Dr. Shekhar Koirala criticizes government’s apathy in disaster management & public safety

KATHMANDU: Senior leader of Nepali Congress, Dr. Shekhar Koirala, has expressed concern over the government’s apathy towards disaster management and the safety of its citizens.

Speaking at a goodwill exchange program organized by the Salyan-Kathmandu Contact Committee of Nepali Congress in Kathmandu on Saturday, Koirala said the government appears indifferent in addressing these critical issues.

He highlighted that most of the major highways across the country are blocked, stating, “Road connections between the Kathmandu Valley and outer districts have been severed. District headquarters are disconnected from road networks. Entire settlements are submerged. People are in a dire crisis. But where is the state at this moment?”

Koirala criticized the government’s neglect in handling incidents like people being swept away by floods even in the federal capital. He emphasized that the government is not just about positions and power, questioning how the state remained unmoved even as citizens were being washed away near ministers’ residences.

Despite the Department of Meteorology issuing advance warnings of heavy rainfall days ago, Koirala remarked that the government failed to take necessary precautions, leading to human casualties. He further accused the government of gross negligence during the disaster.

Koirala also urged leaders at all levels of his party to actively engage in rescue efforts during the disaster.