Ravi — once a river now a drain

LAHORE
Unchecked pumping of toxic industrial and municipal waste into the Ravi, the biggest source of refilling underground water aquifer of the provincial metropolis, has posed serious health concerns to citizens, native river species and the surrounding environment.
Having a total length of 422 miles in Punjab and an average discharge of around 0.94 Million Acre Feet (MAF), during the last many years the Ravi has turned into a dumping ground for municipal sewage and toxic industrial waste. The Ravi enters Pakistan at Kot Nainan and joins the Chenab at Sardar Pur, Khanewal. In winter season, the average water discharge of the river is around 0.54 MAF and in summer it is around 0.94 MAF.
According to figures collected by The News, 11 drains of the provincial capital are throwing industrial and municipal waste into the river. These drains are Mehmood Booti Drain (1 cusecs in which BOD level is 250 mg/l), Sukh Naher Drain (80 cusecs in which BOD level is 120 mg/l), Shadbagh Drain (200 cusecs in which BOD level is 192 mg/l), Shahdara Town Pumping Station (35 cusecs in which BOD level is 140 mg/l), Forest Colony pumping Station (25 cusecs in which BOD level is 200 mg/l), Furkhabad Drain (40 cusecs in which BOD level is 382 mg/l), Budha Ravi (56 cusecs in which BOD level is 430 mg/l), Main Out Fall Drain (102 cusecs in which BOD level is 412 mg/l), Gulshan-e-Ravi Drain (89 cusecs in which BOD level is 395 mg/l) and Babu Sabu Drain (72 cusecs in which BOD level is 312 mg/l).
Hudiyara Drain, the industrial-cum sewage drain, is dumping toxic waste water (512 cusecs in which BOD level is 120 mg/l) into thei River. More than 450 industrial units are pumping untreated toxic water into the drain at different points.
Outside the provincial capital, drains are also throwing waste into the Ravi at Faisalabad, Sahiwal and TT Singh district.
They are Deg Nullah, Faisalabad (100 cusecs in which BOD level is 360 mg/l), Samundri Drain, Faisalabad (400 cusecs in which BOD level is 66 mg/l), Sukhrawa Drain, Sahiwal (53 cusecs in which BOD level is 36 mg/l) and Gojra Drain, TT Singh (45 cusecs in which BOD level is 24 mg/l).
Besides the municipal and industrial drains, five irrigation canals are also releasing water into the Ravi, which are Marala Ravi Link Canal, Upper Chenab Canal, QB Link Canal, Trimu Sidhnai Link Canal and Haveli Main Line Canal.
Environmentalists say that water of the Ravi is used for irrigation purposes and toxic chemicals, which are being pumped into it without any treatment, may cause dangerous consequences on agricultural land being cultivated with this poisonous water.
They say in some areas water of the Ravi is also used for drinking purposes, which means a serious threat to humans and animals.
A senior official of the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) reveals that Hadyara Drain, Main Outfall Drain and Shadbagh Drain are the most polluted drains throwing industrial and municipal waste into the river.
He claims that thousands of wet tones of human excreta is daily produced in the provincial metropolis and over 50 per cent of this go into the Ravi through various channels.
He says that industrial wastewater contains toxic chemicals and metals and it is alarming that most industries do not have water treatment plants. “They just dispose of untreated toxic waste into nearby drains which pump it into the Ravi,” he says.
A report of WWF-Pakistan reveals that extreme pollution of the Ravi has destroyed the once existing 42 species of native fish while the bird life around the river has migrated to the other areas. Survival of small invertebrates, micro fauna and flora has also been threatened.
EPD Director Naseemur Rehman says the department has raised this issue at every level and finally the Punjab government has started three different projects to ensure pumping of safe and treated water into the Ravi.
He reveals that as per the first project, the Punjab government has approved a PC-2 under which a consultant (international/national) will be appointed to suggest installation of industrial waste water treatment plant either at the start of Hadyara Drain or at the end point where it throws water into the river or at both the points.
According to the second plan, the other side of the river starting from Mehmood Booti till Motorway will be included in the Ravi Front Project and various waste water treatment plants will be constructed to protect the river, Naseem says, adding similarly a PC-2 is awaiting approval for hiring of a consultant firm to suggest installation of waste water treatment plant in Faisalabad and Sumandri.