KATHMANDU: Minister for Industry, Commerce, and Supplies Damodar Bhandari emphasized the importance of including earthquake-related information in school curricula and textbooks.
Minister Bhandari made these remarks while inaugurating a photo exhibition organized by the Department of Mines and Geology and Sambahika Samaj Samuha, a group of women journalists, to mark the anniversary of the Gorkha Earthquake that struck Nepal on April 25, 2015.
Bhandari stressed the need to incorporate details about earthquakes, their causes, effects, and preventive measures into educational materials.
He believed that such education would raise awareness among students about seismic activities, thereby reducing the risk of disasters.
“A person may forget the damages caused by an earthquake, but the state cannot afford to forget or remain ignorant,” he said. “I commit to taking government initiatives to include earthquake-related information in school textbooks and curricula.”
Highlighting Nepal’s vulnerability to earthquakes, the Minister emphasized the importance of conducting thorough studies and taking precautionary measures.
He also urged for the construction of earthquake-resistant infrastructure to minimize risks.
Similarly, Krishna Bahadur Raut, Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, and Supplies, noted that the exhibition served as a reminder of the devastating impact of the earthquake on human lives, infrastructure, and the economy.
The earthquake of 7.9 magnitude, with its epicenter in Barpak of Gorkha district, resulted in over 9,000 deaths, more than 22,000 injuries, and damage to over 800,000 buildings across the country.
Furthermore, a recent earthquake measuring 6.4 magnitude struck the western part of the country on November 3, 2023, with its epicenter in Jajarkot district.
This quake claimed 156 lives, injured hundreds, and damaged over 80 houses in Jajarkot and neighboring districts.
Speaking at the exhibition, Director General of the Department Ram Prasad Ghimire mentioned their efforts to include earthquake-related education in various levels of the curriculum. However, he lamented the challenges in implementing the National Building Code at the local level.
Dr. Lok Bijay Adhikari, a senior seismologist, echoed Minister Bhandari’s and Director General Ghimire’s sentiments, emphasizing the need for sturdy and earthquake-resistant infrastructure.
Chadani Hamal, President of Sambahika Samaj Nepal, explained that the photo exhibition aimed to commemorate the Gorkha Earthquake and underscored their ongoing advocacy for disaster risk reduction.
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