Save Kathmandu's Rivers

It has been almost a decade since the Bagmati Clean-up Campaign was initiated by environment activists. The campaign also covers other rivers such as Dhobikhola, Bishnumati, Nakkhu Khola and Hanumanate Khola. In this period, many would have expected the rivers to have somewhat transformed. So why do the rivers still look so polluted? The Kathmandu Valley is dissected by one major river – the Bagamati – which has several other tributaries but all of them are polluted.

This is a result of being the end destination of wastewater and the site of trash dumping. As of 2019, only 6 per cent of wastewater from households is being treated before being released into rivers. The remaining 94 per cent reaches the river directly, and consists of human excretion, food waste and industrial by-products, among others. 

While wastewater has turned the rivers of Kathmandu a murky brown, the abundance of physical trash proves to be an eyesore. The banks are covered with bags of litter, and plastics can be seen flowing with the water. Besides the rivers’ obvious contribution to visual pollution, the contaminated waters have detrimental effects on the surrounding environment, as well as on humans and animals. Leaching into underground water reserves affects more than just the farmland.

By contaminating the water with runoff fertilisers and pesticides, bacteria and plants thrive in rivers. This affects the oxygen levels, eradicating the already low chances of fish and other such organisms surviving in the rivers of Kathmandu. The pollution levels of the Bagmati River allow only the most adapted plants to survive. 

Hindus and Buddhists consider Bagmati as a holy river, and choose to erect temples on its banks. Pashupatinath Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is one of the holiest Hindu temples. It was built on either side of the Bagmati River, in which devotees bathe before performing rituals. 

Kathmandu’s population growth was unexpected. With the sudden surge in migration, the government was incapable of planning and developing the Metropolis. Many people are unaware of the adverse effects that pollution has on the environment. People throw bags of trash into rivers at nightfall. Many believe that once trash is out of sight, it is gone. This influences the decision to burn trash, and dispose of it improperly.

Similarly, the river washing away the trash only transports it to a different location, and does not disappear completely. However, people fail to acknowledge the fact that the washed away trash only continues harming the earth on a wider, congregated scale. To combat such challenges, dustbins should be more widely available, and educational campaigns that inform people about the importance of proper trash disposal should be carried out frequently. 

Also, by developing land further away from the capital, and by providing adequate road access, power supply and public transportation, people would have an incentive to move away, and only travel into the centre for work, making Kathmandu a less crowded, and inevitably a less polluted area. 

The valley is situated at an elevation of about 1,300 metres above sea level. So, its overall climate remains almost consistent. Besides a few extremely cold and hot days, most of the year experiences bearable weather conditions. This makes it an attractive place to migrate to. However, not all has remained the same. Kathmandu city has seen major changes in the last few years, as roads transformed from slaughter areas to pitched roads, and river banks have been cleaned up, by government and Samaritan initiatives.