Kathmandu [Nepal], Sept 14 – Nepal Prime Minister Balendra Shah has pledged that the government will ensure there is no shortage of resources for the rehabilitation of areas affected by the Bhotekoshi river floods.
Speaking during a meeting with elected representatives from flood-hit areas at the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in Kathmandu on Monday, Shah said the government was preparing to mobilise both its own resources and support from donor agencies for the rehabilitation effort.
Shah said the government was working to restore road connectivity in the affected areas as quickly as possible, stressing that reopening the road network would help residents return to normal life.
The prime minister also said the government would not rebuild settlements in areas along the riverbanks that have been identified as vulnerable to future floods.
He said preparations had begun to relocate affected communities to safer areas close to their existing settlements.
Shah said any relocation plan must take into account residents’ access to employment, education, healthcare and cultural practices while ensuring that their previous living conditions are restored as far as possible.
He also stressed the need to protect agricultural land and develop settlements based on scientific planning.
Shah urged local representatives to identify suitable land in safer locations and recommend it to the federal government for further action.
During the meeting, Shah also highlighted the coordination between the federal, provincial and local governments during the disaster.
He said he was encouraged to hear from local representatives that the three levels of government had coordinated immediately during the floods and worked together on the response.
The meeting, Shah said, also helped the federal government gain a clearer understanding of the situation on the ground and would help maintain the morale of representatives working in the affected areas.
The Bhotekoshi floods have caused extensive devastation across Rasuwa, with a massive loss of lives and property. Thousands of people have been displaced while homes, roads and other critical infrastructure have been damaged or destroyed.
The scale of the disaster and the challenge of restoring connectivity, relocating vulnerable communities and supporting affected families has emerged as one of the biggest challenges facing the Balendra Shah-led government.
