Bagmati river has been abused since decades. It has upholded all toxic waste water, the gallons of untreated filth and tonnes of scarps piled since years. Will the Bagmati river, no better than sewer lines, get back to life with handpicking of scarps by volunteers? How long will 'THE GANDHIGIRI' take to heal the haemorrhaging river?
As in the natural state, the Bagmati river was juvinile and beautiful
holding vast biodiversity and irrigating fertile floodlands of Kathmandu
valley. Will the collection of 50 tonnes of scraps per week bring back natural flows in the river, where above 10 meters pile bleeding with lechate and hundreds of gallons of untreated filth is discharged? Bagmati river is no better than sewer at most of its reaches with no dissolved oxygen and high ammonia levels. The water is very toxic for sustaining any life at most of the urban areas.
The restoration history of worlds greatest rivers has an history of setting criteria for improvements. Let us see an example of river Thames. Three criteria for improvement were established. Firstly, that the water must sustain fish at all stages of tides. Secondly, it must support fauna on the mud bottom and thirdly, all toxic and non-biodegradable waste must be excluded from the river.
The Thames river was amongest the most polluted rivers in the 1800s and the restoration journey has led the river now to attract more than 10,000 birds during wintering times and rehosts the Salmon, trout and even seals.
The Thames river was amongest the most polluted rivers in the 1800s and the restoration journey has led the river now to attract more than 10,000 birds during wintering times and rehosts the Salmon, trout and even seals.
 |
| The great stink of London( source: wikipedia) |
Do we have set any criteria for Bagmati river improvements? Where will this handpicking of few tonnes of garbage lead- the clean river or another bit longer but failed attempt to restore the river?
No comments:
Post a Comment