THIS is apropos news regarding the Sikhs objecting to construction on Baba Nanak’s fields, as a response to Governor of Punjab, Chaudhry Sarwar’s announcement of allocating 14 times more land for extending the Gurdwara in Kartarpur (July 30).

Ever since the Kartarpur corridor was announced, all major Sikh organisations and community leaders have joined me in asking to preserve the 104 acres of land that Baba Guru Nanak himself farmed on.

The government has responded in vague terms and varying numbers — 26 acres (in a letter to the American Sikh Council), 30 acres (announced by the then Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on March 20) and now 42 acres (July 17 announcement by Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar). What is the figure and why are they hesitating to allocate all 104 acres to farming and plan new construction outside the said fields?

What stood preserved for 500 years is now being buried under marble and stone for good. If you bury 42 out of 104 acres in marbleized Gurdwara, facilities and accommodations for visitors, parking terminals, etc., how can that be considered preservation of the heritage fields?

We have been asking that all new constructions to be outside the one kilometre periphery i.e., outside the fields of Baba Nanak where he tilled the soil.

There is still time for the government to keep new construction to the minimum and declare 104 acres outside of the Gurdwara as a construction-free zone.

Pakistan will earn a lot of respect and honour for preserving Kartarpur as an ecological haven that Baba Nanak envisioned it to be.

Gurmeet Kaur
Oakville, Canada

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2019