NCC to aid in flood, landslide disaster management

KATHMANDU: Nepal Chamber of Commerce (NCC) is set to assist in mitigating the damage caused by last week's floods and landslides. During a meeting of the NCC's Disaster Management Council, it was resolved to collaborate with all state mechanisms for effective disaster management.

Deepak Kumar Malhotra, NCC Senior Vice President and Chairman of the Council, stated that the meeting agreed to adhere to the directives of the Disaster Management Committee of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) and committed to providing support.

"It has been decided that the private sector will cooperate with the government for rescue and relief during disasters," said Malhotra.

Malhotra further mentioned that the NCC will also work with the government on pre-disaster preparations and the collection of data on physical damage and human casualties caused by the recent incessant rains.

The Council meeting was attended by NCC President Kamlesh Kumar Agrawal, Immediate Past President Rajendra Malla, and other members including Krishna Man Shrestha, Mrigendra Mehar Shrestha, Sanjay Agrawal, Rupak Rajbanshi, Swaroopa Shrestha, Mukund Timilsina, Dipak Kunwar, Amit Agrawal, Tulasi Prasad Adhikari, Anil Manandhar, Dipak Maharjan, Bigyan Dev Pandey, Janaki Raj Bhattarai, Rajiv Shrestha, Yadav Adhikari, and Dipak Thapa.

Earlier, Malhotra welcomed the newly nominated members of the Disaster Management Council. The NCC is currently an ex-officio member of the Disaster Management Committee formed by the MoHA.

The NCC Council includes representatives from various sectors. Malhotra noted that members have been nominated from former special officers of the Nepali Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force, as well as representatives from associations related to hoteliers, party palace entrepreneurs, medicine, education and sports, agriculture and forestry, consumer welfare, engineering, and other fields.

The council members have pledged to demonstrate cooperation and goodwill from the private sector in disaster management efforts.