By A Staff Reporter
Kathmandu, July 11: Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Friday expressed his deep condolence to the families of those who have lost their family members in the floods and landslides in different parts of the country.
In a televised address, PM Oli said the government would leave no stone unturned to rescue the disaster-affected people. “In the time of crisis and problems, the government will always stand together with its citizens of all geographical areas.”
He also wished for the early recovery of those injured in the natural disasters.
Expressing his deep concern over the loss of lives and properties caused by rain-induced floods and landslides, PM Oli said the government had already mobilised security forces to rescue the affected people.
He added that the government was promptly carrying out rescue and relief operations in various flood and landslide affected districts.
The flood and landslide victims have already been provided with relief through the federal, provincial and district-level disaster committees; he said, adding that arrangement has been made to evacuate the people from the flood and landslide risk areas.
Stating that the current political scenario might have worried the people about political stability, PM Oli assured that he would make all the possible efforts to promote national unity, to protect federal democracy, to safeguard national dignity, sovereignty and geographical integrity.
Almost three dozen people have lost their lives in the natural disaster, said PM Oli, adding that 11 districts were affected by the landslide and floods from Jestha 31 to Ashad 26, while three districts- Sindhupalchowk, Tanahu and Myagdi had witnessed a huge loss.
“In this context, 35 people have already lost their lives, 32 have been injured and 34 people are still missing. 100 of households have been damaged and 301 families have been displaced,” he said.
Along with carrying rescue, relief and rehabilitation operations, the government had also adopted long lasting programmes like disaster mitigation and relocation programme, so that no one had to witness the disasters again, said PM Oli. “Nepal is prone to natural disasters like flood, landslide, soil erosion, fire, lighting, and earthquake. Every year, the country witnesses loss of lives and properties in natural calamities,” he said.
“At a time when the county has been attentively working in the rescue, relief and rehabilitation operation for the flood and landslide affected, we should not forget the fact that the government has been working since a long for the control, treatment and preventions of Coronavirus.”
Like, many countries of the world, Nepal is still at the risk of the Corona crisis, said PM Oli, adding that since last four months, the government has completely focused on prevention, control and treatment of Corona virus.
“We have been relentlessly working to manage Corona-induced impact on national economy and to revive it,” said PM Oli.
So far 16,649 people of Nepal have been infected with the virus. Of them 35 have lost their lives, which is 0.2 per cent of the total confirmed cases, he said.
“From the very beginning, the government has been giving priority to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests and had targeted to conduct the test at least in two per cent of the total population,” said PM Oli.
Stating that the government has been working to meet this target, PM Oli said so far 2, 75,951 PCR tests had been conducted in the country.
He further added that total 110,462 security personnel have been mobilised to control COVID-19 spread.
“Along with the security forces, doctors, health experts and other frontline manpower have been working round the clock. Because of this manpower, we have been able to move ahead by defeating the Coronavirus.”
Since the lockdown was imposed, total 288,864 migrant workers have returned to Nepal from India and 23,254 from other countries, PM Oli informed.
Till today, State 2 has the highest cases

of COVID-19, said PM Oli, adding that since the ongoing lockdown was eased, the Kathmandu Valley is in the risk of pandemic.
PM Oli said the Kathmandu Valley has witnessed a sharp rise in the COVID cases and the situation could turn horrifying once the community transmission would occur. Hence, there was a need of sensitivity, discipline and awareness.
“To save the valley from the pandemic, there is a need to implement the advice of the Ministry of Health, doctors and health experts,” he added.
Commenting on the current political scenario, PM Oli said the political dispute was internal and leaders would take it to a logical conclusion through talks, discussion and debates.
“No one can escape from their responsibility of protecting the lives of people during the difficult time by indulging in internal disputes,” said PM Oli.