Stress on joint effort to save Bishnumati

Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 8:

Participants at an interaction on the conservation of Bishnumati today laid stress on the need of unity among the guthis. It was organised by Shri Jyapoo Mahaguthi Nepal and supported by from Clean Nepal. "People of the guthis should first initiate cleaning and conservation campaigns in order to protect Bishnumati and its surroundings. We can only work as facilitators and create a favourable environment," said Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) mayor Keshav Sthapit. He pointed out that the cleaning of the Bishnumati river is not possible unless the government devises a special law to punish those who dump garbage into the river. Jujubhai Dongol presented a report on the people involved in guthis. He said the report has stressed the need for a common forum of all guthis concerned so that the work is carried out easily.Suggestions made by the participants of earlier interactions held at Indrayeni, Kankeswori and Teku Dovan have also been compiled in the report.

The objective of the interaction was to prepare record of places along the banks of the river that are important religiously, culturally and historically. Hutaram Baidhya, a pioneer of the Save Bagmati campaign, also emphasised on the collective effort of the guthis concerned to save Bishnumati. He expressed serious concern over the deteriorating riversides. Prakash Darnal from the Department of Archaeology said the department was unable to conserve many historical places due to lack of resources. "However, we are ready to provide technical and logistic support," he said.