Kathmandu: Minister for Urban Development, Kulman Ghising, has announced that the government is actively working to make the rivers and streams in the Kathmandu Valley pollution-free. The initiative includes the establishment of water treatment plants aimed at cleaning the water in several key rivers and streams, including Bagmati, Bishnumati, Dhobikhola, Tukucha, and Guheshwori.
According to National News Agency Nepal, the Minister outlined these plans during an inspection of an under-construction plant at Thapathali in the Bagmati corridor. The project has begun with assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), although the processes of tree clearance and space arrangement have caused delays. Minister Ghising highlighted the challenges faced due to local resistance in some areas which has hindered the swift establishment of the treatment plants.
The Minister also noted that while infrastructure development on the Kathmandu side is nearing completion, progress on the Lalitpur side faces delays due to obstructions. Efforts are ongoing to resolve these issues. The Tukucha water treatment plant, once operational, will clean all sewage discharged by local drains.
A comprehensive solution involves constructing a 600-MLD plant to treat water across the valley, but the current under-construction plant only accounts for 20 percent of this capacity. The total investment for the plant amounts to Rs 3.18 billion.