Odisha’s Deputy Chief Minister, Smt. Pravati Parida marked her visit to Nimapara and Gop regions with a series of impactful initiatives that focused on environmental awareness and land rights empowerment.
At Hansapada’s Nimapara Adarsha Vidyalaya, the Deputy CM inaugurated a Ban Mahotsav event as the chief guest. She encouraged students and the public to participate in the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign—planting a tree in the name of one’s mother. She emphasised this as a tribute to maternal love and environmental responsibility.
To meet the timber requirements for Puri’s famed Rath Yatra, the Deputy CM instructed forest officers to establish dedicated “Rath Vatika” groves in each panchayat of Puri district. The initiative aims to create sustainable sources of chariot wood while promoting afforestation.
The event also saw the participation of the District Forest Officer, Assistant Conservator of Forests, school authorities, and local leaders, including the Sarpanch of Chanarpada. Smt. Parida herself joined 120 women in a large-scale tree plantation drive, motivating children to plant a sapling for their mothers.
Following her environmental engagements, the Deputy CM attended a land patta distribution programme organised by the Gop Tehsil Office. She distributed 112 revised column-2 land pattas to rightful beneficiaries and handed over 17 institutional pattas to educational institutions.
Dignitaries present included the Additional District Magistrate of Puri, Gop BDO and Tehsildar, Zilla Parishad member Pramod Kumar Ray, Block Vice-Chairman Bana Ranjan Pattnaik, and MP representative Sushanta Swain.
