Bhubaneswar: A programme ‘Wildlife Week’ to highlight the conservation and protection of wildlife was conducted here in the city Friday at Jayadev Bhawan. While inaugurating the event, Forest and Environment Minister Bikram Keshari Arukh highlighted the steps taken by the Odisha government for protection and conservation of wildlife.
Informing the gathering about the recent amendment made to the Wildlife Protection Rule, 1974, Bikram Kesari Arukh said the changes were made only to provide quick assistance to the next to the kin of the victims who had either died or been injured in animal attacks.
Arukh said conservation of wildlife has been accorded top priority by the Odisha government. It has taken steps to increase the areas of Satkosia Tiger Reserve and Bhitarkanika Wildlife Sanctuary. They apart, Chandaka Reserved Forest and Krushna Nagar Protected Forest have also been merged with the Nandankanan Biological Park to increase their space.
The minister further said that the government has developed 40 ecotourism hubs to generate employment for more than 600 forest dependent community members.
Among others, PCCF (Wildlife) and CWLW, Odisha HSUpadhyay, PCCF, Odisha Sandeep Tripathy, Secretary of Forest and Environment Department Mona Sharma attended the event.
In their respective speeches, they highlighted the importance of observing the ‘Wildlife Week’, and also pointed out the entire gamut of measures already taken like use of drones to monitor the movement of elephants and other animals. They also talked about the implementation of the ‘Gajabandhu Scheme’, setting up of Solar lights in villages, radio collaring of elephants, and the introduction of ‘Gaja’ vehicle to address man-animal conflicts.
On this occasion, Arukh conferred the ‘Biju Patnaik Award’ for wildlife conservation to Bichitrananda Biswal. He also gave away prizes to the winners of junior and senior state level ‘sit and draw’ competitions on wildlife themes.
PNN
