Youth4WaterIndia campaign launches “Factsheet on Coastal Wetlands”
- – Odisha’s Minister of State, Home unveiled the Factsheet physically and Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary unveiled the Factsheet remotely.
- – The Factsheet was launched at a function organised by School of Sustainability, XIM University as part of Wetlands Day Celebrations at Kushabhadra River Mouth.
- – Youths participated in beach cleaning activities at the river mouth as part of the celebrations.
- – A pan-India photo competition was announced by the campaign as part of the World Wetlands Day actions.
Bhubaneswar: Today, Odisha’s Minister for Home Shri Tusharkanti Behera unveiled a “Factsheet on Coastal Wetlands” prepared as part of the “World Wetlands Day 2023” actions by #Youth4WaterIndia campaign at the Kushabhadra mouth of Bay of Bengal near Konark. Unveiling the Factsheet at a function organised by the School of Sustainability, XIM University, the Minister invited the youth to participate in the campaign actively and be champions in conservation actions to protect our wetlands.
The Factsheet was also unveiled – remotely – by Shri Pradeep Kumar Jena, IAS, Development Commissioner-cum-Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Odisha. This was informed by the campaign through a poster on social media in which Mr. Jena said he was happy to unveil the Factsheet on Coastal Wetlands prepared by #Youth4WaterIndia campaign, Wetlands International South Asia and other partners to raise awareness and action among youths on the World Wetlands Day 2023 and beyond. He wished the campaign all success.
Joining the occasion, Odisha’s Water Man and Co-founder of the #Youth4WaterIndia campaign, Mr. Ranjan Panda informed that the Factsheet gives an introductory understanding on coastal wetlands and also tips to youths on what they can do to conserve these precious coastal commons as well as other wetlands. He thanked the Wetlands International South Asia office for providing the technical and other support in preparation of this factsheet.
Mr. Panda also thanked the School of Sustainability, XIM University, and Bhubaneswar for having partnered with the campaign and for organising the Sustainability Summit and wetlands day action programmes at the Kushabhadra mouth where about a hundred youths and other experts participated in beach cleaning and other local conservation actions under the guidance of Prof. Sutapa Pati, Dean of the institution.
Mr. Panda then informed that a photography competition for youths on the theme “Wetlands and Us” has been announced by the #Youth4WaterIndia campaign as part of its World Wetlands Day 2023 actions. A drawing and painting competition on Wetlands has also been planned at Sambalpur on 5th of February and an exposure-cum-interaction programme for youths to the Hirakud Ramsar Site is planned on the 12th of the same month as part of the celebrations.
Among all the partners of the campaign, these wetland day actions are being joined by Wetlands International South Asia, Foundation for Ecological Security, School of Sustainability XIM University, United National Environment Programme, Global Environment Facility, Mahanadi River Waterkeeper, Sambalpur Wildlife Division, JCI Sambalpur, Sambalpur Kala Academy, Yuva Udayan, Rotary Club of Sambalpur Greater and Water Initiatives.
