KATHMANDU: Water is essential for human survival, with early civilizations flourishing along riverbanks.

However, rapid population growth, industrialization, and unregulated urban expansion have severely impacted freshwater sources, particularly the rivers flowing through the Kathmandu Valley such as Bagmati, Vishnu Mati, Dhobi Khola, and Tukucha, which have now been reduced to drainage channels.

Urgent action from both authorities and the public is necessary to preserve and restore these vital water bodies.

Here are some pictures illustrating the condition of rivers in the Kathmandu Valley:

Photos: Nepal Photo Library