Wildlife Week ends in Baragada

Baragada: The 72nd Wildlife Week celebrations, organised by Baragada Forest Division from October 2 to 8, concluded on Wednesday with a valedictory programme attended by several elected representatives and senior forest officials. Baragada MP Pradeep Purohit, along with Bijepur MLA Sanat Gartia, Bhatli MLA Irasis Acharya, Attabira MLA Nihar Mahanand and Baragada MLA Ashwini Sarangi, attended the programme. Sambalpur Division Chief Conservator of Forests Samrat Gowda, Baragada DFO Saroj Kumar Panda and ADM Mahendra Mahapatra were also present.

Speaking on the occasion, MLA Sarangi demanded that the headquarters of the wildlife division be shifted from Sambalpur to Baragada He said that if necessary, an agitation would be launched in the future to press for the demand. Irasis Acharya stressed the need to create genuine public awareness about wildlife and forest conservation rather than restricting such efforts to government programmes and official documents. Sanat Gartia and Nihar Mahanand also highlighted the responsibility of people in maintaining ecological balance and protecting forests and wildlife.

CCF Samrat Gowda praised the conservation efforts at Debrigarh Wildlife Sanctuary and called for greater public participation in protecting forests and wildlife.

On the occasion, senior journalist Bijay Kumar Sahu of Padampur was presented with the 2026 Chief Minister’s Award in recognition of his contribution. Environmentalists, Forest department personnel and students from various schools and colleges participated in the Wildlife Week celebrations.

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Venkat Raman Pradhan

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