Quake-hit Nepal likely to form national govt: Minister

Pushing differences aside, Nepal's political parties are keen to form a national government in the aftermath of the devastating quake that has been declared the deadliest of all times, killing nearly 9,000 people.
Prime Minister Sushil Koirala was ready to change the present government into the national one by incorporating other parties, Minister for Information and Communications, Minendra Rijal told reporters today.
Rijal, who is also the government spokesperson, said that the Prime Minister was positive to form the national government since the formation of present government so as to institutionalise democratic republic.
"It is positive that other political parties have also shown interest in forming national government following the disaster," he said, adding that Koirala was ready to lead the national government.

Though Koirala assumed office in February last year, not much progress has been made on the Constitution drafting process. Political parties have been deeply divided on several key issues, including forms of governance, electoral system, federal structure and judicial system.
Rijal said it was not a time to doubt much and make negative comments on government activities but to be united to help the quake survivors.

The death toll from the April 25 monster temblor that triggered over 240 aftershocks including the powerful one on May 12 has reached nearly 9,000, making the temblor the deadliest in Nepal's recorded history and killing more people than the 1934 earthquake.

According to the Home Ministry sources, 8,544 dead bodies were handed over to the families of the deceased and 6,269 injured are undergoing treatment.
In the wake of the earthquake, the government has banned the construction of houses over two-storey tall till mid-July. The ministry has also put on hold the approval of new house designs for the same period, ekantipur.Com reported.
The development came as a 4.2-magnitude tremor jolted the Himalayan nation at 9.11 am, with epicentre at Dolakha district situated in the east of Kathmandu.
The government will also appeal to the international community for more assistance to cope with the post-disaster situation.

Minister for Health and Population Khaga Raj Adhikari, who is leading a Nepalese delegation to participate in the 68th World Health Assembly scheduled for May 18-26 in Geneva, told the Himalayan Times that Nepal will draw the attention of the international community to the situation in the country.
The Nepalese government is in immediate need of over four billion rupees to reconstruct or repair the buildings of health institutions, Adhikari said.