The document discusses the Bagmati River, which runs through Kathmandu, Nepal and has become heavily polluted. It notes that historically the Bagmati was important religiously and as a source of water, but population growth and waste have contaminated it. The government has taken steps like requiring septic tanks and removing riverbank settlements, and conducted a major cleaning campaign involving government, military, NGOs, and the public. However, more still needs to be done like large-scale sewage treatment to fully clean the Bagmati in the future.

1. Bagmati River – Yesterday, today,
tomorrow
Mr. Sanak Kumar maharjan
Junior Engineer
Environment Management Department
Kathmandu Metropolitan City Office

2. Introduction
• According to a census conducted in 2011, Kathmandu metropolis alone
has 5.2 million inhabitants, and the agglomerate has a population of
more than 7.5 million inhabitants. The metropolitan city area is 50.67
square kilometers (19.56 sq m) and has a population density of 123,225
per km².
• The city stands at an elevation of approximately 1,400 meters (4,600 ft) in the
bowl-shaped Kathmandu Valley of central Nepal. It is surrounded by four major
mountains: Shivapuri, Phulchoki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri.
• Kathmandu valley, the main urban centre of Nepal, the chief concern is
contamination from sewage lines, septic tanks, open pit toilet and surface
water has been polluted by direct disposal of solid waste.
• The main river of Kathmandu valley is Bagmati River which meanders
through the lands of the valley merging with many primary tributaries viz.
Bishnumati, Dhobi, Manohara, Hanumante, Tukucha, Kodku, Godavari,
Nakhu, and Balkhu, finally exiting from Chovar

3. Kathmandu Valley

4. Bagmati in the Past
• Kathmandu valley civilization is known as Bagmati
Civilisation
• Bagmati and Bishnumati have religious importance as
major temples and buddhist shrine are situated at the
river banks
• Bagmati and Bishnumati were sources of drinking water,
irrigation of Kathmandu valley and other human purposes
• River banks are ritual procession places at the time of
human birth and death.

5. Bagmati and Kathmandu valley in the
past

6. Bird eye view of Current Kathmandu

7. Current condition of Bagmati
• Kathamandu is famous for its alluvial soil but now days
no barren land can be found due to increase number of
infrastructure and buildings. Population growth is the
major cause of Bagmati river pollution.
• Bagmati is polluted due to solid waste ,sewage waste and
human encroachment in the river banks
• River without water is the source of different diseases
• River bank settlement from the people migrating from all
over the country is polluting river more from their activities

8. Current condition

9. Policy taken to prevent pollution in Bagmati
• KMC has made compulsory provision of septic tank within
the building whiles constructing any building.
• KMC and government has removed the inhabitant and
destroy the infrastructure made by them encroaching river
banks
• Construction of separate sewage drainage in river banks
preventing sewage waste directly flowing to the river.

10. Bagmati Cleaning Campaign
• Raise awareness not to pollute Bagmati river
• Make participation of NGO and INGO for cleaning river
• Make participation and co-ordination of government
bodies
• Media partnership for Bagmati cleanning
• Participation of people from every walks of life

11. Initial stage of Bagmati

12. Final exit of Bagmati from Kathmandu Valley

13. Bagmati Cleaning campaign
• Prime Minister in Bagmati Campaign

14. Bagmati Cleaning campaign
• People from every walks of Life

15. Bagmati Cleaning campaign
• Army and Police taking part in Bagmati Cleaning campaign

16. Bagmati Cleaning campaign
• President in Bagmati Campaign

17. Bagmati Cleaning campaign
• NGO and INGO in Bagmati Campaign

18. Bagmati Cleaning campaign

19. Taking bath at Bagmati river by Secretary of government of
Nepal after successful campaign

20. Final Stage of Bagmati

21. What we need to do in future
• Sewage and sludge should be treated before flowing it to
river
• Should construct large scale sewage and sludge
treatment plant
• Continuation of Bagmati cleaning campaign
• Water treatment plant in different part of city
• Prevent encroachment of river banks

22. Hope in Future

23. Thank You