‘Accord sacred status to one of the rivers in state’

In his lecture at the National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) in Sector 67,Dr Singh,who is popular as the ‘Waterman of India’,deplored the state government for “exploitation” of natural resources.

“Punjab is a gifted state in terms of of natural resources,which are being misused with impunity,leaving its agriculture,industrial,development and health sectors in the lurch,” he said.

The eminent environmentalist asked the state government to accord sacred status to any of its one river sin the state and make it clean and free from all types of pollution. “On the pattern of the Ganga,which has been accorded the national river status,you should declare any of your rivers as the state river,” he suggested while stressing the need for judicious use of natural resources and keeping them free from pollution.

Dr Singh warned that in case immediate and effective steps were not taken to save water and keep the rivers free from pollution,they would take shape of dirty nullahs and availability of clean water would become difficult.

Giving a presentation on keeping the natural resources of water free from disposal of dirty water,he called upon the public and NGOs to come forward for the cause of nature.

He urged the SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar,who was present,to make the beginning from gurdwaras by cleaning their sarovars and water catchment areas. “Your initiative and message would make more impact on the masses,” Dr Singh told Makkar.

Eminent environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal said lack of awareness and absence of stringent laws were responsible for the increasing pollution,which was a major problem in the state. “When the disposal of effluents stops,we would clean the dirty Buddha Nullah and other polluted drains in the state,” he offered,while underlining the need of accountability and responsiveness in the working of Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) besides sense of self-restraint in industrialists and strong willpower in the political set up to check pollution.

Expressing concern over the increasing pollution,SGPC president said,“The Sikh gurus had preached to safeguard the natural resources but instead we are polluting them”.

Secretary,Science,Technology and Environment Viswajeet Khanna and PPCB Chairman Rajat Agarwal also spoke.

CS gives meet a miss,keeps audience waiting
Punjab Chief Secretary S C Agarwal,who was supposed to be the chief guest,failed to turn up as the organisers kept waiting for him for over two hours before beginning the function. Giving official language Punjabi a miss,PPCB chairman and majority other speakers spoke in English. The use of plastic in publicity material and even packaged water showed insensitivity of PPCB towards environment. In the absence of the chief secretary,the function was concluded without staging a Punjabi play by a group of artistes.