Various activities organized; Governor gives away prizes
Bhopal: Youngsters participated in myriad of activities and competitions to mark the culmination of the Wildlife Week organized at Van Vihar jointly by forest department and World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)..
Prizes were given away to the winners. On this occasion Governor Mangubhai Patel said that it is the duty of man to take the responsibility of serving forests and wild animals. He appealed to the citizens to take a pledge to protect, conserve and serve forests and wildlife 365 days. He extended his best wishes for the bright future of the award winners. He hoped that they should step forward in the society with enthusiasm and sense of responsibility and lead forest and wildlife conservation efforts.
Governor Patel was addressing the state level Wildlife Week closing and prize distribution ceremony organized at Van Vihar National Park on Saturday. In the programme, 98 winners of various competitions organized in Van Vihar National Park were awarded. Satpura Tiger Reserve Coffee Table Book, Butterfly, Van Vihar National Park Butterfly Survey Report and Vananchal, a quarterly magazine on the activities of the forest department were launched.
Role of forests in human health
Mentioning the environmental usefulness of forests as well as the effects of forests on health, Governor Patel said that the tribal community of forest rich Dang district of Gujarat is not affected by the genetic blood disorder sickle cell, whereas tribal communities across the world are more or less affected by sickle cell. The absence of disease in the tribal community of Dang can also be considered an indication of the benefits of forests on their health. He said that Giloy, which is important in immunity from Corona pandemic, is also a contribution of forests. Describing the organization of Wild Life Conservation Week as an initiative to strengthen the knowledge of the new generation regarding wild animals and public participation in conservation, the Forest Department has been described as deserving of gratitude and congratulations.
800 participants took part
Principal Chief Conservator of Forests Wild Animals Aseem Srivastava informed about the activities conducted during Wildlife Week that 800 participants took part in 5 categories of the painting competition. Similarly, 88 participants in two categories of Rangoli, 35 in two categories of Photography, 24 in school level debate competition, 18 in college, 159 in Henna and 21 in face painting, 95 in palm painting and 22 in fancy dress competition of children up to class III took part. 470 participants took part in the Wildlife Conservation Week race and 240 participants in the bird watching camp. The vote of thanks was proposed by Director Van Vihar National Park, Sushri Padmapriya Balakrishnan.
