The Odisha Environment Congress (OEC) 2015 has urged the State Government to allocate five per cent of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in nutrition sensitive interventions.
The congress which deliberated on the theme ‘Environment: Health and Nutrition’ for three days concluded that Odisha can achieve double digit growth by 2025 by taking sustainable food and nutrition security measures.
The OEC recommended for setting up of a Nutrition and Food Security Department and formulation of a Safe Food Act. It viewed that the State should target to reduce stunting of children less than five years of age by 50 per cent and to achieve zero hunger and zero open defection in 10 years. It also recommended measures for reducing anaemia among children and women and climate sensitive agriculture.
Dr Rajendra Singh, the Waterman of India, emphasised on climate adaptation.
Former Chief Secretary GC Pati spoke on open defecation and public sensitisation.
Former Chief Secretary SB Mishra chaired the valedictory session in which former MHI&PE secretary Dr RC Panda, former Nalco ED Pradip Choudhury, CED (Kerala) Director Dr Babu Ambat, Gram Vikash founder Joe Mediath and OEC organising secretary Sudarsan Das spoke.
Golak Bihari Patra of Jajpur, Bhagirathi Balbantray of Delanga and Shaileja Suman of the OUAT were conferred with Green Ambassador awards while Nalco, Infosys, Jindal and Biotech Ayur were given Green Corporate awards.
Similarly, Aliza Pradhan of Hawai (USA) and Swati Satyambari Mishra of Central University Odisha were awarded with Young Scientist Awards.
The theme of OEC-2016 was decided as ‘Environment: Sanitation and Hygiene’.