Work to rid Kanjli wetland of hyacinth, vegetation begins

KAPURTHALA : Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal and his associateas, on Friday, took up the initiative of cleaning the Kanjli wetland, from where the Kali Bein river passes, in coordination with the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB). Friday also marked the World Wetlands Day.

Spread over 183 hectares, the wetland has a religious importance as it is a part of the Kali Bein, a holy rivulet, associated with Guru Nanak Dev. It is believed that Guru Nanak attained enlightenment after bathing in the rivulet . The wetland came into existence in 1870.

Due to the apathy of the state government, this wetland, once a popular picnic spot, has become an isolated place as it is covered by water hyacinth and wild growth and also failed to attract migratory birds from Siberia over the past three years.

The site also got recognition in 2012 under the Ramsar Convention, an international treaty for the conservation and utilisation of wetlands. Seechewal and his followers started the cleanliness drive with the help of JCB machines. At least 90% area of the wetland is covered by water hyacinth, as per a recent survey conducted by the Asian Waterbird Census (AWC).

Former irrigation minister and Kapurthala MLA Rana Gurjit Singh had in October announced to clean this wetland to make it a picnic spot in three months. But the work could not take off due to non-availability of funds. Seechewal said the 160-km holy rivulet associated with the first Sikh Guru will be cleaned ahead of the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev in 2019.

PPCC chairman KS Pannu, deputy commissioner Mohammad Tayyab, along with Sant Seechewal and DC inspected the ongoing ‘kar seva’ in a motor boat in the rivulet. Seechewal demanded raise in water from the Mukerian hydel channel to 350 cusecs to overcome the problem of hyacinth.