Bagmati Introduction:

 

Bagmati River, one of the holiest rivers in Nepal and monument of belief to thousand of Hindus. 595 kilometers of Bagmati runs through the valley. Year's back it was polluted with haphazard mixing of solid waste but people are with strenuous effort to bring back its dignity from polluted to clean one. As being connected to many drain pipe this river has become polluted through these last 12 years.

 Bagmati Clean-Up Campaign :

But with beginning of Bagmati Clean-Up Campaign things are changing and dream are under accomplishment. Former Chief Secretary Leelamani Poudel, is the precursor of the campaign. Bagmati cleaning is a purely social initiative of organizations that are trying to present an exemplary method of making Kathmandu a better place.

 

Bagmati cleaning campaign was launched on May 19 with the initiative of Advertising Association of Nepal (AAN), Film Artist Association of Nepal (FAAN) and Gayatri Pariwar Kathmandu. After the campaign gained huge publicity, several colleges, schools, NGOs, government organization also joined the effort.

 

The program is carried every Saturday as it is a public holiday and all the volunteers are welcomed in this program. The program starts at 7:30 am in the morning and is carried for three hour.

 

The program has been supported by the government like Nepal Government, Nepal Police, Nepal Army, Kathmandu Metro-Politian City. Also the INGOs like Lions International, Scouts are involved. Apart from that different actor and actress are involved so as to involve other public people as well. Apart from that different schools and students are involved in it. The participation from public company is also encouraging.  Apart from that tourist are also helping in this noble cause.

 

Initiation of Concept:

 

The concept was generated about 4 years ago when the five main organizations sat down and realized that Bagmati cleaning was a major project that had to be taken over by the citizens themselves. There are more than 140 groups claiming to work for the Bagmati Cleaning Project.

 

1^st Week to 175^th Week:

 

More than 7000 people showed up in the first week and the turnout has been overwhelming ever since. People gather every Saturday at 7:30 am to clean a portion of the river. There is a plan, an objective and the entire process has a goal. It is a project in every respect. On an average this campaign have collected about 10 MT of waste every week since its initiation.

 

As part of the 175th week of Bagmati cleaning campaign, four metric tons of solid waste was scooped out from Bagmati-Manohara confluence this morning, according to the High-powered Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee.

Members of the committee, Kathmandu metropolis officials, Nepal Army, Nepal Police and Armed Police personnel and volunteers joined the cleanliness campaign.

 

Change have been observed:

 

Change can be observed now which were the worst part of river in past. There has been an overwhelming response from the public.

The sewage system that ran directly into the Bagmati has been modified by the government in many parts of the city and the project hopes to have it done up to Sankhamul in the near future. This means that a huge pollutant of the river has already been removed.

Bagmati Clean-Up campaign was launched around three years ago. Since then, various segments of the biggest river in Kathmandu Valley are being cleaned-up weekly. Also committee is working to make the water of Bagmati River drinkable.

 

 

Why Bagmati?

 

For Hindus, the question is why not Bagmati? But the cultural and religious significance is not the only reason the Bagmati needs to be cleaned. Kathmandu is the only city in the world with 9 rivers but we do not have a single clean one. The first contact of any foreigner with the country is through our airport and then across the Bagmati River.

 

Placement of Waste:

 

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Environment Management Department said that the collected waste had been presently kept at the KMC?s Waste Collection Centre in Teku and it would be taken to Sisdol later.

 

 

Awareness Program also :

 

The volunteers also going door to door for distributing pamphlets and calling on the people to not throw or allow anyone to throw garbage in the Bagmati River, and participate in the campaign.

 

Banners reading " Person throwing garbage in Bagmati will be jailed for three months and with Rs 100,000 fine, so let?s not throw garbage" were set up at a number of locations.

 

The Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) employees have been authorized to arrest anyone found to be disposing of waste materials at the River.

 

 

 

 

Rafting in Bagmati? Dream Achieved.

 

Visitors and campaigners raft along the Bagmati River in Guhyeshwori of Kathmandu, on Saturday, August 27, 2016. The rafting was a part of the Bagmati Clean-up Campaign.