GS 3 – Environment
Context:
For the first time in over 40 years, the Ravi River—traditionally flowing from India into Pakistan—breached the international border, flooding parts of Lahore, Pakistan. This rare hydrological event, driven by recent heavy rains and flooding in Punjab (India), has revived attention on the Ravi’s altered course, Indus Waters Treaty, and climate resilience in South Asia.
Geographical Significance of the Ravi River:
- Origin: Chamba district, Himachal Pradesh (India)
- Flows through: Punjab (India), then crosses into Pakistan.
- Part of: Indus River System
- Treaty Allocation: Assigned to India under the Indus Waters Treaty (1960).
Why is this significant?
- The Ravi had retreated from parts of Pakistan over the decades due to:
- Reduced water flows (post-independence water treaty allocations)
- River engineering and canal constructions in India (e.g., Ranjit Sagar Dam, Shahpurkandi Barrage)
- Encroachments on dried riverbeds in Pakistan
- Now, unprecedented rains in India restored the Ravi’s original path, inundating parts of Lahore, including:
- Shahdara
- Kartarpur
- Nawankot
- Park View City
- Ferozwala
- Other high-end housing colonies built on former riverbed
Environmental, Legal & Governance Implications:
 Environmental Restoration?
- Some view the flood as a “natural reclamation” of lost river paths.
- Social media in Pakistan dubbed it the “miraculous return of the Ravi“.
 Illegal Construction & Urban Planning Failures:
- Large-scale construction was undertaken by Pakistan’s Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA).
- Encroachments on historical floodplains turned into high-end housing.
- RUDA declared several affected colonies as illegal settlements.
Indus Waters Treaty Context (India-Pakistan):
- Signed: 1960, brokered by World Bank.
- Allocates:
- Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) to India
- Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) to Pakistan
- India allowed limited use of eastern rivers before they exit to Pakistan.
- India’s canal systems divert most Ravi water, making its presence in Pakistan minimal under normal conditions.
Human Impact:
- Thousands of residents displaced in Lahore suburbs.
- Rescue operations conducted under severe constraints.
- Urban poor and encroachers were worst affected.
- Many compare it to “nature reclaiming its rights” after decades of political manipulation.