South Asian News Network

Kathmandu, Oct 6: Minister for Information and Communications Dr Bikram Timilsina, who is also the House of Representatives (HoR) member from Nuwakot-1, today held a meeting with the locals from floods-affected local levels in the district. During the meeting held at the Ministry, he was briefed on the loss and damage from the August 26 Bhotekoshi-Trishuli river system floods, progress in relief distribution, rehabilitation and reconstruction needs and the need to address infrastructure-related urgency promptly. The locals said that their daily lives had been affected due to damage to roadways and bridges, underlining the need to accelerate rehabilitation and reconstruction initiatives. The locals echoed the need for immediate construction of Bailey bridges at four to five locations and suspension where necessary to restore connectivity among settlements across the Trishuli River. They also urged the government to prioritise the construction of permanent motorable bridges in the long term and expedite the distribution of relief funds to flood-affected families. They stressed the need for safe housing, reconstruction of damaged roads and bridges, and long-term rehabilitation, citing that poor connectivity had increased transportation costs and the prices of essential goods. While there was no immediate shortage of food and daily necessities, they said safe housing and reliable infrastructure remained urgent needs. As the locals reported, increased transportation cost after the floods has led to the soaring prices of daily commodities during the festive time, underlining the need to ensure participation of the affected communities in discussions, while determining the modality of relief, rehabilitation and rebuilding efforts. Participants also called for special support to ensure education and healthcare facilities for children who had lost their parents/ guardians in the floods. After hearing their concerns, the Minister said the government was prioritising relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, while also working to establish safe and reliable long-term infrastructure in the affected areas Nuwakot-2 House of Representatives member Dr Achyutam Lamichhane was among those attending the discussions. —