636 Weeks and Counting: Bagmati River Cleanup Soldiers On Through Monsoon Rains

Kathmandu, Nepal — July 20, 2025

Amid pounding monsoon rains and overcast skies, a familiar scene unfolded along the Ghuheshwori stretch of the Kathmandu Valley this Saturday morning: volunteers, clad in ponchos and mud-slicked boots, gathered once again to clean the banks of the Bagmati River.

This marked the 636th consecutive week of the Bagmati River Cleanup Mega Campaign — a milestone that speaks to the unwavering dedication of its grassroots army of environmental stewards.

This week’s focus was on a particularly vulnerable urban corridor, where plastic waste and urban debris accumulate at alarming rates. With clogged drains posing serious flood risks, the campaign team cleared roadside garbage and stormwater pathways — an urgent task made more critical during the peak of Nepal’s rainy season.

“We don’t pause for rain,” said one volunteer, hoisting a sack of soaked plastic. “We work with it.”

But this movement is no longer just about removing trash. Understanding that long-term solutions must involve restoration, the campaign also launched tree plantation efforts along the riverbanks. Native saplings and grasses are now being planted to reduce erosion, absorb runoff, and help revive Bagmati’s ecosystem.

“Plastic is just the symptom,” explained a campaign organizer. “Healthy soil, active community involvement, and consistent attention — that’s what will bring this river back to life.”

Launched over a decade ago, the Bagmati River Cleanup Campaign has evolved into one of Nepal’s most sustained civic movements, blending action with education. Week after week, the volunteers send a powerful message: the environment isn’t someone else’s problem. It’s everyone’s responsibility.

From heavy rains to heatwaves, from crowded slums to open fields, the campaign marches on — one cleaned corner, one tree, one conversation at a time.