Clean-up campaign transforms Rudramati

By A Staff Reporter. Kathmandu, July 22: For 637 consecutive weeks, more than 12 years, dedicated volunteers have stood by the Rudramati River, removing an extraordinary 7760 metric tons of waste. Their unwavering commitment is transforming the river, one cleanup at a time, proving that consistent community action can create lasting environmental change.  

A total of 287,000 volunteers have been mobilised so far in the cleanliness campaign, launched in 2013 (2070 BS), to clean the Rudramati, one of the main tributaries of the Bagmati River. This amount of garbage was collected while cleaning the 7.58-kilometre stretch from the Rudramati, whose source is in the Shivpuri forest, to its confluence with the Bagmati River, by dividing the stretch into 10 sections. 

The milestone was announced during the launch of the Rudramati Souvenir and honouring ceremony held in Kathmandu to celebrate the successful completion of 12 years of the Rudramati River cleaning campaign. 

Sunita Dangol, Acting Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City said that the campaign has made a great contribution in creating a mindset of respecting nature and that the campaign should be continued for the sustainability of the achievements. 

"It was important to start the campaign. It is even more important that the campaign continues for 12 years. The contribution made by the campaigners to continue the campaign is incomparable," she said. 

Informing that Kathmandu Metropolitan City is working with manpower through a labour bank for river cleaning, she said, "To maintain the cleanliness of the river and protect the achievements made, the laws must be fully complied with. If necessary, laws can also be formulated. Along with this, a mechanism for implementing the law and mutual coordination must be completed,” she added. 

The cleanliness campaign has not only cleaned the river, but also involved citizens in cleaning squares, streets, and public places. Commenting on the impact of the campaign, Ward No. 30 chairman Dal Bahadur Karki shared his experience.  

Tikaram Dahal, president of the Federation of Environmental Protection, expressed the view that waste management in the valley would be successful only if all municipalities were united under the leadership of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City.  Rohit Giri, vice-president of Rudramati Sarokar Samaj, shared his experience of a major change in the cleanliness of the river through the campaign. 

Now the dirty water of the Rudramati River is becoming clear. There is less foul smell coming from the river. Flowers planted on the banks have enhanced the visual beauty. Locals should not throw garbage into the river. This is the result of the campaign.  

The river is divided into 10 sections, from the source of the river to Bhangal, from Bhangal to Baluwakhani, from Baluwakhani to Blue Bridge Chakhuncha, from Blue Bridge Chakhuncha to Gopikrishna Bridge, from Gopikrishna Bridge to Yellow Bridge, from Yellow Bridge to Black Bridge, from Black Bridge to White Bridge, from White Bridge to Devinagar Bridge, from Devinagar Bridge to Simrik Bridge, and from Simrik Bridge to Bagmati Dobhan, and all sections are cleaned every Saturday morning from 7 am to 9 am. 

When the cleanliness campaign began, the first section was made up of the then Kapan Village Development Committee and the border of the metropolis, the second section from there to Kalo Pul, the third section from Kalo Pul to Seto Pul, and the fourth section from Seto Pul to the Bagmati Dhobi Khola. To make it effective, 10 sections were later made.