The Indus River: The Indus River also locally called Sindhu is one of the longest rivers in Asia. Originating in the Tibetan Plateau, the final destination of the river is Indus River Delta in district Thatta of Sindh, the southern province of the country. It is the longest river and national river of Pakistan. The river has historically been important to many cultures of the region. The Indus River came into the knowledge of the West early in the Classical Period, when King Darius of Persia sent his Greek subject Scylax of Caryandato explore the river, ca. 515 BC. The Indus is one of the few rivers in the world to exhibit a tidal bore. The Indus River Delta: The Indus River Delta forms where the Indus River flows into the Arabian Sea, in the Southern Sindh province of Pakistan. The delta covers an area of about 41,440 km² (16,000 square miles), and is approximately 210 km (130 mi) across where it meets the sea. Since the 1940s, the delta has received less water as a result of large-scale irrigation works capturing large amounts of the Indus water before it reaches the delta. The result has been catastrophic for both the environment and the local population. The experts along with the provincial government of Sindh agree on the fact that a fresh water flow of 30 MAF is needed for the survival of River Indus Delta. Above all 10 MAF of fresh water flow was agreed upon by the Pakistan state in an infamous accord known as WATER APPORTIONMENT ACCORD 1991. But the accord had also remained null and void up until now. According to Institute of Oceanography there is 1.3 mm sea level rise annually. 35 lac acres of land of River Indus Delta have been destroyed by sea intrusion. Before the development of an irrigation system on the River Indus, the entire flow passed through Sindh’s plains to the Arabian Sea, culminating into 17 branches called creeks and forming the seventh largest delta of the world. An annual flow of over 180 Million Acre feet (MAF) carrying a silt load of about 440 million tons passed through Indus to the Arabian Sea. Until 1980s, mangrove forests of the delta covered an area of 600,000 hectares (1,500,000 acres) until the 1980s and could be found along the entire 240 km coastline. Up until now, the mangrove area has been reduced to 86,000 hectares from 600,000 hectares, recorded some years back. Threats to Indus River 7 Indus River Delta The natural flow of water and fertile sediments from Indus River into the delta had been impeded due to the construction of dams and barrages along the river. The reduction of freshwater due to the dams also increases salinity, making the waters of the delta unsuitable for the freshwater species. In case of the Indus dolphin, the damming of the river has isolated the delta dolphin population from those dolphins upstream. Indus delta has shrunk by 92% since 1833. In light of the threats, Indus Delta was designated a Ramsar site on in 2002. Barrages, bridges and dams A few month back, the Chief Justice of Pakistan has launched a pro-dam campaign. He has started collecting donations of the construction of Basha Dam on River Indus and also talks approvingly about the construction of the controversial Kala Bagh Dam. Previously, three barrages on the Indus: Guddu barrage, Sukkur Barrage, and Kotri barrage along with Kala Bagh Barrage, Chasma Barrage, and Taunsa Barrage had been built on Indus River. Tarbela Dam in Pakistan is constructed on the Indus River. Sindh Peoples Long March: Sindh Peoples Long March is a massive public action that involves a long walk of more than 200 kilometers. It is a 16-day march that has started from a small fishing villages in River Indus Delta region and will culminate at Provincial Assembly of Sindh, Pakistan in Karachi. The long march has started on October 10, 2018 and will end on October 25, 2018. Long March Manifesto; – Oppose all dams on River Indus including Kalabagh and Basha dams – Restore the natural flow of River Indus – Help Indus River reach its final destination – No more dam no more cuts and no more diversions on River Indus