Until Tuesday, the main building in Singha Durbar, which houses Prime Minister's Office, National Planning Commission and Defence Ministry, was still operational despite some damage to the structure. But on Wednesday officials of the government bodies were compelled to abandon the building and take refuge in the open space to carry out official works."The already weakened structure sustained severe damages in Tuesday's earthquake. The crack on the walls of the building either widened or the wall crumbled. Everybody feared to work in the building and the offices had to be shifted to open spaces," said Kamal Bhattarai, section officer at PMO office.
Chief Secretary Leela Mani Poudyal stayed at National Emergency Operation Center (NEOC) of Home Ministerafter the structure became unsafe by Tuesday's earthquake, which caused additional damages to the structure that were already destabilized by the April 25 earthquake.
He said only urgent works were carried out from makeshift offices. "Our officials carried out only those works which could facilitate rescue and relief works in the 14 most affected districts, especially Sindhupalchowk and Dolakha," informed Bhattarai, who assists Chief Secretary Poudyal.
Likewise, Ministry of General Administration also had to create temporary work spaces after the ministry officials refused to work from its building.
After a building of the Home Ministry sustained severe damages, the staff was shifted to another building.
Padam Kumar Mainali, spokesperson of Ministry of Urban Development, said that the buildings of Ministry of Youths and Sports, Ministry of Labor and Employment, Ministry of Industry and Ministry of Defence have been rendered useless following two major earthquakes and their staff were shifted to other building.
Currently, these ministries are operating from makeshift offices. Mainali also informed that officials of National Human Rights Commission also set up a makeshift office on the open space on Wednesday as Tuesday's earthquake caused further damages to its building.
"Amid such a crisis, the major government offices should have been carrying out their administrative tasks in a full-fledged manner but we are forced to run our offices in name only. It is rehabilitation works aimed at the quake victims," said an official at PMO, seeking anonymity.
Officials of the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance, Home Ministry were also outside and were reluctant to work in the buildings as the earthquakes developed cracks on their buildings.
Officials of Home Minister said that National Vigilance Center and office of Attorney General also operated its offices in the makeshift camps as Tuesday's earthquake caused further damages to its building, making the structure unsafe and dangerous to work.
Likewise, Nepal Rastra Bank also informed that it also shifted its Thapathali-based office to Baluwatar after Tuesday's earthquake completely damaged its structure.
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