Kathmandu, February 15

Rudramati River clean-up campaign has entered the seventh year from today. During today’s clean-up programme more than 4,600 metric tonnes of garbage was collected from the river, also known as Dhobikhola.

Rudramati is one of the most polluted rivers that passes through the core city area of the capital.

During the last six years a total of 156,000 volunteers, including members of 350 various government and non-government organisations, participated in the clean-up programmes organised every week, according to the campaign management committee.

The organisations and people participating in the clean-up drive were felicitated amidst a programme today at Setopul.

Speaking at the programme, former prime minister Madhav Kumar Nepal congratulated everybody who contributed to the clean-up campaign and urged all three tiers of the government to take the issues related with pollution seriously. He also asked all and sundry to change their personal behaviour and habits to ensure clean environment. “We cannot make the environment clean unless we start managing the household garbage at the source,” Nepal said.

Speaking at the programme, former health minister Gagan Thapa said he was committed to supporting the campaign in the days to come as well. He also announced that they would continue the drive for the next 21 weeks.

Coordinator of the campaign Basudev Marasini said during these years apart from regularly cleaning the river, the campaign played a crucial role to construct Dhobikhola corridor, manage traffic along the river and promote greenery. Rudramati clean-up campaign had started from 15 February 2014 at the initiative of locals and activists.

Deputy Mayor of Kathmandu Metropolitan City Hari Prabha Khadgi and Mayor of Budhanilkanta Municipality Uddhav Kharel also appreciated the campaign and pledged their support to the drive.

The committee has planned to include schoolchildren in the clean-up drive in the coming days. “We are planning to plant more trees and increase schoolchildren’s participation in the drive,” said Marasini.