The Bagmati Mega Clean-up Campaign has reached its 138th week, with volunteers extracting around 10 metric tonnes of garbage from the Bagmati river at Tilganga and surrounding areas on Saturday. 

The campaign was launched on May 18, 2013 at the initiative of former chief secretary Leelamani Poudyal.

On Saturday, former chief secretary Poudyal, Additional Inspector General of Police Pratap Singh Thapa and other government officials, including 30 from Nepal Police, as many 30 from the Armed Police force and more than 70 students and 200 locals participated in the cleaning programme. 

Sitaram Kattel, better known as his screen name Dhurmus, who is the Sanitation Brand Ambassador of the government of Nepal also took part in the campaign. Kattel, along with his screen partner know as Suntali, had led a cleaning campaign from Nawalparasi to Kakarbhitta from December 13 to December 31. “We cleaned 513-kilometre stretch of road,” said Kattel, adding: “We had earlier participated in the Bagmati cleaning campaign and we drew inspiration from here to take the cleaning campaign outside Kathmandu.”

Kattel also said that he would continue making is efforts to make the campaign a success. 

He also requested political parties, organisaitons, private and government schools and colleges to participate in the Bagmati cleaning campaign. 

More than 950 organisations so far have extended their support to clean the holy river. Rabin Man Shrestha, Chief of the Kathmandu Metropolitan City’s Environment Management Division, who also regularly participates in the campaign, said, “We are working to make it a programme with maximum participation and soon we will mark the 150th week with grand success.”  

Meanwhile, the Dhobikhola Clean-UP Campaign on Saturday reached its 48th week. The campaign was started at the initiative 

of local people and clubs in the area.