Nepal is one of the leading countries in terms of disaster risk. Among the calamities that cause more financial loss, many are associated with the monsoon and now that the monsoon has begun, heightened vigilance is required.

The local level has the constitutional right to identify disaster risks within its borders and formulate a response plan to deal with them. Accordingly, he is also doing activities by making laws for disaster management. 

The local government is the first to connect with citizens in a disaster. However, it has limited resources and capacity, making disaster management complex. A study conducted by Democracy Resource Center Nepal last year at 24 local levels also revealed the same fact.

Disaster management is not a priority in Nepal. Lack of resources is one of the reasons. However, there are some other structural problems.  The fact that the risk of

disaster can be reduced is not well established in Nepali context. The idea that the disaster will provide relief or not take much interest and concern about it is prevalent even in the leadership level of the local government. On the other hand, in Nepal, the construction of physical infrastructure is considered synonymous with 'development'. Allocating the budget to it has multiple benefits, so it occupies the top of the priority list. And soft topics like disaster management get less budget and programs. 

At the local level, disaster management has not been recognized as a separate branch like health, agriculture, animals or education. It has been merged with other branches to form a sub-branch. In some municipalities, it was found that a person who was carrying other responsibilities was given additional responsibilities as disaster management focal person. For example, the information and communication technology officer in Indrasarovar Rural Municipality of Makwanpur was given such responsibility. 

disaster management fund

The local level has made a disaster management fund operation procedure and spends a fixed annual budget in case of disaster. It was found that some municipalities have kept other disaster related programs apart from such fund. He has been involved in disaster preparedness, emergency rescue, relief and rehabilitation as well as providing financial relief to family members in case of death due to disaster. It was also found that some local levels provide financial assistance for chronic patients from the funds of the disaster management fund, and provide relief in case of agricultural and livestock damage due to the epidemic.  The

fund management process must ensure transparency and good governance. But the process doesn't have to be too complicated. Due to the delay in fulfilling the rescue and relief distribution policy, which should be carried out quickly in the disaster, the flood victims of the rainy season of 2080 in Kagbeni of Mustang did not receive the relief of the municipality in time. However, the relief and rescue committee formed under the leadership of the local chief gathered more money than the funds of the village council and expedited the relief and rescue. Delays in implementation due to the policy-making process indicate unnatural or unreasonable provisions of the law and the weak capacity of the government machinery to implement them.

Among the three phases of disaster management, disaster risk identification, mapping, disaster risk reduction, preparedness, etc. are pre-disaster activities. Responses such as rescue and relief fall under second-phase activities, while reconstruction, recovery and rehabilitation are long-term third-phase activities. The Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act, 2074 provides for the formation of disaster management committees at the union, state, district and local levels. According to section 17 of the same Act, local disaster management committees have been formed at all local levels. Some municipalities have such committees up to the ward level.

However, it was found that these committees are active only after disaster strikes and inactive at other times. Municipalities should assess the disaster risk and prepare a response plan accordingly. Disaster risk mapping and response plans were also made in the municipalities of Gharpazhong, Dodhara Chandni, Laljhadi, Chaurjahari, Dhurkot, Tilathi Koiladi etc. However, most of the municipalities did not prepare due to lack of budget. In some municipalities, including Buddhashanti Rural Municipality of Jhapa, there was no mapping of potential disaster areas. 

An example of disaster preparedness being difficult due to the lack of government coordination was found in Gharpazhong and Thasang Rural Municipality of Mustang. Because Kaligandaki brings floods and landslides every year, the rural municipality has considered the river as a risk factor. But the Annapurna Conservation Area project office under the federal government has stopped doing so due to the need to adjust the flow of sand, gravel and Gegar Jhiki river from the river. It was found that the risk has increased as the river level has started to rise above the settlement due to such flowing river products. 

Despite the limited means and resources, there were many examples of commendable disaster preparedness by the municipality using local materials. Kanchanpur's Laljhadi Rural Municipality was found to have installed disaster warning sirens and information transmission system, disaster related training and materials needed for rescue. In preparation for the disaster, some other municipalities also collected essential rescue materials needed in emergencies.

Although some municipalities had only a few such materials, in others their quantity was insufficient. Some developed municipalities also had fire stations. Even though equipment like fire extinguishers and flood sirens are expensive, since all municipalities need them, it seems appropriate to combine these equipments with two or more municipalities. Saptari's Surunga Municipality used to run the fire brigade together with the neighboring Khadak Municipality.

In Saptari, a notification system has been installed on the initiative of the Tilathi Koiladi rural municipality in the event of a flood in the Khando River. Rupani rural municipality and Rajviraj municipality are also involved in this. The heads of the three municipalities were in the committee formed for its operation, while Sabal Nepal and ISIMOD provided technical assistance. In order to manage its expenses, Tilathi Koiladi rural municipality has collected 5 lakhs, Rajviraj 2 lakhs, Sabal Nepal 2 lakhs and ISIMOD 2 lakhs. Arrangements have also been made to sound an alarm if the water level rises and to disseminate information immediately through WhatsApp groups.

Gasoline's support in disaster management is remarkable and essential. Although his support is short-term on the one hand, there is also the possibility that he will ignore the knowledge and practice of disaster management. In some municipalities, flood information systems were installed by an organization first, and after the organization left them, they were damaged and not repaired. Therefore, it is necessary for the municipalities to expand their own policy, resources and capacity and advance the program by reducing the cooperation and activity of gasses in disaster management. 

The main task after a disaster is relief and rescue. For that, identification of victims, classification, distribution of identity cards, short-term relief, long-term relief etc. should be done effectively. Most of the municipalities have prepared procedures to organize relief and rescue. Relief programs in all municipalities are basically financial support. 

Jhapa's Haldibari rural municipality has provided relief up to Rs 30,000 to the seriously injured and up to Rs 50,000 to the family in case of death. Similarly, according to the disaster management procedure in Resunga municipality of Gulmi, in case of death due to disaster, Rs. 25,000 per person will be provided to the family, Rs. 20,000 per family if the house is completely destroyed, Rs.

conclusion

Some of these disasters called natural disasters are man-made. As building codes are not strictly enforced, poor housing structures are constructed. Settlements are also located in public places on the banks of the river. He has increased the risk of disaster. Some of the activities done by the local government in the name of infrastructure development are inviting disaster.