Orders to install water treatment plants to save Ravi

[LahoreEstate]

Sunday, September 20, 2009
By Our Correspondent

LAHORE

THE Environmental Protection Department has asked various other departments including Irrigation and Industrial department to immediately install waste water treatment plants at municipal and industrial drains to save River Ravi from pollution.

Secretary Environment has written a letter on September 16, 2009, stating that the River Ravi originates from India and enters Pakistan near a village called Tadyal/Kot Nainan, Tehsil Shakar Garh, District Narowal and flows for about 560 kilometres to join River Chenab in Tehsil Kabir Wala, District Khanewal.

There is a wide variation in the river flow in peak periods during July and August and low periods between November and February. Consequent to the Indus Water Treaty, Ravi’s waters ceded to India were to be supplemented from the River Chenab through a system of link canals namely Marala, Ravi Link, Upper Chenab (UC) Canal and Qadarabad Balloki Link Canal. In addition, two escape channels were also added to the River from BRB Canal. The river flow is augmented by the Marala River Link Canal up stream of Lahore and by UC Canal and Qadarabad Balloki Link Canal downstream of Lahore. There are wide flow variations during monsoon and winter seasons.

The river is under constant threat by indiscriminate disposal of untreated municipal sewage from Lahore, untreated municipal/industrial sewage from Faisalabad through Maduana Drain and industrial effluent from industrial units of Kala Shah Kaku along GT Road, Sheikhupura Road, Township and Gulberg Industrial Estates located in Lahore and untreated Industrial waste water of District Kasur.

This untreated municipal and industrial waste water is being discharged in to the River Ravi through Bhed Nullah, Degh Nullah, Chotti Degh, UC Canal, Chicho Ki Mallian Drain Barianwala Drain, Hudiara Drain, Maduana Drain and Sammundri Drain etc.

Punjab EPA and other organisations like IPHER and PCSIR have tested water of River Ravi at various occasions and found that the River Ravi enters in Pakistan while relatively unpolluted and remains so up to Sukh Nehar Drain, where it receives its first major pollution load from the city of Lahore. The pollution of River Ravi reaches at its peak after Hudiara Drain.

The Punjab Environment Protection Department requests for immediate installation of waste water treatment plants on all municipal and industrial drains besides lining of these drains to save the groundwater and River Ravi from pollution. All departments concerned are requested to set up projects at the earliest for the installation of treatment plants and to notify progress in this regard every month.

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