The empowered Bagmati Civilization Integrated Development Committee under the Ministry of Urban Development has installed a 'trash barrier' to collect waste floating in the rivers of Kathmandu.

The trash barrier has been installed at six locations including Gokarna Barrage, Guheshwari, Tilganga Eye Hospital, Bagmati Manahara Dobhan, UN Park and Karmanasha Dobhan of Manohara River, said Uddhav Nepal, Deputy Director (Information Officer). He says, “We have looked at the site to install it near Shobha Bhagwati as well.” Nepal says that the contract agreement was concluded by issuing a notice and holding a competition. Nepal says that the contract agreement was concluded for Rs 6.5 million and the trash barrier was installed. “This is the first time that such a barrier has been installed in Nepal. That is why the company is going to be selected through a competition.” Nepal says that the barrier will stop plastic, polythene, bottles, pieces of wood and other waste floating on the surface of the river and collect it in a specific place. The committee said that due to urbanization and unorganized waste management, large amounts of floating waste are flowing into rivers including Bagmati, Bishnumati, Manohara and Dhobi Khola in the Kathmandu Valley. The committee said that the waste collected from the barrier can be regularly removed, classified, reused and managed safely. This will reduce river pollution and contribute positively to the beauty of the river, the protection of aquatic life and public health.

A structure with a rubber conveyor belt and floating parts has been installed to prevent floating waste such as plastic, polythene, bottles, pieces of wood and other items floating on the river surface without obstructing the flow of the river, and the surface of the trash barrier itself rises and falls with the rise and fall of the water level.