The Local Government Minister, Punjab, Navjot Singh Sidhu here today presided over a significant meeting with the Sultanpur Lodhi MLA Mr. Navtej Singh Cheema and the representative of noted environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, Baba Sukhjit Singh to discuss the modalities to make the celebrations during 550th gurpurab of Guru Nanak Dev Ji a momentous occasion. During the course of meeting, CEO of Punjab Water Supply and Sewerage Board Mr. Ajoy Sharma and other senior departmental officials were also present.After the meeting, Mr. Sidhu announced that the beautification of Sultanpur Lodhi would mark the beginning of preparations in right earnest regarding the gurpurab celebrations and Baba Seechewal would establish a sewerage treatment plant (STP) as pilot project aimed at ensuring hygienic, clean and green environment in the city. On the occasion, MLA Mr. Cheema divulged that no stone would be left unturned to make the 550th gurpurab celebrations in 2019 an occasion to remember. He also said that cue would be taken from the various occasions observed in the past at Takht Sri Hazoor Sahib, Sri Anandpur Sahib, Patna Sahib and Amritsar and the programmes would then be chalked out. He also elaborated that 500th gurpurab celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev Ji held in 1969 would also serve as a guiding light so as to make the 2019 celebrations stay in the minds of people till eternity.
The minister said that while replying to a question posed in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha by Mr. Cheema, the Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh had announced that the 550th gurpurab celebrations would be held on a grand scale for which a committee was also constituted under the leadership of the Chief Minister. He also detailed that all the aspects were discussed in a thorough bred manner in today's meeting. He also said that the cleanliness campaign would be initiated by establishing a sewerage treatment plant in sultanpur lodhi on seechewal model. Apart from this, the ring road of the city, byepass, park, parking spaces, serais for stay of devotees, medical and other facilities of infrastructural nature would also be fully developed.Sidhu further said that very soon the Chief Minister would visit sultanpur lodhi to stock of the preparations regarding gurpurab regarding which MLA Mr. Cheema is personally looking into the minutest of details. He also assured that funds would be allotted by the Local Government Department on priority basis for the beautification of the city. Thanking Baba Seechewal for starting the pilot project, Mr. Sidhu said that the closed sewerage treatment plants in the state would be run on the same lines as the one being operated by Baba Seechewal at Dasuha at a cost of just Rs. 12 lakh and the water so treated would be used for the irrigational purposes.