Underlining the message of Guru Nanak Dev during a special assembly session held to mark the 550th birth anniversary of the Sikhism founder, Punjab CM Amarinder Singh on Wednesday stressed the need to protect nature so that future generations do not suffer from environmental pollution.
Recalling the great Guru's thought "pavan guru, pani pita, mata dharat mahat" (air is the guru, water the father, and earth the mother), the chief minister underlined the intrinsic bond between the nature and mankind.
This ideology needed to be preserved in letter and spirit to ensure that future generations did not suffer environmental pollution, as evident from the prevailing air pollution in the entire northern region, including the national capital, said Singh.
He appealed to everyone to preserve the nature and natural resources to make Punjab clean, green and pollution free in line with the Guru's philosophy by making the optimal use of groundwater, diversifying into less water-intensive crops and stop burning paddy straw besides checking the use of chemical fertilisers.
A similar view was expressed by Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, who was the special guest at the historic session, in which former prime minister Manmohan Singh, Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore, Haryana Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya, Haryana Chief Minister ML Khattar and Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala took part.
In his address, the Punjab CM exhorted everyone to follow the timeless message of Guru Nanak Dev to carve out an egalitarian society, sans social and economic disparities.
He underscored the need to revisit the teachings and message of the Guru.
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Stressing that the present generation was blessed to have the opportunity of celebrating the 550th birth anniversary of the Sikh Guru, Singh called upon all to imbibe values of compassion and love.
He made a special mention of the Guru's philosophy of oneness and unity of god to emphasise the need for tolerance and harmony.
The chief minister hoped that the bonhomie witnessed on Wednesday between the MLAs from Punjab and Haryana, who attended the special session, would continue to strengthen the bond between the two states in future too, enabling the overall development and prosperity of the region.
The chief minister honoured the vice president, former prime minister, Haryana chief minister and governors of the both states with commemorative gold and silver coins, mementos and sets of books.