‘Let the Rivers Flow’: Ravi Bachao Movement’s Demand for New Industries Treaty

Province Punjab capital of Lahore i on sundayRavi Rescue Movement‘ organized the second Ravi Yatra Walk with the aim of Ravi River Including the protection of other rivers and water.

The founder of this movement is Abuzar Madhav from Lahore who started the walk for the first time last year under the title ‘Ravi Bachao Tehreek’.

On Sunday, Abuzar Madhav and many members of the civil society gathered with him at Istanbul Chowk in front of the National College of Arts, Lahore.

Abuzar Madhav, who is a performing artist as well as a teacher, told Independent Urdu that ‘this movement is not getting any funding nor has it been started by any NGO but the people who joined this march are concerned. Pakistan from different districts.

‘Some of them are students, doctors, lawyers, teachers and artists too and they have come here to talk about their rivers.’

Abuzar Madhav also said that ‘this year some friends from Punjab (Indian Punjab) who came across the border and were inspired by his movement have become a part of this movement with him.’

According to Abuzar Madhav, ‘On Sunday itself, people have gathered on Sutlej and Beas in India and from there too. Campaign to save rivers has begun which has been named ‘Rabiyast’ i.e. Ravi, Beas and Sutlej.’

According to him, this cross-border movement has started in Punjab and it is a common message from the people of both sides that our rivers are demanding their right to live, our rivers are drying up and their creatures are suffering. The co-habitants are suffering, so the rivers should be freed.’

On Sunday, the Ravi Yatra started from Lahore’s Istanbul Chowk and ended at the new Ravi Bridge. People who came for this walk carried various placards with slogans about saving rivers.

The people who participated in the walk reached the river and sang the songs of the river and included the nomads living there (Independent Urdu).

The participants in this walk brought with them rose flowers, earthen pots and bowls and new plants to plant along the river bank. While some students were also part of this walk on skateboards.

The participants in the walk reached the river and sang river songs and included the nomads living there.

Kathak dance was also performed on the river to the beat of the drum and then the flowers kept in clay bowls, matkas and chhabis were thrown into the dirty, dirty and smelly water of the river.

On this occasion, Abuzar Madhav said that ‘flowers are symbolically thrown into the river to convey the message that the river should be kept clean.’

Speaking on the river, Abuzar Madhav also presented three demands of this movement.

He said that adding dirty water to Ravi should be stopped because this water goes to the crops which is not good for health. The water should be purified and poured into the river. Second, the housing schemes built on river land should be closed immediately. Thirdly, the Indus Water Treaty should be revised and a new treaty should be made after asking the people.

Manu, the principal of a well-known private school involved in this walk, said that ‘this walk may not be of direct or immediate benefit because it is a work in which the state has no interest and neither does it. Stakeholders have any power.

This section contains related reference points (Related Nodes field).

‘Its stakeholders include the people who live along its banks or those whose fields receive water from here. Most of them have no awareness. This is an awareness pilgrimage, if you start it, the word will spread.’

Dr. Shamsa Sofia, who came on the walk, said that we want to create awareness among the people that at this time, sewerage water, pollution, pollution from industries should be prevented in Ravi.

‘The same water is also being used for agriculture, due to which health problems are increasing a lot.’

Haider Qureshi from Bahawalpur, who participated in this walk, said that people’s lives are being affected due to river pollution and climate change.

People should know about our rivers that this is the real problem of Pakistan and a discussion should be started on it and influential and powerful circles should discuss these things. Think about how we have to save our future generations.’

For authentic news and current affairs analysis join Independent Urdu’s WhatsApp channel Here Click