PM Koirala maintained that all the government agencies are being deployed to rescue the victims and provide relief packages. However, the PM did not announce any relief package to the quake-affected people.

Observers say the delayed address of the PM failed to instill a hope into the people affected by the quake that they would get timely relief packages.  

Koirala, in his brief address, thanked the international community for its support. He informed that altogether 15 countries have so far provided assistance.

He also urged the youths to engage in rescue and relief operation. PM Koirala did not provide any new plan and policies to tackle the disaster. He also did not give the details of the casualties.

He said the government would enter into reconstruction after management of quake victims and expected the same kind of support from the international community.

When the quake hit the country, PM Koirala was outside the country. He returned home cutting short his Indonesia visit. Despite his claims, the government has drawn criticism from all walks of life for not taking strong measures to deal with the crisis.

The ruling as well as opposition parties are not happy with the government’s pace of work. A meeting of the UCPN (Maoist) on Tuesday slammed the government for not playing a strong role to cope with the crisis.

Before his address, Koirala had called an all-party meeting at his official residence in Baluwatar where the parties asked him to make the state mechanism more effective and strong. The parties assured him of full cooperation in providing relief packages but expressed dissatisfaction at the government’s working style.  

State Affairs Committee (SAC) of Parliament on Tuesday directed the government to speed up relief efforts.

The SAC also directed the authorities to provide all the details of relief packages within the next two days. The SAC said it will continuously observe the government’s task of providing relief packages.