Minister Khand calls for raising awareness on earthquake safety everyday

KATHMANDU: DEC. 29 – Minister for Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand has spoken of the need to raise awareness on earthquake safety every day rather than only one day.

At the meeting of the 24th National Earthquake Safety Day Main Organizing Committee at the Ministry of Home Affairs today, Minister Khand asserted that it was the responsibility of all to protect the lives of the citizens from natural disasters.

Khand said, “Nepal is ranked at 11th position in terms of global risk for earthquake. The earlier Gorkha Earthquake incurred huge loss of lives and properties. It has alerted everyone. The post-quake reconstruction process is still ongoing.”

The 24th National Earthquake Day will be observed on January 16, 2022, at Patan Durbar Square, Lalitpur. The government has been observing National Earthquake Safety Day on Magh 2 of Nepali month every year in memory of the 1934 earthquake to spread awareness about earthquake safety methods.

The Minister pressed for compliance with the construction-related code of conduct introduced to minimize the damages of the quake.” The National Earthquake Safety Day should not be limited to formality,” he said. “Instead,” Minister Khand added, “every citizen should be taught to save themselves during the earthquake.”

Today’s meeting urged civic society, United Nations agencies and non-government agencies and communities to observe the Day in a grand manner.

During the meeting, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Authority’s executive director Anil Pokharel briefed about the proposed and already approves programs to be organized on the National Earthquake Safety Day.

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City will organize a memorial assembly at Bhugol Park in New Road, Kathmandu on the same day.

The slogan for the 24th National Earthquake Safety Day is-‘Earthquake Safety in Multiple Disasters, Protection of Life and Property while Working Together.’

-RSS