Bagmati River is a sacred river, but it has been heavily polluted since many decades. At present, the condition of river has been pitiable. Kathmandu is densely populated and that is the reason for Bagmati becoming polluted. The drains and sewers directly pour into the river, and garbage is also dumped into the river, which have reduced the river to a drainage system for the city’s waste water.

Anyone walking over the river on the bridge will know the stench that comes from the river. I have heard that millions of rupees have already been spent on cleaning the river, but there is nothing to show that clean Bagmati river campaign has done anything to revitalize it. It is high time that the people themselves organise themselves to save not only Bagmati river, but also Bishnumati and other streams.

By: Rachana Shrestha, via e-mail

Source: The Himalayan Times, April 16, 2012