Riverside forests, parks assuage Ravi depletion

Over 100,000 acres to be developed under riverfront project

LAHORE:

The Ravi river, which flows through India and Pakistan, is crucial to the region but has faced serious challenges in recent decades.

Since the construction of the Thein Dam by India, the river's flow has diminished, nearly drying up during the winter. Compounding the issue, untreated sewage from areas of Lahore is discharged directly into the Ravi, leading to severe pollution, particularly around the metropolis.

This contamination not only affects the river's water quality but also threatens the groundwater that Lahore relies on for drinking.

To tackle these problems for the future, the Punjab government has launched the Ravi Riverfront Urban Development Project to develop the largest riverfront city in the world.

The project is transforming Lahore's landscape by dedicating over 11,000 acres to forests and parks. The initiatives include planting millions of trees in nine forests, most notably the 3,071-acre Rakh Jhok Forest, and converting the former Mehmood Booti landfill into an urban smart forest.

The project focuses on developing a 46-kilometre stretch of land along the river between Lahore and Shiekhupura, with the goal of improving the environment and enhancing the quality of life for local residents.

The Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) is currently executing a 1km-wide channelisation and flood-protection plan along both sides of the river. This includes constructing 30-foot-high and 46km-long embankments to make the river a perennial freshwater body.

While the overall project spans three phases, the construction of embankments is ongoing. The development will cover up to 102,000 acres along the river and feature embankments on both banks.

The mission is to transform Ravi into a perennial freshwater resource, coupled with high-quality urban waterfront development, emphasising the river's importance for recreation, irrigation and economic activities.

Phase-1 Project Engineer Rao Intazar Hussain said that around 10km embankment work had been completed during the ongoing works. He said the authority had announced plans to construct the embankments on both sides of the river within the next three years.

He said the embankment built so far had protected several villages from flood. He added that following the last floods, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had directed RUDA to accelerate the construction work. "We have decided to complete 30-foot elevated embankments on both sides of the 46km stretch within three years.

The project is also focused on greening the basin and combating Lahore's severe pollution.

Site Engineer Rai Bilal said another step towards environmental conservation was a plantation campaign in Rakh Jhok forest. So far, plantation has been carried out on 80 acres featuring 36,000 new plants.

Additionally, six tube-wells have been installed at the fresh site of Rakh Jhok, which already covers an area exceeding 3,000 acres, he added.

RUDA oversees nine forests spanning 5,983 acres in total. To bolster tree growth, the authority has set up nurseries and is collaborating with local communities for forest conservation.