Balbir Singh Seechewal

Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal is a sikh religious figure, environmentalist and parliamentarian in India. He is a Nirmala Sikh and has been recognised for his role in the cleanup and revival campaigns of the rivers such as Kali Bein and Buddha Dariya.

Life Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal was born into a Sikh family engaged in agriculture in Sichewali, a village in Jalandhar district of Punjab. He is the son of Chanan Singh and Chanan Kaur. Balbir Singh studied Economics, Political Science and Punjabi in DAV College, Nakodar, Punjab.

Around 1981, he became associated with Shri Nirmal Kutiya in village Sichewali. He succeeded Sant Avtar Singh on June 6, 1988, thereby assuming his position and responsibilities as the head of Nirmal Kutiya. He had begun the social work in villages in the 1990s, carrying out cleanliness drives and advocating the revival of water sources.

Seechewal led the campaign to clean the Kali Bein rivulet along with some members of Ek Onkar charitable trust. Leading up to the year 2000, there were some government attempts to clean up the river, but the campaign came to much larger public attention after Seechewal's cleanup campaign in 2000. The persistent efforts led to the drastic changes in the river management and made the water of Kali Bein even drinkable.

Buddha Nullah River

In 2024, Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal started a campaign to clean the Buddha Nullah rivulet on the lines of the Kali Bein Rivulet. Balbir Singh Seechewal started a campaign to clean and preserve the Buddha Nullah on the lines of the Kali Bein Rivulet. Sant Balbir Singh held meetings with local stakeholders, like dairy owners, to manage waste and reduce pollution sources. As a result of these efforts, the water quality of Buddha Nullah has been improving significantly, with cleaner water reaching parts of Ludhiana and visible reduction in pollution levels in the rivulet.

Seechewal Model The Seechewal Model (named after Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal) consists of various activities, including cleaning the river Kali Bein from water hyacinths and accumulated sediments, constructing roads, providing education, constructing sewerage systems, and social activities. The village Sichewali was chosen as a model village by the Ministry of Water Resources, River Development, and Ganga Re-juvenation. The model stands out in its efficiency in tackling issues leading to river pollution.

The Time Magazine included Sant Balbir Singh Seechewal among its distinguished list of “Heroes of the Environment,” acknowledging his contributions to environmental conservation.

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