AS long as humans exist in harmony with nature, they stand to benefit from the equation. Those who prefer to defy nature, become losers. Truly, there is something drastically wrong with the mindset of those who allow encroachments on or along the path of rivers, and permit or overlook large-scale deforestation on the mountains where glaciers exist. As such, water gushes down the mountains and hills, when the snow melts and its momentum keeps increasing because of the slopes. It destroys human and animal lives, houses and just about everythiong that falls within its path.

As a basic regulatory function, government machinery is supposed to keep a vigilant eye on the greed of real estate mafia. It is an internationally approved norm that construction in the path of water, especially on the riverbed, is not allowed. Yet, we have been doing this over the years.

The three eastern rivers of Ravi, Sutlej andBeasareinthe controlofIndiaunder the Indus Waters Treaty. The riverbeds remain dry most of the time till India releases excess water from snow-melting during monsoons. When this happens, these dry riverbeds overflow and become deadly.

Encroachments, like housing societies and hotels, on riverbed and in the path of water is a criminal act. This is a cancer that must be surgically removed to serve as a deterrence. There is no justification for investing billions of taxpayers` money to build embankments to save a housing project that should never have been built.

Malik Tariq Ali Lahore