Kathmandu. Minister for Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Physical Infrastructure and Transport, and Urban Development Kulman Ghising has made an onsite inspection of different wards of Kavrepalanchowk Roshi Rural Municipality and Namobuddha Municipality in the district where floods and landslides caused by torrential rains last September.

Minister Ghising on Friday inspected the floods along with a team comprising Director General of Department of Roads, Director General of Local Infrastructure Development Department and Chief of Irrigation Division after receiving complaints that the floods had damaged roads, bridges, drinking water and health posts in the area.

Minister Ghising said that reconstruction of structures damaged by the Roshi River would be prioritized. Stating that holding the elections was the priority of the incumbent government, he said works were underway by allocating budget for effective service delivery, rehabilitation of disaster-affected areas and completion of reconstruction at the earliest.

Last year, the floods and landslides along with incessant rainfall had damaged the road on both sides of the road linking Roshi rural municipality ward 1, 2 and 3, Namobuddha rural municipality-8 and 9 and Mahabharat and Khanikhola rural municipality. There is a possibility that the bridge could be washed away if the river bank is not protected in that area.

The Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport has already sent a proposal to the Ministry of Finance for budget consensus. The flood had swept away the suspension bridge. In absence of the bridge, the movement to the area has been obstructed during the rainy season. The flood had completely washed away the ten-bed basic hospital.

Mayor of Namobuddha municipality Kunsang Lama said that the federal and provincial governments have assured that there would be no budget crunch for the reconstruction of disaster-affected structures.