The 83rd Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

बाग्मतिको पानी  हामीलाई  सफा देख्ने मन्छ

सबै  एकजुट भयौ भने  प्युन मिल्ने बन्छ,

हामीले वास्ता नगरेत येस्तै हुन्छ जुगौ

प्रतेक हप्ता सफाई गर्न बाग्मतिमा पुगौ !!

Cheering the mob: Singers singing during the campaign

The above is a part of lyrics of theme song of Bagmati Clean Up Campaign by Rajendra Bhandari  and Radhika Hamal. The presence of both the singers fueled today's campaign. 

In today's foggy morning, over 900 volunteers clustered at Teku and collected 29 tonnes of scraps primarily composed of abandoned household wastes. 

 Over 300 slum volunteers from 'Sukumbasi Jagaran Basti' joined the campaign showing patience and cordination to help to the the campaign motive. Many slum children seemed helping their parents. The tiny hands collected scarps and hopped in music. American novelist James Baldwin says that 'Although Children seem not listening to their parents, they never fail to imitate them'. So, the local initiation will help to educate children regarding manners to keep city clean.

Presence with their parents: Slum Kids in the campaign

The slums have been a concern for Bagmati river improvement since they reside illegally at the river banks. According to Nepal government, 8000-10000 people live as slums in Bagmati river bank claiming  to be  landless. Not only the Bagmati, slums are growing in Manahara, Dhobikhola and Bishnumati rivers where around 15,000 to 20,000 live illegally. Often there is clash between the slums and government. The government's effort to construct an UN park in Thapathali has faced a jolt due to squatter settlement. However, the massive and cardial involvement of the slums in todays campaign signifies their positive response and flexibility to restore the Bagmati river.

As usual, large number of  women volunteers could be seen. They performed every tasks from collecting scraps from the river, river banks, queuing in line to passed garbage filled Thunche to the garbage collecting vehicle and many more.

The advancing women participation

Dr Raju Adhikari, the MC of the day announced the presence of Kailash Satyarthi, an Indian children right advocate and an activist against child labour in the campaign next week. He is awarded with Nobel Peace Prize of 2014 in conjunction with 14 year old activist Malala. He founded save the childhood movement and he acted to protect the rights of more than 83000 children from 144 countries.  Similarly, The founder of art of living, Sri Sri Ravisanker visited the campaign upstream at Tilganga on January 2014.

Kailash Satyarthi, Nobel Peace Prize winner for 2014

For next weeks move, the volunteers are requested to be present at the same place at Teku near the confluence of Bishnumati and Bagmati river at Lalitpur side.

जय बाग्मती!!!