Kathmandu, July 15: The private sector has pledged to support search and rescue operations during the ongoing monsoon season by providing helicopters, drones and rafting equipment under an agreement signed with the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority (NDRRMA).
The agreement was signed between the NDRRMA, the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal (AOAN), the Nepal Drone Association, and the Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies (NARA).
Under the agreement, member airlines of the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal will provide helicopter services free of charge within the Kathmandu Valley and at minimum cost for operations outside the valley during disaster response and rescue missions.
Similarly, the Nepal Drone Association has agreed to provide drone services and trained drone operators free of cost within the Kathmandu Valley. The NDRRMA will, however, be responsible for arranging the travel and accommodation of personnel deployed for such operations.
The Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies has also committed to supplying rafts, rescue equipment and trained personnel whenever requested by the authority for emergency rescue operations.
The agreement will remain in effect for one year and may be renewed by mutual consent if necessary.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, NDRRMA Executive Chief Pradip Kumar Koirala said effective disaster response requires close cooperation among the government, private sector and local communities.
Representatives of the participating private-sector organisations also reaffirmed their commitment to supporting disaster response efforts.
Muralidhar Joshi, General Secretary of the Airlines Operators Association of Nepal, Raj Bikram Maharjan, Chairperson of the Nepal Drone Association, and Shiva Adhikari, Acting Chairperson of the Nepal Association of Rafting Agencies, said their organisations were ready to provide all possible assistance to help protect lives and property during disasters.
Representatives from the National Emergency Operation Centre, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), the Department of Roads, the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and the Armed Police Force Nepal were also present at the event. #nepal #disaster
