Nepal Govt. Asks Foreign Rescue Workers To Leave Country
04 May, Kathmandu
Nepal government Monday asked hundreds of foreign rescue workers to leave the quake-hit country as immediate relief has already been provided and the remaining tasks will be carried out by its army and police.This was stated by the Nepal’s Information Minister Minendra Rijal in Kathmandu.
He however said that there was work remaining in the villages and remote mountainous areas that could be carried out by foreign aid volunteers along with local police and army.
The Central Natural Disaster Relief Committee – headed by Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam, who is also the Deputy Prime Minister – had asked the government to bid adieu to the foreign rescue teams yesterday, eight days after the deadly earthquake hit the Himalayan nation. Around 4,500 people from around 34 nations, including National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) teams from India, came to Nepal after the April 25 earthquake to carry out the rescue work and pull people out of the debris. Most of the rescue teams are carrying out operations in the worst affected districts of the Kathmandu Valley, Sindhu palchowk and Gorkha districts.
Meanwhile, deadly quake-hit Gorakha district of Nepal has been given three helicopters for rescue operations under the control of district administration. Two helicopters are from Nepal Army and one is from Indian Army. C.D.O. Gorakha N.B. Dani told AIR correspondent that five villages situated in remote hilly areas are yet to be rescued. The villagers need tents, tirpals, food material and medical aid. District administration is trying hard to reach those five villages at the earliest possible, he said. Meanwhile, medical teams have arrived some far flung areas like Barpak, Lapu and Aarkhet.
The rescue and relief team of Indian Army has started giving medical aid to the residents of Barpak, the epicenter of 7.9 magnitude earthquake on 25th April. In far-flung villages like Lapu and Manbu rescue and relief operations has been started. A medical team of Indian Army is working there, while the helicopters are dropping relief materials and airlifting those persons, who are to be hospitalized. Meanwhile rehabilitation has also been started, alongwith speedy repairing of roads, erecting electricity poles and telecom towers in the quake-hit areas.