While most people are still asleep, Harjinder Singh begins his day before sunrise.
At 5 every morning, after offering prayers and having a light breakfast, he climbs into an truck-mounted water tanker along with a sewadar and heads out onto the roads of Amritsar. His mission is simple but powerful, to water the hundreds of saplings growing along the city’s roads.
Harjinder Singh is not a famous environmental activist, nor does he seek attention for his work. He is a volunteer with Dera Kar Sewa Bhuri Wale and works as a driver. Yet, many of the green saplings lining the roads of Amritsar survive and flourish because of his daily dedication.
Accompanied by another volunteer from the dera, Harjinder spends four to five hours every day watering saplings on one selected road in the city. Whether it is the scorching summer heat or the freezing winter cold, the routine never stops.
Under the leadership of Baba Kashmir Singh Bhuri Wale, Dera Kar Sewa has carried out several major beautification and plantation projects in the city. The organisation has transformed the banks of the Upper Bari Doab Canal with thousands of trees, shrubs, flowers, and walking paths. It has also developed the central verge of Tarn Taran Road with greenery and landscaping.
Over the past several years, the dera has also been actively planting and maintaining trees along roads managed by the Municipal Corporation, the Public Works Department (PWD), and the National Highways Authority.
Ram Singh, spokesperson of Dera Kar Sewa Bhuri Wale, says environmental protection is deeply connected with faith, spirituality and seva.
“There are many forms of seva, and planting and caring for trees is one of the most meaningful services,” he says.
“Baba Kashmir Singh personally takes great interest in trees, plants and flowers,” said Ram Singh.
Every year, thousands of saplings are planted across Amritsar by political parties, government departments, religious organisations, and social groups. However, despite these efforts, the city’s roads still do not appear as green and well-shaded as cities like Chandigarh.
Environmental activist Prakash Singh Bhatty believes the real challenge is not planting trees, but nurturing them until they grow.
“Planting a sapling for a photograph and sprinkling a little water on it is not a great achievement. A true nature lover waits for the right season, prepares the soil properly, and then takes care of the tree regularly,” said Bhatty
This is where Dera Kar Sewa’s work stands apart. The organisation operates four truck-mounted water tankers that travel daily on different routes, irrigating saplings and plants until they are strong enough to survive on their own.