A Cabinet meeting held at Prime Minister Sushil Koirala’s official residence in Baluwatar took such decision after widespread complaints that the absence of  high-powered mechanism at the centre caused poor coordination among the state entities in the relief, rescue and recovery tasks following the April 25 Great Earthquake.

Koirala during the meeting of Special Parliamentary Committee on Wednesday admitted that lack of such specialised mechanism caused poor coordination and response after the earthquake.

Earlier, the government had registered a Bill at the Parliament Secretariat after April 25 quake proposing to form a Disaster Management National Council chaired by the PM and co-chaired by the home minister. The Cabinet meeting, however, decided to withdraw the Bill to pave way for prompt formation of such authority.

"Since there is no parliament session at present, the government decided to bring an ordinance stating that formation of such mechanism is an urgent matter," said Information and Communications Minister Minendra Rijal after the Cabinet meeting.

The government will also consult with political parties and experts about issues to be incorporated in the ordinance.  In the registered Bill, the government had proposed that the body will be mandated to collect funds from the state, foreign countries, donor agencies and other available sources to provide humanitarian relief when a disaster strikes. According to the Bill, money received at the Prime Minister Relief Fund will be spent in the districts through this mechanism.

The existing disaster response department led by a Home Ministry’s joint-secretary has been unable to coordinate with all ministries and security agencies during the crisis. This became evident after April 25 Earthquake.

Under the proposed Council, an executive committee led by the home minister will be formed to prepare long-term policies and programmes concerning disaster management. The Council will be authorised to mobilise all security agencies and ministries in a coordinated manner.

Similarly, various ministerial-level committees have also been proposed under the Council to carry out works before and after a natural disaster. The Bill had also sought to empower the Regional Administrator and Chief District Officers in mobilising security agencies and other state mechanisms for the rescue, relief and recovery tasks after a disaster.

In 2009 too, a proposal was floated to form a National Disaster Management Authority but it could not materialise. Civil society members and experts have long argued for such an authority. Prof Dr Bishal Nath Upreti, chairman of the Disaster Preparedness Network Nepal, said they had advised the government nine years ago to form such mechanism led by the prime minister.  “A ministry or department cannot work after big natural disasters. An autonomous body led by the Prime Minister and experts can make pre and post disaster management effective,” Upreti said.

The Natural Disaster Management Act has provision only about the relief and rescue tasks but does not incorporate pre-cautionary measures. The Act will be nullified after the proposed high-level authority is formed.