KATHMANDU, JULY 30

Lawmakers speaking at the special hour of the Parliament today drew the government's attention to the need for timely intervention to mitigate the risk of natural disasters.

Girirajmani Pokhrel of the ruling partner CPN-Maoist Centre urged the government to take measures on time to prevent the potential risk of the disasters.

'Exploitation of underground water in the Chure region has posed a grave threat to its existence,' he said, seeking the government's attention to that end. According to him, increasing threat to the Chure has put the Tarai region at risk.

'The situation will be disastrous in the next ten years if the Chure's risk is not assessed on time,' he said. Presenting a 10-point suggestion about the minimisation of the risk for the government, he advised the government to come up with a 'go green campaign' in coordination with other bodies.

He took time to urge the government to pay attention for the rehabilitation of the flood survivors in Manang and Melamchi. He was of the opinion that settlements on coastal areas should be made resilient to disaster.

Stating that the flood in the Rapti River has caused heavy destruction, lawmaker Maheshwor Jung Gahatraj, demanded that the government pay attention in embankment construction.

Similarly, Pradeep Giri of the Nepali Congress drew government's attention to administer vaccine against COVID-19 to all citizens, urging the government to give priority to resolve problems including monsoon-induced disaster faced by the citizens daily.

Giri suggested that the leaders should not be overjoyed by the decision of the Supreme Court. He urged that the local governments should be given major role in efforts for controlling COVID-19.

Rangamati Shahi called on the government to take effective measures for stemming the pandemic.

CPN-UML's Krishna Bhakta Pokharel demanded that the government should urgently address the problem of landless squatters.

Similarly, Surendra Kumar Yadav of Janata Samajbadi Party-Nepal stressed the need of providing treatment of the coronavirus infected people more systematic.

Renuka Gurung urged the government to take initiatives for the prevention and control of the COVID-9 pandemic.

Prem Suwal of Nepal Workers and Peasants Party demanded that the government should make the health services and education free, and ensure COVID vaccines to all citizens at the earliest.

A version of this article appears in the print on July 31 2021, of The Himalayan Times.