NC leader Angdembe urges govt to speed up search for missing ones in disaster

KATHMANDU:- Parliamentary party leader of the Nepali Congress, Bhishma Raj Angdembe, has urged the government to speed up search for those missing since August 26 disaster, distribute aid materials and ensure safe shelters to the displaced.

Addressing the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting today, the parliamentary party leader of major opposition, NC, Angdembe drew the government’s attention towards the urgency caused by the devastative flash floods that ravaged the corridors of Bhotekoshi and Trishuli Rivers.

The rehabilitation and reconstruction works should be forwarded together, he added. “It is not a publicity time, but the moment to save lives. It’s not a time to trade blames, hut the moment to fulfill responsibility. It’s not time to talk of political parties’ number, but the time to save citizen’s lives with national unity,” he underlined, suggesting the government that it built robust coordination among all layers of governments, private sector and the communities affected. Robust coordination helps cope with common tragedy- make search and rescue works effective, and pay heed to the families of those gone unaccountable for since the disaster.

Angdembe also reminded the learning from experience of rescue works during 2015 Gorkha earthquake.

According to him, the government could form a high-level parliamentary special committee to prepare a guideline on monitoring of government activities relating to disaster responses including long-term rehabilitation of the affected ones and reconstruction of devastated infrastructures. He further said adequate transparency is essential in aid distribution, rehabilitation and reconstruction.

“Saying that we’re with government during crisis does not mean we excuse government’s wrong. If it works well, we support; and if deviates from focus, we question. Isn’t it genuine support? “He stated during the address at HoR meeting.

The leader wondered, “We’d not imagined such destructive incident in a jiffy.” He thanked and expressed honour to the Nepali Army, the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force, local level representatives, technical experts, medical and health workers, among others who are working untiringly on the frontline of disaster response- rescue, search, aid distribution and safety. He also thanked all Nepalis in the country and abroad, and the international community for their readiness to assistance and solidarity with Nepal at such calamitous state.

Arguing that the disaster does not provide a prior signal, the leader viewed preparedness must be in place throughout the year. He vowed his party was together with government to cope with tragedy. Rather than demarcating as the ruling parties and the opposition, NC stands by government saying ‘we, together’.

The NC leader reminded that he had met Prime Minister Balendra Shah immediately after he knew about the disastrous Bhotekoshi flood. According to him, NC had provided Rs 10 million in PM Disaster Relief Fund as assistance to the needy.

Angdembe also shared that NC party president Gagan Thapa had visited the flood-hit areas and directed the party rank and file to engage in the works of rescue, search, distribution of relief materials and rehabilitation. RSS