South Asian media persons in KTM 

Kathmandu, Nov 26 .Media persons of South Asian countries have gathered in Kathmandu to take information about the progress achieved by Nepal in the post-earthquake reconstruction task and disaster management.

Asian Development Bank Head Office in Manila, Philippines organised the regional event related to capacity building of media persons under skills development programme for media persons of Asia-Pacific region. Media persons associated with national news agencies and national dailies of Nepal, India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are participating in the four-day event titled ‘ Disaster Risk Management and Regional Tourism Promotion’.

Inaugurating the programme here on Monday, ADB Country Director for Nepal, Mukhtor Khamudkhanov, said that ADB would provide possible support in socio-economic
development of Nepal, making it free from poverty.

Khamudkhanov said that political stability has been established in Nepal after three-tier of election along with promulgation of Constitution and the incumbent government has been carrying out works keeping economic development along with participation of private sector at centre.

He said the ADB has been carrying out construction of school buildings damaged by earthquake, adding that of them, 162 have already been constructed.

Similarly, senior manager of ADB, Rudi van Deal, presented details about the support provided by ADB in Nepal’s energy, transport, communication, education sector and post-earthquake reconstruction and overall status projects run with ADB support.

ADB’s senior official Sharad Bhandari carried out review about various dimensions of Nepal assistance strategy recently issued by ADB board of directors.

Likewise, communication specialist at ADB headquarters, Graham Dwyer, said that the regional programme is organised in Kathmandu as Nepal is an appropriate place for media persons’ exposure.

Meanwhile, the team of media persons visited Lalitpur-based International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICMOD), and acquired information about the environmental impact at Hindu Kush region. Similarly, it also discussed on various issues including lifestyle of survivors after Gorkha earthquake, technology used in reconstruction and new construction, risk and difficulties of news desk during earthquake and flood and landslide and challenges in course of news collection and dissemination.