Tukucha:The Lost River
Present Condition
A river is the property of the country. River adds beauty to the nature but while observing the present conditon of Tukucha, we doubt telling that it adds beauty to the nature. It has been dirty resourse of water. Not only that it also has lost its existance in most of the place. Nobody has the right to stop its flow or built any thing above it. It is totally against the law. then who is actually responsible for this. some problems it has been facing in the present condItions are described below:
1) Pollution:
Tukucha has been very polluted now a days. We can see its present condition in this picture. as shown in figure,it contains untreated sewage inside it. People and industries are throwing wastages produced on homes and industries in it as if it is the dumping site. while walking near tukucha khola, Many people close their nose due to the smell that comes from Tukucha. Tukucha is taken as the most polluted river of nepal. The freshness of this river has been lost due to our negligence.
2) loss of existence:
Once upon a time there was a river called Icchumati which is now called as Tukucha,a dirty, ghost river. Icchumati was believed to fulfill wishes of people. But now some call it ghost river beacuse in some places it has been lost. We are not able to see Tukucha in some places. It doesn’t even exist in the map. Where has it gone? Who are responsible for this? The law says that noone can construct any thing above the river. People had made big houses above tukucha but government is still quite.
FIG 1: Tukucha Below Laxmki Bank
FIG 2: Houses made above Tukucha
It starts from Budanilkantha and mixes with Bagmati at Thapathali. In some places like Gairithara, Hattisar, Lazimpat we can’t see Tukucha although it has been flowing there somewhere beyond the reach of our eye. Specially from Gairidhara to Kamaladi,Its existence has been totally lost. According to Land Administration Act (Bhumi Ainn 2021), nobody has the right to hide or make any thing above the river. If anybody does that river should be brought back to its previous or original condition. In 2064, Jetha 1 government of nepal (GON) had declared that nobody can build temporary or permanent infrastructures 4 meter left and 4 meter right form Tukucha. At lazimpat most of the houses are made on tukucha. Tukucha flows from Narayanhiti palace. It is kept open at there. But after palace to Jayanepal hall, it has been totally lost. Nobody has an idea where it disappeared. In a survey done by Dillibajar Survey Department (Napi Karyalaya) in 2033, Tukucha wasn’t shown in Hattisar because of which, that huge builings are constructed above tukucha river in Hattisar area illegally.
In rainy season some land where tukucha
is made to flow underground breaks down
due to heavy river as shown in fig: 4. In
Saraswati Sthan of Lazimpat, people are
making small shops above Tukucha.Due to
Laxmi bank, Jaya Nepal Hall, Sidharthha
bank, the river has lost its identity.
It’s not a normal thing.
FIG 3: Road above Tukucha