Nepali gov’t forms high-level flood relief panel

Another panel and some more discussion. Unless people keep these powers under pressure by grassroots movements and continue the discussion going, hardly one can expect the end of these man-made disasters.

Source: http://english.people.com.cn/90001/90777/90851/6493302.html

The Nepali government on Thursday constituted a high-level panel to manage and monitor the post-flood situation in southeastern Nepal.

Emerging from the cabinet meeting held in the capital Kathmandu on Thursday, Minister for Health and Population Giriraj Mani Pokhrel told the media that the high-level management and monitoring committee led by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam is assigned to monitor the relief distribution to the flood victims and maintenance of the spurs among others.

The Central Monitoring and Management Committee (CMMC) includes Defense Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa “Badal” and Minister for Physical Planning and Works Bijaya Kumar Gachchadar.

The cabinet meeting also decided to adopt a quick delivery system to support flood-hit areas.

According to Minister for Information and Communications Krishna Bahadur Mahara, the cabinet meeting has also approved a relief fund of 2.5 billion Nepali rupees (around 36 million U.S. dollars) and decided to release 500 million rupees (around 7 million U.S. dollars) immediately.

Around 10 Village Development Committees (VDCs) were in full or partial inundation in Sunsari and Saptari districts bordering India, some 220 km southeast of the capital Kathmandu, after the embankment of the Saptakoshi River suddenly broke down on Aug. 18.