Post News Network
Bhubaneswar: The state capital Wednesday observed its 68th Foundation Day with customary vigour braving the heat. The pledge for the day was to keep the temple city pollution free.
“Bhubaneswar has already emerged in the list of Smart Cities. But it should also become pollution free and a planned city as desired by its founders who set up the state capital here,” Assembly Speaker Niranjan Pujari said after reviewing the parade on the occasion.
The Speaker said that the city has much to feel proud of in terms of cultural heritage and entreated all to come together to make the place pollution-free.
“Planting trees and spreading awareness about the environment can help avoid the impact of climate change on the city,” he said.
State excise minister Damodar Rout, in turn, called for cooperation from various segments of the society to make it possible, while school and mass education minister Debi Prasad Mishra highlighted how Bhubaneswar has emerged as the education hub and made a mark in different fields.
School and college students and contingents of different organisations participated in the civilian parade organized before the state Assembly. Thirteen citizens were awarded with Rajdhani Gourav Samman on the occasion.
Several cultural functions were also held including the state information and public relations department’s photo exhibition at Jayadev Bhavan.
Youngsters from the city sought the administrators to create awareness about rainwater harvesting to overcome water scarcity in the state.
Soumya Ranjan Swain, an MBA student, said: “We all know that Bhubaneswar recorded highest temperature recently, which is a big issue to be concerned. In such circumstances, we need to conserve rainwater as much as we can and for this government has to take adequate initiatives and responsibility to execute it in the near future.”
Several youths also suggested that a pollution-free city should be ensured and that it should be made congestion free. “Many traffic junctions are congested. Many commuters are violating the traffic rules. We need human force to catch such rule violators,” suggested Mohit Routray, an engineer student.
Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had laid foundation stone for Bhubaneswar April 13, 1948 and German architect and urban planner Otto Koenigsberger prepared master plan for the city, which then had a population of 40,000.
Bhubaneswar was among the first four planned cities of India, Capital Day Celebration Committee vice-president Pradumnya Kumar Mohanty said.