4.3. Utilization of Local Resources

So, the government want to make sure that no victim is left out and no one gets repeated supports because it is very common in any relief stage but one person because they are always craving for certain benefits or some needs which they are able to get in that phase. So, they want to make sure that something should be transparent and someone already got it they should not get again and again.

The government aims to create a fair relief system where no individual receives multiple supports while others may be left out. This system is important to ensure that resources are distributed based on need rather than availability or familiarity with the process. Transparency is crucial as it helps prevent any one individual from exploiting the system, ensuring that every affected person receives their due assistance fairly.

Imagine a food bank during a disaster. If a single person goes to the food bank every day for meals, while others in need don’t get any, it creates an unfair situation. To fix this, the food bank keeps records of who has received food to ensure that everyone gets at least one meal. This way, they help more people efficiently.

So, there should be a kind of uniform and very transparent nature and no one should not get a substandard packages, you know, someone has got a very better package, someone has got a very substandard package, whether in terms of the quality of the delivery or the quality of the product they have got, so you know, we should not compromise on that.

There should be consistent standards for the aid provided to ensure that every recipient receives high-quality assistance. When different organizations provide varying levels of support, it can lead to dissatisfaction and distrust among those affected. A uniform approach ensures that all beneficiaries receive the same care and quality in relief materials so that no one feels disadvantaged.

Think of a school distributing textbooks to students. If some students receive brand new textbooks while others get old, torn ones, it creates inequality. To maintain fairness, the school needs to ensure that every student receives the same quality materials, regardless of their background, so everyone can learn effectively.

But the problem is this particular process has not been standardized, the reason why it has not been standardized is it has not been recognized, it has not been incorporated in the legal system, legal procedures. How to standardize these relief materials, how to standardize these packages and that is where the first and foremost important part, there is a need for standardization of relief materials in the legislations for the disaster-affected communities.

Currently, there is a lack of a standardized approach to providing disaster relief materials. This absence is due to the lack of legal recognition or procedures that would define what the standards should be. Standardization is necessary so that all disaster relief efforts follow consistent guidelines, which would improve the efficiency of aid distribution and ensure that all materials meet minimum quality and safety standards.

Consider a restaurant that serves food without any set recipes or standards. The dishes might taste different every day, leading to customer confusion and dissatisfaction. But if the restaurant establishes clear recipes and quality standards, every dish served would meet their customers' expectations, creating a better dining experience.

So, this is one of the input. Then, we talk about National Disaster Management Authority, we call the NDMA, which again focuses on the preparedness management committee has subcommittees, preparedness management committee, rescue and relief management committee and rehabilitation and reconstruction committee.

The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) plays a crucial role in managing disaster responses through various subcommittees focused on different areas like preparedness and rehabilitation. Each subcommittee has specific duties to ensure that all aspects of disaster management are addressed effectively. This structure is designed to streamline efforts and improve the overall efficiency of disaster responses.

Think of NDMA as a sports team coach who divides players into different roles: defenders, midfielders, and forwards. Each player has specific duties that contribute to the team's overall success. In the same way, NDMA’s subcommittees ensure every area of disaster management is tackled effectively, much like how a well-coordinated team functions smoothly.

Now, in the rescue and relief management activities, they have a bill which has been as old as a dated bill of, they have an act of an existing Natural Calamity Relief Act, of 1982 which has a very limited scope in establishing these procedures and also the packages of the present conditions of the post-earthquake because it has one of the major earthquake and there are certain situations which has not been addressed and the demand has been high.

The existing Natural Calamity Relief Act from 1982 has not kept pace with the realities of modern disaster response. Due to its limited scope, many current challenges—especially post-natural disasters—remain unaddressed. This gap highlights the urgent need for updating the legal framework to reflect contemporary needs and procedures for effective disaster management.

It’s like driving a very old car that was built before there were seat belts or airbags. While it might still work, it’s not safe by modern standards. Updating the law is essential to ensure that rescue operations are as effective and safe as possible for everyone involved.

So, Nepal has a very interesting aspect of how to connect the disasters and development. One is they have the LDRMP which is called Local Disaster Risk Management Planning. So, how the national level guidance has been translated into the local level guidance is that is where with these planning guidelines.

Nepal has implemented Local Disaster Risk Management Planning (LDRMP) to help bridge the gap between national policies and local practices. This approach ensures that local authorities can effectively manage risks associated with disasters based on guidance from the national level, adapting it to their specific contexts.

Imagine a national park that has a set of rules for visitors to protect the wildlife. Local guides use these rules to create tours that suit their specific area. Similarly, LDRMP allows local bodies to customize national disaster management strategies to fit their unique challenges and resources.

But many of them they are not having plan, they don’t have plan, so what to do with this and even, if there are the council's which are having the local authorities which are having plan and they also they did not receive any adequate recognition in terms of how to mobilize the resources and how to build the capacities.

Many local councils lack proper disaster management plans, and even those that do often struggle with mobilizing necessary resources and building local capacity. This inadequacy leads to challenges in responding to disasters effectively, highlighting the need for better planning and resource allocation at the local level.

Consider a community wanting to organize a local event but lacking a clear plan or enough volunteers. If they know what to do but can’t gather enough people to help, the event might fail. Similarly, local councils need support and recognition to make their disaster plans effective, ensuring all members can contribute and respond efficiently.

And similarly, there have been some observations on the disaster preparedness and response plan which is a DPRP Guidelines and this is again after the scale of impact because this is a major impact 7.6 Richter scale and having the aftershocks and that whatever the legal documents, they were not fully adequate to be applied in practice because the challenges are very complex, in this particular scenario.

Recent observations indicate that existing Disaster Preparedness and Response Plans (DPRP) have proven inadequate after significant disasters, such as earthquakes measuring 7.6 on the Richter scale. The complexity of challenges in practice reveals that legal documents and guidelines must be revised to better address real-world situations and complexities.

Think of a fire drill at school. If the drill only covers what to do in a small fire but doesn’t prepare students for a bigger emergency, it fails its purpose. Similarly, the disaster preparedness plans need to be thorough and practical to equip communities for real emergencies.

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