KATHMANDU, Aug 7: Ram Babu Thakur, a veteran salon owner on the banks of the Samakhusi River in Kathmandu Metropolitan City (KMC), had to bid farewell to his shop when the concrete slope covering the river was removed. After more than 25 years of earning his livelihood there, leaving the place was heart-wrenching for him.
"It feels sad to leave a place where you have earned your livelihood for years," he said, "We are forgetting the current pain in the hope that it will be better later."
Benju Sitaula, another local resident, shares a similar sentiment. While appreciating the removal of the concrete slope, she emphasizes the importance of proper river management. Benju believes that equal attention should be given to maintain the river's cleanliness to prevent flooding in the settlement areas.
The ongoing project to remove the concrete structures over the Samakhusi River, initiated by the KMC in Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August), is now approaching its final stage, reaching from Basundhara to the Rehdon campus area. The metropolis plans to continue this work until it reaches the point where the Samakhusi River meets the Bishnumati River, near the Maipi temple.
Imperial, Samakhusi triumph
However, some locals have faced difficulties during this process. Sutli Kapali, a 75-year-old resident, expressed her concerns over the lack of access to her home and the destruction caused by the removal. "The yard has been destroyed without even leaving a way for us to go home," said 75-year-old Sutli Kapali, "We have also had problems with going back and forth." "They should have thought about us too. We are just sad that they didn’t think about us," she said.
The metropolis has faced opposition in certain areas due to similar issues raised by the affected residents.
The concerns have also been echoed on social media, where politician Ranju Darshana highlighted the challenges faced by the residents. She called for accountability from those responsible for approving house designs and maps that went against norms, causing difficulties for the affected residents.
In response to these concerns, the metropolis assures that it is committed to finding a solution. The removal of the structures covering rivers is a part of their strategy to protect riverbeds within the city. Nabin Manandhar, spokesperson for the metropolis, shares the plan to widen the river by 13 feet on each side from the middle to facilitate the flow of clean water to Samakhushi. "There is a plan to construct a right-to-left sewer and a corridor to prevent house sewage from mixing with the river," he said.
Will the risk disappear or increase?
As the removal of concrete slopes along the Samakhusi River progresses, questions arise about the impact on safety and potential risks. The river gained notoriety due to a tragic incident involving a 13-year-old boy named Sajan Magar. On July 23, Sajan went missing after falling into the river, and after an exhaustive 11-day search, his lifeless body was discovered on the banks of the Bagmati River in Dakshinkali Municipality-7, Bhulka.
While this incident may not be directly linked to the ongoing river work, it has sparked debates among the public. Some individuals express concerns that leaving the river open without concrete slopes might lead to more accidents. Bandana Kapali, a local resident, fears that an open river close to a settlement could pose potential dangers.
Some argue that if the river had been left open without being covered by concrete slopes, the child who fell into it could have been rescued in time. "Because the river was covered, it became like an ambush," said Prabha Basnet.
