The Central University of Odisha (CUO), Koraput conducted a webinar on ‘Development, Public Policy and Lives of the Tribals’ in its campus at Sunabeda. Social activist and researcher of Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH) Dr Anil Dhir and environmentalist and wildlife expert Dr Biswajit Mohanty delivered the lecture on the topic.
The webinar was presided over by Vice Chancellor I/c of CUO Prof Sharat Kumar Palita. He stressed the need for upliftment of the tribals but without affecting their original livelihood and culture. Prof Palita also emphasised on holistic approach of tribal development issues and asked for taking of a broader aspect of research on tribal development in which different academic departments of the university can take part.
In his speech Dr Dhir discussed how tribals are affected by the wrong policies which fail to fulfil the needs of the tribals. For real development the tribals should be kept in their own livelihood. He also discussed about his journey on reviving of the Jagannath Sadak, from Kolkata to Puri. He also discussed about his recent publication on the tribal lives of Kondha and Gadaba tribes of Koraput.
Dr Mohanty also stressed the need for abolishing all beneficiary programmes in the name of tribal development. He said that these programmes ruin the tribal lives and many tribes are on the verge of extinction.