Eco Amritsar, An initiative of EcoSikh that engages residents and stakeholders
of the sacred city to take action to preserve the environment.
Amritsar Foundation Day Ushers in Another Year of a Cleaner and Greener City
The 438th Anniversary of Amritsar Foundation Day emphasizes the need for a sustainable city. EcoAmritsar, an EcoSikh Initiative, held several days of environmental activities to improve the city and the wellbeing of its people and animals.
10 Days of Green Celebrations
Amritsar Foundation Day, which marks the day when Sikh Guru Ram Das founded the city in 1577, has been revived in recent years after EcoSikh petitioned to observe the historical day following years of indifference. Four years after its birth, EcoAmritsar has emerged as a leading environmental organization in Punjab, entrusted with making Amritsar cleaner and greener and ensuring the longevity of the city for future generations. Amritsar Foundation Day is one event where EcoAmritsar spreads awareness about environmental degradation and spreads the Sikh gurus' messages about caring for Mother Earth.
"Amritsar Foundation Day is now being celebrated as a green event," said EcoAmritsar Program Administrator and coordinator of events, Tarundeep Singh. "It is not only a day to remember Sri Guru Ram Das ji establishing the city, but also a day to take pride and responsibility in the longevity of this place we call 'home' and ensuring the environment is healthy enough for the next 438 years."
Local Stakeholders Take Responsibility
Local business owners, governmental officials, students and citizens all participated in the celebrations to reinforce the event's theme: "Amritsar: My City, My Pride, My Responsibility." The 438th Amritsar Foundation Day was kicked off with World Environment Day. Students performed environmental skits and songs that displayed their love for the earth, and EcoAmritsar presented its vision for projects to clean up the city of Amritsar.
Day Two of the celebrations was highlighted by proposing an energy audit for one of the city's largest cowshed sanctuaries: Baba Bohri Wala Gau Shala, where 400 animals are housed. With the help of EcoAmritsar, Gau Shala and Amritsar Consultants (energy auditors) worked together to plan a review of the sanctuary's energy usage, with the ultimate goal of reducing energy leakages and improving the overall consumption of electricity and other resources. This step can be replicated in other businesses, homes and organizations and will lead to overall reduction in energy expenditures.
The week progressed with a dustbin installation by Voice of Amritsar (VOA) at the Government Medical College, Amritsar. VOA is a socially conscious NGO working to improve various aspects of life in Amritsar. The Word Wild Fund for Nature (WWF) hosted a nature walk with students where they observed the environment around them. Other activities included a seminar at Khalsa College of Education on How to Make Amritsar a Beautiful and Clean City," and a cleaning drive at Bombay Wala Khoo Dump in Amritsar. EcoAmritsar convened organized several organizations to take part in an extensive clean up effort.
Celebrations and reflections continued with the screening of the documentary Amritsar: Jithe Kehnde Rabb Wasda, a signature campaign, and wrapped up with a citizen's march involving citizens and major stakeholders to commit themselves to preserving the longevity of Amritsar.
"We wish to see a clean and green Amritsar by 2017," said EcoAmritsar Convener Gunbir Singh. "EcoSikh and EcoAmritsar are working with the community, the government and the diaspora to make sure Amritsar has a long and healthy future as a the home to Sikhs and so many others in the world."Read more on our website.
Read the full AFD report here.
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Ravneet Singh
Project Manager
EcoSikh
+91-998-837-3268
Punjab, India |
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Sumeet Kaur
Program Manager
EcoSikh
Washington DC, USA |
Tarundeep Singh
Project Administrator
Eco-Amritsar
+91-950-183-7700
Punjab, India |