Near extinct river in Punjab rejuvenated by mass movement

New Delhi, July 10 (UNI) In a unique environmental success story, the near extinct river Kali Bein in Punjab, the holy place where Gurunanak received enlightenment, has been rejuvenated with the voluntary effort of the masses.

Like many other rivers in India, the rivulet over the years had turned into a weed choked drain as a result of people from villages, towns and the Kapurthala city throwing sewage into the Bein. This troubled the conscience of a holy man-- Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal-- who got the 160 km long polluted rivulet cleaned during the last five years deploying on an average 3,000 'Kar Sevaks' or volunteers per day.

This remarkable story was narrated here today to mediapersons by Sant Seechewal who said he was deeply pained to see how a place of such great historical importance-- linked to the memory of the first Sikh Guru-- had been destroyed by the callousness of man. But the enthusiasm and fervour of the masses in bringing to life the river had to be seen to be believed, he said.

The project caught the attention of President A P J Kalam through a news item and he decided to visit the first-of-its kind effort for cleaning and preserving natural water resources by the efforts of the local populace.

The President paid a visit on August 17,2006, to Sultanpur Lodhi, where Gurunanak had put up for 13 years. The Guru got his mystical experiences here and held innumerable discources, and as many would say become one with the divine. The town of Sultanpur Lodhi is located on river Kali Ben.

The first Guru got enlightment more than five centuries back after he took a dip in the river.

Dr Kalam was highly impressed by the selfless service of the people and suggested that the experiment be emulated in all worshipping places in the country and said that project should be considered as a role model.

The President also commended the work done by the 'Sant of Roads'-- as Balbir Singh is popularly known in the vicinity-- relating to educational projects, planting of fruit orchards along the roads and rivers and installation of an underground sewage system during the part two decades .

Sant Balbir Singh said Gurunanak had described water akin to a father and the earth to a mother and had stated that these were the common heritage of mankind.

He said if summoned by the people he was willing to help in cleaning up of any other river, such as Yamuna, and declared that purifying river Kali Bein had done without any financial assistance from the government.

Asked whether those involved in the cleaning up of the river had any supernatural experiences, Sant Balbir Singh said the numerous snakes and scorpios in the rivulet did not bite the volunteers and if this took place at all nothing happened to them. Besides, many who cleaned the river got rid of their diseases.

The physical work relating to the river took place with the chanting of versus from the Granthsahib, the holy book of Sikhs.

A documentary shown on the occassion depicted people talking about the filth in the river and the transformation it has undergone.

Boats now ply in the river, there are embankments along it and treatment and sewage plants have been set up to help irrigate the fields.

UNI