Kathmandu : The Bagmati River Clean-up Mega Campaign entered its 300th week today and the moment was marked by a special programme at Shankhamul area.
The programme was organised by the Ministry of Urban Development where Minister for Foreign Affairs Pradeep Kumar Gywali, Minister for Forests and Environment Shakti Bahadur Basnet, Urban Development Minister Mohammed Istiyak Rai and Minister for Water Supply Bina Magar, representatives from several social organisations and social workers were present.
On the occasion, the Foreign Minister said the river clean-up mega campaign would be meaningful if our efforts were successful in restoring the river to its previous state, making the river water drinkable.
He spoke of the need of combined efforts to meet the desired achievement. He shared his idea about restoring the river water at its origin during rains and increasing its flow which would be helpful in cleaning the river waste.
Minister Basnet said that the Bagmati river clean-up campaign had sent a message across the nation, inspiring the public to gear up for clean-up efforts at local/community levels. As he said, the government was planning to come up with a clear policy regarding the Bagmati cleaning efforts.
The Urban Development Minister underlined the need of restoring the river before the completion of the 400 weeks. The active community participation was required to lead the campaign to a success, he asserted.
Minister for Water Supply Bina Magar said that the campaign has not only cleaned the Bagmati but has also taught the entire country to work for sanitation. “This campaign has taught the nation and the people towards cleaning our environment and our rivers. This campaign is not only the campaign of cleaning the Bagmati river but the nation itself,” she said.
The Water Supply Minister said that arrangements were being made to processing the sewer that is drained into the Bagmati.
Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development Dr Ramesh Prasad Singh underlined the need for expanding the campaign to clean other rivers also and not only confining to Bagmati.
Joint secretary at the Ministry of Federal Affairs and General Administration, Purushottam Nepal said that since the government has given the responsibility of cleaning the rivers to the local level, the campaign of cleaning the rivers would be started at the local level.
Chief of the High-Powered Bagmati Heritage Integrated Development Board, Ashish Ghimire and Bagmati Cleaning campaigner Dr Raju Adhikari said the success was achieved with the participation of the government and the community.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Gyawali inaugurated 440 solar lamps installed at the Bagmati corridor as part of the 300th week of the Bagmati Clean-up Mega Campaign with the slogan ‘Cleanliness is My Identity: Cleaning is My Contribution’.
Chairman of the then Interim Council of Ministers Khil Raj Regmi had initiated the Cleaning Mega Campaign on May 19, 2013.
Around 18,000 metric tonnes of waste has been removed so far under the Bagmati Cleaning Mega Campaign. Nearly a million volunteers had mobilized in this task with the association of the 1,800 organisations.
On the occasion, Letters of Appreciation were presented to Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force and Nepalese Army for their contribution to the cleaning campaign. RSS
