SUKHDEEP KAUR: When you took up the cause of environment, did you anticipate that you would get such fame?
Baba Seechewal:We are not working for fame. Purifying environment is a matter of utmost importance to us. Our ancestors gave us clean and healthy surroundings . We, on the other hand, have polluted everything; from water to food to the air. We are deceiving ourselves by doing all this. My work is based on preserving and improving the nature that we have inhabited from the elders and which we have to give to our future generations.

NAINU ROHTAKI: What is the kind of extent of damage due to pollution ?
Baba Seechewal: Social evils like female foeticide, rape and murder are all due to the polluted food and water we are forced to consume. It has corrupted our minds as well and the result is for all to see. Things cannot get worse. The youth is going towards drugs and inhaling polluted air or drinking polluted water is similar to taking drugs. It has a direct impact on society. I want to draw your attention to the fact that society was much healthier, both physically and mentally, when there was little pollution. People used to live longer and didn’t face the kind of diseases they face now.

VANDANA SHARMA: Himachal is reeling under the pressure of a crumbling environment and it has direct impact on the plains. Do you plan to initiate some projects in Himachal?
Baba Seechewal: I focus on one thing at a time. Once my responsibilities towards Punjab are taken care of, I will move to other areas. Kali Bein was a big problem and we achieved the desired results because we paid complete attention to the problem. Now we are trying to focus on Buddha Nallah in Ludhiana. However, nothing is moving further because the administration is not concerned. In fact, former President APJ Abdul Kalam had also asked me to initiate a project for cleaning the Yamuna in Delhi. Let’s see what the future holds.

... contd.