KATHMANDU, August 13: An emergency meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) Work Performance Committee on Sunday decided to provide a month's salary of its 207 lawmakers to the flood victims.
The meeting held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Baluwatar asked the government to provide immediate relief materials such as food, clothes, utensils, medicines and temporary shelter to the flood victims with due urgency. The meeting also appealed to all social organizations, civil society, journalists and industrialists as well as others to join the government's efforts to rescue and rehabilitate the victims.
NC has a total 207 lawmakers. Each lawmaker receives around Rs 100,000 a month in salary.
NC lawmakers to donate 5-day’s salary to flood victims
According to a press statement issued after the emergency meeting, NC has asked the government to rescue, provide relief and arrange temporary shelters for the flood victims. The meeting has pointed out the need for identifying areas vulnerable to flood and relocate those living in those areas.
The NC has also asked its party cadres and leaders at the local level to join hands in the government's effort to rescue and rehabilitate the flood and landslide victims in various districts including Sunsari, Jhapa, Saptari, Morang, Bara, Parsa, Sarlahi, Banke, Panchthar, Dang, Sindhuli and Palpa.
The party has also asked the government to take prompt initiatives to repair and rebuild damaged infrastructures such as bridges, roads and schools. While opening a bank account (0135-11-0010075) at Nepal Bank Limited for Nepali Congress Flood Victims Relief Fund, the emergency meeting also appealed to all industrialists, businessmen, civil society members, teachers, lawyers and other professionals as well as well-wishers to voluntarily contribute to the account.
UML asks govt to ask India to open sluicegates of Saptakoshi Barrage
The main opposition party, CPN-UML, has expressed sadness over the failure of the government to ask the Indian authorities to open the sluicegates of the Saptakoshi Barrage on time.
A meeting of the party's sister organizations held on Sunday criticized the government “apathy” towards flood victims, concluding that the situation in eastern Tarai was exacerbated due to the Indian authorities decision to close the sluicegates. The meeting asked the government to put all its strengths to provide rescue, relief and rehabilitation to the flood and landslide victims.
The party has also mobilized its sister organizations for the rescue, relief and rehabilitation of the flood affected people in Saptari, Siraha, Dhanusha, Mahottari, Sarlahi, Rautahat, Bara, Parsa, Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Bardiya, Banke and Kapilvastu.
