BHUBANESWAR: World Wetlands Day, 2019 was celebrated on the bank of Kanjia Lake, near Water bird aviary at Nandankanan Zoological Park here Saturday.
Prof Sudarshan Maharana, (Rtd) Regional Director, Department of Education was the Chief Guest and Siba Prasad Parida, HOD of Zoology Department, Centurian University, Bhubaneswar, was the Guest of Honour. Jayant Kumar Das, OFS-(STS), Deputy Director, Nandankanan Zoological Park, also graced the occasion.
The celebration was also attended by local school students, representatives of print and electronic media and staff members of Nandankanan Zoological Park. The international theme for World Wetlands Day, 2019 was ‘Wetlands and Climate Change’. The theme would be reflected in the February, 2019 edition of Wetlands Australia.
An interactive quiz programme on ‘Wetlands’ was conducted amongst the school children by Michael Peters, WWF State Coordinator, A K Parida, ACF (VM), R K Mohapatra, Biologist and M. K. Panda, Education Officer, NZP. Prizes were distributed amongst winners of the quiz programme, which was highly appreciated by participants.
The Guest of Honour discussed about the importance of wetland in biodiversity conservation and climate change. The Chief Guest emphasized on conservation of the wetlands in general and Kanjia Lake in particular in the interest of water management of the locality.
Michael Peters discussed wetlands and their importance. Jayant Kumar Das, Deputy Director, discussed on the theme of this year and their conservation strategy to conserve wetlands and their role in our economy. A K Parida, ACF (VM) Nandankanan extended the vote of thanks in the celebration. Finally, a signature campaign programme was conducted in front of interpretation centre of Nandankanan Zoological Park to raise awareness amongst the people.