Pokhara: With the aim to raise public awareness on natural disaster preparedness, the Armed Police Force (APF) in Kaski district has started awareness classes for students from Wednesday.

During the disaster preparedness classes in both public and private high schools, the APF officials are educating the students about all the emergency measures that should be adopted during natural disasters, informed Durga Bahadur Kuwar, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) at Muktinath Brigade in Pokhara.

APF has chosen the students for the awareness campaing as they can be instrumental in spreading awareness on natural disasters, disaster risk reduction and emergency preparedness among other locals.

In the initial phase, APF team is holding the classes for the students from Pokhara Sub-metropolitan city and Lekhnath Municipality.

"We will organize the disaster preparedness classes in all the villages of the district in the latter phases," SSP Kunwar added.

Kuwar, who is former chief of the disaster risk management centre of APF at Kurintar of Chitwan district, said the awareness classes will also help the students to adopt emergency measures if a disaster like earthquake strikes when they are in a classroom.

"During my posting in Chitwan, we had organized similar awareness program for the locals. But the locals did not help to disseminate the disaster preparedness information widely. So, this time, we have approached the students," he said.

The classes include the screening of documentaries on natural disasters such as landslide, flooding and fire outbreak, he added.

On Wednesday, the awareness program was organized at Jana Priya Higher Secondary School of Pokhara.

"We are happy that the APF organized the disaster preparedness class in our school. This kind of initiatives will not only assist to minimize the loss but also raise general awareness as the students will educate their families and neighbors," said Naryan Parajuli, principal of the school.

He further opined that the lessons related to natural disaster risk management should also be included in the school curriculum.

source: republica,10 July 2013