NewZNew (Chandigarh) : EcoSikh, a leading Sikh Global Environmental organization headquartered in the US has planned to take a serious initiative on Climate Change. EcoSikh’s yeoman service has already shown results in Punjab and various other states in India where Gurudwaras exist. Ecology is part and parcel of the teachings of the Sikh Gurus especially of Guru Har Rai Ji and Guru Nanak Dev Ji. In order to make the World religions aware of Sikhism’s contribution to Environment, a team of EcoSikh recently participated in an inter faith Ecology related event hosted by U.S based Green Faith in Rome. The event saw participation of leaders from religions like Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism .etc.
Mr. Ravneet Singh , India Project Manager, EcoSikh, EcoSikh USA Project Manager Ms. Sumeet Kaur and Mr. Gurmel Singh a religious teacher and an emerging environmentalist from Hong Kong represented the Sikh faith at the event. Ravneet sung Guru Nanak’s message of Pawan Guru Pani Pita Mata Dharat Mahat before the start of the People’s Climate March. Sharing follow up plans Ravneet Singh said in a statement issued from Chandigarh, “The Rome event has been a great learning experience for us & EcoSikh would now be attending two consecutive Climate change meetings of the United Nations in Paris and Bristol, UK aiming to create partnerships with the UN. The Sikh Organisation is also working on an action plan for various sustainability projects at sacred places of Guru Nanak in Pakistan to mark 550th birth anniversary of the Guru in 2019.”
Eco Sikh’s initiatives assume importance since Pope Francis had recently issued a papal encyclical on Climate Change which urges definitive action by people of all faiths and religions against this major environmental hazard.
“It was a moment of pride for the Sikh faith when EcoSikh presented the Sikh perspective on Climate Change. Sikh representatives shared Guru Nanak’s teachings on environmental issues in front of a huge gathering comprising of over 100 youth environmental leaders and hundreds of social activists from all over the world at a major International event for climate action at Rome, Italy.” Said EcoSikh’s North America Project Manager Ms.Sumeet Kaur.
Eco Sikh has identified major issues in Punjab like declining underground water level and overuse of chemicals and fertilizers further damaging the water resources. There is a suffering in the air and in the water and there is suffering in the food. At least 90 out of every 100,000 persons are cancer patients in Punjab. Therefore, the lead taken by Eco Sikh will go a long way in ameliorating conditions of those suffering from such maladies.
