With the grand event at the National Stadium to celebrate World Environment Day, International Year of Sanitation and the Bagmati Peace Festival, together with the activities of the National Sanitation Week, the first week of June has brought sanitation to centre stage. Now it is our job to keep this momentum going throughout the year. The schools and communities in Chitwan have been doing just that as hardly a week goes by without a community announcing itself as open defecation free community. Hundreds of toilets are being built and thousands of school children are being mobilized for School Led Total Sanitation campaigns throughout the district. This gives us great hope that the dream of declaring Chitwan District as Open Defecation Free District by 2009 can actually become a reality. In the mean time we should all draw inspiration from Chitwan and double our efforts to make New Nepal a clean Nepal as well.
CITIZEN'S MONITORING OF CITY WATER SUPPLY – An approach to ensure water quality
Drinking water and sanitation are not priority issues though they are directly related to life. A decade long armed revolution in Nepal claiming about 15 thousand lives has changed the entire politics of the country. But yearly deaths of 13 thousand Nepali children below five years of age caused by water-related diseases, as reported by UNICEF in 2005, is not yet a political issue. In the earlier days, people focused more on the aesthetic qualities of water. Later on people discovered that many epidemics are caused by pathogens in drinking water. Then people realized the need to disinfect drinking water to make it free of pathogens.
Disinfection of drinking water with the use of chlorine started in England in 1890 and took nearly a century to reach Nepal. When chlorine is added to the water, it is initially consumed by the metal, minerals, slime and organic matter in the water. Chlorine thus 'used up' in this manner is called 'Chlorine Demand'. Some of the added chlorine will combine with the ammonia present in the water, which will hamper the bacteria destroying action. This is called 'Combined Chlorine Residual'. The chlorine left free is called "Free Residual Chlorine" (FRC). The FRC is approximately 20 times more effective in destroying bacteria than the combined chlorine residual. The World Health Organization has set a guideline value of FRC as 0.2 to 0.5 mg/L. The same value is adopted by Nepal Drinking Water Quality Guidelines 2006.
People have the right to know the quality of water they are being supplied and water quality monitoring helps to identify and rectify the defects in water supply system. In this context, NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation (NGOFUWS) started drinking water quality monitoring in 2003 in association with Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) with the main objective to improve drinking water quality supplied by the Nepal Water Supply Corporation (NWSC) through consumer empowerment.
In 2004, NGOFUWS monitored quality of drinking water from 100 sample points in the Kathmandu Valley for a day in association with ENPHO. Water samples collected by volunteers from the points were analyzed in the ENPHO laboratory to measure the amount of FRC and test the water for faecal contamination.
In the following year 2005, amount of FRC was measured in 100 sampling points in the Kathmandu Valley in the month of Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September 2005). The 61 water samples that measured nil FRC were further tested for presence or absence of Coliform to confirm faecal contamination.
In 2006, 103 NWSC consumers tested the amount of FRC in NWSC supplied water as 'the FRC volunteers' in 103 sampling points inside the Kathmandu Valley. They used the FRC test kits developed by ENPHO to test the amount of FRC in water flowing through their taps during the two months of the programme (August and September 2006). That year, NWSC assisted in distribution of 10,000 units of water disinfecting chlorine solution
'Piyush' at subsidized rate to the public in the areas identified with nil FRC in drinking water. In order to make people understand the process and value of drinking water treatment, the FRC volunteers of Bhaktapur, Thimi, Lalitpur and Kirtipur were taken on field trips to the nearby water treatment plants of the NWSC. Drinking water quality monitoring programme in the years 2004, 2005 and 2006 was assisted by WaterAid Nepal.
In 2007, the FRC survey was done as a part of Cholera Mitigation Campaign 2007 launched by the Ministry of Physical Planning and Works, together with other organizations to mitigate the cholera epidemic that started in Kathmandu. The consumer volunteers tested the amount of FRC in NWSC supplied water at 92 different sampling points in the Kathmandu Valley using the FRC test kits and uploaded their data in the website www.ngoforum.net so that the results can be viewed instantly by everyone having access to the internet services.
The results of the campaign over the past four years can be summarized as follows:
:: ENPHO NEWS ::
FRC MONITORING CAMPAIGN 2008 KICKS OFF
Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hisila Yami launched this year's FRC monitoring programme by handing over the FRC test kits to the volunteers amidst a programme organized to mark the Sithinakha on June 9, 2008, national water conservation and sanitation day. The programme is launched intends to monitor the amount of Free Residual Chlorine (FRC) in the water supplied by the Kathmandu Upatyaka Khanepani Limited (KUKL) in the Kathmandu Valley. More than 100 volunteers around the Kathmandu Valley will test the FRC in water supplied in their taps using a simple FRC testing kits provided to them for the programme. They will upload their findings in the website of NGO Forum for Urban Water & Sanitation www.ngoforum.net regularly. The report can be viewed by all in the website and it is also circulated to a group of concerned authorities periodically. FRC monitoring programme was started by NGO Forum for Urban Water & Sanitation in association with Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) in 2003. The programme is mainly intended to improve the water quality in the monsoon season so that it helps to prevent water-borne epidemics in the Valley.
MASS AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FOR SAFE WATER
ENPHO, with support from Academy for Educational Development (AED-NMark Nepal) has launched a mass awareness campaign in Katmandu valley and various cities of the country to promote safe water use. The activities include installation of hoarding board displaying PIYUSH use; mobile booths promoting point of use (POU) drinking water treatment; and radio jingles on PIYUSH through various FM Radio stations.
CELEBRATING ENVIRONMENT DAY IN CHAPAGAON
On the occasion of World Environment Day 2008 and 9th National Sanitation Action Week, Chapagaon Environmental Sanitation Users Committee and Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) jointly organized various programs at Chapagaon from June 4-6. On June 4, a one hour documentary on success stories on School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) was shown at Jyotidaya and Emerald English Boarding Schools at Chapagaon VDC, ward no. 3. Similarly, on June 5, an awareness rally on sanitation was organized, which attracted more than 500 participants carrying placards and banners with slogans on various sanitation messages. On the third day, i.e. June 6, ENPHO joined hands with the local residents, students and police administration to clean up the premises of the Bajrabarahi temple. Plastics and garbage littered in the temple premises were disposed in a proper manner.
ENPHO & EAWAG/SANDEC JOIN HANDS TO PROMOTE SODIS
ENPHO has once again joined hands with the Department for Water and Sanitation in Developing Countries (SANDEC) at Eawag, Switzerland to further promote and disseminate SODIS in five urban and peri-urban municipalities; Bharatpur, Hetauda, Nepalgunj, Butwal and Lalitpur from June 2008 to May 2009. The main goal of the project is to further scale up the institutionalization process of SODIS through the network of government institutions and municipalities. It will also help strengthen the supply chain for PET-bottles by designing and producing a bottle designed for the SODIS application. This program will be integrated in the ongoing program of COKE/UN-HABITAT.
POINT OF USE WATER TREATMENT TOGETHER WITH SANITATION IN BHARATPUR
The School Led Total Sanitation (SLTS) campaign in Bharatpur has added a point of use (POU) water treatment component to it as well. The POU water treatment campaign in Bharatpur was launched on 20 June 2008 at Chitwan Higher Secondary School. A folk song competition as well as an essay completion was organized on the occasion and the children also performed a drama and dance. The Local Development Officer of Chitwan inaugurated the CS Filter placed on the Stand for Water Sanitation and Hygiene for All (SWASTHA), while the chief of Bhartpur Municipality inaugurated the Chlorination Stand, representative from UN-HABITAT inaugurated the SODIS Stand and representative from Coca Cola Company inaugurated the promotional banner.
POU WATER TREATMENT CAMPAIGN LAUNCH IN HETAUDA
On 5 June, ENPHO together with Hetauda Municipality launched a campaign to promote point of use water treatment options in Hetauda. This is part of the UN-HABITAT/Coca Cola Company initiative titled “Partnership for Safe Water.”
COMMUNITY BASED SANITATION IN GUNDU, BHAKTAPUR
On 28 June, ENPHO signed an agreement with Kibacho Water Users Group to implement a Community Based Water and Sanitation Project in Gundu, Bhaktapur. The project will promote Ecosan as well as other toilets and hygienic behavior in the village. ENPHO together with Rotary Club also distributed 10 Colloidal Silver Filter to poor families in the village on the same day. The local community organized a clean-up campaign before the programme.
CONSULTATION WORKSHOP ON RESEARCH TO ASSESS EFFECTIVENESS OF ICS
ENPHO presented the findings of the study on Effectiveness of Improved Cook Stoves in Reducing Indoor Air Pollution and Improving Health at a workshop organized by Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC) / Energy Sector Assistance Programme (ESAP) on 11 June 2008.
ENPHO CELEBRATES WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY
Glorious morning of 5th June the “World Environment Day”, a hundred and fifty participants including eminent Nepali runner, legendary Mr. Baikuntha Manandhar, students, teachers, professionals and participants from other co-organizing and supporting organizations, NGOs and INGOs gathered in Tinkune, Kathmandu at 7 o’clock in the morning. The day started with the commitment of all participants towards low carbon emission and individual attempt towards saving Earth through behavioral change. Four electric cars, two electric bikes, two rickshaws, two electric vans, eight Safa Tempo and 60 bicycles were lined up and all set to go. The number and the assortment of different sustainable vehicles at one place was truly first of its kind in the city and seemed to be the most tempting gathering in terms of attracting peoples attention towards such vehicles. The slogans in the placards and the banners and paper bags in hands of the participants were strong appeal for behavioural change to ensure clean environment. This program was organized by more than 20 organizations including Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO).
Similarly, coinciding with the World Environment Day, Roots and Shoots Nepal in association with Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) and ENPHO used excavator and removed the garbage chocked along the Bagmati River upstream of Min Bhawan Bridge. On the same occasion, volunteers from Roots and Shoots worked actively in the plantation and river bank clean up program.
PRESENTATIONS & PARTICIPATION IN WORKSHOP/SEMINAR
- Dr. Suman Kumar Shakya, Deputy Executive Director at ENPHO participated as a resource person in an international workshop on “Training of Trainers for Women on Water Networking for Poverty Alleviation in Rural Areas”. The Workshop was geared up for the Sub-Regional Network of Non-formal Scientific Education and Popularization of Science. The main thought was Breaking the Poverty Cycle of Women Empowering Adolescents Girls to become the Agents of Social Transformation in South Asia, hosted by UNESCO-ISESCO and Lahore Collage for Women University, Lahore, Pakistan 27-29 May, 2008.
- Dr. Narayan P. Upadhyaya, Director of Environmental Analysis and Laboratory Services (EALS) at ENPHO made a presentation on ‘Toxic Elements in Soil and Human Intake through Food’ at a half day Dissemination Workshop on NARDF funded project - “Studies on Ground Water Contamination by Agro-chemicals & Other Anthropogenic Sources ad its Impact on Quality of Soil and Raw Food” organized by Group of Environment Research & Preservation-Nepal (GREP-Nepal) in association with ENPHO on 27 June 2008. This 3-year research project was done in Kailali District of Nepal.
- Rajesh Adhikari, Promotional Manager at ENPHO made a presentation on ‘Safe Water Use’ at an interaction program organized to celebrate the traditional water festival ‘SITHI NAKHA’ at Tr-Chandra College. The program was organized by NGO Forum for Urban Water and Sanitation and Rain Water Club of Tri-Chandra College on 5 June 2008.
- Ms. Biju Dangol, Program Officer of Water Quality Program at ENPHO participated in an International Symposium on Household Water Management and the Fourth Annual Meeting of the International Network to Promote Household Water Treatment and Safe Storage from 2-5 June 2008, Accra, Ghana. The main objective of the symposium was to consolidate effective strategies for addressing barriers in introducing and scaling up HWTS interventions at a country level and how this can be applied in African regions and other developing countries. She made a presentation on "3D (Development-Demonstration-Dissemination) Approach to Point of Use Drinking Water Treatment Options in Nepal".
- Bipin Dangol, Project Manager, made presentation on POU drinking water treatment options during the talk programme organized by NGO Forum, Guthi and Lu Niva Misa Pucha at Kirtipur on 12 June.
- Bipin Dangol, Project Manager, visited Canada from 17 to 28 June to participate in a Learning Exchange organized by Centre for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technologies (CAWST).
- Rajesh Adhikari, Promotional Manager at ENPHO shared his experiences on Safe Water and Sanitation at Rotract Installation program organized by Rotract Club of Kathmandu Mid-Town on 29 June 2008. On the same occasion, the Club felicitated Mr. Adhikari with a Token of Love for his contribution to safe water promotion since last five years.
- Bhushan Tuladhar, Executive Director, provided training on Solid Waste Management to representatives from 25 municipalities. He made presentations on Principles of Solid Waste Management and Integrated Solid Waste Management on 7 June. Similarly on 10 June, he made a presentation on Principles of Composting and Types of Composting, and on 11 June, he made a presentation on Community and Large-Scale Composting.
- On 4 June, Bhushan Tuladhar made a presentation titled “Think Global Act Local” to Kathmandu University students on the occasion of World Environment Day.
- On 5 June, Bhushan Tuladhar made a presentation on Climate Change in the Nepalese Perspective” to journalists at Nepal Forum for Environmental Journalists (NEFEJ).
- On 18 June, Bhushan Tuladhar presented a paper titled “Clean Development Mechanism and its Prospects in Nepal” at a conference organized by Women in Science & Technology in Kathmandu.
INTERACTION PROGRAM @ ENPHO
On 13 June, ENPHO together with Clean Energy Nepal and Green Youth Network organized an interaction program to share the research findings on “Effectiveness of Improved Cook Stoves in Reducing Indoor Air Pollution in Nepal”. Speaking at the program, Mr. Ashish Singh from ENPHO said that the overall result of the pollution measurement showed a significant reduction in PM2.5 and CO with the installation of ICS. Similarly, the research showed considerable reduction in major respiratory problems among women and children (under <5).
:: LOCAL NEWS ::
OPEN DEFECATION FREE SQUATTER SETTLEMENT IN BHARATPUR
21 June 2008 was a day of celebration for the residents of Aaptaari Squatter Settlement in ward 2 of Bharatpur Municipality. After two years of effort, this community of 144 households has succeeded in declaring itself as an open defecation free community. Although the community is located in a forest area, where going to the bushes for open defecation is not difficult, every household has now constructed a toilet and the whole area is now clean. The Community Led Total Sanitation campaign was implemented with support from Lumanti, which has also initiated similar campaigns in 12 other slum/squatter settlements in Bharatpur. Among these settlements five have now declared themselves as open defecation free communities and the others are on their way to do so.
GARBAGE TO BE DUMPED BY USING FORCE
Plagued by unending series of stoppages by the local people, the Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC) is preparing to dump garbage at the landfill site in Sisdole by using police force, if necessary. The KMC is preparing to invoke the Essential Service Act, which forbids obstruction in collection, transport and management of garbage. “Earlier, too, the government had talked about invoking this Act. But now, it will be strictly enforced,” KMC chief executive Dinesh Thapaliya told Nepal Samacharpatra. On Sunday, local people had obstructed one dozen vehicles carrying garbage at a place called Kot. Authorities say that the local people living in the surrounding areas of Sisdole have been raising demands one after another, even including personal demands, nd obstructing the dumping of garbage.
Source….. nepalnews.com, 30 JuneSTUDENTS DEFEND BURNING TYRES TO DRAW GOVERNMENT ATTENTION
Student leaders today defended their act of burning tyres on the road as their only option to draw the administration's attention towards their demands despite the fact that burning tyres on the roads has environmental and health hazards. "We are compelled to take to the streets and block the roads because authorities always turn deaf ears unless we take some violent steps," said Kamal Basnet, a student leader attending a discussion programme — Environment and Development — organised by the Youth Network for Social and Environmental Development, the United Nations Development Fund, the Global Environmental Fund and the Small Grants programme. In the recent years, the trend of blocking roads and burning tyres in front of colleges in Kathmandu has grown. Hotspots for these types of protests include the Institute of Engineering in Pulchowk, Patan Multiple Campus in Patan Dhoka, Tri-Chandra Campus in Ghantaghar, Amrit Science College in Lainchaur, and Ratna Rajya Campus and the Nepal Law Campus on the Exhibition Road within the Kathmandu valley. Sahaj Man Shrestha, president of the Nepal Forum for Environment Journalists, stressed the need to reach rural areas to kick-start development work and train locals on environment-friendly lifestyle.
Source…. Clean Energy NEWS Vol. 8, Number 23, 25 JuneMADHYAPUR LOCALS DEMAND FOR WATER
Locals of Kaushaltar, Lokanthali and Gathhaghar have decided to launch an agitation after they were denied of their right to use drinking water produced in their locality. A gathering of around 1,000 residents formed a Bode Drinking Water Project Victims’ Struggle Committee under the coordination of Murari Prasad Acharya. Though the then Nepal Water Supply Corporation had promised to provide drinking water to the locals first before supplying it to Kathmandu while beginning the construction of Bode drinking Water Project some eight years ago with the financial assistance of JAICA, the corporation took the water directly to Baneshwor thereby depriving the locals of their right to use the local resource.
Though director general of the corporation Gautam Bahadur Amatya last year directed engineer Tilak Mohan Bhandari to arrange provisions to supply the water to the locals, the corporation shelved the plan saying that it lacked budget, according to Acharya. Acharya said if the locals were not provided with the water of Bode area within a week, they would block the source of water for the Bode Drinking Water Project. Locals said they were not as such against taking the water from Bode to Kathmandu, but they only wanted that the locals should also get the water.
Source….. The Rising Nepal, 20 JuneUN FUNDS TO CONSERVE WATER SOURCES IN LALITPUR
UN HABITAT has recently launched a project to build the capacities of the Lalitpur locals to conserve traditional sources of water at an estimated cost of US $ 1,42,000. There are 39 traditional waterspouts in different parts of Lalitpur. One water source of the type has already been renovated while the project looks forward to renovate three additional traditional sources. UN-HABITAT, Center for Integrated Urban Development (CIUD), Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City (LSMC) and the local community will work as partners to accomplish the goals of the project. The project has been entitled ‘Capacity Building of Local people in conserving Traditional Stone Spouts of Lalitpur Sub-metropolitan City’. Of this amount UN-HABITAT has donated US $ 90,000 and CIUD/LSMC/Community will pool amount to the tune of US $52,000. The project expects that 42,000 people of Lalitpur will be benefited. The project will cover a period of 18 months from May 2008 to October 2009.
Source….. The Rising Nepal, 18 JuneENERGY POLICY SOUGHT
At a time when fossil fuel prices are soaring and hydroelectricity is yet to be fully exploited, energy experts have asked the government to formulate a national energy policy. “The country needs a compulsory or binding policy, which forces the government and the people to use other sources of energy than fossil fuel. The government is yet to prioritize the ‘alternative’ energy,” said Dr Govinda Raj Pokhrel, the executive director of Alternative Energy Promotion Centre (AEPC). He said such an energy policy should focus on mobilization of local resources. He said the AEPC is preparing a rural energy policy.
Environmentalist Bhushan Tuladhar said energy crisis would continue in Nepal as there was no clear energy policy. The responsibility of providing energy to country falls upon Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology and Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies. “Which ministry will take up the issue of resource management for energy in the cabinet? The issue of energy rises only when the crisis hits the market,” he said. “We can encourage optimum use of electricity, solar power, bio-diesel, ethanol, biogas or even wind energy, to lessen pressure on petrol, diesel and other fossil fuels,” he added.
Source….. The Himalayan Times, 11 JuneADDITIONAL FINANCIAL GRANT FOR WATER SUPPLY AND SANITATION
The World Bank has approved an additional financing of US$ 27 million to the Second Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project, Nepal. The additional financing grant for the Rural Water Supply and Sanitation Project will scale up the project to provide services to more remote rural areas. It aims to improve institutional performance of the rural water supply and sanitation sector, and will also support communities to form inclusive local water supply and sanitation user groups that can plan, implement, and operate drinking water and sanitation infrastructure that delivers sustainable health, hygiene, and productivity benefits to rural households.
Source….. The World Bank Press ReleaseBAGMATI PEACE FESTIVAL
With the objective of creating political will amongst politicians and newly elected members of the Constituent Assembly for mitigating pollution of the Bagmati River, which is the lifeline of the Kathmandu Valley and also keeping it clean and pure, Bagmati Peace Festival was organized at the Dasharath Stadium, Tripureshwore on June 5. The festival was jointly organized by Bagmati Peace Festival Organizing Committee, New Nepal-loving National Personalities, International Year of Sanitation -2008, Nepal Desk and Steering Committee for National Sanitation Action on the occasion of the International Year of Sanitation-2008, World Environment Day’ and Ninth National Sanitation Week with the aim of raising awareness to keep the Bagmati River clean, pure, beautiful, peaceful and civilized.
Speaking at the inaugural session of the Bagmati Peace Festival-2065, Maoist Chairman Prachanda said that political purity and environment conservation were proportionate. The purification of Bagmati River hinges on the extent of purification of national politics, but the centuries-long feudalistic practices under monarchical institution had been overshadowing the process, he said. "As the nation is standing at a historic juncture of change and progress, the historically important Bagmati River and its civilization would be protected, cleaned and purified with the process of making a new Nepal with the implementation of the federal democratic republican set up," he said. Minister for Physical Planning and Works Hishila Yami said unless the nation embraces federal structure, the integrated development of the Bagmati River and its civilization could not be effective. Krishna KC, the Chairman of the Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee and the coordinator of the Festival Organizing Committee urged for single policy or consensus amongst the political parties regarding the environmental issue.
Source….. The Rising Nepal, 6 June
:: GLOBAL NEWS ::
PHILIPPINES: TYPHOON DEATH TOLL RISES; WATER AND SANITATION WORRIES GROW
MANILA, 27 June 2008 (IRIN) - The death toll from Typhoon Fengshen continues to rise a week after it devastated much of central Philippines, according to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC). The NDCC figures as of 27 June confirm at least 629 dead, more than 900 missing, and 2.4 million displaced. According to the Department of Health Secretary Francisco Duque, a big challenge now is the widespread shortage of potable water and poor sanitation in areas ravaged by the typhoon, particularly in the provinces of Aklan and Iloilo in the Western Visayas.
"The devastation was really terrible. The whole of Kalibo town in Aklan is under mud," he said. According to Kalibo town mayor Raymar Rebaldo, the local water district could not operate because the generator was deep in mud. "We have no water. I had to buy from the neighbouring town," Aklan resident Ursula Eqiuña told IRIN. But, she said, not many could afford bottled water and depended on pumped water."Many of them get their drinking water from open sources. This poses a threat to the people's health," Duque told IRIN. "They may suffer from diseases like typhoid fever, infections, or diarrhoea," he said.
Source…. IRIN News, 27 June
POLLUTERS MUST PAY, SAYS ANNAN
Former UN secretary general Kofi Annan on Tuesday called for 'climate justice', saying that it was polluters who should pay for the effects of climate change, and not the poorest and most vulnerable. He said funding should be made available to help disadvantaged communities adapt to the effects of global warming as he urged for the international community to focus on adaptation measures. "We must have climate justice. As an international community, we must recognise that the polluter must pay and not the poor and vulnerable," said Annan at the first high-level meeting of his new humanitarian forum. During the two-day conference, the Global Humanitarian Forum brings together luminaries from the worlds of politics, business, diplomacy and development to discuss how best to adapt to climate change - the issue that Annan has called "one of the most significant humanitarian challenges of our time." Annan noted that communities needed to be "empowered" with the knowledge and tools to deal with the worst effects of climate change.
Source…. Independent Online (IOL), 24 June
::UPCOMING EVENTS ::
The Executive Board of the Environment and Public Health Organization (ENPHO) has decided to organize its 17th Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 30 August 2008 (14 Bhadra 2065), Saturday. The Board would like to invite all members (general and executive) to this meeting to be organized at ENPHO Hall at 11:00 AM.
:: TEN COMMANDMENTS TO SAVE BAGMATI ::
- Thou shall love and respect the Bagmati (System) as thy guardian, thy parent's parents and their parents for ever and ever.
- Thou shall not dump any garbage, industrial waste of any kind, raw sewage or anything that pollutes the Bagmati at any time, on any day and of any year.
- Thou shall dig away sand from the Bagmati for religious purposes only. Thou shall not steal sand. And thou shall not mine or allow sand to be mined and sold for any other purposes.
- Thou shall not do anything that destroys the creation of god. The fish, the birds and animals including trees and grass that balance the ecosystem along the Bagmati domain.
- Nor shall thou destroy or help to destroy the heritage, and the relics of thy forefather along its domain and its neighborhood.
- Thou shall resist all development that nullify thy heritage and thy Bagmati civilization with all thy might, with all thy strength and with all thy heart.
- Thou shall work hard to preserve the Bagmati civilization thou inherited from thy forefathers for any children and thy children's children.
- Thou shall render unto the Bagmati all that belongs to the Bagmati as per the law of the land, including the riverbed thou have encroached.
- Thou shall teach all the inhabitants of this Kathmandu valley to say "Hail Bagmati!" (Om namo Bagmatey) and glorify the Bagmati system.
- And thus shall thou restore, sustain, preserve and heal the wounds of the Bagmati.
-Mr. Huta Ram Vaidya
Advocate, The Bagmati River
Correction
The ENPHO E-Bulletin May 2008 Issue in ENPHO NEWS section (COMMITTEE TO RESOLVE DRINKING WATER WOES) spelled newly elected member of Constituent Assembly Mr. Nabindra Raj Joshi’s last name as Adhikari. We are sorry for the misspelled name.
Any part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes without special permission from ENPHO, provided acknowledgement of the source is made. ENPHO would appreciate receiving a copy of any material that uses this publication as a source.Edited by: Bhushan Tuladhar & Kshitiz Shrestha
Designed by: Babukaji Magar
To unsubscribe please email us at: rc@enpho.org with "unsubscription" in the subject field.
Environment and Public Health Organization
G.P.O. Box 4102
110/25 Aadarsha Marg, Naya Baneshwor
Kathmandu, NEPAL
Phone: 977-1- 4468 641 / 4493 188
Fax: 977-1- 4491 376
Email: rc@enpho.org
Website: http://www.enpho.org