Report on Pokhara Balloon Explosion Incident handed over

Kathmandu, March 18: The probe committee formed to investigate the balloon explosion that occurred during the inauguration ceremony of 'Pokhara Visit Year, 2025' in Pokhara has submitted its report to Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak today.     

Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Poudel and Mayor of Pokhara Dhanraj Acharya were injured during the inauguration of the Visit Year. Following the incident, the Home Ministry had formed an eight-member investigation committee led by Chief District Officer of Kaski, Bharatmani Pandey.     

The report by the committee recommends adopting precaution and measures to be taken to prevent such incidents from recurring in the future, according to the Home Ministry.     

Receiving the report, Home Minister Lekhak directed Home Secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi to implement the recommendations of the report.     

The committee has also suggested the need for the VIPs themselves to be sensitive in such events, to discourage the tendency of prioritizing publicity over safety, completely ban the use of flammable materials in stage events, and hold formal ceremonies only after a risk assessment.     

In addition, the report has also suggested measures to be taken to prevent such incidents from happening in the future. These include the need to ban the unauthorized supply and use of explosive chemicals and flammable materials, using non-flammable helium gas if necessary to fly balloons, and for the VVIPs/VIPs participating in public events to develop a culture of attending such events with security assurance.(RSS)