Following the Punjab Government’s declaration of Amritsar’s walled city as a Holy City, Guru Nanak Dev University announced a major initiative to contribute to making Amritsar a cleaner, greener and aesthetically restored urban space.
Launching the “Clean and Sacred Amritsar City Mission”, Vice-Chancellor Prof. (Dr.) Karamjeet Singh said that the University has formulated a five-point action plan to support the State Government and district administration in this endeavour.
Recently, Hon’ble Chief Minister Punjab, S. Bhagwant Mann declared the Walled City of Amritsar as a Pious City, reaffirming its sacred heritage and historical stature. Earlier in the day, after offering Ardas, the Vice-Chancellor flagged off a large-scale cleanliness drive from the University’s main gate to Putlighar Chowk.
Over 200 NSS volunteers, along with faculty members, staff and students, actively participated. Simultaneously, the University also initiated a signature campaign urging city residents and shopkeepers to take a collective pledge to maintain cleanliness in their surroundings.
Speaking to mediapersons, Prof. Karamjeet Singh emphasised that maintaining the sanctity of the Holy City was a moral responsibility of all institutions and citizens. “GNDU is committed to contributing towards making Amritsar one of the cleanest cities in the world, and this initiative marks the beginning of that resolve,” he said.
Those present on the occasion included Dean Academic Affairs Dr. Palwinder Singh, Registrar Prof. K. S. Chahal, Dean Student Welfare Prof. H. S. Saini, Coordinator, Golden Jubilee Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Prof. Balwinder Singh, NSS Coordinator Dr. Balbir Singh, Dr. Harkirandeep Kaur, Incharge Youth Welfare Dr. Amandeep Singh, Security Officer S. Harvinder Singh, President, Officers’ Association, Mr. Aman Arora, President, Non-Teaching Employees Association, Mr. Hardeep Singh Nagra, along with a large number of students, teachers, officials, employees and environmental enthusiasts.
The Vice-Chancellor reiterated that the spiritual fabric of Amritsar, which attracts millions of devotees worldwide, must be preserved through collective civic responsibility. He added that GNDU aims to work in close coordination with the district administration, educational institutions, residents, and civic bodies to uphold the city’s sanctity.
Detailed
To actualize this mission, GNDU has evolved a comprehensive five-point strategy:
1. Regular Cleanliness Drives:
After performing Ardas and seeking blessings from Guru Sahib, GNDU organised a large-scale cleanliness drive from main gate of GNDU to Putlighar Chownk (both sides of the road) in which around 200 volunteers, led by the NSS unit of the University, along with teachers, non-teaching staff, and students, actively participated. The University has planned to conduct such drives regularly.
2. Signature Pledge Campaign:
A pledge-based signature campaign has been initiated underway to motivate shopkeepers and residents to keep their surroundings clean and take collective responsibility for making the city clean.
3. Cleanliness Ambassadors:
GNDU is appointing students and employees as Cleanliness Ambassadors to assist the district administration, maintain vigilance on sanitation issues, and report to the Municipal Corporation areas requiring urgent cleaning.
4. Awareness Through Culture and Dialogue:
The University will hold seminars, workshops, street plays, and nukkar-nataks in schools, colleges, and public places to spread awareness about cleanliness, responsible citizenship, and waste management.
5. Participation of Affiliated Colleges:
All affiliated colleges of GNDU in Amritsar are encouraged to adopt nearby localities and conduct monthly cleanliness activities, ensuring that the impact of this initiative reaches every corner of the city.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Karamjeet Singh stated that GNDU, being named after Sri Guru Nanak Dev Ji, considers it a moral and spiritual responsibility to safeguard the sanctity of the holy city. He emphasized that Amritsar should reflect the purity, grace, and welcoming spirit that millions of devotees experience when they visit the sacred city.
GNDU reaffirms its commitment to working closely with citizens, institutions, and authorities to transform Amritsar into one of the cleanest and most revered spiritual destinations in the world.