Bhubaneswar: In a bid to revive the tradition of respecting rivers and to encourage people to conserve them, Nadi Utsav was observed on the bank of the river Mahanadi at Garial Research and Conservation Centre, Satkosia Tiger Reserve, Tikarpada.
The celebrations this year is a part of the ongoing celebrations for 75 years of Independence and ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’.
A team from the Wildlife Institute of India, under the aegis of the Ministry of Jal Shakti Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation, National Mission for Clean Ganga, and National River Conservation Directorate conducted awareness programs. The team consisted of Narendra Mohan Katara, Suyash Katdare, Arif Ahmad, Amol Kale and Neelamadhab Sahu.
The school children from Nilakanth High School, Tikarpada participated in the programme. A total of 40 high school students from 8th, 9th and 10th standard participated in the event, accompanied by 4 teachers and headmaster.
Retired Forest officer Abhaya Kumar Jena, Chief Guest of the event, accompanying guests, Maguni Behera, Forest Range Officer, Tikarpada and Vijay Chandra Pradhan, Headmaster, Nilakantha Highschool, Tikarpada were present in the event.
The interaction between the Wildlife Institute of research scholars, invited guests, and students were in Odia language, which made the season informative for the students.
Speaking to Pragativadi, Neelamadhab Sahu, a research scholar of Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, said,” In most urban areas, people have turned their back to the rivers, they have almost forgotten their own city’s rivers. People’s participation, connecting the people again with their rivers.”
On this occasion, a short movie on the Mahanadi river was presented. While Abhaya Kumar Jena enlightened students about the river, its importance, and ecological value, Neelamadhab Sahu threw light on various water birds and animals which are found on Mahanadi banks.
