In May 2017, the US-based NGO ‘EcoSikh’ proposed the idea of developing 100 acres of land around Gurdwara Kartarpur Sahib in the Narowal district of Pakistan as a sacred forest to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak.
The organization EcoSikh is a response from the Sikh community to the threats of climate change and the deterioration of the natural environment. It arose as part of the Long Term Plans for Generational Change program initiated in 2009 by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC) to help the world’s major religious traditions create long-term plans to improve their relationship with the environment.
Dr. Rajwant Singh, the founder and President of EcoSikh, informed that they have proposed a plan to attach 100 acres of land to develop a sacred forest there. Having a forest in Guru Ji’s memory will continue to inspire Punjabis to live with green consciousness. Sikhs from all across the world would flock to such an inspirational place and it could bring eco-tourism to the area.
The first Sikh guru, Guru Nanak visited Kartarpur in 1522 .He spent his last 17 years here, working in the fields with his followers leading a simple life there. This is where he breathed his last and left for the heavenly abode in 1539. Later there was a gurudwara constructed in Kartarpur Sahib, but during the India-Pakistan partition, it went to Pakistan.
Member of Punjab (Pakistan) Provincial Assembly, Ramesh Singh Arora, has been continuously working on this initiative and pursuing the government, “ Hopefully Pakistan will take positive action and show the world how it honors, Guru Nanak and the minority Sikh community,” he said.
Rajwant said that the Pak government's initiative would certainly help in fostering a positive image of the nation that it stands for interfaith harmony. Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the first embodiment of Divine Light in the Sikh tradition, laid the foundation for a sacred vision for the environment. Rajwant Singh said that this is the main takeaway from Guru Nanak's teachings, and it still holds relevance today. Both India and Pakistan urgently need to protect the environment because both countries are experiencing catastrophic environmental deterioration and inaction.
Arora informed the Times of India, that he was pursuing this issue with the government. “There are several proposals to develop the area around Gurudwara Kartarpur Sahib as a sacred forest or a botanical garden,” he added.
He disclosed that the Pakistani government has already planned to build the Guru Nanak International Interfaith Harmony Center in Kartarpur Sahib to foster interfaith communication and understanding. Sikh Community has appreciated the Pakistan government's initiative.