KATHMANDU: Risk of natural disasters grows in Nepal every year with the onset of rainy season. Around 100 people die each year of natural disasters related to floods and landslides, while properties worth millions are damaged.
According to the Ministry of Home Affairs, people lose their lives annually due to landslides, floods, earthquake, fire and lightning. In many cases, people had to lose their lives due to lack of preparedness on the government’s part to tackle these problems and timely rescue management.
Nearly 1,300 people died, 200 disappeared and more than 3,000 injured due to the natural disasters in between 2016 and 2018. Last year alone, 162 people died of floods and landslides.
The government declares disaster reduction programs every year as monsoon season sets in. The first meeting of National Council for Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, headed by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, decided to get ready for rescue operation with army helicopters and rescue teams. It is a positive move.
However, the programs made finely at center are not implemented strongly at the local level. The government always fails to adopt sustainable preventive measures to cope with floods and landslides.
For instance, the embankments and dams constructed by India at the bordering areas of Terai have been causing inundation in Nepali lands. Though the authorities claim that the joint team of Nepal and India has been monitoring these areas, not much progress has been noticed yet. The government seems indifferent towards resolving the problem. The issues come to the fore when Nepali lands get inundated during monsoon and forgotten when winter season begins.
Similarly, many places of hilly region are also facing risk of disasters. The government studies have suggested relocating many settlements but it has failed to formulate long-term policies. And whatever is formulated is yet to be implemented.
For instance, many settlements in Sindhupalchok are prone to landslides after the 2015 earthquake. But no one has bothered about it.
The haphazard deforestation by local bodies to develop roads has posed a big threat of landslides. The local, provincial and federal governments have turned a deaf ear towards it.
Besides lack of long-term vision and policy, there are many weaknesses in short term plans too. On the other hand, the available resources are centralized.
Rescue programs are ineffective and problematic in rural areas due to lack of adequate facilities. Along with the directive to stand ready for rescue operation during the time of disasters, the government should also provide resources and facilities to the local levels.
Similarly, there is a lack of coordination among the government bodies for disaster management. Lack of coordination between the security bodies was seen earlier. With the implementation of federalism, it is necessary to build a proper a system for coordination among central, provincial, districts and local governments.
Earlier, lack of coordination among federal government, chief district officers and securities bodies was noticed in other sectors. The likelihood of the repetition of problem can’t be ruled out. So, it is high time the federal, provincial and local governments worked together and devised a system for effective coordination in case of disasters.
If the past experience is anything to go by, such problem would surface during post-disaster management and epidemics. For example, the weaknesses were revealed while distributing reliefs, providing health care and other services.
Unfortunately, the plans and policies formulated annually are shelved instead of working on them to deliver services to people. Such trend should end immediately and the Ministry of Home Affairs needs to take initiatives towards this end.
The concerned authorities should visit the affected area instead of making hue and cry at the center to seek solutions for disaster risks. This responsibility does not lie on the government alone. Other political parties should also coordinate and cooperate with the government during the disasters.
