Pauri: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated in the Bird Festival held in Kotdwar. On this occasion, he gifted development projects worth crores of rupees to various development blocks of the district. Upon reaching Kotdwar, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami first met and interacted with differently-abled children and inquired about their education. After that, he visited the Siddhabali Temple, offered prayers, and wished for the peace, prosperity, and happiness of the state. Following this, he formally inaugurated the two-day Bird Watching Festival held in the Saneh area. Upon his arrival at the venue, District Magistrate Swati S. Bhadauria welcomed Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and other guests with bouquets. Students of Government Girls Inter College, Kotdwar, also greeted the guests with a welcome song in the local Garhwali language. The wonderful presentation on bird and nature conservation by the young children of Heritage School captivated the audience.
During the program held on Saturday, the Chief Minister inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for a total of 61 development projects. This included the laying of the foundation stone for 21 projects, with a total estimated cost of Rs. 8,172.78 lakh. 40 projects were inaugurated, with a total cost of Rs. 24,439.55 lakh. Thus, development projects worth a total of Rs. 32,612.33 lakh were inaugurated and their foundation stones laid.
The Chief Minister inspected the various stalls set up at the festival premises, among which the bird photography exhibition was a special attraction. Addressing the program, the Chief Minister appreciated the activities organized with the objective of bird identification and conservation. He said that the stalls set up by women of self-help groups to promote local products are highly commendable, as they are strengthening the rural economy. The Chief Minister said that the 21st century will be Uttarakhand’s century, and women will have the greatest contribution to it. The products made by women are even better in quality than the products of multinational companies. The Chief Minister, while giving information about the development works being carried out in the Kotdwar area, said that the construction of a bus terminal, an Ayush hospital, the establishment of an STP to free the Khoh River from pollution, the construction of a bridge over the Malan River at a cost of more than Rs 26 crore, and the construction of the Kotdwar-Najibabad four-lane road are in progress.
Making announcements for the development of the area, the Chief Minister said that the dilapidated pipeline of the urban drinking water scheme in Haldukhata, affected by mining, will be strengthened. Two classrooms, a library, a science lab, a computer lab, and a boundary wall will be constructed at Government Inter College, Kotdwar. Flood protection works will be carried out in Jeetpur village, located on the right bank of the Khoh River in Kotdwar. 108 ambulance service will be made available at the Primary Health Center, Jhandichaur. A boundary wall will also be constructed at the Government Post Graduate College, Kotdwar.
The Chief Minister said that many bird species are on the verge of extinction, and their conservation is extremely important. He expressed confidence that this Bird Festival will prove to be a milestone in the development of the Kotdwar region. He said that Uttarakhand is among the richest states in the country in terms of biodiversity, with approximately 71 percent of its land area covered by forests. The state is playing a leading role in environmental protection in the country. Millions of migratory birds visit here every year, and out of the approximately 1300 bird species found in the country, more than 400 rare and beautiful species are found in Uttarakhand.
Referring to the Ruddy Shelduck, the Chief Minister said that this rare bird with golden wings comes to Uttarakhand during the winter season, about which there is a popular saying, “Does it have the wings of a Ruddy Shelduck?” He said that birds play an important role in maintaining environmental balance, as well as in seed dispersal and strengthening the ecosystem. With the cooperation of the Government of India, the safety of wildlife is being ensured in the state, and for this purpose, the Forest Department is being equipped with modern equipment. The government is encouraging drone pilots, eco-tourism, and wildlife photography and is providing support to students for educational trips. Special arrangements have been made in Kalagarh for the treatment of injured animals and birds.
In her address, the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly and local MLA Ritu Khanduri Bhushan said that out of approximately 700 bird species found in Uttarakhand, about 400 species are found in the Kotdwar region, which reflects the rich biodiversity of the area. She described the Bird Watching Festival as an important and commendable initiative in promoting eco-tourism and bird tourism.
She suggested that this event should be included in the annual calendar of the state government and celebrated every year on January 31st as ‘Bird Festival Day’, so that bird and nature lovers from India and abroad are attracted to Kotdwar.
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly said that such events will give Kotdwar a new identity on the tourism map, increase public awareness towards environmental protection, and also strengthen economic empowerment at the local level.
