Nepal Orders Local Officials to Remain in Office Amid Floods

Nepal’s Ministry of Land Management, Cooperative and Poverty Alleviation has directed local officials to remain in their offices amid rising risks of floods and landslides across the country.

The ministry’s Local Level Coordination Section issued a circular instructing all local level officials and district coordination committees to be present in their offices regularly to effectively manage disaster response and relief efforts.

According to the circular, officials are required to play an active role in coordination, facilitation, and reconstruction during the disaster period and not leave their offices unless absolutely necessary.

Even officials who are currently on leave have been instructed to cut their leave short and report to their respective offices to fulfill their responsibilities.

The ministry has also urged local officials to maintain continuous contact and coordination with district administration offices, security agencies, provincial and federal agencies for information collection, rescue and relief efforts, damage assessment, and other necessary facilitation.

In case of an emergency that requires leaving the office, officials are required to obtain prior approval from the concerned agency and ensure proper management of their responsibilities before leaving.