A cabinet meeting held at Singha Durbar on Monday decided to direct the ministries to relocate settlements that are at risk of landslides in the earthquake-affected districts to safe areas keeping in the mind the monsoon season, said Minster for Information and Communications Minendra Rijal, who is also the government spokesperson."Though the monsoon has already arrived, many people are still living in landslide prone areas in the earthquake-hit districts. So, to avoid further loss of lives and properties, we decided to direct the concerned ministries to shift risky settlements to safe areas temporarily," he said, emerging out from the Prime Minister's office after the cabinet meeting.
Padam Kumar Mainali, spokesperson of the Ministry of Urban Development, said that settlements at risk of landslides in 15 hilly districts are being shifted to safe places for the time being until the government comes up with a plan for permanent relocation of such settlements. "The settlements at risk are be relocated in the areas identified jointly by the District Disaster Relief Committees and lawmakers of the respective districts as 'safe sites for temporary settlement'," added he.
He said that risky settlements in Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Dhading, Dolakha, Gorkha, Kavre, Lamjung, Nuwakot, Okhaldhunga, Rasuwa, Sindhuli, Sindhupalchowk, Solukhumbhu, Ramechhap and Makwanpur will being relocated.
"Settlements which are located on hilltops are being shifted to the foothills and plains," he said.
Officials at the Home Ministry said that around 200 settlements in 15 districts are at high risk of landslides during rainfall, and need to be relocated immediately. In Kathmandu district, two settlements -- Lapse Phedi and Tamag Basti -- have been recommended by the local bodies to the home ministry for relocation.
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