Ludhiana: To celebrate Baisakhi, devotees gathered on the banks of the Buddha Dariya near Bhukhari Khurd village to take a holy dip, celebrating the restoration of clean water after the successful removal of pollutants. As the entry point where the waterway reaches the city, this stretch now receives fresh canal water, allowing the public to resume the tradition of bathing here for the second consecutive year.Over the past 24 months, the Bhukhari Khurd area has undergone a significant environmental transformation. The continuous flow of clean water has caused groundwater levels in surrounding villages to rise by as much as 10 feet. This ecological revival has also attracted migratory birds and led to a notable improvement in Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) levels near Bhamian village. During a religious gathering at the local Gurudwara, Rajya Sabha MP and environmentalist Balbir Singh Seechewal urged citizens to assume collective responsibility for the river’s upkeep. He emphasized that rivers are a vital part of heritage, noting that the Khalsa Panth was established in 1699 with Amrit prepared from the Sutlej River. He highlighted the deep spiritual connection to water maintained by Sikh Gurus, from Guru Nanak Dev to Guru Gobind Singh.Seechewal observed that as people begin to treat rivers as their own, pollution will cease. He claimed that the water is even cleaner than last year, with TDS levels recorded at approximately 185. Ludhiana mayor Inderjit Kaur lauded these efforts, describing the transition of the polluted drain back into a river-like state as an extraordinary achievement. Village sarpanch Satpal Singh condemned further pollution as a crime and specifically appealed to dairy operators to keep the waterway uncontaminated. He confirmed the 10-foot increase in groundwater and promised continuous monitoring. The celebrations included the planting of fruit-bearing and shade trees along the banks as part of ongoing “kar seva”. While devotees took dips and children played in the water, students from Sant Avtar Singh Memorial School performed kirtan.This restoration follows a massive 2024 operation where five to six feet of accumulated silt was removed during a 40-day intensive drive involving excavators and tractor-trolleys. Furthermore, under the “Seechewal Model,” the Soil Conservation Department has installed a solar-powered motor to channel treated village water to agricultural fields, bolstering sustainable management. MSID:: 130258586 413 |
