Bagmati River to be made filth free

Kathmandu, December 8

The government is doing groundwork for the implementation of an ambitious plan to make the Bagmati River free of wastewater, besides making its surrounding areas beautiful.

According to High Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilisation, it is set to invest Rs 1.6 billion for the beautification of the riverside under the Bagmati River Basin Improvement Project with financial support from the Government of Nepal and ADB.

It aims to plan and manage basin water resources in a fully integrated manner and improve an upstream water storage dam system to increase water flow in the river during the dry season.

A official at the HPCIDBC said necessary work was initiated to beautify the 7.2 km stretch of the river from Gokarna Barrage to Sinamangal in the first phase. A contract has also been awarded to a private firm for the purpose. The project will be implemented by Water and Energy Commission Secretariat, HPCIDBC and Department of Irrigation.

Ministry of Urban Development is the executing agency of the project. The objectives of the project are to improve the environment of the river and manage flood. Improvement of river bank in urban areas and conservation of watershed are other important activities of the project.

Likewise, ensuring increased water availability during the dry season in the river and establishment of a River Basin Organisation are other major components of the project, he said.

The HPCIDBC has been laying drainage channels along the banks of Bagmati, Dhobikhola and Bishnumati rivers simultaneously to make them free of wastewater. A dam is being constructed in Dhap on the border of Kathmandu and Nuwakot which will discharge 40 liters of water per second to the Bagmati River during the dry season.

Bearing in mind that seven tributaries of the Bagmati also should be free of wastewater to keep the holy river clean, the government is also working on sewerage system there.

Various studies have shown that water flowing in the Bagmati River is of very poor quality.