Parliamentary committee seeks detailed damage data from flood-hit areas

Kathmandu / Oct 28: A parliamentary special committee under the National Assembly has asked the Ministry of Agriculture, Forests and Environment to provide detailed data on flood damage to agriculture, livestock, aquatic life, farmland and biodiversity in affected areas.

At a meeting on Wednesday, committee chair Krishna Prasad Paudel asked the ministry to submit a detailed assessment of losses in every ward as soon as possible. He said the committee would hold extensive discussions with subject experts to identify reconstruction and rehabilitation measures based on the actual damage and the needs of affected communities.

Paudel said the committee plans to conduct field inspections only after receiving detailed reports from all 49 affected wards.

At the meeting, ministry secretary Dr Rajendra Prasad Mishra said the ministry was assessing crop losses and their value, livestock casualties, the economic value of aquatic life, farmland swept away by floods and damage to biodiversity. He said the assessment had yet to be finalized and that the ministry would provide the data and report to the committee.

Mishra said the crop damage assessment would consider the types of crops planted, their value, past productivity and current market prices. Livestock losses were being assessed using data collected through farmer registration, while further studies were underway to evaluate damage to aquatic life and farmland washed away by floods.

Ministry spokesperson Dr Maheshwar Dhakal informed the committee that Nepal had been given an opportunity to submit a proposal for US$20 million from the international Loss and Damage Fund.

He said climate justice efforts should focus not only on international compensation but also on the fair distribution of domestic relief and cooperation with neighbouring countries for comprehensive conservation, reconstruction and rehabilitation along river systems, from their headwaters to downstream areas.

The committee has scheduled discussions with various ministries and agencies through November 2. It plans to conduct field inspections in disaster-affected areas of Rasuwa, Nuwakot and Dhading from November 3 to 7.