Amritsar, Punjab: EcoSikh, a Washington based organization, has launched a bus in Amritsar to help a volunteer group to clean the holy city. EcoSikh has also started a greening drive for the city with plantations at select spots.
EcoSikh gifted a bus to Baba Kulwant Singh who has led a group of volunteers from nearby villages to clean the streets of Amritsar. This three year operation caught the attention of EcoSikh and the organization decided to assist Baba Kulwant Singh’s group with 50% of funds to acquire a bus which will help them to gather volunteers from various villages.
Every night about 100-150 volunteers from over 60 villages around Ajnala come to Amritsar to clean the streets around the Golden Temple. Recently Kulwant Singh’s group has started a daytime cleaning drive as well.
EcoSikh Team Launching Bus with Baba Kulwant Singh and others
Dr. Rajwant Singh, President of EcoSikh, said, “Greening and cleaning this spiritual city sends the right signal that people who come here and live here care for this sacred land. Often visitors and pilgrims who visit the Golden Temple complain about the garbage and waste present in the streets. Lack of proper garbage disposal system has also compounded the problems. Cleanliness is the urgent need of this sacred site.”
Dr. Rajwant Singh further added, “We are privileged to be part of Baba Kulwant Singh’s noble effort and sincerely hope that various stakeholders of the city will join in this endeavor with full participation.”
Sharing the plans about plantation drive, EcoSikh President Dr. Rajwant Singh said, “EcoSikh team has raised funds from the US based Sikh community to support this plantation project in Amritsar and we will continue to expand this project in the next few years with a major focus on planting indigenous trees and increasing biodiversity. We are happy that this project will be implemented in collaboration with Baba Sewa Singh of Khadur Sahib.”
Dr. Singh also added, “According to the Forest department’s report 2011-2012, Amritsar have 0.88% forest cover of its total geographical area and Punjab state stands with total 3.5% of forest cover, however the minimum recommended land area under forest is 33% in India. This gives us ample evidence why greening drive is critically needed for Amritsar.”
Eco-Amritsar Chairman, Gunbir Singh stated, “At this juncture it seems prudent to revisit our goal of making a positive change to the city of Amritsar by 2017. The challenges are many. Rampant massacre of trees on roadsides, slow assimilation of responsible citizenship, state disregard to efficient civic management et al. We are nevertheless committed to the cause. The volunteer base is growing, and our stakeholders’ efforts reassuring. We shall redouble our endeavours and reinvent our plan to achieve an environmentally friendly city.”