Speaking at the closing session of two-day workshop on 'Mobile Industry Disaster Preparedness' organized by GSM Association (GSMA), Min Prasad Aryal, deputy director of NTA, said that NTA would soon finalize NECP, incorporating new learnings from the experience shared by regulator and operators in various countries.Once the plan is endorsed, Aryal said NTA would put in place strategic policy and contingency plan for disasters for ensuring emergency communications, which is critical for controlling further damage and to facilitate rescue and relief works.
"We realize we also need to define spectrum for disaster and public protection. We will work that out while developing the disaster response action plan," said Aryal.
Ramesh Guragain of National Society for Earthquake Technology - Nepal (NSET), referring to assessments of various agencies, pinpointed that some 60 percent of houses in Kathmandu could collapse in case the city experienced earthquake of 8.3 Richter scale that hit the country in 1934. And casualty in that case in Kathmandu could go up as high as 100,000, leaving millions other affected, he added.
Given such risk, he said investments for preparedness is much required, and the government policy should clearly define how it seeks the private sector and humanitarian agencies to engage on the subject.
During the day, network solutions providers like Ericsson, Huawei and ZTE also shared their experiences and practices on disaster response. They informed the participants that they have supported the telcos and authority in different countries like China and Japan in establishing emergency communications and also in the relief works, and expressed eagerness to engage in similar fashion in Nepal in case of disaster.
Aryal also asked the mobile operators to develop their clear business continuity plan. He expressed commitment from NTA to facilitate them in implementing those plans.
"Mobile network relies on electricity, roads and transportation, water and other requisites. Hence, how respective authorities prioritize and act will define how prepared the country is," said Kyla Reid, head of Disaster Response Program of GSMA, suggesting the government to adopt holistic approach while working on disaster preparedness.
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