88th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign at Balkhu

 वो कच्रे वाले नही सफाई वाले हैं

Larger sway and louder clapping was heard when Dr. Raju Adhikari pronounced that the people who collect scarps are the  actual cleaners. He pointed out that we call people collecting scarps from our houses as filthy people 'कच्रेवाले' but we throw wastes everywhere and believe that we are polished 'सफाईवाले' . He made point that we are the dirtmakers 'कच्रेवाले' and they are the  cleaners 'सफाईवाले' because we produce dirt and they clean it. The hilarious comment helped raising enthusiasm and pride to be part of the good job at Balkhu this Saturday. His message  indicated respect to all the good jobs although labelled lower level.

The Bagmati Clean Up Campaign, at its 88th week was marked by cohorted and organized efforts of volunteers to clean up the holy river.  The Campaign took place in active participation of over 1200 participants and removed 43 tonnes of abandoned scarps from the river bosom at Balkhu.

The cleaning mob at 88th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign

The Campaign experienced the use of excavators for the first time. It was used to dig up piled heaps at the river banks. On going through crisp recap of the river stretch few years back, the stretch has been used as a dumping site for over 10 years. The place was used as transitional landfill site and it vored almost all wastes of the valley. This is the reason why, campaigners experience the more of the pulling, the more of the scarps. This neverending vicious has been due to the fact that the place has scarps layered upto 10 meters. The settlement of Sukumbasi at the river bank has made the river accept polltion loads encroachment of its floodplain from the squatters.

Crusader Ram Shah showing his hands in pride

The campaigners were systematically divided into groups to clean specified area. Well known public figures were as Leaders in each of  the groups. They facilated to mobilize the  motivated manpower systematically. Crusaders Lilamani Poudel and Kishor Thapa went inside the river and were leading volunteers to collect wet  leftovers from the river. They formed long chain of volunteers to pass scarps from one hand to another and eventually to waste collection vehicle.They wore boots and thick gloves to be safe and dry from the intervention.

Crusaders Lilamani Poudel and Kishor Thapa
 helping bring abandoned wastes from river
( Photo courtesy: Shristi Vaidhya

Anchors could be seen motivate mob to carry on to their work and collect as more they could. He played few musical clips from time to time. It was visible that the entertainment raised energy and further motivation.

Dr. Raju Achoring and motivating the crowd

The presence of medical volunteers has eased the Campaigners. Any wounded if in case will be proximity to first aid treatment. Bagmati clean Up Campaign at the 88th week had the volunteering of Hospital staffs from Mahendra Manjari hospital to provide primary first aid treatment to those who accidentally get cuts and scratches.

Medical Volunteers to help the wounded campaigners

The Campaign can be marked being successful in collecting local interest to restore the river. Each week local organisations can be observed working to the campaign motive of restoring the river.  At Balkhu also, The fruit and vegetable seller Union developed a banner. They showed teamwork and collected the wastes to clean their own territory.

Local group to clean the river

The 88th Bagmati Clean Up Campaign was successful and Chief Campaigner Lilamani Poudel has indicated that the campaign will follow in the same place for upcoming two weeks.

                                          जय बाग्मती