The Rara Tourism Development Committee is orgainsing “Rara Conservation Campaign” from September 24 aimed at preserving natural resources of Rara Lake.

Nepal Army, Nepal Police, staff of Rara National Park (RNP), locals of Murma and government officials will clean the lake area during the campaign, according to Chief District Officer Keshavraj Sharm.

The growing number of domestic and foreign tourists has polluted the lake, the committee said, adding that they are are imposing ban on the use of plastic items in the Rara region. Chairman of the committee Devi Krishna Rokaya said they would be coordinating with the District Development Committee and the RNP administration to manage dust bins in the lake area. “The bio-diversity has been affected after tourists started to take motorcycles and bicycles to the lake area,” said Rokaya.

The increase in human activities have also affected flora and fauna of the lake, he explained. The catchments feeding to the country’s largest lake has been degraded after the residents of Karkibada, Shreenagar and Pina VDCs started to graze cattle in the RNP area.

Conservation Officer at the RNP Mohanchand Bishwokarma expressed hope that the campaign will help preserve the natural beauty of Rara Lake. “It will help mitigate environmental pollution,” he said.