Bhubaneswar: The 72nd Wildlife Week was celebrated with fervour at Sambalpur Zoo and Conservation Centre by the Hirakud Wildlife Division, which manages the Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary.
The major attraction was the flagging off of two safari vehicles that will operate between Sambalpur Zoo and the Hirakud-Debrigarh landscape, a move aimed at boosting wildlife tourism and improving visitor access to one of Odisha’s key conservation zones.
Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan and Rural Development Minister Rabi Narayan Nayak attended the programme along with senior forest officials, wildlife lovers and students.To engage youth in conservation, the Division had organised quiz, drawing, art, photography and debate competitions for students across the district. Students from 38 schools, 10 colleges and three universities took part.
About 250 winners were felicitated at the event. For school students, drawing topics were ‘Human for the Nature’ (junior) and ‘Human within the Nature’ (senior). For university students, the art theme was ‘Connecting Habitats, Thriving Wildlife’, photography focused on wildlife and birds of Hirakud and Debrigarh, while debate topics included contemporary issues like use of artificial intelligence in environmental protection.
Grassroots conservation was also honoured. Winners of the Chief Minister’s Award for Wildlife Conservation were given Rs 25,000 each. In addition, compensation of Rs 2 lakh each was handed over to families of 38 kendu leaf collectors who had died.
