Transboundary River Pollution
What is Transboundary River Pollution?
The term Transboundary River Pollution has two be split into two to understand the
context better – ‘transboundary’ and ‘river pollution’. ‘Transboundary’ essentially
means anything that has to do with two borders, this could mean within a particular
country or between two sovereign nations itself. ‘River pollution’ is the degradation
and the pollution of rivers that run between two countries or two states or regions
within a country which is the cause of the major disputes among countries.
So, essentially, transboundary pollution means the pollution that originates in one
country but the impact and the consequences of this are felt in some other country
because of the transmission via air or water. In particular to this case, through water.
Since the world is connected geographically, what is interesting is to note the fact that
one of the major problems associated with transboundary river pollution is how the
emissions of the originator country are essentially transmitted and transported to those
countries whose emissions are comparatively lesser. This is essentially problematic
because of the fact that there is lesser emission by the receiving country and these
emissions are there only because of the actions of some other country through which
the effluents have essentially travelled there.
A connected theme under this concept is that of the grasshopper effect. This is seen
even in the cases of transboundary water pollution wherein a large number of
effluents and huge amounts of wastes generated in the hotter and tropical regions are
transported to the colder regions of the world wherein the wastes ultimately end up
causing pollution in the poles and the mountain tops. Once these effluents start
accumulating into the colder regions, the ramifications of the pollutants is itself very
high.
Case Studies of Transboundary Water Pollution
The case of the Hudiara Drain on the river Ravi between India and Pakistan
o The Indus River Basin or the IRB is the largest freshwater source shared
between India and Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was signed in
1960
and governs the rights to the waters of the shared portions of the IRB between
India and Pakistan. The IWT is the formal mechanism under which the two
countries mediate, allocate, and manage the Indus River’s resources and
irrigation infrastructure.
o The main case of transboundary water pollution can be seen in the Hudiara
drain which lies on the river Ravi. The river originates in India and has its
basin in Pakistan eventually draining into the Arabian Sea. Pakistan is the
riparian state receiving most of the water resource from the river for its
agricultural activities.
o Hudiara drain entering to Pakistan from Amritsar carries a lot of pollution and
ultimately pollutes the rivers and streams of the country.
What is Transboundary River Pollution?
The term Transboundary River Pollution has two be split into two to understand the
context better – ‘transboundary’ and ‘river pollution’. ‘Transboundary’ essentially
means anything that has to do with two borders, this could mean within a particular
country or between two sovereign nations itself. ‘River pollution’ is the degradation
and the pollution of rivers that run between two countries or two states or regions
within a country which is the cause of the major disputes among countries.
So, essentially, transboundary pollution means the pollution that originates in one
country but the impact and the consequences of this are felt in some other country
because of the transmission via air or water. In particular to this case, through water.
Since the world is connected geographically, what is interesting is to note the fact that
one of the major problems associated with transboundary river pollution is how the
emissions of the originator country are essentially transmitted and transported to those
countries whose emissions are comparatively lesser. This is essentially problematic
because of the fact that there is lesser emission by the receiving country and these
emissions are there only because of the actions of some other country through which
the effluents have essentially travelled there.
A connected theme under this concept is that of the grasshopper effect. This is seen
even in the cases of transboundary water pollution wherein a large number of
effluents and huge amounts of wastes generated in the hotter and tropical regions are
transported to the colder regions of the world wherein the wastes ultimately end up
causing pollution in the poles and the mountain tops. Once these effluents start
accumulating into the colder regions, the ramifications of the pollutants is itself very
high.
Case Studies of Transboundary Water Pollution
The case of the Hudiara Drain on the river Ravi between India and Pakistan
o The Indus River Basin or the IRB is the largest freshwater source shared
between India and Pakistan. The Indus Water Treaty (IWT) was signed in
1960
and governs the rights to the waters of the shared portions of the IRB between
India and Pakistan. The IWT is the formal mechanism under which the two
countries mediate, allocate, and manage the Indus River’s resources and
irrigation infrastructure.
o The main case of transboundary water pollution can be seen in the Hudiara
drain which lies on the river Ravi. The river originates in India and has its
basin in Pakistan eventually draining into the Arabian Sea. Pakistan is the
riparian state receiving most of the water resource from the river for its
agricultural activities.
o Hudiara drain entering to Pakistan from Amritsar carries a lot of pollution and
ultimately pollutes the rivers and streams of the country.
