The Nepali Congress has said that the government delayed efforts to rescue people trapped inside tunnels.
Hundreds of people died in the devastating Bhotekoshi-Trishuli flood that occurred on August 26, while thousands are still missing.
A meeting of the Nepali Congress Central Policy, Research, and Training Academy, held to discuss rescue, relief, and rehabilitation following the flood, concluded that the government had delayed the rescue of people trapped inside tunnels.
The meeting expressed anger over what it described as the government’s “lack of foresight and inaction” in rescuing those trapped inside tunnels.
At the same time, the meeting praised and expressed respect for the roles played by the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, Armed Police Force, and other administrative agencies, which have been working around the clock on rescue operations.
The academy, headed by party Vice-president Bishwa Prakash Sharma, said: "The entire world was informed about the sensitive news that many brilliant engineers and hardworking laborers were trapped inside tunnels. When our own capacity and expertise fell short, it was the duty of a responsible government to immediately seek expert assistance from across the globe and rescue those trapped within the first 2-3 days. However, the government's behavior – its reluctance to seek international assistance, delaying it, and failing to grant timely permission to the project developers and construction companies to carry out rescue operations – was not only wrong, but is ultimately proving to be inhumane."
The academy’s meeting also called on the government to immediately rescue those trapped inside tunnels and ensure a proper way out for them.
