everything it can. It will continue to do so. We have also come together here, and I am encouraged by that. Whatever has happened, we must work together to prevent further damage and find sustainable solutions for the future,” he said.
Lamichhane indicated that another all-party meeting could be held within a few days once a comprehensive assessment of the flood damage becomes available. He said the Prime Minister’s immediate responsibility was to oversee the rescue and rehabilitation of flood victims and noted that another meeting could be held with the Prime Minister if necessary.
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