Minister Gautam pledges legal and policy reforms to reduce disaster losses

KATHMANDU: Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Sobita Gautam has pledged to gradually amend existing laws and policies to promote disaster-resilient, safe and geographically appropriate infrastructure and reduce the loss and damage caused by disasters.

Addressing the inauguration of the Fifth National Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Lalitpur on Monday, the minister said recent devastating floods in Nepal had underscored the need to take warnings from disaster experts seriously.

“For the past 15 years, nature has repeatedly given us indications of unexpected disasters. Experts have warned that Nepal is at risk and called for reforms in laws and infrastructure. However, the recent floods in Rasuwa have compelled us to take these warnings seriously,” she said.

Gautam noted that although disasters are natural phenomena, the extent of the resulting loss and damage is largely determined by human activities, government policies, laws and the design and location of infrastructure.