Balbir Singh Seechewal (born 2 February 1962) is a Nirmala Sikh who spearheaded an anti-river pollution campaign in Punjab, India. By combining his assiduously cultivated self-help philosophy with the environmental essence of the Gurbani, he has resurrected the 110-mile long (180 km) long Kali Bein rivulet.[1] He received Indian civilian award Padmashri in 2017.[2] He is also known as Eco Baba.[3][4]
In his latest project in early 2009, taking up the cudgels to save Buddha Nullah, Seechewal has initiated a campaign for generating awareness amongst different sections of the society to solve the problem of desilting the water body following the failure of the Punjab Pollution Control Board's (PPCB) and industries in complying with the High Court's orders in this regard.
He cleaned and restored Kali Bein river[citation needed], a 160 km long tributary of Beas in Doaba region of Punjab. Seechewal says that when he started the water-cleaning project of Kali Bein in 2007, it was a challenging task. But, as people became aware of its importance, they joined in cleaning the rivulet, which had become a dried-up drain and had been reduced to a garbage dump with its historic and religious significance long forgotten.
He was born in a Sikh, agricultural family in Seechewal in Jalandhar district in Punjab, India to Chanan Singh and Chanan Kaur.[7] He studied at DAV College, Nakodar. He put on saffron robes in 1981 after dropping out of college.
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