Hetauda, December 26

Province 3 Chief Minister Dormani Poudel has told stakeholders to tap the unprecedented development in the field of information technology to devise effective disaster management plans.

“There is a saying that disaster never sends out prior signals, but this no longer holds water given the unprecedented development of information technology capable of alerting us about the impending disaster beforehand. So we should start working towards disaster management right away,” said the chief minister, speaking at a workshop on provincial disaster management policy and strategy here today.

Further, Poudel warned of the possible consequences of failing to act immediately. “We know there are technologies that could give us a heads-up before any disaster strikes us, so what excuse do we have to not start acting and making our disaster management plans by using such technologies?” he said, also identifying Province 3 as one of the most lightning-prone regions.

At the programme, Internal Affairs and Law Minister Shalikram Jamkattel also informed about the government’s plan to start such preparations very soon. Chief district officers of all the districts in the province and other stakeholders participated in the workshop.