Ganesh Parajuli to Lead House Panel on Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Disaster
RSP lawmaker Ganesh Parajuli secured the chair of a 15-member parliamentary special committee investigating the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli disaster and Himalayan climate change with cross-party backing.
Lawmakers from across party lines have backed Rastriya Swatantra Party deputy parliamentary party leader Ganesh Parajuli to chair the newly formed Parliamentary Special Committee on Himalayan Climate Change, Climate Justice, and the Bhotekoshi-Trishuli Disaster.
Parajuli secured the leadership post unopposed after filing the lone nomination, according to reports by Setopati and Onlinekhabar. Nepali Congress lawmaker Mohan Acharya proposed his candidacy, with seconders drawn from across the aisle: Pushpa Raj Kandel of the CPN-UML, Ramesh Kumar Malla of the CPN, Dhruva Raj Rai of the Shram Sanskriti Party, Saraswati Lama of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party, and Nisha Dangi of the RSP.
The 15-member panel was constituted in the House of Representatives on September 21 (Asoj 5), spurred by devastating floods that hit Rasuwa on August 26 (Bhadra 10), Onlinekhabar reported. Speaker Dol Prasad Aryal subsequently announced the chair election during a parliamentary sitting, setting the vote for September 30 at 2 pm, as reported by My Republica and Nepal Views.
The committee has been granted a three-month tenure from the date of its first meeting to carry out a comprehensive nine-point mandate, with provisions allowing for extensions. Its primary mission is to conduct a science-based inquiry into the genesis, sequence, and exacerbating drivers of the catastrophic flash floods in the Bhotekoshi and Trishuli river corridors. The panel will also investigate transboundary upstream dynamics and risks facing downstream settlements.
Beyond technical analysis, the committee is tasked with reviewing state-led rescue, relief, and rehabilitation operations, according to Setopati. Its responsibilities include assessing the plight of missing citizens, temporary shelter conditions, basic service delivery, and livelihood recovery. The panel will outline a time-bound roadmap for rebuilding damaged roads, bridges, power plants, and drinking water infrastructure, while proposing frameworks for multi-hazard risk mapping and community-level early warning mechanisms.
On the policy front, the committee will examine carbon emissions, climate justice, and loss and damage documentation to strengthen Nepal's international advocacy and access to global climate finance. It is also authorized to recommend legislative revisions and clarify intergovernmental coordination across federal, provincial, and local levels.
Reporting diverged on specific procedural and personnel records. While My Republica reported that Speaker Aryal scheduled the chair election under Rule 176 (1) of the House of Representatives Regulations 2079 BS, Setopati stated that the panel itself was established pursuant to Rule 180 of the House of Representatives Regulations 2083 BS. Additionally, Nepal Views listed Nepali Congress lawmaker Urmila Thapaliya among the committee's 15 members, whereas Setopati and Onlinekhabar identified the member as Sita Thapaliya.