Centre seeks Odisha help on Chilika

Bhubaneswar: Union petroleum and natural gas minister Dharmendra Pradhan apprised on Tuesday Odisha chief minister Naveen Patnaik about the joint initiatives United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) and Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Limited (ONGC) plan to take up to develop the Chilika Lake as a world heritage site to preserve the ecosystem around it.

In a letter to Mr Patnaik, the minister sought his support and guidance for the execution of the mission.

“Unesco and ONGC are planning to support the development of the Chilika Lake as Unesco World Heritage site and enhance the value of Chilika to become a brand conservation linked sustainable development in the state,” the letter read.

Mr Pradhan added he met Unesco director Shigeru Aoyagi on May 29 and discussed the programmes to conserve and develop the country’s largest coastal lagoon.

Urging the CM to meet Mr Aoyagi, who is on a visit to Bhubaneswar to crystallise the initiative, Mr Pradhan said the guidance of ministry of forest and environment and culture was also greatly needed.

Besides, ONGC and Unesco are planning long-term and short-term measures for the protection of animals and birds, improving livelihood of fishing community and tourist guides in the lake area, he stated.

Unesco has also proposed to set up a world-class conservation centre with climate change observatory with state-of-art data and monitoring facilities, the minister said.

CHILIKA LAKE, ODISHA

• Total water area 1,100 sq km
• Length 64.3 km
• Breadth 18km
• 160 Bird species visit Chilika Lake in winter
• Stretches from Puri district to Ganjam
• Best time to visit Chilika Lake is from Nov till Feb

CHALLENGES  

• Deforestation due to large-scale felling of trees
• Breaches on the natural sand embankment