The great Odisha famine ‘Na-Anka Durbhiksha’ might not occur again in the State, but at times famine-like situations are taking place. It is due to growth of population, climatic aberrations and decreasing agricultural production due loss of soil moisture, said lt General Narayan Mohanty at a Press conference here on Friday.
On the 150th Year of the ‘Na-Anka Durbhiksha’, a seminar on the subject “Great Odisha Famine 1865-66 and Food Security in Contemporary Odisha” will be held at the OUAT here on December 12 and 13. The seminar is being organised by the Pipili Sanskrutika Parishad and the National Seminar Committee on Na-Anka, said committee chairman lt Gen Mohanty.
Former bureaucrat Alekh Chandra Padhiary is the vice-chairman of the organising committee. Pipili Sanskrutika Parishad secretary RC Mohapatra and Anil Dhir are the coordinators.
Governor SC Jamir will be the chief guest and inaugurate the seminar. OUAT Vice-Chancellor SN Pasupalak and former Vice-Chancellor of Utkal University of Culture Bimalendu Mohanty will be the guests of honour at the inaugural function.
The main objective of the seminar is to create awareness among people that despite improvement in communication facilities and irrigation and increase in agricultural production, there are threats of natural calamities.
During the seminar, awareness would be created on administrative lapses, lack of storage facilities, poor communication and identification of vulnerable pockets suffering from food insecurity and the present scenario of food security for the masses with special reference to Odisha, said lt Gen Mohanty.