New Delhi

Nepal today thanked India for extending a “blank cheque” and taking initiative in launching relief operations in the aftermath of Saturday’s killer earthquake, which was followed suit by other countries.

Ambassador-designate of Nepal Deep Kumar Upadhyay also expressed concerns on “congestion on Kathmandu airport” that was hampering taking aid to the victims.

“India took the initiative in relief operations, which other countries followed. We are thankful to the government of India that it was kind enough to extend a ‘blank cheque’ after the shattering earthquake. It has done tremendous work to provide help,” he told reporters here.

“The Indian government has also accepted our request for special trains to border areas so that our people who want to return to their homes can go there. The service will be increased as per demand,” he added.

Upadhyay said “I know we are two (countries), but we are receiving support like we are one. There is no problem of coordination between us. The aid will have a positive impact on us. It’s a matter of human emotions.”

Expressing concern about the obstacles in the relief work going on in the Himalayan nation round the clock, he said one major issue was congestion at Kathmandu airport due to which flying down support materials and resuming passenger flights were getting affected.

“The Kathmandu airport has a parking capacity of just seven to eight planes. At present 30 helicopters are already stationed there, including 20 from India and a few from the US. So there is congestion and we are unable to welcome rescue teams and relief material,” Upadhyay said.

And in this regard, the most important requirement was that the aircraft come, off load relief material and return immediately, he said.

“This will help resume normal commercial passenger flights. It will help reduce panic and boost the morale of the people as they will understand that the situation was returning to normal,” he added.

Upadhyay said providing food and shelter was a priority and the focus will shift toward them as “hopefully all kind of primary rescue work will be over by today”.

Upadhyay said Nepal will now move towards need based, targeted relief work, to ensure that aid material reach the affected districts, and do not just get wasted in Kathmandu.

“There is no dearth of relief material. It is our responsibility now to take it to the interior areas in the mountains, which have been the worst hit. We will airlift and road lift the material to those places,” he said.

“Many friendly countries are also trying to help, but we are holding them back due to congestion on our airport,” he added.

Upadhyay expressed confidence that electricity supply will be restored to an extent as Power Grid officials from India and Nepal are continuously working towards it.

“Restoration of power supply will also lead to restoration of communication and lift the spirits of the distressed people there,” he added.

The Nepal Ambassador said that many NGOs based in India were trying to lend a helping hand, but advised a note of caution for the sake of better coordination in the relief work.

“The NGOs have shown much concern. We are requesting them to come in a proper way. We will ask what kind of help they want to provide and then recommend and guide them. This way they will be able to help more,” he added.

Upadhyay said the Nepal Consulate in Kolkata is also coordinating with relief agencies and NGOs for the purpose.

The Nepal Embassy has set up a toll free helpline 18002700032 for people affected by the earthquake. It has also created a Facebook page ‘Nepal Embassy, New Delhi’ for the purpose.

The embassy has also set up its own relief fund welcoming monetary donations from individuals who want to provide help to the people of Nepal.

Will do everything possible to help Nepal:Narendra Modi

New Delhi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today reiterated India’s commitment to do everything possible to help quake-hit Nepal and said that it was not alone at this moment of tragedy.

Speaking at a joint press briefing with Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Modi said that India will certainly be there when the citizens of Nepal rebuild their lives and homes.

“We are meeting in the shadow of the horrible calamity in Nepal. President Ghani and I speak for our two countries, South Asia and the world to the people of Nepal.

“Your courage and humanity have earned the respect of the world. And, you are not alone at this moment of tragedy and trial. We will do everything possible with rescue and relief.

And, we will certainly be there when you rebuild your lives and reconstruct your homes and heritage,” Modi said.

Three days after the 7.9-magnitude temblor flattened their homes and dwellings, desperate people across Nepal looked for succour from helicopters that criss-cross the Himalayan nation as massive international aid, including from India, poured in.

The death toll in Nepal’s devastating earthquake could shoot up to 10,000 as rescuers and international aid workers today struggled to reach relief in remote areas of the country which is still battling the aftermath.

India enlarges Nepal rescue ops to worst-hit areas, Gorkha soldiers tapped

New Delhi

India today enlarged its relief and rescue operations in quake-hit Nepal beyond Kathmandu to the worst-affected epicentre areas and rushed Gorkha soldiers to remote places to assess the kind of assistance required.

The death toll in India following Saturday’s powerful earthquake in Nepal, meanwhile, rose to 75 with Bihar accounting for maximum number of 58 casualties.

A “big” evacuation effort through the road route was also underway with another 4,000 people headed to India.

Altogether 20,000 Indian nationals have been evacuated and arrangements were being made to take them to their homes by trains from Raxaul in Bihar, Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in Motihari.

A report from Maharajganj in Uttar Pradesh said over a 1,000 stranded people arrived in the border town of Sunauli.

Defence Secretary R K Mathur said in all the Indian Air Force has ferried 2,865 passengers back home.

As rescue efforts afer the killer quake entered the fourth day, Indian rescuers from NDRF and Air Force planes have begun reaching areas beyond Kathmandu Valley near Pokhara.

“We now have a better appreciation of the area after our helicopters have undertaken numerous sorties. We have conducted chopper operations to the affected areas outside Kathmandu today. A AN-32 plane also landed at Pokhara today,” Defence Secretary R K Mathur told reporters during an official briefing of operation ‘Maitri’ or friendship here.

Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar said a “big movement by roads” has been initiated and in the first phase approximately 4,000 Indians in 80 buses will be reaching India by tonight.

The buses, after crossing the Indo-Nepal border, will terminate at Gorakhpur in UP.

“The bus route is probably the best route to come back home and we have made arrangements for the same along the border on the Indian side,” he said.

Jaishankar said it is expected that 100 more buses will go to Nepal from UP tomorrow and after dropping relief material, they will carry passengers back.

“There has been progress in terms of relief going in,” the Foreign Secretary said.

Goyal said in India, 75 casualities and 450 injuries have been reported till now from the affected states.

“The maximum casualities of 58 have taken place in Bihar.

No assistance has been sought by any other quake-affected state from the Centre till now. However, NDRF teams are working at these locations,” he said.

Tapping its 38,000-strong force of Gorkha soldiers, the Indian Army has sent “quite a few of them” to various parts of Nepal to ascertain the requirements in remote places.

Army officers said the soldiers, some of whom have reached their destinations, are providing valuable inputs about the extent of damage and the specific relief needed.

“We have got a large number of Gorkha soldiers in the Indian Army who belong to Nepal. Quite a few of them have been sent to Nepal, to their areas, to physically go and ascertain what are the requirements,” Additional Director General of Military Operations Maj Gen Ranbir Singh said here.

– PTI