Issuing a press statement, the NIC urged all public bodies to inform the public about where, how and which agencies is handling distribution of relief materials through their own website, national newspapers, radio, television, online news portals and local news media.
Likewise, the NIC, which is mandated to ensure full implementation of Rights to Information (RTI) Act in all government bodies, has urged the government to ensure full transparency on relief materials and commitments received from various donor agencies.In the statement, the NIC also appealed to all public agencies, international donor agencies and various other organizations involved in relief distribution to ensure transparency in their work. "The Commission also urges the government to ensure flow of information about unidentified bodies and the injured, who are yet to be contacted by their family, through mass media," said the statement.
Among other things, the NIC has also appealed to journalists not to disseminate baseless news at this hour of national crisis. "The Commission make special request to all means of mass communication to disseminate only authentic information in this difficult situation," said Chief Information Commissioner Krishna Hari Banskota.
Meanwhile, NIC Chief Information Commissioner Banskota and Commissioners duo Kiran Pokahrel and Yashoda Timsina have announced they will donate one month of their salary to Prime Minister Disaster Relief Fund. The Commissioners said this is a gesture of their support to the victims of the massive earthquake that jolted the country on April 25.
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