Bhubaneswar, Sep 17: Despite it being a Sunday, the mass community afforestation programme at Sikharchandi Hill under ‘Sabuja Pahada’ (Greening Hillocks), a unique community plantation drive, jointly organized by Bhubaneswar Development Authority (BDA), Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) and Odisha Forest Development Corporation (OFDC) has received an overwhelming response today.
Over 5000 people from different sections of the society thronged the famous Sikharchandi foothills early morning and planted and adopted more than 3400 saplings of different species on area spreads across 5 acres.
Nearly 2000 school and college students, hundreds of senior citizens and members of Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), IT company representatives, differently-abled persons, members of Self-help Groups (SHGs), market associations, religious associations, transgender community, NGOs, representatives of political parties among others joined the initiative with great interest.
Notably, the BDA has undertaken the redevelopment of Sikharchandi hill area project to transform it to a major tourist attraction soon after the approval of Mater Plan of it by Hon’ble CM Shri Naveen Patnaik in January.The project will spread over a patch of land measuring nearly 54 acres, including the main temple and its surrounding areas and it has been divided into four zones.
As per the plan, the Zone-1 will have a parking facility, an amusement park for visitors and a developed space for other activities, including basic amenities. Similarly, Zone-2 will have a View Point and a Trekking Route. Zone-3 & 4 will be developed for entertainment-based activities along with a big community centre.
Expressing his sincere thanks to all participants, Balwant Singh, Vice-Chairman, BDA said: “The main purpose of this drive is to give a further boost to the green cover in and around this place by involving every section of the society. We always encourage people’s participation and their constructive suggestions whatever we do to ensure sustainable and regulated development of Bhubaneswar and its iconic places.”
