The two ministries on Tuesday reached the understanding wherein the Home Ministry has agreed to print and transport ID cards to the earthquake-affected VDCs and municipalities while the Ministry of Federal Affairs has agreed to oversee the distribution process.

The government has made it mandatory for the quake victims to produce ID card to receive the government announced relief package.

Earlier, the two ministries were at loggerheads over who should distribute ID cards to the earthquake victims. The Ministry of Federal Affairs had refused to take on the task, arguing that it would take some VDC secretaries up to  six days to reach the district headquarters to collect the ID cards and that they could not just take a leave of absence when they were busy overseeing the task of  distributing emergency supplies.

Similarly, the Home Ministry had said that it could only help out with the task of printing the ID cards.

Because of the delay in ID card distribution, the earthquake victims have not received the government announced relief cash of Rs 15,000 meant for building temporary shelters. The government has released Rs 5.53 billion for the purpose.

Panel to assess quake’s impact on environment

KATHMANDU: The government is set to perform a Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) of the quakes on biodiversity and natural resources along with livelihoods dependent on such resources.

A steering committee comprising government officials and experts and led by Krishna Chandra Paudel, secretary at the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment carry out the assessment. The assessment will focus on direct impact of April 25 earthquake and its aftershocks on agriculture, forest section, biodiversity and natural resources and ecosystem services such as water supply, soil erosion, landslides and flooding. According to the ministry, one of the key objectives of the assessment is to support the government’s reconstruction planning by integrating proper and better environmental practices to build a disaster resilient communities and infrastructures in the future. The assessment is expected to identify mitigation measures to disasters such as landslides, soil erosion and flooding that are likely to occur with the start of monsoon this year.

The initial findings of the assessment are expected to come by mid-June. Officials said the worst-hit district in terms of environmental impact and natural hazards are likely to be Sindhupalchok, Dolakha, Nuwakot, Dhading, Rasuwa, Kavre, Gorkha, Ramechhap and Bhaktapur. (PR)