Lahore: The Ravi Urban Development Authority (RUDA) plans to devote around one-fourth of Ravi City’s total area to green spaces as part of a broader strategy to restore the Ravi River, rehabilitate aquatic life, expand forests and develop an environmentally sustainable urban settlement.
The authority also plans to revive the river’s flow by storing monsoon water and utilising the Chenab Link Canal, while river-training works would precede the development and settlement of Ravi City, RUDA Executive Director Riaz Ahmad said.
He was speaking at an awareness seminar organised by the Departments of Botany and Zoology of the University of the Punjab to discuss RUDA’s environmental initiatives and plans for the Ravi River.
Representatives of RUDA’s Engineering, Environment and Public Relations departments, along with scholars and faculty members from the university’s Departments of Botany and Zoology, attended the seminar.
Riaz Ahmad said major civilisations had historically developed along rivers, adding that the Ravi’s flow in the region had declined significantly following the Indus Waters Treaty and India’s control over its water resources.
He said RUDA had formulated a plan to revive the river by storing monsoon water and utilising the Chenab Link Canal. Under the plan, river-training works would be carried out first, followed by the development and settlement of Ravi City.
He said the riverbed had been planned at a width of one kilometre to address potential flood threats, while the embankments would be approximately 500 feet wide. The embankments, he added, would be designed to safely convey more than 600,000 cusecs of water.
Riaz Ahmad said restoring the Ravi’s flow, rehabilitating aquatic ecosystems and expanding forests along the river were among RUDA’s primary objectives. He stressed that water was fundamental to human life and that the project aimed to create an eco-friendly urban environment offering a high-quality lifestyle.
He also proposed a formal memorandum of understanding between RUDA and the University of the Punjab’s Departments of Botany and Zoology to utilise the research expertise of faculty members and students for promoting aquatic life, plantation and biodiversity conservation.
Director Public Relations Colonel (retd.) Abid Latif said plantation was essential for developing a strong and sustainable ecosystem. He also highlighted the role of the Department of Zoology in the conservation of aquatic and wildlife species and called for greater efforts in these areas.
Director Hydrology Mohsin Atiq said the proposed construction of three lakes around the Ravi would help raise groundwater levels in adjoining areas. Stone pitching along the river embankments, he added, would provide additional protection to aquatic life and create suitable conditions for the breeding and growth of turtles and fish.
Director Environmental Change Ahad Yousaf said RUDA was taking extensive measures to address environmental pollution. He said the Mahmood Booti dumping site had been converted into a green area, while 14 wells had been installed for methane capture and utilisation.
According to him, the methane-capture initiative was expected to generate carbon credits and could bring in revenue of more than Rs3 billion.
Professors Dr Shakeel, Dr Zulfiqar and Dr Farah Shakoori, along with other faculty members, said at the conclusion of the seminar that the University of the Punjab’s research team was ready to provide all possible support for promoting vegetation and conserving aquatic and wildlife species in Ravi City.
They said an MoU between the university departments and RUDA would soon be signed to formalise cooperation in research and environmental conservation.
The seminar was also attended by RUDA Executive Director Riaz Ahmad, Director Public Relations Colonel (retd.) Abid Latif, Director Hydrology Mohsin Atiq and Director Environmental Change Ahad Yousaf. During the discussion session, participants raised questions about RUDA’s projects, which were answered by the speakers.