Formation of a high-level task force by the state government for relief and reconstruction
What you should know
The floods and landslides of October 18-19 have also caused major damage to essential physical structures such as roads, bridges, water supply, along with human losses in Koshi. Several roads built with the investment of the Koshi state government have been washed away, bridges have collapsed and water sources have been destroyed.
According to the joint data of Koshi's Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development and Ministry of Energy, Water Supply and Irrigation, more than 2.6 billion rupees worth of infrastructure has been damaged in just two days of calamity. According to the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure Development, investment worth 1.98 billion rupees has been wasted in roads and bridges alone. There were provincial government investment roads in various municipalities of Ilam. Some were built, some were under construction . Physical Infrastructure Development Minister Bhupendra Rai estimated that the loss of 19 million rupees was caused when all those roads were washed away. "The bridge alone was destroyed worth 385 million rupees", Minister Rai said.
Along with Ilam, the rural roads of Panchthar, Taplejung, Sankhuwasabha, Solukhumbu and Okhaldhunga have also been damaged. There is still no traffic operation. 44 out of 73 roads are still completely blocked . Out of 23 bridges, 12 were completely destroyed and 20 suspension bridges were completely damaged.
Similarly, according to the Ministry of Energy, Water Supply and Irrigation, 99 water supply and irrigation projects have been damaged by floods. It is estimated that more than 70 million rupees have been damaged in water supply projects in Panchthar and Jhapa, along with Ilam. Streams have dried up, pipelines have broken and the water crisis is on the rise. Energy, Water and Irrigation Minister of the province Ekraj Karki said that it may take years to rebuild the destroyed structures.
The meeting of the state government's disaster management committee has formed a high-level task force for relief and reconstruction. It is said that the working group, which has Economic Affairs Minister Ram Bahadur Magar, Physical Infrastructure Minister Rai and Internal Affairs Minister Revathiraman Bhandari as members, will make an action plan and start reconstruction immediately.
Instead of rebuilding damaged and broken plans, experts are of the opinion that the provincial government should be serious about what to do to prevent the recurrence of structural weaknesses in the future. "Reconstruction of roads and bridges is not only a matter of budget, it is also a task to restore confidence in the future of the province", said Vedaraj Acharya, the leader of Biratnagar. For the time being, the government has decided to provide Rs 25 lakh in Ilam, Rs 10 lakh in Jhapa, Rs 5 lakh each in Panchthar, Morang and Sunsari This amount will be spent on temporary relief and repairs.
