MINISTERS TO BE DEPUTED TO QUAKE-AFFECTED DISTRICTS

KATHMANDU, May 16: The government has decided to form a relief, rehabilitation, monitoring and recommendation committee in the quake-affected electoral constituencies. The committee to be led by MPs from the constituencies concerned will also include other lawmakers.

The committee was formed in pursuance to the resolution motion approved by the Legislature-Parliament on the relief and rehabilitation efforts in the quake-affected areas and also in consideration of the recommendation by a committee led by the Speaker.
The meeting of the Council of Ministers this late afternoon decided to depute ministers to the districts affected by the April 25 quake and aftershocks since then in order to monitor the ongoing relief and resettlement works and make recommendations for further steps to be taken, according to government spokesperson and Minister for Information and Communications Dr Minendra Rijal.

The meeting held at the PM’s Baluwatar residence decided to carry out providing relief assistance to the bereaved family, medical treatment to the injured and resettlements in all the affected districts in an equal manner. This decision was taken in consideration of the demands from some districts to also designate them as crisis-hit zones.

Furthermore, the cabinet decided that all the corrugated zinc plate industries in the country would provide their products to the government while arrangements have also been made for importing it as well as the domestic production alone could not meet the demand for the same. National Trading Corporation, Salt Trading Corporation and private sector would be authorised for the import.

Besides, the government has decided to disburse Rs 15,000 each to the families rendered homeless by the earthquake as financial assistance to buy the zinc plate, Minister Rijal said. Such families would get an identity card from the local level. But the families receiving the monetary aid from other institutions for the same will not be entitled for the assistance, as decided by the cabinet today. Alternatives to constructing homes with the use of locally available materials will be appreciated, he added.

The government has also decided to ensure the availability of the essential construction materials in every district headquarters in view of the resettlement of the quake-hit persons.

Although volunteers were mobilized in considerable numbers for the relief distributions operation and the pro-tem resettlement of the quake-hit persons, the government has decided to set up the Police Post as per the need in the quake-hit districts to take matters in the police’s hand.

For this, the government has also decided to instruct concerned ministries to look into the recruitment process.

The government has also decided to construct big makeshift temporary settlements in the public places in the district headquarters hardest hit by the quake in view of the landslide that could trigger along with the onset of monsoon. The construction of such settlements will be carried out in consultation with the technicians concerned.

If any individual or organization is to contribute to this cause, they could collaborate with the District Administration Office and the District Technical Team in their respective districts. The government has adopted a policy to encourage the initiatives of any individual or organization for this purpose.

The cabinet today also paid tributes to the six American Marines and two Nepal Army personnel who died in the US marines helicopter crash that took place at a rugged terrain some 13 kilometres north of Charikot in Dolakha district.

Today’s meeting also decided to assign the Ministry of Foreign Affairs if any further process is to be carried out in connection to the crash. RSS
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