The human chain badged the 100th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

"We would keep the Bagmati clean,”

 “We would not dump garbage in the Bagmati” 

“We would not allow anyone to defile the Bagmati”

The slogans reverberated at the 100th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign all over banks of Bagmati river this saturday. The day is marked by forming human chain along 28^th Km stretch of the river from Gokarna to Chovar where volunteers stood in long human chain to show their unity to improve the river environment. The human Chain along river  symbolically represents prohibiting polluters from reaching the river.

Aerial view of  the human chain at the 100th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

The aerial view of Human Chain at Sundarijal

Local Newari women in Traditional dresses showing their solidarity to the Cleaning Campaign at Gusingal

Over 2,20,000 people from all walks of life including marked politicians, bureaucrats, artists, scholars, students, civilians and business community took part in the human chain to show their solidarity to preserve the degraded river.They sang the National Anthem and took oath to keep the river clean.

Bankers at the campaign( Cresit: LP. Bhanu Sharma)

Bagmati Clean Up Campaign has been a unique Clean Up drive with massive public involvement. Participation of volunteers from all backgrounds has made the campaign socio-environmental cause to preserve the glorious river. 

The government and organisers have made special transportation arrangements for people willing to participate in the event from 5:30am-7am. The buses with the banner reading ‘Bagmati Cleaning Mega Campaign (100th Week)’ picked up those who want to participate in the cleaning from Kalanki, Ekantakuna, Satdobato, Lagankhel, Ratna Park, Swoyambhu, Balaju, Gongabu, Narayan Gopal Chowk, Surya Binayak, Duwakot, Sankhu and dropped them near the banks of the holy river in Balkhu, Tripureshwor/Thapathali, Shantinagar/Tilganga, Gaurighat/Narayantar, Attarkhel/Gokarna and Sundarijal.

The participating mob before UN park at Thapathali

Although the campaign is at morning time, excitement could be felt in the volunteers with the sincerity in the dresses, the music and the hospitality. Each volunteers could be seen smiling and welcoming each other to join the chain.The Love for river could be seen in the volunteers. 

Traditional Newari Music to hearten the Campaign at Teku

Group Photoes: Proud moments  at 100th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

Drinking Water  for the volunteers

Not only the participating volunteers, the clean up mob attracted interests of those who have indeed significant roles to reduce the pollutant loads at the lap of the Bagmati. A women has undeniable roles in managing shaping and organizing a family. Since the major source of pollutant of the Bagmati river is the household wastes, inspiring women to manage household wastes by reduce, reuse and recycle can help reduce the wastes at the source and hence meet the campaign motive.

Local women watching the clean up mob at Gusingal

The Historic clean Up Drive will be at new episode at the 101th clean up drive next week!

JAY BAGMATI!!

99th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

The 99th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign was observed at Sundarighat, Kirtipur. The campaign was accomplished in active involvement of over 800 volunteers and 45 metric tonnes of solid scarps was collected at the event.

The Cleaning mob at 99th Bagmati Clean Up Camapign

Women picking scarps at 99th Clean Up Campaign

Sundarighat lies after the confluence of Balkhu river in Bgmati river. The station is also known as local dumping site of Kirtipur and local waste from Kirtipur area was dumped in the area. After few regular weeks of the campaign in the place, the river bosom at this stretch is visually clean, with no scarps and rotten rags around. This has made the river reach aesthetically better.

 a) Before the campaign                                                               b) After the campaign
Sundarighat

The 99th BCCampaign was accomplished in active involvement of Scholars, bureaucrats, Civil servants, Civil Society, Students and motivated individuals. Some organisations have prepared flex printed charts with which volunyteers visit regularly. The banners hunged on nearby walls. 

Banners of participating organisatons

Scholars and bureaucrats could be seen in the place. Humphrey Fellows were seen posing for photographs with their banners. The Humphrey Fellowship is provided by United States Education Foundation.

Members of Nepal Association of Humphrey Fellows at Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

Volunters from Radhaswati Satsang Byas supplemented the campaign offering Tea and Biscuits to participants in the campaign. Around 800 cups of tea was offered. The organisation has been feeding the volunteers since few weeks on a regular basis. Volunteers sipped tea and biscuits after the campaign.

Volunteers from Radhaswati satsang Byas Nepal preparing for  snacks for volunteers in Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

Alike in previous campaigns, volunteers from Mahendra Narayan Nidhi Memorial Hospital were present for medical Support. They help volunteers with minor cuts and bruises and if in case of major bruise, they carry then to hospial for further treatment.

The medical team at 99th Bagmati Clean Up Camapaign

Jeevan Vigyan is one of the founder organisations of the campaign. The organisation has important role to help Bagmati Clean Up Camapign come to this day. The 99th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign was also watered by the organisation. Volunteers refreshed thirsty participants by offering water.

Volunteers from Jeevan Bigyan offering water to campaigners at Bagmati Clean Up Camapign

Volunteers from Jeevan Bigyan offering water at 99th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign( Photo Source: Nirmala KC)

The 99th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

The Bagmati Clean Up Campaign has gone on a long way through and the 100th episode is celebration for all those people who want to save the degrading Bagmati River. For the 100th episode, it is estimated that 80,000 participants will be mobilized from headwaters to downstream. The river section has been divided into 7 stretches from Sundarijal to Chovar. Coordinators have been selected for each section. Volunteers can go to any convenient river reach  for helping clean the degraded river. 
The river sections and respective coordinators as shown by HPCIDBC are shown below: 

Stretch	Coordinator
Sundarijal to Gokarna	Ramesh Simkhada and Janardan Khadka
Gokarna- Jambodada	Shree Narayan Gopal Malego
Jambodanda Tilganga- Stretch	Narayan Prasad Regmi
Tilganga- Manohara Dovan Stretch	Shantiram Subedi and Lilamani Poudel
Manohara Dovan	Yet to be confirmed
Thapathali- Balkhu	Yet to be confirmed
Balkhu Chovar strech	Yet to be confirmed

Hoping seeing you all at the campaign

Jay Bagmati

90th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

आइले नगरे कहिले गर्ने ?

हामीले नगरे कसले गर्ने?

The 90th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign was accomplished at Balkhu near Falful Bazaar.The place has faced several campaigns before and local peple confess that the garbage heaps at the river bank has significantly reduced.

As in earlier campaigns, the 90th Cleaning Campaign occurred in great excitement. There was active involvemen of volunteers from Nepal Telecom, Environmental department, Sangam Sweets, Gayatri Sweets, Jivan Bigyan, Reyukai Nepal and many more.

The Campaign had active involvement of Nepal Telecom in its 11th anniversary. Nepal Telecom offered tea and biscuits to all the participants. The Saturday morning was good time to clean the holy river, enjoy sunbath and chat with like minded people.

Th crusade collected 48 tonnes of scarps this week.

Bishnumati river: The abused Tributary of Bagmati river

“The gods live near forests, rivers,mountains and springs, and in the towns where there are trees and gardens”. 

– Brihatsamhita

Bishnumati river at Bode Muhan(Photo Credit: Bisal Jibi Ghimire)

Bishnumati river originates from Bishnu-Dwar at Tarevir within  Shivapuri foothills. The river length is 15.2 km and has an catchment area of 109.3km2. It drains the catchment with tribitaries such as Sapanatirtha Khola, Rudramati, Sangle Khola, Lhora Khola and Binap fall. The river provides water for drinking, irrigation and supports vast ecological functions that has maintained the ecological balance of the region. The ever flowing local taps and swaying crops at fields indicates rich ecological balance of the region.

Ever flowing water in taps at Bhode( Photo Credit: Bisal Jibi Ghimire)

As the river flows downstream, the river shares similar story as other tributaries of Bagmati river.The river roars as it flows  at headwaters which eventually slows and stops downstream with increasing magnitude of human influences.The river is pristine at Bode Muhan and degrades gradually as it flows through Tokha. The river catchment changes to built up area from Chandeswori of Tokha and downstream.

Bishnumati river suffers from water loss and excavation of river bed materials.The river water has been pumped for construction, drinking water and many more.By the time the river reaches Balaju, it silently creeps accepting all the wastes left over at its bosom.The river water gets excessively strained with pollutants after it crosses Balaju Industrial area. The Dissolved Oxygen level at Bode Muhan is 10mg/l which drops to 0.56mg/l at Balaju. The water clarity gets darker and thicker. No aquatic lives are visible which manifests that the river water is toxic and hence is unable to support life.

Bishnumati river at Balaju

Bishnumati river, similar to Bagmati river, posses incredible historical and cultural importance. It possess a number of historically and culturally important places. It resides important shrines such as Shova Bhagawati, Indrayani and Kankeshwori at its bank. Devotees still go at the river, although stinging, to take holy dip in river, mainly at festivals  to fulfill their ritual urge.

Bishnumati river faces extensive encroachment and solid wastes since last 30 years. The fertile floodplains have been intruded for human settlements. The river flow has been instructed at its path. Stone barriers have been made  throughout its length to train it to flow at artificial orientation. Nevertheless, the river water has been purlioned. It has been pumped and piped for water use to people.

Bishnumati river confluence with Bagmati

At August 2012, Bishnumati Action plan has been prepared by Kathmandu Metropolitan City to revitalize the river. It divides the river into 6 segments and proposes suitable development plans. Similar to Bagmati Action Plan, the plan divides the river basin in Core Natural conservation zone, Rural zone, Peri Urban zone and Urban zone and proposes suitable measures to revitalize it according to the level of deterioration.

Bishnumati river as invisaged by Bishnumati action Plan

The highlights of the plan includes prohibition of direct drainage into river,beautification of the river with plantations and  roads on both sides and a cycle track along the river. It envisages to construct treatment plants to treat the waste water before it gets into the river.
Although the river improvement plan has been prepared, there is long way to actually enforce it. The abused Bishnumati river awaits the enforcement of the plan and restoration of its past glory.

Acknwledgement
Bishnumati Action Plan
Bishal Jibi Ghimire
Niranjan Shrestha

88th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign at Balkhu

 वो कच्रे वाले नही सफाई वाले हैं

Larger sway and louder clapping was heard when Dr. Raju Adhikari pronounced that the people who collect scarps are the  actual cleaners. He pointed out that we call people collecting scarps from our houses as filthy people 'कच्रेवाले' but we throw wastes everywhere and believe that we are polished 'सफाईवाले' . He made point that we are the dirtmakers 'कच्रेवाले' and they are the  cleaners 'सफाईवाले' because we produce dirt and they clean it. The hilarious comment helped raising enthusiasm and pride to be part of the good job at Balkhu this Saturday. His message  indicated respect to all the good jobs although labelled lower level.

The Bagmati Clean Up Campaign, at its 88th week was marked by cohorted and organized efforts of volunteers to clean up the holy river.  The Campaign took place in active participation of over 1200 participants and removed 43 tonnes of abandoned scarps from the river bosom at Balkhu.

The cleaning mob at 88th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

The Campaign experienced the use of excavators for the first time. It was used to dig up piled heaps at the river banks. On going through crisp recap of the river stretch few years back, the stretch has been used as a dumping site for over 10 years. The place was used as transitional landfill site and it vored almost all wastes of the valley. This is the reason why, campaigners experience the more of the pulling, the more of the scarps. This neverending vicious has been due to the fact that the place has scarps layered upto 10 meters. The settlement of Sukumbasi at the river bank has made the river accept polltion loads encroachment of its floodplain from the squatters.

Crusader Ram Shah showing his hands in pride

The campaigners were systematically divided into groups to clean specified area. Well known public figures were as Leaders in each of  the groups. They facilated to mobilize the  motivated manpower systematically. Crusaders Lilamani Poudel and Kishor Thapa went inside the river and were leading volunteers to collect wet  leftovers from the river. They formed long chain of volunteers to pass scarps from one hand to another and eventually to waste collection vehicle.They wore boots and thick gloves to be safe and dry from the intervention.

Crusaders Lilamani Poudel and Kishor Thapa
 helping bring abandoned wastes from river
( Photo courtesy: Shristi Vaidhya

Anchors could be seen motivate mob to carry on to their work and collect as more they could. He played few musical clips from time to time. It was visible that the entertainment raised energy and further motivation.

Dr. Raju Achoring and motivating the crowd

The presence of medical volunteers has eased the Campaigners. Any wounded if in case will be proximity to first aid treatment. Bagmati clean Up Campaign at the 88th week had the volunteering of Hospital staffs from Mahendra Manjari hospital to provide primary first aid treatment to those who accidentally get cuts and scratches.

Medical Volunteers to help the wounded campaigners

The Campaign can be marked being successful in collecting local interest to restore the river. Each week local organisations can be observed working to the campaign motive of restoring the river.  At Balkhu also, The fruit and vegetable seller Union developed a banner. They showed teamwork and collected the wastes to clean their own territory.

Local group to clean the river

The 88th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign was successful and Chief Campaigner Lilamani Poudel has indicated that the campaign will follow in the same place for upcoming two weeks.

                                          जय बाग्मती 

Manohara river: The north-eastern tributary of Bagmati river

Manohara river, as other Bagmati river tributaries, shares rich cultural, environmental and biological glory in the headwaters which eventually gets entoxicated as it flows downstream.Unmanaged drainage networks, haphazard solid waste disposal, road alignment along rivers has abruptly added nutrients and sediments beyond the self purification capacity hence making the river no better than open sewer.

Manahora river drains Kathmandu valley from the north eastern part and undulates 28Km covering areas like Dadhakateri, Lapsifedi, Sankhu, Kurthali, Mulpani, Gothatar, Sinamangal, and Jadibuti. It drains an area of  83Km2 and receives Hamumante river near Jadibuti. Hanumante is the major tributary of Manohara river. Hanumante river voids whole of Bhaktapur district which is also known as the city of Living Heritage.

Map of Kathmandu Valley showing Manahara river catchment(Yellow) and river course(Blue)

Manohara river mesmerizes at natural conditions at headwaters and has huge diversity of indigenous flora and fauna. The riparian zones consists of wildlives such as Himalayan black bear, Wild boar, Deer, and many species of birds.The riverbed is heterogeneous with predominant boulders and cobbles. The diverse river habitat has maintained the self purification capacity of the river.The water is transparent and river bed is clearly visible. The thick and dense riparian zone has shaded the river making it cool and marshy and even more fertile for biodiversity.

Some of the popular wildlife of ale danda

Manohara river near its source at Lapsifedi

Manohara river has appreciable ritual and cultural value. Hindu mythology describes river course at Sankhu holy and significant . The place is described as the place where Goddess Parbati performed fasting to get Lord Shiva as her husband. Holding on the belief, people come to the river as pilgrim. They bathe and offer water to god. They utter Swasthani Brata Katha and perform fasting for wellbeing of life partners and family. Married women pray for wellbeing of their husbands and Girls offer prayers to get good spouse. Swasthani Brata Katha is a series of stories narrated by Lord Kumar to Agasthya Muni.

Shree Swasthani temple at Sankhu and devotees bathing to mark begining of Swasthani Brata Katha

Manahara Temple also drains The Changu Narayan Temple area which is enlisted in UNESCO world heritage site It stands Lord Bishnu as primary diety in pagoda architectural style. The riverine status of Manohara river affects the fame and  international recognition of the heritage.

The Changu Narayan Temple in the drainage area of Manohara river

The river has important roles in fulfilling basic needs of local people. People come to the river to collect water for washing and cleaning. They add the nutrients which the river silently purifies with its dynamic equilibrium and self-purification capacity. The river is yet at ambient conditions with dissolved oxygen levels of 10mg/l at Sankhu.

Biologically, Manohara river grows up many species many of which may be unknown due lack of scientific investigations. Fishes are reliable indicators recognized and used since centuries. According to Bajracharya and Tamrakar (2007), Manohara river still grows fish species as (a) Garra sp.,(b) Schizothorax sp.,(c) Channa sp. and (d) Heteropneustes sp. in her bosom around Sano Thimi Stretch. Studies on  native fishe species of the river from the headwater region of the river can come into priority of young researchers.

Fishes at Thimi area(Source a)

The primary nutrients like Nitrogen and Phosphorous are ever increasing in the river.The Two nutrients are of anthropogenic origin and enter into the river from agricultural runoff, detergents, organic wastes and so on. According to Bajracharya and Tamrakar 2007, study based on DHM data, the Ammonium, Nitrite, Nitrate and Phosphate levels in the river water is increasing. The direct connection of untreated waste-water, increase in use of fertilizers and unmanaged dumping of organic wastes in the river environment is its major cause.

Increasing nutrient levels in Manahara river( Source:a)

The river water of Manahara river at Lapsifedi and Jadibuti

Manahara river, as stinky as sewer flows downstream and meets Bagmati river. She pours pollution loads from Bhaktapur and upstream in Bagmati river at the confluence point.

Confluence point of Manahara and Bagmati below Sinamangal

source:
a) R.Bajracharya and N. K. Tamrakar/ Bulletin of the Department of Geology, Vol. 10, 2007, pp. 21–32
b) http://www.panoramio.com/photo/31639730
c) http://www.mountainsoftravelphotos.com/Nepal%20-%20Kathmandu/Changu%20Narayan/slides/Kathmandu%20Changu%20Narayan%2001%20Chinnamasta%20Temple%20And%20Changu%20Narayan%20Temple%20East%20Entrance.html
Special Thanks
Bishal Jibi Ghimire
Niranjan Shrestha
WUI Project

Dhobikhola, The Northern Tributery of Bagmati River

The environmental health and water quality of Bagmati river has been affected by the valley centric development of Kathmandu Valley. The tribuatries of Bagmati are not exception in the course. The tributaries are abused by reckless river bed excavation, water extraction and pollutant dumping.
Dhobikhola is northern tributary of Bagmati river and it drains the core urban areas including Kapan,Mandikatar, Ratopul, Anamnagar,Baneswor, Thapathali. It merges with the Bagmati at Buddhanagar. It is also known as "Rudramati" and hosts a number of religious and cultural heritages like Bhadrakali, Shiva Mandir, Maitidevi at its banks.

Aerial photograph showing Dhobikhola tributary of Bagmati river

Dhobikola originates from Shivapuri Danda and has catchment area of 31.2km2 and river length of 18.2Km. The river is at good health around its source however gets overloaded with filthy water as it goes downstream. The river as it converges with Bagmati seems no better than a mere sewage drain. The dissolved oxygen levels before the dense settlement areas of Chunikhel is 11mg/l which drops to 0.56mg/l at the time it converges with Bagmati river.

The river shares bad fate as most of the other tributaries of Bagmati river.Sand mining is excessive in the river and bamboo weirs are dominant structures upstream for sand collection. Heaps of sand being uploaded in tippers is not a rare scene at Chunikhel area. A gravelled road undulates with the river and loaded tippes pass through it producing vibration and bankcutiing of the river territory.

Measuring dissolved oxygen level in Dhobikhola before dense settlement of Chunikhel

River bed excavation at headwater region  of Dhobikhola near Chunikhel

 The sand mining and river bed excavation has posed serious effects on the riverine environment. It destroys habitat for many aquatic species. This cause disruption in the riverine ecology. The sediment laded water affects respiration and other phenomenon killing fishes. The mixing of untreated waste water has made stream toxic and unsuitable for any living being.

Sediment load in the river water after Chunikhel area.

By the time the river passes Ratopool, Maitidevi and reaches Baneswor, the river is analogous to black water. The river bank is channelized and few very fine deposits of clay like sediment can be seen. The river bed is homogenous with almost all fine nutrient laden silty soil.

According to fundamentals of aquatic ecology, the  more heterogenous the river territory, the better is the river health. For example the heterogenity in river bed ceates more habitat and hence biodiversity. The diversified ecological conditions serves to purify water and increase the self purification capacity of the river.

Dhobikhola confluence at Bagmati river

 Courtesy: Water and Urban Initiative Project
Special Thanks: Bishal Jibi Ghimire

References
Bagmati Action Plan
http://np.geoview.info/dhobikhola_dhobikhola,5407597w