With an aim to sensitise people about eye donation, Drusti Daan, a voluntary society promoting eye donation, on Sunday organised an awareness walk drive from the Biju Patnaik Park to Airport Junction here in which persons from various organisations participated.
Many people signed pledge forms for eye donations at the spot. Earlier, on Saturday, Governor Dr SC Jamir inaugurated an eye donation awareness meet held at the Bhanjakala Mandap here. The Governor too released a souvenir, besides felicitating school students who had participated in the drawing competition held earlier.
On the occasion, Uttar Purush performed a play on eye donation titled “Gobardhanaro Akhi” directed by veteran dramatist Asit Basu carrying the message of eye donation.
“Nearly half the world’s blind are in India. Of the 15 million blind in the country, 25 per cent are corneal blind and again of this 60 per cent are children below the age of 12 years. We can give them light through sight by some dedicated efforts,” observed India-Sightlife country director Manoj Gulati.
This year during the 28th national eye donation fortnight being observed from August 25 to September 8, Drushti Daan is organising certain events that would promote the cause of creating awareness on eye donation, informed organisers, adding that it has so far collected nearly 2,000 corneas.