KATHMANDU: Chairman of the National Disaster Management, Monitoring and Direction Special Committee Subas Chandra Nembang directed the government on Tuesday to use the helicopter kept on standby for flying VVIPs to remote hilly districts. Nembang’s directive was prompted by Home Minister Bamdev Gautam’s remark that the government had kept Super Puma helicopter on standby for VVIPs, leading to the government’s failure to send a large helicopter to Taplejung despite locals’ demand. Nembang said the special committee didn’t want to hear that helicopters could not reach the needy just because of VVIPs, as people’s lives were more precious that ferrying VVIPs.

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