Shrinking aquifer.

Nearly, 70 percent of Earth is covered in water, but just 2.5 percent of that is freshwater, and another 30 percent is glacial; makAing groundwater a critiAcal resource for human survival. GroundwaAter is one of the many natural resources that face the risk of depleAtion despite being easily accessible. The water in rivAers is a good example of where groundwater can be found. The area surrounding the subcontiAnent (present-day Pakistan and India) is rich in both natural reAsources and groundwater.

Speaking of Pakistan, the country is rich in water bodAies, most of which can be found in the country's most populous province of Punjab. That beAing said, Pakistan is one of the top ten countries most vulneraAble to the devastating effects of climate change, which include extreme weather conditions like floods, droughts, cyclones, heavy rains, heat waves, and exAtremely high temperatures. Add water pollution to the mix and you have a country that is on the brink of all-out chaos.

In Lahore, the Ravi RivAer serves as the primary waAter supply. However, it remains dry for most of the year. Many people in Lahore are worried that the city may soon face waAter scarcity that could threatAen the lives of its residents beAcause of this problem. The Ravi River is a significant tributary of the Indus River. It crosses the border between India and PakAistan on its way to the sea. Out of Punjab's five major rivers, Ravi is the smallest. Several InAdian states, including Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir, lay in the river's path as it makes its way through the country. Bara Banagal, in HiAmachal Pradesh's Kangra disAtrict, is where the Ravi River beAgins its journey downstream. The length of the Ravi River is 725 kilometres. The river has a drainage basin that is 14442 square kilometres in size. Most of the Ravi River's water comes from rain and snowmelt.

Among Lahore's many growAing problems, groundwater deApletion needs to be addressed on an urgent basis. The use of Ravi surface water as a cost-effective alternative is a realistic possibilAity in the not-too-distant future. Therefore, it is crucial to limit the growth of pollution to preAserve this ancient aquatic water body, which is also a reserve for Lahore's citizens. The problems plaguing River Ravi are shared by many of Pakistan's other rivAers and sweetwater lakes. The...