The government took the decision in line with the decision made earlier by the Central Disaster Relief Committee (CDRC) headed by the home minister. CDRC has concluded that Nepal now has enough human and technical resources at its disposal to carry out search and rescue operations in remaining places.Addressing a briefing to the international community based in Kathmandu at Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Monday, Minister for Foreign Affairs Mahendra Bahadur Pandey said more than 76 rescue and 70 medical teams rescued 16 people and recovered 150 dead bodies from the rubbles of collapsed structures.
"I extend sincere thanks to all of them for their heroic job undertaken despite difficulties posed by recurrent aftershocks, rainfall and remoteness of hard-hit areas. We wish them a safe journey back home," said Minister Pandey.
The government said it is assessing whether Nepal still needs fully equipped, self-mobilizing, smart and efficient medical teams comprising orthopedic surgeons, anesthetists, neurologists, paramedics and general surgeons. "We are looking for such medical teams, which has all the necessary human and technical resources and can start operation independently in any areas deployed," said MoFA spokesperson Tara Prasad Pokharel.
In the briefing, Minister Pandey informed that Nepal had laid its focus now on relief operation in all the affected areas. "We are concerned about the need to speed up delivery of relief materials to the people in need with greater efficiency. The government is committed to doing its best to facilitate the process and mobilizing all its resources for the purpose. An effective coordination between security and civilian agencies has been established," the minister said.
The briefing held at the MoFA was followed by a question-answer session, where many specific questions raised by the representatives of various diplomatic missions were answered by concerned officials of the government. On the occasion, heads of the diplomatic missions had asked the government to ensure uninterrupted passage at custom points so that they are able to take relief materials to affected population on time. They had also complained that the planes carrying relief materials were held in the sky for a longer time and some of them even denied landing at TIA.
Minister Pandey said the government has assigned a Joint Working level Team consisting of representatives from the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Finance, the MoFA, Immigration Office and Nepal Army to facilitate and speed up customs clearance of relief materials.
"With regard to the landing permission for flights carrying relief materials, we would like you to understand that we are doing our best in view of the capacity of our airport, need for maintaining regularity of commercial flights as well as the arrival of priority items," the minister said.
Referring to concerns over whether the government had restricted NGOs and charity organizations to involve in relief works, Minister Pandey clarified that they have only been asked to carry out relief works in coordination with the designated local government authorities. "The government of Nepal appreciates all genuine initiatives of individuals and organizations to help victims by raising funds. However, it has also become a duty of the government to regulate the public funds and contributions raised in the name of disaster so that benevolent contributions are not misused," he said.
While appealing international community to extend their support to Prime Minister's Disaster Relief Fund for rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts, Minister Pandey also urged international community to share their expertise and extend necessary cooperation to restore fallen cultural heritages.
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