By Nayak Paudel
Kathmandu, Feb. 14: Saharsha Narayan Yadav, a 48-year-old manual laborer lives in a rented room nearby Tilganga Eye Hospital. Hailing from Mahottari district, Yadav has already inhabited a string of places in the Kathmandu Valley over time spanning three decades. He entered the valley seeking odd jobs.
With wife and two children, he seems having a good time in a recreational park set by Bagmati River corridor nearby some time ago.
“My son and daughter demand that I take them to the park every Saturday and stay with them for a quality time. Since I can’t afford to take them to other places, it is where I bring them and play with them for a while,” said Yadav.
Construction of corridors along the Bagmati and Dhobi Khola Rivers helped ease the notorious gridlocks of the valley by providing alternate routes. Alongside the construction of pedestrian lane and cycling track, the corridor was supposed to promote greenery, for which the park was set-up.
Though all those structures were built, but at a cost: foul smell emanating from the river. The river is so polluted that it looks more like a sewage than a river.
“This is not what it used to be three decades back, when the river only had pristine water. Things have changed beyond recognition,” said Yadav, complaining that it was hard even for a while to remain in the park with all-encompassing pungent smell.
Things are no different for other people who come and gather in the park. The corridor from Tinkune to Thapathali has several parks constructed alongside the Bagmati River where people come for different purpose of refreshment– sun basking, reading, playing and talking among friends.
On Saturday, Abhishekh Limbu, a 24-year-old student, was one among several individuals in a corridor park near Sahayoginagar, Tinkune. Limbu had come to the park alone with a novel for studying.
“Once a week, on Saturday, Kathmandu turns different as there are less people and vehicle on the streets. This allows a peaceful environment along the parks in the corridor and it welcomes people like me. My roommates join me sometime because most often they feel irritated looking in the river and through its smell,” said Limbu.
Despite several groups conducting river cleanliness campaign in the Valley on a regular basis and authorities assuring of different methods to clean the river, the regular flow of sewage into the river has failed all the efforts.
While Kathmandu lacks enough open space now, the parks in the corridor can be an alternate for many people. But the individuals who recently visit those parks argue that it can’t be much of a refreshment until the river keeps emitting pungent smell and provides a sadden picture while looking at it.