“I has been thinking that it wouldn’t last long, but no matter what, we had to start anyhow. Let’s give it a try . We were amazed, there have been lots of people on the initial day, more than three hundred, ” recalled Dr Shakya.
“I don’t keep in mind exactly how many tonnes of waste we collected. But it was obviously a lot… five or even six trucks (worth), nine or 10 tonnes. ”
And as more individuals joined, awareness of the matter increased, he mentioned.
“It had been changing the attitude, creating an awareness. Therefore the main theme of the campaign was not (just) cleaning, but developing a mindset among the individuals, ” he added.
Almost ten years on from the initial clean-up session, locals such as Kishor Singh Shahi continue obtaining litter on extends of the Bagmati on Saturday mornings.
“Before 2013, all of us saw the Bagmati river was extremely polluted, we hesitated to use the water (because) of things like epidermis allergies, ” he explained. “When all of us came here to worship, we noticed the river plus felt like guilty people. So we (had to) take the initiative (to be part of the clean-up process). ”
When they first started cleaning the Bagmati, Mr Shahi remembered how a number of volunteers would suffer pores and skin diseases after entering contact with the water. There were some who furthermore ended up vomiting, he noted.
This individual added that they would certainly find dead body of animals by river, such as dogs and cows.
“Now it is better compared to past, ” Mister Shahi said. “I will continue to do that and I hope it will be clean in the future … Kathmandu city’s primary river is the Bagmati, we have to clean this. ”
For the river quality to enhance, Mr Shahi noted that there needs to be stricter enforcement of rules and regulations, as well as proper waste segregation in Kathmandu.
“The people living in Kathmandu have previously realised that the position of the river demonstrates our status, the lifestyles. Difficult acceptable and we must do something for it, ” added Dr Shah.
The Pashupati Area Development Trust is also doing the part to reduce the environmental impact of spiritual activities have on that particular stretch from the Bagmati.
In 2016, it opened up an electric crematorium to offer an alternative option to using traditional wooden pyres by the river banks during the cremation procedure.
“We are very much conscious about the Bagmati river, ” said Mr Parajuri. “We have to create a less polluted lake for the sake of the community. ”
“I feel very bad that in past times the water was really clean and (we) can drink (from it). Now even the seafood can’t survive, I actually even feel very guilty that I am also one of the polluters from the Bagmati river. Most of us have to make a mutual effort (to conserve it), ” added his predecessor Mr Upreti.