ONGC to Organize Symposium & Photo Exhibition at Delhi on Chilika

Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is organizing a symposium and photo-exhibition titled “The Mangalajodi Inheritance” at New Delhi on January 6, 2018, in association with The Bhubaneswar Bird Walks (TBBW). The objective of the symposium is to promote the cause of the largest brackish water lake to obtain heritage status from UNESCO.

 Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Govt. of India will inaugurate the event.

ONGC has embarked on an ambitious project for conservation and holistic development of Chilika Lake area in Odisha, and for accordance of status of UNESCO “World Heritage Site” for Chilika Lake, in line with its commitment towards environment conservation and heritage protection. Shri Pradhan has taken the noble initiative to reach a tripartite agreement between ONGC, Govt. of Odisha and UNESCO. UNESCO has assured all support towards this objective. ONGC has also charted out a systematic plan for development of Mangalajodi village in Chilika through CSR activities.

The objective of this symposium by ONGC and TBBW is to bring together experts and enthusiasts from the fields of conservation, eco-tourism, ornithology, diplomatic corps, media, NGO’s, officials from various ministries of Govt. of India, and other related fields, in order to chart out a future course of action for the preservation and development of this rich wetland heritage of Odisha.

The Bhubaneswar Bird Walks is an NGO committed to documentation and conservation of avifauna in Odisha. Founder of TBBW, Panchami Manoo Ukil has been a part of the facilitation process of ONGC’s CSR work in Mangalajodi.

Eminent environment conservationists, diplomats from various countries, UN officials, Ministry officials, ONGC top management including CMD ONGC and Director (HR), ONGC as well as various NGOs working in the field of environment protection shall be present at the symposium and photo-exhibition.

Note for the editor:

1. Background:

ONGC embarked on the ambitious project for development of Chilika Lake, Odisha as a World Heritage site of UNESCO. Deliberations with MoPNG officials and UNESCO took place in May 2017 and ONGC has committed to fund the project under its CSR initiative. Further, ONGC shall also take up CSR projects in Mangalajodi village near to Chilika Lake after the need assessment study. The study was carried out in association with local stakeholders, suggested for following possible interventions under CSR:

2. Status of the CSR initiatives at Mangalajodi:

1. Installation of Solar Street Lights: As per the findings of the site visit report it was analyzed that need of solar lights are one of the major concern of the villagers. There were no provision of street lights in the village and in the night they face real difficulties in terms of commuting from one place to another. Accordingly the 200 Solar Street Lights were installed at Mangalajodi Village through M/s Seven Greens Solar Systems.
2. Construction of IHHL Units: Lack of sanitation facilities across the survey village was observed. It was informed that not even single household has the facility of IHHL that lead to complete open defecation in the village, and consequently need for toilets were expressed by the villagers. Therefore Project was approved by Competent Authority for Construction of IHHLs in association with M/s Sulabh International Social Service Organization. 1300 households in villages were identified for construction of IHHLs. The IHHLs are currently under construction.

iii.           Construction of School Toilets In Mangalajodi Village: assistance was provided for construction of toilets for 04 schools located in Mangalajodi, Odisha through M/S Sulabh International Social Service Organization. 

1. Enhancing Drinking & Portable Water at Mangalajodi: assistance for Enhancing Drinking & Portable Water at Mangalajodi including Installation of 04 new bore wells and Renovation/ Repair of existing water facilities 

1. Providing Boats to the villagers of Mangalajodi for creating sustainable livelihood: Providing Boats to the villagers of Mangalajodi for creating sustainable livelihood, the project for providing 12 boats have been approved.  The MOA has been signed, the project is under consideration.

Projects to be taken up:

1. 
   Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) withUNESCO: UNESCO is a specialized United Nations agency whose mission is to contribute to the building of peace, the eradication of poverty, sustainable development and intercultural dialogue through education, the sciences, culture, communication and information and whose overarching objectives include mainstreaming culture into development agenda. The concept note was submitted by UNESCO on strategies to be adopted by ONGC towards developing Chilika as a world heritage site and conservation linked sustainable development of the lake and the adjoining areas

During the press conference organized on International Day of Yoga (21^st June, 2017), it was conveyed that UNESCO will facilitate process of declaring Chilika Lake as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the CSR initiative of ONGC will also be part of this process of declaring Chilika Lake as World Heritage Site.

With a view to explore the process involved in declaring Chilika lake as UNESCO World Heritage Site, it was decided that MOA will be signed between ONGC and UNESCO for declaring Chilika Lake as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The finalization of MOA is in progress.