Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The government has decided to introduce an ordinance to amend existing laws to remove legal obstacles in declaring missing persons legally dead.
A cabinet meeting held on Wednesday decided to recommend that the President issue the Ordinance to Amend Certain Nepal Acts Related to Disasters.
Government spokesperson and Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmit Pokharel, told reporters after the cabinet meeting that the ordinance will reduce the mandatory waiting period required to declare a missing person dead from the existing 12 years down to just 45 days. He said the decision was made in light of the thousands of people reported missing following the devastating August 26 Bhotekoshi floods.
Additionally, the cabinet decided to recommend that the President issue the Ordinance to Amend Certain Nepal Acts Related to Land and Forests.
According to Pokharel, the cabinet also approved compensation for 153 victims as recommended by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
The meeting also decided to promote Joint Secretary Navin Raj Singh to the position of Secretary under the Nepal Engineering Service, and Joint Secretary Chakra Bahadur Budha to Secretary under the Nepal Administration Service.
Responding to a query regarding the recent government raid on the residence of former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, Pokharel said relevant government agencies were merely carrying out their regular duties.
“Necessary information, if required, will be provided by the Department of Money Laundering Investigation or the concerned ministry,” he added.
