Bhubaneswar, Jan 4: The 5th National Chilika Bird Festival will be held from January 6 to 12, announced Forest, Environment, and Climate Change Minister Ganesh Ram Singkhuntia. The event will kick off with an inauguration at the Lok Seva Bhawan Convention Centre, with Deputy Chief Minister Pravati Parida as the chief guest, along with experts like Asad Rahmani, Suresh Kumar, and wildlife photographer Dhritiman Mukherjee.
Minister Singkhuntia highlighted Odisha’s dedication to preserving its natural heritage and biodiversity, particularly through community-led conservation efforts at Chilika Lake. This year, the Forest and Wildlife Department is organizing the festival, as the Tourism Department is focused on the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
The festival will feature various activities, including a competition for students, with winners r
eceiving awards. Around 60 photographers will have the chance to visit Nalbana Bird Sanctuary and Mangalajodi. The event will also include an art exhibition, documentary screenings, birdwatching walks, and the Odisha Bird Conclave at Chilika’s Barkula.
