By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, Dec. 28: Considering the increasing hazards caused by cold wave, snowfall and extreme cold of the current winter season, the government has come up with a precautionary and response plan.
Nepal Disaster Risk Reduction Department under the Ministry of Home Affairs informed that it had already coordinated with concerned organisations for the reduction of possible risks caused by cold wave, snowfall and cold in general.

According to the approved action plan, the Ministry will hold a meeting immediately with the concerned ministries, District Administration Offices and local governments for preparedness and management of
problems that would be created by cold wave, snowfall and extreme cold.

Likewise, the Ministry of Forest and Environment and offices under the ministry will make firewood available to the needy in time and the Ministry of Defense will make necessary preparations to tackle the crisis that might arise because of cold, the Home Ministry informed.
The Ministry of Health and Population of the federal government and the Social Development Ministries of the provinces will generate awareness on health-related problems and mobilise the health workers with medicines while the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology will prepare materials to save oneself from fire incidents and suffocation in local languages and distribute them.

The Ministry has a plan to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transportation, Ministry for Education, Science and Technology and Nepal Department of Hydrology and Meteorology to mitigate risks unleashed by cold-induced disasters in the concerned areas.

The Ministry has also planned to distribute warm clothes to poor citizens to save them from cold. Similarly, the Department of Meteorology will regularly publish bulletins on pre-information on cold wave and snowfall while the Physical Infrastructure and Transport Ministry and police will work to prevent road accidents during foggy days.