News

On march 18^th, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA) hosted a program to extend a warm welcome to the newly elected committee led by Dr. Raju Thapa of the Disaster Preparedness Network Nepal (DPNet), following the successful conclusion of its 15th General Assembly. The event was attend by notable figures like Executive Chief of NDRRMA Anil Pokhrel, Joint Secretary Bharat Mani Pandey, Rameshwor Marahatta, Dhurva Bahadur Khadka, and Rishi Raj Acharya, alongside other undersecretaries and staff from NDRRMA. From DPNet, Dr. Raju Thapa as President, Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa as Immediate Past President, Ms. Shakti Gurung as Vice President, Mr. Suraj Gautam as General Secretary, and Mr. Harshaman Maharjan as Vice General Secretary and other executive committee members Mr. Dharma Lal Rokaya, Mr. Santosh Neupane, Ms. Amika Rajthala, Mr. Hira Singh Thapa, Nagdev Yadav, Mr. Rabin Dahal, Mr. Sabin Adhikari attended the program.

During the program, Executive Chief of NDRRMA emphasized the need for DPNet to bridge the gap between civil society and government agencies, acting as a watchdog to provide essential feedback and suggestions for improvement. Chief Executive expressed his willingness to cooperate with the new committee in mitigating risks and managing disasters, citing his familiarity with many team members and expressing confidence in Dr. Thapa's leadership abilities to bring about meaningful changes, particularly in disaster management coordination and networking.

DPNet Immediate Past President, Mr. Surya Bahadur Thapa, highlighted DPNet's efforts in introducing disaster management acts and advocated against the idea of new climate change councils and authorities for similar activities, emphasizing the need for efficiency and cost-effectiveness in such endeavors. He praised the present DPNet committee for its dynamic composition and shared commitment to innovation and impact.

Dr. Raju Thapa proposed several initiatives, including the celebration of NDRRMA Day and the compilation and publication of best practices and lessons learned to preserve historical records. He suggested amendments to disaster assessment guidelines and to align with Nepal's evolving federal structure and improve clarity and simplicity. He also suggested to amend the existing relief standard. Additionally, he called for the establishment of Provincial Platforms for Disaster Risk Reduction in all provinces and requested the commencement of preparatory programs for the upcoming Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction (APMCDRR) in Manila. Dr. Thapa reassured NDRRMA of DPNet's dedication to these tasks and offered full support for their implementation. He emphasized DPNet's readiness to assist NDRRMA whenever required, demonstrating a strong commitment to collaborative efforts in disaster risk reduction and management. Finally, Chief Executive thanked all and closed the program.