Nayagarh: Odisha no doubt is a hidden treasure on earth and Nayagarh has turned to be one of the best-kept secrets of the state. Earlier Nayagarh was mostly known for its temples but with state government’s help, the district has become a centre of experiment for creating an eco-village with sustainable living conditions.
Muduligadia, a nondescript village in the district, has earned the distinction of being the first eco-village of the state. Located on the banks of Mahanadi river and adjoined by Satkosia gorge, the villagers here have paved the way for others by setting an example in creating a business model which banks on sustainability and eco-friendly initiatives.
With hand-holding of wildlife wing of the Forest department, communities in the village have come together to ensure a better earth for the posterity.
About two kilometres away from the Badmul eco-tourism project, the residents of Muduligadia have setup 12 tents on the sandbar in the village which is being managed by 30 local community members.
All the houses in the village have been decked with colourful verandahs and traditional wall paintings done by the villagers. The villagers have formed an eco-development committee (EDC) and developed a mechanism to make the project self-sustainable. Members of ‘Maa Satabhauni Parivesh Vikash Samiti’ clean the village every morning and meanwhile, educate the villagers and tourists about the hazardous effects of polythene.
Not only the houses but the members have kept in mind to leave not even an inch of space undecorated and so, the trees and roads to the village have been coloured.
Keeping pollution control in mind, all 35 households in the village have been using LPG instead of firewood for the past three years.
EDC president, Sumanta Das, said the lifestyle of the villagers has improved a lot. “Thanks to the eco-tourism project which is not only providing employment but also changing lives of communities dependent on forest. Even the women are actively participating to make this project a success.”
Satkosia eco-tourism sand resort near south-Badmul at Mangansai is very near to the eco-village. So the tourists, who come to the Satkosia Tiger Reserve, can also enjoy the scenic beauty of the sand resort. Satkosia Sands not only serves as a livelihood option for the forest dependent communities of southern part of Satkosia but it has also been able to build a stride of confidence among the tribal population and rural women.
The Satkosia Forest department said, “We have planned to convert 36 villages in the area into eco-villages within the next five years. Muduligadia was our pilot project and the department has tasted success also.”
Another village Raghunathprasad has also set an example in the state after converting an abandoned water body into a park. Earlier, 173 families in the village used to depend on the pond for their daily chores but since the day the pond started getting polluted, they had to abandon it.
Under the ‘Gramin Vikas Yojana’ the pond was renovated. The villagers, with the help of the administration, have established a park around the water body.
‘Gramin Vikas Yojana’ project coordinator Pabitra Mohan Sahoo said that they will create several parks like this in many villages across the district.
PNN