Ready to send financial and relief assistance to Nepal: Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha chief Padam Thapa

Dehradun, Aug 27 (AHN) Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha President Padam Thapa on Thursday expressed grief over the lives lost in the massive flash floods in Nepal, while assuring that the organisation is ready to send financial and relief assistance, including medicines, to those affected in the Himalayan nation.

Speaking to AHN, Thapa said that everyone, including those who have no direct connection with Nepal, "felt deeply saddened" after hearing about the tragedy in the neighbouring country, "with which we share close ties".

"Given the 'beti-roti' relationship between Nepal and Uttarakhand, naturally, families whose daughters are married there or whose daughters from Nepal have come here as daughters-in-law are very concerned and worried," he added.

Thapa said that the Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha has 46 branches spread across Uttarakhand.

"We are in continuous contact with the Presidents of each branch. Just now, I received a call from Maya Khadka, the President of the Rishikesh branch. She informed me that most of the affected people are in the Rasuwa area along the Nepal-Tibet border. As you may have seen, the villages around the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli rivers have been badly affected," he added.

Mentioning that many Gorkha families travel to Nepal for pilgrimage, and they may have relatives there as well, Thapa said: "We have asked them to be prepared at their level during this time of disaster. We are also trying to send them financial assistance, relief materials and medicines, whatever can be done from our end, after holding an executive body meeting (of the organisation) and that of our other branches."

"Members of the Gorkha community from India are also part of the Kailash Mansarovar pilgrimages...according to whatever communication we could have with the people there, they are saying that it is a disaster and that bodies are being recovered one after another," he said.

The Gorkhali Sudhar Sabha chief appealed to the Uttarakhand and Delhi governments to issue guidelines for the Nepali students who have come to India for higher studies, so that they do not panic and do not immediately plan to leave for their hometown.

"The government should make arrangements so that the students and families who want to go and meet their relatives in the Himalayan nation are able to do so later," he said.