Assessing Efforts to restore the Bagmati River: Bagmati Action Plan

Bagmati is a sacred river flowing through Kathmandu with a high socio-cultural, ecological, and economic significance. However, rapid urbanization and lack of effective urban services have resulted in over-exploitation of the river as a public good. This book aims to assess the Bagmati Action Plan (2009 - 2014) and its efforts to restore the sacred river. There exists a challenge to bring these institutions into a consensus and work for an effective river restoration approach. This study focuses on the idea that river restoration needs to emphasize on the link between state of ecosystem services and human well-being. Such process should integrate ecological, technical, cultural, and local restoration ideas to reviving the river ecosystem, alleviate the human induced environmental impact, fulfill the policy gaps, and produce relevant policies, programs, and projects for the restoration of the Bagmati River. Also, there is a high potential to mobilize local community resources at appropriate stages, emphasize on stakeholders' collaboration and the role of governance in the restoration process.