Kathmandu — Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation Biraj Bhakta Shrestha has said that the government is mobilizing all available resources and capabilities, placing the highest priority on the search and rescue of employees, workers, and members of the public who have gone missing following the Bhotekoshi flood.
He stated that adverse weather conditions and challenging terrain have made it difficult to achieve the expected level of success in rescue operations.
During a meeting at the ministry with family members of the missing employees, Minister Shrestha said the government has left no stone unturned in its rescue efforts. He emphasized that providing affected families with regular, accurate, and reliable information about rescue operations is one of the state’s key responsibilities during times of crisis.
“I can feel the pain of being unable to contact loved ones. Every second is important to us. The government has spared no effort in protecting the lives of citizens and employees. However, under circumstances beyond our control, there are many things that remain difficult to accomplish despite our best intentions,” he said.
Following the flood, the ministry said it has been mobilizing available resources for rescue, coordination, and recovery efforts through various command and operational mechanisms. Minister Shrestha noted that although rescue operations have been intensified in coordination with security agencies, difficult geographical conditions and ongoing risks have limited the expected outcomes.
At the central level, Minister Shrestha has been leading inter-ministerial coordination, facilitation, and the management of necessary resources. The ministry’s secretary, the Managing Director of the Nepal Electricity Authority, and other senior officials have been deployed to the field to oversee rescue operations, restoration efforts, coordination, and resource mobilization.
Meanwhile, at a meeting of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority held on Saturday night, Minister Shrestha stressed that alongside rescue efforts, effective information dissemination and coordination should also be prioritized during disasters.
He said that although field personnel, rescue teams, and security forces are working around the clock at an emergency level, affected families have experienced additional distress and uncertainty because accurate information about ongoing operations has not always reached them in a timely manner.
Emphasizing the need to strengthen mechanisms for regularly updating families on rescue and recovery efforts, Minister Shrestha also called for a clear framework for managing relief and rescue supplies. He stressed the importance of maintaining a balance between actual needs and available resources.
Minister Shrestha further informed that, alongside rescue operations, the Ministry of Energy is giving high priority to restoring electricity systems and critical infrastructure damaged by the flood.
NepalPurbadhar