Bagmati River – Yesterday, today,

tomorrow

Mr. Sanak Kumar maharjan

Junior Engineer

Environment Management Department

Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office

Introduction

• According to a census conducted in 2011, Kathmandu metropolis alone has 5.2 million inhabitants, and the agglomerate has a population of more than 7.5 million inhabitants. The metropolitan city area is 50.67 square kilometers (19.56 sq m) and has a population density of 123,225 per km².

• The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in the

bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal. It is surrounded by four major mountains: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri.

• Kathmandu valley, the main urban centre of Nepal, the chief concern is contamination from sewage lines, septic tanks, open pit toilet and surface water has been polluted by direct disposal of solid waste.

• The main river of Kathmandu valley is Bagmati River which meanders through the lands of the valley merging with many primary tributaries viz. Bishnumati, Dhobi, Manohara, Hanumante, Tukucha, Kodku, Godavari, Nakhu, and Balkhu, finally exiting from Chovar

Kathmandu Valley

Bagmati in the Past

• Kathmandu valley civilization is known as Bagmati

Civilisation

• Bagmati and Bishnumati have religious importance as

major temples and buddhist shrine are situated at the

river banks

• Bagmati and Bishnumati were sources of drinking water,

irrigation of Kathmandu valley and other human purposes

• River banks are ritual procession places at the time of

human birth and death.

Bagmati and Kathmandu valley in the

past

Bird eye view of Current Kathmandu

Current condition of Bagmati

• Kathamandu is famous for its alluvial soil but now days

no barren land can be found due to increase number of

infrastructure and buildings. Population growth is the

major cause of Bagmati river pollution.

• Bagmati is polluted due to solid waste ,sewage waste and

human encroachment in the river banks

• River without water is the source of different diseases

• River bank settlement from the people migrating from all

over the country is polluting river more from their activities

Current condition

Policy taken to prevent pollution in Bagmati

• KMC has made compulsory provision of septic tank within

the building whiles constructing any building.

• KMC and government has removed the inhabitant and

destroy the infrastructure made by them encroaching river

banks

• Construction of separate sewage drainage in river banks

preventing sewage waste directly flowing to the river.

Bagmati Cleaning Campaign

• Raise awareness not to pollute Bagmati river

• Make participation of NGO and INGO for cleaning river

• Make participation and co-ordination of government

bodies

• Media partnership for Bagmati cleanning

• Participation of people from every walks of life

Initial stage of Bagmati

Final exit of Bagmati from Kathmandu Valley

Bagmati Cleaning campaign • Prime Minister in Bagmati Campaign

Bagmati Cleaning campaign • People from every walks of Life

Bagmati Cleaning campaign • Army and Police taking part in Bagmati Cleaning campaign

Bagmati Cleaning campaign • President in Bagmati Campaign

Bagmati Cleaning campaign • NGO and INGO in Bagmati Campaign

Bagmati Cleaning campaign

Taking bath at Bagmati river by Secretary of government of

Nepal after successful campaign

Final Stage of Bagmati

What we need to do in future

• Sewage and sludge should be treated before flowing it to

river

• Should construct large scale sewage and sludge

treatment plant

• Continuation of Bagmati cleaning campaign

• Water treatment plant in different part of city

• Prevent encroachment of river banks

Hope in Future

Thank You