Odisha's Eco Walk Launches Ambitious Tree Plantation Drive for a Greener Future

A Green Initiative in Balasore

Balasore: In a remarkable effort to promote environmental restoration, Eco Walk, a prominent climate action initiative in Odisha, partnered with the local organization ROSIA to conduct a large-scale tree planting event on Thursday at Angula Kacheri Padia in the Mahumuhan panchayat of Soro block, Balasore district. This initiative aims to create a ‘Mini Forest’ at the panchayat level, establishing a biodiversity-rich green area that will function as a local carbon sink and an educational eco-space. During the first phase, 100 native trees were planted, with a long-term goal of planting over 5,000 saplings representing more than 150 indigenous species. The event saw enthusiastic participation from the local community, including students, teachers, and residents.

Schools such as Angula Government School and Krushnachandra UP School played an active role, with over 50 students participating in the planting of saplings and committing to the pledge of 'Plant One Tree for Mother Earth,' alongside promises to conserve electricity and minimize water wastage. The event was inaugurated by Mahumuhan Sarpanch Gadadhar Mahapatra, with headmasters Surendra Prasad Nayak and Ganesh Prasad Bhol leading their students and highlighting the significance of environmental education. Local villagers, including Gangadhar Mahanti, Prahlad Das, Gajendra Maharana, Ranjan Das, Nityananda Das, Rabindra Pradhan, and Lucky Sahu, contributed by assisting with digging, fencing, and initial protective measures.

This program coincided with the final day of the 76th Van Mahotsav Week, which had been postponed due to heavy rainfall. Jalendra Mohalik, the Founder of Eco Walk and ROSIA, and a prominent young climate activist, remarked, 'We believe that every panchayat can cultivate its own forest. Through collective efforts and indigenous planting, we are fostering long-term climate resilience and reconnecting communities with nature.' The event was coordinated by a dedicated team from Eco Walk and ROSIA, including Biplab Ranjan Behera, Prabhat Behera, Sushant Behera, Biswajit Raj, Bijayanand Patra, Chiranjeevi Raul, Nabajyoti Panigrahi, Pralaya Das Mahapatra, Rashmi Ranjan Nayak, Prasanna Behera, Chinmay Pati, Debidatta Nayak, Radhakanta Das, and Ajay Pradhan. The 'Mini Forest' initiative is set to be replicated in various panchayats across Odisha in the upcoming months, as part of Eco Walk's broader mission to plant over 1 million trees during this monsoon season.