Balen Shah, the head of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City, said that due to the obstruction of the protestors, the fire brigade of the metropolis could not go to the Singhadabar fire.

On Tuesday, Shah issued a public statement on Facebook about the fire in Singha Darbar and explained the statements that disputed the role of himself and the metropolis in the incident. "Even though they tried to go to the fire brigade after the Singhdarbar was burnt down, the fire brigade could not go due to the obstruction of the protestors," he wrote on Facebook.

He said, 'Where did the fire brigade of Kathmandu metropolis go when the lion palace was burnt?' He said that the questions are baseless. 

He claimed that even when the government lost control on August 24th, the team of Kathmandu metropolis is continuously engaged in rescue, treatment and emergency management. A joint team of 14 city policemen and 30 armed policemen has informed that they have continuously extinguished the fire in three shifts. 

His full statement is as follows: 

"Where did the fire brigade of Kathmandu metropolis go when so much lion palace burned?"  "Sat watching it burn for three days?"

 “Balen Shah is the one who burns the lion palace!” Such questions and accusations have been raised for a few days.

 However, it is not necessary to explain such questions and accusations, every citizen has the right to get information, anyone who needs it could and can get information from the metropolis based on the Right to Information (RTI).  However, I am writing this to squarely address those who are spreading false allegations that are not happening.

Many people may have forgotten the day of last August 24th. That day till 8 o'clock in the night the country was in a state of chaos. At that time, the "state" itself was at a standstill. There was no government in the country that day, but the local government, Kathmandu Metropolis, did not back down from its responsibilities. From the palace to commercial establishments, from private houses to public property, there was fire everywhere. Neither the government, nor the security system, nor the police could protect their outposts in such a completely chaotic situation. The structure itself had collapsed. Vehicle traffic was not in a condition where people could move, but our team was busy day and night extinguishing fires, treating the injured, providing food for the sick and sick, logistics management, medical personnel management, blood management, medicine management, corpse management, data collection of burnt structures, management of burnt vehicles, waste management and coordination with various stakeholders.  I express my respect to all those who risked their lives in the field.  

Although they tried to go to the fire brigade immediately after the burning of the Singh Darbar, the fire brigade could not go due to the obstruction of the protestors. By 8:15 on the 24th  The fire brigade of Kathmandu metropolis had reached there.

We don't run from blame, not yet from responsibility.

There are 2 fire engines in New Road, 2 in Balaju and 1 in Ramhiti in Kathmandu metropolis. 14 city policemen and 30 armed policemen, a team of 44 people work in 3 shifts, 1 fire brigade in 1 shift is operated by only 3 people. On the 23rd in some places and on the 24th, not only the Singha Darbar, not only Kathmandu, the whole country was burning. We believe that we should have the main responsibility to save any structure inside the metropolis. 

Now let's talk about the fire brigade on 5/23 from 1:30 to 5 o'clock in the fire ambulance in front of the parliament building  New Road and Ramhiti Fire Brigade were fighting the fire while  Another fire engine in New Road was extinguishing the fire at Sundhara and Shantinagar electricity poles, since the morning of the 24th, no fire engine could come into operation, from 8 pm to 1 am on the 24th, New Road fire brigade was fighting the fire at Bishal Bazar Public Service Police Station, Himalayan Bank and National Commercial Bank Baneshwor and Balaju and Ramhiti fire brigade at Naya Bus Park. On the 24th from 8:15 to 9:45 at night, on the 24th from 1:45 to 3:00 am on the 25th, from 3:30 to 6:50 am on the 26th and from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm on the same day. We have the proof that the fire was extinguished in the office of the Misuse Investigation Commission, Dillibazar Jail, etc., from 9:25 am to 10:15 am on the 26th, from 8:00 am to 9:15 am on the 27th, and from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm on the same day. Similarly, from the 23rd to the 28th, our fire brigade mentioned above and Kathmandu Valley Traffic Police Office, Babarmahal District Court, Chuchche Pati Bhatbhateni, District Administration Office, Transport Management Department, Urban Development Department, Warehouse near Grandi Hospital, Thapathali Data Center, N Cell Data Center, Balaju Police Circle, Swayambhu Police Circle, Naxal Hilton Hotel, Naxal Bhatbhateni, At Kuleshwor House, Chaksibari House, Baluwatar Bhat Bhateni Godown, Ranipokhari Police, Koteshwor Bhatbhateni, Quality Department Bhatbhateni Naxal Mandir Furniture, Road Department etc. more than 55 times our fire brigade has reached. Along with this, rescue operations were carried out in cooperation with the army from Hilton Hotel, Banbasa Hotel, etc.  

Now let's talk about the management of health workers, the treatment of the injured and the management of the dead bodies of the martyrs, coordination for free treatment to all hospitals in the metropolis before the announcement by the federal government, management of necessary drugs for the hospital, management of insufficient health workers, blood management, free lunch/food for the sick and sick, other necessary logistics, sleeping mats and other materials in the management of the secretariat, city police, health workers and others The team was working day and night. Our team became the guardian of all the patients who did not have guardians for treatment, so much so that our city police took responsibility and signed the Informed Consent Form during the operation. For the management of the corpse, the metropolis also managed the family's coming and going, food and accommodation, until we made arrangements to bring the corpse home with the cooperation of the Nepali Army and others. At the end of the

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Dear mother, father, brother, sister, it is natural to have fear, confusion and questions in your mind. But be careful with analysts and rumor mongers who draw conclusions without facts, data analysis. Such actions keep people in fear and confusion, and demoralize our team who work day and night. A special request to friends of the media; Please write news only by searching for true facts. Don't spread rumours. People have the right to accurate information.

We, the metropolitan team, were working day and night, risking life and death, I didn't want any of it at least    Look at those who are working to put out the fire, treat the injured, provide food and medicine to the sick, manage the corpse, and assist in the rescue work with respect. We will always work for the public trust, our responsibilities and emergency management.

 Let's understand the truth, don't spread rumours, let's build a safe, conscious and humane society together.