Kathmandu, August 17

The Ministry of Home Affairs has appealed to all organisations and individuals willing to support flood and landslide victims to contact and coordinate with the concerned local level, District Natural Disaster Relief Committee, Central Natural Disaster Relief Committee and Prime Minister’s Disaster Relief Fund.

The appeal comes after growing complaints about misuse and unfair distribution of relief and wilful opening of bank account to collect amount in the name of disaster survivors. “The government is committed to reaching genuine victims and distributing relief in a justifiable manner by fully utilising the funds collected from donors,” read a press statement issued by the MoHA today.

The government has prohibited organisations and individuals from collecting funds under the pretext of distributing relief to flood survivors. The MoHA said PM’s Disaster Relief Fund had opened accounts in commercial banks to collect funds from organisations and individuals, and to distribute relief to families affected by the disaster.

Any organisation or individual willing to support disaster victims may deposit the amount in the bank accounts. The MoHA has warned of action against anyone involved in collecting and causing to collect donations in the name of flood and landslide victims.

“We are in need for support from donors and the ban on organisations and individuals to collect relief on their own does not mean that the government has refused their donation. It is just meant to streamline, collect and distribute funds through one-door system to make it more systematic and to check irregularities,” the statement said.