Sadhus and common people thronged the ghats throughout the day - Maha Kumb in Allahabad

Of the five sewage treatment plants (STPs) in the valley, the ‘state of art’ 16.4 mld Guheshwori STP is the only one that functions, though partially. The other STPS at Dhobighat, Sallaghari, Hanumante and Kadu, have been abandoned, their oxidation ponds now converted to playfields where children play football. In August, the Guheshwori plant was in disuse, because of mechanical breakdowns and frequent power cuts.

The vast sums of money spent, the various engineering interventions, the many city master plans and the instituting of various river commissions have had little or no impact on improving the Bagmati and its tributaries in Kathmandu valley. The valley remains parched; its rivers polluted beyond belief. But community-level efforts, such as initiatives to refurbish hitis, the stone water spouts once the lifeline for drinking water for the valley residents, may offer some hope. The hitis in Patan, a historic district in Kathmandu, offers a lifeline to area residents.

The cremation ghats in the Pashupatinath temple complex, Kathmandu, Nepal

Ship-breaking industry, once banned in Bangladesh for violating environment and safety norms, is back in business

Women at work in Barisal, at one of 46 Grameen Shakti technology centres. More than 1,500 women have been trained as certified solar technicians and entrepreneurs.

Sacred spring, Chokhor community forest, Bhutan

Tashichhodzong, on the banks of the Wangchu (Thimphu River). Houses the National Assembly

Residential area built on part of the Kolonnawa marshland, Sri Lanka. Colombo’s marshes cannot avert floods the way they used to. Construction is to be blamed

In Sri Lanka, organic farmers draw inspiration from endemic practices such as home gardens or analog forestry, and have also adapted ‘imported’ ideas, such as zero-budget farming from India.