Puri: The district administration in association with Odisha Eco Tourism Foundation has launched ‘Mo Sahar Mo Bhabisyat’ (My City My Future) programme to make school students aware of the cultural heritage of the Holy City.
Besides, the programme aims at disseminating various environment-friendly messages among the students, sources said.
“The state government has launched several mega projects in Puri to make it a heritage city in the world. The ‘Mo Sahar Mo Bhabisyat’ programme has been introduced to make school students aware of the past, present and future of the Holy City. Besides, the students will be encouraged to keep their surroundings clean,” said an official of the district administration.
As part of the programme, around fifty students of Bishwambar Vidyapeeth began their bicycle journey from district tourism office in the morning to visit various temples, mutts and other heritage structures in the city. Odisha Eco Tourism Foundation founder Yugabrata Kar and Tourism department assistant director Bijay Kumar Jena congratulated the students for participating in the programme.
The students initially visited the office of city municipality and interacted with municipal executive officer Bijay Kumar Dash. The municipal executive officer advised the students to boycott plastic and polythene and keep the city clean.
Subsequently, the students visited Kabir mutt, Bidura mutt, Kadar Ashram, Bauli mutt, Bharat Sevashram, Gobardhan mutt, Totagopinath mutt and Jagannath Ballav mutt. A few scholars and researchers briefed the students about the history and traditions of these religious institutions.
The programme culminated at the Panthaniwas, where district Collector Balwant Singh asked a few questions to the students to check their knowledge about the city’s heritage structures.
“The school students came to know details of some religious institutions and heritage structures in the city during the programme. They also got messages on sanitation and cleanliness. This young generation will shape the future of Puri,” Singh said.
The students also welcomed the district administration’s ‘Mo Sahar Mo Bhabisyat’ initiative. “We got a fair knowledge on some heritage structures of the city during the programme. We will work to keep the city clean,” said Rojalin Lenka, a Class-IX student.
Odisha Eco Tourism Foundation founder Yugabrata Kar said students of various schools in the city will embark on a bicycle journey every Sunday to visit heritage structures.
