Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Bamdev Gautam has said it is the State´s responsibility to safeguard the life and property of the people at times of natural disasters.

Addressing a function of garlanding a memorial to the people who lost their life to the earthquake held at local Bhugol Park today marking the 17th National Earthquake Safety Day, he recalled that more than 8,000 people were killed in the devastating earthquake that shook the country in 1990 BS.

He said the Ministry of Home Affairs is serious and conscious towards earthquake risk in the days ahead.

The Deputy Prime Minister said that Nepal is at high risk in view of earthquake occurrence and that the government has taken initiatives to minimize this risk.

Inspector General of Police Upendra Kanta Aryal, Chief Officer of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City Dhana Bahadur Shrestha, among other dignitaries, also garlanded the memorial on the occasion RSS reports.