KATHMANDU: Home Minister Sudan Gurung has dismissed reports that billions of rupees were spent on helicopter rescue operations following recent disasters.
Speaking to journalists after a meeting at the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority on Wednesday, Gurung said reports that Rs 15 billion had been spent on helicopter rescues were completely inaccurate. He said the actual expenditure was around Rs 140 million to Rs 200 million at most.
He said families staying in temporary camps following the Rasuwa floods will receive Rs 15,000 per month for six months to rent accommodation, with an additional Rs 2,000 for larger families.
Gurung said the government is revising the previous policy of providing Rs 50,000 for temporary housing or Rs 300,000 to purchase land. Under the new plan, two-room temporary housing will be arranged within six months, followed by long-term resettlement through planned township development.
He said the government has also taken seriously the difficulties faced when postpartum women, pregnant women and children were accommodated together at holding centres in places including Nuwakot. The government has taken steps to address such shortcomings and has begun providing funds for temporary rental accommodation, he said.
Gurung said the early warning issued for heavy rainfall helped prevent greater losses, although the loss of lives was regrettable. He added that a separate committee would be formed to review the strengths and weaknesses of the disaster preparedness measures adopted this time.
