Problems
The Indus River is one of the most plastic-polluted rivers in the world. Heavy metals, agricultural wastes, and untreated industrial and domestic effluents contaminate it. These pollutants severely impact the health of the river ecosystem and the people who depend on it.
Causes of pollution of the Indus River
Most water pollution of the Indus River is attributed to agriculture. The widespread use of fertilizers and pesticides to improve crop production has been prevalent since the Green Revolution spread across South Asia in the 1960s and 1970s. Industrial pollution is similarly widespread. Available data on Pakistan suggest that 99 percent of industrial sewage is discharged into streams and canals untreated. Industrial water use also upsets the Indus Basin’s environmental health. The Indus River experiences significant municipal wastewater pollution, ranking it the third major contributor. Raw municipal sewage, known for its high levels of bacterial contamination, plays a central role in spreading waterborne diseases such as diarrhea, typhoid, intestinal worms, and hepatitis among downstream communities.
Gallery
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Timelines
2021
A study found that the heavy metal concentration in fishes sampled from the Indus River Estuary (IRE) was beyond the optimum level, indicating a potential risk of contaminants and ecosystem susceptibility. The study also noted the frequent appearance of abnormal fishes caught in the IRE due to pollution.
2019
The Indus River was proclaimed as the second most plastic-polluted river in the world, with an estimated 164,332 tons of plastic waste per year.
1990
The industrial development along the river basin in upper areas of the country, such as Lahore, Faisalabad, and Sialkot, increased the release of untreated industrial and domestic wastes into the river.
1960
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan, brokered by the World Bank, to fix and delimit the rights and obligations of both countries concerning the use of the waters of the Indus River system.