Kathmandu. The government has become active with high alertness to protect the people’s property from the possible risks created by the ongoing rains across the country.

As per the directive given by Prime Minister Balendra Shah to adopt all necessary precautions before leaving for the United States to attend the United Nations General Assembly, the concerned ministries and their subordinate bodies have intensified preparations and response.

Acting Prime Minister and Finance Minister Dr Swarnim Wagle, while holding a discussion with the concerned ministers on disaster preparedness today, said that all the ministries of the government and their agencies have been mobilized with high alertness to prevent loss of human and physical damage. He also urged the local levels not to be stingy in using their resources for post-disaster response.

Similarly, the Ministry of Home Affairs has issued a circular to the Chief District Officers of all 77 districts and held a meeting of the District Security Committee and kept the Army, Police and Armed Police Force on standby. Miking is being done on the banks of the river to alert the locals and the people of the vulnerable settlements are being shifted to safer places, while hospitals, ambulances and health centers have been kept ready for emergency services.

KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation has directed the hoteliers to relocate tourists to safer places and make necessary facilitation, strictly abiding by the safety standards of domestic flights and prioritizing rescue flights.

The Ministry of Education and Sports, in coordination with the local levels, has decided to close the school holidays as per the need and has facilitated the postponement of the scheduled examinations scheduled from September 22 to September 24 and to make the safe school building a temporary shelter.

The Ministry of Health and Food and Hygiene has kept manpower, medicines and ambulance services ready 24 hours a day in the hospitals through the Health Emergency Operation Center in all the seven provinces. The Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies has directed the Food Management Company and the Nepal Oil Corporation to ensure the stock and regular distribution of food and fuel and intensified market monitoring to prevent artificial shortage and black marketing.

The Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation has extended the flood early warning period to five days in major rivers and 48 hours in small rivers.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment has been issuing a special agro-weather advisory bulletin on a daily basis to protect crops and agricultural produce from monsoon hazards. The Ministry of Infrastructure Development has deployed heavy equipment like dozers and excavators near the risky road sections and has been active round the clock and has banned the operation of dangerous roads during the night.

The Ministry of Land Management, Cooperatives, Federal Affairs and General Administration has directed the employees of all 753 local levels not to go on leave and to keep in regular touch with the Chief Administrative Officers till September 27. Nepal Telecom, under the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, has made arrangements to send regular messages to the flood-prone areas and dial 1155 to get weather and flood warnings.

In case of emergency, the citizens can call 1155 of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology, 1234 of the District Emergency Centre, 1111 of Hello Sarkar, 100 of Nepal Police and 1114 of the Armed Police Force.