EcoSikh will plant 10 lakh trees in collaboration with industry

EcoSikh celebrates 15 years of its environmental protection and impactful initiatives

Chandigarh, March 21, 2024: On the occasion of its 15th anniversary celebration at Chandigarh Press Club, EcoSikh reaffirms its partnership with the industry EcoSikh launched an initiative called Lungs of Ludhiana in collaboration with industry to plant 10 lakh trees Had started. Under which 167 sacred forests have already been planted in Ludhiana city. In which 91000 trees have been planted.

EcoSikh, a global environmental organization, celebrated 15 years of its founding and its environmental protection work. Dr. Rajwant Singh, Global President, EcoSikh along with his board members highlighted some of the achievements and details of the organization at the Chandigarh Press Club here on Thursday.

Dr. Rajwant Singh, Global President, EcoSikh, said, “As EcoSikh celebrates its 15th anniversary, we are grateful to all our supporters and partners for this amazing journey of nature conservation. We are also proud that so many youth and individuals at the grassroots level have joined our work and helped us expand our positive footprint.

Shubhendu Sharma, Founder, Aforest and Advisor, EcoSikh said, “EcoSikh has been at the forefront of inspiring the Sikh and Punjabi community in India and the global diaspora through meaningful actions for the betterment. Over the past decade and a half, the organization has launched a number of initiatives that have had a profound impact on communities around the world in shaping our behavior towards diminishing natural resources.

Supreet Kaur, President, EcoSikh India, said, “It has been a remarkable eight years of my journey with the organization, I admire how our team has evolved with an unwavering dedication to serve Mother Earth in all circumstances. I am proud of our board and their continued support.

He said, “Over the years EcoSikh has launched various initiatives to engage the Sikh community around the world to work on the environment. In 2010, it started the annual celebration of Sikh Environment Day which inspired many institutions, schools and colleges to take bigger steps to become eco-friendly.

He further added, “In 2012, EcoSikh also launched Eco-Amritsar: a campaign to make the city green and sustainable with the active participation of all stakeholders of the holy city.

In 2021, EcoSikh inaugurated the Guru Granth Sahib Bagh in Patto Hira Singh village of Moga district, in which all the trees and vegetation mentioned in the Sikh scriptures have been planted. It has become an attractive destination for members of the entire community, including from abroad.

Additionally, in 2018, EcoSikh launched a campaign to plant one million trees to commemorate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak. It adopted the Miyawaki method in 2019 and began planting the Guru Nanak Sacred Forest.

Each forest has 550 trees of native species. So far 914 such forests have been planted with active participation of grass roots in different parts of Punjab and India. There are 5,00,2700 living and thriving native trees in these forests inviting a huge amount of biodiversity.

“All of EcoSikh’s initiatives show that this organization is focused on taking action and its social media campaigns have connected Sikhs and non-Sikhs to environmental work,” said Charan Singh, forest convenor of EcoSikh.

EcoSikh now has chapters in India, USA, Canada, Norway, UK and Ireland. These teams are connecting extensively with the Sikh and Punjabi communities in the diaspora and also collaborate with their respective city councils and local communities and organizations to spread the message of Guru Nanak for ecological restoration.

Convenor Shri Lokesh Jain said that the industry has an important role in the success of Lungs of Ludhiana highlighting 167 micro forests in “Lungs of Ludhiana”.

Mr. Amit Dhawan of Vardhaman Special Steels Limited also emphasized on the initiatives and commitment of Vardhaman towards the environment.

The institution was launched in New Delhi in 2009 in the presence of 200 Sikh leaders, thinkers and activists, at a session attended by Justice Kuldeep Singh, Union Minister Manohar Singh and Paramjit Singh Sarna, then chairman of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Committee. Secretary of SGPC also participated.

That same year, EcoSikh’s plan and agenda were presented to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and Queen Elizabeth’s husband Prince Philip at Windsor Castle, UK.

Currently, EcoSikh has more than 20 employees working in Punjab and has trained 60 forest producers who are available on call basis.