Creation of Eco village is need of hour for environmental, ecological balance: Experts
By Sukanta Kumar Mohanty
BHUBANESWAR, MAY 23: A seminar was held at Hotel Mayfair about future prospects and implementation of Waldenwoods Eco Village established by Waldenwoods Foundation, a Delhi based registered charitable trust.
There were deliberations and detailed discussions in the interactive session.
The trust is dedicated to rural upliftment by creating some Smart Eco Villages (Tourism Models) in rural areas. Presently Waldenwoods foundation has set up an eco-village in Kantamalia village in Dhenkanal district of Odisha.
Waldenwoods Foundation was founded in 2004 with the motto “Rural Empowerment with sustainable Development”. The main focus is to reverse the trend of migration from the urban to the rural areas. Many modern amenities like electricity, safe water supply, tele communication, transport, organic food, amusement, health services, healthy lifestyle, pollution-free environment and lots of fresh air in our Waldenwoods Eco Village (WEV).
The seminar was moderated by Dr Krushna Chandra Aich, chief advisor, Eco village. Shri Ramkrishna Dash, Founder Chairman, Waldenwoods foundation delivered the inaugural address.
Shri Dash said that with creation of eco village, despite loss from impact of pandemic within short span of time many tourists from inside and outside the state visited this beautiful place. “We are hopeful that on coming days large numbers of people will get attracted to this site,” he said.
In the current scenario, to tide over the impact of strong climate change and disastrous environment, human beings need to change their lifestyle. There is need to further spread awareness necessary about safety of mother Earth. There is also need of to set up eco retreat centres by young entrepreneurs at different places.
Mr Dash emphasised on how public and private collectively can implement this project. He suggested the need for a well-planned programme to implement for holistic development of rural areas and the need to take up “back to village’ challenge’.
“The Eco man” Shri Ramkrishna Dash was awarded with India Icon Award 2019 at Taj Kempegowda Bengaluru by film actress Dia Mirza. Shri Dash is the chartered president of only cause based club of rotary- 3262 whose main thrust area is Environment and Ecology called Rotary Club Bhubaneswar Eco. He is also the general secretary Eco of world body organisation called World Odisha Society.
“The Eco Man” RK is dedicated for rural development and environmental since last two decades. He has rolled out a pilot project model Eco Village which is a small initiative to “package the Odisha” as an International Eco tourism destination.
Dr Sarat Chandra Acharya, former chairman of a Government of India’s Navratna Company also attended the deliberation meeting. He gave valuable advice on how to take the non-government established first eco village initiative to greater heights. Former joint director of State tourism department Shri Utpal Pati also provided many valuable advices.
Others present in the event were Dr Sudershan Panda, Dr Niranjan Panda, Bikas Das, E K Patra, Chartered Accountant Anil Agrawal, Sanghamitra Jena, Puspanjali Senapati, Siresh Verma, Niranjan Swain, Bishal Subudhi, Mohit Subudhi, Ajit Sarangi, K V Rao, Sibadutta Subudhi, Pankaj Gupta, Sudhansu Mohanty, Navneet Shah and many environmentalists who gavevaluable suggestions. At last Prof Ashok Kumar Panda proposed vote of thanks.
