Mimansha Joshi

Urbanization is an ongoing challenge to the environment, that’s why various organizations have participated in awareness campaigns and capacity building programs on the occasion of the World Environment Day. Kathmandu Metropolitan City(KMC) organized exhibits on rooftop gardening, which was inaugurated by the deputy prime minister and Local Development Minister, Prakash Man Singh amid a public function in new Baneshwor, Kathmandu on 7 June 2014.

The exhibition showcased the techniques and mechanisms to conduct rooftop gardening and farming practices, focusing on income generation, sustainability, reasonable functioning and user-friendly designs. With millions of thirst to quench, water scarcity exerts a tremendous toll in Nepal. The exhibition also held ideas and techniques to conserve water sustainably. Nepal Rainwater Harvesting Alliance (NeRHA) in partnership with Guthiand Niva Rain, a service firm introduced the public an affordable solution to potable water storage, and a unique way to harvest rainwater, particularly focusing on benefitting the urban mobile population. This innovative invention is the sack tank, which is inexpensive, affordable and mobile.

Commercially known as the “BOB” tank, the sack tank is easy to transport and weighs only 3.5kgs when empty. It can fit into an airline hand carry bag when folded and despite its size; it has a capacity to hold 1400 liters of water. The outer bag of sack tank is UV resistant woven polypropylene and the liner is 100% virgin polyethylene- a material that is approved for contact with food. The cost of this tank is NPR 5 per liter. While comparing this with the Reinforcement Concrete (RCC) tank that costs NPR 30 per liter and PVC black tank that costs NPR 11 per liter.

Hence, consider this a remarkable revolution in Nepal’s water management; especially for the urban poor communities who are mobile and who live in rented settlements. It might as well be a beneficial infrastructure in Nepal’s remote areas where plastic tanks are difficult to carry. “In a country like ours, where level of access to water is low, domestic rainwater harvesting with sack tank offers an innovative alternative to combat the problem of water shortage”, said Prakash Amatya, a founder member of NeRHA.

Rabin Man Shrestha, chief of the Environment Division at the KMC informed that around 5,000 people visited the one-day exhibition. “We are encouraged to do more in the future receiving the high level of enthusiast participants turnout today,” he said. The event focused on promotion of greenery and food security in the capital.