Lalitpur, August 26:

Participants at the International Symposium on Community-led Management of River Environment today said all Nepali citizens are equally responsible for the conservation of rivers in Kathmandu.

Speaking at the inauguration of the two-day symposium, Rainer Mutschler, project coordinator, Kathmandu Participatory River Monitoring (KAPRIMO), said every individual is responsible for the conservation of rivers. “Everyone should be committed towards the preservation of rivers rather than seeking help from others,” he said.

The KAPRIMO is a project launched by the Environmental Camps for Conservation Awareness (ECCA) and co-funded by the European Commission to make river quality data of Bagmati and Bishnumati river segments available on regular basis.

Dinesh Thapalia, chief, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, said: “There is an urgent need to coordinate with local bodies for effective implementation of community-led projects to conserve the rivers.”

Krishna Prasad Devkota, chief, Lalitpur Sub Metropolitan City, said the projects like the KAPRIMO would provide authentic data for the initiation of projects for river conservation. Prachet K Shrestha, chairman, ECCA, said the symposium would help exchange experiences and knowledge at a wider level.