CDOs urged for effective implementation of action plan on cold wave

The Disaster Authority of the Ministry of Home Affairs has called attention of the Chief District Officers (CDOs) towards the effective implementation of the action plan to be safe from cold.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA)'s directive comes in the wake of increasing cold wave in most of the districts in the Tarai and snowfall taking place in the mountainous region as well.

Stating that the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology has even issued a special bulletin noting intensifying cold wave in the Tarai region which will continue for some more days, NDRRMA spokesperson Dr Dijan Bhattarai said letters have been sent to all the CDOs for implementing in a more effective way the Cold Wave and Snowfall Preparedness and Risk Reduction Action Plan, 2081 BS.

The Meteorological Forecasting Division of the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology said a mild cold wave is prevalent in the eastern region of Madhes Province and the Tarai region of Koshi Province at present. Fog and haze have occurred in many places of the Tarai while snowfall is taking place in several places of the mountainous region.

The NDRRMA has issued and executed the Action Plan.

According to the meteorologists, there is a possibility of cold waves and snowfall in various parts of the country from mid-November to mid-March.

According to NDRRMA spokesperson Dr Bhattarai, there is a risk of cold wave in Tarai and inner-Tarai districts during this period, while in the high hilly and mountainous districts, the temperature decreases significantly and there is snowfall, increasing cold.

The Action Plan states that the poor are most affected by the cold wave, extreme cold and snowfall and there may be an outbreak of respiratory diseases during this period; therefore, especially the elderly, children, new mothers, persons with disabilities, chronic patients need special protection in the areas affected during the cold wave and snowfall, and so the necessary relief and rescue materials and the required preparations and response should be planned targeting the affected population.