INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:

Kathmandu, July 13 A meeting of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Executive Council led by Minister of Home Affairs Ram Bahadur

Thapa in Singha Durbar today decided to expedite search, rescue and relief operations in disaster-hit districts. Minister Thapa said the

government was working in line with the disaster preparedness and response plan by mobilising the local administration and security agencies

The meeting also decided to adopt a one-door system for distribution of relief materials to disaster affected people. Home Secretary Prem

Kumar Rai said the concerned local levels were mandated to provide relief to flood, landslide and other rain-induced disaster victims

through the concerned district disaster management committees. The government is also coordinating with provincial governments to make the

search, rescue and relief operations effective. &The government will initiate reconstruction and recovery works after completion of search,

rescue and relief operations,& Secretary Rai told mediapersons. The meeting also decided to clear the highways blocked by landslides and

floods in different parts of the country. He said the government would deploy additional medical teams with drugs and other logistics in

disaster-hit areas to prevent outbreak of waster-borne diseases. The Disaster Victim Rescue and Relief Standards (sixth amendment) requires

the concerned district disaster management committee to provide cash relief of Rs 100,000, including other facilities, to the grieving

family of each victim killed in the disaster. The provincial and local governments may also provide relief in cash or kind to disaster

victims. The post Government to expedite rescue, relief operation appeared first on The Himalayan Times.