Fishermen and residents living in and around the Chilika lake at Satpada were enchanted to witness an extensive display of fireworks on the opening day of the three-day long dance and musical extravaganza being organised by the Chilika Mahotsav committee on the Sunday.
The third edition of the annual fete was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy, while local MP Pinaki Mishra, Mahotsav founder and Food and Civil Supply Minister Sanjay Dasburma, district Collector Arabind Agarwal and Chilika Development Authority CMD Ajit Pattnaik were present.
Addressing the gathering before the cultural show, speakers spoke at length regarding various development works being undertaken to develop the area and transform it into a tourist friendly economic zone.
MP Mishra said at least four AC redline buses would ply between Bhubaneswar and Satpada via Puri route and there would be lots of roadside beautification works to attract the visitors. Efforts were on to make the road transport along the route hassle free, Mishra added.
Dasburma said a Satpada Jetty would be built within 18 months at a cost of Rs15.69 crore with a capacity to harbor two hundred boats. This would boost economic activity in the lake, he added.
Collector Agarwal informed that to mitigate exploitation of tourists in the lake area a company would be incorporated having all tourist boat owners and operators as its members. The company would market the sale of tickets and booking of the boats for lake and dolphin sightseeing. At the end of the day the earnings would be distributed per boat to every member. This would end unhealthy competition in which the locals were victims while the major earnings went to the taxi and bus operators who took away almost fifty per cent commission on every boat bookings. Apart from this, he said all the boats operating in the lake need to register their boats with the transport authority and fix the boats with necessary lifesaving equipment. Above all, they need to get insured, he said.
Others who addressed the gathering included Minister Maharathy, CDA CMD Pattnaik and Sub Collector Madhusudan Dash. Gotipua and other folk dance items were presented for the audience.