Disasters need one clear command chain, uncontrolled drones risky: Army

Chief of Army Staff Ashok Raj Sigdel has said that an effective post-disaster rescue requires a short, clearly defined "chain of command" with clear responsibilities.

He expressed this view at Friday's meeting of the parliamentary special committee on the Bhotekoshi and Kaligandaki corridor disasters.

According to him, the Emergency Operation Center Operating Procedure, 2082 does not clearly designate leadership, which created confusion in the field among the army, security agencies and civilian bodies.

He noted that managing airspace became difficult when 21 helicopters were flown in a 35-nautical-mile area following the Bhotekoshi flood.

The Chief of Army Staff said drones flown haphazardly in disaster-affected areas increased the risk of collision with helicopters, and called for effective management of airspace.

At the same meeting, Deputy Chief of Army Staff Suvash Jang Thapa informed that debris from a snow avalanche had blocked the Syar Khola, a tributary of the Budhigandaki, for about two hours. The subsequent flood swept away six bridges and blocked 91.5 kilometers of road.

The army said that during its six-day campaign it rescued 1,025 people and transported 13,930 kilograms of relief materials.

The army informed the parliamentary committee that at least 45 glacial lakes on the Nepal side carry a risk of bursting at any time.

The army has suggested that district disaster management committees should lead reconstruction, with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority providing supervision.