- Thursday, 1 October 2026
Kathmandu, Oct 1: A meeting of the National Assembly (NA) on Thursday passed a condolence motion on the demise of former House of Representatives member Ghanendra Basnet. Basnet, a leader of the democratic movement, died on Wednesday while undergoing treatment at Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital. He was 74-year-old.
NA expressed deep grief over the passing away of Basnet, the former member of the House of Representatives. Leader Basnet was elected from Sankhuwasabha constituency No-2 in 2048 BS and from Bhojpur Constituency No-1 in 2056 BS to the House of Representatives member representing from CPN (UML).
After passing the condolence motion, NA observed a minute’s silence in honour of the late lawmaker. The meeting paid tribute to him and expressed condolences to the bereaved family members.
Earlier in the meeting, Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, Sobita Gautam, presented the sixth annual report of Indigenous Nationalities Commission to parliament. It was the report presented on behalf of Prime Minister Balendra Shah for the fiscal year, 2080/81 BS.
Likewise, Puja Chaudhary, chairperson of the Public Policy and Delegated Legislation Committee, submitted the annual report of the Committee for the fiscal year, 2082/83 BS before the House. Chairpersons of the Federalism Strengthening and National Concern Committee, Jayanti Devi Rai, submitted the annual report of the Committee for the fiscal year, 2082/83 BS before NA.
Chairman of the Legislation Management Committee, Krishna Bahadur Rokaya, also presented the Committee’s report on the ‘Bill on Obligations of Domestic Air Services, 2083 BS’. NA secretary Tul Bahadur Kandel made aware the NA members about the message received from the House of Representatives on the ‘National Forensics Laboratory (Establishment and Operation) Bill, 2081 which was earlier passed by NA and sent to HoR. NA will meet next at 1:15 pm Friday. —-
A meeting of the upper house of federal parliament, National Assembly, today formed a nine-member special committee to study the damages caused by the disasters on Bhotekoshi and Kaligandaki corridors and recommend measures for long-term risk reduction.
In the meeting, chairman of the National Assembly, Narayan Prasad Dahal, informed lawmakers that a parliamentary special committee was formed to conduct an inspection and study of the disasters occurred on Bhotekoshi and Kaligandaki corridors.
The study panel includes Krishna Prasad Poudel, Gita Devkota, Ghanashyam Rijal, Shreekrishna Prasad Adhikari, Samjhana Devkota, Somnath Portel, Puja Chaudhary and Tul Prasad Bishwakarma. One more member will be inducted to the committee later.
The study panel will review disaster preparedness, risk reduction, loss of lives and property, search for the missing ones and survivors, rescue, relief and compensation, treatment to the injured persons, management of dead bodies and rehabilitation campaigns.
The committee has been further mandated to analyze the impact of climate change and recommend a roadmap for the rehabilitation of the displaced ones, reconstruction of physical infrastructures, risk reduction and climate justice.
The study panel will also suggest the necessary mechanisms for the development and effective implementation of scientific and modern early warning systems and technologies. A scientific analysis of the causes, risks and long-term impacts of disasters would be carried out by holding adequate interaction with subject experts.
The points to the lawmakers for the study range from appropriate framework for cooperation with disaster-affected neighbouring countries for the exchange of experience, technology, information and resources so that cooperation would be bolstered in disaster risk reduction, rescue, relief and rehabilitation efforts.
The issues of international system in relation to various countries’ roles in climate change and possible legal basis to claim compensation for losses are also in the list for study. Geological, geographical and climate-related risks in terms of new settlements are equally relevant topics for the study panel. The parliamentary special committee has been given time till mid-January 2027. —
Lawmakers have drawn government’s attention towards the loss of lives and properties caused by flood and landslide at different districts of the country, demanding the government immediately announce relief and rehabilitation package for landslide and flood affected people.
Speaking in special hour of today’s NA meeting, Kiran Babu Shrestha of the Nepali Congress demanded to mobilize all mechanisms of federation, provinces and local levels through integrated emergency mechanism without limiting the problems surfaced across the country along with Gandaki province due to flood and landslide as the matter of general relief.
He urged the government to immediately announce special relief and rehabilitation package for deceased’s families, injured, displaced and homeless people as well as immediately bring obstructed road, power supply and telecom services into operation.
Raising the question about effectiveness of disaster early warning and preparedness, Shrestha asked the government to make alternative supply arrangement as north check point has been obstructed.
Similarly, the NA members suggested the voice of opposition parties as suggestions and demanded that Prime Minister Balendra Shah should respond the House as per the sentiments of parliamentary provision.
They also directed the government to improve road infrastructures for safe travel and accelerate market monitoring targeting the festivals as well as expressed sorrow over the loss of lives and properties caused by Bhotekoshi flood and recent flood and landslide in Manang, Myagdi, Parbat, Baglung and Palpa districts.
The NA members also objected to taking former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana under police control and demanded to make public the statement taken by National Human Rights Commission from police to this matter.
Mentioning that the government should be responsible towards parliament and people, they asked the government to ensure god governance as well as to provide necessary financial and legal support to victim families. Putting forth their view on these matters are Suresh Kumar Ale Magar and Ghan Shyam Rijal of Nepali Communist Party and Ram Kumari Jhakri of CPN (UML). —
