While celebrating the World Environment Day, an ambitious programme ‘Nabakalebar Memorial Neem Plantation’ was launched here on Friday. Notably, the district has been polluted alarmingly due to mining, industrial and allied activities. Addressing a function on the occasion jointly organised by Angul Municipality, Citizens’ Action Forum and Foundation for Ecological Security (FES), civic body Chairman Akshya Samanta informed that at least 1,000 people will be mobilised to join the plantation drive.
Every participant will plant at least one neem tree at their place of choice in memory of his/her beloved ones and will do all efforts to grow it. The Nabakalebar Memorial Neem Plantation Committee will provide all supports. He described it as the most scared work when the Nabakalebar of the Puri deities will be celebrated this year.
Citizens’ Action Forum president Rabindra Prasad Pattnaik, social activist Ranjeet Pattanaik and scribe Bijay Mishra spoke about the importance of the plantation programme in the district. They lauded the effort of the civil society when rampant misappropriation of funds has derailed compensatory afforestation programme in Angul. Scribe Sudhirendra Parija proposed to involve people of all walks of life in the drive, while scribe Jagadananda Pradhan suggested formation of an Environment Watch Dog Committee. Swapna Sarangi, team leader, FES, outlined the roadmap of the massive plantation drive. Meanwhile, the Citizens’ Action Forum opposed further industrialisation and expansion of polluting industries in Angul.