Kathmandu: Parliamentarians have questioned the government about its inefficiencies in responding to the disaster induced by recent torrential rainfall.
In the meeting of the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee under the House of Representatives today, they raised their concerns over the lack of delivery on the part of government in search, rescue, relief material distribution and rehabilitation operation in the wake of devastating disasters.
Stating that many citizens were still stranded on the roads and highways blocked by flood, landslides and inundation among others, they urged the government to prioritize their rescue operation and transport them to safety.
Parliamentarian Rabi Lamichhane viewed that the government should admit its shortcomings on disaster response efforts as the key officials were outside the country during the national emergency.
“The responsible key officials became irresponsible at the time of national emergency,” he criticized the government. The former Home Minister cla
imed that an unlimited willpower to respond the disasters could help mitigate a lot of risk of damages despite the limited resources.
Similarly, Gagan Kumar Thapa emphasized unity among government entities, all political parties and citizens during such national crisis. Denouncing duplication of decision and delays in decision-making due to excessive ‘all talk, no action’ attitude and approach of the incumbent government.
“There is no need for any meetings. The decisions we made so far should be implemented effectively at the earliest,” he insisted.
Chitra Bahadur KC highlighted the need for national unity and solidarity at the time of disasters. The octogenarian lawmaker mentioned, “The road ways have been disrupted. The airlines entrepreneurs have hiked the prices of airfare during such emergencies.”
Condemning the ‘unnatural spike’ in the airfare by the airlines companies in the aftermath of the disasters, he lashed out, “Is this what happens in a country with a functioning government?”
Likewise, Ragh
uji Panta opined that the government should enhance its disaster response capacity and viewed that there should not be any delay in securing international assistance for reconstruction of the disaster-hit infrastructures.
“Roads have been blocked. The airfare price has also increased at the same time. It is appropriate to obtain international assistance to repairs and reconstruction of the basic infrastructures damaged by the disasters,” he suggested.
Lawmaker Rajendra Pandey questioned why the government allowed unregulated operation of transport vehicles along the highways despite issuing ‘travel advisory’ in view of the potential risks. He accused the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) of being helpless during the national disaster.
Another lawmaker Prakash Adhikari questioned why it was delayed to relocate the citizens residing along the rivers banks to safer areas since there was forecast of heavy rainfall before a week.
Member of Parliament Dilendra Prasad Badu said i
t was a weakness to allow the operation of vehicles on the roads amidst preparedness alert in view of imminent rainfall. He suggested making the local level resourceful and equipped for preparedness and response.
Lawmaker Sarita Prasain said that the government had failed to implement the earlier circular despite adequate information about the forecast in the context of the recent disaster.
Buddhiman Tamang drew the attention of the government not to make any weakness in the preparedness, saying the forecast of weather change again from Wednesday has made the citizens more worried.
Lawmaker Sarbendra Nath Shukla accused the government of making major shortcomings in the preparedness when the weather conditions were predicted to occur and a precautionary warning was also issued.
In the meeting, senior Vice-president of Federation of Nepal Transport Entrepreneurs Punya Prasad Sitaula said hundreds of transport workers have been stranded on the highway due to floods and landslides but nothing has been done f
rom the state side to help them. “There are still 500 buses stranded on the BP Highway, while 50 vehicles are stuck in Chitlang alone.
Source: National News Agency Nepal
