73 STATE LEVEL VANAMAHOTSAVA OBSERVED

Bhubaneswar, July 7: The statelevel 73rd Vanamahotsav was observed with much enthusiasm inside the premises of Municipal Corporation Government High School, Baramunda, th Bhubaneswar on 7 of July 2022. Honourable Chief Minister of Odisha Sri Naveen Pattanik has graced the programme virtually through video conference as the Chief Guest of the occasion. Honorable Minister Forest, Environment & Climate Change , Panchayatiraj & Drinking Water, Information & Public Relations Sri Pradeep Kumar Amat was present asGuest of Honour. Honorable Minister Science & Technology, Public Enterprises, Social Security & Persons with Disability Sri Ashok Chandra Panda, Honorable Mayor, Bhubaneswar Smt. Sulochana Das, Honorable M.L.A. Bhubaneswar (North) Sri Sushant Rout, Honorable M.L.A. Bhubaneswar (Central) Sri Anant Narayan Jena and Additional Chief Secretary to Government of Odisha, Forest, Environment & Climate Change Department Sri Satyabarata Sahoo, I.A.S. were also present as the Guests of Honour. In addition, various dignitaries including Forest Officers, retired
Forest Officers, intellectuals, the common people and persons from media also attended the Programme. The programme started with plantation done by theHon’ble guests, dignitaries and students in the school premises. The Principal Chief Conservator of Forests & Head of Forest Forces( PCCF &HoFF), Odisha Sri DebiduttaBiswal, I.F.S. welcomed the Chief guest and
other dignitaries present on the occasion. He also highlighted the importance and objectives of Vanamahotsava. Like every year, this year Vanamahotsava is also being celebrated in the first
week of July. Yearly the forest cover of the state is increasing with the help of Forest Department through mass protection of existing for e sts and ma ssive plantation throughout the
st a t e u n d e r v a ri o u s schemes of Govt. of\ Odisha. To increase the forest cover, this year also different afforestation\ p r o g r a m m e s a r e continuing throughout the State in rainy season
through Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR), Artificial Regeneration ( A R ) , U r b a n T r e e Plantation (UTP), Avenue Plantation etc. Under all the above programmes around 488.16 lakhs of seedlings are planned to be planted throughout the state and 490.30 lakhs of seedlings are raised to distribute among the public with minimal price and free for institutions. Also, the medicinal value of plants was realized during the COVID-19 pandemic in last two years. So, plantation of medicinal plants along with forest species is also emphasized and encouraged by the Govt. of Odisha.A brochure titled, “73rdVanamahotsava” in Odia, highlighting the activities under differentprogrammes and schemes of the State Forest Department was released on this  occasion.
To create awareness among the school students regarding Vanamahotasava, competitions like debate, essay writing and drawing were conducted and the winners of the above competitions were awarded on this occasion.For a remarkable work in forest protection and afforestation, Jhurimal Vana Surakshya Samiti of Sundergarh District received Rs. 2 lakhs as reward as the best V.S.S. of the state. Vote of thanks was given by SrimatiPratima Nanda, Headmistress of Municipal Corporation Government High School, Baramunda,Bhubaneswar.

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