'Govt is sensitive about rescue, relief and rehabilitation'

Nepalgunj, Aug. 13: Minister for Home Affairs Janardan Sharma Prabhakar Sunday said that the government was serious and sensitive about rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the flood-affected people.

“The government is working on a war footing to save people from the disaster that has been wreaking havoc on lives and causing immense damage to property,” he said while interacting with the people at Sarri of Sonari Rural Municipality – 7 of Banke district.

Minister Sharma was on an observational visit of the village, which was one of the worst flood-hit place in the district.

Interacting with the local people, he said that the government would find ways for a permanent solution to the floods caused by the Rapti River while controlling the damage and loss from the natural disaster.

According to him, the government was seriously considering constructing embankments along the banks of the Rapti River.

“Special plans and programmes will be formulated this time to rehabilitate the people who have lost their homes in the flood,” he said.

He directed the local administration and security agencies to arrange safe locations for the affected people and provide them with relief materials.

Many of the locals complained to the minister that although the floods inundated their area and caused damage to lives and property, no permanent solution to the problem was ever implemented, and people were forced to experience the same problem every year.

They said that the problem was repeating every monsoon as India would shut all the doors of the Laxmanpur Dam.

“We have got only noodles and beaten rice in the name of relief. The District Disaster Relief Committee is not serious about rescue and relief,” complained the people.

The Minister made an aerial observation of the flood affected areas in Rapti, Sonari and Duduwa Rural Municipality. The District Disaster Relief Committee, Banke, informed the Minister about the flood situation in the district.