Astaranga: The vibrant Coast Fest at Astaranga was held at the Devi River mouth, a region renowned for its rich floral and faunal biodiversity, with the support of the International Visitors Leadership Programme (IVLP) Grant, USA. The event, organised under the Community-Led Biodiversity Conservation and Nature-Based Solutions Education for Climate Resilience at Devi River Mouth initiative, was formally launched by Dibakar Chhatoi, founder member of Sabuja Sakha Astaranga. Held at Jahania Bali Yatra, a local annual festival that draws over 30,000 coastal residents, the three-day event brought together local organisations, including Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Abhiyan Trust, Puri Wildlife Division, Gobinda Tripathy Smruti Parishad, and Jungle Lore Foundation. The fest aimed to educate and engage the local community, especially children and youth, on the region’s rich biodiversity, highlighting the significance of protecting it for climate resilience.
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Key focuses of the festival included educating attendees on the lifecycle, challenges, and conservation measures for Olive Ridley sea turtles, including government regulations and the importance of oceanic health. A special display demonstrated the role of mangroves in coastal resilience, shoreline stabilisation, and protection from natural disasters. Interactive activities, including gaming activities on oceanic pollution awareness and photo booths encouraging visitors to commit to preserving native biodiversity, engaged the community in meaningful ways. Informative leaflets and books provided by the Dakshin Foundation and Puri Wildlife Division, were distributed to thousands of visitors, ensuring the spread of knowledge.
The event attracted a diverse crowd, including prominent figures such as local Kakatpur MLA Tusharkanti Behera, Nuagarh Gram Panchayat Devi River Mouth Sarpanch Jitendra Kumar Swain, President of the Odisha Traditional Fishermen Association Prasanna Behera, Women Community Leader Charulata Biswal, Sasmita Behera, Block Development Officer Astaranga, and various intellectuals and community leaders. Conservationists and experts such as Sea Turtle Researcher Rahul Ms, Vidisha Kulkarni from Dakshin Foundation, Rahul Moharana from Odisha Mangrove Clean-up, Soumya Ranjan Biswal, Pintu Patra, Suman Pradhan, Bamadeb Behera, and Pradyumna Behera from Odisha Paryavaran Sanrakshan Abhiyan Trust, and Bichitranand Biswal, a Biju Patnaik Wildlife Award-winning conservationist, played key roles in leading the event. Together, they emphasised the importance of protecting coastal biodiversity to enhance the region’s climate resilience. The Coast Fest proved to be a successful platform for environmental education, empowering the local community to take action toward safeguarding their natural resources for future generations.