LAHORE: Participants in a rally organised by civil society organisations have urged Pakistan and India to review the Indus Waters Treaty to revive the natural flows of the rivers, including the Ravi in Lahore.

They demanded the government take effective steps to stop drainage of the toxic sewage into the Ravi and other abandoned rivers and ensure its drainage after treatment to improve deteriorating environmental conditions in the river and several localities situated along its banks.

`We want revival of the natural flow of the river Ravi, which is now abandoned and has become a main source of the entire Lahore`s sewage/wastewater accumulation,` Abuzar Madhu of the Ravi Bachao Tehreek said while addressing the rally on Sunday.

It merits mentioning that under the Indus Waters Treaty between both the countries, Pakistan has rights over the use of the waters of three rivers, the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab, whereas India has rights over the waters of the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas.

As a result, the Ravi, Sutlej and Beas have become abandoned having no fresh-water the whole year except for a few months of the monsoon.

The rally started from the National College of Arts and ended at the Ravi riverbed after passing through the Lower Mall, Data Darbar, Bhaati Chowk and Ravi Road.