US based EcoSikh wants Anandpur Sahib to go green

As the holy city of Anandpur Sahib prepares to celebrate its 350th anniversary starting June 19, Washington based EcoSikh has appealed to the authorities to work towards making it an eco-friendly and sustainable city.

Considered the second most important city for Sikhs after Amritsar, "Anandpur Sahib should be declared a green city and further development of this sacred city should be based on sustainable planning," said Dr. Rajwant Singh, President of EcoSikh in Washington.

Guru Tegh Bahadur, the ninth Guru of the Sikhs, purchased the land in 1665 and established Anandpur Sahib.

The city also houses Takhat Keshgarh Sahib, a seat of authority in Sikhism, in addition to many other sites related to the 9th and 10th Gurus of the Sikhs.

"Anandpur Sahib known as city of bliss should be preserved as our natural heritage," Rajwant Singh said in an appeal to the Punjab Government and Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC).

Construction around the sacred sites including Takhat Sahib should be restricted and regulated, he said as too many buildings and sarais (inns) are making it a concrete jungle spoiling its serene natural environment.

Rain water harvesting, waste water management, garbage disposal and sanitation, solar based energy production, and pollution free public transportation should become top priorities, he suggested.

EcoSikh Convener Ranjodh Singh asked Punjab Government to declare Anandpur Sahib plastic free before June 19.

Gurdwara Patalpuri with hundreds of acres of land under cultivation can easily be converted for herbal production through organic methods, Rajwant Singh suggested. A very low cost food processing unit can also be established.

EcoSikh is working with national and international organizations to bring technology and planning to make Nanded, another sacred city for Sikhs, an eco-friendly and sustainable city, he said.

Through its Eco-Amritsar initiative, the organisation would be celebrating the 437th Amritsar Foundation Day on June 27 to create awareness about the long term ecology of the holy city.