Inspired by prof’s efforts, over 200 join in cleaning Sutlej in Ludhiana

The professor says he started his efforts in view of the increasing pollution and alarming decline in the groundwater; after getting social media traction, his efforts have now been joined by volunteers from Batala, Malerkotla, and Ahmedgarh, among others

Inspired by a university professor who started cleaning the Sutlej river’s stretch near Ladhowal Bypass, over 200 volunteers have joined his efforts.

The volunteers work from 5 am to noon on every Sunday. (HT Photo)

Manjeet Singh, who is a psychology professor at a private university, started cleaning the Sutlej in March. The volunteers joined in after seeing his efforts through social media platforms.

Now, Manjeet leads a group of over 200 volunteers who gather plastic and other waste from the Sutlej and Beas rivers every weekend.

Manjeet Singh said, “I started this campaign after visiting southern part of India, where there are no rivers. The people there are conserving water. On the contrast, our groundwater level is depleting day by day. We need to save water and stop throwing waste into water bodies.”

The professor says he started his efforts in view of the increasing pollution and alarming decline in the groundwater. After getting social media traction, his efforts have now been joined by volunteers from Batala, Malerkotla, and Ahmedgarh, among others.

Since March, the team has removed over three truckloads of plastic and other waste from the Sutlej’s stretch near Ladhowal. The initiative serves as a medium for raising awareness on the conservation of water bodies as well.

Now, volunteers from various non-governmental organisations, including Water Warriors Punjab, have joined the work.

The group starts work at 5 am every Sunday, working tirelessly until noon. They have also received donations of gloves and other supplies to aid their work.

The volunteers, along with the work to clean the river on the weekend, are working to aware the people as well, urging them to not throw waste into water bodies.

The campaign caught the attention of the deputy commissioner, who recently approached them through social media and praised the volunteers’ efforts. The DC promised to take strict action against those who dump garbage and other waste into the rivers.

The volunteers, including Water Warriors Punjab Amandeep Kaur and secretary Balkar Dhaliwal, are dedicated to the cause.

In addition to the cleaning, the volunteers have planted around 500 trees along the riverbanks, enhancing the area’s ecological health. They emphasise the need for better wildlife management and stricter regulations to prevent religious and industrial waste from polluting water bodies.