The Development Committee of the Legislature-Parliament on Tuesday directed the government to prepare integrated working plan and assessment of damage caused by recent floods in the southern plains. 

The parliamentary committee is of the view that the damage caused by the catastrophe should not affect third phase of local elections scheduled in Province 2 and major festivals like Dashain, Tihar and Chhath, among others.

With a motive of easing activities in the flood impacted areas, the committee on Tuesday summoned officials from the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Physical Infrastructure and Transport (MoPIT) and the Ministry of Home Affairs and directed them to ensure release of adequate funds for carrying out reconstruction and repair works of vital infrastructure.

Pointing out the lack of coordination among line agencies, the committee has directed the ministries to ensure a proper mechanism and initiate the task of bringing the flood-impacted infrastructure back into operation. 

According to the Department of Roads, as many as 50 bridges have been hit by floods across the country and a number of road sections along major highways have been damaged. The DoR, however, has stated that traffic on major highways have resumed with installation of Bailey bridge and creation of diversion routes along the highways, including the Eastwest Highway. 

Stating that a faulty design as a major cause for damages to infrastructure, the committee has directed the MoPIT to ensure thorough assessment of aspects like geology and proper design before initiating major infrastructure projects.

A high-level delegation, comprising Minister for Physical Infrastructure and Transport Bir Bahadur Balayar, Secretary Devendra Karki as well as DoR officials, had embarked on a site visit to several locations on Saturday. According to DoR Director General Gopal Prasad Sigdel, the department is collecting details of damage caused to infrastructure by recent floods and will prepare a report soon.