Over 7.6 lakh trees planted in 25 years: Kar Sewa

Kar Sewa, a socio-religious organisation, planted 5,000 banyan, peepal, pilkhan trees each, apart from installing 518 kW solar panels saving 1,613.63 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Socio-religious organisation Kar Sewa has completed 25 years of its environmental conservation efforts, during which it planted and raised 7,68,000 trees and executed several other eco-friendly projects.

Former Supreme Court judge and National Green Tribunal chairman Adarsh Kumar Goel planting a sapling as Kar Sewa head Baba Sewa Singh (in white) looks on at Khadoor Sahib in Tarn Taran district on the completion of 25 years of the green mission on Friday. (HT Photo)

The organisation has developed 531 km long roadside green belts, created fruit orchards over 350 acres, established 331 mini forests and 50 green parks and manufactured over 11,000 eco bags.

Under the tree plantation drive, they planted 5,000 banyan, peepal, pilkhan trees each, apart from installing 518 kW solar panels saving 1,613.63 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

Kar Sewa head Baba Sewa Singh had launched the campaign for environment conservation in 1999 to commemorate the 500th birth anniversary of Guru Angad Dev, second Guru of Sikhs, at historic Khadoor Sahib village, where Guru lived for 13 years. In 2000, the drive was formalised.

“We set a goal of covering 500 kms for tree plantation along roadsides. With the grace of God and the cooperation of the sangat, we have covered 531 kms. The drive is still on. In 2019, we planned to establish 550 forests in commemoration of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev. So far, we have established 331 forests in four years. Similarly, we have a goal of establishing fruit orchards on 500 acres,” said Baba Sewa Singh, on the sidelines of the event organised at Nishan-e-Sikhi building in commemoration of 25 years of green mission.

For his contribution, Baba Sewa Singh has been conferred upon several national and international awards, including the Padma Shri. Through Nishan-E-Sikh Charitable Trust, the voluntary organization has been running several educational institutes and sports academies. Its NDA preparatory institute has produced several army officers.

Former judge of Supreme Court and former National Green Tribunal (NGT) chairman Adarsh Kumar Goel, who was the chief guest at the event, flagged off the first electric car purchased by the Kar Sewa.