CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
TO THE FORE
Harsimrat Badal launches “Nanhi Chhaan”
Amritsar August 27, 2008
In a unique demonstration of their social responsibility, Punjab’s
leading corporate house Ranbaxy today teamed up with the State Government
and SGPC to start an initiative to preserve the Girl Child and the
Environment. Titled Nanhi Chhaan, the project was formally launched
in a simple function from the precincts of the Galliara of Sri Harmandir
Sahib by Mrs. Harsimrat Badal, wife of Mr. Sukhbir Badal, MP and
President SAD.

(Right) Mrs. Harsimrat Badal, wife of Mr. Sukhbir Badal, MP and
President SAD.
Small saplings were distributed to the visitors at Sri Darbar Sahib
by way of “Buta Parsad” for them to plant to welcome
the newly born daughters in their households as well as the newly
entrant daughter-in-laws. The organizers felt the initiative would
help provide the necessary reverence and importance that environment
protection should hold in our hearts and minds.
Speaking on the occasion, Mrs. Harsimrat Badal stated that female
foeticide had grown into a major social curse that was plaguing
the Punjab society in particular and would lead to serious demographic
imbalances in the future. On the other hand, declining tree cover
was also a cause of great environmental concern as it would make
our development ecologically unsustainable. Today, there was an
urgent need to mainstream both these issues and to take them to
the common man through well-directed initiatives. “We are
grateful to S. Harpal Singh and the entire Ranbaxy Group that have
taken up this cause and used the noble message of our revered Gurus
to generate awareness through the Nanhi Chhaan project”, she
added.
Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal M.P. and President Shiromani Akali Dal,
who presided over the function, said that this novel initiative
was a true demonstration of corporate social responsibility and
would go a long way in highlighting the twin issues of protecting
the girl child and our environment. He exhorted other corporate
houses of the State to also come forward and join hands with the
State Government to jointly campaign on issues of social importance.
He stated that the State Government was focusing on providing quality
education as well as better healthcare for all to improve the State’s
human resource.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia, Information
and Public Relations, Environment and Non-Conventional Energy Minister
Punjab drew parallels between the girl child and Mother Earth and
appealed to all Punjabis to remove this great social blot of female
foeticide. He thanked the SGPC President for collaborating in this
noble endeavour and exhorted the youth of Punjab to channelize their
energies to fight these social and environmental problems.
S. Avtar Singh Makkar President SGPC, who also graced the occasion,
stated that it was important for the Sikh community to correct these
growing social imbalances and welcomed the initiative of the Impact
Group. He stated that the initiative would help take the message
of our Holy Gurus to each and every household and prove to be a
guiding light for them.
Addressing the gathering, Mr. Harpal Singh of the Impact Group
stated that the Nanhi Chhaan project would add a new dimension to
the concept of Sewa, which is a cornerstone of the Sikh faith, by
involving the community in protection of the Girl Child and the
Environment. Saplings not only of the plants and of trees mentioned
in the “Bani” such as Neem and Ber would be given but
also other species, which are suitable for the environment. By giving
divine blessing to the planting of trees to commemorate the entry
of a female into a household, environment protection would get the
desired boost and add to its contemporary relevance and importance,
he added.
Among others who were present on the occasion were DC Amritsar
KS Pannu and a large number of political leaders of the district

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