Feb 07, Kathmandu - In preparation for the upcoming Maha Shivaratri festival, a massive cleaning drive was conducted across the sacred Pashupati area on Saturday. The initiative, marking the 665th week of the "Bagmati River Clean-Up Mega Campaign," targeted key ritual sites including Suryaghat, Aryaghat, and the Ram Mandir area.

The drive successfully managed and removed four metric tons of waste. According to campaign activist Kishor Singh Shahi, non-biodegradable waste collected during the session was transported and managed by Kathmandu Metropolitan City vehicles.

Volunteers noted a high concentration of waste between Bhashmeshwar Ghat and the dam. The High-Powered Committee for Integrated Development of the Bagmati Civilization (HPCIDBC) has agreed to deploy bulldozers to clear debris from the most affected riverbanks.

The clean-up saw active involvement from senior officials and community leaders including, Dr. Prakashmani Sharma, Member Secretary of the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), Machakaji Maharjan, Project Chief of the High-Powered Bagmati Committee.

The effort is set to intensify next Saturday, with the Nepal Army, Nepal Police, and Armed Police Force joining campaigners for a final pre-festival push.