Large number of people in a Orissa village on Thursday performed a yagna or fire ritual, and pledged to protect the green cover in and around their village.
Balalanga (Orissa), Sept 13 : Large number of people in a Orissa village on Thursday performed a 'yagna' or fire ritual, and pledged to protect the green cover in and around their village.
Seventy couples from Balalanga village in Sambalpur District undertook 'Vanaspati Mahayagna', a Hindu ritual to pledge tree conservation in their area.
During fortnight-long 'yagna', which will go on till Saturday, the couples will plant saplings around their villages and will look after them till they grow into trees.
"This is very rare event. Through 'yagna' (fire ritual) 70 couples are taking a pledge to plant trees and they will tend to them till the trees grow and ultimately bear fruits," said N.C. Panda, who is organising this unique event.
The villagers seemed very upbeat about the project as they went about performing the ritual and planting saplings.
"As one looks after their own children, in the same manner we are going to look after the saplings," said Sushil Kumar Panda, a villager.
The villagers have been very active in forest conservation and have been protecting a 100-hectare forest cover near their village for the last 10 years.
But, for the first time they have been able to get participation of many more volunteers, by giving a religious touch to conservation of trees and forest.
"Some people who may not be accepting these ideas, but when it is linked to religion, they become very conscious about the need for protecting trees," said Laxmi Narayan Naik, District Collector of Sambalpur.
ANI