Shree Maha Jal Pushkarniya (SMJP) pond of Thecho VDC of Lalitpur stands as the example. Locals collected funds to build a Buddha statue at the center of the pond and it was inaugurated by Gyanpurnik Mahasthaveer, head monk of Bishwashanti Bihar, in August 2006.
Since the temple was built, locals have stopped washing clothes and throwing garbage in the pond, according to Dakshya Maharjan, treasurer of the SMJP Trust.
Locals of Thecho say many ponds in the VDC are in a critical state due to lack of preservation. Some ponds have even been filled in to make way for buildings and farmlands. Locals often wash clothes, utensils, and even their animals in the ponds. The biggest threat, however, is the dumping of rubbish - anything from unwanted materials to plastic bottles.
But SMJP has proven that by building temples, the ponds can be given a greater chance of being preserved.
“Nobody was interested in preserving the pond, so the elderly people here thought up that building a temple on the pond would prevent people from polluting it,” said Mahanta Bahadur Maharjan, 70, chairman of the SMJP.
Local youths resisted the idea and instead proposed the ponds be filled in and playgrounds built in their place. But the elderly did not budge, said Bhai Lal Maharjan, 69, vice-chairman of the SMJP.
The idea was conceptualized by Mahanta Lal Maharjan, but the elderly had just Rs 5,000 at their disposal with which to start the project.
But good ideas gather sympathizers and this one managed to get the financial and labor support to needed. Locals donated money according to the size of their pockets and even labored to clean up the pond. The Embassy of Burma donated a generous Rs 400,000 to the project.
“We went asking for donations and help in Sunakothi, Chapagaun. Kritipur and Patan,” said the Trust´s Dakshya Maharjan.
Almost all Thecho households offered old metallic materials towards the cause. Others donated bricks, cement and stones.
Donated metal items were melted down and moulded into the Buddha statue which stands at the center of the pond today, crafted by Kalu Kuma of Ombahal free of cost.
Since the statue was placed, no one has dared pollute the pond, but locals still clean it up occasionally.
“Whenever we are free, we go to clean the pond. We haven´t been able to change the water due to financial constraints,” Dakshya said.
The success of this preservation effort has encouraged locals to do the same with other ponds.
Locals of Sunakothi VDC recently set up a statue of Lord Buddha on the Phoonga Pukhu pond in a similar effort to preserve the waterbody.
Related story
Six ponds of Pashupatinath temple have disappeared
